SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
D1 July 29–Aug. 4, 2016 From
Picky Eater to Chef on D8
www.EpochTaste.com
The Wild Son serves flavorful drinks like The WSD: red pepper juice with chipotle agave, lemon, and mint.
Not your average lemonade—the Dark Lemon Soda is mixed with activated charcoal, good for removing toxins.
Mocktail Hour
Carbonated Watermelon Fresca with basil essence: fizzy and refreshing.
Mango & Turmeric Shrub leaves you with a tart zing at the back of your palate.
Mixologists are creating refreshing, complex drinks— without the booze
N
EW YORK—There was a time when mixologist Thor Bergquist dreaded a customer’s request for a nonalcoholic drink. But these days, people’s tastes have changed.
Where’s the Booze? on D2
ALANA DIMOU
By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
Thor likes to riff on memorable drinks from childhood.
Mixologist Thor Bergquist makes handcrafted sodas at his cocktail bar PS40 in Sydney, Australia.
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NEIL BURGER
Mocktail Hour ALANA DIMOU
Nandini Khaund is the “spirit guide” at Cindy’s Rooftop in Chicago, where she crafts drinks inspired by the apothecary origins of cocktails.
PS40’s Bush Tonic is made with native Australian lemongrass and lemon myrtle.
No Booze Here... continued from D1 “With a greater consciousness toward healthier living, I’ve seen younger people choosing not to drink, sometimes for that night or sometimes as a life choice,” said Bergquist in an email interview. He runs PS40, a cocktail bar in Sydney, Australia, that makes its own handcrafted sodas—which you can order without the added spirits. Others simply want “something thoughtfully made in the middle of the day,” said Jason Mendenhall of the newly opened restaurant The Wild Son in New York’s Meatpacking District. In turn, mixologists have stepped up their game. Bergquist and Mendenhall are among a growing number of bartenders who are creating nonalcoholic drinks with the same care and attention they put toward making cocktails. That means crafting a drink that has complexity, “using bitter, sweet, sour, and potentially savory to create something more than the sum of its parts,” Bergquist explained. The days of sugary sweet virgin cocktails are over. At PS40, the sodas are made with a variety of herbs and spices, some unique to Australia. The Bush Tonic, for example, is flavored with Australian lemongrass and lemon myrtle. Bergquist also taps into nostalgia, creating adult versions of childhood treats like the PS40 cream soda, with tonka bean, vanilla bean, and pomace made from Shiraz grapes to give tannins. As with constructing a cocktail, Menden-
ALANA DIMOU
Delicious, culinaryinspired drinks created by mixologist Richard Woods for Brazilian sushi restaurant SUSHISAMBA.
The days of sugary sweet virgin cocktails are over.
Thor Bergquist (L) with Livia Lima and Michael Chiem of PS40. hall thinks about what flavors are dominant and then balances with secondary flavor notes. His WSD drink at The Wild Son, for example, first hits you with the taste of bell pepper juice, then is rounded out by spiciness in the chipotle agave and tartness from the lemons ($8). The Mango & Turmeric Shrub leaves a tomato-like tang in the mouth, but goes down with sharpness from the vinegar ($7). Technique-wise, Mendenhall also incorporates the same principles from cocktail-making: shaking down the drink, making it froth, and using carbonation to heighten flavors.
Meanwhile, Nandini Khaund mixes healthy tisanes and elixirs at Cindy’s Rooftop in Chicago, taking inspiration from the old idea of an apothecary offering spirits-infused remedies. Khaund’s interest in biology (she studied it in school, and has doctors in her family), coupled with an eye-opening trip to Belize eight years ago where she explored the medicinal properties of plants, led her to the idea. Her nonalcoholic drinks are filled with health benefits, such as the Golden Lime, made with soda; calamansi, a Southeast Asian citrus that’s good for your skin; honey, a natural antisep-
NETKOFF/SHUTTERSTOCK (ILLUSTRATIONS)
v New Orleans Style In New Orleans, the cocktail is king. It’s the birthplace of the Sazerac and the Hurricane, and where the Tales of the Cocktail festival is held every summer. To make it easier for nondrinkers, the arts organization Creativity Collective has created seven recipes that honor the city’s cocktail culture while giving options to those looking for alcohol-free alternatives. The organization makes cards for recipes like the Fauxdi Gras, Faux-De-Lis, and Fauxret, that can be downloaded and presented when ordering drinks. They are also available to restaurants and bars at no cost. Recipe cards are available at fauxmosa.com
v
Fauxtini
Faux-de-Lis
Fauxdi Gras
3 ounces ginger ale 1/2 ounce lime juice 1/2 ounce club soda Glass: Martini
3 ounces red grapefruit juice 3 dots bitters Splash of tonic Splash of Sprite
2 ounces cranberry juice 2 ounces white grapefruit juice 1/2 ounce club soda Splash of flower water
Garnish: Lime
Glass: Rocks
Glass: Champagne flute
Garnish: Lime
Garnish: Lemon twist
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To Your Health
Where to drink mocktails in NYC
NICK GERBER
The Reanimator with blueberry, ginger, demerara sugar, lime, and activated charcoal.
HARMONY Ancient principles of Greek cuisine combined with modern techniques, yield a harmonious balance of flavors in every dish, at Nerai.
55 East 54th Street New York (646)844-2275 www.nerainyc.com
The Icicle Where to Find It: Minus5 Ice Bar, where everything is made out of ice, including the walls, furniture, and sculptures. Located at the New York Hilton Midtown. The bar is kept at -5 degrees C (23 degrees F). Ingredients: Orange juice, pineapple juice, coconut purée—served in a glass made of ice Price: $15 minus5experience.com
The Kobrick Cleanse
COURTESY OF AMERICAN WHISKEY
Where to Find It: Kobrick Coffee Co. in the Meatpacking District Ingredients: Tanzanian green coffee extract, Fez green tea, organic maple syrup, lemon juice, cayenne Price: $7 kobricks.com
Swan Cup Where to Find It: American Whiskey in Midtown Ingredients: Fresh lime juice, muddled strawberry, mint, cucumber, housemade strawberry shrub Price: $8 americanwhiskey nyc.com
COURTESY OF BEDFORD & CO.
v
COURTESY OF MINUS5
ALEX STANILOFF
tic and anti-inflammatory that can help ease allergies; and tarragon, a herb high in antioxidants and good for your eyes and heart, Khaund explained in an email interview ($8). The Reanimator is made with blueberry, ginger, demerara sugar, lime, and activated charcoal—good for removing toxins ($8). And at SUSHISAMBA, a Brazilian-inspired sushi restaurant with locations in London and across the United States, Richard Woods creates balanced mocktails out of ingredients you would normally find on a food menu. The Matcha Milkshake, for example, is a creamy, horchata-like drink made with quinoa milk, rice milk, coconut, vanilla, and matcha infusion ($8). The Koko Cold Brew surprises with an element of savory from fresh cilantro, mixed with cold-brew coffee, pineapple, and coconut sugar ($8), while the summery SuuIzuru ($8) is a marriage of bright citrus (yuzu) and mellow sweetness (lychee, pineappletarragon syrup). Khaund thinks the recent attention to crafting mocktails has to do with the revival in the cocktail scene, “and the wealth of ingredients available to bartenders to express their creativity without alcohol,” she said. She’s seeing more and more establishments with menus dedicated to only mocktails. She’s glad people who don’t drink finally have options when they’re going out. “Bars are social gathering places, spots for the meeting of minds, so mocktails are a way of including everyone and keeping that mentality open,” she said.
Where to Find It: Vandal New York on the Lower East Side Ingredients: Plum purée, lime juice, fresh cucumber, ginger beer Price: $16 vandalnewyork.com
Where to Find It: MAMO in SoHo Ingredients: Passion fruit purée, pineapple juice, grenadine, Tabasco sauce Price: $5 mamonyc.com
COURTESY OF KOBRICK COFFEE CO.
As with alcoholic cocktails, the Mango & Turmeric Shrub at The Wild Son is garnished beautifully with thyme.
COURTESY OF VANDAL NEW YORK
COURTESY OF MAMO
Plum’s the Word
Al Pachilli
Wood-Roasted Bloody Mary, Virgin-Style Cucumber Gimlet Where to Find It: Ocean Prime in Midtown Ingredients: Club soda, muddled cucumber, lime juice, simple syrup Price: $6 ocean-prime.com
Where to Find It: Bedford & Co., located at The Renwick Hotel in Midtown Ingredients: Canned tomato juice, charred tomato purée, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, olive juice, black pepper, salt, lime juice, Dijon mustard, Tabasco sauce Price: $6 bedfordandco.com
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July 29–August 4, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com NATASHA MOUSTACHE
WEEKEND BRUNCH AT SOCIAL DRINK AND FOOD
stuff to eat and drink around nyc
FLUSHING NIGHT OUT Flushing Night Out, a community-funded night market organized by the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, will be held at the Flushing High School grounds on select Friday nights this summer. The over 30 participating vendors include C Bao, Dosa Hutt, House of Mac, Lezzetli Mediterranean Ice Cream, and Snowdays. The market will also feature live entertainment and a DIY village, where visitors can make unlimited crafts for $1 per person. Free entry. July 29, Aug. 12 & Aug. 26 6 p.m.–11 p.m. Flushing High School 35-01 Union St. Flushing, Queens flushingnightout.com
BROADWAY JAZZ FEST AT THE LAMBS CLUB The Lambs Club has launched its Broadway Jazz Fest brunch series for the summer. On select Sundays through September, customers can enjoy a brunch menu curated by chef Geoffrey Zakarian while listening to performances by the stars of Broadway shows from “Motown” to “Waitress.” Next up in the series is “Something Rotten” on Sunday, Aug. 7. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. $68 per adult, $35 per child under 12. Through September 11 a.m.–3 p.m. The Lambs Club 132 W. 44th St. thelambsclub.com
Avua Cachaca’s hand-crafted cachaca, a distilled spirit made from fresh sugarcane juice.
OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY PARTY The Rio Olympics are right around the corner, and Avuá Cachaça, the producer of one of the only exclusively Rio-made “cachacas” (a sugarcane juice spirit) available in America, is hosting an opening ceremony viewing party at Salvation Taco. The restaurant and lounge will be offering $10 drink specials, including cocktails such as the Race to Rio, with Avuá Amburana Cachaça, lemon, and demerara, and the Fresca Colada, with Avuá Prata Cachaça, strawberry, coconut, lime, and pineapple.
Weekend brunch is now available at Social Drink and Food, an outdoor rooftop terrace restaurant and bar in Hell’s Kitchen. The menu, presented by 24-year-old chef and Tel Aviv native Gabriel Israel, features modern Israeli street food alongside brunch classics. Among the classic items are Skirt Steak and Eggs, and Challah Bread French Toast with roasted bananas. Street food options include Shakshuka, eggs baked in a spicy tomato sauce with feta and pita, and the Complete Malawach Sandwich, fried flatbread enfolding an egg simmered with tea and spices for 12 hours, vegetables, and hummus, served with tomato coulis on the side. Each $18 dish is served with a complimentary Watermelon Bellini, but additional brunch drinks are also available for $4. Saturdays & Sundays, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Social Drink and Food 570 10th Ave. socialdrinkandfood.com MIKE STONE
Friday, Aug. 5 6 p.m.–11:30 p.m. Salvation Taco 145 E. 39th St. salvationtaco.com
NYC AFRICAN FOOD FESTIVAL
Malawach Sandwich with fried flatbread, 12-hour egg, vegetables, and hummus. MICHAEL TULIPAN
Experience a taste of African culture at the first NYC African Food Festival. The two-day event will feature authentic African dishes and drinks along with African-inspired foods from around the world, with over 25 participating restaurants and chefs including Pierre Thiam and Grace Odogbili. Guests can also enjoy cooking demos and samples, a fashion tent showcasing African designers, and live entertainment from both diaspora and Africa-based artists. Tickets start at $20 per day. Saturday, Aug. 13 & Sunday, Aug. 14 Brooklyn Navy Yard 63 Flushing Ave. Brooklyn nycafricanfoodfestival.com
ASIA COLADNER
Caramelized Bread Pudding with drunken cream, Nutella, and housemade strawberry jam. ASIA COLADNER
ASIA COLADNER
Cookies & Coffee Milk with Rhode Island coffee milk and homemade cookies.
Heirloom Tomato Salad with blue cheese, olive croutons, and opal basil.
SEASONAL BRUNCH AT WALLFLOWER Wallflower’s recently appointed executive chef, Derrick Paez, has introduced new, seasonal items to the brunch menu. Additions include Cookies & Coffee Milk, with Rhode Island coffee milk and homemade cookies; Caramelized Bread Pudding, with drunken cream, Nutella, and housemade strawberry jam; and Toad in the Hole, with egg, pimento cheese, double-cut bacon, and roasted fingerling potatoes. Saturdays & Sundays 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Wallflower 235 W. 12th St. wallflowernyc.com
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July 29–August 4, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF THE KATI ROLL COMPANY
THE KATI ROLL COMPANY’S NEW LASSIS
NEW MENUS AT TEMERARIO Chef Mario Hernandez’s eatery specializing in Cuernavacan street food has debuted new lunch, brunch, and cocktail menus. Lunch offerings include tortas, street-style tacos, and the Temerario Burger, with chile ash brioche, short ribs, Negro Modelo morita glaze, and mansano cream, served with crispy fries. The new brunch menu features Huevos Con Huanzontle with Huanzontle corn omelet, roasted tomato salsa, and avocado. Their new summer cocktails include the Dear Carnal with Reposado tequila, Vieux Pontarlier absinthe, house ginger beer, lime, pineapple juice, and simple syrup.
Indian eatery The Kati Roll Company has added two new flavors of lassi, a refreshing Indian yogurt drink, to their menu. The Kesar Pista, flavored with saffron and pistachio, and the Orange Blossom, reminiscent of a creamsicle, have joined their popular mango and mixed berry lassis. The Kati Roll Company All NYC locations thekatirollcompany.com
Temerario 198 Eighth Ave. temerarionyc.com
Lassis in Mixed Berry, Kesar Pista, Mango, and Orange Blossom flavors.
BLAZE NOWARA
TIPSY TEA BRUNCH AT TANNER SMITHS
BLAZE NOWARA
Boozy brunch meets afternoon tea at Tanner Smiths new Tipsy Tea Brunch. The brunch features a choice from three Tipsy Teapots, such as the Rosie Lee with Hendrick’s Gin, lavender-infused tea, cane sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and Champagne ($40 per teapot), or a choice of brunch cocktails, wine, or beer. Entrees include the Avocado Smash, with poached eggs, avocado, shaved radish, and grilled sourdough bread, and the Shrimp N Grits Skillet, with cheese grits and shrimp gravy. Brunch is served with live swing music.
A hearty Irish breakfast including Irish bacon, bangers, and black pudding.
Saturdays & Sundays 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Tanner Smiths, 204 W. 55th St. tannersmiths.com
BLAZE NOWARA
BLAZE NOWARA
Mac & Cheese with Gruyère, mozzarella, Jack cheese, and Parmesan, served with smoked pork shoulder and IPA-battered onion rings.
Booze-infused Tipsy Teapots.
EMILY BOLLES
The Call Me Over cocktail (1911 handcrafted gin, raspberry cordial, lemon, and egg white) and Signature Bloody Mary, topped with celery foam, beef jerky, Spanish olives, and freshly cracked black pepper.
夏のメニュー
SUMMER PLATES AT DONGURI A sampling of our summer menu
Sweet Corn Tempura Grilled Black Cod Marinated with White Miso Traditional Clear Soup Mochidoki Ice Cream Matcha Green Tea, Salted Caramel, Passion Fruit The Emmy Burger, with Fleisher’s dry-aged beef, Emmy sauce, caramelized onion, Grafton cheddar, and cornichon.
SUNDAY LUNCH AT EMILY The Clinton Hill pizza spot’s now offers chef Matt Hyland’s Korean-style duck wings, with a sauce made from gochujang, butter, garlic, and rice wine vinegar, with a side of buttermilk mint ranch for dipping. The wings join the Emmy Burger, with Fleisher’s dry-aged beef, Emmy sauce, caramelized onion, Grafton cheddar, and cornichon, on the new lunch menu.
Sundays Noon–3 p.m. Emily 919 Fulton St. Brooklyn pizzalovesemily.com
BATTLE OF THE BURGER New York City’s best burgers will face off in Time Out New York’s annual Battle of the Burger. Attendees will sample their way through the city’s top 20, as voted by Time Out New York readers (and to be revealed in their Aug. 17 issue), and wash it all down with unlimited beer from Budweiser. $50 per person. Thursday, Aug. 18 Session 1: 5 p.m.–7 p.m. Session 2: 8 p.m.–10 p.m. South Street Seaport 19 Fulton St. timeout.com/newyork/battleoftheburger
Donguri Located on the Upper East Side, the 22-seat intimate Japanese restaurant Donguri offers an extensive menu with items from land and sea. Chef Yamasaki's Omakase (tasting menu) is a must-try.
RESERVATIONS (212) 737-5656 309 E.83rd Street, New York, NY. (Btw 1st and 2nd Ave)
Compiled by Crystal Shi/Epoch Times Staff
Chef Yamasaki
Chef’s Tasting Kaiseki Menu Always Available, $150
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July 29–August 4, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com Openings around NYC DAPHNE CHENG
127 Macdougal St. (at West Third Street) 212-475-2246 ladybirdny.com
Vegetable charcuterie.
Ladybird Ladybird, led by restaurateur Ravi DeRossi and plant-based chef Daphne Cheng, offers seasonal, vegetable-based tapas like Vegetable Charcuterie with smoked carrot, beet chorizo, mushroom pâté, assorted cheeses, and fig compote; Saganaki with flaming mozzarella, smoked carrot, and gremolata; and Quinoa Croqueta with Szechuan salsa, crème fraîche, and micro wasabi. Desserts include Saffron and Chocolate Semifreddo with spun sugar, Marcona almond, and thyme syrup; and Churros with crème
fraîche, dukkah, and cinnamon chocolate. The beverage program, designed by Ariel Arce, showcases ingredient-driven cocktails, such as the Red Rail with fresh beet juice, Niepoort tawny port, bitter amaro, and lime, and a global, sustainable wine list, featuring carafes of sparkling wine with seasonal fruit. A portion of proceeds goes to DeRossi’s BEAST Foundation, which is dedicated to ending animal cruelty. Open daily for dinner, from 5 p.m.
ALL NATURAL ORGANIC YOUNG CHICKEN BROTH NO MSG•EVERYTHING HOMEMADE Hinata’s Special
COURTESY OF FIFTY
Soupless Cold Tantan Ramen
100% VEGAN RAMEN
$14.50 Summer Special until end of Sept.
Also Available
&
Healthy Natural
HINATA RAMEN
Mention EPOCH and Get One FREE Topping OPEN 7 Days M-F 11:30am-11:30pm Sat 12:00pm-11:30pm Sun 4:00pm-11:30pm
Fluke Ceviche.
Mile End at Urbanspace Vanderbilt Mile End has opened its first uptown location at the Urbanspace Vanderbilt, joining vendors like Roberta’s, Dough, and Hard Times Sundaes. The Jewish deli takes inspiration from both New York and Montreal, and specializes in sandwiches and Jewish comfort foods. Its Urbanspace booth is serving up hand-carved, made-toorder deli sandwiches with all-natural cured and smoked meats, salami, and sausages, and seasonal pickles, along with a selection of breakfast sandwiches made with wood oven baked Black Seed Bagels. Menu items include the Smoked Salmon with Tobiko cream cheese and butter lettuce, the Classic Reuben, and the Smoked Turkey and Avocado Sandwich. Classic Canadian Corn Dogs are also available, exclusive to this location. Their opening special—a $5 Bacon Egg and Cheese and coffee before 9 a.m.—will run through Labor Day. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Closed for dinner on weekends.
Urbanspace Vanderbilt 230 Park Ave. (between East 45th & East 46th streets) 646-747-0814 mileenddeli.com
Poutine and smoked meat sandwich.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MILE END
Fifty Fifty, a New American eatery led by Alex Kingman and executive chef Luis Jaramillo (formerly of Blue Water Grill), combines local, seasonal ingredients with Latin American spices and flavors. Menu offerings include Fluke Ceviche with smoked uni, cilantro, lime, sweet potato, and red onion; Mediterranean Octopus with cilantro, potato, capers, and olives; and Stout Marinated Roasted Chicken with asparagus and mint-oregano sauce. The restaurant is located in the West Village on the former site of Harold Moore’s Commerce restaurant. Open daily for dinner, with lunch and brunch to come.
50 Commerce St. 212-524-4104 fiftyrestaurantnyc.com
HinataRamen.com 159 East 55th St. (b/w Lex. & 3rd ave) • 212.355.2974
COURTESY OF PONDICHERI
Parsi Eggs are available in the mornings.
Pondicheri Chef and restaurateur Anita Jaisinghani has two restaurants, Indika and Pondicheri, and a bakery-retail store hybrid, Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop, in Houston. Her first Manhattan restaurant is a 5,000-square-foot, 135-seater in NoMad. The menu is a mix of Houston specialties and New York exclusives, featuring casual snacks and street food during the day like samosas and Madras Chicken Wings. At dinner you’ll find Aviyal, a South Indian-inspired coconut and ginger stew with cauliflower, squash, turnips, carrots, eggplant, topped with cumin chili oil; and Chicken 25, boneless chicken cooked in 25 spices and seasonings. Pondicheri’s serves an entirely vegetarian menu on its “Meatless Mondays.” Beverage options include a wine list designed by Rajat Parr, seasonal cocktails curated by Skurnik Wines, and a selection of mocktails and craft beers, while the Bake Lab, led by pastry chef Ashley Dickson, offers additional sweet and savory treats. Open for breakfast and lunch, with dinner to come.
15 W. 27th St. (between Fifth Avenue & Broadway) pondichericafe.com
Guyer’s Guyer’s, near Lincoln Center, offers modern French and Italian small plates curated by owner Cindy Guyer, inspired by her southern roots and incorporating personally selected family recipes. Offerings include French pizzas, salads, lamb lollipops, and seafood and pasta dishes, along with a selection of local cheeses and desserts. For drinks, the restaurant offers a wine list featuring both Old and New World selections, and a beer list featuring brews from various microbreweries. Open for lunch, dinner, and brunch.
286 Columbus Ave. (between 73rd & 74th streets) 212-877-8090 guyersnyc.com
Compiled by Channaly Philipp/Epoch Times Staff
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Pig and Khao
SA
MI
RA
BO
Spicy Filipino longaniza sausage with fried egg and cucumber salad.
UA OU /E PO
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TIM JUSTINE DUNGO
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By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff NEW YORK—This restaurant by former “Top Chef” contestant Leah Cohen is aptly named, given the marked presence of pork in Southeast Asian cuisine, and in particular, Filipino food. Cohen, who is half Filipino herself, serves several traditional dishes on the brunch menu, made with her own tweaks. The champorado ($7), for example, is a Filipino chocolate rice pudding dish swirled with coconut and whole milk: lightly sweet, warm, and comforting. In some regions of the Philippines, the pudding is sprinkled with bits of crispy fried fish for a sweet-savory pairing. Cohen uses a more approachable, New Yorker-friendly alternative: bacon. Longaniza sausage with garlic rice and fried egg ($12, plus $4 for garlic rice) is a breakfast staple. The pork sausage is seasoned differently according to regional styles; Cohen uses Pampanga Province sausages, with a wonderfully spicy and piquant combination of chili pepper, paprika, garlic, sugar, salt, and tamarind. Pig and Khao’s garlic rice is loaded with more than just the allium: shrimp paste adds an extra layer of briny funk. The grill right in the dining room sizzles as the cooks prepare all sorts of glorious meats. Grilled pork jowl ($13) comes as a pile of tender pork slices—with bits of jelly-bouncy cartilage—tossed with charred Brussels sprouts and mint leaves. All of that is drizzled with a zesty, pungent, lime-chili fish sauce. For a sweet breakfast dish, try the pandan custard donuts ($8), Cohen’s take on a Thai breakfast dish of pandan custard on toast. Blocks of fried dough are dipped into a custard made with the Southeast Asian plant, which tastes like citrus mixed with banana.
Pig and Khao
THE NEW AMERICAN TRADITION
Come try our creative approach to brunch, lunch, and dinner—on Murray Hill.
Pandan custard, made from the Southeast Asian plant, with fried donuts.
Chef Leah Cohen.
557 3rd Ave @ 37th Street New York, NY 10016 (212)686-8080 | www.hendriksnyc.com | Follow us
Breakfast Talk With Chef Leah Cohen Epoch Times: Which breakfast dishes do you miss the most from the Philippines and Southeast Asia? Leah Cohen: I love eating noodle soup for breakfast whenever I’m in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand and Vietnam. I had this amazing eel rice noodle soup in Vietnam last year. In the Philippines they sun-dry fish and then fry it and serve it for breakfast. It’s served with garlic rice and a vinegar dipping sauce. I absolutely have to have this for breakfast multiple times whenever I visit. Epoch Times: What’s your breakfast splurge? Ms. Cohen: If I splurge on breakfast I usually go to Russ & Daughters and get some lox and make an everything bagel sandwich with scallion cream cheese, tomato, red onion, and lox.
Authentic Japanese
Epoch Times: What’s your preferred hangover cure? Ms. Cohen: Garlic fried rice, sunny side up egg, and either bacon or longaniza. And a regular Coke or ginger ale.
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
Epoch Times: What’s your breakfast guilty pleasure? Ms. Cohen: I love waffles with ice cream, berries, Nutella, and whip cream. What’s not to love about it?
Small Course (service for two or more) • Appetizer • 2 kinds of Sashimi • Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu
68 Clinton St. 212-920-4485 pigandkhao.com
(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
Chocolate Made by Mother Nature
157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
SARAH CROWDER
By Crystal Shi | Epoch Times Staff
I
n the confectionary world, crafting complex flavors that go beyond the sweetness of sugar can be tough. Raaka Virgin Chocolate lets Mother Nature do the heavy lifting. The Brooklyn-based chocolate company, founded by Ryan Cheney and Nate Hodge in 2010, skips the traditional chocolate-making step of roasting cacao beans, in order to preserve their intrinsic flavor profiles. The team then complements these natural, unroasted flavors with innovative processes and ingredient pairings. Their 82 percent Bourbon Cask Aged chocolate, for example, is made from Belizean cacao nibs aged in Berkshire Mountain Distillers bourbon casks for four weeks. The resulting flavors—deep, dark, and smoky, with a subtle hint of caramel—earned the bar a Good Food Award in 2013. The 68 percent Ghost Pepper, another genius creation made from Dominican Republic beans, arose from the auspicious marriage of sweet and heat. In this case, the heat comes from one of the world’s hottest peppers—which might also be one of the world’s most mischievous. The first bite of chocolate is deceivingly mild. But let it slowly melt in your mouth, and you’ll feel layers of heat build and blossom, tickling your tongue and creeping into the back of your throat, where it’ll leave a pleasant tingle even after it’s gone. For chocolate lovers that lean towards the lighter side of the cacao spectrum, try the sweet and mellow Coconut Milk (Dominican Republic, 60 percent), an ideal complement to the feisty Ghost Pepper. Raaka puts a dairy-free twist on conventional milk chocolate by using shredded coconut in the bar. The coconut lends
The Coconut Milk bar, a customer favorite.
Chocolate With a Conscience Raaka supports sustainable agroforestry and sources its organic cacao beans from farmer-owned coops, such as Maya Mountain Cacao in Belize and Alto Beni Cacao Co. in Bolivia, which all receive $500 per metric ton above market price. Husks extracted from the beans during processing are donated to Edible Schoolyard NYC for composting. All of Raaka’s chocolate is certified kosher and organic, and is sold wrapped in 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper printed with soy ink.
a rich texture and creamy flavor alongside the chocolate’s natural berry notes. In addition to individual bars, Raaka offers a unique monthly subscription service called First Nibs, a riff on “first dibs.” For $24.95 per month, subscribers receive a trio of bars: one from the existing line, and two from new, limited micro-batches, freshly concocted by head chocolate maker Nate Hodge every month. Raaka then brings back subscriber favorites in its seasonal Best of First Nibs line, which so far boasts flavors including Ghost Pepper, Earl Grey (Bolivia and Madagascar, 67 percent), and this summer’s featured flavor, Raspberry Lemonade (Madagascar, 65 percent), a dark and fruity bar brightened with a sprinkling of lemon sugar. Available in shops around the United States and online at raakachocolate.com
Redefining Traditional Spanish Cuisine • Fine dining experience inspired by the distinctive culinary-rich regions of Spain. • Top-quality ingredients expanding on the rich, healthy profiles of the Mediterranean diet. • Seasonal menu reflecting the bounty of fresh, local ingredients. • Exciting selection of Spanish wines, cavas, and cocktails.
246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com • (212) 370-1866
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From Picky Eater to Chef Nikki Dinki Puts Vegetables First By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
N
EW YORK—There’s something fascinating about a cookbook by a chef who used to be a picky eater of the most extreme kind. Earlier this month, Nikki Dinki was prepping for a dinner party, scouring the Union Square greenmarket for poblano peppers for a tomatillo salsa to accompany fish tacos. Other dishes she was planning were yellowfin crudo with lime-ginger granita and spaghetti squash polenta as a bed for chili-rubbed flank steak. She’s come a long way since eating only a handful of foods. “You never really know where life is gonna take you,” Dinki said, reminiscing in the shade of park trees in Union Square. “My mom literally still can’t get over it because I ate not a single vegetable or protein until I was 20.” Dinki co-hosts “Junk Food Flip” with Bobby Deen on the Cooking Channel. She said for one of her birthday meals, when she got to eat whatever her heart desired, she picked lasagna noodles, bagels, and ramen noodles. She liked to scoop up the ramen noodles with her bagel. In an infamous incident described in her new cookbook, “Meat on the Side: Delicious Vegetable-Focused Recipes for Every Day,” she hid her uneaten broccoli in an open heating vent. The next week, a stench filled the house, forcing the young culprit to ‘fess up. The young Dinki was the only one of five siblings to be a difficult eater, and her mom finally threw in the towel and let her cook her own meals. “That was an amazing punishment,” Dinki said. “I would just make cereal or ramen noodles or bagels or plain pasta noodles or macaroni and cheese. … A lot of people think I didn’t like food, and it wasn’t that. I loved eating and creating my meals. I just ate five things. It was a very different love affair with food, without the variety.” But her health caught up with her. When she was 20, she knew she wasn’t feeling well. “I was significantly shorter than my entire family. I knew that nutrition had to affect my body, but when you only know how you feel, then you don’t really know you could feel better,” she said. Another catalyst was the desire to take part in social activities focused around food, like simply going to a restaurant, on a date or with friends, and having a meal like everyone else. “It was embarrassing because it was not a normal thing to not eat anything,” she said. She knew that by eating something again and again, she would grow to like it. She forced
Find the recipe for Spaghetti Squash “Mac” + Cheese with Green Chiles + Creole Chicken on EpochTaste.com
As a young child, Nikki Dinki found inventive ways to avoid eating vegetables. Today, they’re the centerpiece of her dishes. Above, Dinki at the Union Square Greenmarket.
herself to eat foods that hadn’t touched her lips in years, starting with tomatoes. It wasn’t long before eating and cooking became fun. She started a cooking blog and was soon noticed by Food Network, which sought her out as a contestant for the ninth season of “Food Network Star”—and the rest is history. These days, Dinki looks radiant and healthy. When she started varying her diet, it was first with vegetables; she was a vegetarian for years before she started adding meat to her diet. The dishes featured in her cookbook retain that veggie-centric focus, but the recipes have a different sensibility than the many farm-totable cookbooks out these days. Dinki herself said that hers is not a farm-to-table cookbook, actually, and many of the combinations are unusual. For example, she makes a tarte Tatin not just with apples, but with thick rounds of leeks and half-moon slices of Granny Smith apple, sprinkled with crumbled goat cheese and drizzled with honey. To save time, she uses puff pastry for the crust. It’s a delicious combination—a mix of savory and sweet that just works. But perhaps the most beautiful part is how little time it takes, and this is true of many of the recipes. One of her most requested recipes is Eggplant Meatballs. Despite its name, it has zero meat, but instead has loads of cremini mushrooms mixed with a purée of eggplant and breadcrumbs, with egg to bind it all. It takes very little time to throw together, and after 25 minutes in the oven, these umami-filled “meatballs” with a little bit of char are downright addictive, so much so that I never missed the meat (and I do love meat). If anything, I liked the texture better than that of many meatballs, which can be dense and leave me feeling heavy. Dinki includes side notes at the end of her recipes: “FF” for “family-friendly,” with tips to encourage kids to eat their vegetables; “50/50” for how to create both meat and vegetarian versions; and “make it meaty,” with ways to add some extra protein. Taste trumps everything else in Dinki’s book. “It’s about really yummy food that happens to have a vegetable-focused element to it instead of what is traditionally meat-focused,” Dinki said. “I think the book provides really fun ways to expand your palate.” As for that broccoli, she isn’t about to ram steamed broccoli down anyone’s throat. She’s been there before. “No way,” she said, “and how many people like steamed broccoli? So I tend to char it up and add seasoning and garlic, and mix it into a taco. That’s a very different broccoli.”
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“Meat on the Side: Delicious VegetableFocused Recipes for Every Day” by Nikki Dinki, St. Martin’s Griffin, 2016, 288 pages, $27.99.
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RECIPE LEEK + APPLE TARTE TATIN
SO FRESH!
Makes 2 servings; double the recipe as you wish I’ve always challenged myself to make my dreams come true. I dreamt of an amazing husband and got exactly that (I know, I’m totally corny), I dreamt of sharing my food with millions of people, and this Leek + Apple Tarte Tatin is what my food dreams are made of. A tarte Tatin is a pie baked upside down, named after the Tatin sisters whose apple version became famous. In mine puff pastry is laid over leeks and apples. Flip it after baking: the result is a caramelized filling that has baked right into a soft yet chewy crust. Drizzled with honey and scattered with goat cheese, this tarte Tatin proves that dreams do come true.
• • • • • • • •
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. Cut off and discard the root and darker green leafy end of the leeks. Then cut each leek crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Add these to a bowl of cold water and gently separate the layers to remove any grit, but keep the segments intact. Rinse in a colander and then pat dry with a kitchen towel. 3. Melt the butter in a 9-inch omelet pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the leek segments upright (with a cut end down) in the pan. Sprinkle the salt over the leeks and let them cook, undisturbed, until they begin to brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn all the leek segments over and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the thyme over the leeks and arrange the apples in a single layer on top. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the honey over the apples. 4. Cut the puff pastry into a 10-inch diameter circle. (Most puff pastry comes in 10-inch squares so really, all you need to do is cut off the corners; this circle doesn’t need to be all that precise.) Lay the pastry over the omelet pan and tuck the edges down between the pan and the leeks to enclose the apples and leeks. The edge of the pastry should be touching the bottom of the pan. It’s okay if the pastry folds over on itself a bit. Use a paring knife to cut several slits in the top of the pastry so the tart can vent as it bakes. 5. Bake the tart until the pastry is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Then transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
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5 to 6 small leeks (about 2 1/4 pounds) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1/8-inch-thick half-moons 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish 2 tablespoons honey 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 ounce soft goat cheese, crumbled into largish pieces
DIRECTIONS
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An Authentic Bit of Tokyo in Midtown West
6. Invert a plate over the tart in the pan. Using oven mitts, and holding the plate and pan together, quickly flip them over, so that the tart drops onto the plate. Lift off the pan. If any leek segments have stuck to the pan, place them back in the tart. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon honey over the tart, sprinkle with a little more thyme, scatter the cheese over all. Cut the tart into wedges and serve warm.
•
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• I like Granny Smith apples because they hold up well when cooked, but several other apples would also be fine in this recipe. You can experiment to see whether you like it better with tart or sweet apples.
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE
• Substitute feta, queso fresco, or little dollops of cream cheese for the goat cheese—whichever appeals most to you.
at el Pote
• If you get off on your timing while prepping, put the thawed pastry in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. It should always be as cold as possible.
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Make It Meaty Cook up 3 ounces of finely diced pancetta in the pan before you begin step 3. Then remove them, add the leeks, and continue the step, but before you add the apple slices, sprinkle the pancetta over the leeks. Continue with the rest of the recipe, and enjoy the porky, salty bite of your Leek + Apple Tarte Tatin.
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque
From “Meat on the Side: Delicious Vegetable-Focused Recipes for Every Day” by Nikki Dinki, St. Martin’s Griffin, 2016 COURTESY OF ST. MARTIN’S PRESS
TOMATO + STRAWBERRY FRENCH TOAST WITH MAPLE–CREAM CHEESE ICING
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Makes 8 slices toast; about 1/2 cup icing At this point we all know that a tomato is technically a fruit, but do we really believe that it is? I first served this dish at an event where many questioned the place tomatoes had sitting next to strawberries atop their French toast. It’s human nature to question things, and it can also be human nature to be afraid of new things. But sometimes if we stop asking so many questions, stop analyzing everything, and just dig in and eat the darn thing, we would realize just how good something like this is. We would see how an ever-so slightly acidic tomato brightens up and complements sweet food. Still don’t believe me? OK, be here in five; I’m making you French toast.
For the Maple–Cream Cheese Icing • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature • 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature • 1/3 cup powdered sugar • 2 tablespoons maple syrup • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract For the Strawberry French Toast • 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes • 1 cup quartered strawberries • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar • 1 cup half-and-half • 3 large eggs • 2 tablespoons honey • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • Pinch of ground nutmeg • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • Eight 3/4-inch-thick slices challah, or other white bread • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • Chopped fresh mint leaves, for serving
DIRECTIONS For the Maple–Cream Cheese Icing Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the butter and cream cheese until combined. Turn the mixer to low and beat in the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla, beating until a smooth icing forms. Set aside while you make the French toast. For the Strawberry French Toast 1. Put the tomatoes, strawberries, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl and gently stir together. 2. Whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Submerge the bread slices in the egg mixture and let them soak for at least 2 minutes.
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3. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Melt the butter in the pan, spreading it evenly over the surface. Working in batches if necessary, arrange the bread slices in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides and firm in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Classic Margherita Pizza
4. To serve, place 2 slices of toast on each plate. Spoon the tomatoes and strawberries over them. Drizzle or spread the icing on top (you can put it in a squeeze bottle if you want to get a piped effect) and sprinkle with some chopped mint. Keep It Simple • I like half-and-half in this recipe because it creates a thick and rich custard; alternatively, you could use heavy cream for a similar consistency. Considering you’ve got a killer icing on this French toast, you could instead lighten things up a bit by using buttermilk, 2 percent, or 1 percent milk. • The nutmeg gives a touch of warmth to the French toast, but it is totally optional; don’t worry if you don’t have any or don’t like it. • Grape tomatoes work best for this as they are generally extra sweet, and as this is a sweeter dish you don’t want a tomato that’s too acidic. FF French toast with a serving of veggies, what more could you ask for? The quartered tomatoes blend in really well with the strawberries, but if you’re afraid your kids will pick them out, try finely chopping the strawberries and tomatoes: they will just see red deliciousness and won’t think twice. A little extra icing is always a hit, too. From “Meat on the Side: Delicious Vegetable-Focused Recipes for Every Day” by Nikki Dinki, St. Martin’s Griffin, 2016
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Complaints of Racism on Airbnb Inspires New Sites Innclusive and Noirbnb AP PHOTO/BEBETO MATTHEWS
By Beth J. Harpaz
Airbnb Airbnb has a longstanding policy prohibiting discrimination, but back in January, a study by researchers from the Harvard Business School found that African-American guests were less likely to be approved for Airbnb bookings than white guests. Last week, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement published on Airbnb’s blog that allegations of racism are “the greatest challenge we face as a company” and pledged to “create new tools” to prevent bias. A review of company practices is underway, headed by Laura Murphy, former head of the American Civil Liberties Union’s legislative office. The company has also hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder as an adviser on the efforts. Murphy said the company’s findings and new policies will be made public around Labor Day, and that they will focus on becoming more responsive to complaints, implementing antibias training, and preventing discrimination in bookings. She could not provide details on how many complaints of racism have been received or how many hosts have been removed, but said they would “monitor the behavior of hosts
Innclusive.com Innclusive.com founder Rohan Gilkes’s experience with Airbnb began when his attempts to book a property in Idaho on several different dates kept being rejected. He had a white friend book for the same dates and she was approved. The experience led Gilkes, an entrepreneur who has built more than a half-dozen companies, to found Innclusive.com with Zakiyyah Myers. “It really grew out of the lack of response I got from Airbnb,” Gilkes said. “If their response had been a little more empathetic, or where I felt they were taking the problem seriously, I would be doing something else with my time.” Among Innclusive.com’s innovations is a simple tech tool that prevents hosts from seeing pictures of guests until after the booking has been approved. If the host cancels a booking after seeing the guest’s photo, they will not be able to book the property for those dates with someone else. Gilkes said he’s been heartened by outreach from all races, including many white hosts and travelers. “They want to spend money and travel in ways that are aligned with their values,” he said.
By Beth J. Harpaz
Insurance Standard travel insurance may cover trip cancellations if a terror attack takes place shortly before your arrival, according to Rachael Taft of SquareMouth.com, a travel insurance comparison site. For example, depending on the policy, insured travelers canceling trips to Nice, France, may be eligible for refunds for trips scheduled within seven to 30 days of the July 14 truck attack there, she said. But standard trip insurance won’t cover trips canceled out of more generalized fears. If you booked a trip to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics and bought standard insurance, “you would unfortunately be out of luck if you want to cancel due to fear of Zika,” Taft said. So what does standard insurance cover? Typically, illness, injury, death in the family, natural disasters, or other major events that prevent you from traveling. “If you break your leg, you’re covered. If your mother passes, you’re covered. If a hurricane cancels flights to your destination for 24 hours or makes your home or destination uninhabitable, you’re covered,” said Daniel Durazo, spokesman for the travel insurer Allianz Global Assistance. Standard insurance also helps if you get sick or injured while traveling, covering medical treatment, reimbursements for unused prepaid trip costs, and travel home.
It really grew out of the lack of response I got from Airbnb. Rohan Gilkes, founder, Innclusive.com
Noirbnb.com Stefan Grant and Ronnia Cherry were renting an Airbnb house in Atlanta, where Grant was playing at a music festival, when neighbors called the cops. Police showed up with their guns drawn. “They saw black people in the house and assumed we were robbing the place,” Grant said. Airbnb gave them a voucher “to smooth things over,” but Grant felt the company’s response was “lackadaisical.” Grant says they pitched a proposal to Airbnb
Can Insurance Help If You Cancel a Trip Out of Fear? NEW YORK—Spooked by headlines about Zika, terrorism, and mass shootings? Maybe the news is so bad that you’re ready to cancel your vacation and stay home. But can you recoup what you paid for flights, lodging, car rentals, and tours? The answer is, it depends. Your best bet for getting a refund no matter what is to buy an expensive type of insurance called “cancel for any reason” insurance when you book your trip. Otherwise, whether you get money back depends on the circumstances and policies of individual airlines, hotels, and other vendors.
Ashley Warmington, owner of shortterm rental concierge company Cozy Oasis, is partnering with the anti-racism lodging website Noirbnb.
Cancel-forany-reason policies let you change your mind on a whim.
INNCLUSIVE.COM VIA AP
NEW YORK—Accusations that Airbnb has been ignoring complaints of racism have led several black entrepreneurs to create two new vacation rental websites where they say racism will not be tolerated. The new sites, Innclusive.com and Noirbnb. com, say they are enrolling hosts around the country and the world and hope to open their platforms for bookings toward the end of this summer. The sites are launching after months of allegations from travelers who say they’ve been rejected by Airbnb hosts because they are black. Many have posted their experiences on Twitter with the hashtag #AirbnbWhileBlack. Among the stories that have made headlines was Gregory Selden’s. He was rejected for a stay in a property that later accepted him when he used a fake profile for a white man requesting the same dates. Selden has since filed suit against Airbnb. Another case got attention in June when Airbnb removed a host in North Carolina who purportedly used a racial slur to reject a booking by a black woman.
to make sure that people acting in a discriminatory fashion aren’t allowed to participate in our platform.” Asked why profile photos are required when so many people say they’re being rejected based on their race, Airbnb spokeswoman Courtney O’Donnell said the photos “have been an important tool to help connect hosts and guests,” as well as a security feature so users can recognize each other at check-in. But, she added, “we are reviewing every aspect of our platform, including the use of photos.”
Screenshot from the new website Innclusive. com for a program to ensure that black travelers “had people in the company who cared about what they were doing,” but nothing came of it. So Grant and Cherry started Noirbnb.com. “We want to proactively create a culture where these things will not occur,” said Cherry. “As a black-owned company, we want to create something that everyone can use. If you’re coming to a place like Noirbnb, it’s such a multicultural platform, you’ll not only see people of color but you’ll also see people that respect people of color.” Among those glad to be partnering with Noirbnb is Ashley Warmington, who owns Cozy Oasis in Brooklyn, a short-term rental concierge company that caters to hosts, guests, and landlords. “The energy and focus in entrepreneurship pushes all of us to be better,” she said. “I see that in Noirbnb.” From The Associated Press
AP PHOTO/MICHAEL PROBST, FILE
Cancel-for-any-reason policies, however, let you change your mind on a whim. These policies are more expensive: Standard trip insurance costs about 5 percent of a trip, while cancel-for-any-reason policies can cost substantially more, Durazo said. Standard insurance can be bought up to the day before departure, but cancel-for-anyreason insurance must be bought sooner. At SquareMouth, cancel-for-any-reason policies are only available within 14 to 30 days of your first booking for a trip. Reimbursement rates vary by policy, so don’t expect 100 percent of your losses to be covered. Airlines Airlines often charge hefty fees to change flights, but that can change in a crisis, especially if airports close or governments issue warnings. British Airways allowed customers who’d planned to travel to Nice the weekend after the July 14 attacks to change their date of travel or re-book to an alternative destination. Following the coup attempt in Turkey, British Airways allowed customers with bookings through July 24 to re-book to a later date or use the value of their ticket toward an alternative destination. Hotels, Car Rentals, Booking Sites, Tour Groups Hotel chains and car rental companies often allow cancellations with no penalty until a day or two before arrival. But discount rates and package deals are sometimes nonrefundable, so check the terms. If you booked with a tour company or resort that has multiple locations, ask about a credit for another location. Booking website policies vary. Expedia does not charge cancellation fees but cautions users that hotels and other providers may charge fees depending on their terms and deadlines. On Airbnb, hosts choose their cancellation policies, ranging from a full refund up to one day prior to arrival (except fees), to “strict” policies with just a 50 percent refund up until a week prior to arrival (except fees). Credit Cards Some credit cards offer protection if used to book a trip that’s disrupted by an event like the terror attacks that closed the Brussels airport, according to Brian Karimzad, director of MileCards.com, which compares credit card travel rewards. Karimzad says Chase Sapphire
Preferred and Citibank ThankYou Rewards cards are among those that cover losses in some circumstances. Data on the Jitters Isolated incidents don’t usually dampen travel, especially if authorities respond appropriately and tourists were not targeted. But repeated events—like the bombings in Turkey that preceded the coup attempt—have an impact. Bookings for international arrivals in Istanbul from July through December were down 36 percent compared to a year ago even before the coup attempt, according to ForwardKeys.com, which analyzes 14 million reservations’ transactions daily. Travel to many European countries from June through August is also “underperforming” compared to last year, ForwardKeys said, likely reflecting the impact of terror attacks, the migrant crisis and other bad news. Declines in summer bookings range from 23 percent in Belgium to 11 percent for France and 6 percent for Germany. ForwardKeys also found an overall decline in arrivals to Zika-affected regions this year. There is one exception: Travel to Brazil for the Olympics appears strong. As of early July, bookings for Rio during the period of July 27 to Aug. 21 were 148 percent ahead of where they were at the equivalent time last year, ForwardKeys said. Olympics do not always increase tourism. Britain’s Office for National Statistics reported a 5 percent decline in visitors when London hosted the games in August 2012 compared to the year before. From The Associated Press
Police officers patrol the Grand Place in Brussels in November 2015, following the Paris terror attacks.
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July 29–August 4, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SUSAN JAMES
La Place du Capitole in Toulouse, in the southwest of France.
A Taste of Toulouse
From Violets to Foie Gras By Susan James TOULOUSE, France—Toulouse, called La Ville Rose or the Pink City, in southwest France, is a place whose food culture over the ages has explored strange and varied flavors. First there were the Romans bringing dormice (yes, the rodent!) poached in honey and fish pickle sauce. Then in the Middle Ages, Toulouse became rich from the woad plant of blue dye fame. Its leaves, soaked and sipped, were used for medicine. In the 19th century, the violet became both the symbol of the city and a culinary prize. Violet fairs, violet markets, and violet festivals flooded city squares with swaths of purple flowers and dozens of edible offerings. This tradition continues today, and on a recent visit I stopped to sample some floral gourmet creations at La Maison de la Violette, a specialist shop on a barge anchored in the Garonne River. Here I discovered that there are 400 varieties of violets, and that the popular Parma violet is believed to have come from Turkey. Every year top chefs vie to produce violet-themed dishes for the Festival of Violets held in February. The offerings at La Maison de la Violette were more modest than last year’s winning dish of Filet Mignon de Veau Fermier à la Violette, but every form of candy, cookie, bonbon, vinegar, or liqueur on display paid homage to the flower. My personal favorites were the pale lavender meringues filled with violets and the violet syrup taken in a cup of tea. The flower added more aroma than flavoring but made me think of fairy tales in which magical food was a prominent feature. Moving from violets to foie gras is a short step in Toulouse. At the Victor Hugo covered market, all of the edible riches of the French countryside are spread out in rows of alluring showcases. The city claims that it produces the best foie gras in France, and it’s hard to dispute.
The market stall of Maison Samaran offers a foie gras that dissolves like butter on the tongue. As I wandered through the aisles of gustatory glories, cases of delectable French cheeses sat next to haunches of Serrano ham, and on the market’s exterior, overflowing stands showed off, in a rainbow of reds and oranges, the first soft fruits of the season: strawberries, cherries, peaches, and apricots. Sampling is a great way to get a taste for a town’s cuisine, but by now I was hungry and headed for Le Bibent on the Place du Capitole, the main square of the city. The home restaurant of celebrity chef Christian Constant, Le Bibent celebrates the regional food of Toulouse. Located in a florid,historically listed building whose interiors boast painted ceilings and gilded mirrors, the outside setting is simple, with only a few tables and chairs, flourishes of pink oleander, and a busy open market a few steps away. My crispy Shrimp en Papillote, served with sweet mustard and some fresh salad greens, was pretty on the plate and a nice way to start the meal. The main course of delicate hake was some of the best fish I’ve ever tasted. Sweet, moist, crusted with almonds, and served on a bed of spinach with a tease of lemon, it melted in the mouth. Dessert was a trip back to my childhood— a pot of creamy rice pudding scented with vanilla and served with a rich swirl of caramel and two side swirls of meringue. Just across the square, a stall selling West African carvings was doing a booming business while its owner munched a kebab sandwich smothered in hummus, a grace note of the exotic in the eclectic panoply of foodie Toulouse.
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.
Susan James is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She has lived in India, the U.K., and Hawaii, and writes about travel, art, and culture.
Fruit stands at the Victor Hugo covered market.
Chef Christian Constant’s Le Bibent celebrates the regional food of Toulouse.
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Meringues filled with violets and other violet treats at La Maison de la Violette.
10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours Almond-crusted hake at Le Bibent.
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GALLERIES Best of TO GELATO Florence ALL PHOTOS BY MICHELLE LOCKE VIA AP
By Michelle Locke FLORENCE, Italy—The skies were clouding over as I strode briskly across that famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, ready for a productive day checking off Florentine must-sees. Slight problem: The first museum on my list was open, but the ticket office was closed. OK, then, on to the Uffizi Gallery. Except this time both the ticket office and museum were closed; I had forgotten it was Monday. A fine rain began to fall as I wandered listlessly past the open arches of the building next door, the statue-studded Loggia dei Lanzi. This wasn’t going at all as planned. And then it hit me. Wait. This was the Piazza della Signoria, where novelist E.M. Forster’s adorable Lucy Honeychurch witnessed a stabbing moments after complaining about the dullness of life in “A Room With a View.” And those had to be the steps where the brooding George Emerson carried Lucy’s fainting form. Sunshine filtered through. I had found Florence. Or rather, it had found me. If you’re planning a trip here, you could do worse than wander until you find what you didn’t know you were looking for. Here are a few starting points. What’s New The Opera Duomo Museum, devoted to art created for the famous Florence duomo (cathedral), has been given a major makeover and expansion. A highlight is the exhibition hall featuring a replica of the former facade of the cathedral. A 15-euro pass (about $17) will get you access to the museum as well as the cathedral dome and bell tower, both with steps to the top. Piazza del Duomo 9. Open daily, except the first Tuesday of the month, but check website for unexpected closures. museumflorence. com/museum The Central Market (Piazza del Mercato Centrale on Via dell’Ariento) has a bright and bustling remodeled second floor, home to food stands, a restaurant, pizzeria, wine academy, cooking school, and more. Open daily, 10 a.m. to midnight.
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ESANATION Authentic Thai cuisine sure to delight your adventurous senses!
• 14 types of unbelievable Som Tum (papaya salad). • Gang Om soup that pulls a straight punch to the throat. • Whole Cornish hen, fried to a golden crispiness, with the most addictive dipping sauce. • Yentafo Noodle soup, an authentic standout.
Classic Attractions If there is one must-see in Florence, it’s Michelangelo’s David. Yes, there are lines, crowds, and a forest of smartphones waving in front of you, but all that falls away as you round the corner to the long gallery and confront 17 feet of cool, concentrated, confident youth. Galleria del’Accademia, Via Ricasoli 58/60. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. $14 entry. The Uffizi Gallery, set in an imposing 16thcentury building, is home to outstanding art, including Giotto’s altarpiece, the Ognissanti Madonna, which revolutionized painting by portraying the human figure in perspective, not just two dimensions. Piazzale degli Uffizi 6. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. $10 entry. You can’t miss the Duomo, the Gothic cathedral encrusted in pink, green, and white marble that is a striking feature of the city. The inside is less impressive but is open most days, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free entry. The Ponte Vecchio isn’t the most beautiful bridge in the world, but it is interesting, with its lineup of stores, mostly jewelers and souvenir sellers. It was big news in May when a sinkhole opened up, swallowing a score of cars on a stretch of road between Ponte Vecchio and the bridge immediately east, Ponte Grazie. The mayor of Florence vows to have repairs completed by November. Around sunset, head to the Piazzale Michelangelo, on a hill on the south side of the Arno, for terrific views of the city. You can get here by taxi, by the No. 12 bus, or by walking about 20 minutes from the Uffizi Gallery.
The Tribuna of the Uffizi, a domed octagonal room displaying paintings and statues in Florence, Italy.
Ponte Vecchio, built across the Arno river, is home to several jewelry and souvenir shops. Getting Around Florence is a walking city; bring comfy shoes. If you have a car or hire a driver, consider emulating Miss Honeychurch and cousin Charlotte and head for the hills. You’re in the middle of Chianti wine country with several estates to visit, including Poggio Casciano, a 14th-century villa that is part of the Ruffino wine company and about a 30-minute drive from the city. The estate produces Modus, a Super Tuscan red blend of sangiovese, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon. By appointment only; reserve tastings and tours at ruffino.com Farther afield is the Romitorio di Serelle, about 24 miles from Florence, where you can rent apartments by the week or have lunch on the property’s wide terrace perched above rolling vineyards. romitoriodiserelle.it
Visitors to the Accademia Gallery view Michelangelo’s David.
Tips If you’re planning on visiting museums, consider buying tickets online to skip long lines. More into shopping than sculpture? Check out the Santa Maria Novella, an apothecary that traces its history back 600 years. Don’t miss the displays of antique remedies such as anti-hysteria pills, the beautifully packaged perfumes, and other products available for modern consumers. Via della Scala 16. For a touch of local nightlife, the Piazza Santo Spirito on the south side of the Arno is lined with cafes and bars. A hot spot for gelato is La Carraia at Piazza Nazario Sauro 25R. Work up a literary appetite and order something in honor of Miss Honeychurch, who “loved iced coffee and meringues.” Enjoy your treats on the nearby Ponte alla Carraia where you’ll have more room, and, naturally, a view. For more information, see www.firenzeturismo.it/en From The Associated Press
Chef Wanlapha Techama was the sous chef responsible for Esan specialties at Queens restaurant Zabb Elee when it received a Michelin star last year.
ESANATION 750 9th Avenue • New York, NY 10019 (btw. 50th & 51st streets) 212-315-0555 • esanation.com
The old city of Florence, seen from Piazzale Michelangelo, a square in the hills above the city, on April 18.