Epoch Taste 3-31-2017

ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

D1 March 31–April 6, 2017

Enchanting

Kyoto on D6

www.EpochTaste.com

The Grandma Chicken Mixian, with confit chicken, fermented red chili, pu’er tea-braised egg, and Chinese broccoli.

SHUTTERSTOCK (ILLUSTRATION)

Chef Simone Tong brings the flavors of Yunnan to the East Village

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff

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hey are long, round, and thin, like strands of spaghetti—making them highly efficient for slurping. The noodles’ springiness, the way they bounce back slightly as you chew, only makes them more enticing.

Mixian rice noodles originated in Yunnan, a province in southwestern China, where a piping hot bowl topped with meats, vegetables, herbs, and an assortment of condiments is a common meal. They are also an object of obsession for chef Simone Tong.

Whenever she visits her hometown of Chengdu, Sichuan, a close neighbor to Yunnan, she finds herself eating them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. “When [my parents] don’t know where I am, they’re like, ‘Oh, she went to eat mixian,’” Tong said.

See Noodles on D2

Little Tong Noodle Shop

177 First Ave. (at East 11th Street) East Village 929-367-8664 LittleTong.com Hours Tuesday–Sunday 5:30 p.m.–11 p.m.

Closed on Mondays

Chef Simone Tong is obsessed with noodles.

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March 31–April 6, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

2 1. Little Pot Mixian, a combination of sour and spicy.

2. Mala Dan Dan Mixian, with pickled celery and mustard seeds for extra texture.

3. The noodle bowls at Little Tong Noodle Shop are light but full-bodied.

4. Cucumbers in a tahini-sesame sauce spiked with chili oil.

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5. The restaurant’s wooden decor gives off a calming vibe.

Noodles continued from D1 Last year, she finally decided to travel to the noodles’ birthplace. “I always wanted to do something of my own culture, upbringing,” she said. After years of working in New York restaurants including WD-50 and 15 East, Tong wanted to open her own noodle shop. “Nothing is better than opening [with] something that I love to eat, and share with the people here.”

For inspiration, she set out for rural Yunnan, a fertile land of diverse landscapes, from tropical forests to high plateaus, where people still forage for food and slaughter their own chickens for dinner. Villagers often don’t have refrigerators, and simply buy what they need from the market that day. “The essence of Chinese cooking is basically get-

I always wanted to do something of my own culture, upbringing.

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Simone Tong

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ting whatever is in the market and stir-frying it,” Tong said.

In different towns, she sampled all types of mixian: with cold noodles, with offal-infused broth, served in clay pots. Later, she interned at a popular Yunnan restaurant in Beijing, where the chef taught her about the region’s ingredients and cooking techniques. The chef called her “Little Tong” in Chinese.

She adopted the name for her newly opened noodle shop in the East Village, where she serves bowls of mixian grounded in the diverse flavors of Yunnan but adapted to her tastes, using ingredients from the local farmers market. The restaurant seats 24 in a long, rectangular space lined with wooden paneling that gives it a calm feel.

In Yunnan, mixian vendors make their noodles fresh, but without the capacity for that in New York, Tong blind taste tested 25 difSimone Tong has lived in Beijing, Macao, ferent mixian brands. She chose the one that Hong Kong, and Singapore. most closely resembled what she had in Yunnan, with a touch of acidity, she said. sic Sichuan saucy noodle dish gets Almost everything else is made in-house, like the condiments, rehashed with mixian ($15). Tong including fermented chili and throws in the typical ground pork, Mixian are long, chili oil, which can be ordered chili peanuts, Sichuan pepperround, and thin: as add-ons to the noodles ($1 corns, and Sichuan-style pickled highly efficient to $3.50). vegetables (ya cai), but incorporates for slurping.

Traditional mixian bowls tend pickled celery and mustard seeds to be very salty and spicy, Tong for additional crunchy texture, and explained. Hers are light but fulla drizzle of green peppercorn oil for an bodied. The Grandma Chicken Mixian herbaceous note. Make sure to evenly mix up was inspired by a restaurant she often visited the sauce, which pools at the bottom.

Another saucy noodle dish, this one with in the city of Dali, Yunnan, where an elderly woman tended to a big wok of local black a more vegetal, earthy quality, is the Mushchicken frying in its own fat. For her version, room Wood-Ear Mixian, seasoned with what Tong uses fall-apart tender, free-range chicken Tong calls “trinity sauce”—a Chinese riff on the and adds a layer of roasted black sesame-garFrench mirepoix, but with ginger, scallions, lic oil to the chicken broth, then tops it with and garlic—and celery oil ($15). The noodles are fermented red chili and pickled daikon raddusted with seaweed powder and fried shalish—a touch of sharpness that complements lots, and topped with an abundance of mushthe savory ($16). Edible flowers, commonly rooms, a nod to the large variety of wild fungi used in Yunnan cooking, and an egg cooked that can be found in Yunnan, such as oyster, in spices and pu’er tea, a Yunnan specialty, finenoki, wood ear, and shiitake. ish off the dish.

The shop also serves a small menu of appetizThe Little Pot Mixian, served in a copper ers, like Sweated Cucumbers in “bang bang” pot, shows off the synergy of sour and spicy sauce, a take on a Sichuan chicken dish named ($16). The pork broth, simmered over two to after the sound made when the meat is tenthree days, gains extra flavor from added proderized with a mallet ($4). Tong said the dish sciutto. Strands of garlic chives, alongside bits is usually very garlicky, so she opted for tahini of minced pork mixed with shiitake mushand sesame instead. The result is a nutty sauce room, cooked à la minute, deepen the umami. with serious heat, cooled down with ribbons But it’s the pickled mustard stems and chili of mint. Meanwhile, the Ghost Chicken ($7) is vinaigrette, with a touch of numbing Sichuan a bright, piquant salad, with chili, pickled red peppercorn, that make this bowl special, addonions, basil, and other fragrant herbs, that ing a slow burn that ends in a satisfying tang. will perk up your appetite for the meal ahead.

Tong said her experience at WD-50 taught her Drinks include beer, cup sake, tea, and the science of “extracting the most flavor out soda ($3 to $15), while dessert is a rotating of ingredients.” This dish seemed to demonselection. Currently, Little Tong is serving strate that training best. crispy almond cookies (3 for $2) and a fresh yogurt pudding with toasted rice purée and Those seeking a more numbing heat can try the Mala Dan Dan Mixian, where the clasrose jam ($4).

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March 31–April 6, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com

THOMAS KELLER

ALL PHOTOS BY ERIC RISBERG/AP

Shows Off His Sleek

French Laundry Remodel

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OUNTVILLE, Calif.—On a sunny mornThere’s a “ventilated ceiling” that does away ing in Napa Valley, America’s most celwith the typical noisy overhead hoods. Now ebrated chef reflects on his career, the they’re embedded in the ceiling with infrared sensors that gauge the appropriate speed culinary empire it spawned, and why he just spent $10 million on an upgrade of his famed rather than the fans whirring on high all day. restaurant, the French Laundry.

The attention to detail is typical of Keller, Thomas Keller describes himself as a detailsays Breeden. “We call him the omnipresent oriented perfectionist who is passionate about chef,” he said, describing Keller as a masfine food and design. All of this is apparent ter craftsman who guides by example in his in the chef’s gleaming new workspace, a “search for that constant improvement, con2,000-square-foot state-of-the-art kitchen, stant refinement, and reflection.” which feels more like a sleek, modern art galPerfectionism comes with a price. The ninelery than a cramped, hectic kitchen. course prix fixe menu, which changes every At 61 years old, Keller entertains the thought night, costs $310. But a meal for two with of slowing down. Just not right now. wine and a vintage after-dinner cognac He’s got a new restaurant project undercould easily top $1,000. way at New York City’s Hudson Yards. He The 62-seat restaurant is typically booked flew to Hollywood last week for a segment solid weeks in advance. on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” And he is clearly Keller has not cooked full-time in years, mindful of his legacy, which is part of the but is still very much the face of the French inspiration for remodeling the revered resLaundry. And when he’s in town, he’s at the taurant he opened in a cottage in the heart restaurant, impeccably dressed in his cusof wine country in 1994. tom-made chef jacket, tailored black pants, Keller says he embarked on the French and shiny black clogs.

Laundry’s renovation to ensure it thrives for During the flurry of a recent dinner serthe next 20 years. Aside from the new kitchen, vice, Keller’s guiding hand was at work plathe’s added a 16,000-bottle wine cellar, extening caviar, making artful final touches to sive solar paneling, a new office annex, and dishes, instructing waiters on the details 9,000 square feet of new landscape design. All of each course, and even helping out in the told, the renovation took more than two years. dishwashing area.

“For weeks, I would wake up in the middle In the span of two decades, Keller has transformed the image of the American chef and of the night and think, ‘Oh my God, I ruined the fine dining experience in America with the French Laundry,’” said Keller, who holds three coveted Michelin stars for the restauhis innovative and playful interpretations of rant, and another three for its New York counfine French food, said Tim Ryan, president of terpart Per Se. The distinctions make Keller the Culinary Institute of America. the only American chef, past or present, Ryan described Keller as a “mixture with two sets of three-star Michelin of humility and ego.” Unlike today’s ratings. celebrity chefs, he has no reality The 62-seat The restaurant stayed open TV show, earning recognition restaurant is purely through hard work in during the construction, but typically booked the culinary staff relocated to a the kitchen, Ryan said, and to solid weeks in temporary kitchen built inside this day, no one has matched advance. four shipping containers. Final his achievements or influence. touches on the landscaping will be “Thomas Keller is the most wrapping up this summer. important chef in American hisOn a tour of the new kitchen and the tory. Period. Ever,” said Ryan in a teleFrench Laundry’s lush culinary garden, Kelphone interview from New York. “I’m sitler is vocally enthusiastic about the upgrades. ting right now in a building filled with 2,000 He compares the remodel to the renovation aspiring chefs. There is no one in the world I of the world’s greatest museums, the Louvre could bring here that would generate more excitement among the student body than in Paris, citing how I.M. Pei’s 1989 addition of the glass pyramid added a modern stateThomas.” ment to a historical site.

On the streets of Yountville, Keller is a The Louvre was “iconic. It was historic. Evelocal celebrity. Tourists stop him in the rybody knew it. And the French Laundry kind street to take selfies with him, or pose outof represented that for me,” said Keller. He side the French Laundry sign. His success even gave his architect two pictures of the has spawned a dozen other bistro-style resLouvre—one pre-I.M. Pei and one after—to captaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, and ture the essence of his vision.

Beverly Hills.

He is gracious and humble when asked Keller teamed up with Snohetta, an architecture and design firm that spearheaded the about his significance to the culinary world. recent three-year renovation of the San Fran“I don’t wake up in the morning and look cisco Museum of Modern Art. in the mirror and go, ‘I’m looking at the greatest chef in America.’ It very seldom Gone is the stainless steel austerity of most restaurant kitchens. This one is white, spacomes up for me personally,” he said. But cious, and sunlit by skylights and wrapawhen the issue is raised, he feels “an enorround windows overlooking a garden. It has mous amount of responsibility, that burden swooping vaulted ceilings meant to mimic of responsibility on my shoulders to make draped linen. sure that I’m trying to exemplify what that “To actually stand in the new kitchen is the chef would be like.” ultimate reward. It’s absolutely amazing,” said As he’s grown older, Keller said, he’s more 36-year-old chef de cuisine David Breeden, comfortable with the idea of less running who has worked for Keller at the French Launaround. Ultimately, he’d like to return full dry and Per Se for 12 years. time to his brand-new kitchen.

“One day do I want to come back and solely Keller describes it as “more feminine than most kitchens” because of its soft lines and be here? It’s a dream. It gives me great sense curves. It was designed with attention to of comfort to be here at the French Launergonomics, acoustics, and ease of cleaning, dry,” said Keller. He has long talked of buildincluding the walls and counters made of ing an upscale inn alongside the restaurant. antimicrobial material.

“So we’re looking at that,” he said.

The countertops were raised several inches From The Associated Press from the standard height to avoid backaches.

Chef Thomas Keller has just opened a new state-of-the-art kitchen at his famed French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., after spending $10 million on an extensive renovation.

Here Are Some of Thomas Keller’s Kitchen Rules Thomas Keller hangs inspirational messages and rules on the walls of the French Laundry’s kitchen to remind his culinary crew of the restaurant’s high standards—and to keep them connected with their counterparts in New York.

I don’t wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and go, ‘I’m looking at the greatest chef in America.’

Thomas Keller

The Stars

At the entrance of the kitchen are two reminders of excellence: the restaurant’s Michelin three-star plaque and five gleaming golden stars that symbolize multiple awards, including the top ratings from Forbes travel guide, formerly the Mobil Guide, The New York Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Finesse

A framed definition of the word “finesse” on the kitchen wall says “refinement and delicacy of performance, execution, or artisanship.” Keller says there are countless great chefs today, but it’s finesse that “sets one person apart from somebody else.”

Sense of Urgency

A clock on the kitchen wall is captioned with the words “Sense of Urgency.” Keller says the words are a philosophy on the pace of working in a kitchen that he tries to impart to his young staff. “I think most people understand a sense of urgency,” he said. “It may be kind of crass, but when you’re on a freeway and you’re driving down and you have to use the restroom, and the next restroom is 30 miles away, you have a sense of urgency to get there. A sense of urgency for us is the same.”

Why We Cook

Keller’s 10-line definition of “Why We Cook” is etched into one of the kitchen’s white walls, ending with “Make People Happy.” Keller said, “That is what cooking is all about.”

Closed-Circuit TV

On one wall is a giant closed-circuit TV screen that connects the French Laundry’s kitchen to Per Se’s kitchen in New York so that chefs at both award-winning restaurants can see their colleagues 2,500 miles away. “Some people think it’s like Big Brother, or you’re watching them. No, it’s not at all,” he said. It’s about “connectivity” and feeling a mutual sense of purpose.

No Repetition Keller puts the finishing touch on a caviar dish.

This rule is not on a wall, but it’s the basis of the French Laundry’s nine-course menu, which changes every night. No ingredient can appear more than once on each night’s menu, with the exception, Keller says, of truffles, caviar, and foie gras.

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

Staff at the French Laundry prepare for dinner service on March 9.

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March 31–April 6, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE INSTITUTE OF CULINARY EDUCATION

POP-UP DINNER SERIES

BY THE BOWERY RESTAURANT GROUP The conference will bring together experts on food waste reduction.

SUNDAY, APRIL–SATURDAY, APRIL 22 The chefs behind the restaurants of the Bowery Restaurant Group—Hillary Sterling of Vic’s, Andrew Corrigan of Cookshop, and Ayesha Nurdjaja of Hundred Acres—are joining hands to host several pop-up dinners next door to Vic’s.

On April 2, they will serve hot chicken inspired by a trip they took to Nashville. On April 8, chef Nurdjaja will serve Middle Eastern-inspired dishes with fresh pita made by Sullivan Street Bakery. On April 22, it will be a New York deliinspired menu of sandwiches, like Swiss chard, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on rye. Seating is first come, first served.

33 Great Jones St. (between Bowery & Lafayette Street) NoHo

First Zero Waste Food Conference

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff

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he inaugural Zero Waste Food Conference, hosted by the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) and The New School, will convene big-name chefs and other culinary experts for panel discussions and cooking classes on reducing food waste.

Italy’s Massimo Bottura, who has built a nonprofit to tackle the issue, is the keynote speaker, while chef Bill Telepan will teach guests how to cook seafood without throwing away any parts. Madeline Holtzman from Toast Ale NYC will talk about how to make beer from bread scraps, while ICE’s director of culinary development, James Briscione, will teach how to use whole vegetables in creative ways.

In recent years, people have become more aware of the scale of the food waste problem, said Jenny McCoy, co-curator of the conference and a pastry instructor at ICE. In the past, if a restaurant served dishes with scraps or ingredients that would typically be thrown away, diners would be appalled. “Now, they

FRIDAY, APRIL 28 & SATURDAY, APRIL 29 The New School and ICE Downtown Multiple locations

see it as great value,” she said.

So the time is ripe for experts to get creative about food waste. Thomas McQuillan, the director of sustainability for Baldor, one of the city’s biggest food produce distributors, has come up with an idea: Any unsold, still edible foods can be dehydrated to become nutrient-dense powders—which can be blended into soups.

And at Misfit Juicery, all of its cold-pressed juices are made from recovered fruits and vegetables that taste good but are bruised, overripe, or imperfect (and thus go unsold).

It’s also easy to reduce waste at home. McCoy recommends saving all the scraps and leftover bits while prepping in the kitchen. Throw them in large ziplock bags and store them in the freezer. When you need to make stock, simply throw the contents into a pot and simmer.

You’ll save money on buying stock from the store too. $95 per person.

Chef Massimo Bottura has launched projects for reducing food waste in Italy and Rio de Janeiro.

ZeroWasteFood.com

CELEBRATE VEGETABLES AT ANNISA MONDAY, APRIL 3 Chef Anita Lo of Annisa and visiting Portland chef Jenn Louis will collaborate on a special menu of vegetable-heavy dishes, in celebration of Louis’s new cookbook, “The Book of Greens.” Dishes include steamed white fish with cardoons and lemon in parchment; and the Half Seared Little Gem with borani esfanaaj (a Persian yogurt dip) and dukkah (an Egyptian blend of herbs and nuts). $170 per person, which includes a signed copy of the cookbook.

Call 212-741-6699 for reservations.

Annisa 13 Barrow St. (between West Fourth & Bleecker streets), Greenwich Village

PASSOVER GOODIES FROM ELI ZABAR’S MONDAY, APRIL 10–TUESDAY, APRIL 18 The popular Upper East Side bakery and grocer has all the fixings for a Passover meal (catering and in-store purchase both available): handmade matzo, chopped liver, brisket with gravy, haroset (made with apples, walnuts, and a touch of red wine), and more.

Visit EliZabar.com for the full menu.

Multiple locations

Experience the Traditional Flavors of Spain

New & Noteworthy Kings of Kobe Launches Weekend Breakfast ONGOING Burger and hot dog joint Kings of Kobe is now making its American-raised wagyu beef available for breakfast and brunch on the weekends. The new breakfast items include The Biscuit & I, with wagyu pastrami, scrambled egg, cheddar cheese, and cherry pepper aioli between buttermilk biscuits; and The Jester, a wagyu beef burger with raspberry jam, fried egg, bacon, and maple butter sandwiched between two pancakes.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. KingsOfKobe.com Kings of Kobe 790 Ninth Ave. (between West 52nd & West 53rd streets), Hell’s Kitchen

Bessou Bento Boxes Available at Boba Guys ONGOING Every Wednesday through Friday, popular Japanese restaurant Bessou makes special bento boxes and onigiri rice balls available for purchase at the new Greenwich Village location of bubble tea shop Boba Guys.

The box includes Japanese-style fried chicken, while the onigiri are filled with bacon, lettuce, and chili oil; or shiitake mushrooms with pickled ginger rice. Bessou.NYC

Walk into Meson Sevilla, the perfect spot for anyone looking for a taste of Spain and authentic Spanish tapas in the Big Apple.

Traditionally, eating tapas is a social past-time. With the largest tapas menu in NYC, Meson Sevilla can satisfy everyone’s appetite.

Meson Sevilla Restaurant

WE HAVE THE LARGEST TAPAS MENU IN NYC!

Boba Guys 11 Waverly Place (at Mercer Street) Greenwich Village

Faun’s Turn-of-the-Season Menu ONGOING Faun, an Italian-inspired restaurant in Brooklyn, is now serving a new menu with dishes featuring the latest seasonal produce: spaghetti with chicory and white beans braised in garlic and olive oil; whole crispy duck, aged in-house, glazed with lavender honey, and served with buckwheat pancakes and grilled fennel or endive salad; among others. Faun.NYC

344 West 46th St. (btw 8th & 9th ave.) mesonsevilla.com 212-262-5890

Faun 606 Vanderbilt Ave. (between St. Mark’s Avenue & Prospect Place) Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff

BRISKET KING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19 As many as 25 barbecue masters from New York City will compete for the title of Brisket King of NYC and in three categories—best smoked, best cured, and most innovative. Guests will get to sample the creations, and celebrity judges will decide on the winners. Craft beer, cider, and cocktails will be available. 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. $75 or $90 per person, depending on when you purchase tickets. BrisketKingNYC.com Food Sciences Academy of LIU–Brooklyn 1 University Plaza (at corner of Flatbush & Dekalb avenues) Fort Greene, Brooklyn

BEER MANSION AT BROOKLYN BREWERY FRIDAY, APRIL 21 & SATURDAY, APRIL 22 To celebrate its five-year anniversary, Brooklyn Brewery is throwing a big party with five themed tasting rooms. Guests will find different types of beer from Brooklyn Brewery and other local breweries: In The Stoop room, for example, there will be Kölsches, pilsners, blondes, and table beers, while The Forest will feature hoppy lagers, American brown ales, and black IPAs. Brooklyn Brewery’s resident chef Andrew Gerson will prepare surprise bites, in addition to food from Brooklyn restaurants Roberta’s, Bunker, and more. $60 per person.

BrooklynBreweryMASH.com The Monto & The Well 272 Meserole St. (near Waterbury Street) Williamsburg, Brooklyn

BACON AND BEER CLASSIC SATURDAY, APRIL 29 & SUNDAY, APRIL 30 This annual festival features more than 100 beers from different parts of the country, over 50 bacon-infused dishes from local chefs, and a bacon-eating contest. Participating restaurants include Delaney Barbecue, Café Cochera, Bareburger, and The Donutologist. $69 to $139 per person. BaconAndBeerClassic.com Citifield 123-01 Roosevelt Ave. (near 126th Street), Corona, Queens

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March 31–April 6, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ICELANDIC PROVISIONS

How to Feed Your Inner Viking

By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff

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he height of decadence for Icelanders is skyr with blueberries that you picked yourself. Right before serving, “you pour a healthy portion of liquid cream over it. ... It is the absolute best dessert.”

That’s according to Einar Sigurosson, the chair of Icelandic Provisions, which produces skyr (pronounced “skeer”), a cultured dairy product that is much like Greek yogurt. If you want to go really traditional, have it with lifrarpylsa, a liver sausage made similarly to haggis, which the Vikings brought to Iceland in the ninth century when they first set foot there.

Skyr, also a contribution from the Vikings, is old, old stuff, and for hundreds of years it was a mainstay of the Icelandic diet. Interestingly, it did not survive in the Scandinavian countries where it originated.

Sigurdsson mentioned that the oldest samples of skyr are from around the 12th century, preserved at the National Museum of Iceland.

“I think they’re past their due date, but they’re there,” he said. Iceland didn’t have much in the way of trees, but it was a recipient of driftwood— thanks to currents from northern Siberia—from which wooden utensils were used to make skyr.

The medieval times were hard in Iceland, and food preservation was a constant concern. There were methods like drying and smoking, and then there was whey.

People made skyr, but they were primarily after the whey byproduct, which could preserve meat in barrels for up to a year after the fall slaughter, said Sigurdsson.

“We say there are two things that kept us alive during those very difficult Middle

Ages—the wool from the sheep and the skyr. We owe a lot to the sheep and to the cows.”

Skyr is such an important part of life that, as some might remember, the Icelandic parliament building was pelted with it last year over the Panama Papers scandal. And it’s been around for so long that it’s even made its way into a proverb, “Their sletta skyrinu sem eiga thad,” meaning “You can toss skyr around if you have enough of it.” It means throwing your weight about and overplaying your hand, explained Sigurdsson.

In the 1930s, when skyr production went from single-household production for daily needs to small-scale industrial production on farming cooperatives, women were hired to make skyr, as it had always been their responsibility. “It requires a high level of cleanliness,” said Sigurosson. “I think some of my male colleagues ... we [men] were as messy then as we are now.

[Farmers] brought in women to show them how to do it and how to teach them cleanliness.” The difference between Greek yogurt and skyr is the bacteria cultures, and these varied from farm to farm. The cooperatives simply taste tested for the best culture.

Icelandic Provisions’ own skyr has a slight, pleasant tanginess and a remarkable silky texture, due to the 1.5 percent cream content. If Sigurosson had his way, there would be more cream. “There is nothing in food that you cannot improve with cream,” he said.

Where their skyr really shines is in the lightly sweetened varieties, some with a Nordic twist.

For example, cloudberries—an expensive ingredient sourced from Norway—are paired with peach; lingonber-

COURTESY OF SUZUKI

After sushi pioneer Sushi Zen closed down last year after 30 years in business, the father-andson team of Toshio and Yuta Suzuki is back in action with a new restaurant, Suzuki. The 56-seat restaurant, headed by executive chef Takashi Yamamoto, will serve a kaiseki menu that will evolve with the seasons.

Yuta Suzuki envisioned a restaurant within a restaurant, focusing on a chef-curated sushi experience. The 10-seat counter called Satsuki is headed by Toshio Suzuki and Kentaro Sawada, who was a sushi chef at Sushi Zen. The ingredients are sourced from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market.

Meanwhile, at the restaurant’s separate bar and lounge area, Three Pillars, mixologist Alex Ott has created a list of elixirs. Suzuki also has a private room that holds 12 guests.

Three Pillars and Satsuki are currently in soft opening mode; Suzuki opens on April 5. Open Monday through Saturday for dinner.

Suzuki

114 W. 47th St. (between Sixth & Seventh avenues)

PONNUKOKUR (ICELANDIC PANCAKES) Makes 14 pancakes in a 10-inch skillet • 5 eggs • 1 1/4 cups flour • 1 teaspoon salt • 2 1/2 cups milk • Butter, ghee, or coconut oil • Skyr

DIRECTIONS Beat the eggs, milk, and salt together in a bowl until frothy. Slowly add the flour, whisking to incorporate until a smooth batter forms. Set aside.

Icelandic pancakes filled with skyr. ries with strawberries; and bilberries with blueberries. The lower sugar content of skyr—about a third less than most flavored Greek yogurts— means the flavors of the fruits really come through. The vanilla variety, flecked with ground vanilla seeds, is complex. And then there’s the coconut variety with shredded dried coconut throughout—well worth seeking out for coconut lovers. Coconuts may seem a bit far removed from the Nordic landscape. And yet, whether by trade or travel or both, coconuts made their way onto Icelandic shores, for the national museum does have a 500-year-old chalice, set with stones made with a coconut shell.

Icelandic Provisions skyr comes in 5.3-ounce cups. Each retails for about $1.69 to $1.99.

Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add a little butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Pour in just enough batter to coat the pan (about 1/3 cup if using a 10-inch skillet) and pick up the pan, tilting it to all sides so that the batter evenly coats the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.

Once the pancake has set and the bottom is golden brown (30 seconds to a minute), use a spatula or knife to carefully flip the pancake.

Cook the other side for an additional 30 seconds to brown, then tilt the pancake out of the pan and onto a plate.

Repeat, using more butter as needed, with the remaining batter.

To serve, spread a heaping spoonful of Icelandic Provisions skyr on one half of the pancake. Fold the pancake in half over the filling, and then in half again. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from “The Nordic Cookbook”

by Magnus Nilsson

See’s Candies Opens First New York Shop

Openings around NYC

Suzuki Debuts in Midtown

RECIPE

Midtown Suzuki: 212-278-0010; Satsuki: 212-278-0047 SuzukiNYC.com

California transplants to New York City have good reason to be excited—at least those with a sweet tooth. The California-based candy maker See’s Candies recently celebrated the grand opening of its first New York location, in Greenwich Village. Bill Rhodes, CEO of Travis Melbren Inc. (which partnered with See’s Candies to bring the shop to the city), took a phone call from a lady who was so excited, she was screaming into the phone.

See’s Candies, which was founded in 1921, offers over 100 varieties of candy, from brit-

tles to lollipops to boxed chocolates. Chocolates can also be purchased by weight. As is company tradition, visitors get a free sample.

See’s has 249 retail locations in the United States, as well as an online shop.

Addison Hospitality Group Launches Magnolia and Lovage

a seasonal outdoor garden space, while the 4,000-square-foot Lovage Rooftop & Indoor Lounge, located on the 37th floor, features floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass roof, a fireplace, and views of New York City landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Times Square, the Freedom Tower, and the Statue of Liberty. The lounge is open but enclosed during the cold season.

Magnolia is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 a.m.; Lovage is open daily from 5 p.m.

Addison Hospitality Group’s CEO Ric Addison (Monarch Rooftop & Indoor Lounge) has teamed up with restaurateur Jeff Lam (Chinese Tuxedo) to open Magnolia Restaurant and Lovage Rooftop & Indoor Lounge in Midtown. Executive chef Alan Wise, who formerly worked as sous-chef at Juni, Picholine, and Rouge Tomate, has created a menu of American bistro fare.

On the ground floor, Magnolia Restaurant spans over 6,000 square feet, including

See’s Candies

60 W. Eighth St. (near Sixth Avenue) Greenwich Village 212-602-1886 Sees.com

Magnolia Restaurant and Lovage Rooftop & Indoor Lounge

350 W. 40th St. (between Eighth & Ninth ave.)

Midtown AddisonGroupNYC.com

New SoHo Location for Birch Coffee New York-based roaster Birch Coffee has opened its eighth location, this time in SoHo. “While there are a number of places for great coffee in Soho, we’re excited to bring the Birch Coffee experience, with our emphasis on great customer service, to the neighborhood,” said Birch co-founder Jeremy Lyman. “We’ve designed the look and feel to reflect the area’s art

and fashion notoriety and are excited to become part of this iconic neighborhood.”

Founders Lyman and Paul Schlader have plans to expand into Brooklyn this year.

Birch, which was started in 2009, sources its beans directly from coffee farms worldwide and roasts them at its Long Island City roast house.

Birch Coffee

Bien Cuit Opens New Location in Grand Central Terminal

new location will have more grab-and-go items.

Some of the new items include a honey wholewheat éclair, made with wheat grown in New York and honey from the Catskills, and a dark chocolate mousse cake, consisting of a chocolate chiffon cake steeped in cocoa syrup and layered with different chocolate mousses, topped with crispy dark chocolate pearls and a dark cocoa glaze.

Open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bien Cuit Grand Central Market

James Beard Award-nominated chef Zachary Golper, of Bien Cuit bakery in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill neighborhood, is bringing his breads and pastries to Grand Central Terminal. Golper is known for his slow fermentation methods and his commitment to sustainable sourcing. The

BB.Q Chicken Opens Flagship Store in Koreatown With over 2,200 locations globally, BB.Q (pronounced bee-bee-kyoo) Chicken, part of the Genesis BBQ Group, is opening a new loca-

tion in New York’s Koreatown. Its namesake dish is fried in olive oil and available in varieties including Golden Olive Chicken, Red Hot Garlic, and more.

Other offerings include Cheese Duk-bokki (rice cakes) and Kimchi Chicken Nacho Chips.

The beverage menu includes beer, wine, and Korean spirits.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

71 W. Houston St. (between West Broadway & Wooster Street) SoHo BirchCoffee.com

Grand Central Terminal 718-697-0526 BienCuit.com

Authentic Japanese GMO 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)

BB.Q Chicken

25 W. 32nd St. (between Fifth Avenue & Broadway) 212-967-8093 Koreatown BBQKTownNYC.com

Compiled by Channaly Philipp/Epoch Times Staff

• 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

2nd Location

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March 31–April 6, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com (Clockwise from top L) The garden at Ikkyu restaurant; the grounds of Ginkakuji Temple; tofu dessert with fruit syrups at the Toyoukeya tofu shop; the bamboo forest in Arashiyama District; beans for sale at Nishiki Market; Ikkyu’s storefront; strolling by the Katsura River; a tofu kaiseki meal at Tousuiro; and vegetarian bites from Ikkyu.

(Center) The gates at Fushimi Inari shrine.

Enchanting KYOTO

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff

K

AUTHENTIC JAPANESE RAMEN Tasty dishes and amazing appetizers!

Tabata 3 Tabata 1 646-657-0257 212-465-2418 601 6th Ave, 557 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018 New York, NY 10011 Tabata 2 212-290-7691 540 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018 Tabatanewyork.com

An Authentic Bit of Tokyo in Midtown West

Find us in the Washington Jefferson Hotel •

The freshest sushi made the traditional, simple way by master chef Shimizu • Shochu & sake • Exceptional value

Shimizu Sushi & Shochu Bar • ShimizuSushiNY.com 318 W. 51st St. (btw. 8th & 9th avenues) • (212) 581-1581

YOTO, Japan—The paper screen doors slid open, revealing a garden of neatly arranged rocks amid vibrant green trees and a small pathway lined with stone lanterns. A breeze entered the room, cool but comforting. In early October, the weather in Kyoto was still mild.

On the table was a spread of dishes crafted according to centuries of tradition and made entirely from vegetables. Ikkyu, a restaurant that has been catering vegetarian meals to the nearby Daitokuji temple since the 1400s, has honed cooking into something beyond just preparing a dish. It’s become an artful way to capture the sentiments of the season, as seen in a bowl of soup made from spinach and matsutake mushrooms, Japan’s prized harbinger of autumn.

An herbaceous fragrance enveloped my nose as I took a sip, the soup as delicate as the tree leaves rustling gently outside. Floating on top was a small bundle of yuba, made from the thin layer that forms on boiling soy milk, with faint earthy notes that added to the clean, refreshing aftertaste.

On my lacquer tray were other delightful bites made from plants and vegetables that had just come into season: purple yam stems marinated in miso and vinegar, piquant and inviting; bits of sweet chestnut—unadorned and unseasoned—embedded in rice; and lily root mashed and formed into a savory dumpling, with a fermented black bean inside.

Temple Cuisine This type of cooking, commonly found in

T R AV E LS

The soup’s flavors were as delicate as the tree leaves rustling gently outside.

temples across Japan, was a precursor to kaiseki, the highly refined, multicourse meal that is the epitome of Japanese food culture.

Temple cuisine, known as shojin ryori, along with the foods of aristocrats and feudal lords, formed the foundation for what is now considered traditional Japanese cuisine.

Kyoto was the ancient capital of the country; temples flourished there, and shojin ryori became part of the city’s fabric. Ikkyu’s owner and chef, Yoshiaki Tsuda, said the restaurant was named after a monk who often entertained important visitors to the Daitokuji temple. When it came time to prepare meals for the grand ceremonies held within the temple’s walls, locals decided to help the monk. One of those townspeople later founded the restaurant.

Shojin ryori is typically much simpler fare, but because Ikkyu served feudal lords, the meals prepared there are more elaborate. Instead of using just salt for seasoning, Ikkyu also employs vinegar, soy sauce, and spicy ingredients. But the core of all temple cooking comes from a simple principle: “Shojin ryori means to cook from the bottom of the heart, to always be improving,” Tsuda said.

The recipes, passed down from Tsuda’s ancestors, helped to define Ikkyu’s unique style. Rules about what amounts of oil can be used for different kinds of frying—specific to certain ingredients—or requiring all five flavor components to be in each dish, have been followed for centuries. “We must preserve the tradition,” he said.

Kyoto’s Specialties Over time, the vegetarian aspect of temple cooking has made its way into the homes of Kyoto residents as well. While taking part in a cook-

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March 31–April 6, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES

宇 治

Escape to Uji Kyoto may seem overrun with tourists at times.

For an escape to a quieter but equally cultured city, stop by nearby Uji, just 20 minutes away by train.

For centuries, the city sent its cultivated tea to the capital as tribute. Uji is known for producing some of the world’s most prized green teas, including gyokuro, considered the finest quality. Similarly to matcha, the leaves are grown in the shade to produce a unique umami taste. The delicate tea is not bitter in the slightest and goes down smoothly.

For a fee, you can experience leaf-picking during harvest season at the Hattori tea farm.

Asahiyaki, also in Uji, is a pottery workshop that has been making teaware for the past 400 years and bears the imperial seal—a mark of the imperial family’s favor. Its distinctive feature is a transparent glaze that allows you to see the color of the clay.

Using clay from nearby Mount Asahi and water from the Uji River, the pottery turns a light pink when fired at a low temperature. The workshop follows the aesthetic of a samurai and tea master from the early 17th century, Kobori-Enshu.

Matsubayashi Toshiyuki, the son of the 15thgeneration master, tried to explain the philosophy, but couldn’t quite find the words. “It needs to convey a scenery,” he said. But, at the same time, “Pottery is not art. It’s a utensil. You want it to be used during the tea ceremony, and not just to look at,” he added. You can try your hand at making teaware by signing up for classes at the workshop.

There are plenty of historic attractions as well.

Byodoin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is engraved on the 10-yen coin. Seen in person, the main Phoenix Hall is majestic and perfectly balanced in its symmetry. The hall houses an equally impressive Buddha statue covered in gold leaf.

Leading up to the temple is a shopping street filled with shops and restaurants selling all sorts of green tea-infused goodies, from soba noodles to biscuits to soft-serve.

Uji is also home to Japan’s oldest existing Shinto shrine, the Ujigami, nestled in lush greenery.

A craftsman makes teaware at the historic Asahiyaki pottery workshop in Uji.

ing class by WAK Japan, a women-run organization that introduces foreign visitors to local experiences in Kyoto, I learned about a type of home cooking unique to the city, called obanzai.

My instructor, Machiko Kimura, told me that obanzai is mostly vegetarian. The dishes are made with tofu and fresh local vegetables that can only be found growing in the Kyoto region. The green peppers in a teriyaki tofu dish we cooked were a mild variety grown in Kimura’s brother-in-law’s garden. As shimeji mushrooms were at their peak, Kimura cooked them with rice.

Surrounded on all sides by mountains and rivers, Kyoto is a short distance from Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake. The water is said to be the reason why Kyoto’s tofu is the best in the country.

Kuniyoshi Yamamoto, the third-generation owner of the Toyoukeya tofu shop in Kyoto, uses tap water to make his tofu because it is neutral— not too acidic or alkaline. Yamamoto, a cheery elderly gentleman who practices karate in his spare time, showed me around the shop where he and his staff make tofu every day. Bins and bags of soybeans lay everywhere; they came from the United States, Japan, China, and other countries. He sources them from different places in a continual search for the best quality, and so as not to overburden the soil.

Yamamoto said good tofu should have a natural sweetness. He gave me some soft oboro tofu, the curds formed before tofu coagulates.

It had a pleasant sweetness, but also a rich bean taste—much more flavorful than any tofu I’d had before.

Yamamoto wants more people, not just Japanese, to realize tofu’s culinary and health properties. At the restaurant adjacent to his shop, he and his wife experiment with recipes featuring tofu products, from yuba mixed with a thick, gravy-like sauce and served with rice, to a tofu dessert—like a goopy pudding—drizzled with fruit syrups.

The ultimate expression of tofu, though, is at Tousuiro, a restaurant that specializes in serving tofu kaiseki. Tofu in various guises

was paraded to the table, one after another, accompanied by the fruits of autumn: herbaceous chrysanthemum petals mixed with tofu; oboro tofu simmered in a wooden pot with spinach and kelp; grilled tofu skewers glazed with sweetened miso; and a deep-fried ball of tofu mixed with grated yam, lotus root, and wood ear mushroom.

If you stroll through Kyoto’s famed outdoor food market, Nishiki, you’ll notice many shops selling an astounding variety of pickled vegetables, the city’s other prized jewel. Sampling the crispy, crunchy bits is a delightful experiment; I’d never imagined that tartness could have so many iterations.

Murakami-ju Honten is one of the city’s most well-regarded shops, having been granted the use of the family crest of a feudal lord in Kyushu who took a great liking to its pickles.

Eri Murakami, the daughter of the owning family, explained why Kyoto became known for pickling. Owing to the city’s distance from the sea, people in the old days did not have access to fresh seafood and had to rely on pickling to preserve their foods. The tradition blossomed, with a complex array of ingredients for the brine and different aging times. Murakami-ju’s most popular one is senmai-zuke, sliced turnips in a brine of rice vinegar, kelp, and red pepper.

“The seasoning and vegetables work together to bring out [the vegetables’] natural flavor and texture,” she said.

It may seem impossible to cover all of Kyoto’s many beautiful historical sights while visiting.

But on my last day, I set out to visit just one more.

I arrived at Ginkakuji Temple, where the garden foliage blended seamlessly with the mountains overhead, with wisps of red and yellow, as the leaves had just started to turn. It was a scene I didn’t want to part with. Strolling through the temple garden one more time, I thanked the people before me who had the wisdom to create and preserve such elegance—and vowed to return someday.

For more information, visit Kyoto.Travel/en

As Japan’s former capital, Kyoto has many historical sites such as temples and shrines.

Matcha-infused soba noodles.

(Above from top) The majestic Phoenix Hall inside Byodoin Temple; visitors at the Fushimi Inari shrine; the elegant landscape at Ginkakuji Temple.

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

718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680

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March 31–April 6, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com

An OldFashioned Showstopper of an Entree This is a good, old-fashioned showstopper of an entree, the kind of dish where you should not pretend to be bashful—“What, this old thing? I just threw it together from stuff in the fridge”—but rather take your accolades with modesty and grace. If you want the lamb to have a deeper flavor, rub it with the marinade, loosely tent with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight, then bring it to room temperature before cooking.

Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.”

From The Associated Press

This would be great served over couscous.

MIA VIA AP

RECIPE

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.

SLOW-COOKED, HERBED LEG OF LAMB WITH FRESH HERB AND ARUGULA SALAD

In a small food processor, combine the garlic, oregano, thyme, coriander, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the lamb and let it sit for about 45 minutes to come to room temperature.

Prep & Cooking Time: 3 1/2 hours Serves 10 to 12

Combine the white wine, chicken broth, and 2 tablespoons honey in a roasting pan, and season with salt and pepper. Place the lamb in the roasting pan, fat side up.

• • • • • • • • • • •

3 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste One 6-pound semi-boneless leg of lamb 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons honey

For the Herb Salad • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 teaspoon honey • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 1 red onion, halved and thinly slivered • 2 cups arugula • 1/2 cup fresh chervil leaves • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves • Cooked Israeli, Mediterranean, or Lebanese couscous, to serve

Cook the lamb for 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 125 F. Turn the heat up to 500 F and roast for another 15 minutes, until the top and sides get a bit browned (the oven temperature might not get all the way to 500 F in 15 minutes, which is fine).

Check the temperature: 125 F will give you rare meat, 130 to 135 F will be medium rare.

Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 30 minutes so that the juices stay in the meat when you cut it.

Just before you are ready to carve the meat, make the herb salad: Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon honey in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the sliced onions. Add the arugula, chervil, cilantro, and parsley to the bowl, and toss to coat with the dressing.

DIRECTIONS

Place the hot couscous on a large serving platter. Slice the lamb and arrange it over the couscous. Arrange the herb salad over the meat and serve.

Heat the oven to 225 F.

Recipe by Katie Workman

PHOTO BY AP

RECIPE GREEK SALAD WITH FLANK STEAK Prep & Cooking Time: 30 minutes Serves 6 • 1 pound flank steak • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and halved • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar • 1/2 cup diced red onion • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) • 8 cups sliced romaine lettuce hearts • 1 cup halved or quartered cherry tomatoes • 1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata or other Greek olives • 1/3 pound crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

212-594-4963

10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours

Position your oven rack about 6 inches away from the heat source, and heat the broiler.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray, or lightly oil the foil. Brush both

sides of the steak with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil the steak for about 4 or 5 minutes, until nicely browned on top, and then turn it and broil for 4 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.

While the meat is broiling, cook the green beans. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans, cook for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool, and drain again.

Make the dressing: In a container, combine 1/3 cup olive oil, the vinegar, onion, oregano, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Shake well to combine.

Thinly slice the steak on the diagonal across the grain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the green beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and half of the olives and feta.

Shake the dressing once more to combine, and pour over about 1/4 of the dressing. Toss the salad. Transfer to a large, shallow serving bowl and lay slices of the steak across the top of the salad. Pour some more dressing over the salad, reserving some to pass on the side for those who want additional dressing.

Sprinkle the rest of the olives and feta over the top.

Recipe by Katie Workman From The Associated Press