Tonight is Colombian food with Mama Vargas

Tonight I am wearing my stretch pants as I will have some delicious homemade Colombian food cooked by my friend Diana's mom! Stay tuned!

Great Italian Food at Morandi in New York, NY

I love Italian food! That's true that for most people, Italian food is associated to pizza, pasta and risotto. There is so much more (a good veal liver...). Now, the food has to be tasty and fresh, otherwise, I can make it myself at home, especially considering that lots of supermarkets or grocery stores sell delicious fresh pasta. By the way, for those who do not know: when cooking, you do not put the pasta in the water unless it boils!!!

New York has great Italian restaurants and it is not in Little Italy that you will automatically find them. Morandi is one of them. What is interesting is that the owner, Keith McNally (very Italian), opened many restaurants that have nothing to do with Italian food, but are very popular for New Yorkers: Balthazar, Pastis, Pravda... 

I really like the atmosphere of the restaurant: spacious, warm, rustic with its wooden tables and the bricks on the wall. The service is efficient and nice. 

Now, let's talk about the food: I went once for brunch and it was delicious. They have a mix between brunch standards (waffle, eggs...) and Italian specialties. This time, we went for dinner. We started with the burrata that is a cheese made of mozzarella and cream (the outer shell is made of solid mozzarella while the inside is made with mozzarella and cream - very creamy). It was served with roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine, some olive oil and a hint of balsamic vinegar. While eating it, you could feel the crystals of kosher salt. I really love the creaminess of the cheese inside: it is so refreshing.

For the main course, we tried two dishes:

• Pici al Limone that are hand rolled spaghetti with lemon and parmesan: first of all the pasta were awesome. Based on the taste, I would not be surprised that they make them. The sauce was very good too with not too much lemon, but enough to taste it (too much would have tasted like dish soap).
• Linguine alle vongole: pasta with clams,white wine and green garlic. This is my favorite. When I try a new Italian restaurant, I always try this one. It is a good test. Morandi definitely makes it perfectly. First, the clams are real clams, not from a can! There was a good quantity and they were very fresh. Second, the sauce was outstanding: I ate some of it with a spoon! It had a perfect texture (not too liquid) and the green garlic was not overpowering at all. The last part is the pasta: cooked al dente. Overall, a very, very, very good dish!

We finished the dinner with a Tiramisu. Unfortunately, it was not that great. The layer made with egg yolks and mascarpone did not have that much taste. Despite this, I will definitely go back to Morandi and recommend this restaurant!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Billy's Bakery in NYC, New York: incredible banana cream pie!

My wife has always been a big fan of Billy's Bakery in Manhattan for two things: cupcakes and coconut cream pie. I am not a coconut guy, but I have to say that their coconut cream pie is pretty good and they are pretty generous in portions, with very reasonable prices (we just bought two slices of banana cream pie - photo - for $9!).

Billy's bakery has several locations, but I only know the one in Chelsea. The bakery is kind of retro with an old red formica table set (one, so it is more a grab and go). You also get to see the kitchen where all the magic happens! On top of that, from the kitchen, emanates the fantastic smell of freshly made cakes. No way you can leave without buying something yummy!

Besides, the coconut cream pie, I have tried the cheesecake, that is good, but not as good as Junior's and the banana cream pie that is delicious. In fact the banana and coconut cream pies are identical in the way they are made (I guess it is creme patissiere - a rich, thick and creamy custard made from a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, flour and cornstarch), but one has bananas and the other one coconut (try to guess; you can do it). The banana cream pie is light and not too sweet. It is perfect with a coffee or tea.

Apparently, their pineapple upside down cake is awesome, but they did not have it this time. So I guess I found a good excuse to go back...

Update on 1/22/12:
well we went back today to Billy's bakery and I tried their pineapple upside down cake: good with a very moist cake, but I would have liked more pineapple juice and flavor in the cake! Fortunately, I also had some more of the banana cream pie! I am telling you: having a food blog gives you plenty of excuses to indulge!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!


Reference: www.billysbakerynyc.com

Dinner At The Elysian Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

The Elysian Cafe is one of the hot spots in Hoboken. From what I understand, the owner also owns Amanda's. It is always packed! We have tried their brunch one time and decided to try their dinner menu. I have to say that both brunch and dinner were good, with some exceptions as you will see.

Let's talk about the restaurant first: warm, very cafe-ish. They have an outdoor terrace and two main dining rooms. Each time we went, the service was nice and efficient. According to them, it is the oldest continually operated bar/restaurant: it opened in 1895 and became an ice cream salon and an hair salon during the prohibition! Today, it is a French bistro.

Concerning the food, we decided to try different appetizers to get an idea. So here is what we tried:

• Organic field greens salad with a balsamic vinaigrette: nicely dressed.
• The soup of the day: mussels chowder. I really liked it. First of all, they bring you a plate with only mussels in it. They then pour, in front of you, the soup. I love that little show as it is surprising and playful! The soup itself was very good: the mussels were good and the cream deliciously seasoned and with a nice consistency (not too liquid).

• Cheese plate: this was a little disappointment. The cheeses were processed cheeses! Seriously: if you want to have a cheese plate on your menu, put a nice selection! It should not be that complicated!
• The Maryland style crab cakes (so surprising!) with Chipotle aioli: these were good crab cakes! You could actually taste the crab and the aioli had a nice kick that paired well with the crab (as opposed to a lobster or seafood sauce).

To finish the meal and ensure a good digestion, we picked the Double Chocolate Sundae: chocolate bread pudding, vanilla ice cream, Chantilly creme, chocolate ganache, whipped cream. The empty plate at the end attested of the taste of the dish....I never had a chocolate bread pudding before and really enjoyed it (anything with chocolate is good, right?).

Now that the restaurant passed the test of the appetizers, we will probably try some more serious dishes like the seafood risotto and maybe the steak frites...I will just avoid the cheese plate!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

A French Brasserie In The Heart of New York - Brasserie Cognac

Brasserie Cognac, located near Columbus Circle in New York, serves delicious brunches! I never tried their dinner, but the brunch menu is quite good. I like the feel of the restaurant that reminds me of brasseries you can find in Paris. They in fact sat us next to the window, overlooking the street, and it was as if we were there (I am not comparing the streets of Paris with the streets of New York, just the relaxed feeling of eating outside, watching people passing by).

The Chef of the restaurant, Florian Hugo, worked under the supervision of the world renowned Alain Ducasse. I learnt that he is a direct descendant of Victor Hugo, the famous French writer of Les Miserables! Well, our food experience did not make us miserables at all!

So, for brunch, they have a prix-fixe: for a little less than $25 (in 2011), you get a drink (I got a nice belini -  Champagne with peach nectar), an appetizer and a dessert. One of their famous appetizers is the Gougeres: some warm cheese puffs served in a basket. Light and delicious. They also have a fantastic homemade chicken and duck liver mousse on toasts. Very tasty!

For entrees, their mussels mariniere (white wine, shallots, light cream, parsley) with fries are very good. The filet mignon burger is good too: well cooked (I asked medium) and moist. I wish they put more tartare sauce on it and found it overpriced when looking at the price on the menu ($18). 

The best is their Croque Monsieur! First, the way it is presented is awesome (on a cutting board, cut in stripes) and so appetizing! Then the taste: divine! Especially the cheese on top that is gratinee. It is served with a salad. 

Definitely it is a good brunch and I will probably try for dinner one day! Worth mentioning that they have a bakery next door where you can get some great croissant and pains au chocolat (chocolate croissant).

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Portuguese Barbecue at Piri Piri (Hoboken, NJ)

I love barbecue and was very excited to go to Piri Piri! Imagine that: they have a real wood charcoal barbecue! I have to say that the only portuguese dish I know is the Bacalhau, specialty made with salted cod as the central ingredient. Apparently the tradition of portuguese barbecue dates many centuries and back then, people were using old cork trees, creating a fragrant charcoal, giving to the food a very specific taste.

As for the name, it refers to the African bird's eye chili that portuguese explorers discovers in Mozambique.  It seems that the restaurant, to this day, is shipping the chili from there to prepare their piri piri sauce!

The decor is very nice: they have a big communal table and the top of the tables is made of blue tiles, giving a rustic feel to the restaurant. One of the wall is made of bricks (very warm) and the other has plenty of photos of Portugal.

In term of food, they have a wide variety of dishes, few being vegetarian only. What I liked is that they propose half plates for their barbecue, allowing their guest to pick several dishes...That is what I did!

I first tried their signature dish: Frango de Churrasco: it is a free range chicken, butterflied and cooked in the charcoal fire pit. The restaurant says that these chicken are hormone and antibiotic free, bought in small farms where they roam free. So, the chicken was good: lean and tasty. The skin was crispy and not too fatty. The other dish was Costela de vacca or beef short ribs: The meat was good but a little bit dry. Both dishes were served with a small salad, rice (overcooked or made cooked a different way? Not for me) and fresh potato chips (very good).
For dessert, we tried the Serradura, a fresh cream and tea biscuit pudding: this was delicious. Lighter than what I though and not too sweet. Nice way to finish a meal!

Concerning the service, it was a bit slow and later, the restaurant got packed: it got worse! Fortunately, they give you some delicious bread (I could not stop eating it), olives and pickles while you wait for your dishes.

I would probably go back to Piri Piri to try some of their traditional dishes, as well as the paella (the table next to us ordered it and it looked amazing!).

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Mac Donald's to serve Baguette in France - The Mac Baguette?

Update 5/7/2012 - full review of the Mc Baguette by clicking here!

As incredible as it sounds, Mac Donald's is catering to its clients in France and will be selling baguette (traditional French bread) for breakfast (with butter and jam), as well as planning to have baguette sandwiches on its menu for several weeks starting April 18th in its 1200+ locations!

The burger will be made of Charolais beef meat (famous and prime quality), French-made Emmental cheese and mustard.
Opened at the end of the 70's in France, the franchised restaurant had to adapt to the French culture and introduce a different spin to its food (the Mc Cantal is a good example, Cantal being a famous French cheese). 

Now, why do they go that far? Simple: according to the Gira Council Cabinet, French people eat nine times more sandwiches than burgers and 60% of these sandwiches are made with baguettes! The bread will apparently be provided by The Holder Group, owner of Ladurée stores and Paul Bakeries (great sandwiches!). So, my fellow compatriots, are you ready for the Mac Baguette?

Tacos at The Taco Truck (Hoboken, NJ)

The Taco Truck is a good example of a food truck that succeeded. Imagine that: they started with a truck and now they have a storefront. Trucks are really becoming popular. When you go in the City, you see so many different trucks: tacos, cupcakes, sweets, dumplings, pyrogies, pizza....Soon, you will find: dentists, doctors, opticians...

So, let's go back to the Taco Truck: the adventure started in 2009, when two friends, inspired by their experience in Mexico and California decided to create their own spin on food shop (taqueria) and food truck locally. The Taco Truck was born and became popular quickly. Their truck goes either to Hoboken, Jersey City and to the Highline Mondays and Sundays! If you are in Hoboken, you can also go to their restaurant close to the path. Important to keep in mind that their food is all natural and prepared right away, a la minute: you cannot miss the freshness of the ingredients! 

I have tried several of their tacos. My favorite is the Pescado or fish taco (photo 1 below): crispy catfish, red cabbage, pico de gallo, Mexican tartar sauce and chipotle salsa. The crispiness of the catfish, the crunchiness of the cabbage and the different layers of flavors create an incredible experience. On top of that, if like me you add guacamole and cheese, you are in Heaven!

Of course, they have other good tacos:

• if you want to eat vegetarian, the Hongos (mixed mushrooms, seasonal vegetables and epazote with lime-pickled onions and chipotle salsa - photo 2 below) is perfect. As I mentioned before, the ingredients are fresh and you will really feel it in this taco.
• Pollo Asado (guajillo marinated grilled chicken with lime-pickled onions and roasted red salsa).

There are some that I did not really like, such as the Barbacoa de Costilla (pasilla braised shredded beef with onions, cilantro and roasted red salsa). The day I tried it, the meat was dry. Might have been a bad day! 

If you are not into tacos, they also have salads, soups, sides or great Tortas (mexican sandwiches that are toasted). The Hongos, similar to the taco is great. 

When we went, they had a special: Aguacate Tostado Tacos (fried avocado, black beans, sesame seeds, pickled onions and tortillas fritas with sesame ancho crema - photo 3 above). I never had fried avocado and I have to say it was dam good! They really have a way of creating the perfect pairing of ingredients!

Definitely, The Taco Truck makes great tacos. The drawback is that it will be your reference and will spoil any other taco experience you may have...Too bad! Or maybe too good!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

We went back to Bar Suzette (New York, NY)!

If you recall our visit at Chelsea Market, we ended up trying a delicious butter and sugar crepe. I could not forget that experience and could still remember the way they made it: they first put the slob of butter on the crepe, let it sit few seconds so it starts melting and then spread out the butter all over the crepe. After that, they add the sugar. Your first bite is incredible! You taste the crepe, then the butter and then the sugar: it is divine! So good that you need another bite, until you reach the end, at the bottom of the crepe, full of butter and sugar. It will be a last explosion of flavors, so delicious that you will want another one. At least I do....

So, I needed to go back to try some salty crepes, as well as the banana and nutella one (they have a big jar of nutella next to the crepe maker).
So, we tried:

• Ricotta, figs and honey: I tried this combination in a sandwich once at Le Pain Quotidien! These ingredients pair very well together and it is very refreshing.
• Apple and Brie: they are very generous on the brie and apple! This was awesome! I loved the crunchiness of the apple and the creaminess of the brie.
• Banana and Nutella: ok, for this one, I was disappointed! Not enough nutella! You have to put more! When you take a bite, you have to have some nutella on the corner of your mouth!!!

Needless to say that we also got a butter and sugar one....

This is very good and more appetizing than the creperie you find at the street fair with their nasty samples! Try it: you will not regret it and will want to know fairly quickly how to make crepes!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Today is Dussehra - Happy Holiday!

Today is Dusserha, a popular Hindu festival also known as Vijayadashmi ('Vijay' meaning 'victory' and 'Dashmi meaning 'tenth day'). It celebrates the day Lord Rama killed the demon-king, Ravana and rescued his abducted wife Sita. So it is the victory of Good against Evil.

So, you are probably wondering what it has to do with my stomach? Well, one of my co-workers who is Indian and knows that I love Indian food brought me, as a surprise, an Indian lunch composed of a vegetarian byriani (rice dish), crackers and sweets. I was very touched by this gesture! The food, cooked by his wife, was simply delicious! The byriani had a nice kick and I could not believe that the crackers were homemade! I will try to get the recipe for you...and for me!

So, Happy Holiday to all my Indian friends, co worker and readers! With this awesome lunch, I felt I was celebrating with you!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Restaurant Review: Bombay West (Hoboken, NJ)

I guess that now you understand that I like Indian food. So here is another experience that could have been great. It was food wise but not in term of service. What I really like with Bombay West is that they serve Thali, that is a selection of different dishes, served in small bowls on a round tray. I had my first Thali in India: it was my very first all vegetarian meal (yes, that's possible) and was all you can eat. I remember that I was drinking Chaas that is a buttermilk drink slightly more liquid than a lassi. It was delicious and I wanted more! In fact I had more as, remember, it was all you can eat!!! 

So I was very excited when I saw the menu of Bombay Palace: different Thali where you pick one entree (vegetarian or chicken or shrimp for instance) and they bring you a Poori that is a fried bread, three appetizers and a dessert. All of this for less than $20. One time, I had the bad idea to ask for a naan bread instead of a poori as I prefer the nan. They did not seem to like it...I finally got a chapati (flatbread). So, I went few times and all the time the same pattern: 

• The manager is not nice with the staff: who do you think you are? Gordon Ramsey? She should also be more welcoming as you have the impression that you are bothering her!
• The food takes a long time. I am wondering if they are not shipping it from India!

Fortunately, the food is good! They always serve you a papadum that is a kind of cracker. Good way to make you wait for your food! Their dahl is delicious, the chicken tikka masala very creamy and flavorful, the Chanaa masala perfect, the naan very good. In term of dessert, the rice pudding is ok; however, the gulab jamun are awesome! So, food good, but the whole experience is spoiled by the bad service! Too bad! 

So if you go to Bombay West, keep in mind that the food is good and imagine you are watching Hell's Kitchen!

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Bombay West
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	New Jersey / Indian
	* Street Address
	832 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
	* Phone
	(201) 653-0011

Restaurant Review: Two Boots Pizza (New York, NY)

Do you remember my story about the day when I walked out of Zen Palate? Well, that day we ended up at Two Boots Pizza. I know: I am a little behind in my posts...

So, what makes a good pizza? For me: the crust must be crispy. It can be thin or thick, I do not care. Then the second thing is the tomato sauce. Most of the pizza shops buy pizza sauce. They just need after to put some additional ingredients, such as oregano, to make the difference. What is interesting is the way pizza is eaten in France versus the US. In France, you can also have it by the slice, but only for take out in boulangeries or sandwicheries. If you go to a pizzeria, they will serve you a large pizza, bigger than a standard round plate. Then, the toppings are different. For instance, one of my favorite when I was living in Paris was one with smoked salmon and creme fraiche. They first cook the pizza and then, before serving, put generously some creme fraiche and then the salmon. I find it better this way as, if you cook the salmon directly with the pizza, the sauce will have a fishy taste and it will reveal the salt of the fish. 

Cheese being big in France (more than 400 different varieties), you have pizzas with different combinations of cheeses. One of my favorite is with St Marcellin (when I can find it!). A last example refers to my last trip there: I had a pizza with cream and ravioles that are a thiner and better version of cheese ravioli. That was so delicious!

So, to go back to Two Boots: the restaurant was opened in 1987 by 2 indie producers, explaining why their signature pizzas have name like: Mr Pink, Larry Tate or the Newman. They of course have the standard pizzas: sicilian, cheese....We tried the sicilian (awesome with a perfect crust - I need a corner), the classic cheese (lots of cheese and a great tomato sauce) and a cheese with roasted pepper (love it)! Perfect crust, perfect sauce! Perfect pizza! This is definitely a nice address to know, especially if you are in Time Square and want to go grab a quick bite before or after a movie, instead of going to a touristy, overpriced restaurant!

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Akbar (Edison, New Jersey)

I went to Akbar twice and I have to say that it is quite difficult to find if you do not know it is there! This place is huge! It has three different rooms that can accommodate 600, 110 and 80 guests! The metallic doors to the different rooms are beautiful. The entrance is decorated with amazing stained glass that I think represent Akbar, a Mughal Emperor from the XVI th century. 

They serve a buffet that is pretty good!

There are in fact three areas:

• The main buffet area (photo).
• A table with some appetizers.
• The table for desserts. This one is important of course! Especially knowing that they always serve two desserts: a specialty and an ice cream. Most of the indian buffet I went to only proposed one dessert! That's a plus.

The buffet offers a soup, a salad / fresh vegetables, as well as 5 different dishes. 

The day I went, they had: tandoori chicken (photo 1), Palak Softa (photo 2 - spinach with grated cottage cheese), dahl (photo -3) lentils), Phool Gobi barnasi (photo 4 - cauliflower) and Chana beans poriyal (no photo). It was very good and tasty. All the dishes were very flavorful and all the spices were dancing in my mouth! I only regret that they did not serve another meat like Chicken Tikka Masala that is pretty standard!

With your meal, they will serve some buttered nan (bread) and a dosa, that is like a crepe, that originates from South India. Seeing them making the dosa was interesting! Look at the photo below and you will see how they spread the batter. The result is delicious! 

Last but no least is the dessert: it is called Semiya Keer. It is like a rice pudding but the rice is replaced by angel hair pasta. It was so good that I had two bowl...little bowls...very little....

That was a very good meal at a very good price (less than $9). Definitely worth trying it!

Enjoy (I did)!

The Food Thought Of The Day

You do not need an elaborate dish to enjoy your food! 

Restaurant Review: Marseille (New York, NY)

Marseille (no "s" at the end!!!!) is one of my favorite restaurants in New York; I went there for brunch or dinner and I have never been disappointed! The food there is so good and inspired from Mediterranean cuisine and Provence (hence the name, close to my heart and now to...my stomach). It is one of the restaurants in New York where you can eat merguez (spicy lamb sausages)!

I like the restaurant: the large dining room is bright, with a brasserie decoration and feel. They always give a bread basket to put you in appetite, served with butter and jam. In term of food, it is simply delicious! Their burger (the chef is also in charge of Nice Matin or 5 Napkin Burger) is very good and tasty. It is served with caramelized onions and comte cheese. The moules frites are also a hit. 

This restaurant is one of my favorite places for brunch in New York! They of course serve the basic brunch staples but sometimes with a mediterranean twist: eggs, French toasts, etc...The last time we went there, I decided to try different appetizers instead of getting an entree. We ate:

• Tuna tartare (photo 2) served with cucumber, jalapeno, spicy mayo in a crispy wonton: this was awesome! Very light and fresh! The mayo had a nice kick. The presentation in three little wonton baskets was very aesthetic. 
• Goat cheese tart with tomato fondue and caramelized onions: do I need to say more? Simply delicious! It is so good that I wish they had a bigger portion. The goat cheese, onions and tomato fondue pair so well!
• Garden salad with Bibb lettuce, hazelnuts and mustard vinaigrette: ok, it is just salad. But the most important about a good salad is not only the salad itself (Bibb is one of my favorites), but to not overdress it. 
• Ratatouille nicoise: this one was ok. It did not really taste like ratatouille (check Maison and their ratatouille and goat cheese crepe...). Not something I would have next time.

So, if you are looking for a good brunch, check that restaurant: you will not regret it!

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Uncle Jack's Steakhouse (New York, NY)

I love steaks and the meat in this country is incredible! But not all restaurants know how to cook a good steak. Of course the quality of the meat is important too. So, what I am looking for is good piece of meat and good way of cooking it. As I mentioned in a prior post, I have a rule that says that I should not have a steak if the restaurant is not a steakhouse. Steakhouses are specialized in steaks, so they should know how to make them!

I went to Uncle Jack's few months back for lunch and had a special: surf and turf for $29. It came with a petite filet mignon, a small lobster tail with clarified butter, and mash potatoes. It was delicious! So we decided to go for dinner! I am going to make my usual comment: the restaurant was dark! why? One of my colleague thinks that it is because steakhouses were more geared to men decades ago. And so???

At Uncle Jack's, the meat is of the highest quality (USDA Prime) and aged for 21 to 28 days on premises. They cook it at 1800 degrees on an infrared broiler that gives a nice char and then finish the meat at temperature, served with their natural au jus.

I had a very good meal there! I started with crab cakes (I know I am obsessed). They were good and you could see and taste the lump crab! However, I did not like the sauce (kind of a lobster sauce). 

I then ate a bone in filet mignon; first time I tried that! The taste is between the filet mignon and the prime rib with a fattier meat around the bone. The meat was perfectly cooked, tender and very juicy. As a side, we picked onion rings: they were big! Not greasy at all, just missing a bit of salt. Of course we could not finish the meal without a desert...We chose the creme brulee: delicious!

This was definitely a good meal! Uncle Jack's is an address to have in mind for steaks!

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Baluchi's (New York, NY)

Baluchi's is one of my favorites indian restaurants in the city. Some of my friends from India love it, so I guess it confirms my taste! Not only they have good food, but they also have a good deal for lunch: 50% off! How do they do that? They serve less quantity than for dinner, but it is still a good portion.

What I prefer: crab curry (photo), chicken Tikka Masala or tandoori chicken! The crab curry has so many flavors; I always ask mild as it is spicy. Even like that, it has a nice kick!

They also have a good sweet lassi and great nans (bread)! If you'd like to try different types of nans, try the nan basket!

Enjoy (I did)!

Amy's bread - Coconut Bar! (New York, NY)

I like Coconut but I am not a coconut lover. But, when I tried the Coconut Bar from Amy's bread, it was a revelation! Think about it: buttery crust, coconut and chocolate chips! They all pair perfectly together and it is even better after you pop the bar in the microwave for few seconds. Add a glass of milk and it is a perfect treat!

Definitely worth to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

Recipe: Baguette with a hint of Olive oil

You probably know the caricature of the French: baguette and beret! Well, the beret is truly a caricature (mastered in the movie

The Truth About Charlie

with Mark Walberg) as you will not see that many people wearing it if you go to France, except if they are a certain age; but the baguette is true! Bread is an institution there! You will find boulangeries very easily, with many types of breads: baguette, sour dough, with olives, blue cheese.... In restaurants, they will always give you some bread with your meal: as much as you want! 

When I came in this country, I missed passing by a boulangerie and buying my baguette or ficelle (very thin baguette - outstanding when hot with just butter on it). Well, I then discovered different types of breads (Challah, focaccia, Hero, bagel...) and locations to buy some: whole food (great baguette), Balthazar (bread sold in different stores) or Amy's bread. Then, to counter the fact that there are not as many boulangeries as I would like, I bought a bread machine: it is great! The kneading is better than doing it by hand (I tested on burger rolls) and you can set the machine so when you wake up, you have fresh bread for breakfast. Not to mention the sensational smell of fresh bread in your home!

Here is an easy recipe of French bread where I replaced part of the water with olive oil to give a hint of olive flavor and make the bread moist.

Ingredients for 2lb:

- 1 1/4 cup (30 cl) lukewarm water

- 1/4 cup (5 cl) olive oil

- 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt

- 4 cups of flour (1 cup = 128 grams)

- yeast

Put all the ingredients together and knead them until obtaining a firm, non sticky dough. Let rise for 1 hour. Put the bread on a backing sheet and make some incisions on top with a knife. Let sit for 30 more minutes.

Pre-heat the oven at 375 degrees.

Cook for 30 minutes.

Once done, let the bread cool on a cooling rack. Et Voila!

Bon appétit!

Hoboken Art And Music Festival!

So today we went to the Hoboken Art And Music Festival. Ok, I have to admit, I only go for the art of food! I like going to this kind of festivals because you can try different types of food! Of course, not everything is good! I retrieved for instance this BBQ place that I tried last year: their beef was so dry you had to put lots of BBQ sauce. So we walked around and picked different dishes.

Let's start with one of the standard dishes that you can find in any street fair: the Mozzarepa. It is a twist on the arepa, a south american dish. The Mozzarepa is like a sandwich made of 2 arepas (corn pancakes) that are grilled instead of being fried with mozzarella in the middle. It is served hot, so not that great in the summer, but I cannot resist! The first bite makes you want more!

We then went to the Shrimpman, a stand serving buffalo shrimp and buffalo potato. For $11, you get 8 shrimp, potatoes and a fresh homemade lemonade. This was pretty good and the shrimp had a good kick! Again, spicy food on a hot day....Fortunately I had the lemonade! The potatoes were delicious with a little char on it.

Next, was a cheese steak at an all italian stand. The meat was tender, the onions well caramelized and the bread delicious! Overall good but I wish they put more meat! 

We finished of course with desert: cookies from Sassy Sweet Treats. We got 4 cookies for $5. They were great! There was enough chocolate and it was not sugary (I hate when they put sugar on top of cookies or brownies! Isn't it sugary already???).

Enjoy (I did)!