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Air’s Champagne Parlor is All About the Bubbly
Beer, wine and even cider bars abound in NYC, but Air’s Champagne Parlor is one of the few area drinkeries devoted to bubbly. To be fair, the Riddling Widow briefly preceded it, but owner Ariel Arce was actually beverage director during its tenure, as well as Birds & Bubbles before that, and Chicago’s Pops for Champagne (not to mention Grant Achatz’s exclusive, original The Office) before that. Meaning her reputation as queen of Cuvèe absolutely proceeds her.
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Where to Celebrate Oktoberfest 2017
If you’re already mourning the loss of summer, Oktoberfest is a reliable way to get you over the hump. Essentially spanning the duration of fall (kicking off on September 16th this year & extending all the way to October 31st, allowing revelers to seamlessly transition to Halloween), the 16 to 18-day festival is a giddy saturnalia of German culture…
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Spotlight on the Finalists for the 2017 Vendy Awards
As a fun challenge to the James Beard Awards, the Vendy ceremony — now in its 13th year — is dedicated to honoring the very best in street food. So here’s who’s in the running during the September 16th event at Governors Island; from an artisanal twinkie baker to an upstart french toast sandwich maker, to a Chinese meat skewer purveyor, whose been tapped for the Vendy Cup…
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Q & A with Michael Psilakis
Mention Greek cuisine and most New Yorkers immediately think Michael Psilakis. So does Obama. The President invited him to cook at the White House for Greek Independence Day dinner. He’s come a long way from serving ice cream at Carvel. How did Psilakis brand himself in Greek cuisine? He introduced us to the simplicity, bold flavors and rich ingredients Greece has to offer. And at Anthos, he modernized it and developed his own style mingling Greek with modern cooking...
Read MoreEmporio
Cuisine: Roman-style Vibe: ’20s trattoria Occasion: Group dinner, casual date, long lunch Don’t Miss: Grilled lamb Scottadito Price: Appetizers $10, entrées $18, dessert $6 Reservations: Recommended Phone: (212) 966-1234 Location: 231 Mott St., near Prince St. Over the past few months, five Roman-style restaurants have opened in Manhattan. What is it about Roman cooking? For starters, it’s simple and cheap. And right now, simple and cheap is a very good thing. Roma means carciofi alla giuda (Jewish-style fried artichokes),...
Read MoreRecession Proof Baking Tips
And we thought we’d run out of ways to save money cooking quickly. Luckily, that’s not the case. We just keeping finding more ways to save. We’re sort of addicted to thrifty, crafty ideas. And please, do feel free to send your own… Granita is a great summer dessert you can whip up on a whim. Did I mention it’s refreshing and fat-free and one of the cheapest things to make? You can make any flavor, but I made...
Read MoreMing Tsai's Pork Apple Potstickers
Famed Chef & Owner of Blue Ginger Ingredients: (Makes 45 to 50 pot stickers) Dipping Sauce 3 tablespoons sambal ulek 3/4 cup rice vinegar 3/4 cup naturally brewed soy sauce 11/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens Pot Stickers 1 pound ground naturally fed pork 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger 2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and tender green parts (1/8-inch-thick slices) 2 cups 1/4-inch-dice, peeled...
Read MoreBottletop Basting Brush
Memorial Day means summer has officially begun. Which means warm weather, beach days, picnics, and endless barbecues. The only thing I don’t like about barbecues is scrubbing the grill and cleaning the basting brushes. This week, we discovered this Bottletop Basting Brush. It’s genius. First things first, It’s only four dollars. Second, it takes the mess and mess-ups out of prepping your meats. This brush fits on the top of any bottle, so you can use it for everything:...
Read MoreBubby’s
Cuisine: American comfort food Vibe: Country chic diner Occasion: Late night munchies; neighborhood bites; after-work hangout Don’t Miss: Jalapeño Bloody Mary, mac and cheese, blueberry sour cream pancakes; Michigan sour cherry pie Price: Appetizers, $8; entrees, $16; dessert; $5. Reservations: Accepted Phone: (212) 219-0666 Location: N Moore St & Hudson St, New York, NY 10013, USA Ron Silver worked the breakfast shift at Florent 15 years ago. Then he became obsessed with pies. That’s when he opened Bubby’s, a...
Read MoreChef's Steals & Deals Picks
Almost every restaurant is running a recession special these days. The key is figuring out the best steals or asking the chef’s what they’d order. So we did just that… Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto283 Amsterdam Ave., btwn. W. 73rd St. & W. 74th St.(212) 877-4800www.salumeriarosi.com/index.phpThe entire menu at newish UWS restaurant is affordable. Chef Cesare Casella features an extensive selection of cured meats, cheeses and small plates. But the dish to order is the lasagna and not because it’s only...
Read MoreThe Waverly Inn's Truffled Mac & Cheese
By Chef John DeLucie Ingredients: 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi 1 tablespoon table salt 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard or dijon 5 cups milk (see note) 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (2 cups) 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups) 1 teaspoon table salt Da Rosario white truffle oil to taste 1 fresh truffle Preparation:1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4...
Read MoreQ & A with Danny Abrams
There are few restaurateurs as seasoned as Danny Abrams. He has successfully opened some 15 restaurants, bars, and clubs since he got his start as a busboy and roller-skating waiter. And did you know his brother, Steve Abrams, owns the Magnolia Bakery empire? Apparently it runs in the family. Many of his ventures are still thriving today, including Smith’s and The Mermaid Inn as well as The Harrison and The Red Cat, now run by former partner Jimmy Bradley. ...
Read MorePressure Cooker
Forget reality TV, Top Chef and cooking shows for one night- Pressure Cooker is a real life drama about life in the kitchen. Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker’s new documentary follows three students from low income areas of Philly through culinary school and into the real world. The documentary is inspired by the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which provides scholarships, education and internships to underserved students across the country, Pressure Cooker has already won the Special...
Read MoreVutera
Cuisine: Mediterranean Vibe: Subterranean sanctuary. Occasion: Romantic date, group dinner, preconcert bites. Don’t Miss: Roasted poussin, braised lamb shank Price: Appetizers, $8; entrees, $16; dessert; $5. Reservations: Accepted Phone: (718) 599-0069 Location: 345 Grand St. between Marcy & Havemeyer Aves, Brooklyn. I’m not big on atmosphere. I’m the type who prefers phenomenal food to phenomenal décor. I’d take a great steak over a great scene any day. But even I was put off by the grungy entryway to Vutera,...
Read MoreRecession Proof Baking Tips
Tip #1 — Why throw out leftover holiday candy when you can bake with it. Let’s take Easter: Old, uneaten chocolate bunnies and Perugina eggs make great ingredients for everyday desserts. Just break them up into chunks and use them as a substitute in anything from cookies to cakes, or just about anything that requires a hint of chocolate. Save the high quality stuff for yourself and melt it down to make yourself a cup of iced chocolate! Tip...
Read MoreWellness in the Schools and the Greenhouse Project Benefit for NYC Public School Students
This Monday, May 18th, Wellness in the Schools and The Greenhouse Project are teaming up to host a benefit for NYC public school students to raise awareness and provide school children with fresh, healthier options in city cafeterias nation-wide. Funds raised will support the construction of a solar-powered, hydroponic greenhouse on the roof of PS 333. The greenhouse will serve as a year-round edible garden and education center where students will learn about nutrition and ecology. Proceeds will also...
Read MoreMy Favorite Gizmo Ever — Teavana Perfect Tea Maker
I love tea almost as much as food. There’s something about the fragrance, the taste, the ceremony of it all that soothes even the most type A individual. Nothing compares to a cup of loose leaf tea. But it requires time, clean up and equipment, which is why most opt for traditional tea bags. This is my favorite gizmo to date. All you do is open the lid, pour your favorite kind of loose leaf tea in, add hot...
Read MoreQ & A with John DeLucie
New Yorker’s love a challenge. Just look at the Waverly Inn. Two years later and reservations are still tough to come by. Walk-ins crowd around the front bar hoping for a table. But what differentiates the Waverly Inn different from every other sceney restaurant is the quality of the cooking. That’s where John DeLucie comes into the picture. He’s the chef and co-owner of the Waverly Inn. De Lucie’s not your typical chef. He worked in the corporate world...
Read MoreNYC's Best Whoopie Pies
I’m a little sick of cupcakes. The idea of mini-frosted cakes, but cupcakes require patience. First, you’ve got to to peel off the baking cup, then come up with a strategy to maximize the cake-to-frosting ratio of every bite. Ultimately, it ends in sticky fingers or unequal bites. Which is I’m thrilled the whoopie pie is making a big comeback. The whoopie pie is pretty much a hybrid of desserts — a cupcake, a cookie, and a cake. ...
Read MoreAnthos' Greek Salad
By Chef & Co-Owner Michael Psilakis IngredientsSalad: ¼ head baby romaine, washed and trimmed ¼ head Red Belgian endive 1 oz. baby beets (pink, red and orange roasted with EVOO salt and pepper, peeled and quartered) 1 oz. yellow wax beans (blanched, chilled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces) 1 oz. green peas (blanched, chilled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces) 1.5 oz. Dodonis feta cheese, cut into ¼ in. cubes. 5 Kalamta olives quartered and pitted Small handful...
Read MoreSmart Shopper Grocery List Organizer
How many times have you been to the grocery store or out running errands and forgotten something you were supposed to get? Then, it’s back to the store for whatever it was you forgot, not to mention more time wasted in the checkout line. Again. It’s so frustrating and happens to all of us. That’s why someone was smart enough to invent this: The Smartshopper Grocery List Organizer. Just mount the organizer on the refrigerator, by your bed, or...
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