JIYANG CHEN (MARK OLDMAN); SHUTTERSTOCK (GLASS, CORK)
D1 December 23–29, 2016 Last-Minute
Holiday Gift Guide on D6
www.EpochTaste.com
‘Always Champagne’
If Jennifer Lawrence was a bubbly, which would she be? See D7
Champagne and other bubblies shouldn’t be saved for only special occasions, says wine expert Mark Oldman
If there’s an ultimate way to open a bottle of bubbly, this is it. Mark Oldman sabered over 30 bottles in Central Park last spring for a photo shoot for his book cover. When he gave the sabered bottles away to passersby, half were suspicious, and half were delighted. “It was a sloppy mess by the end, but we got our shot,” he said.
By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
F
or some reason, we Americans tend to reserve bubbly for celebrations. “This is one of the great issues with bubbly—people save it for birthdays and ball drops,” said Mark Oldman, a wine expert based in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. Not the case for him.
“A wise person once told me to always have a bottle of Champagne in your fridge in case of joy,” he said in a phone interview. If you peeked into his fridge, you’d find some cava and a nonvintage Tarlant “Cuvée Louis” Brut Champagne. “Is the stash reserved for little joys or great joys?” I ask. “Often little moments of joy,” he says. “In other words, people coming over, making it through the day, not having back pain. Or having back pain.” He laughs, a lightly effervescent “ha ha ha ha” that bubbles slowly, merrily. “It is immensely self-celebratory,” he
adds. “You don’t need a big reason for it. We Americans especially deny ourselves, whereas I think the Europeans more readily embrace a bubbly, especially throughout a dinner.” Bubblies pair well with every food, he points out—baked foods, fried foods, spicy foods. In his new book, “How to Drink Like a Billionaire: Mastering Wine with Joie de Vivre,” he lists some eyebrow-raising pairings, like the highbrow-lowbrow marriage of a prestige cuvée, the grand dame of Champagnes, with French fries. Or how about Australian sparkling shiraz with Froot Loops?
See Bubblies on D7
D2
@EpochTaste
December 23–29, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
MORGENSTERN’S HOT CHOCOLATE The ice cream shop Morgernstern’s is now offering a hot chocolate menu with unique flavors: Vietnamese hot chocolate with 64-percent dark chocolate and Vietnamese-style coffee (mixed with condensed milk); Szechuan hot chocolate with 38 percent milk chocolate and Szechuan peppercorn; and durian hot chocolate, with white chocolate, banana, and the pungentflavored durian fruit. $4 per cup. Through Saturday, Dec. 31 Morgernstern’s Finest Ice Cream 2 Rivington St. (between Chrystie Street & Bowery) MorgensternsNYC.com
Weekend Pick
The Napier chicken parm with ham, cheese, and Napoli sauce.
Owner Chris McPherson (L) and chef Christopher Rendell. SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
An Aussie Tradition Comes to New York City via Flinders Lane By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
Flinders Lane, located in the East Village. SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
The Aussies have a tradition back home: going to the local pub for some “pot and parma.” That’s Aussie slang for a pint of beer and chicken Parmesan. Flinders Lane executive chef Chris Rendell explained that chicken parm is a staple comfort food served at pubs, akin to a pub burger in America. “They wouldn’t be a pub without chicken parm on the menu,” Rendell said. It’s a common ritual to hang out at one’s favorite neighborhood pub and catch up with friends over chicken parm. At Flinders Lane, Rendell will offer a selection of “parmas” as a Wednesday special. Served with salad and fries (of course, they’re called “chips” in Australia), along with a bottle of Coopers Australian beer, there’s The Napier,
with cheese, a layer of ham underneath, and Napoli (tomato) sauce; The Torquay, which has the same ingredients, but with the addition of pineapple; and The Tulum, with the addition of pimento cheese sauce. The Brunswick is a vegetarian option with breaded eggplant. The cutlets are massive and topped with bits of sage, rosemary, and basil for extra scrumptiousness. Rendell will rotate the specials, with a “surf and turf” option— featuring grilled shrimp—in the works. $15 for pot and parma.
Wednesdays Flinders Lane 162 Avenue A (between East 10th & East 11th streets) FlindersLane-NYC.com
ASIAN-JEWISH BRUNCH AT THE QUEENS KICKSHAW For an early holiday brunch, The Queens Kickshaw is kicking off festivities with AsianJewish fusion dishes like Egg in a Latke Basket, Matzo Szechuan Peppercorn Beer, Scallion Pancake with Cardamon Labneh, and Egg Cream Bubble Tea. Friday, Dec. 23 & Saturday, Dec. 24 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The Queens Kickshaw 40-17 Broadway (at 41st Street), Astoria, Queens TheQueensKickshaw.com COURTESY OF QUEENS KICKSHAW
Eggs in a Latke Basket.
D3
@EpochTaste
December 23–29, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Restaurateur Keith McNally’s latest restaurant is serving a menu of champagne cocktails to ring in the holidays. These include The Taj Mahal Spritz with ginger-cardamom-kaffir lime syrup, Cocchi Americano Rosa, and grapefruit bitters; the Honfleur with Calvados float, cider, sage syrup, and crème de pomme; and the Castagnaccio with rosé, chestnut honey-and-rosemary syrup, and Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao. $16 each. During happy hour (5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily), glasses of champagne are half-priced and served with complimentary bar snacks. Cherche Midi 282 Bowery (at East Houston Street) ChercheMidiNY.com
BRUNCH AT SHAY&IVY
COURTESY OF CHERCHE MIDI
COURTESY OF CHERCHE MIDI
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS AT CHERCHE MIDI
The newly opened Flatiron restaurant Shay&Ivy will be serving brunch classics with a twist, such as Stuffed French Toast with blackberry preserves, ricotta, and apricot honey; Virginia Benedict with Virginia cured ham, buttermilk biscuit, and pepper gravy, and served with a house salad; and the Shay&Ivy Burger with grass-fed beef, aged white cheddar, garlic aioli, and housemade pickles, served on a sesame brioche bun with thrice-cooked fries. Saturdays & Sundays 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Shay&Ivy 39 W. 24th St. (between Broadway & Sixth Avenue) ShayAndIvyNY.com
Champagne cocktails.
Weekend Pick
COURTESY OF EATALY
WALLFLOWER
BOULEY
This West Village French restaurant is hosting a three-course dinner (plus dessert) in the early evening, then a four-course dinner as it gets closer to midnight. Dishes include chestnut agnolotti with consommé; Wagyu Châteaubriand with chanterelles and sage puff pastry; sea scallops with parsnips, horseradish, and brown butter; and fennel pound cake with poached pear and rosemary angelaise. $80 per person for the early seating; $95 for the later seating.
Chef David Bouley is preparing a six-course tasting menu at his namesake restaurant. The dishes will remain a surprise until the dinner, but past dishes have included Alaska Dungeness and South Carolina Pink Deep Water Crab Flan with porcini and black truffle dashi; Wild Scottish Grouse with Canadian chanterelle and Red Rhone wine risotto; and Organic Colorado Rack of Lamb with Aligote potato purée, cipollini soubise, aged port, and black truffle. $225 per person for the first seating, $450 for the second seating.
Saturday, Dec. 31 Seatings start at 5 p.m. Wallflower 235 W. 12th St. (at Greenwich Avenue) WallflowerNYC.com
EATALY At Eataly’s rooftop pop-up restaurant, Baita, guests can dance the night away at this standing event while sampling a buffet of traditional Italian alpine dishes. The menu includes roast pork loin porchetta with salsa verde, salt-cured cod and polenta with black truffle butter, white truffle arancini, and a 22-pound panettone. Drinks include wines, holiday cocktails, prosecco, aperol spritz, and Italian mulled wine. $155 per person before Dec. 27 , $170 before Dec. 31. At Eataly’s fine dining restaurant, Manzo, a sevencourse meal will be served. Dishes include Parmigiano Reggiano shortbread with Mangalitsa lardo and Calvisius caviar; Maine lobster with winter citrus and Italian chicories; and braised Sekel Farms veal shoulder with pappardelle, white truffle butter, and caciocavallo. $160 per person.
Saturday, Dec. 31 Eataly Flatiron 200 Fifth Ave. (between 23rd & 24th streets) Eataly.com
OSTERIA MORINI
HAKUBAI AT THE KITANO HOTEL The Japanese kaiseki restaurant Hakubai is serving “osechi,” a feast filled with Japanese dishes traditionally eaten for the New Year’s celebration. The offerings include steamed abalone with sake; grilled black cod with Saikyo miso; Miyazaki Wagyu beef steak with grated radish sauce; and milk tofu with brown sugar syrup and kinako (roasted soybean flour). $200 per person. Sunday, Jan. 1 & Monday, Jan. 2 Hakubai at The Kitano 66 Park Ave. (at East 38th Street) Kitano.com
Hakubai’s New Year’s dishes.
GOTHAM BAR AND GRILL
Chef-restaurateur Michael White’s Emilia-Romagna Italian spot in SoHo is throwing a 1920s-themed party, featuring a live jazz and blues band and a globally inspired cocktail menu. Dishes on the multicourse menu include prosciutto and mortadella meatballs simmered in tomato sauce; Bolognese ragù with tagliatelle and Parmigiano cheese; and pig’s trotter with cotechino (charcuterie), spinach, and saba (reduced grape must). $85 per person for a four-course dinner at the early seatings, $175 for a five-course dinner with champagne toast at the late seating.
Gotham Bar and Grill will have two seatings for New Year’s Eve dinner. The first will feature four courses plus dessert: Globe Artichoke Agnolotti with poached Maine lobster, black Périgord truffle, and sauce américaine; Short Rib of Beef with black Périgord truffles, buttered leeks, root vegetables, celeriac, apple purée, and Barolo sauce; and
COURTESY OF GERBER GROUP
NEW YEAR’S PARTY AT THE VICEROY CENTRAL PARK HOTEL
The bar at The Roof. Saturday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m. for The Roof Viceroy Central Park New York 120 W. 57th St. (between Sixth & Seventh avenues) ViceroyHotelsAndResorts.com TheRoofNY.NightOut.com
WE’RE MORE THAN MEATS THE PLATE MIDTOWN 551 Fifth Avenue 212.972.3315
WORLD TRADE CENTER 136 Washington Street 212.608.0171
HACKENSACK One Riverside Square 201.487.1303
GREAT NECK 777 Northern Boulevard 516.498.2950
WHITE PLAINS 9 Maple Avenue 914.683.6101
MORTONS.COM
Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
dark chocolate mousse with dark chocolate dacquoise, blood orange, and Earl Grey ice cream. $130 per person. The second “gala” seating will have five courses plus dessert, with the addition of Romanesco Cauliflower Velouté with seared Peconic Bay scallop, sea urchin, and golden trout roe. $350 per person.
Saturday, Dec. 31 Seatings start at 5 p.m. Gotham Bar and Grill 12 E. 12th St. (between University Place & Fifth Avenue) GothamBarAndGrill.com
Saturday, Dec. 31 Seatings start at 5:15 p.m. Osteria Morini 218 Lafayette St. (between Spring & Broome streets) OsteriaMorini.com
For your luxurious New Year’s Eve party, Suite 57 penthouse inside the Viceroy hotel is available for booking. The package includes Petrossian caviar, Dom Perignon Champagne, a fully stocked bar, makeup and nails, an in-room massage, Uber black car transportation for the evening, plus breakfast in bed the next morning. $14,800 for the two-night package. Meanwhile, the Viceroy’s rooftop bar, The Roof, is throwing a party with prime views of the Central Park fireworks. There will be passed hors d’oeuvres, a live feed of the Times Square festivities, music from DJ Tim Martell, and a champagne toast at midnight. $50 to $100 per person.
Saturday, Dec. 31 Seatings start at 5 p.m. Bouley 163 Duane St. (at Hudson Street) DavidBouley.com
COURTESY OF HAKUBAI
Eataly’s pop-up rooftop restaurant, Baita.
KUMER OKSANA/SHUTTERSTOCK
New Year’s Eve Dining
D4
@EpochTaste
December 23–29, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES
with Sother Teague
Winter Bitters By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
Epoch Times: As we approach the holiday season and all that it entails—cold weather, heavy meals, lots of parties—what bitters do you recommend using in drinks? Sother Teague: Cold winters typically demand darker bitters. Earthy tones are soothing. Angostura, Scrappy’s chocolate bitters, AZ Bitters Lab’s figgy pudding [with notes of cinnamon, clove, cardamom, figs,
The Orchard in Manhattan, a fruity combination of cognac, apple brandy, apple bitters, Becherovka herbal liqueur, and Cocchi Americano.
RECIPE
and currants] all jump to mind. COURTESY OF SOTHER TEAGUE
During this time of the year, indulgent eating calls for bitters. These extracts of botanicals and herbs, steeped in spirits, were traditionally prepared as tonics to aid digestion and improve health. Today, they’re incorporated into cocktails to add a dose of complexity and depth. Sother Teague employs these robust concoctions at the East Village bar and “bitters tasting room” Amor y Amargo (the name means Love and Bitters in Spanish), where he serves as beverage director. He has at his disposal about 200 amaros and more than 250 tinctures for developing cocktails with multilayered flavors. Teague was a chef for 12 years, so when he started bartending, he was naturally drawn to the savory drinks—like those mixed with bitters and amari. We turned to Teague for suggestions on using bitters this season, as well as some cocktail recipes.
Sother Teague is a barman with deep knowledge about bitters. Amor y Amargo, where he serves as beverage director, carries over 400 bottles of bitters and tinctures.
ORCHARD IN MANHATTAN
Epoch Times: Would you recommend any bitters for medicinal purposes, like treating wintertime colds? Mr. Teague: I rarely leave home in cold months without a few bottles of Underberg in my pocket. It toes the line between tincture and potable. Use it in drinks or just knock it back. It’s basically medicine.
Cognac and Cocchi bring grapes; apple brandy and apple bitters add apple; Becherovka adds cinnamon and clove; then there’s an orange twist! All the flavors of the orchard are present in this glass.
Epoch Times: What bitters are you into right now? Mr. Teague: There’s a [new company] in California called BarMatt. He’s got some great flavors like hibiscus or Japanese chili that are challenging us at the bar. Also, I’m very fond of 18.21 from Atlanta, particularly their Havana&Hide flavor [aged in charred oak barrels] at this time of year. Smiley with hints of leather.
DIRECTIONS
• 2 dashes of Bar Keep apple bitters • 0.25 ounce Becherovka liqueur • 0.75 ounce Cocchi Americano • 0.75 ounce Louis Royer Force 53 cognac • 0.75 ounce Laird’s apple brandy • 1 orange twist
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass and top with plenty of ice. Stir to chill and dilute. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Express the oil from an orange twist over the drink and place in glass. Enjoy!
RECIPE GET COZY • 2 ounces Montenegro • 0.75 ounce hot tea (use your favorite kind) • 0.5 ounce ginger syrup • 0.25 ounce lemon juice • 2 dashes of 18.21 Ginger Lemon Tincture
DIRECTIONS Pour all the ingredients into a teacup or coffee mug. Wrap yourself in a blanket and get cozy. BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES
RECIPE PUMPERNICKEL My dear friend Ari would often pour us shots of Rittenhouse [rye whiskey] and 14 dashes of angostura bitters. Spicy and gripping! He called it pumpernickel because it was dark rye. I’ve stretched the drink out and included elements of spice from Ramazzotti as well as the bitterness and body of Punt e Mes to create a black Manhattan of sorts. Either way, it remains a dark and spicy rye.
• 1.5 ounces 100 percent rye whiskey • 0.75 ounce Ramazzotti Amaro • 0.5 ounces Punt e Mes vermouth • 7 dashes angostura bitters • 1 lemon twist
DIRECTIONS
Stir with plenty of ice to chill and dilute. Strain into a chilled glass and express the oil from a lemon twist over the drink. Discard the twist. Enjoy!
RECIPE • 2 dashes of 18.21 Ginger Lemon Tincture • 0.5 ounce Jelinek Fernet liqueur • 0.5 ounce Gran Classico bitters • 1 ounce Black Bottle whisky • 1 lemon twist
DIRECTIONS Build in a single rocks glass. Fill with large ice and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist. Recipes courtesy of Sother Teague
BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES
GINGER SNAP
D5
@EpochTaste
December 23–29, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com Openings around NYC
A HEALTHY TAKE ON THAI
COURTESY OF TIM HO WAN
CHANNALY PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES
Delicious & unique dishes you can’t find anywhere else, made with authentic spices and preparations. We offer a selection of organic meats and healthful side dishes like brown rice and quinoa.
Thais for the Holidays
Chicken Volcano with pineapples, and cashews in a sweet and spicy sauce.
Open Christmas Eve & Christmas Day 11:30am – 11pm
An array of dim sum dishes at Tim Ho Wan.
Chefs Mak Kwai Pui (L) and Leung Fai Keung.
Hong Kong Dim Sum Spot Tim Ho Wan Opens to Big Buzz in NYC It’s not every day that a Michelin-starred restaurant comes to town—and an affordable one, at that. Tim Ho Wan, a dim sum spot with over 40 locations worldwide, had a soft opening on Dec. 16, drawing a line of New Yorkers to the oft-described “world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant.” The 45th outpost is the first Tim Ho Wan to open in North America. Chef Mak Kwai Pui, who hails from a family of chefs, started his dim sum apprenticeship at the age of 15 and became a dim sum chef at Lung King Heen, a three-star Michelin restaurant in Hong Kong’s Four Seasons Hotel. Mak met fellow dim sum chef Leung Fai Keung, and in 2009 the two opened Tim Ho Wan as a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the Mong Kok district. It earned a Michelin star a year later. Mak has been in town for a month, monitoring operations and buying goods, and says he plans to stay in town until the restaurant’s official opening on Jan. 18, 2017, at 3 p.m., at a date and time that were deemed to be auspicious according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
He steered us toward his recommendations: cheong fun (rice rolls), roast pork buns, turnip cake, Malaysian egg cake, and beef balls. These and other dim sum classics make up the menu filled with traditional dishes mastered to their epitome. Everything is made to order (even the soy sauce is made in-house). “Aside from the taste itself, the most important quality is freshness,” Mak said. “We won’t leave the dim sum overnight. Our food is made the same day and sold the same day. It’s a standard we’ve been able to uphold.” But eater, be aware: Mak says dim sum must be eaten while hot. The dishes range from $4 to $5.50. The restaurant hours are limited during its soft opening from Dec. 16 through Jan. 17. Lunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays starting Dec. 23, dinner will be served until 11 p.m. After the grand opening, normal business hours will be Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
It’s been described as “the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant.”
85 Fourth Ave. East Village 212-228-2800 TimHoWanUSA.com
Organic chicken with chili oil, Gotham greens, crispy shallot, coconut milk.
Authentic Japanese FREE
All the pastas are freshly made in-house.
When you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each ingredient and every detail ensures the most authentic experience.
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu Small Course (service for two or more) • Appetizer • 2 kinds of Sashimi • Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu (Sauté meals cooked at the table)
• Dessert
$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE: DA ILY LUNCH SPECI A L S (12 P.M.-4 P.M.)
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | 1466 1st Ave (btwn 76 and 77) (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
Gluten-free noodles are available for substitution, except for the filled pastas. Neapolitan pizzas include a pie with honey butter, Calabrian chilies, and sea salt; a Brussels sprouts pizza with Italian sausage and ricotta; and a classic Margherita. There’s also Harsha’s version of a clam pie, but with cockles and lardo iberico (essentially fat from Spanish pigs, cured with fennel and dry oregano). “You put it on a hot pizza and it just starts to melt away into it,” Harsha said. Kathryn Weatherup, who studied under legendary bartender Sasha Petraske, heads up the bar program, with a focus on amari.
Lady’s
572 Fulton St. (between Rockwell Place & Hudson Avenue), Downtown Brooklyn 929-307-2822 LadysNYC.com
The American South, by Way of the World MELISSA HOM
T. 212.289.8889 www.ThaisNYC.com
GMO
COURTESY OF LADY’S
Located in downtown Brooklyn, Black Walnut is the latest restaurant from chef Rob Newton. With roots in Arkansas, Newton has been inspired in his cooking by his travels. At one
(btw 89 st. & 90 st.) NYC
Tim Ho Wan
Pizza and Pasta at Lady’s Located near BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and Barclays Center, Lady’s, which seats 100, brings an aesthetic designed by James Beard Award-nominated designers Matthew Maddy and Nico Arze, with black leather booths, an open kitchen, and many handmade details, such as hand-cast blue concrete tiles and cabinets. The designers’ previous projects include Lilia, No. 7, Colonia Verde, Grand Army, and Russ & Daughters Cafe, among others. The menu focuses on pasta and pizza, which likewise have a handmade ethos. The pastas are made fresh in-house. “It’s a tremendous amount of labor, but there’s no alternative,” said chef Aaron Harsha, who soaked up his pasta-making knowledge at Marea, where he worked for four years. The pasta dishes are seasonal, currently including cappelletti with ricotta, soppressata ragù, and a confit of tomatoes; and casoncele with short ribs, roasted sunchokes, and a bone marrow bordelaise. A vegetarian pasta dish is the chestnut campanelle with butternut squash and wild mushrooms. “The thing with pasta is that if you do it right, even something as simple as that [campanelle dish] can be pretty outstanding,” Harsha said.
THAIS NEW YORK 1718 2nd avenue
of his Carroll Gardens restaurants, Nightingale Nine, he explores the intersection of Asian cuisines with the American South. “I enjoy finding commonalities,” he said. At Black Walnut, which he views as an organic next step, Newton infuses global influences into Southern culinary traditions. For example, he steams and then fries shishito peppers so they’re crispy, then adds raw fennel, crushed sunchoke, artichoke, and “black dust” (a mix of black Persian limes, black sesame seeds, and dehydrated fermented black beans), among other ingredients. Breakfast includes sandwiches and dishes such as Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with maplebutter, candied pecans, and powdered sugar. Open daily for breakfast and dinner.
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE
at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque Juicy Lamb Chops
Black Walnut
At the Hilton Brooklyn New York 140 Schermerhorn St. (at Smith Street) Downtown Brooklyn 929-337-1280
Compiled by Channaly Philipp & Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
2nd Location
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
D6
@EpochTaste
December 23–29, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF RAW SPICE BAR
Last-Minute Gift Guide By Annie Wu & Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
Did the holidays creep up on you, leaving you with no time to shop for gifts? Epoch Taste has your back. Food and drink subscriptions are the last-minute presents that keep on giving, and we’ve curated a list of services that we think will light up the faces of curious eaters and drinkers this holiday season. For the Cocktail Aficionado Bitters and Bottles helps you build a bar cart at home, sending four to seven bottles of spirits, bitters, liqueurs, and other bar essentials each month, along with recipes and tips on how to play with flavor profiles to make your own drinks.
COURTESY OF BITTERS AND BOTTLES
$49 to $117 a month Batch.is
For the Meat Lover This is the gift for those who profess their love for all things meat. Each Carnivore Club box is filled with four to six cured meats from an artisanal charcutier that specializes in a particular style, such as Italian salumi, Spanish chorizo, or South African biltong. Carnivore Club is careful to source from artisans that use local ingredients and follow humane raising and slaughtering practices.
peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice). Each box comes with recipes, and the spices are portioned for three to four servings so you can use them up while they’re still fresh. $7 per box for a 12-month subscription, $8 per box for a 6-month subscription RawSpiceBar.com
For the Adventurous Foodie Do you know someone who yearns to try all the famous pizza spots around the country? Or that guy who would stand in line for hours to eat at a legendary barbecue joint? Goldbely sells monthly subscription boxes full of iconic foods from around the country. The service can select the foods for you, or you can pick a themed box for that pizza, barbecue, bacon, ice cream, or pie obsessive in your life. $34 to $79 per month Goldbely.com COURTESY OF GOLDBELY
For the Craft Beer Lover The Original Craft Beer Club searches specifically for small-scale, independent brewers around the country and sends 12 beers to you each month, with each box representing four different styles.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FARM TO PEOPLE
$89 a month for 12 months BittersAndBottles-Subscription.com
For the Homesick Southerner The American South has a rich culinary culture, and Batch brings it to your home. With goods sourced from foodie hotspots like Charleston, Nashville, and Austin, the cornucopia ranges from unique condiments and spices (like barrel-aged honey, hot chicken spice blend, habanero ketchup, and whiskey and bacon BBQ sauce) to fun snacks (pecan brittle, Mexican-style chocolate, and cheese straws).
For the Curious Cook With Raw Spice Bar’s monthly selection of freshly ground spice blends from different cuisines, you could cook your way through the world’s flavors. For December, an Icelandic Flavor Kit was featured, with licorice salt, gingerbread spices, and quatre épices (white
$50 per month ($55 for one-time only) CarnivoreClub.com
$39 a month CraftBeerClub.com
$29.95 a month (for three to four products), $49.95 a month (for five to eight products) FarmToPeople.com
COURTESY OF GOLDBELY
From spices to craft beer, the choices are plentiful.
For the Socially Conscious Farm to People curates boxes of artisanal goodies made with non-GMO, humanely raised, sustainably caught, and all-natural ingredients. Each package comes with a card with information about where the food comes from and who the producers are.
Muffuletta sandwich from Central Grocery in New Orleans.
The crack pie from Momofuku in New York.
For Olive Oil Lovers COURTESY OF ORIGINAL CRAFT BEER CLUB
For the Practical Gift Giver (or SlaveDriving Boss)
Grubhub.com/giftcards
COURTESY OF GRUBHUB
If you’re the type of gift-giver who values practicality above all else (you know, you who bestows socks upon loved ones), or are a boss who is looking to award your employees many lunches “al desko,” a gift card from Grubhub comes in handy. Givers choose the dollar amount, and can pick from different designs or upload a personalized video.
Because the freshness of olive oil is so crucial, Grove and Vine’s oleologist Nicholas Coleman obsessively chases the latest harvest, alternating between the northern and southern hemispheres. For this most recent harvest, he headed to the Algarve region of Portugal to choose olives for his custom blend. His latest olive oil comes from the fall harvest at Monterosa, which hand-harvests olives before others in the region. Though Monterosa grows several olive cultivars, Coleman selected the picual for “its soft undertones of sweet almond, viscous buttery texture, balanced bitterness, and elongated peppery finish.” Detlev von Rosen, the founder of Monterosa, has produced olive oils that garnered international awards, but never made a profit on the business. He said to Coleman on their last night together, “When planting an olive grove, move not with haste … for the decision will not only affect your children, but your grandchildren and future generations.” Von Rosen passed away just days after, at age 80. This olive oil is a tribute to him. Members get four different 375 ml bottles of
custom-blend, premium olive oil throughout the year. GroveAndVine.com COURTESY OF GROVE AND VINE
D7
@EpochTaste
December 23–29, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
‘Always Champagne’ Bubblies continued from D1 If you’re drinking like his metaphorical billionaire, according to Oldman, then you know “when you need to spend a lot of money and when a $12 bottle of American sparkling wine can give you 80 percent of the joy at 20 percent of the price.” And also, “it’s about unapologetic joy. It’s about relaxing and having fun in ways that uptight wine authorities might not endorse.” Quite the opposite of wine snobs, Oldman points to winemakers who are relaxed about their products. Champagne with ice? Sure. Champagne with steak? Why not? With the holiday season, Oldman’s not drinking more, but drinking better, “really trying to drink the stuff I love,” he explains. “So if I open a bottle and it’s not really great, I’ll just open another bottle because I care about quality over quantity, I guess.” “Life’s too short, isn’t it?” I say. “Life’s too short not to have Champagne in your fridge,” he replies. He adds a disclaimer, though: Over months, the vibrations from the fridge will mess with the bubbles, and sometimes pungent aromas can affect the taste. “So the idea is to, you know”—he gives one of his mirthful, contagious laughs—”keep your flow going; don’t store it in there long-term. Make sure you have a weekly inventory-lightening.” New Year’s Eve On New Year’s Eve, for his pre- and post-parties, Oldman plans to start with a Spanish
JIYANG CHEN
cava, Segura Viudas “Aria” Brut. “It’s a great value, $20 bubbly that drinks like something twice as expensive,” he says. At midnight, he’ll break out an American sparkling wine, Sea Smoke Cellars “Sea Spray” Blanc de Noirs, from a pinot noir producer near Santa Barbara, California. “It’s hard to get, about $100 a bottle. On New Year’s, I tend to open something pretty rare just to mark the occasion,” he says. To add a little drama, he’ll likely saber some bottles, sending a geyser of frothy bubbles into the air. The tradition, he explains, goes back to Napoleon’s cavalrymen, who would use their blades to cleave off the tops of bottles to celebrate their victories. Admittedly, there are some risks. “It’s the greatest hits of ‘don’t try this at home,’” he says. “It’s contents under pressure, alcohol, flying projectiles, jagged glass.” The first time Oldman tried it, he picked up yellow safety goggles and orange work gloves from Home Depot beforehand. No one got hurt. Oldman estimates he has sabered about 500 bottles by now and, in Seussian fashion, has decapitated bottles “under all sorts of circumstances: in the snow, in the tropics, with a ski, with a butter knife, with a traditional saber.” Indeed, you don’t need a saber. John Fischer, a professor at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, has even seen it done with the stem of a Champagne glass. “But it can’t be crystal,” Fischer said in a phone interview. A neighboring brewer is fond of using
It’s the greatest hits of ‘don’t try this at home’: It’s contents under pressure, alcohol, flying projectiles, jagged glass. Mark Oldman, wine expert
farm implements. “He sabered a bottle of his own beer with long-handled loppers for gardening.” The pressure inside the bottle is about 70 to 90 pounds per square inch, Fischer says, so when you pop the cork off, the wine shoots out, sending any shard of glass away from the bottle. (Oldman gives the speed at 45 miles per hour.) But the break is often clean, Fischer explains; if you put the broken neck back on, you’ll notice an almost perfect fracture. Still, here are some tips. Get the bottle very, very cold, which will make the glass more brittle. Point the bottle away from people, in case the cage spontaneously shoots off. And hold it in a napkin, says Fischer, in case the bottle explodes in your hand. Find where the seam meets the lip, and “just swing with a soft wrist and follow through,” says Fischer. And for goodness’ sake, relax. The more tense you are, the less likely it is to work, he says. He pointed to an example in tennis, of “that perfect backhand where you feel almost no tension and you cream the ball.” All the more reason to have some bubbly beforehand.
Oldman gets ready to saber a bottle of bubbly. The tiny bubbles in fine sparklers create what Oldman calls Champagne’s “cashmere caress”: a blanket of tightly knit bubbles that creates a cohesive, creamy texture in your mouth.
Sparkling Personalities Jason Schwartzman
You’ve heard of wines being described as anything from austere to bold to sprightly. Mark Oldman muses about some personas, matching sparklers to actors:
Meryl Streep
Will Smith
The cool, quirky, “indie” player
Unimpeachably rarefied, in a league of her own
A famous, dependably bankable star
Grower Champagne
Prestige Cuvée Champagne
Brut Champagne
JOSHUA BLANCHARD/GETTY IMAGES
HELGA ESTEB/SHUTTERSTOCK
ANDREW BIRAJ/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Rose Byrne
High-quality, amazingly versatile but, like American bubbly, not as appreciated as she should be
American Sparkling Wine
(for example, Dom Pérignon)
A Hitchcock blonde like Grace Kelly or Tippi Hedren Elegant, lithe, and full of tension
Jennifer Lawrence
A casual, ubiquitous agent of fun and flavor
Javier Bardem
Unpretentious, earthy, a traditionally made product of Spain
Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Prosecco
Cava
PUBLIC DOMAIN
PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK
DFREE/SHUTTERSTOCK
Openings around NYC
Din Tai Fung’s Executive Chef Tapped to Create Menu at Carma East New East Village restaurant Carma East tapped executive chef James Yang of the Taiwan-based Din Tai Fung, famous for its xiao long bao (soup dumplings), to create the menu. Diners will find traditional dishes and dim sum, along with some new creative takes on classics. Soup dumplings, for example, are available with pork or crab, as well as truffle or foie gras. Other dim sum dishes include traditional Shanghainese shu mai and Chinese mini-tacos
SO FRESH! WE NOW DELIVER!
Carma East
made with wonton shells, holding fillings like Sichuanese pork belly or spicy braised pork. The Hulk Fried Rice—a dish that gets its hue from spinach—is a popular entree. Though the vibe is mellow at lunch time, the restaurant morphs into a lounge at night. Wines and beers are offered, as well as a selection of sake-based cocktails. Carma East has a sister location in the West Village, Carma. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
507 E. Sixth St. (between Avenue A & Avenue B) East Village 212-228-9688 CarmaEastNYC.com
Authentic & Delicious Tacos Huaraches Chile Relleno Chilaquile Rojos Made to order
Come enjoy cuisine from the most savory region in Mexico...Puebla! 60 E. Third St. (between First & Second avenues) 646-692-9268 • eldiablitotaqueria.com
COURTESY OF CARMA EAST
A Perfect Fusion of East & West
Carma East offers traditional and creative takes on Chinese classics.
Our take on Southeast Asian inspired dishes, bursting with flavor. A perfect place to bring a date and try one of our boozy bubble teas!
Shangri La 208 7th Ave.
Compiled by Channaly Philipp /Epoch Times Staff
(btw. 7th & 8th avenues)
(212) 807-9872 • shangrilanyc.wix.com/the-lounge
D8
@EpochTaste
December 23–29, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY MELINDA MARTINEZ/CELEBRITY TASTE MAKERS
Bonjour Chef In this series, columnist Sibylle Eschapasse interviews some of France’s top chefs, the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France.
with Chef Jean-Louis Dumonet By Sibylle Eschapasse
Experience Firsthand the Romance of the Korean Dynasty South Korean top chef Sunkyu Lee cooks authentic Korean royal court cuisine Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.
Sibylle Eschapasse: What does it mean to you to be a Maître Cuisinier de France, a most envied title? Jean-Louis Dumonet: I am very proud to be part of such a group of chefs. Most of our elders were our chefs when we started, and a lot of them became mentors. It is great to have followed their path and to be part of the same group now. It is why we have the mission to do the same with younger chefs and to follow the Maître Cuisiniers de France’s motto: “to preserve and spread the French culinary arts, encourage training in cuisine, and assist professional development.” Ms. Eschapasse: Why did you choose to become a chef? Mr. Dumonet: I think it came naturally to me. When I was a kid, my dad was a chef already and owned a restaurant in the countryside near Poitiers. I spent the first 5 to 6 years of my life there with my grandmother, who was cooking for 6 to 10 people [in the family] every day. We were cooking chicken from our henhouse, and rabbit as well. So I learned how to kill them, and pluck or skin them. Then my dad moved to Paris, and I cooked with him every time I could, during vacations or breaks. Ms. Eschapasse: If a close friend were to describe your cooking in three words, what would they be? Mr. Dumonet: I would like him to say good, generous, and full of love. Ms. Eschapasse: If you weren’t a chef, what would you be? Mr. Dumonet: Orchestra conductor and musician. Ms. Eschapasse: How would you define French cuisine? Mr. Dumonet: Vast! It can be very simple or sophisticated. Very tasty with great products, respectful of the ingredients and flavors.
Name:
Jean-Louis Dumonet Hometown: Poitiers, France Age: 57 going on 24 Occupations: Executive chef, The Union Club of the City of New York; president, American and Canadian delegation, Maîtres Cuisiniers de France. Years of experience with French cuisine:
57 (“since I was born”)
Maître Cuisinier de France since:
1994
Each season has its proper ingredients, as the region does. Ms. Eschapasse: Tell us about the recipe you chose. Mr. Dumonet: [It’s] sea scallops with porcini. We have the chance to have both in the same season in New York, in the fall. It is also one of my favorite scallop dishes (as well as my wife Karen’s, too). It is a mix of Charentes-Maritime, next to the sea, with the scallops, and porcini from Poitou-Charentes. You can watch Jean-Louis Dumonet demonstrate the full recipe on “Celebrity Taste Makers” on Saturday, Dec. 24, at 6 p.m on PIX11. Sibylle Eschapasse is from Paris and lives in New York City. In addition to working at the United Nations, she contributes to various publications and is the host of “Sibylle’s Top French Chefs,” a series being aired on “Celebrity Taste Makers.” She may be reached at Sibylle.Eschapasse@gmail.com
Ms. Eschapasse: Of France’s many regional cuisines, which do you prefer to cook? Mr. Dumonet: You know, France is a small country, but we have the chance to have many regions and the great chance, too, to have four seasons, so I like to cook [the cuisine of the] Mediterranean in summer; central France in fall; eastern France and game in winter, as well as southern France with black truffles; and Loire Valley and Charentes in spring.
RECIPE ROASTED DIVER SEA SCALLOPS WITH OREGON PORCINI AND FOAM Servings: 4 • 2 pounds fresh and firm porcini mushrooms (or cèpes) • 2 shallots • 1 clove garlic • 1 glass Noilly Prat dry white vermouth • 3 ounces heavy cream • Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste • 1 1/4 pounds jumbo diver scallops (3 or 4 per person) • 2 ounces butter • 1/2 bunch of flat parsley • 1/2 quart of chicken or vegetable stock
212-594-4963
10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours
DIRECTIONS 1. Clean the mushrooms with a wet towel. Set aside two nice and firm ones for shaving. Cut the remaining mushrooms into 3/4-inch squares. 2. Sauté mushrooms in grapeseed oil without coloration or salt. Add the chopped shallots and garlic. Reserve a little for plating.
3. For the remaining mushroom-onion mixture, cook until it takes on a nice, light brown color. Add the Noilly Prat, the cream, and the stock. Cook for two minutes, then blend. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. 4. Optional: To make porcini foam, pour mixture into an ISI gourmet whip. 5. Place in a hot bain-marie to keep warm until ready to plate. For the Fresh Scallops and the Plating 1. In a hot sauté pan, add some olive oil and cook the scallops on one side for 3 minutes. To finish, place them in the oven at 350F for 4 minutes. 2. In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan and reheat the reserved sautéed porcini. Add the chopped parsley. 3. On the plates, ladle some porcini cream (or foam, if using the ISI gourmet whip), then top with the sautéed porcini and the scallops. 4. Shave some raw porcini on top. Serve immediately. Recipe courtesy of Jean-Louis Dumonet