Is nothing safe?? Deception at the farmers market?

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Well this is just depressing.

I guess even the farmers market isn't safe anymore.
It makes sense, although it makes me sad.

It's now so 'in' to buy local that farmers markets must be growing and becoming more profitable.
So of course, there are people who are trying to make some money by lying to customers.

Check out the NYTimes article here.

Pesticides in "organic" fruits and veggies and produce from Mexico being packaged as locally grown.

Urg.

Sugar Free?

When most people move to a new city, they find a hair stylist, a doctor and maybe a dentist in that order.

I start with the dermatologist (thanks psoriasis)!

Well, thanks to my dermatologist I spent 2+ weeks trying to eliminate all refined sugar from my diet.

Apparently some people think that since psoriasis is auto-immune, diet can have a huge impact on the symptoms. In my case, I do think that it gets worse when I overindulge in certain food/drink items.

In general, I’ve also been a little concerned about the long-term impact of slathering on a variety of pretty strong topical creams.

So I decided to try going sugar free for a few weeks.

It was a very grumpy 2 and half weeks, that culminated in my eating a large piece of (delicious) wedding cake and drinking some champagne.

At first I thought that there was some change.

Then I realized that I was still using the mildest topical cream.

For someone with a science-ish degree, I clearly did not take a very scientific approach to this little experiment.

So basically, I avoided all sorts of foods..grumbled, made B nuts..and then had NO way to determine if the diet did anything useful for my psoriasis.


Perhaps I’ll try again and also go cold-turkey from the meds..but for now, I’m back on the good stuff.

Kind of.

One thing I did realize is that there is refined sugar in EVERYTHING.

It’s actually scary.

Even pita chips have refined sugar. WHY do pita chips need sugar?

The answer is, they don’t!

So although I’m going to start eating some sweet things again when I need a treat, I am going to try and avoid refined sugar in every day items. It’s OK if I eat sugar when I eat a piece of cake. Cake should have sugar.

But pita chips? Bread? Jam? Why do these things need refined sugar, and often lots of it?

No more no-sugar, but definitely less.

Engagement dinner celebration..a trip back to Craft!!

Holy cow (pun intended) is the food @ Craft delicious.
B took me here for a surprise engagement celebration dinner last week and we had a wonderful evening despite the snowy conditions and overall depressingly gross weather.
I know that Tom C. lost his Michelin star a few years ago, but thanks to a neat article in the New Yorker about their system, I’m going to assume that this has more to do with their stuffy emphasis on classic French cooking than the food at Craft.

B and I ate at Craft a year or so ago. During dinner we tried to remember the occasion. I thought perhaps it was for Valentine’s Day, he says it was for our anniversary. Either way, the last time we visited the restaurant we tried the tasting menu and left very happy, very full, and feeling a tiny bit poor.

This time around we had a gift certificate (thanks to B’s mom & dad!) and felt like it was the perfect occasion to go hog wild (yep, pun intended yet again).
We shared the field greens and an octopus appetizer. The field greens were very tasty, but the octopus was outstanding. Perfectly cooked—not chewy or gummy—but firm and tasty, with a great, slightly spicy sauce on the side that made dipping each piece fun. We fought over the last few bites it was so tasty!

Then on to the steak (B) and the veal cheeks (me). Normally I try to avoid veal because it seems kind of cruel, but Craft has information on their menus about getting all of their meat from local purveyors and farms. Since their meat is thus all locally produced, free-range, etc. I’m (hoping/assuming) that this extends to the treatment of the slightly younger cows that may have eventually ended up as part of my meal.

Humane treatment aside/assumed, the veal cheeks were amaaaazing. Tender and delicious and very filling despite a seemingly small portion. We also shared garlic risotto on the side and a dish of sautéed kale (or perhaps another green? can’t remember). Both the sides were very tasty, although I almost enjoyed the greens more than the risotto.

For dessert I tried a new tactic and ordered the brioche with crème fresh ice cream instead of something super sweet as per my usual tactic. B ordered his usual sorbet and some blood orange segments on the side. I think he almost enjoyed his little bowl of blood orange segments more than anything else—he’s funny like that. My brioche dish, which was similar to French toast but without an egg-y tasting batter was delicious. I slathered it with the slightly tangy ice cream and polished it all off very happily.

Overall, seemed like the perfect way to celebrate our engagement!

Foodie outing @ Brasserie Les Halles

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After reading Kitchen Confidential a few years ago--Anthony Bourdain's cooking memoir of sorts--I always wondered if the food at Les Halles was as good as it sounded.

Thanks to some good news on the job front (B had a great review @ work) we decided it was time to try it out.

I'm so glad we had the chance to try the food.. but seems that Les Halles was kind of the "Goldilocks" of dining experiences.

Everything was 'almost'...
As in, the wait was almost so long that we were annoyed that we bothered to make a reservation.
And our waiter was almost attentive enough.
And the food was almost good enough to warrant 5 stars.

Boyfriend ordered the hanger steak and I tried the mussels (Portuguese style).
The hanger steak was tasty, as were the fries.
The mussels were very good--but they had not been mixed well into the broth. The top layer were really lacking in flavor, which was a shame since the broth was delicious.

Dessert was also very good, although the rum poured on top of my rum cake was almost a little too strong! B's creme brule was tasty but nothing unusual.

Overall, it's kind of a sad that they were so overwhelmed and the waitstaff was was less than attentive. I think it might have been a 5 star night otherwise!

Thanksgiving..and the menu planning has begun!

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This past weekend I tried to make a savory apple pie.
I have no idea why (savory vs. sweet). I just thought it sounded like a neat idea.
The fact that I only had whole wheat flower in the house may have had something to do with this decision..
Anyway, it was a disaster!
The crust is too..well, whole wheat tasting.
I'm sure there is a way to make a whole wheat pie crust that tastes good, but this just wasn't quite right.
Luckily, I have plenty of time to make a few more pies (to freeze) before T-day.
B and I are hosting both families at our apartment, so I'm going to be making a good bit of the food ahead of time and hoping it keeps well.
So far the menu looks something like:

Turkey
Stuffing
Coleslaw (B's request)
Cranberry sauce (anyone have any unusual ideas? types?)
Free Form Sweet Potato Tart
Green Beans
Teriyaki Salmon

Should be a neat mix!

Adventure update & a foodie presentation of B's handiwork!

Part I:

I think I am going to add something else to my adventure to-do-list.

To be totally honest, I had never even heard about the High Line until very recently.

According to the website, the High Line:

"The High Line was originally constructed in the 1930s, to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan's streets. Section 1 of the High Line is open as a public park..[w]hen all sections are complete, the High Line will be a mile-and-a-half long elevated park..."

Neat, right?

An elevated park with views of NYC.

(And yes, I borrowed this picture from the official website)

Also, there's a neat/kooky lady who serenades high line park goers with songs from musicals and operas from her balcony.

I think it sounds like an awesome place for some meandering on a nice night!

Part II:

B made himself an awesome impromptu dinner last night!

Most nights I cook us both dinner after I get back from the gym.

But I was feeling lazy, and B was feeling creative.

So I lounged on the couch while he taught himself how to poach eggs!

I think they came out really nicely!

He completed his poached egg experiment with some bacon, toasted bagel, and a very cute green salad on the side.

Doesn't it look awesome??

I was so impressed by his cooking skills that I ended up feeling kitchen envy..so I made a huge batch of spicy eggplant and lentil stew.

I'll post pictures of that creation tomorrow.

I'm also thinking that it might make a really fabulous Thanksgiving side dish for my mom. High in protein & low in meat (ok, 0 meat actually..but low in meat sounded cooler).

It's also really good cold, as I discovered today during my lunch break.

Anyway, now that B has a new egg-related cooking skill I think he's going to have to figure out hollandaise sauce.

Then he can make us eggs benedict on the weekend!!

Finding it all in the neighborhood: My first dilemma now that we've moved into the new apt!

I read the Omnivores Dilemma about a year and a half ago. I thought it was a really interesting account of the way food policies have shaped eating in the US..in ways that most people don’t realize or consider. Since then I’ve tried to buy most of our produce from local sources (farmers market, co op grocery stores etc). I also buy local free-range eggs, and free-range meat/seafood when possible.

Now that we’ve moved to a new apt, I’m faced with a little bit of a dilemma. There is a Trader Joe’s visible from our living room window, plus several Middle Eastern bakeries, at least 2 Yemeni restaurants, a Lebanese restaurant and several specialty grocery stores. I love supporting local businesses (OK, TJ’s is not a local business..but everything else on the list definitely counts!), but supporting nearby stores/restaurants does not necessarily mean I’m buying local goods.

The Middle Eastern bakeries and grocery stores are definitely shipping products internationally, which kind of defeats the purpose of using produce and food items that are both healthy and eco-friendly. If you buy fruit from your area, it doesn’t take nearly as much gas/oil etc to transport it to the store or market. So buying specialty dates also means overlooking the fact that they’ve been shipped @ great environmental cost half-way around the world.

I don’t think I’m ready to pull a Barbara Kingsolver (re Animal, Vegetable, Miracle) but I wish I could resolve this dilemma. I’d settle for partially resolving the dilemma. Or finding some type of compromise! Or just not feeling bad either way!

Inspired by Omnivore's D!

"Here's a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don't worry if you haven't, mind you; neither have I, though I'll be sure to work on it. Don't worry if you don't recognize everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here's what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you've eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results."

The VGT Omnivore's Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding (I'd try to stomach a bite, but I don't know that I could do it…)
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolat
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

At this point I refuse to cross out any foods. Mostly because I need to look up a few items and figure out if I have actually ingested them, and if not, if I will in the future. As soon as I figure it out, I'll be sure to post an updated list.

Brussels Sprouts

I made one of my favorite recipes last night and ate it all for lunch today! Yum! Here is the recipe and a picture (Ben made the bowl):

1-1 lb bag of brussels sprouts
2-chicken apple sausages
2-pieces bacon (turkey works too)
2 capfuls maple syrup
1/4 cup gently crushed walnuts
1 apple

Fry bacon in pan until crisp. While it's cooking chop the bottoms off of the brussels sprouts (throw this part out..or compost!) and chop them all into small shreds. Take the bacon out of the pan and lay on a paper towel. You can clean the pan, or use the bacon grease to cook the shredded b sprouts. Cook them on LOW for 10-12 minutes. Do not let the shredded b sprouts burn or they will taste funny. While the b sprouts are cooking on low, microwave the chicken sausage for 2 minutes or grill until warm. Cut into slices and add to pan, along with the apple (which should already be cut into small pieces). Let all ingredients soften for another 5-10 minutes on low, pour syrup and nuts in and stir. Salt to taste and serve!

You can also make this recipe without the bacon. Use olive oil instead of bacon grease and follow the recipe.

Buttercream Frosting

Last night I had an impromptu dinner party at my apartment. Most of the food was basic frozen from a bag/box stuff (we're busy people!) with some fresh ingredients thrown on top, but one thing we did make was homemade buttercream frosting to go with our mix chocolate cupcakes. While some people would want chocolate frosting with the cupcakes, it was decided via a vote that buttercream was the way to go. I am going to take a picture tonight and add it to this post, assuming the roommate hasn't eaten the 1 (!) frosted cupcake that is left. To be honest, buttercream is not my favorite frosting. I think it can be too sweet, and bland.. I like a little pizzaz in my frosting! This batch was pretty good, but I think next time I'm going to try something a little more interesting.


2 lbs confectioners sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
6 tablespoons milk
1 stick butter
*vanilla to tasta


Put sugar and shortening together in a bowl and mix for a minute or two. Add the milk,vanilla, and butter and mix some more.

We also decided that this recipe was too sweet at the end, and added some lemon juice, a little more vanilla and about 1/6 cup of milk.
Not too bad! Next time though I'm heading back to the food blog I like reading and trying a buttercream with some extras!