Dine
Unwind
D1 April 3–9, 2015
SAMIRA
/EPOCH BOUAOU
TIMES
AT HOME WITH
Maman & Papa By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff ver since I first visited Maman, a cozy spot in SoHo, I have felt the tug to go back. It’s not the pull of a fallto-your-knees dish or arresting showmanship. Just the opposite, actually. It’s the simple pull of a place that gracefully embodies the comfort of home. “Maman” is French for “mom,” and co-owners and partners in life Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte are paying tribute to their mothers in a way that brings their talents and upbringings together.
“We were fortunate to be wellfed and well-attended-to,” said Marshall, who learned from her mother baking, cooking dishes like moussaka, and decorating. That talent for decorating is apparent in the setting at Maman, where blue and white china—a nod to Sormonte’s southern French origins—mingle with antiques like a bread cart at the entrance, or a very comfortable church bench just outside, where one can catch the sun’s rays. See Maman & Papa on D2
Maman
239 Centre St. (between Grand & Broome) 212-226-0700 MamanNYC.com
Papa Poule
189 Lafayette St. (between Grand & Broome) 212-226-8728 PapaPouleNYC.com
Hours Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
Hours Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m–6 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday noon–8 p.m.
Sunday 9 a.m.–6p.m.
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CHICKEN WALLPAPER DESIGNED BY CANDICEKAYEDESIGN.COM
French rotisserie chicken and assorted sides at Papa in SoHo.
Dining
D2 April 3–9, 2015
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(Clockwise from top) Salad of butternut squash, chickpeas, beets, and quinoa; smashed avocado tartinette; nutty chocolate chip cookie and housemade Oreo; apple tart.
AT HOME WITH
Maman & Papa Maman & Papa continued from D1 As for Sormonte, he remembers parties at home, with numerous friends. He said, “My mom was like their mom. The chocolate cake from my mom is something I grew up on.” “…and still have every time,” said Marshall. “Every time she comes she still makes it. It’s the best.” At Maman, customers go nuts for the nutty chocolate chip cookie. It’s the kind of cookie I’d want to have every day, with a tall glass of milk— crispy on the exterior, soft and gooey inside. Life smiles upon you if should you happen to come by when these come out of the oven. Like many of the other recipes, this one also comes from a family member, in this case chef
It’s healthy comfort food but with a French accent. Armand Arnal’s aunt. Arnal has a Michelin star for his restaurant in La Chassagnette in southern France. Among the other tempting sweets are a blueberry white chocolate lavender cake, pistachio cake, homemade oreos, and an apple tart. It’s comfort food but with a French
SUBLIME
Ancient principles of Greek cuisine combined with modern techniques, yield a harmonious balance of flavors in every dish, at Nerai.
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accent, and outside of those sweets, the savory dishes are also healthful. Five salads are served every day, including a butternut squash avocado salad, a spinach salad with roast beets and pomegranate seeds, and kale Caesar salad with polenta and quinoa croutons—a nice healthful twist on the classic. A couple of months ago, the team opened Papa Poule, offering rotisserie chicken takeout just a block’s walk away. Serving a good French chicken had always been on Sormonte’s mind—the one served at Maman was a hit. But nowhere could Sormonte and Arnal find a chicken that pleased them—they missed the moistness and the texture that they were used
Papa Poule also sells various French condiments.
Elisa Marshall ladles out a cup of broth.
Dining
D3 April 3–9, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com CHICKEN WALLPAPER DESIGNED BY CANDICEKAYEDESIGN.COM
ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
(Above) Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte at Maman. (Top Right) At Papa Poule, chicken is of course the theme.
Desserts at Papa are baked at and brought over from Maman.
The broth has an herbal note from rosemary and thyme.
to growing up in France. Finally Sormonte said, “We found a very, very good chicken.” It was from a purveyor in Quebec, and the chicken was close to the chicken of their youth. At Papa Poule, the chickens are massaged with thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Sauces like chimichurri or mustard are offered on the side. But really, the chicken does not need it. Taking their inspiration from home, the chicken truly
People at their home away from home, at Maman.
embodies something so comforting and so homey, so flavorful and moist all at once. Sides include maple-roasted carrots and parsnips, couscous with shredded kale and oranges, kale Caesar salad, along with sweets baked at Maman. A whole chicken with four sides and four sauces is $38. There’s broth, too, for a good afternoon pick-me-up ($5 for a cup). “We did it before we even realized it was a thing,” Marshall said.
UPCOMING EVENTS EASTER BRUNCH: A FAMILY GATHERING Sunday, April 15, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. On the menu: Deviled Eggs With Shaved Ham; Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Caramelized Onions & Country Ham; Rosemary & Thyme Rotisserie Chicken; Cheesy Potato Gratin; Mini Grilled Leek Quiche; Spinach Salad With Green Apple, Dried Cranberries, Candied Pecans & Fresh Goat Cheese; Dark Chocolate Bunnie Cakes; Fresh Fruit Bowl. $50 per person (not including tips & tax). Easter egg hunt and drinks included. Info@MamanNYC.com PO-PO’S X RUSTIC SUPPER POPS UP AT MAMAN Saturday, April 11, 7:30 p.m.–10 p.m. Reinterpreting flavors of Sichuan, memories of home, and celebrating women in the kitchen. On the menu: Beef Noodle Soup Shooter; Traditional: Beef in Scallion Pancake; Pork in Scallion-Black Sesame Wrap; Fen Zheng Lamb Ribs; Dou Ban Prawns; Sour Sweet Cabbage; Cold Cucumber; Bean Curd with Chili Oil; Rice; Green Tea Affogato.
Any Roast. Any Brew. Always the way you want it.
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Our Coffee Concierge can serve up a single cup using your choice of brewing method or a sampling of each Aeropress, Chemex, French Press or Hario Pourover.
$75 for four courses and dessert. Wine pairing by Kat Odell from Eater Drinks. To RSVP, PoposxRusticSupper.TicketLeap.com/April11Dinner/ CHEESE FONDUE DINNER Tuesday, April 14, 8 p.m.
Try our amazing Açaí super-food bowls!
Assorted Canapés; Seasonal Mixed Green Salad; Red Cabbage Salad with Apples, Walnuts & Blue Cheese; Three Cheese-Fondue with Homemade Bread & Vegetables; Seasonal Tart $65 per person. Info@MamanNYC.com MAMAN’S POP UP AT FI:AF Every Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., in the lobby. Assortment of savory treats and sweet bites. 22 E. 60th St.
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Our specialty doesn’t stop with coffee. We have an exciting menu that will enliven your pallet! From the juice bar to the salad bar, our foods and desserts are meticulously planned and prepared.
Dining
D4 April 3–9, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com AROUND TOWN COURTESY OF THE BLOODY MARY LIBERATION PARTY
The freshest seafood, every day wner, Jesus Martinez, who comes from the O verdant province of Galicia in northwestern Spain, is most insistent on quality, and goes to pick out fish at the market every morning at 2:30 a.m.
• Enjoy fine cuisine from Spain made from authentic ingredients, elevated by exact and careful preparation.
ALCALA
Restaurant
(212) 370-1866 246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE
The Bloody Mary Festival
Bloody marys.
Need a cure for the Sunday blues? Bloody marys are always the answer. The good Samaritans of the Bloody Mary Liberation Party scoured the depths of Brooklyn for 12 of the craftiest and most delicious bloody marys, including Pok Pok/ Whiskey Soda Lounge, Mominette, and Lucky Luna. Enjoy three hours of unlimited tastings of bloody marys, live music, lunch by Delaney BBQ, and local artisanal food and drinks.
Sunday, April 12, 1–4 p.m., Industry City, 233 37th St., Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Tickets $50. TheBloodyMaryFest.com
NEILSON BARNARD/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE NEW YORK CULINARY EXPERIENCE
Last year’s New York Culinary Experience.
COURTESY OF EATALY
at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque
New York Culinary Experience
Juicy Lamb Chops
Enjoy an intimate weekend of hands-on master cooking classes and conversation with more than 30 renowned chefs, including Markus Glocker, Jody Williams, and David Lebovitz. Hosted by Gillian Duffy, culinary editor of New York magazine, and Dorothy Cann Hamilton, founder and CEO of the International Culinary Center, the 7th annual New York Culinary Experience will pay tribute to chef David Bouley. The cost for the weekend is $1,695 per ticket and includes all classes, breakfast, lunch, and a closing reception each day.
April 11-12, International Culinary Center, 462 Broadway. NYCE.NYMag.com 718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
A Turkish Feast You’ll Always Remember
Brooklyn Mac and Cheeze Takedown
COURTESY OF MAC AND CHEEZE TAKEDOWN
Eataly Vino.
Stock Up on Wine From Eataly Eataly Vino is temporarily closing this Sunday for a new and expanded wine store to come. Until then, Eataly’s wine shop will be offering 20 percent off all bottles and cases through Sunday, April 5.
Friday–Saturday, 10 a.m.– 10 p.m., Sunday noon–9 p.m., 200 Fifth Ave. Eataly.com/Free-the-Wine/ LIZ CLAYMAN
In the land of cheese, there are no losers. Get to know all the cheesiest winners at the Brooklyn Mac and Cheeze Takedown—a cooking competition by self-taught chefs where anything goes.
Sunday, April 12, noon, Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club, 514 Union St., Brooklyn. Tickets $20.
Last year’s Food Book Fair.
TheTakeDowns.com/ BrooklynMacandCheeze2015 Last year’s Mac and Cheeze Takedown.
Authentic Mediterranean Turkish Cuisine 2 Delicious Specialty Kebabs & Pides 2 Zucchini Pancakes 2 Decadent Homemade Specialties and Desserts 2 Catering Available
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158 West 72nd St. NY (212) 724-4700
www.SevenTurkishGrillNYC.com
The Vegan Cook-Off: Comfort Food Edition Sunday, April 12, 2 p.m., Littlefield, 622 Degraw St. (between Third and Fourth avenues), Brooklyn.
At the Vegan Cook-Off, more than a dozen everyday chefs will vie for your votes with vegan comfort food. Shake off the winter doldrums and get your bellies ready for everything from hearty mains to palate-pleasing snacks, and even decadent desserts. In addition to the nomworthy fare, vegan wine, beer, and liquor will also be joining the party.
April 10–12, Wythe Hotel, 80 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn. VeganCookOff.com Tickets $12.
Compiled by Channaly Philipp & Rowena Tsai, Epoch Times Staff
Food Book Fair Celebrating the intersection of writing and food culture, the Food Book Fair returns for the fourth year. Expect conversations about food labeling, the meaning of “vegetableforward,” a conversation with Mimi Sheraton, how to put a book together; and more—the whole thing is accompanied by good eats.
Prices vary (passes available for each day as well as for the weekend, $129–$349) FoodBookFair.com
Dining
D5 April 3–9, 2015
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Bienvenu au District
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By Rowena Tsai Epoch Times Staff It’s as if a piece of Paris had been transported to the middle of the Financial District. Le District, the French Eataly-style market opened on Monday at Brookfield Place dowtown. I guarantee you, the 30,000-square-foot marketplace will send you on a culinary excursion across the Atlantic. The marketplace, cleverly laid out for adventure, was designed to make you feel as if you were walking down the city
and village streets of France. The grand space, broken down into Cafe, Market, Restaurant, and Garden sections, is reminiscent of a street, with the different parts of the bustling market as different neighborhood— hence, the name Le District. While each of the four districts exudes its own unique characteristics, the overall aesthetic of Le District is refined yet modest, and modern yet natural. With the distinctively styled spaces, there’s more than enough to explore and discover.
Cafe District
The art deco canopy adorning the Beaubourg bar.
Le District
Brookfield Place, 225 Liberty Place LeDistrict.com Cafe District For those with a sweet tooth. You will find a repertoire of classic French pastries, made-to-order savory and sweet crepes and Belgian waffles, coffee, housemade ice cream, candies, and biscuits. Market District For a momentary getaway to the City of Love: taste savory delights from the boulangerie, fromagerie, charcuterie, rotisserie, boucherie, and poissonnerie. I recommend the suckling pig sandwich from the rotisserie.
Market District
Have your next event at Acappella 1 Hudson Street New York, NY 10013 212.240.0163
Acappella
Re s t a u r a n t
LOCAL, SEASONAL, MARKET FRESH FARE
Garden District
Garden District For everyday French-inspired groceries and pre-made foods. There is also a salad bar at lunch that turns into a chocolate mousse bar after 4 p.m.
ZAGAT 2010
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Restaurant District
Restaurant District For when you’re feeling fancy, Beaubourg offers casual and classic French fare harborside with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the Hudson River. L’Appart is an intimate 28-seat, fine dining chef’s table concept with a tasting menu by chef Jordi Valles, alum of legendary El Bulli, debuting in May.
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WE WELCOME YOU TO RESTAURANT You will love our warm atmosphere and our expertly prepared menu. We pay the utmost attention to every detail of your visit. From the hand crafted cocktails and specialty wine list, to our thoughtfully planned, market fresh and in-season dishes. Every dish, every cocktail is prepared from scratch and every detail is carefully thought out. We are always happy to customize any of your dining requests. NEW! Chef ’s Seasonal Tasting Menu
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Dining
D6 April 3–9, 2015
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Toast the End of ‘Mad Men’ With the Era’s Classic Cocktails By Michelle Locke From Don Draper’s old fashioneds to Roger Sterling’s smuggled-in Stoli, cocktails have played a deliciously major role on AMC’s “Mad Men.” But was it really that great an era to drink? Though the show celebrates— and has boosted modern-day interest in—classic cocktails, it is set in a decade, the ‘60s, when mixed drinks were sliding into a sugary slump, said drinks historian David Wondrich. “Cocktails were struggling because they were kind of for the square, old-establishment types, they weren’t for the Maureen Petrosky, new generation,” author, said Wondrich, ‘The Cocktail Club’ drinks columnist for Esquire magazine. Oldschool bartenders were retiring and “getting replaced by young wannabe novelists and actors and not people who were going into it for a profession.” Since those days, there’s been a revival of well-made drinks and the ingredients to create them, and bartending has become so seriously scientific it’s known as mixology. Back then, producers were still trying to sell spirits, but with new, zippy approaches that leaned heavily on brand advertising. “Those drinks can be fun in context; they’re not primarily aimed at flavor or balance or
The culture of the cocktail really exploded in the ‘60s.
anything like that,” said Wondrich. But if the drinks weren’t particularly exciting, the “Mad Men” era was the best of times for the cocktail scene setting. “The culture of the cocktail really exploded in the ‘60s,” said Maureen Petrosky, author of “The Cocktail Club.” Suddenly there were cocktail dresses, new glassware, bar couture, Tiki drinks. The cocktail hour had its own wardrobe. What the “Mad Men”—and women—drank said a lot. One of Petrosky’s favorite drinks scenes in “Mad Men” is when Roger returns from a business trip with a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka, not then available in the United States. He shares it with Don, but when Pete, the colleague no one finds particularly congenial, shows up Roger tells Don to pour Pete a drink— but not the Stoli. “It was so telling of his opinion of Pete and of this new vodka,” said Petrosky. With the final episodes of the season set to begin April 5 on AMC, we put together a selection of signature drinks from the series and era. H Vodka gimlet: This is Betty’s signature drink and would most likely have been made with half vodka, half Rose’s West India Sweetened Lime Juice served over ice. H Dry martini: The show’s second season picked up in 1962, the year “Dr. No” came out informing the world that James Bond drank a vodka— as opposed to the more traditional gin—martini that was shaken and not stirred. A traditional approach is 2 ounces vodka, 1/3 ounce dry
vermouth, olive garnish. If you’re serving this over ice, Wondrich points out it really doesn’t matter whether you shake or stir. H Old fashioned: Back then this would have been made with a cheap, blended whisky, possibly Don’s favorite Canadian Club. Start with a sugar cube and a few drops of bitters and muddle in a cherry and orange wedge, adding the whiskey and possibly a lemon wedge garnish. These days, bartenders use a good bourbon or rye and add just a dash of sugar and bitters. H Bloody mary: These are a leitmotif of “Mad Men,” sometimes served as a morning eyeopener and made by young Sally Draper for her parents, Don and Betty, in Season 2. Sally goes heavy on the vodka, but these drinks normally would have been made much as they are today, said Wondrich. A simple approach is 1 1/2 ounces vodka poured over rocks in a tall glass, fill with tomato juice, add dashes of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper to taste and a celery stick garnish. H Bonus cocktail, the bullshot: This hasn’t been featured in the series, but Wondrich said it’s the kind of off-menu drink that ad men would order in the ‘60s to boost their street cred. The recipe is simple—a couple ounces vodka, equal parts Campbell’s Beef Consomme, a few shots of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces, served on the rocks. The drink, said Wondrich, is “actually kind of good. Disturbingly good.” From The Associated Press
AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD
A bloody mary (front), an old fashioned (back R), and a dry martini. AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD
Mixed cocktails: (L-R) an old fashioned, a vodka gimlet, a bullshot, a dry martini, and a bloody mary. COURTESY OF BILLET & BELLOWS
AP PHOTO/BRUCE SMITH
Journeyman Black Walnut Manhattan.
Wine that had just been recovered after being aged in Charleston Harbor.
Federal Agency Worries About Contamination in Bottles of Sea−Aged Wine By Bruce Smith CHARLESTON, S.C.—It seemed like a worthwhile experiment to a small winery: Submerge bottles of wine in sea water to see how they age. But a federal agency is concerned that ocean water could contaminate the wine. For two years, Napa Valley, California-based Mira Winery has been submerging bottles of wine in the harbor in Charleston, South Carolina, where its president lives, to determine the effects of water, motion, light, and temperature on aging. But last week the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau issued an advisory saying water pressure could cause contaminants to seep into the bottles. It said the bureau will issue no labels for ocean-aged products until the Food and Drug Administration
determines they are unadulterated. Mira produces several thousands of cases a wine a year but only 20 have been submerged, company President Jim “Bear” Dyke Jr. said. The eight cases in the harbor now will be retrieved in May. It’s long been known that wine recovered from sunken ships has a unique flavor. And while wineries in Europe and California have aged wine in the ocean, Mira is doing a systematic analysis of ocean aging. “Overpressure on bottle seals increases the likelihood of seepage of sea or ocean water into the product,” the bureau advisory said. It added “biological growth on the container may contribute to the degradation of the cork and wax seal and could contaminate the product when the bottle is opened.” The advisory warned contaminants from gasoline and oil to pes-
ticides and heavy metals can sometimes be found in ocean water. But Dyke said there have been no problems with the seals, corks, or the taste of the wine that’s been retrieved from Charleston Harbor. “The chemical analysis shows it is basically the exact same wine (as that aged on land) with the exception of the turbidity—which is the clarity because it has been moving around,” he said. The sea-aged wine is more turbid, he said, but he added: “The wine is not adulterated.” Mira’s bottles have been aged in the harbor for periods ranging from six months to a year or so. Some of the ocean-aged wine has been sold. But Dyke said the winery doesn’t plan to sell any more of it and hopes to get more information from the government. From The Associated Press
Cocktails With a Metal Edge At Williamburg's Billet & Bellows, owner Kristina Kozak has concocted a cocktail menu consisting of classics and signature drinks with a metalwork theme. Kozak, an artist and welder, has added many pieces to the neighborhood, including a forged fence on the corner of Bedford and N. 4th Street. On her cocktail menu, you'll find the Tongue and Groove with organic lemon vodka and lavender petals, The Crucible with Bombay Sapphire gin, raspberry puree, lemon, and egg white, and The Journeyman Black Walnut Manhattan with brandied cherried.
RECIPE
Journeyman Black Walnut Manhattan 5 1 1/2 ounces Michter’s US 1* straight rye 5 1/2 ounce Carpano antica or Punt E Mes vermouth 5 1/2 ounce Nocino 5 Dash of bitters 5 Housemade brandied cherries 5 Spoons grated fresh horseradish (Recipe from Billet & Bellows, 177 Grand St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Dining
D7 April 3–9, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com ALL PHOTOS BY MARY ALTAFFER/AP
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Chef Dan Barber Shows Off Waste
East Village Pizza & Kebab has been serving the best Italian pizza, fine Italian dishes, remarkable kebabs and falafels in the East Village.
Ingredients used in dishes at WastEDny, a pop-up project at Blue Hill restaurant in New York.
We make 40 different kind of pizza pies, you have to try them all!
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What’s for dinner? How about leftover cartilage of skate with herring-head tartar sauce, cured tuna blood line aioli, or a meat loaf of offal and slightly past-itsprime cow usually reserved for dogs? Those and two dozen other dishes using scraps and usually ignored bits comprise the menu at chef Dan Barber’s WastEDny, a pop-up project at one of his Blue Hill restaurants intended to shed light on the many tragedies of food waste. The farm-to-table guru, a multiple James Beard Award winner and author of “The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food,� didn’t have a hard sell on his hands when he invited 20 of his heavy hitter chef friends to join him in turning out $15 a la carte plates made from day-old bread, bruised beets, brine from the olive bin, and the peels of pineapples. Even his tabletops and cocktails told the story. Barber had his Manhattan tables redone with tops from agricultural byproducts and mushroom mycelium for his March pop-up. His boilermaker libation included flat beer syrup and spent coffee grounds with the bourbon. Using such waste, of course, has been part of rustic cuisines around the world for centuries. And chefs like Barber, who has a second restaurant on a farm north of the city, are far more efficient than they’re given credit for. But in the United States, the land of abundant fast food, grocery aisles piled with perfect produce, and home refrigerators stuffed with food never eaten, the distribution system has been deemed broken by activists in a waste movement more firmly taking root. “Really, the larger issue is how do we create a culture of eating that utilizes the entirety of the food system. To do that we need chefs and restaurants to start the conversation,� Barber said during a recent busy night of service at WastEDny, capitalized to emphasis his hope of educating the unenlightened. Fine-dining restaurants are just a fraction in the food waste equation, however. About 40 percent of food grown for human consumption in the United States is tossed, cramming landfills, and about a third of such food globally never makes it into human mouths. With nearly 1 billion people starving or food insecure around the world, much of the waste is generated by U.S. households and farms themselves, said Jonathan Bloom, an activist in Durham, North Carolina, and author of “American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It).� “It’s a system that is not serving anyone particularly well,� Bloom said, noting that waste is scattered throughout the distribution chain. “We have an obesity crisis on a global scale in addition to a hunger crisis, the scale of which we’ve never seen before, and at the same time we’re overproducing, taxing our planet to an unnecessary and dangerous amount.� Barber sees his pop-up as an extension of his “third plate� philosophy that challenges Americans to radically rethink what is acceptable and unacceptable to eat while becoming better stewards of the land. “In America we come with this blessed landscape, this Garden of Eden ... with incredible soils, temperate climate, predictable rainfall, and we produce a ton of
Chefs Dan Barber (C) and Bill Telepan (L) prepare a dish.
The Sauces Make the Difference
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Catch the game on our 40� TVs Fried skate wing cartilage with smoked whitefish head tartar sauce at WastEDny.
food. And because of that we were never forced into the kind of negotiations that suck up waste,� he said. That goes a long way in explaining the “wasted special� served up by one of Barber’s guest chefs, Bill Telepan of the Upper West Side restaurant Telepan. He fashioned his plate of tuna on a bed of salvaged radish greens, incorporating them into a pesto, slicing the radish into the dish and using the usually tossed blood line of the fish in an aioli. Chefs are trained to carve out the blood line and tuna overall is a good example of customer preference driving waste, he said. “People look for that certain ruby red part of the tuna. They’re not interested in paying top dollar for a piece on the side that may not look as beautiful but still is just as tasty,� said Telepan, hoping to sneak his WastED dish onto the menu of his own restaurant. “I just won’t call it blood line.� Grant Baldwin wouldn’t mind. He and his wife live in Vancouver, British Columbia, and filmed themselves living on discarded and culled food for six months for their documentary “Just Eat It.� They did their share of dumpster diving—heading to unlocked bins of wholesalers for the best finds—and they came up with some treasures: cartons of eggs with plenty of time left on expiration, boxes of pricey chocolate bars tossed because they did not have the requisite English-French labeling required in Canada, and a mountain of packaged hummus still in containers but perfectly edible. “The whole reason that we did the project was to prove the food was good,� Baldwin said. “Everybody talks about how 40 percent of food is wasted, but to see it in the
bins is another thing. Eating from dumpsters is not a good lifestyle for anyone. It’s a terrible lifestyle. The point is the food shouldn’t be in the bins to begin with.� Advocates like Baldwin, Barber, and Bloom applaud the higher visibility in recent years of sustainable farming techniques, as well as locavores who prefer eating food grown close to home. But Baldwin thinks rigid standards for date labels on packaged foods serve to muddle the edibility issue, wrongly convincing people that perfectly good food is no longer safe to eat. And appearance remains a huge stumbling block in the processing and packaging of food, with retailers demanding exacting uniform standards that have growers and middlemen tossing 20 to 70 percent of shipments in some cases. Michael Muzyk knows that firsthand. He’s the president of Baldor Specialty Foods, a distributor and processor of produce in the South Bronx serving high-end hotels and restaurants like those of Barber and Telepan. He signed on to supply WastEDny, providing the peels of pineapples, for instance, for a dessert served with candied mango skin and an ice cream flavored with lime leaves. Baldor—as a middleman—has made strides in repurposing his own food waste, using natural enzymes to dehydrate byproduct before it hits landfills. The company is also a major contributor to City Harvest, which feeds the hungry in New York City using rescued food. “Will there be 100 chefs tomorrow saying I want to follow Dan Barber’s lead? I hope so,� he said. “I hope so.� From The Associated Press
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Dining
D8 April 3–9, 2015
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Freshness, Not Thickness, Matters When Buying Asparagus By Sara Moulton When shopping for asparagus, people often focus on the wrong thing—how thick the stalks are. They think thinner is better. Truth is, asparagus can be delicious regardless of how thick it is. More important is how fresh the asparagus is. That’s where the flavor is. Freshly-harvested asparagus boasts a smooth, firm stalk and a tight tip. When asparagus is past its prime, the stalk starts to wrinkle and the tip begins spreading out like a feather. But vigilance for freshness doesn’t stop at the store. Once you get it home, you need to keep it fresh. The best way to store asparagus is to place the stalks with the ends down in a bit of water in the refrigerator. If you lack that kind of room, at least wrap the bottoms of the stalks in wet paper towels. They should last three or four days this way. Regardless of how you plan to cook the asparagus, the first step in prepping it is to get rid of the woody part of the stem at the bottom of the stalks, either by breaking or cutting
ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD/AP
RECIPE
Fresh and ‘Creamy’ Asparagus Soup With Tarragon Prep and cooking time: 40 minutes Makes 4 servings B 1 1/2 pounds asparagus (about 1 1/2 bunches) B 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
it. But don’t toss them out. I used to do this, but I’ve discovered they have a use! In this soup, I add them to the broth to help infuse it with flavor, then discard them. If I’m working with asparagus that is more than a 1/3-inch thick, I usually peel the stems to ensure even cooking from the tip to the bottom of the stalk. But we’re making soup here, which means we’re going to purée the asparagus, so there’s no need to peel. In fact, we want those peels. They help to give the soup a bright green color. Speaking of color, it also helps to barely cook the asparagus before puréeing it, and to reheat it only briefly after it is puréed. In general, the longer a green vegetable cooks, the grayer it becomes. What makes this soup without cream so creamy? It’s the puréed vegetables that do the trick, not only the asparagus, but also the onion and that one lone Yukon Gold potato. By the way, this soup is equally good hot or cold. It’s a spring thing. From The Associated Press
B 1 3/4 cups water B 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil B 1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow onion B 1 small Yukon Gold potato (about 6 ounces), peeled and thinly sliced B 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt B 2 teaspoons lemon juice B Ground black pepper B Chopped fresh tarragon, to serve B Croutons, to serve Cut off the bottom woody ends of the asparagus, rinsing them if they are dirty and reserve them. Cut off the tips of the asparagus and set them aside. Chop the stems into 1-inch lengths. In a medium saucepan bring the broth and water to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and simmer until they are crisp tender, 1 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl. Set aside. Add the reserved woody ends to the liquid, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a second medium saucepan over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook until softened,
about 5 minutes. Pour the asparagus stock through a strainer into the saucepan with the onion, pressing on the asparagus ends to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the ends. Add the potatoes and salt to the saucepan and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus stalks, then bring the stock to a boil and simmer until the stems are barely blanched, 1 minute for thin stalks, 2 minutes for medium stalks and 3 minutes for thick stalks. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and carefully blend until smooth, transferring the soup as it is puréed to the empty saucepan.
Stir in reserved asparagus tips and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then continue cooking just until heated through. Divide between serving bowls and top each portion with tarragon and croutons. Nutrition information per serving: 230 calories; 130 calories from fat (57 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 6 g protein; 320 mg sodium. Sara Moulton was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows. She currently stars in public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals” and has written three cookbooks, including “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners.”
Taking Chicken From Frozen to Delicious in Under 30 Minutes By J.M. Hirsch
Celery Root It’s Not Pretty, but It’s Pretty Tasty in Slaw
By Melissa d’Arabian It wasn’t until I lived in France that I fully appreciated how underused celeriac—also called celery root—is here in the United States. In France, this knobby root cousin of the celery we are more familiar with is used in soups, as a purée, raw in salads, as well as in a typical French slaw-like dish called “celeri remoulade.” Celery root imparts a celery-like flavor that softens when cooked. In purées (peel, cube, boil, and mash), try pairing it with other
tubers, such as a potato or yam, to balance out the celery flavor. Raw, celeriac works best when thinly sliced, julienned or grated. In the produce aisle, look for a bumpy small globe about the size of a large softball. Sometimes the flavorful (but fibrous) stalks are attached, which can be cut off and used as an aromatic, primarily for building flavor in broths or braising liquids. Celery root is a good source of filling fiber and vitamin C, but the big nutritional selling point is the amount of vitamin K packed into this ugly little veggie, with just one serving giving us about
half our daily requirement. Vitamin K gets woefully little air time, but it plays an important role in blood and bone health. And don’t forget the very basic benefit of trying new things, which keeps eaters engaged and meals interesting. In my celery root and chipotle remoulade slaw, I’ve added some smoky spice and tart apples because I love the way the grassy celery flavor balances sweet heat. But feel free to play with flavors in the spirit of building produce-aisle fluency. From The Associated Press
Total time: 20 minutes Makes 6 servings B 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise B 3 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek yogurt B 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard B 2 tablespoons lemon juice B 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, to taste B Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Pressure Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Lucky enough to have thought ahead and thawed your chicken? You can still make this recipe. Just reduce the cooking time to 7 minutes at high pressure. If your chicken thighs are frozen together in the package, microwave on medium power for 1 to 2 minutes, or until just able to break them apart. Makes 4 servings
B 1 pound celery root B 2 tablespoons capers, drained B 1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 3/4-inch cubes B 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill B 1 scallion, finely chopped In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside. Use a paring knife or sturdy vegetable peeler to remove the skin of the celery root, then use the large side of a box grater to grate the
root. Place the grated celery root in a large bowl and toss immediately with the dressing; this helps prevent the celery root from discoloring. Add the capers, apple, dill, and scallion, then toss well. Serve. Nutrition information per serving: 70 calories; 15 calories from fat (21 percent of total calories); 2 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 2 g protein; 360 mg sodium. Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook “Supermarket Healthy.”
From The Associated Press
RECIPE
Prep and cooking time: 30 minutes
RECIPE
Celery Root and Chipotle Remoulade Slaw
Despite its reputed speed at getting dinner done, the pressure cooker was slow to win me over. Sure, its skill with baked beans and brisket is impressive, and I’m a sucker for a pressure cooked batch of rice pudding. But as a weekday cooking device, I’ve never felt that it shaved much more than 5 or 10 minutes off what it would have taken me to prepare the meal on the stovetop. And that’s just not enough to justify another gizmo in the kitchen. That is, until I discovered that the pressure cooker is capable of solving my No. 1 kitchen annoyance—frozen meat. Here’s the deal. Like most working parents, I keep a bunch of meat—particularly boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs—in the freezer. The idea is that for those crazy weeks when I don’t have time to get to the grocer, at least I have that to work with. With a little bit of planning, I can stretch several packages of frozen breasts and thighs through three or four dinners and lunches, if need be.
Ah, but the key there is the planning. Frozen chicken is wonderful ... when you remember to move it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before so it thaws by the time you are ready to cook it. As simple a step as that is, it’s one I almost always fail to remember. And thus comes the 6 p.m. what-the-heck-do-Ido-with-a-pack-of-frozen-chicken frustration. And then I learned an important thing about pressure cookers: They are perfectly capable of cooking completely frozen meat, and it adds only a few minutes to the cooking time. That meant I could open the freezer at 6 p.m., grab a package of chicken and have dinner on the table 30 minutes later. Now this device is starting to earn its keep. With a bit of experimentation, I’ve learned that the best dishes for this involve some sort of sauce. Sweet-and-sour chicken was delicious. Ditto for chicken with marinara, shredded chicken with barbecue sauce, and this recipe for chicken thighs with teriyaki sauce. Feel free to add some chopped carrots and onions to this if you don’t feel like doing a separate veggie side.
B 3 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce B 1/2 cup water B 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar B 2 tablespoons brown sugar B 2 tablespoons honey B 2 cloves garlic, minced B 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger B 1 teaspoon hot sauce B 2 pounds frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs B 1 tablespoon cornstarch B 1 tablespoon water B Cooked brown rice, to serve B Scallions, finely chopped, to serve B Roasted peanuts, chopped, to serve
In an electric pressure cooker, whisk together the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, garlic, ginger, and hot sauce. Add the chicken thighs, stirring to coat with the sauce. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set to cook at high pressure for 20 minutes according to manufacturer directions. Release the pressure according to your cooker’s quick release instructions. In a small glass, stir together the cornstarch and water, then add to the cooker. Switch the cooker to sauté mode and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Mound brown rice on each serving plate, then top with chicken. Spoon teriyaki sauce over the chicken and rice, then sprinkle with scallions and peanuts. Nutrition information per serving: 520 calories; 120 calories from fat (23 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 215 mg cholesterol; 46 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 18 g sugar; 52 g protein; 1,520 mg sodium.
Taste Asia
D9 April 3–9, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com
An Obsession With Chiffon By Channaly Philipp Epoch Times Staff COURTESY OF ANNIE ZHUO
All over parts of Southeast Asia, southern China, and Hong Kong, there is one type of dessert that seems ubiquitously loved in its different incarnations. In Hong Kong it goes by the name of paper wrap cake, because it comes hugged tightly
in paper that you have to peel back. In some Southeast Asian countries, the cake is colored green, with the addition of pandan extract. In bakeries in Chinatown, it is flavored in different ways, or adorned sparingly with some fruit. I had long thought that because it is so fluffly and light, that it belonged to the type of Asian pastries that are steamed rather than baked. And I had also long assumed that this only-slightly-sweet confection had its roots in Asia. During a recent conversation with
Willa Zhen, a lecturer from the Culinary Institute of America, I was duly set right. “Chiffon cake is actually an American invention originally,” Zhen said. Most recipes don’t have a date that they can originally be traced back to, but chiffon cake made its entrance onto stage about 1948, introduced by food companies at a time when vegetable oil started to displace butter and lard. In cake, vegetable oil proved to lend an airy, light texture. Zhen said chiffon cake became known in Asia in the ‘70s, after some time lag.
She speculated that as countries also went through a process of industrialization and as vegetable oil became more common, the chiffon cake was embraced, in no small part because its lighter, fluffier texture was reminiscent of Asian steamed breads. But where in the West, chiffon cake became a vehicle carrying all sorts of sauces, in Asia, it retained a certain simplicity—sometimes a touch of pandan, festooned with fruit, or sometimes served plain, with its melting, tender texture as the main attraction.
RECIPE
Green Tea Strawberry Cake
C 2 tablespoons cold water
By Kitty Mao
C Box of strawberries
Makes a very cute 6- or 7-inch cake
C Box of blueberries (optional)
Ingredients
C Whisk
For the Cake
C Spatula
C Yolk from 1 large egg
C Two mixing bowls (a large and a medium)
C 5 teaspoons vegetable oil C 4 tablespoons whole milk C 1 tablespoon sifted matcha (green tea) powder
As I grab a handful of goji berries and toss them into the blender filled with fruits and leafy greens, my mom chuckles from across the kitchen. Why the chuckle, dear Mother? To her, it’s slightly amusing that superfoods like goji berries have only started to become widely known in the West, while these berries have been widely used in Chinese medicine for more than 2,500 years. So what exactly are these goji berries, and why are these orange-red berries popping
up everywhere? Despite being smaller than raisins, they pack a surprisingly mean punch full of nutrients and antioxidants. These berries are low in calories, fat-free, and high in fiber. As knowledge passed down from generations ago, Chinese people believe that consuming goji berries would bestow longevity and anti-aging benefits. Although studies have not proven such facts, preliminary studies have found that goji berry juice promotes mental well-being, feelings of good health, calmness, happiness, quality of sleep, and athletic performance according to WebMD.com. Goji berries are sweet and
Tools You’ll Need
C Electric hand mixer C 4-cup Pyrex/Anchor Hocking glass round storage container or similar Method Egg Yolk Mix
C 1/4 cup sifted flour C 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1. Whisk egg yolks with brown sugar until thoroughly mixed
C Whites of 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
2. Add oil and milk whisk until frothy
C 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3. Sift matcha powder and slowly mix until well incorporated, using a spatula to smear out any clumps of matcha.
For the Frosting
By Rowena Tsai Epoch Times Staff
For the Garnish
C 2 tablespoon water
C 1/4 teaspoon vinegar
Goji Berries: A Superfood Handed Down for 2,500 Years
C 1 teaspoon plain gelatin
(With Blueberries to Decorate)
C 1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
Green Tea Strawberry Cake.
C 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
C 1 cup heavy cream C 1/4 cup powdered sugar
4. Slowly sift in flour and baking soda, gently fold it in until well incorporated. Egg White Meringue
slightly tart like cranberries, with a faint earthy herb-like aftertaste. These berries can be consumed raw, cooked, and dried. I liked adding a small handful of goji berries to hot water with ginseng bits in the morning for an herbal tea. It’s a great topping for acai bowls and tastes delicious in smoothies as a natural sweetener. With all the health benefits, these magic berries can get a little pricey. An eight-ounce pack of dried goji berries will run you upward of $20. MAREK ULIASZ/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK
1. Preheat oven to 305F. 2. Add vinegar to egg whites and beat with a hand mixer until foamy. 3. Carefully mix in powdered sugar and beat mixture until peaks are stiff. Finishing Up 1. Fold 1/4 of the meringue into the egg yolk mix to soften up the mixture. 2. Fold the rest of the meringue in gently.
up for about half a minute to deflate slightly before turing the bowl upside down and allowing to cool. 6. When completely cooled, run a thin knife around the inside of the bowl to loosen the cake as much as possible. Then working your fingers down the sides of the cake, slowly but firmly work the bottom loose, rotating the bowl as you go. (Don’t rush, or you will regret it!) Slicing the Cake Using a bread knife, slice the cake in half across the middle so you end up with two disks. You can also slice the cake into three discs. Strawberries 1. Wash about 10 similar sized strawberries and remove the leafy tops 2. Set the strawberry so it looks like an upside down cone. 3. Slice strawberries vertically. Ideally they should be about 1/16-inch thick. 4. Lay the strawberries slices flat between two piece of paper towel to absorb extra moisture. Set aside. Whipped Cream 1. In a small pan, combine gelatin and cold water; let stand until thick. 2. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the gelatin dissolves. 3. Remove from heat; cool (do not allow it to set).
2. Spread the wiped cream onto the surface. From your strawberry slices, select the ones that are nonuniform (end bits, funny shapes and slices with holes in the middle) and lay these on top of the whipped cream, ideally you want no overlaps and as few gaps as possible. Place the next layer on top and push down a little. Even out any bits of cream that ooze out the sides and fill any gaps with whipped cream. 3. Repeat the above step for any additional layers. 4. Once you have the top layer on, frost the entire cake generously with whipped cream. 5. Decorate with strawberries. You can do this however you like, keeping it symmetrical and working outside in usually works well. 6. Chill in fridge for about an hour. 7. Serve! Enjoy left over whipped cream with leftover strawberries. Kitty Mao is a graphic designer with an obsession for baking and cast iron. She is based in Manhattan.
4. Whip the cream with the icing sugar, until slightly thick.
3. Pour the mixture into a 4-cup glass bowl.
5. While slowly beating, add the gelatin to whipping cream.
4. Bake for 45 mins (do not open oven during this time!).
6. Whip at high speed until stiff.
5. Take bowl out from oven and allow to cool upside down on a cooling rack.If the cake rose too high, you can let it sit the right side
This will make for a cleaner frosting surface. I usually set this on the upside down pyrex bowl I baked in. The glass makes it easy to rotate and work the whipped cream around the cake.
Assembling the Cake 1. Take the base layer of the cake, try to dust away as many crumbs as possible.
ENJOY A SEASONAL FEAST FOR THE EYES AND THE PALATE, TAILORED TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL TASTE TOSHIO SUZUKI, SUSHI ZEN
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It’s a bit of Tokyo in downtown Brooklyn. But not the
IN
Tokyo of toweringly high digital pixilated walls that Tokyo lost in translation— and perhaps found—in Sofia Coppola’s movie. Ganso Yaki, a restaurant
By Channaly Philipp Epoch Times Staff
M JA
A Bit of Tokyo in Brooklyn that opened recently a few minutes’ walk away from Barclays Center, takes inspiration from a rougher neighborhood where chef and co-owner Tadashi Ono grew up, on the eastern side—rough and vibrant, and filled with good food. “It’s the Bronx of Tokyo, something like that,” coowner Harris Salat said. “It’s called Chitamashi, the town below the castle.” There craftsmen and fishermen would make the food for Tokyo, Salat explained. “There’s this unbelievable food, incredible vibe, the place is really alive, everyone’s having a good time.” “Some of the best restaurants are the little shacks under the train tracks,” he said. Head-Turning Aromas Ganso Yaki offers Japanese street food, unfussy, simple, with head-turning aromas that waft out every time a waiter carries a grilled dish out to a diner’s table. Yaki means “grill,” and there is a section of the menu devoted to foods cooked on open fire, another section contains street food classics, and yet another section is devoted to vegetables. A 10,000-Year Glaze Gazing over the menu, a “10,000-year glaze” caught my attention. I had heard of 100-year-soups in China, where the mother soup is preserved by generations of conscientious cooks who add water and ingredients, and never let the fire go out on their livelihood. But 10,000 years seemed like a whole new benchmark to reach. As the glaze is used, the leftover bits never get thrown out. “It starts to get a bacterial life of its own much like sourdough starter does,” Salat explained. “There’s yeast, there’s different bacteria in there.” He continued his comparison to sourdough’s unique characteristic in different locales. “So the air of Brooklyn, whatever is in the air here comes in there and starts to create its own flavor. It gets deeper and deeper.” That 10,000-year glaze goes on Negima, the streetstyle grilled chicken legs, and Tsukune, minced chicken yakitori served on a stick along with a quail egg for dipping on the side ($9 and $10 respectively). The aromas are beguiling, and that caramelized glaze indeed has a depth of flavor that is super satisfying.
Miso-Cured Pork Shoulder.
Co-owners Tadashi Ono (L) and Harris Salat.
Ganso Yaki
515 Atlantic Ave. (corner of Third Avenue) Brooklyn 646-927-0303 GansoNYC.com Hours Sunday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Friday & Saturday 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.
Order a small side of Asparagus Goma-ae, a cold asparagus dish tossed in sesame paste and soy sauce. It was addictive enough to eat by the bucketfuls (but no bucket-sized food here ... it is all delicate portions) ($5). The Hijiki ($5) seaweed, with slivers of fried tofu and carrots, is also a nice accompaniment to the street food. The Sugi Masu, a grilled trout fillet served on a cedar plank comes to the table emanating a wonderful, delicate cedar fragrance ($16). It’s as if you had just gone and caught your own trout and grilled it, on a makeshift fire by the river, on a plank of salvaged cedar. I’d recommend not missing the Miso-Cured Pork Shoulder ($12) made with Berkshire
Ganso Yaki is a few minutes’ walk from Barclays Center.
Ganso Yaki offers Japanese street food, unfussy, simple, with head-turning aromas.
pork. The miso cure gives the pork an unbelievable depth and savoriness. “One thing Tadashi always says is, the producer does most of the work for you because these traditional seasonings— soy sauce or mirin or sake— when you cook with those seasonings, you make things that are so tasty and delicious, “ Salat said. These umami-rich dishes also make for great drinking food. To accompany them is a good selection of beers, wines, and sakes.
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Sugi Masu, a grilled trout fillet served on a cedar plank.
Taste Asia
D11 April 3–9, 2015
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Contemporary Thai street food
NoodiesNYC.com 830 9th Ave Btw. 54th & 55th Street • 646-669-7828
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STREET FARE
Heaven for Food Lovers Yaowarat is one of Bangkok’s oldest neighborhoods, founded by East Asian traders in Siam over 200 years ago. It is a heaven for food lovers, blending the centuries old Thai and East Asian influences in an eclectic mix of street vendor cuisine. Experience the authentic taste of Bangkok street fare, at Sookk.
Black Cardamom-Orange Flourless Chocolate Cake.
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Getting to Know the Deliciously Darker Side of Cardamom By Aarti Sequeira If delicate green cardamom pods are the queen of spices, black cardamom might be Maleficent. Like the Disney character, the spice is shrouded in a black shell, wrinkled and gnarled, intimidating at first glance and even at first sniff. Unlike green cardamom's sweet perfume of flowers, pine and lemon, the scent of black cardamom is intense, rooted in smoke, camphor, and resin. Like Maleficent, who apparently only turned to the dark side once her wings were clipped (If the Angelina Jolie film is to be believed!), I like to think that black
SOOKK
2686 Broadway (Broadway & 103rd St.) New York, NY 10025 (212) 870-0253
Black cardamom and orange.
cardamom was once a happy flowery little pod before being dried over open flames licking at her husks and turning her dark, funky, and smoky. This little missy isn't an inferior version of the queen of spices, as I've heard some people assert. She's her own personality, thank you very much. Since black cardamom is such an assertive spice, a little goes a long way. And it works especially well in long-cooking preparations, where the full nuance of the little pod can express itself. In India, it is used to flavor aromatic curries and some versions of a warm spice mix called garam masala. It's also found in Chinese cooking and in
one of the most famous dishes of Vietnam, pho. In your everyday cooking, you could add a pod to your chili, stew or pot roast. Grind up the seeds and add to a flank steak marinade of cumin, cinnamon, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Sauté a pod in some ghee or butter before adding rice to make a quick aromatic pilaf. Or, in a highly unorthodox (but nevertheless tasty!) sweet preparation, pair it with some orange juice, cinnamon, and chocolate in this gorgeous flourless chocolate cake, a heady way to end your Passover seder.
the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Place the pan on baking sheet and set aside.
ing 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
In a food processor, combine the almonds and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Process until fine. Add the chocolate, then continue to process until a finely milled powder forms.
Working in 3 batches, fold the
Katsu & Sake
Discover a Hidden Gem in K-Town Signature dishes you won’t find in other Japanese restaurants
From The Associated Press
RECIPE
Black CardamomOrange Flourless Chocolate Cake Prep and cooking time: 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active), plus cooling Makes 12 servings A Coconut oil A 1 1/4 cups raw whole almonds (with skins) A 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided A 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped A 4 black cardamom pods A 7 green cardamom pods A 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon A 1/2 cup cocoa powder A Juice and zest of 1 large orange (about 1/2 cup juice and 2 teaspoons zest) A 6 large eggs, separated A Kosher salt A Powdered sugar, to dust Heat the oven to 350 F. Rub an even coating of coconut oil over
Using a mortar and pestle, pound both varieties of cardamom pods until the husks open. Remove and discard the husks, then pound the seeds to a fine powder. Pour into a small bowl. Whisk in the cinnamon, cocoa powder, and the orange juice and zest until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar until significantly thickened. Stir in the cocoa mixture and the almond–chocolate mixture. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remain-
whites into the yolk mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan, then place the sheet pan in the middle of the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature, then run a paring knife around the perimeter of the cake and release the sides of the pan. If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar, then cut into thin slices and serve. Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 140 calories from fat (54 percent of total calories); 16 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 110 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 21 g sugar; 7 g protein; 55 mg sodium. Food Network star Aarti Sequeira is the author of “Aarti Paarti: An American Kitchen with an Indian Soul.” She blogs at AartiPaarti.com
Pork Katsu
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Over the last two years of filming a food show in different restaurants, there’s one question I always ask chefs: “Do you have any scallop dishes?� I’m sure people think I’m a big fan of scallops. That much is true, but it isn’t the real reason. I’ll tell you why in a moment. But first, some nutritional information about scallops. They’re good for dieting. Eating 3 ounces of steamed scallops give you 18 grams of protein and they’re about 100 calories. Protein makes you feel fuller and your body needs it to maintain muscle mass. It also gives you 1.8 micrograms of vitamins B12, 18.4 micrograms of selenium, and 1.3 milligrams of zinc. In addition to lean protein, vitamins and minerals, scallops also give you small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Since I am planning a series on healthy dieting recipes, I recently went to visit Zizhao Luo, the executive chef at Radiance, and consulted with him on his secret recipe for steamed scallops. Luo is my cooking instructor. He’s Cantonese, in his late 40s, with an affectionate smile that always makes you feel at ease. In his 30-year career, he has won numerous awards and carries many burn marks on his arms. We went to a local Chinese supermarket for ingredients. While he was driving, he raised his left eyebrow and asked me whether I liked to cook fresh live scallops or processed frozen scallops. He explained that fresh live scallops are the best and the frozen ones probably wouldn’t meet my taste standards. At the supermarket, he showed me the live scallops. I thought they were rather cute, with their fan-like shells elegantly presenting themselves on ice. I really didn’t want to end their lives just yet. So I chose the frozen scallops instead. On the bright side, the
frozen scallops are easier to clean. So here I present you with a super healthy Chinese steamed scallops recipe. It makes for succulent scallops with a delicate, mild, sweet flavor. You can also taste a burst of flavors from the ginger, scallion, and garlic. I loved it. So you may be wondering, why for two years did I always ask for scallop dishes? It wasn’t for dieting. I actually had braces on for two years, and although it’s all worth it now, it was truly torture. When I had braces, I couldn’t bite on anything hard or chewy. That’s why you almost never saw me eating beef or vegetables for two years on television. And I thought that was a secret that I’d never tell ‌ Happy cooking and eating.
RECIPE
Chinese Steamed Scallops Makes 1 serving 1 6 scallops 1 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
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1 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
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1 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1 tablespoon scallion, minced 1 1 tablespoon red bell pepper, minced 1 2 tablespoons soy sauce Marinate soy sauce with half the ginger and scallion and put aside. Place scallops on a plate, and add garlic, ginger, and scallion on top of each scallop. Add 3 cups of water in a skillet, and put a steamer rack inside. When the water is boiling, put the plate of scallops on the rack and steam for 5 minutes until the scallops turn opaque. Take the plate o and drop soy sauce on the side. Add additional garlic, ginger, scallion, and red bell pepper.
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In a separate pan, heat up the oil, and drizzle on each scallop for additional flavor and aroma.
250 calories (Recipe from Zizhao Luo, Radiance, 208 E. 50th St., Manhattan) CiCi Li is the presenter of “CiCi’s Food Paradise� on NTD Television. She’s also a television producer, food writer, and chef trainee. Join CiCi on her adventures and discover the endless wonders of “Food Paradise� at CiCiLi.tv