The Siren Song of
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D1 March 11–17, 2016 People clink drinks at Donovan’s Pub in Woodside, Queens. ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
An Irish-loving patron stops by Donovan’s Pub after the parade in Woodside, Queens, on March 6.
Bagpipers perform at Donovan’s Pub.
A Craic-ing Good Time By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
T
he air is electric—buzzing with energy. People are huddled in groups, sharing stories, laughing with their heads thrown back. Flowing underneath the chatter is the cheerful melody of a fiddle, accompanied by soft beats of the bodhran, an Irish drum. See Craic on D2
Craic: An Irish turn of phrase that means merriment, fun times, good cheer.
Patrons dance to live Irish music at Paddy Reilly’s in Midtown. Quirky trinkets like this old scotch jug sit on the shelves at Paddy Reilly’s.
A pint of Guinness and some corned beef and potatoes will guarantee a good craic.
D2
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
This guy trains every day to pull a proper pint. The guns!
Celtic kilts—always in fashion on St. Patrick’s Day.
A Craic-ing Good Time Craic continued from D1 Here, you will find wooden furnishings with some wear and tear, an old fireplace, and trinkets from Ireland strewn about. This is a proper Irish pub: a place for conversation and exchanging artistic ideas, with alcohol only as an occasional social lubricant. “It’s a community or social center, a gathering and meeting point. It’s why culture and the arts are so important in them,” said Danny McDonald, the owner of several Irish pubs in New York City, including Ulysses, Swift Hibernian Lounge, and Puck Fair. He spent most of his childhood and teenage years in Ireland, before returning to America to spread Irish pub culture here. McDonald explained that pubs in Ireland are not just evening hangouts—they’re places where you can hold work meetings during the day, or drop in for a cup of tea or coffee. “It’s
It might not seem like it, but pulling a beer on tap is an acquired skill.
a very accessible space to the community,” he said. Books are written, theater productions rehearsed, poetry recited. At Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar in Manhattan, aspiring musicians hone their craft and established artists find a welcoming audience. Owner Steve Duggan opened the pub in 1986 as a platform for Irish music. Iconic Celtic rock band Black 47 got its start there (and Duggan was its manager during the ‘90s), and many Irish celebrities have stopped by for a pint over the years. Every Thursday, Paddy Reilly’s partakes in the Irish tradition of the seisiun, a jam session typically held inside a public house. At a recent seisiun, the internationally acclaimed Irish tenor Anthony Kearns was hanging out at the bar, while in town for an upcoming performance. Kearns had some insight on what makes a good Irish pub. “Good people, good music, good atmosphere.
An ice-cold Guinness makes the festivities even merrier.
The TheMust-Try Must-TryDish: Dish: AABronx BronxTail Tail Lobster Lobstertail tailwith withclams, clams, mussels, mussels,shrimp, shrimp,over overchopped chopped leeks and peppers leeks and peppersserved served with withaawhite whitewine winesaffron saffronsauce sauce
Actor Chazz Palminteri brings the best of his Sicilian heritage and the finest Italian cuisine to Midtown. This upscale Italian eatery features classic Italian meat, seafood, and pasta dishes, as well as antipasto and traditional Italian desserts. Private dining is available.
890 2nd Ave.
“It’s only the best if my name’s on it.”
(btw. 47th & 48th streets)
212-355-5540 chazzpalminterinyc.com
Getting decked out in green is part of the St. Paddy’s dress code.
Pubs in Ireland are not just evening hangouts— they’re places where you can hold work meetings.
The moment he saw Guinness, he knew it was love. True love.
If you line all these up, you’re on the way,” he said. Back home in Ireland, people go to the pub not to get wasted, but to catch up with friends— “talk about all the good and bad things that happened that week”—and learn about the latest happenings in town. Some go to vent their troubles to an empathetic bartender. “A good barman is like a good shrink,” he joked. “[After talking] for a couple of hours, you feel better.” A Neighborhood Joint In Woodside, Queens, one of the old Irish immigrant enclaves in the city, Donovan’s Pub still stands after more than four decades, serving as the community’s gathering place. Although the neighborhood is no longer predominantly Irish, the spirit of conviviality remains. Locals stop here for a bite before a Mets game, or to learn how to paint (every other Wednesday is Paint Nite), or to celebrate the big events
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@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Irish pubs are like a second home. Patrons at Paddy Reilly’s make new memories over cold drinks.
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in their lives: christenings, communions, engagement parties. “It is like a small town where everybody knows everybody, but it’s in the heart of the biggest city in the world,” said Dan Connor, who took over the bar about three years ago, together with his brother-in-law, James Jacobson, after its original publican, Joe Donovan, put it up for sale. Connor and Jacobson have many stories to share from their time growing up in the neighborhood and frequenting the pub. Jacobson started working there as a busboy 25 years ago (eventually becoming a bartender), while Connor often DJ’ed there. They recall one elderly couple who would buy a drink for whomever sat at the table where they got engaged, or the two childhood friends who were honored at the pub for fighting in the Vietnam War and winning the Medal of Honor. And after 9/11, the whole neighborhood con-
Anthony Kearns
Gregory Grene By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff Irish food goes beyond corned beef and Guinness. We asked some Irish transplants about the food they miss the most from home, and their favorite St. Patrick’s Day holiday eats and drinks.
DANNY McDONALD, OWNER OF SEVERAL NYC PUBS, INCLUDING ULYSSES Epoch Times: What foods do you miss the most from Ireland? Danny McDonald: There’s nothing like a Clarenbridge oyster from Galway Bay. They literally take the oysters out of the little inlet where you’re sitting in the pub, and they go straight to your plate. What I miss from Irish cuisine is that, depending on where you are geographically, something is going to be the best: spring lamb from [County] Mayo, crab claws from [County] Kerry, spring vegetables from the Magharee Islands—second to none, because they are naturally salty. Epoch Times: What drinks are good for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? Mr. McDonald: Guinness, Harp, Smithwick’s—
Steve Duggan, owner of Paddy Reilly’s.
An Irish step dancer soars high during his routine.
vened to commemorate the many local firemen and police who had perished. It’s an oft-said cliche that everyone is treated like family, but it seems to really hold true at Donovan’s. The staff are either relatives and good friends of Connor’s and Jacobson’s, or Irish immigrants like Ann Marie Markey from Belfast, who has found her second home here. She attests that in Ireland, the idea of the pub as community holds so strongly that she wouldn’t even cross to the other side of the street, which belonged to another part of the district, to visit the pub there. That Irish brand of warmth extends to strangers too; Connor said new patrons regularly become part of Donovan’s family. So the next time you visit a pub, try greeting the first person you meet with, “What’s the craic?” You’re likely to hear all about the latest news, gossip, and fun to be had around town. That’s exactly what a pub is for.
A musician plays the bodhran drum during a session at Paddy Reilly’s.
a stout, lager, and original IPA—and it should taste like how it is in the brewery. Irish coffee is a great way to warm you up. At Ulysses, we use a robust, full-flavored coffee and Jameson whiskey, with fresh whipped cream. Jameson is a round whiskey with a slight hint of caramel, which goes great with the robust coffee.
PRIME STEAKS.
ANTHONY KEARNS, ACCLAIMED IRISH TENOR
Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu
LEGENDARY SERVICE.
Epoch Times: What’s your favorite food for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? Anthony Kearns: An Irish stew, with lamb or beef, and a lot of vegetables: onions, carrots, parsnips. Eaten with homemade soda bread, and potatoes, of course. Epoch Times: What’s your favorite place to go to for Irish food when you’re in town? Mr. Kearns: The Dead Rabbit [in the Financial District]—their food is excellent. And the stews and soups at Pig and Whistle are great too.
GREGORY GRENE, FRONTMAN OF CELTIC ROCK BAND THE PRODIGALS Epoch Times: Where do you go for a reminder of home? Gregory Grene: Paddy Reilly’s, of course, both because it’s our home away from home [The Prodigals plays there every Friday], but also because of its authenticity. It’s owned by a neighbor from my home county of Cavan [Steve Duggan], and the whole atmosphere there is genuinely authentic, down to his decadeslong commitment to genuine Irish music. Epoch Times: What’s your favorite food for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? Mr. Grene: Far and away, boiled bacon and cabbage. This is the dish that was transmuted in America to corned beef and cabbage, but the latter is a sign of the prosperity of the Irish who came here. They could not afford beef back home, so moving away from bacon was a sign of moving up the ranks. Prosperity is a terrific thing, but frankly, corned beef is not remotely in the same league of deliciousness as boiling bacon! Not a fan of the parsley sauce that sometimes comes with it, but a heaping plate of boiled bacon, boiled potatoes bursting out of their skins, lathered with butter, and steaming cabbage, washed down with cold Guinness—there is no better dish. The interviews have been edited for style and clarity.
Morton’s World Trade Center
Midtown 551 Fifth Avenue 212-972-3315
World Trade Center 136 Washington Street 212-608-0171
Great Neck 777 Northern Boulevard 516-498-2950
Hackensack One Riverside Square 201-487-1303
White Plains 9 Maple Avenue 914-683-6101
mortons.com
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@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
ZEPPELIN HALL This New Jersey beer hall is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Irish classic dishes like Corned Beef and Cabbage, Bangers and Mash, Guinness Beer Bratwurst, and Potato Bacon Soup. Wash it all down with Zeppelin Hall’s variety of lagers, ales, IPAs, stouts, and hard ciders. On Saturday, March 12, Irish band The Parnell Trio will provide live music.
The New Umami Experience
stuff to eat and drink around town
ST. PATRICK’S DAY SPECIALS
Bara is an attempt to find common ground in tavern culture through the east and west by combining the wine bar tradition of Paris with the Japanese izakaya. The word bara has many meanings, as the restaurant Bara has many faces.
Friday, March 11 to Thursday, March 17 Zeppelin Hall 88 Liberty View Dr. Jersey City, N.J. zeppelinhall.com
COURTESY OF SCHMACKARY’S
Our sensibilities are wild, with a passion for unsulphered wines, spontaneously fermented beers, sour doughs and kimchi, but are also restrained with clean presentations and an attempt to always make clarity of flavor our number one priority.
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The Dirty Leprechaun cookie.
We Now Deliver!
58 E. 1st St. (btw. 1st & 2nd avenues) 917-639-3197 - bararestaurantnyc.com
JAPANESE STYLE Champagne Lounge
MINI MELANIE GUINNESS CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES Mini Melanie, the bakery from pastry chef Melanie Moss (formerly of Blue Hill at Stone Barns), is celebrating with special emerald jewel-shaped chocolate truffles. They are made of dark chocolate, chocolate cake, and reduced Guinness syrup. Available online minimelanie.com/ products/emerald-truffles
SCHMACKARY’S ST. PATTY’S DAY COOKIES The popular cookie shop is making two special holiday cookies: the Lucky Charmed, a sugar cookie with Lucky Charms cereal sprinkled on top of marshmallow frosting; and the Dirty Leprechaun, a dark chocolate cookie filled with green mint chips and a heavy helping of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Available online and in stores Schmackary’s, 362 W. 45th St. 193 Beford Ave., Brooklyn schmackarys.com
COURTESY OF SEAMORE’S
TIME OUT DOUGHFEST
For Reservations and Information 917-450-5701 clubvoa@gmail.com
Are you a donut aficionado? Time Out magazine’s Doughfest is the tasting event for you. Enjoy doughnut creations by Mike’s Donuts, The Doughnut Project, Underwest Donuts, Leske’s Bakery, and Orwashers Bakery, coupled with complimentary cold brew coffee by Sweetleaf Coffee and Tsingtao beer. $37 per person. Saturday, March 19 Marquee New York, 289 10th Ave. timeoutdoughfest.splashthat.com
✴ 3 VIP Karaoke Rooms
249 East 49th St., 2nd Fl. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) CLUBVOA.NYC Hours: Mon–Sat 9pm–3am, Fri 9pm–4am, Sun (bar only) 8pm–2am
COCKTAIL MAGIC Some of the city’s best cocktail bars, such as The Dead Rabbit, Attaboy, Dutch Kills, and End of the Century will convene to serve up their unique concoctions. Enjoy the beverages with savory bites by Roberta’s Pizza. Local magicians will provide entertainment, and Vampire Weekend’s bassist Chris Baio will be DJing. $124.50 to $159.50 per person. Saturday, March 19 10 p.m.–1 a.m. Weylin B. Seymour’s, 175 Broadway cocktailmagic.com
WINE AND WISHES The Make-A-Wish Foundation is hosting its food and wine tasting benefit, now in its 13th year. Enjoy wines from around the world and dishes by top chefs from around the city, while contributing to the cause. $275 to $1,500 per person. Wednesday, March 23 Chelsea Piers, Pier Sixty 501auctions.com/wineandwishesnyc
The Montauk Fishburger.
MONTAUK MONDAY’S AT SEAMORE’S Every Monday, seafood-centric Seamore’s will serve a special Montauk Fishburger, made of rarely used cuts from underappreciated fish species. Developed by Le Bernardin chef Eric Ripert, the burger is served on a toasted brioche bun, and topped with shaved fennel, oven-roasted tomatoes, and aioli. Get it with a Montauk Brewing Co. Driftwood Ale for $24. Every Monday Seamore’s 390 Broome St. seamores.com
COURTESY OF ABAJO
AN ALL-NEW ABAJO Traditional and modern, combined. A new standard for Thai food.
The Nuaa 1122 1st Ave. (btw 61st and 62nd streets) • 212-888-2899 • thenuaa.com
Abajo, the Tribeca lounge located downstairs from the Añejo restaurant and bar, has been rebooted with a whole new food and drinks menu. Enjoy unique cocktails like the Tequila Mule with Milagro Silver, ginger syrup, lime, and club soda; or the Oaxaca Negroni with Epsolon Reposado, Botanist Gin, Campari, Barolo Chinato, and cola nut extract. A new agave spirit service will also let guests choose their spirit of choice to go with a variety of freshly squeezed juices and sangritas. Pair the drinks with sharing plates of Fried Guacamole with grasshopper salt and salsa árbol; Sticky Mole Ribs with mole poblano and pickles; or Carrot Esquites with corn butter, lime aioli, epazote (a Mexican herb), cotija cheese, and burnt jalapeño. Abajo at Añejo 301 Church St. abajonyc.com
The bar at Abajo.
D5
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
KOBRICK COFFEE’S COCKTAIL MENU A new cafe space has opened at coffee roasting company Kobrick Coffee. The cafe will feature coffee cocktails like Three Hour Kyoto Negroni, featuring Kobrick’s single-origin Kenya coffee brewed with a Yama Cold Brew Tower; the Old Slip Cocktail, with aero-pressed Sulawesi coffee, bourbon, and bitters; and the Mexican Jumping Bean, with Reposado tequila, a shot of Tiger Stripe ristretto espresso, Amer China China liqueur, and agave nectar. Kobrick Coffee Bar 24 Ninth Ave. kobricks.com
AN EMPIRE STEAK OF MIND
COURTESY OF RELAIS DESSERTS
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 SWEETS Sample desserts from the best pastry chefs in the world. Eighty chefs from Relais Desserts, an exclusive organization of top pastry masters, will present their creations, including “Picasso of Pastry,” Pierre Hermé; James Beard Award winner François Payard; and Best Chocolatier of France 2010, Xavier Berger. The sweet delectables will be paired with cocktails and savory bites by chefs Geoffrey Zakarian, Marcus Samuelsson, and Bill Telepan. All proceeds will benefit City Harvest.
“Picasso of Pastry” Pierre Hermé.
Monday, April 4 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Eventi Hotel 851 Avenue of the Americas eventbrite.com (search “Around the World in 80 Sweets”)
SPRING CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL Over 100 of the finest brews, from over 50 craft brewers from around the country, will be featured at this beer extravaganza. Brewers include Sea Dog Brewing Co., Fire Island Beer Co., Crabbie’s, and Angry Orchard. Food will be available for purchase. $45 per person.
Saturday, April 2 Session 1: 12:30 p.m.–4 p.m. Session 2: 5:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Belmont Park Racetrack 2150 Hempstead Turnpike Elmont, N.Y. springcraftbeerfestival.com
Prime NY Sirloin
Filet Mignon served with steak fries
Chilean Sea Bass with choice of sides
Come for the impeccable service and supreme cuisine—from our family to your table. Beyond the dry-aged USDA Prime steak, we have wonderful seafood, including the buttery Chilean Sea Bass with its golden exterior and equally beautiful taste. Private dining rooms available for 200+ guests. COURTESY OF GOTHAM BAR AND GRILL
ITALIAN-AMERICAN AT GOTHAM BAR AND GRILL
New Location
Gotham Bar and Grill’s executive chef Alfred Portale will be serving a special Italian-American menu inspired by his heritage during March and April. The four-course prix-fixe includes Frittelle de Bacalao, salt cod fritters with aioli; Seafood Risotto with ruby red shrimp, calamari, arugula, and Calabrian chile; and Bollito Misto, with poached beef short ribs, chicken breast, housemade cotechino sausage, and winter vegetables. Dessert is the classic tiramisu. The dinner comes with a complimentary glass of Majolini Franciacorta Sparkling. $85 per person.
151 E. 50th St. (btw. Lexington & 3rd avenues) (212) 582-6900
237 W. 54th St. (btw. 7th & 8th avenues) (212) 586-9700
EmpireSteakhousenyc.com
thai
the modern experience
Available through April 30 Gotham Bar and Grill 12 E. 12th St. gothambarandgrill.com
Piattini, or shared plates.
BRADLEY HAWKS
Happy Hour Monday & Tuesday All day, from 12pm–10:45pm Wednesday–Sunday: 12pm–8pm Faro’s Local Grain Porridge.
LATE WINTER DISHES In the final days of winter, warm up with these new menu items at Faro, Maite, and Fung Tu. Faro is serving a Freekeh Soup made with ancient grains, garlic, shallots, leek, chicken stock, and house-cultured horseradish buttermilk; and Local Grain Porridge, featuring wheat berries, corn, oats, emmer, and rye from upstate New York, black truffles, sunchoke, and whey. Maite is serving a Basque Fish Stew, a tomatobased stew with sea bass, shrimp, clams, and scallops in a charred bread and apple aioli. Meanwhile, Fung Tu is serving Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs and Noodles in Soup, which can be paired with beer for $15 every Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Faro 436 Jefferson St., Brooklyn farobk.com Maite 159 Central Ave., Brooklyn maitebushwick.com
Happy hour specials include our house drinks, martinis, margaritas, beer, and wine for $5. Our martini and margarita flavors include lychee, peach, strawberry, apple, orange, and pineapple. And of course we always have dirty martinis.
Bar & Restaurant
Fung Tu 22 Orchard St. fungtu.com
HELL’S KITCHEN 717 9th Ave. (btwn 48th-49th St.) 212-581-5999 MIDTOWN EAST 38 E. 34th (btwn Lex & 3rd) 212-213-3317 Follow us @vivthainyc
Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
v{iv}
Like us v{iv} Bar and Restaurant
Visit us at vivthainyc.com
D6
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com SCOTT FRANCES
Openings around town
The all-vegan, quick service restaurant Terri has opened a third location in Midtown East. The menu features Terri’s signature items, such as the “Meatball� Sub, “Fish� Filet made with cashews and hearts of palm, and the Green Power Smoothie (with kale, pear, banana, almond butter, and soy milk), which earned the title of “World’s Best Green Smoothie� by BuzzFeed last year. The other locations are in Chelsea and the Financial District. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
When Michael Grant was studying Renaissance art in Florence nine years ago, he found Antico Noè, a tiny panini shop with a massive following. He became a regular while there, and years later, after negotiations with the Florentine owner, is bringing it stateside—to Midtown East. “We know we have a duty to the founders and the followers of Antico Noè to replicate the amazing panini and experience that has become such an integral element of Florence over the last 70 years. We can’t wait to share the authentic Tuscan panini with this side of the world,â€? said Grant, who is the U.S. president of Antico Noè. Of the 25 paninis at the Florence shop, the Midtown East location features the top 10. Ranging in price from $9.50 to $13.50, these include fillings of prosciutto di Parma, arugula, brie, and walnut sauce; or tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic glaze. For a short historical aside, a salt tax back in mid-1500s meant that salt was used very minimally, but as a result gave Tuscan bread a pleasant crunch, while letting the fillings stand out, according to Grant. After three minutes in the panini press, the paninis, served on Florentine white bread or seven-grain bread, come out hot and maybe just as importantly, the fillings are delicious and obedient (no unwieldy messes), making them a great option for those on the run. Open daily, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
685 Third Ave. (between 43rd & 44th streets) 212-983-2200 terrinyc.com
220 E. 53rd St. 212-750-0802 anticonoe.com
Freds at Barneys New York Following the opening of a location in Chelsea last month, Barneys New York has opened the first downtown outpost of its restaurant, Freds. Executive chef Mark Strausman is oering Italian-inspired and modern American fare. Barneys regulars will find familiar dishes from the Uptown Madison Avenue location, such as Freds Chopped Chicken Salad, Estelle’s Chicken Soup, and Penne al’Arrabbiata. To keep shoppers fueled through the afternoon and afterwork hours, Freds oers a menu of light bites and seasonal cocktails, juices, and coee from La Colombe (including a draft latte—cold pressed expresso and frothed milk—served from the tap). Open for lunch; dinner and brunch to begin mid-March.
An Authentic Bit of Tokyo in Midtown West
The freshest sushi made the traditional, simple way by master chef Shimizu Shochu & sake Exceptional value
Find us in the Washington Jefferson Hotel
Shimizu Sushi & Shochu Bar ShimizuSushiNY.com 318 W. 51st St. (btw. 8th & 9th avenues) (212) 581-1581
SO FRESH!
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)
#
Antica Noè
The dining room at Freds.
101 Seventh Ave. (between 16th & 17th streets) 646-264-6402 barneys.com
Terri
Luck of the Irish
JENNY ADAMS
Cocktails to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
A Return to Civility Green-foam Guinness? Say it ain’t so. Not for mixologist JoaquĂn SimĂł, anyway. “The Emerald Old Fashioned is my attempt to bring civility and deliciousness back to a holiday desecrated with green beer and disrespectfully named shots,â€? he said. He added: “Knappogue Castle 12 year’s fruit and spice notes serve as a rich base to layer upon whispers of herbal complexity and lashes of floral honey. The whiskey remains front and center in this elegant ode to the original cocktail, with only a refreshing sprig of mint to add brightness to the nose and eye while echoing the alpine herbs in the modifiers.â€? It’s available at Pouring Ribbons in the East Village.
Emerald Old Fashioned.
RECIPE EMERALD OLD FASHIONED • 2 ounces Knappogue Castle 12-year Single Malt Irish Whiskey • 1 teaspoon honey syrup (2 parts wildflower honey to 1 part water) • 1 teaspoon Green Chartreuse • 1 teaspoon Dolin GÊnÊpy des Alpes
DIRECTIONS Add all ingredients into a rocks glass. Add ice and stir briskly until chilled and just combined. Garnish with a mint sprig. Recipe courtesy of JoaquĂn SimĂł
The World Best’s Irish Coee Mixologist Dale DeGro is Italian, but as he said, he’s “enjoyed the luck of the Irish at exactly the moments I most needed it.â€? One of those occasions was working behind the bar in 1975 at Charley O’s Bar and Grill. “Joe Baum, a master of the details that make greatness in the hospitality business, opened Charley O’s in Rockefeller Center in the early 1960s. Sen. Patrick Moynihan chose Charley O’s as the venue for his St Patrick’s Day breakfast and that
tradition continued for two decades joined by crowds of resellers,â€? he said. DeGro remembers Charley O’s Irish Coee as the third best in the world— after Joe Sheridan’s revival of the drink in San Francisco at the world famous Buena Vista CafĂŠ. “With this recipe I am evoking the spirit of Joe’s greatness at The Dead Rabbit, where from this day forward you will find the world’s best Irish coee,â€? he said. COURTESY OF COCKTAIL COURIER
RECIPE DEAD RABBIT IRISH COFFEE • 1 1/2 ounces Clontarf 1014 blended Irish Whiskey • 4 ounces hot Caro De Minas Birch Coffee • 1/2 ounce Demerara sugar syrup • Heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Beginning with the coffee, pour all ingredients (not including the cream) into an 8-ounce stemmed glass and gently stir. Hand whip the cream so that it still pours.
Using the back of the bar spoon to guide, float the cream on top of the coffee Recipe courtesy of Dale DeGroff
D7
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
A Taste of Vincent Lataste Vineyards ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MANOS ANGELAKIS
By Manos Angelakis Finally, a Bordeaux winemaker that makes numerous lovely wines, a number in a New World style, and prices them right for the average consumer. I recently had a vintner’s lunch with winemaker Vincent Lataste and his charming wife at Gabriel Kreuther’s eponymous restaurant, which has a very good Alsatian–Frenchinspired kitchen. We had two white wines, a rosé, and a red from Château de Lardiley, an Entre-Deux-Mers Cadillac winery owned by the Lataste family since 1905, and a 2009 Château Mamin, a classic left-bank wine from Graves. Even though the winery is a high-volume producer, all these wines are certified organic— quite an agricultural transformation from the average Bordeaux vineyard. Across France, there are only 4,692 producers with certified organic vineyards, equivalent to 7.9 percent of the country’s vineyard area. The first wine we tried was a 100 percent sauvignon blanc, a fresh, food-friendly, highly aromatic wine with lychee, grapefruit, lemon zest, and freshly cut grass on the nose. It was zippy with a mineral and citrusy finish and paired beautifully with Shemogue oysters, topped with salmon caviar and bathed in a smoked salmon coulis with shredded leeks. This wine was so Chilean in taste that I thought someone might be trying to play a trick on us until I saw the actual bottle and tasted a second glass. The wine can more than hold its own in a global market context. The first plate that was presented at the table was a torchon of foie gras (on the menu it was described as a terrine; I don’t want to quibble, but it was definitely a torchon since it was a cylindrical preparation). With it came a goldenhued glass of a sweet white Bordeaux made from sémillon grapes. Since Cadillac is near Sauternes, I was not surprised to have this sémillon with the foie gras. It was a bit less rich than the better-known Sauternes, but it
A little place with big flavors
Château Mamin in Bordeaux, France.
All wines by Vincent Lataste’s Château Mamin and Château de Lardiley are certified organic. The 2009 Château Mamin (L) is a classic left-bank red; the 2015 Château de Lardiley is a fragrant, full-bodied cabernet sauvignon.
charmed us with aromas of pears and white peach more like a New World (Canada) late harvest wine. It is well-balanced, with enough acidity to cut the fat of the foie gras, and you can’t beat the price-to-quality ratio. Paired with a dish of Black Angus Tenderloin, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, with a cabernet sauvignon jus, was a Château de Lardiley Bordeaux Rouge, 100 percent cabernet sauvignon. This premières côtes de Bordeaux classic wine is made from younger vines and had notes of red fruit, and spices dominated the nose. The full body (blackberries, plums, black cherries, and a hint of coffee) was highlighted by ripe, but a bit tight, tannins. Though ready to drink, it will hold well for another four to six years. The final wine, served with the cheese course, was the 2009 Château Mamin, a blend of 90 percent merlot and 10 percent cabernet sauvignon that tasted like one of the better Margaux wines. As I mention above it is a classic left-bank red, a terrific Bordeaux wine at an excellent price from a very good vintage, full-bodied with cassis and black plums on the palate. The nose is really enchanting with black fruit, espresso, smoke, and toasty vanilla. As a wine for a main course, it would pair very well with roast beef or Peking duck. It is also ready to drink and can be cellared for five to seven years. To your health!
' Authentic Thai Restaurant ' Fast Delivery ' Corporate Catering Available
Little Thai Kitchen ' 231 E 53rd St. New York Tel. 212.644.5353 LTKNY.com
THE NEW AMERICAN TRADITION
Manos Angelakis is a wine and food writer in New York City. As the gastronomy critic for LuxuryWeb.com, he has spent many years traveling the world in search of culinary excellence. Come try our creative approach to brunch, lunch, and dinner—on Murray Hill.
Craft Beer Boom Spurs Demand for Close-to-Home Barley Malt
Craft brewers are driving the trend of returning to old-school malting.
557 3rd Ave @ 37th Street New York, NY 10016 (212)686-8080 | www.hendriksnyc.com | Follow us
AP PHOTO/MIKE GROLL
By Mary Esch Dennis Nesel converts barley to malt the way it was done hundreds of years ago, spreading the water-soaked grain on his malt house floor and turning it with a shovel as it germinates to release the sugar needed for fermentation. “This is old-school heritage malting,” said Nesel, whose “micro malt house” uses barley from a nearby farm and returns some of it as malt to the farm’s craft brewing operation, which turns out small batches of beer sold at farmer’s markets and local pubs. Nesel’s Hudson Valley Malt, 100 miles north of New York City, is one of dozens of small malting businesses that have sprung up around the country over the past few years to serve a growing thirst for locally crafted beer and whiskey that reflect a region’s climate and soils. “Wine people call it terroir,” Nesel said. “We call it flavor of the field.” According to the U.S. Brewers Association, the number of small-scale craft malting companies in the United States has grown from fewer than 5 in 2010 to 36 today, with about 50 more in the works. That goes along with a rise in craft breweries over the same period, from 1,754 to 3,418. New York feeds that trend with a 2012 state law that requires farm breweries to use set proportions of state-grown ingredients. About a dozen small malt houses have opened in the state in the past three years to serve some 200 breweries, according to the New York State Brewers Association. But even without state incentive programs, regional malt houses using locally grown barley have sprung up in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Nevada, Michigan, Colorado, and Oregon. “It was hard at first to find farmers willing to grow malting barley,” said Andrea Stanley, whose Valley Malt in Hadley, Massachusetts, was the first craft malt house in the Northeast in 2010. “That has really turned around, with brewers wanting to buy local grain and creating a nice demand.” A development that could spur New York farmers to grow barley on a grander scale is the plan by oil giant Sunoco to open a largescale malt house later this year in a former Miller Brewing Co. plant in central New York where it already has a corn ethanol plant. The $9.1 million facility will handle 100,000 bush-
Sacks of malted barley are lined up at Hudson Valley Malt in Germantown, N.Y. els of malting barley annually to serve mostly craft brewers. While farmers in the Northeast have long grown barley as a cover crop and for animal feed, the moist climate makes it hard to produce grain of the high quality needed for malting. Wet weather can make the grain germinate before it’s even harvested, and fusarium fungus can make it toxic. Barley must be tested for the fusarium toxin before it’s used for beer-making. Cornell University has been doing field trials to find barley varieties best suited to New York, and the new Center for Craft Food and Beverage at Hartwick College in Oneonta is providing farmers technical support, education, and quality testing. Ken Migliorelli, who owns the fruit and vegetable farm where From The Ground brewery is located, said his well-draining sandy soil is ideal for growing malting barley. He’s supplying about a dozen breweries now and plans to expand from 100 acres of barley to 500. “I was growing barley as a cover crop in my vegetables before,” Migliorelli said. “Now, I’m getting some revenue from it.” Jakob Cerill, who started From The Ground brewery about a year ago on the farm that provides Nesel’s barley, said using grain from nearby fields and having it malted in Nesel’s converted horse barn three miles away imparts a special freshness to his beer. “There’s a great flavor,” he said. “It’s sort of like eating a cookie from your oven versus one from the grocery store.”
We, at Hatsuhana, realize that it is rare to find a “no gimmicks, no frills” approach to sushi. Sushi is a conceptually simple cuisine. Ironically, its simplicity also makes it complicated. Hatsuhana salutes the centuries-old methods used by prominent sushi restaurants and chefs in Japan. P H O T O S : E DWA R D D A I
Obsessive Attention to Detail T
he single inspiration that lead to the establishment of Hatsuhana was nothing more than the desire to introduce unsurpassed sushi and sashimi to New Yorkers. Since the first day we opened our doors in 1976, we have been a sushi specialty restaurant. This has helped us maintain our focus exclusively on sushi cuisine.
From The Associated Press
The Sou ffle Fell In the March 4 edition of “Dig In,” Mother of Pearl’s new menu was mischaracterized. The new menu is all vegan, and its owner Ravi DeRossi is converting some of his restaurants to vegan venues. Epoch Times regrets the error.
212.355.3345 www.hatsuhana.com 17 East 48th St, New York (btwn. Madison & Fifth Ave.)
Nearly four decades later, our mission remains unchanged. Obsessive attention to detail should be the norm for sushi restaurants, not something to strive for. The complexity associated with creating the ideal sushi rice. The fragrance of freshly ground wasabi. The freshest fish from around the globe. Please come by for lunch or dinner and let us show you what real sushi is like!
D8
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque
Deliciously Sponsored
ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Juicy Lamb Chops
Tournedos Rossini, filet mignon with foie gras, in a port wine and truffle sauce.
LA SIRÈNE
Falling for the Siren Song of Butter
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
I Sevens’ Mixed Grill
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you’ll always remember • Authentic Mediterranean Turkish cuisine • Delicious Specialty Kebabs & Pides • Zucchini Pancakes • Decadent Homemade Specialties and Desserts • Catering Available
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f you go to La Sirène, expect to fall for the culinary equivalent to a siren song—irresistibly luxurious and rich dishes, tempting to the nose and palate. But unlike Odysseus of the myth, there’s no need for self-restraint. This romantic, cozy spot in the West Village is the place to impress a date. And the way to impress is not with a kale salad but with some polished Gallic decadence—and of course, butter, butter, and more butter. “Butter is the soul of the kitchen,” said owner and chef Didier Pawlicki, who has an adroit mastery of sauces. One year, for about two or three weeks, Pawlicki noticed he was getting online reviews that called his food “average.” He couldn’t believe it— average was the last thing anyone would call his food. Either they love it or hate it, but average wasn’t it. He found out one of his chefs thought he would save the restaurant money by omitting the butter. Ah, mais non, alors! After that little hiccup, butter was reenthroned, and has remained. To start there are the snails, in their big, gorgeous shells. Traditionally they are an excuse to consume an inordinate amount of butter and the ones at La Sirène are no exception. We’re talking about 2 ounces of the golden stuff in each one. What is exceptional, though, is that unlike the tough little gastropods so often seen, these Escargots à la Bourguignonne (half a dozen for $13.75) are surprisingly tender. The secret, according to Pawlicki, is to make sure the snails never touch direct heat. Pawlicki experimented for years to get the delicate balance of ingredients in the sauce just right: butter, breadcrumbs, garlic, shallot, and parsley meld together and overflow from the shells. Bread is necessary: you’ll want to mop it up. The runaway bestseller is the Tournedos Rossini ($34.75), which is just one decadent thing on top of another on top of another: a hunk of melt-in-your mouth foie gras (unseared, as per tradition) luxuriating on top of filet mignon
(medium to medium-rare, as per tradition again), in an intensely rich sauce of port wine and truffle, accompanied by a wedge of fried polenta. A plate of vegetables also comes automatically with the entree, like chayote, butternut squash, and cauliflower—just in case you feel you need to be a little more virtuous. There’s also seared foie gras, served in a balsamic reduction ($25), straight out of the garden of earthly gastronomic delight. Those who want a taste of the sea instead can’t do wrong by going with the Linguini aux fruits de mer (linguini with seafood, $30.75). A white wine saffron sauce is impossibly fragrant and deeply flavors every strand of the linguini. The scallops, mussels, shrimp, wild Alaskan pollock, and octopus are all delicious and tender. The wine list features bottles for varied price points, from $32 a bottle all the way to $2,400, for deep pockets—but the majority average around $50. Decadent starters and entrees deserve a decadent ending. For that there is nothing better than the profiteroles, those airy choux pastries drizzled with housemade hot chocolate sauce (made with Callebaut chocolate) and housemade vanilla ice cream ($13.75).
Classic Margherita Pizza
Escargots à la Bourguignonne.
Profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.
La Sirène
558 Broome St. (near Varick Street) 212-925-3061 lasirenenyc.com
Arugula, Garlic & Sunny Side Eggs Pizza “the pizza is super thin-crust, crispy and delicious. you can smell the wood burning stove a block away...” ZAGAT USER
Hours Monday–Thursday 5 p.m.–10:30 p.m. (for last kitchen order)
Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini & Olives Pizza
“The wood fired oven along with the homemade cheese just can’t be beat. ” PM
Friday & Saturday Noon–11 p.m. (for last kitchen order) Closes at 1:30 a.m.
“Love it. Thin crust, very good choice of topping. Unbeatable Beer pitcher price.” CB
Sunday Noon–10 p.m.
PIZZA LOVE Cut fresh herbs onto your amazing wood fired oven pizza. Made in just 5–7 minutes.
800 6th Ave (btwn 27th & 28th St) (212) 213-5042
WaldysPizza.com
Linguini aux Fruits de Mer, linguine in a white wine saffron sauce with tender seafood.
D9
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Think Polenta Demands Endless Stirring? Think Again. Bake It By Sara Moulton We call it cornmeal mush. The Italians call it polenta. And they’ve been making it since shortly after Columbus introduced corn to the Old World upon his return from America. At its most simple, polenta requires exactly two ingredients: cornmeal and a liquid. Sometimes fat or seasonings are added. Traditionally, it is prepared by bringing the liquid to a boil in a saucepan, adding the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream, then simmering the resulting mush, stirring constantly until it thickens. The whole process takes 30 to 40 minutes. But let me be honest with you. That is not the way I make it. First, I’m not inclined to babysit a dish for 40 minutes. Secondly, I am not a fan of polenta’s tendency to splatter as it cooks. That mush is hot! Happily, a stewardess on a plane tipped me o years ago about a hands-free, eruption-free way to cook polenta. She said she simply tosses all of the ingredients into a casserole dish and bakes them. I was skeptical. No way it could be that easy. But I tried it out and she was right. I’ve been making polenta in the oven instead of on the stove ever since. There are many kinds of cornmeal at the grocer these days, fine, medium, or coarse grain, stone ground, organic, some just labeled polenta, and in both white and yellow varie-
Pure Peruvian Cuisine
ties. They all behave slightly dierently when cooked, but they all can be used to make polenta. Texture-wise, fineground cornmeal turns out smoother and creamier, while coarser cornmeal is more granular. I like both. It takes a little longer to cook the coarser variety, and you’ll need to use a little more water. Timing-wise, the vessel in which you cook the polenta makes a huge dierence. If you use a casserole dish (earthenware or enameled cast-iron), the timing will work out pretty much as I explain in the recipe because those dishes heat up evenly from the bottom to the top. However, if you use a stainless steel pot (even one with aluminum or copper in the bottom), the polenta will take much longer to cook. Not to worry, though. If that’s the only pot you have, the polenta will still be great. Where does polenta fit into the meal? It can be served as a first course, perhaps topped with sautÊed mushrooms. It can act as a main course partnered with the pasta sauce of your choice. It provides the perfect bed for sautÊed shrimp or lamb, as well as for beef or chicken stew. Finally, it’s a great absorber of the meat juices generated by a roast. In short, polenta is wildly versatile. Think of it as a welcome alternative to rice, potatoes, or pasta.
Ceviche, Our signature dish
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From The Associated Press AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD
RECIPE
718-224-8505 # 39-32 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY 11361 www.piurarestaurant.com
BAKED POLENTA Prep & Cooking Time: 1 hour (5 minutes active) Serves: 6 • 1 cup fine- or medium-grain cornmeal • 4–4 1/2 cups water, low-sodium chicken broth or stock, or vegetable broth, or a combination • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Polenta Embellishments
DIRECTIONS Heat the oven to 350 F. In a 2-quart casserole dish, combine all the ingredients (use 4 cups liquid for fine cornmeal, and 4 1/2 cups for medium cornmeal). Stir the mixture briefly, then bake, uncovered, on the oven’s middle shelf until thick and creamy, about 45 minutes if it is fine cornmeal and 1 hour if it is medium cornmeal. The polenta should have the texture of a thick porridge; if it is too thin, put it back in the oven and let it bake until it reaches the desired consistency, checking it at 15-minute intervals. When the polenta is done, stir well and serve right away.
Onion In a small skillet over medium heat, saute 1/2 cup finely chopped onion in 2 tablespoons butter until softened. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, then cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onion mixture to the casserole with all the remaining ingredients and follow the recipe as written. When the polenta is done, stir in 1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (or another crumbled or diced cheese of your choice, such as Gorgonzola or fontina).
Authentic Japanese
Mushroom Top the creamy polenta with 1/2 pound assorted sliced mushrooms sauteed in butter with minced shallot or onion and finished with truffle oil and chopped fresh herbs.
FREE
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) 6 Appetizer 6 2 kinds of Sashimi 6 Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu
Add Bacon and Beer to Cabbage for Grand Flavor By Katie Workman Cabbage is almost as popular on St. Patrick’s Day as green beer! And that’s because cabbage—unlike green beer!—is a quintessential part of Irish cuisine (along with bacon and potatoes). Tenant farmers in the 17th century were forced to pay substantial rents to their landlords, so they relied heavily on crops of cabbage and potatoes to get them through the year. The more prosperous farmers also raised pigs, so they were able to season their vegetables with the pork parts that weren’t needed elsewhere. When the potato famine hit, cabbage became an even more critical food source. And so on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s customary to eat cabbage in some form. And fair enough. It remains one of the most aordable and durable vegetables around, a reliable source of something green in the colder months. And when paired with its old compatriot bacon, it’s actually pretty delicious. Here the bacon is crisped up in a large, heavy pot, then some onions are quickly sautÊed in a bit of the remaining fat. Then the cabbage is added, along with the beer of your choice, and in 30 minutes you have a dish that may be modest in cost and appearance, but quite grand in flavor. This would go very well with corned beef, but also with roasted chicken, salmon, a steak, or pretty much anything. From The Associated Press
(SautĂŠ meals cooked at the table)
6 %00%/1
$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE:
RECIPE
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
SIMPLE BEER-BRAISED CABBAGE WITH BACON Prep & Cooking Time: 45 minutes (15 minutes active) Serves: 8 • 6 strips bacon, halved crosswise • 1 cup chopped yellow onion • 1 medium (about 2 pounds) green cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced • 12-ounce bottle or can beer (any variety) • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, turning as needed, 5 to 6 minutes in all. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan, then return it to medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the cabbage and toss occasionally in the pot for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to wilt and is well mixed with the onions.
Redefining Traditional Spanish Cuisine
Pour in the beer and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and most of the liquid is evaporated. Crumble the reserved bacon and stir it into the cabbage. Serve hot or warm. ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD/AP
• Fine dining experience inspired by the distinctive culinary-rich regions of Spain. • Top-quality ingredients expanding on the rich, healthy profiles of the Mediterranean diet. • Seasonal menu reflecting the bounty of fresh, local ingredients. • Exciting selection of Spanish wines, cavas, and cocktails.
246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com • (212) 370-1866
D10
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Hinata’s Special
Yuzu Shio Soba
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$14.50 Spring Special until end of May
Also Available
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OPEN 7 Days M-F 11:30am-11:30pm Sat 12:00pm-11:30pm Sun 4:00pm-11:30pm
HINATA RAMEN
HinataRamen.com 159 East 55th St. (b/w Lex. & 3rd ave) / 212.355.2974
Colin Hagendorf, a New York native, sampled every slice of pizza in Manhattan for his blog. All 375 of them.
Pizza Suprema was voted the best. *
AS SEEN ON: The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, and Daily News. Come and try for yourself. We are just beside Madison Square Garden. Since 1964.
IRISH RECIPE TRADITIONS TATER TOT SHEPHERD’S PIE DANIELVFUNG/ISTOCK (CLOVER)
ALL NATURAL ORGANIC YOUNG CHICKEN BROTH NO MSG•EVERYTHING HOMEMADE
Both Old and New
Awarded One of the 10
BEST PIZZAS IN NYC
Diagonally across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station.
Shepherd’s pie was one of my first forays into the basics of Irish country cooking. Comforting and easy to make, dishes brimming with mutton and potato filled our freezer when Geoffrey was a toddler.
By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
More recently, I began experimenting with ways to reinvent this classic pie. Inspired by craving a tater tot hotdish (a Midwestern American casserole), I lined the top of my shepherd’s pie with homemade tots, and it was much more fun than standard mash.
S
t. Patrick’s Day celebrates the patron saint of the Emerald Isle with—in America, at least—boisterous revelry. But the kind of festive partying that occurs here has only recently been adopted in the homeland, mostly in big cities like Dublin. Before, it was a religious holiday, with everyone attending Mass—and pubs were closed. Today, in small towns and villages, the holiday is still a mostly quiet affair. Imen McDonnell, an American who immigrated to the Irish countryside after marrying an Irishman, said that excessive drinking on the holiday would be considered disrespectful. “People take the holiday seriously,” she said. “Irish America is very different from Ireland.” Since moving to the isle, McDonnell has become a food writer, chronicling her experiences learning traditional Irish cooking. Her newly published cookbook, “The Farmette Cookbook,” is the culmination of her adventures. Alongside family recipes from her mother-in-law, McDonnell includes unique Irish dishes from her travels around the country, and from digging into centuries-old Irish cookbooks. A visit to one of Dublin’s seafood festivals, for example, inspired her recipe for Classic Dublin Lawyer, a rich dish of lobster and cream, flambéed with whiskey. On St. Patrick’s, McDonnell’s family usually celebrates with traditional cured pork loin (not corned beef!) and boiled cabbage. But one year, McDonnell decided to put her own twist on it, and turned the meat and cabbage into a filling for potstickers. Her quirkier creations usually take inspiration from her own cravings for different cuisines commonly available in America, like Chinese food, that are unobtainable in rural Ireland. “It’s from missing the cultural mosaic of food choices,” she said. “I probably wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t moved here.” Going out to the fields to pick shamrocks with her husband and son is also an obligatory ritual. If it’s a nice day, McDonnell will set out a picnic by a fairy fort (an ancient earthen mound) with her own take on a classic spread—dishes like roast duck, smoked salmon, and her potstickers.
W i Din n n at er
Pizza Suprema 413 8th Ave. New York, NY 10001 (212) 594-8939
Serves: 4
• 1 tablespoon sunflower or canola oil, plus more for frying • 1 large onion, chopped • 2 to 3 medium carrots, chopped • 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb • 2 tablespoons tomato purée • Splash of Worcestershire sauce • 2 cups (500 ml) lamb or beef stock
“The Farmette Cookbook” by Imen McDonnell (Roost Books, 2016, $35). ROOST BOOKS
*Slice Harvester 2011, selected for the plain slice.
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ASIAN RESTAURANT LISTINGS UPPER WEST SIDE Raku—It’s Japanese II Japanese Featured Dishes: Sushi; Sashimi; Brussels Sprouts
57 W. 76th St. (btw. Central Park West & Columbus Ave.) 212-873-1220 | rakuupperwest.com
UPPER EAST SIDE Cafe Evergreen Chinese 1367 1st Ave. (btw. 73rd & 74th streets) 212-744-3266 cafeevergreenchinese.com The Nuaa Thai Featured dishes: Purple Blossom Dumpling; Short Ribs Massaman Curry 1122 1st Ave. (btw. 61st & 62nd streets) 212-888-2899 | thenuaa.com
HELL’S KITCHEN/ MIDTOWN WEST Noodies Thai 830 9th Ave. (btw. 54th & 55th streets) 646-669-7828 noodiesnyc.com Vi{v} Bar & Restaurant Thai Featured Dishes: Kanom Jean Nam Ngeow; CM Sausage 717 9th Ave. (btw. 48th & 49th streets) 212-581-5999 | vivnyc.com
Laut is Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai food, located at 15 E. 17th St.
Hell’s Chicken Korean Featured Dish: Korean Fried Chicken 641 10th Ave. (btw. 45th & 46th streets) 212-757-1120 | hellschickennyc.com
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MIDTOWN EAST Shochu and Tapas - AYA Japanese 247 E. 50th St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) 212-715-0770 aya-nyc.com
Sachi Asian Bistro Thai Featured Dish: Oink Oink Oink Fried Rice 713 2nd Ave. (btw. 38th & 39th streets) 929-256-5167 | sachinyc.com Ruay Thai Restaurant Thai Featured Dishes: Pad Thai; Pad See Yew 625 2nd Ave. (btw. 34th & 35th streets) 212-545-7829 | ruaythai.com
KOREATOWN Soju Haus Korean 315 5th Ave., 2nd Fl. (btw. 31st & 32nd streets) 212-213-2177 | sojuhaus.com
GRAMERCY/FLATIRON/ UNION SQUARE Junoon Indian Featured Dishes: Mirchi Pakora; Hara Paneer Kofta; Meen Manga Curry 27 W. 24th St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-490-2100 | junoonnyc.com Laut Southeast Asian 15 E. 17th St. (btw. W. Union Sq. & Broadway) 212-206-8989 | lautnyc.com
KIPS BAY Momokawa Japanese Featured Dishes: Kaiseki menu; Beef Sukiyaki; Fried Chicken 157 E. 28th St. (btw. Lexington & 3rd avenues) 212-684-7830 momokawanyc.com
WEST VILLAGE Spice Market Asian Fusion Featured Special: $27 for a 3-course lunch prix-fixe menu.
15 Greenwich Ave. (btw. 10th & Christopher streets) 212-488-9888 | niunoodleny.com
GREENWICH VILLAGE Uncle Ted’s Chinese Featured Dish: Uncle Ted’s fried rice with Chinese sausages; braised duck dumpling; crispy duck with chow fun in hoisin sauce
163 Bleecker St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan streets) 212-777-1395 | uncletedsnyc.com
EAST VILLAGE SenYa Japanese Featured Dishes: Smoked Hamachi / Hamachi Kama; Uni Scrambled Egg with Sturgeon Caviar; Smoked Katsuo Tataki
109 1st Ave. (btw. 7th & 6th streets) 212-995-5278 | senyanyc.com Sigiri Sri Lankan 91 1st Ave. (btw. E. 5th & E. 6th streets) 212-614-9333 | sigirinyc.com
BATTERY PARK Malaysian Kitchen USA Malaysian Featured Dish: Hainanese Chicken 21 South End Ave. (btw. W. Thames St. and the Esplanade) | 212-786-1888 malaysiakitchenusa.com
BROOKLYN Pasar Malam Southeast Asian Featured specials: Malaysian food and roti station 208 Grand St. (btw. Bedford & Driggs avenues)
Williamsburg 929-267-4404 | pasarmalamny.com
QUEENS
403 W. 13th St. (btw. Washington St. & 9th Ave.) 212-675-2322 | spicemarketnewyork.com
Leng Thai Thai 33-09 Broadway | Astoria 718-956-7117 | lengthai.com
Niu Noodle House Chinese Featured Dish: Pork Soup Dumplings
Spicy Lanka Sri Lankan 159-23 Hillside Ave. Jamaica 718-487-4499
D11
@EpochTaste
March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com For the Tots • 4 large russet potatoes, baked and cooled • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons fine salt
DIRECTIONS 1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then cook the onion and carrots for about 10 minutes, until softened. Turn up the heat, crumble in the lamb, and brown, pouring off any excess fat. Add the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce; fry for a few more minutes until browned. Pour in the stock, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 20 minutes to reduce the liquid. 2. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and shred them on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle in the flour and salt, and gently mix until combined. 3. Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoons of the potato mixture into a short cylinder, about 1 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Press the mixture in tightly and then press the tots onto a baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining potato mixture. 4. Line a second baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Pour 1/4 inch of oil into a large
frying pan and set over medium-high heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Fry the tots in batches of 8 to 10 pieces (do not overcrowd the pan), turning once, until light golden brown on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tots to the papertowel-lined baking sheet, and season with salt. Repeat for all the tots. 5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). 6. Put the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Top with the tots to completely cover the meat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tots are starting to turn golden brown and the mince is bubbling through at the edges. Serve with a salad of crisp garden greens. Scullery Notes You can freeze tater tots for future use: Let the fried tots cool, then transfer them to an airtight container or ziplock bag. Arrange them in a single layer in the container or bag and place them in the freezer. You can also just pile the shredded potato on top of the filling and bake as directed. From “The Farmette Cookbook,” © 2016 by Imen McDonnell. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boulder, CO. roostbooks.com
ALL FOOD PHOTOS COURTESY OF IMEN MCDONNELL
RECIPE CLASSIC DUBLIN LAWYER Serves: 2 The origins of Dublin Lawyer, a rich dish of lobster, cream, and whiskey, are allegedly unknown, but I’m told that this dish has been served around Dublin for at least a hundred and fifty years. I can testify that it has been been served in our house for the last eight.
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After tasting this succulent dish at a seafood festival in the eponymous capital city, I vowed to prepare it at home. Now, Dublin Lawyer has become a much requested meal for special occasions—and sometimes just because.
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I prefer to serve it with the meat still in the tails, allowing each person to dip the meat into the sauce as they wish.
Special Tools: A kitchen torch • • • • • • •
Two 2-lb lobsters, fresh 1 cup (235 ml) Irish whiskey 12 tablespoons butter 1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream Salt and pepper, to taste Lemon slices, for garnish Chopped parsley, dill, or chervil, for garnish
DIRECTIONS 1. Steam or boil the lobsters for about 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from the pot. Split the lobsters in half. Clean out the top halves of the body, but leave the tail meat intact. 2. Heat the whiskey in a small saucepan over low heat. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat until foamy. Add the heated whiskey, and flambé with a kitchen torch.
Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors. Allow the flame to die down completely before adding the cream. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Divide the butter mixture evenly between two dipping bowls, or pour into the cleaned top halves of the lobsters. Serve the lobster with lemon slices and sprinkled with chopped parsley, dill, or chervil. Scullery Notes If a thicker sauce is desired, allow the sauce to simmer for another 2 minutes. From “The Farmette Cookbook,” © 2016 by Imen McDonnell. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boulder, CO. roostbooks.com
RECIPE DIVINER’S TEA BRACK Makes: 1 loaf One wet March afternoon, my husband announced that our local water diviner was going to come and help us locate a new well. Up until the moment he arrived, I honestly thought his visit was some kind of madcap prank. I simply couldn’t believe that in the twenty-first century we would be enlisting the services of a person with a willow divin ing rod to find water on the farm. But, as I have learned time and time again, many practices of the past are still very much alive in the Irish countryside. When I saw the man hiking in the fields behind our garden, I quickly made up a tea bread to share after he finished his work. We sat around the table sipping tea as I sliced piece after piece of this fruity brack, chatting for nearly an hour, and when the water diviner left, he thanked me for a tea cake as “fine as my mother’s.” Brack is a cross between cake and bread and is often enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee.
• 1 cup (200 g) mixed dried fruit • 1 cup (240 ml) hot black tea (Barry’s Tea is perfect if you can get it) • 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup (100 g) superfine sugar • 1 large beaten egg • 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-inch loaf pan. 2. Place the fruit in a small mixing bowl, pour the hot tea over the top, and allow to soak until the fruit swells, about 1 hour. 3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, egg, and marmalade. Pour in the fruit and any tea left in the bowl; stir thoroughly. Pour into the loaf pan, and bake for 1 hour. 4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before turning out of the tin. Serve the brack with butter and cups of tea. 5. Store any leftovers in the bread box, where it will keep for one week. From “The Farmette Cookbook,” © 2016 by Imen McDonnell. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boulder, CO. roostbooks.com
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March 11–17, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com CHRIS HILL PHOTOGRAPHIC/COURTESY OF TOURISM IRELAND
Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands.
MICHELLE LOCKE VIA AP BRIAN MORRISON/COURTESY OF TOURISM IRELAND MICHELLE LOCKE VIA AP
The Serpent’s Lair.
A pony-and-trap awaiting its rider on Inishmore on the Aran Islands, Ireland. Taking in the view on Inisheer.
Visiting the Aran Islands on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way By Michelle Locke
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The economically named The Bar pub serves a stew that will restore you if you’ve spent the day hiking.
Setting the Mood Synge’s “The Aran Islands,” a book of essays, is fun to dip into. Another classic is the 1934 fictional documentary, “Man of Aran,” which took some liberties with historical accuracy. More recently, island scenery was featured in the opening to the ‘90s sitcom “Father Ted,” which is commemorated by the annual Tedfest, held each February. Need an adrenaline rush with your research? The Red Bull Cliff Diving series has twice held events at Inishmore’s Serpent’s Lair. Getting There Aran Island Ferries run from Rossaveal, a onehour drive from Galway, and take about 45 minutes for the crossing. There’s also ferry service from Doolin near the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of County Clare. Aer Arann offers short flights from Connemara with shuttle service from downtown Galway to the airport and a shuttle on the other end to the village of Kilronan. However you go, book in advance. Getting Around You can rent a bike at the harbor in Kilronan and go your own way. Or you can take a minivan tour; vans meet the ferries. For a more leisurely approach, try a pony trap tour.
Sightseeing The big attraction on Inishmore is Dun Aonghasa, (aka Dun Angus), a prehistoric clifftop stronghold with four sets of dry stone walls and a “chevaux-de-frise,” a band of jagged upright stones meant to deter attackers (open daily 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. in winter and until 6 p.m. in summer, admission, about $5). Also worth a look is Dun Duchathair, the Black Fort. Not much is left of the fort but it has a breathtaking coastal setting. The Serpent’s Lair, of Red Bull fame, is a naturally formed pool connected to the ocean by an underwater channel. The rocks can be slippery; wear shoes with good soles. The Aran Sweater Market in Kilronan sells garments knit in the famous Aran pattern as well as yarn and patterns for the crafty. In Inishmaan, you can visit the cottage where Synge stayed.
COURTESY OF TOURISM IRELAND
• 14 types of unbelievable Som Tum (papaya salad). • Gang Om soup that pulls a straight punch to the throat. • Whole Cornish hen, fried to a golden crispiness, with the most addictive dipping sauce. • Yentafo Noodle soup, an authentic standout.
KILRONAN, Ireland—Give up Paris, the Irish poet W.B. Yeats told fellow writer J.M. Synge, and go to the Aran Islands in order to “express a life that has never found expression.” The budding playwright took the advice and traveled to the Aran Islands off Ireland’s West Coast. He returned full of ideas, incorporating island ways and dialect into works such as his lyrical play, “Riders to the Sea.” Things have changed a bit since Synge made his pilgrimage in 1898, but even today this rocky outpost in Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way remains a place to find respite from modern life and move to a simpler rhythm. Many visitors treat the islands as a day trip, taking the ferry or flight from Galway. But to really experience the islands’ charms, consider spending a few nights. Multiple B&Bs offer reasonable rates. There are three islands. Most visitors go to the largest, Inishmore. The other two, Inisheer and Inishmaan (the latter is the setting for “Riders to the Sea”), are smaller and less-visited, and can be reached by ferry for day trips from Inishmore. Here are some basics on planning your trip.
If you have enough time, there’s a lot to be said for simply walking and stopping to smell the wildflowers—and say hello to the occasional sheep. The islands are strewn with ruins and miles of stone walls. Be prepared for all types of weather: Bring layers and waterproof outerwear. It may pour in the morning, then turn sunny and warm by afternoon.
Curious natives on Inishmore.
Eating The quality of the food may come as a pleasant surprise. You’ll find delicious fresh fish and hearty specialties like Irish stew and Guinness chocolate cake. Popular spots on Inishmore include Teach Nan Phaidi and Ti Joe Watty’s, which has live music weekends and throughout the summer. The economically named The Bar pub serves a stew that will restore you if you’ve spent the day hiking. The Pier House Restaurant has an elegant dining room with a view. Accommodations The Aran Islands Hotel has rooms with balconies and views, starting at around $85. The Seacrest B&B has rooms with baths for about $60 a night including a full Irish breakfast. Seacrest co-owner Thomas Faherty gives excellent pony-and-trap tours of the island. Will your stay in the islands awake your inner genius? Hard to say. But you may find yourself feeling the way Synge did one evening as he strolled along Galway Bay and looked westward. “The sort of yearning I feel towards those lonely rocks,” he wrote, “is indescribably acute.” From The Associated Press