Kathy YL Chan

Sugar Rush'ed...

2012-01-27T17:58:00.005-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Root Beer Cake at tbsp
10 Must-Try Sweets in Honolulu
Indian Apple Pie at City Bakery
Salted Pistachio Religeuse (and that Olive Oil Cake) at Dominique Ansel Bakery
Chocolate-Pistachio Doughnuts at The Bowery Diner
Japanese-Inspired Chocolates at Chocolat Moderne

Grand Cayman: Laurent Gras at Periwinkle

2012-01-27T11:27:00.009-05:00

Have you stepped outside today? The rain! I love this kind of weather - grey skies, non-stop pouring. With no obligations, I am content to stay inside, cuddle with hot chocolate (like this one Kat made), a book, and even laptop to get work done. Hope you are having an equally good end to the work week. Wanted to share photos from a guest lunch cooked by Laurent Gras at the The Ritz-Carlton's Periwinkle restaurant.

Never had a chance to eat at L2O in Chicago before Laurent Gras left...but if this meal was any indication of what's to come, I'm excited to see what he does next. First course: Conch with fresh coconut, caviar, parsley, and lime.

Then Caribbean Lobster, butter poached with a savory dark rum sauce and lettuce.

More local fish - Wahoo, seared outside, raw inside with tomato, ginger, and cilantro.

Ending on a tropical, fresh note - Melon Consomme and coconut gelée cubes, lemon ginger sorbet and butter cake. It's a wonder I didn't gain dozen pounds from this trip ;)

Japanese Café Books

2012-01-26T23:23:00.013-05:00

Lisa's cousin mailed over some Japanese café and craft books. Just can't get enough of these. Forget about spending hours browsing blogs, these books are where it's at ;)

Colorful covers, thick, glossy pages.

This particular book is about Tokyo cafés, they show the variety of teas served at various cafés, photos of the dry tea leaves included...

...as well as business cards...

...and even shopping bags! Now if only I could read Japanese...

NYC: Ai Fiori

2012-01-26T09:00:00.009-05:00

Finally got to catch up with Diana over lunch at Ai Fiori last week. I'm all about the long and leisurely midday meals when possible. Meals don't need to be extravagant, but they need to be peaceful. Wake early or work late, but forsake lunch hour? Never.

Bread and butter at the table, appetizers to start. This cauliflower soup was butter smooth (likely equal parts cauliflower and cream), topped with currants, grasso di agnello, and just enough anchovy.

Diana had a salad of seasonal greens with local baby carrots, manchego, and aged sherry dressing...

...then the Razza - roasted skate wing with lentils du pays, funghi, and salsefrica.

One of my favorite chicken dishes of late, the Gamba di Pollo. Pan-roasted with crisp, well-seasoned skin and sage tucked in the center. Heady! Served on a bed of brussels sprouts (individual leaves sautéed), zucca, pancetta, and a sage jus.

Saving the best part for last? Oh yes. A very indulgent Milk Chocolate Crémeux with salted caramel and stracciatella gelato balanced with...

...a lemon-kissed Olive Oil Cake and espresso gelato. I love the sharp cut and perfectly flat top - it reminds me exactly of Japanese Castella cake in appearance. Ideally dense and even, tiny crumb, more akin to this olive oil cake from Dominique Ansel Bakery than the others ones from Abraço or La Colombe.

Grand Cayman: The Brasserie

2012-01-25T11:46:00.016-05:00

Our second day in the Cayman Islands we drove to The Brasserie for one of the Cayman Cookout events: The Impérial Lunch: Moët at The Brasserie. It was a lunch collaboration between The Brasserie's own Chef Dean James Max and Pascal Tingaud, the Chef de Cuisine of Moët & Chandon.

They employ two full-time fishermen at The Brasserie, ensuring fresh fish for each meal of the day. I arrived early to wander around the garden...they grow vegetables, herbs, and lots of fruit in-house. We drank champagne cocktails (ICE Impérial with sugarcane and mint) in the garden while nibbling on hors d'oeuvres...I wish I took more photos! Cayman Conch Tempura, Fish Tea with Callaloo, Wahoo Sashimi, and Snapper Ceviche were among my favorite bites.

Time to sit down for lunch! First course - Cayman Spiny Lobster Cannelloni. Served with oxheart tomatoes, garden chard and eggplant, and a sorrel scented sauce. This was paired with Grand Vintage Brut 2003.

For the main course, Cayman Sea Salt Crusted "Brasserie Catch" Snapper. Caught just hours before. The one he's holding is a 15-pound snapper, but they had a 40-pound one in the kitchen...it was just too heavy to carry into the dining room heheh. The woman to my right is Dana Cowin...I was nervous to be sitting next to her (and dropping food all over myself!), but she turned out to be incredibly nice.

Plated with local gungo peas and zucchini, garden ackee, and caribbean boniato. And paired with Moët's Rosé Impérial. We had snapper (as well as conch and lobster) at least once a day during the whole trip - nothing beats fresh, local seafood.

Apple Banana Mousse for dessert. Sugar-dusted orbs are pineapple beignets with hazelnut and naseberry sauce. South Sound coconut sorbet to complete and a glass of Nectar Impérial. Then back to the hotel for afternoon on the beach and kayaking!

NYC: Erno Laszlo: The Hollywood Collection

2012-01-24T10:30:00.020-05:00

Still can't get over the hors d'oeuvres served at an Erno Laszlo event the other week. The world's tiniest pig in a blanket and smoked salmon on pumpernickel cut into little pig shapes. Wasabi tobiko stripes to complete! And the way it was presented! Not on plastic, but upright, sharp sticks and a tall field of grass. Memorable and delicious.

The event was to celebrate the company's 85th anniversary and launch of The Hollywood Collection. Five products nestled into this black case, each based off formulations Laszlo created for clients like Grace Kelly and Ava Gardner. You recall Audrey Hepburn's famous quote, no? "I owe 50% of my beauty to my mother and the other 50% to Erno Laszlo." Excited to try it out, shall report back.

Six to Start: Grand Cayman

2012-01-22T21:11:00.015-05:00

Sweet memories from our (much too short ;) holiday in the Cayman Islands.

1. Good morning! Just another day in paradise...

2. Breakfast on the beach. Fresh fruit and an unforgettable crispy red potato hash.

3. Spotting iguanas poolside. He's camouflaged, but still ever present. If you have a chance, drive to the Blue Iguana Recovery Program and visit the native blue iguanas. They're an endangered species and enormous (five feet long!)

4. Warm welcome at The Ritz Carlton. Tropical juices and cookies upon check-in, followed by this dear fruit bowl in our room. They had us stuffed from the get-go!

5. Our room...and staring out straight into this view from the balcony.

6. Incredible sunsets - this photo always makes me smile. Captures the whole trip!

NYC: Mas (la grillade)

2012-01-21T16:57:00.015-05:00

Snow day! 12pm, walking through Washington Square Park. Meeting Jess for lunch at Mas (la grillade), a restaurant best known for grilling and smoking techniques, seemingly simple dishes that focus on the ingredients. See their NYT review here.

Here we are, at the intersection of 7th Avenue South and Leroy Street. Two floors - upstairs is best, peaceful with amazing light, glass sunroof.

We start with bread, a warm demi-baguette, and salted, room temperature butter.

Appetizers to share. Grilled squid stuffed with bay leaves, crisp tentacles. Bright cheery presentation...

...and grilled whole Portuguese sardines. Savory, slightly charred skin. I wound up eating most off the bones, impossible to pick off but completely worth the effort.

Jess went with the grilled skate with walnut-parsley gremolata, smoked celery root puree and grilled treviso...

...while I ate housemade, smoked lamb sausage with brussels sprouts and violet mustard. Generous portions, and the tiniest (and sweetest!) brussels sprouts in town.

Finishing sweet - grilled pineapples laced in lime syrup, a dish of cool earl grey custard to dip. The custard was supple, like a very loose pudding and intensely flavored with earl grey - I could have easily devoured three more plates like this.

Mas (la grillade)
28 Seventh Ave South
New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-1790

Sugar Rush'ed...

2012-01-20T18:28:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Churros and Chocolate at La Churreria
Boston Cream Cupcakes at Two Little Red Hens
Roasted Pineapple at Shake Shack UES
Phin & Phebes Ice Cream at Murray's Cheese
Cherry Danish at Ceci-Cela

Gotham Magazine: The Best of the 2012 Cayman Cookout

2012-01-20T11:38:00.009-05:00

Chilly in NYC today - hope you're staying bundled up and warm. My latest article for Gotham Magazine just went live - The Best of the 2012 Cayman Cookout. Drinking and eating for three days straight: a tiki bbq with Anthony Boudain's killer porchetta, learning how to make Eric Ripert's tuna-foie gras dish, José Andrés whipping up paella on the beach, and a dinner collaboration between April Bloomfield and Michael Schwartz. It's too hard to pick just one highlight. Click here to read and enjoy.

Grand Cayman: Afternoon Tea at The Ritz

2012-01-17T15:32:00.019-05:00

Hello and hope everyone had a good holiday weekend! We are back from the Cayman Islands (and in complete denial about being back home ;). It was non-stop eating and drinking during the entire trip, with one very sweet and memorable afternoon tea.

We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman where they serve afternoon daily in the Silver Palm Lounge. Just an elevator ride away!

May I pour you a cup? A pot each of Imperial Oolong and Earl Grey feels so right today. Here's a look at the tea selection.

Browsing the menu - both teas sets are the same, one with champagne, one without.

And the moment we've been waiting for! Classic three tiers: scones on top, sweets in the middle, and savories at the bottom. Just seeing this makes me smile. Though the basics and bones of every afternoon tea is the same, I love seeing how each restaurant turns it into something unique. Here the best part of tea were the savory bites...

...exquisite little tea sandwiches (that I'm now itching to re-create at home).

- Mango and Caribbean Lobster Salad on Sourdough. Mango sliced paper-thin, layered atop a rectangular cut of sourdough and topped with mound of fresh lobster.
- Smoked Salmon, Dill Cream Cheese on Pumpernickel. Smoked salmon is rolled into a little tube with fresh chives poking out one end.
- Egg Salad and Baby Watercress Sandwich with Bow Fin Caviar. The circular sandwich at center. An egg salad pinwheel with caviar. Perfection!
- English Cucumber, Hummus on Rye Bread. Cucumbers are sliced thin and halved, hummus spread across the bread.
- Prosciutto and Parmesan Mille Feuille, Fig Compote on Mango Brioche. Sweet and savory, the prosciutto and parmesan mille-feuille (6 layers) atop chunky fig compote, airy light brioche, the mango element subtle.

Next we move onto the scones, warm rounds in plain and raisin-studded...

...lemon curd, raspberry jam, devonshire cream. Scones aren't complete without the trio! Though if I had to pick only one accompaniment, it would be devonshire cream ;)

Facing the balcony and blue skies. Relax and pour another cup of tea...

...and let's move onto dessert. A full plate! That's Chocolate Éclair facing you, Strawberry Tartlettes to the left. Crisp, sugar-dusted Palmiers in the center and Lemon Meringue Tarts at right. Finish with Coffee-Teacake and crushed hazelnuts.

Cheers to a sweet afternoon!

Sugar Rush'ed...

2012-01-13T18:40:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Puddin' by Clio
Galette des Rois from Brasserie
Grapefruit Jelly at Ushiwakamaru
Buttercream Brownies from SCRATCHbread
Banana Stracciatella Gelato from Eataly

And we are off...

2012-01-11T11:05:00.016-05:00

Packed and ready to go!

I'm most excited about the warm and sunny Seven Mile Beach along Grand Cayman, afternoon tea at the Ritz, checking out blue iguanas, spa time at La Prairie, a visit to Stingray City, poolside cocktails, and the annual Cayman Cookout. Many thanks to the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and The Ritz-Carlton for hosting this trip. I wish we could vacation forever.

Image via

Hawai'i: Jin Din Rou

2012-01-10T10:04:00.013-05:00

[Hope you don't mind the bouncing back and forth between Hawai'i and NYC posts. There's a few more Hawai'i ones I want to share...and then back to NYC. We've planned some holidays for 2012, nothing set in stone, but I'm hoping to visit: Vietnam, China, Vegas, Bandol, and Paris. So much to see... And we're leaving for the Cayman Islands tomorrow! Gotta get packing.]

But first! Ready for lunch at Jin Din Rou?

This my family's favorite spot for soup dumplings on the island. The $10 lunch combo is a worthwhile deal - four pieces soup dumplings and your pick of either:

...the tan-tan noodles...

...fried rice with pickled Chinese mustard...

...or a saucy seafood stir-fry over rice. Order tan-tan noodles, velvety and heavy on the sesame - the two rice dishes are easy to make at home or find in other restaurants.

These are the "plain" soup dumplings...

...but for a few dollars extra you can substitute different flavors such as the oolong tea soup dumplings, a spicy chili version, and even foie gras soup dumplings.

The $15 lunch combo includes everything above, plus a starter salad...

...and a side dish. I can never pass on this type of garlic eggplant with minced pork dish. Couple with hot rice. Heaven. My major weakness.

Do save room for desserts. Mango snow ice anyone?

Watch out for the popping balls...they catch you off guard. Grandma got a kick out this. She's accustomed to boba, but these are filled with a liquid - mango juice!

Jin Din Rou
1491 S King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 947-1133

Six to Start

2012-01-09T09:00:00.007-05:00

Definitely back in NYC. The crazy people on the street, 50F weather one day, and 20F the next. Walking instead of driving, doormen instead of Buddy at the front door. Boots instead of slippers, concrete in place of palm trees...yet it still feels like home.

1. Lunch with Lisa at momofuku ssäm bar. The duck obsession continues. Rotisserie Duck Over Rice – duck, scallion, ssam sauce, crispy shallot, and chive pancakes.

2. Afternoon at Aria Wine Bar in the West Village. Slow and low key. Cheese plates, osso buco tagliatelle, burrata and espresso to finish. Our view looking out.

3. Winter and dry skin, a seemingly unavoidable pairing. But this year, I'm determined to stay hydrated with 'Diorsnow D-NA Control' White Reveal Essence by Dior. So far so good. Love: that it was designed specifically for Asian skin, the elegant bottle, and easy glide of silky clean serum.

4. Ushiwakamaru is one of our neighborhood go-to spots. Sushi and sashimi dinner with Pierre. Extra uni, please. We also had tempura (a mix of shrimp, shiso leaves, carrot, taikon and taro) and the buttery miso cod.

5. My usual order at La Colombe: Earl Grey tea and slice of olive oil cake.

6. Last Friday, better known as that day of the fiery sunset. Caught a glimpse of it while standing at the intersection of Leroy and Bleecker Street.

Hawai'i: Local Desserts and Sweets

2012-01-08T15:40:00.018-05:00

On each trip back to Honolulu, I always make a point to revisit my favorite local desserts* and sweet shops. It's equal parts taste and nostalgia - none are as "sophisticated" as the desserts we often eat in NYC, but in many ways, these are much better. Straightforward, less contrived, never trying too hard. There's nothing hipster, nothing avant garde. Just simple goodness, guaranteed to make you smile.

Old favorites include a stop at Bubbies for...

...a single dip Oreo cone. Don't forget the mochi ice cream! As remember the time we had 'Eat My Balls'? One scoop of every single flavor, 16 in total. Heheh.

Can't forget Liliha Bakery's chantilly-topped Coco Puffs in chocolate and green tea...

...or a visit to Champion's for malassadas fried to order...

An Apple Napple from Zippy's...

...and a whole Chantilly Cake (per my cousin's request). Check out the cake slice here.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Square from Diamond Head Market & Grill...don't forget about their Blueberry-Cream Cheese Scones, equally amazing.

...and fresh mochi from Nisshodo Mochiya in Kalihi.

The Chocolate Decadence cake from Saint Germain Bakery...

...and an Orgura Cake (the frosting is made with azuki beans) to bring to Grandma's the following night. She always has hot tea ready to pair with sweets...

...poured into Styrofoam cups of course. When you're over 80 years old and insist on doing all the cooking and cleaning for 10-15 people on any given evening, this is how it's done. And that's how we call it a night.

*Check here for my post on 'must eat' desserts if you're new to Honolulu :)

Sugar Rush'ed...

2012-01-06T15:03:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Pistachio-Chocolate Mousse at Petrossian
Serious Eats Neighborhood Guides: Kathy's West Village
Crepe Cake at Bottega Falai
Hot Chocolate Shavings at Nunu Chocolates
Warm Sweet Potato Pie at Cha-An
Ginger at Aji Ichiban

Hawai'i: A Return to Shirokiya

2012-01-05T22:47:00.012-05:00

It's been awhile since our last trip to Shirokiya...every visit just gets better and better. See past posts from 2008, 2009, and two from 2010 here. They've made a ton of changes and improvements to the food section since the past summer - the entire second floor is now a Japanese food court and beer garden. How amazing is that?

This bento is still my favorite lunch item at Shirokiya. Four types of mochi rice, each with different seasonings (think chestnuts, red beans, shrimp, and edamame), grilled salmon, oden, hijiki salad and a bunch of other things. Sometimes they switch it around, but the four types of rice plus side dishes formula stays the same...

...with a little azuki manju for dessert in tucked in the bottom corner. I didn't get to try the ramen, gyoza and curry plates this time around, but will be back for sure.

Take the escalators downstairs after lunch - part of the first floor is now devoted to little dessert stands and a giant Yoku Moku section.

Keep an eye out for the miniature doughnuts. I mean "doughnuts" - they're essentially miniature taiyakis with different fillings (in place of the usual custard and azuki bean paste). Chocolate, caramel flakes, and cherry jelly to name a few.

Super cute, delicious when warm, and mediocre by the time they cool down. Eat fast!

Petit Custa Ginza, 8 pieces for $4.

I also tried matcha mochi from the Hau'oli Nalu stand on the same visit. Super soft and silky pats of mochi with sugar syrup and matcha powder. Till next time! :)

Shirokiya
Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 973-9111

Hawai'i: A Few Honolulu Luxuries...

2012-01-04T09:38:00.017-05:00

...that just wouldn't be the same anywhere else.

- Stepping out to this sort of sunset each evening...

...after a day of clear, warm sun.

- Cooking in a kitchen where I actually have space to move around.

- Cakes and cookies on the dining room table. Never sure what I'm going to find, but it's always delicious. That's lemon chiffon cake baked by a family friend.

- An abundance of fresh flowers in the house.

- Fox fur carpeting in the bedroom...

...and a four poster bed.

- Hanging out with Buddy at Grandma's house every weekend. He turns 14 next week! Still in good spirits but certainly a bit wobbly - blame it on old age.

Hawai'i: Downtown @ The HiSAM

2012-01-03T13:45:00.017-05:00

Met Martha for lunch at Downtown last week. Downtown is the more casual sister restaurant to town in Kaimuki (remember last year's crazy dinner?). It's worth arriving an hour early so that you can visit the Hawai`i State Art Museum right upstairs. The museum opened in 2002 and I was one of their first docents - Downtown wasn't in place then, so I often walked to Chinatown for a bowl of pho after work.

The current featured exhibition is, "Where We Live: Visions & Portraits of Hawai‘i" in the Ewa gallery (more info here). And over in the Mauka gallery, you'll find glass pieces from local artists - this one from Kumi Nakajima is made with hand blown soda lime glass and sliver. How beautiful is that? Here's a better look at the piece.

Let's head down for lunch, only one flight of stairs!

To start, savory Cheddar and Chive Biscuits with Tomato Jam. These biscuits are meant to accompany another entree, but we ordered them as a side/starter. Still warm, and all buttery with cheddar melting into all those flaky layers.

Martha went with the Bucatini and Pork Ragu...

...while I had the Lacquered Duck with Lentils and Fennel Salad. Have been on a serious non-stop duck craving since this duck dish (which we still make weekly!)

We shared a Steamed Persimmon Cake for dessert, complete with fresh whipped cream, caramel and crunch toffee bits. Puts many a sticky toffee pudding to shame...the addition of persimmon keeps the cake on the lighter side so you get all the rich, warm flavors without the heaviness.

[I'm writing this from NYC where it's a painfully chilly 15F...shave ice, avocado smoothies, and poolside bars...can't believe that was just a few days ago. Wearing three layers of clothing and socks indoors, the sudden cold was a sure shock. But no complaints....we're heading to the Cayman Islands next week. Can hardly wait.]

Downtown @ the HiSAM
Hawai`i State Art Museum
250 Hotel Street, 1st Floor
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
(808) 536.5900

Hawai'i: Ailana Shave Ice

2012-01-02T16:05:00.005-05:00

We couldn't decided on a single shave ice flavor, so we wound up with three! Ailana is one of the newer shave ice spots in Honolulu, and while it's not my favorite, they get bonus points for housemade syrups. Pick from the specialties menu which includes the Uji Kintoki (pictured above) with green tea syrup, azuki beans, condensed milk, mochi and a fat scoop of vanilla ice cream tucked in the center.

That's Papaya on the right, and Strawberry Milk on the left, made from fresh strawberries. Love the little strawberry seeds specks in each spoonful.

Pairing Pineapple and Green Tea, a lace of sweetened condensed milk to finish. Waiola's still has the best shave ice on Oahu with powdery sweet ice, but Ailana's convenient location (across from Ala Moana), ensures that we'll be back again soon.

Ailana Shave Ice
1430 Kona Street
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 955-8881

NYC: New Years Eve at The Pierre Hotel

2012-01-01T14:22:00.021-05:00

Happy 2012! Flew back from Hawai'i in time to ring in the new year at The Pierre Hotel (with Pierre ;). Black and white balloons inside the Two e Bar/Lounge...

....a wonderful jazz trio, champagne, oyster and caviar bar. I was in heaven. Killer buckwheat blinis included. Hors d'oeuvres like beef cheek sliders and pate on ficelle, mains of peekytoe crab rolls, beef wellington, and buttery foie gras club sandwiches.

For dessert: a three-tier tray worthy of afternoon tea. The pistachio and chocolate financier was my favorite though I saved plenty room for that chocolate opera cake. Pierre happily devoured all the fruit tarts, and we savored a coffee eclair each. Finishing on strawberries, and one more glass of champagne. Happy New Year's!!

Hawai'i: Poolside at The Modern Honolulu

2011-12-29T14:21:00.008-05:00

Let's start this afternoon poolside at The Modern Honolulu.

We're meeting Nora (creator of Patchwork Compass and mastermind behind 'Warm Sunrise') and Guido. They're here from NYC and just got married on Kauai the other day - Ho'omaika'i 'Ana to the beautiful couple!!

A Mai Tai in the shade, good conversation, light sun and gentle breeze.

Spicy fries delivered straight to lounge chairs, complete with dustings of paprika and chili. That's a turkey club and bounty of Maui onion chips. Lean back and relax. NYC feels very far away right now...it's tempting to stay in Honolulu forever.

Or at least return more frequently :)

The Modern Honolulu
1775 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96815
(808) 943-5800

Hawai'i: Oxtail Soup

2011-12-28T14:31:00.010-05:00

A favorite family dinner, oxtail soup at home. Chop up all the napa cabbage first...

...then daikon and carrots. Cut fat off the oxtails and put it all in a pot.

Enough to serve four with generous leftovers. Season and spice with ginger, anise, orange peels, five-spice, and extra star anise. Cook over low till the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Chill in the fridge so you can easily spoon away that layer of fat.

Rewarm over the stove in time for dinner. Check the rice cooker, five cups full...we like oxtail soup with "hapa rice" (half-white, half-brown rice). Fill a big bowl halfway with rice, top off with soup and plenty of oxtail. Ono, especially on those rainy nights.

And the extra soup? Make saimin/ramen! Dad added leftover ham from Christmas.

Hawai'i: The Pig and the Lady

2011-12-28T03:47:00.015-05:00

Finally got a chance to check out The Pig and the Lady - a new local pop-up restaurant. After reading Reid's post, and hearing about it from numerous friends, Shann, Kelly, Scot, and I went for an excellent 5-course dinner. The meal took place at Hank's Haute Dogs (which closes in the evenings), truly creative with memorable dishes inspired by Southeast Asia. $55 per person, order dinner "tickets" online, BYOB, all in all a great deal. Here's a peek at what we ate...

Pre-dinner nibbles: Shrimp Chips and Pickled Vegetables

1st Course: Carrot Soup - Curried Rice Puff, Coconut Crème Fraîche, Tangerines, and Carrot Fronds

The hot soup is poured tableside.

2nd Course: Octopus - Green Banana, Betelnut Leaves, Tomoto Confit, Watercress, and Octopus Jus. The pressed and sliced octopus reminds me of dish Chef Mavro served a few years ago. Makes sense as The Pig and the Lady's talented owner/chef Andrew Le was formerly the sous chef at Mavro's. Big fan of this octopus preparation.

3rd Course: Gnocchi - Kimchi, House Cured Bacon, Crispy Pig Ears, and Sesame Leaves. The gnocchi is meant to taste like pa jun (savory Korean pancake), and they nailed the flavor profile accurately.

4th Course: Pho Ga - Free Range Chicken, Slow Poached Egg, Hand-Cut Noodles, and Vietnamese Herbs. Came with housemade chili sauce and ginger nuoc nam.

Pandan-Jasmine Tea and Mint. Remind me to recreate this at home...grandma used to steep pandan leaves in hot tea, such a soothing combination and transition to dessert.

5th Course: Hawflake - Olive Oil Cake, Apricot Seed Powder, Kaya, Guava Sorbet, and Shiso. You remember hawflakes right? Here they were ground up, mixed with liquid and dehydrated into paper thin chips. Hands down our favorite dish of the night.

The Pig and the Lady
Check website for pop-up dates and location

Hawai'i: Morning Glass Coffee + Café

2011-12-27T18:00:00.010-05:00

Good morning from Manoa! Tuesday breakfast at Morning Glass Coffee + Café with Noelle, Steph, Kelly, and Shann. Housemade sodas and cereal milk lattes on the menu...your pick Cocoa Crispies, Apple Jacks, Frosted Flakes, and Fruity Pebbles. This is the only place in Hawai'i that serves Stumptown Coffee...so hipster ;)

The pastry counter reminds me of Abraço in NYC. All we need is Olive Oil Cake to complete the picture. Sweet and savory options, think Spinach & Feta Fritattas, Banana Bread, Chocolate-Pecan and Strawberry Scones, Coffeecake and...

...even Condensed Milk Pound Cake. How decadent.

I went with the Cocoa Crispies Latte...

...everyone else tried the "Egg-A-Muffin" - Housemade English Muffin, Bacon, Poached Egg, and Tomato Jam. They also have breakfast burritos, brûléed oatmeal, and a full lunch sandwich menu. We're totally coming back tomorrow.

Kelly asked for Cocoa Crispies Milk, served warm...a cereal milk steamer!

Okay...off to the beach/shopping now, hope everyone has a good day in paradise.

Morning Glass Coffee + Café
2955 E Manoa Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 673-0065

Hawai'i: Wontons/Dumplings in Hot Oil

2011-12-26T22:11:00.023-05:00

Finally got around to making these hot oil dumplings. When dad visited NYC last month I took him to a bunch of Sichuan restaurants - he was obsessed with "wontons in hot oil," a dish you can't get in Hawai'i. We ordered these wontons (literally boiled wontons in a bowl of hot oil) anywhere we could find them. Here are photos of hot oil wontons from: Cafe China, White Bear, Grand Sichuan, Szechuan Gourmet...

Of course when dad returned to Hawai'i the wontons were all he could talk about...but mom didn't want to hear about it unless she could taste it herself!

He turned to me, "Kathy, why don't you make it for us?" A quick search and I found two great recipes. I used both as guidelines, but made changes to suit personal taste.

First stop, Yat Tung Chow Noodle Factory for wonton skins. They were sold out of the thinnest skins, but offered the second thinnest which happened to be round skins. This is why we folded ours in the "regular" dumpling shape as opposed to square wontons.

$1.50 for a 50-pack, ahh so fresh!

I didn't measure, just started with a pound of ground pork, and tweaked till everything tasted "right." Ingredients for filling: ground pork, ginger, garlic, green onions, nuoc nam, sesame oil, egg (to bind), salt and pepper. Ingredients for the hot oil sauce: chili oil, shoyu, sesame oil, black vinegar, fried garlic, green onion. Couldn't find Sichuan peppercorns so these weren't authentic ;) But they were delicious. Boil the dumplings and pour hot oil sauce over, it's really that easy. These dumpling skins were amazing, supple and thin. A significant upgrade from the frozen ones I buy in NYC.

They were such a hit I served them again for dinner at grandma's house the next day. This time we made more changes. For the filling we replaced green onion with chives.

A ton of chives...you could taste more chives than pork. Here's what it looks like.

And for the sauce grandma minced fresh ginger and stirred that right in. Endless options, I don't like cooking with recipes (baking is different!), it makes me feel like a robot. I turn to recipes for ideas and inspirations, but when it comes to the actual cooking process, sign me up for the 'taste and tweak' route.

Here are dumplings from the second night! We made 100 pieces the first night and 150 the second night (cousins joined for dinner)...sold out both nights, huzzah!

Yat Tung Chow Noodle Factory
150 N King Street # 102
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 531-7982

Hawai'i: YuZu

2011-12-26T18:43:00.030-05:00

Stopped by YuZu for a quick lunch with mom and dad. They just opened inside Ala Moana Hotel, housemade udon, yakitori, and temari sushi balls on the menu. The restaurant is tucked in the back of the hotel, hard to find, but they validate parking!

They're in soft opening mode, so there aren't many choices at the moment. We tried the entire lunch menu which included this temari sushi sampler. Six pieces for $10.95 - tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, unagi, and snapper. We categorize this as fun sushi, not serious or top quality, but good for what it aims to be: creative, fresh and healthy (the owners used to own Hale Macrobiotic). Each orb came topped with anything from jalapeños and yuzu to shiso and ume. Doesn't satisfy a genuine sushi craving and certainly not for purists, but sure is pretty, so whimsical.

Here's the Kakiage Udon Combo ($9.95). They used fine shredded gobo (burdock root) with whole shrimp for the kakiage...I could snack on this all day. Fresh udon - thick and chewy, served cold. Bowls of green onion and wasabi, dipping sauce on the side.

If you want the udon hot (dad and I like it warm, mom prefers udon cold), go with Spicy Sukiyaki Beef Udon Combo ($9.95). The sukiyaki is excellent, generous on the thin-cut beef, toasted sesame seeds and nori. Dip the noodles into the sauce, and after you finish the noodles, spoon the hot cooking water into the sukiyaki bowl. It's soup! Drink up. I'll be back for this dish.

Add $5 to any of the udon dishes for two pieces temari sushi (tuna and snapper) and two chicken yakitori sticks. It's a good deal and makes lunch feel much more complete.

A plate of YuZu Fries ($5.95) to share. Thick cut and served with a trio of sauces...a bare sprinkle of Hawaiian salt was my favorite accompaniment.

YuZu
410 Atkinson Drive
Inside the Ala Moana Hotel
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 943-1155

Hawai'i: Grandma's Taro Cake

2011-12-26T03:23:00.008-05:00

Grandma dropped off a pan of taro cake this morning. She's been working on some new dishes recently, and this is my favorite of the collection. An entire taro, steamed and grated, mixed with spices, eggs, and flour, pressed tight into a pan.

Refrigerate until cool then slice, slice, slice...

...into little rectangles.

Grease the pan, medium heat and fry both sides.

You want the surface golden, but the inside soft, almost creamy. Dip in a shoyu and sriracha mix...sometimes we heat sesame oil and stir that in as well. Afternoon pupus on the lanai, cold beer and dinner soon. Very glad to be back with family in Honolulu!

Mele Kalikimaka! And 203 Dalmatians.

2011-12-25T16:42:00.017-05:00

I'm not sure how this happened but we managed to completely forget about the Christmas Tree until yesterday afternoon. There's was no time cut down our own tree before dinner so we rushed to Home Depot for a plastic version. Ten feet tall, complete with lights! That's my sister standing in the photo, she's a college sophomore back for winter break. It took all of 20 minutes to assemble the tree and another 45 minutes to hang family ornaments. Here's dad and sister busy at work...

...good job guys! We cleared out a storage area so that we can put the tree on wheels and roll the whole thing into storage and roll it back out next year, heheh.

I'm in charge of the dalmatians. In the 1990s, McDonald's gave 101 Dalmatians for Happy Meal toys. We ate at least 101 Happy Meals to collect every dalmatian.

A few years later they did 102 Dalmatians. Again we had 102 Happy Meals to secure every single one. We visited each McDonald's on Oahu and even some in NYC when we went on a family vacation. The freezer was full of mcnuggets and fries...mom eventually threw them out. But we got all the dalmatians! 203 in total.

They come out for Christmas, grouped in categories...dalmatians with hats...

...the soccer ball duo...

...dalmatians on wheels...

...a little village....

...and the musically inclined.

I could go on for more, but I think it's best we stop now...

...just don't forget Cruella de Vil ;) Mele Kalikimaka everyone!

Hawai'i: About that Avocado Smoothie

2011-12-24T01:45:00.011-05:00

Confirmed: the Avocado Smoothie at Thang's is good as ever. Maybe even better. Buttery, fresh avocado blended with condensed milk and ice, boba nestled at the bottom. Love how the price hasn't changed since 2007, still just $3.50 for a massive serving. This is one order split into two cups, perfect snack. A million reason to love this place.

Previous posts on Thang's here:
one
two
three
four
five

Mom said they recently opened a second location near the Kalihi DMV...we'll be sure to stop by over the weekend!

Thang Coffee & Bubble Tea
1120 Maunakea Street
Maunakea Marketplace
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-12-23T18:46:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
10 Apple Sweets We Love in NYC
Chocolate Yule Logs at Financier
Fermented Sweet Rice at Cafe China
Crème Brûlée Cupcake at Molly's Cupcakes
Flourless Chocolate Cake at Balthazar Bakery
Coconut Pancakes at Public

Hawai'i: A New Favorite Plate Lunch

2011-12-22T14:37:00.014-05:00

Here's the view from our table, complete with guava chicken and pork katsu.

One for each, we wiped it clean.

The drive out to recently opened He'eia Pier in Kaneohe was a long - a hour door to door from Tantalus, but well worth it. Think upscale plates lunch creations, fresh local fish and meats, Ma'o greens. Hot white rice and kalo mac salad awaits!

Mom was a little suspect when we arrived....are you sure the food here is good? Rundown, a bit desolate. Looks can be deceiving. We came for a late so the place was winding down. Fishermen, kids and old timers occupying the outdoor tables.

About those tables - the outdoor ones are where everyone seems to sit, but I prefer the tables inside, away from the wind and with a clear view of the water. It feels like you're on top of the ocean. Don't miss those palm trees in the distance - so beautiful.

All plates come with white rice and your choice of kalo (taro) mac salad or tossed greens. We tried them both. The verdict? No need for greens when you got mac salad this good. It's fun departure from the ordinary and the diced kalo portion is generous. Crisp crust on the pork katsu - a truly juicy cut, the sweet katsu sauce is housemade.

The barbecue chicken is done with a guava marinade, charred in just the right spots and moist through and through. Barbecue chicken sounds boring - this is anything but. We're bringing dad back to try the burger this weekend. Will be sure to add on sliced avocado and crinkle cut fries! Maybe even finish with shave ice for dessert.

He'eia Pier General Store and Deli
46-499 Kamehameha Hwy
Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 235-2192

Hawai'i: House Without a Key

2011-12-21T01:13:00.019-05:00

Tuesday, sunset cocktails at the Halekulani Hotel with Noelle.

They're all decked out for the holiday this month, wreaths and Christmas tree twirls...

...all festive, sophisticated cheer. I can't quite translate in words the gentle breeze and plush couches. The high ceilings that open to the palm tree-lined garden and beach, lazy wooden fans and easy sense of peace. You'll have to come see for yourself.

Walk closer to the ocean and turn left. That's the House Without a Key, a dreamy spot to relax with good cocktails and watch the sun go down. With a bit of luck you'll catch that bare flash of green just before it disappears into the ocean.

The best seats are outside, facing the water, but everyone was moved inside because of the rain. No worries, we'll be back another night to catch perfect ocean views.

Here we are, a table for two. Just in time for live Hawaiian music and dancing. Tonight it was Brook Lee, a local girl and former Miss Universe.

Drinks? Yes, please. A Mai Tai each - Halekulani's signature cocktail topped with sugar cane, an orchid and fresh mint. You can even download their recipe here.

The sun went down and it was time for Coconut Cake. Fluffy with cool custard tucked between layers, and shredded coconut flakes rolled over the whole cake. Entirely successful in setting off coconut cake cravings...such things can only be satisfied in Hawai'i (with one, two, three exceptions!) I better work fast while I'm here ;)

House Without a Key (at the Halekulani Hotel)
2199 Kalia Road
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 923-2311

Hawai'i: The Land Where Palm Trees Sway

2011-12-19T13:58:00.010-05:00

Aloha from Hawai'i!

Just landed in Honolulu. It's warm, a breezy 75F, and we have family visiting from all over the world. That's mom in the photo, standing in our front yard. They've done so much work to the house since last year, can't wait to show you the new layout. Part of me is tempted to just stay home (where my cell phone conveniently has no reception) and bake all day. After all, it's vacation. But one step into the local mochi shop and a trip to Shirokiya convinced me otherwise. NYC can't top this sort of deliciousness.

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-12-16T15:47:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
10 Peppermint Sweets We Love in NYC
Sugar Rush: S'mores at The Ritz-Carlton
Sugar Rush: Lussekatt and Pepparkakor at Aquavit
Sugar Rush: Ricotta-Pistachio Turnover at Grandaisy Bakery
Sugar Rush: English Sticky Toffee Pudding at ChikaLicious
Sugar Rush: Stollen at Momofuku Milk Bar

P.S. Loved hearing what you all do for 'Solo Nights' :)

Solo Nights

2011-12-15T18:10:00.004-05:00

On solo nights I like to:

- Cook an elegant but simple dinner for one. Maybe prosecco on the side.
- Then devour gelato (preferably Otto's ;) from the pint.
- Light as many candles as possible. Always careful not to catch fire.
- Take a looong bubble bath, exfoliate, slather on good body cream.
- Then bathrobe and slippers, time for one too many episode of Law & Order!

When all your plans are canceled and the boyfriend is out of town, nothing beats a night in alone. It's all yours! What do you do on solo nights?

Spritz, Spritz...

2011-12-15T11:11:00.031-05:00

A few years ago I came to the conclusion that I'll never find a signature fragrance.

Some women have a scent that people can identify as exclusively them in a heartbeat - it's impressive. But what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another, and perhaps that's how I've come to accumulate a literal mountain of body mists, sprays and perfumes. Love them all and commit to none.

That makes it more whimsical because you can fill cabinets with bottles in a million colors. Polished glass is just as key as the scent and one is incomplete without the other. On Tuesday I joined April to celebrate Versace's new fragrance, Yellow Diamond. A fragrance party! Complete with a balcony on 5th Avenue. One can dream right? I remember bubbles and warm lemon and pistachio tarts and silky truffle orbs in dark, milk, and coconut-white chocolate. Dark chocolate was the unanimous favorite.

The goal of Yellow Diamond? "Luxury, energy and warmth." I always approach perfume as aspirational and there's nothing wrong with that. Here it translates to: bergamot at the head, freesia at the heart and musk at the dry out. There are more elements involved, those are ones that stood out most. Spritz, spritz and off we go!

Ladurée's Holiday Card

2011-12-14T11:18:00.016-05:00

A little surprise came in the mail yesterday. A special holiday card...from Ladurée no less. One of the prettiest cards I've seen all year. The pastel green box (which resembles a miniature hat box!) is the exact same shade as Ladurée's shopping bag.

There's a drawing of the Eiffel Tower on the cover. Pull open and wooooshhh, a million discs spill out, declaring Bonne Annee in golden cursive. How could you not love that?

Oh but there's more...

This "card" arrived with an edible companion. A winter gift box of white and sky blue skies, sliver snowflakes big and small.

Inside, the newest macaron flavor to join the family. Chestnut and Pear - a most holiday appropriate pairing. The buttercream, lush, is mix of both elements and it's studded with tiny roasted chestnut bits. This might replace pistachio as my favorite flavor - it's the least sweet of all their macarons and the borderline airy buttercream is bliss. Devoured one too many in a sitting, a steaming pot of earl grey tea on the side.

Simple Pleasures: A Chinatown Sweets Edition

2011-12-13T10:49:00.022-05:00

A dollar or two still takes you pretty far in Chinatown, especially when it comes to desserts. Dad's visiting from Hawai'i this week and after yesterday's lunch of soup dumplings and e-mein we stopped by a few of my favorite sweet spots in the area. We tried a bunch of different desserts, and the total for all barely came out to $5. Even after all these years, Chinatown never ceases to amaze me.

1. Start with a cup of Nai Cha, served at all Chinatown bakeries. This drink is also known as Hong Kong Milk Tea. A seemingly simple concoction (that I've haven't been able to replicate at home!) Black tea, evaporated milk or condensed milk, and sugar.

2. Yao's Dragon Beard Candy. I first mentioned these pulled sugar treats in this post, and while the cart is fairly difficult to locate (has to be right weather, right time, right location). Read Danny's post to see how this fairytale candy comes together.

3. Bolo Bao translates to Pineapple Bun, and I covet these for the flaky, crumble rich crust that covers the entire top surface. Underneath is traditional Chinese bread - soft, plush and sweet. You can find these at most Chinatown bakeries. Keep in mind there's no actual pineapple involved, the name just comes from the pineapple-like appearance.

4. Dofu Fa from Fong Inn Too. Fresh sweet tofu scooped from a big metal pot into small containers. Ginger and honey concoction on the side. Pour it over the tofu and spoon up. In the summer I eat this cold from the fridge, and during winter I prefer it warm. Make sure to also get the housemade grass jelly, another traditional dessert.

5. Hong Kong Egg Cakes. Multiple street vendors sell these griddled-to-order cakes. Purists say the best come from the 'Egg Cake Lady of Mosco Street'...and the rest are just impostors. But seeing as you can't get the original anymore (she closed a few years ago) these other vendors are doing a pretty good job. No complaints here - I'm just happy that we can still get 15 pieces for $1.

6. Sponge Cake from Kam Hing Coffee Shop on Baxter Street. I wrote about these on Serious Eats, and these fluffy cakes only get better and better with each visit. Faintly sweet with a skin layer you can peel off - immensely satisfying. And only $.70.

Six to Start

2011-12-12T09:00:00.013-05:00

1. In love with the cheerful comic that accompanies each Bone Biscuits Box 'Pas pour Les Chiens'...a Poilâne and La Boîte à Biscuit collaboration. I can't read French but pictures are enough to decipher a sweet story of two doggy friends baking biscuits.

2. Pierre snapped this photo a few weeks ago at Grand Central...but how quickly things change. See that black area in the left corner? It's now the newest Apple store.

3. Organic Avenue for my coconut water fix. The glass bottles are sturdy, good for flower arrangements after you're finished. They also make a killer Cashew Hemp Milk. Instead of drinking that straight, I use it in place of regular milk when drinking black tea (and even chai). A fun way to switch things up and the nutty flavor is addictive.

4. The guys who run Tribeca Taco Truck are so friendly - I often visit for an afternoon snack of the "Tribeca Taco." Carnitas enchilada and chorizo on two corn tortillas. Cilantro, onion, chipotle crema, and pineapple salsa. Far from traditional, but still good. Where to eat your taco? That's what the benches in front of Balthazar are for.

5. Holiday wreaths on every window of this cheerful West Village townhouse. Corner of Morton and Bedford Street. Only two weeks till Christmas!

6. Lunch at Eataly. A 45 minute wait on Monday 2pm for a seat. Killed time in the gelato section, one scoop banana-stracciatella! And then sat down for this lasagne, complete with ten layers of paper thin pasta and a meaty pork and veal ragu.

Hope your week is off to a good start ^_^

Don't Forget to Daydream

2011-12-10T12:46:00.035-05:00

There's an hour to spare between appointments near Central Park. How about we wander into hotels and daydream? Over lunch with Amelie on Friday our conversation was centered on how grand hotel lobbies were akin to mini-museum and gallery experiences. And the best part - it's completely free to visit, explore at your leisure.

Luxury hotels and chic boutique hotels - there's everything in our city, each with charms and little quirks that could easily transport you to another world. Surely impossible to pick a favorite hotel, no need to bother. And if you feel like treating yourself, who's to stop you from cocktails and nibbles at the bar? How indulgent!

When I was in elementary/middle school all my report cards came delivered with similar comments, "Kathy has potential to do so much better if only she would stop daydreaming all the time..." Ahh but if only they knew how much satisfaction I derived from daydreaming! After all, isn't that where all great ideas stem from? Mom chided me from doing so, and then Dad encouraged it. Between them both, and with some help from my sister, I like to think I came out pretty decent in the end.

And don't forget to daydream of course. Perhaps that is the best part.

(Photos via Greenwich Hotel, Crosby Street Hotel, Waldorf Astoria, The Pierre)

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-12-09T16:57:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Apple-Cinnamon Donuts at Flex Donuts
Grapple Pie at The Dutch
4 Unusual Hot Chocolates We Love in NYC
Gingerbread Loaf at Dominique Ansel Bakery
Plum Tarts at Épicerie Boulud
Ace Jams at BKLYN Larder

Buvette

2011-12-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

One of the benefits of working from home is that you can (usually) take lunch whenever and wherever. It's a pretty perk not to be overlooked. Today, an early meal at Buvette with the talented photographer, Alice Gao. Two seats near a cozy corner. Tiny plates and cups, and even smaller forks.

A tower of fresh bread and drizzles of olive oil. Always a sure start to a good meal.

To share, Poached Eggs over warm stewed beans and wilted leafy greens. Thin slices of toasted bread, complete with grated parmesan. The beans and greens combination reminded us of a Chinese pickled vegetable dish, the type you eat with a bowl of jook...perhaps that why we enjoyed it so much.

I've been craving good salads all week, and this Poulet et Pomme Salad did the trick. Tangles of frisee and lettuces, a light mustard vinaigrette. Stellar roast chicken (dark meat only please!) piled over buttery potatoes and haricot verts. Immensely satisfying and...couldn't be that hard to re-create at home, no?

Then a short walk for Earl Grey tea at La Colombe - if you haven't been to this new Lafayette location, do check it out...there's much to love.

Bouchon's Bouchon

2011-12-08T10:20:00.011-05:00

Have you tried the Bouchons from Bouchon Bakery? These cork-shaped sweets have been around since the start of the bakery, and they're still my single favorite item from Bouchon. We buy them six at a time and they're often gone by the end of the day. One here, one there...you know how it goes. It's a brownie, only intensified, studded with chocolate chips and bearing all the benefits of a crunchy corner cut. Bouchon means cork in French, and that's where the name comes from. People have replicated this recipe at home: here, here and here. For a shortcut they even have a mix, but I'm quite content visiting the bakery. We like to leave bouchon baking to the professionals.

Samosas

2011-12-07T20:57:00.028-05:00

Made these "samosas" for a quick dinner, both easy and rewarding. I use quotation marks as our interpretation of samosas is fairly broad. Contemplated making the traditional dough and deep frying, but then phyllo and a clean trip in the oven seem much more appealing on a hurried evening. That bowl in the back holds raita: whole yogurt, chopped cucumbers, cilantro, sea salt, and squeeze of lemon. Mix together and store in the fridge. As for proportions? It's all personal preference.

The filling is just as simple. Boil and mash two potatoes, set aside. In the same saucepan where you boiled the potatoes, saute onions with butter on low heat till translucent. Mix in chopped carrots and peas. Cook through, then add the mashed potatoes, mixing everything evenly. Season with: curry powder, coriander, salt and pepper. Fold in chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust as you go. I use measurements for pastry/desserts, but on the savory end we stick to dishes that are easily adaptable.

Divide the filling into quarters to assemble four giant samosas. For each samosa lay out two sheets of phyllo, butter the surface, and spoon on the filling. Fold the phyllo into a square, and bake at 375F till golden, about 30 min. Top with raita and devour.

[In Hawaii we do these with a Japanese curry and potato filling, ponzu sauce to dip. Pupu party snacks, such good memories. Might make them with the extra phyllo!]

Gotham Magazine: Chocolates and Mignardises at Per Se

2011-12-07T09:44:00.009-05:00

Things I learned while writing this article for Gotham Magazine:

- At Per Se, chocolates follow the mignardises. 24 pieces in total, 8 each of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. Presented in a custom-designed box.
- All the molded chocolates are made in the kitchens of Per Se, while the enrobed chocolates (fourth chocolate column from left) are done at Bouchon Bakery. Bouchon has a special machine just for enrobing chocolates.
- Expect to find both cream and water-based ganaches. Flavors like curry, cheesecake, and mojito are cream-based, while passionfruit and licorice are water-based.
- As for the most popular flavor? Maple-Pecan!

Click here to read the article and enjoy.

Tuesday Giveaway!

2011-12-06T10:29:00.006-05:00

[Update: The lucky winner is Michele! Thanks for playing, hope to be doing another giveaway next week :)]

Happy Tuesday. Since everyone seemed to enjoy the giveaway last week...we're doing another today! BOMBONS is an NYC-based chocolate company with a Brazilian twist, and they're offering this week's winner a sweet box set of Pão de Mel.

Pão de Mel is a famous Brazillian honey cake - moist, sticky and dense. These particular ones are made with a fresh fig marmalade and come dipped in a silky chocolate shell. Tuck them in your purse for breakfast on the go, or save for afternoon snack. Pierre ate them with coffee, tea for myself, each is perfectly sized for one.

Leave a comment below to play. Enter by 12/8. Winner will be chosen at random and will receive a four-piece set of Pão de Mel from BOMBONS. Good luck ^_^

Six to Start

2011-12-05T09:00:00.015-05:00

1. Camembert from Épicerie Boulud. New addition to our rotating cheeseboard. Sliced and spread onto a baguette, in the toaster over for a few minutes. Breakfast.

2. There's a new cafe inside the ARROJO studio salon in Soho. It's called Tramezzini and truffled egg + bacon toast is on the menu, bread from Blue Ribbon Bakery. Sunday morning deep conditioning with blowouts, and brunch, all in the same place.

3. Finally got a copy of Melissa Clark's new cookbook, Cook This Now. I love: 1) that recipes are organized by the month and 2) how approachable they are. The hardest part is deciding where to start...the two Justin tried sound especially promising.

4. At Calvisius Caviar, inside the Four Seasons, aperitivo! A tasting of four caviars, 10g each (clockwise from bottom right): De Venise, White Sturgeon, Oscietra Classic, and Oscietra Royal. Toasted brioche and crème fraîche on the side.

5. Nantucket Bay Scallops are in season. Found these at The Lobster Place. Hot butter on the pan, a quick sear, squeeze of lemon and devour with your fingers. Divine!

6. A pound of fresh linguine from Murray's Cheese. Served the first half with salmon (also from The Lobster Place) and tomatoes...might have sneaked in some anchovies. And for the second half, white clam sauce. We've been on a seafood spree recently.

For the Other Candles

2011-12-04T22:15:00.007-05:00

When we have guests over, all the "good" candles come out. All the Toccas, all the Jo Malone, Annick Goutal and beautiful diptyque numbers. But when it's just me in the late afternoon (the sun sets at 4pm now!) I tend to burn the other candles. Much more affordable votives found at the market or neighborhood drugstore. It saves a ton of money, but there is often a downside to these other candles: boring, lackluster design. I've been searching for a great holder to tuck them in and finally found one last week.

This golden gem at ABC Carpet & Home just north of Union Square. ABC is like a gigantic dollhouse. Everything you could desire - housewares, clothing, furniture, fragrances, and even food. They're constantly updating and changing scenes in this store. I stop in once a week and it's always a new, whimsical experience. Addictive.

The votive holder was tucked away on this wall, two shelves of all things gold and silver, light and muted and glitter with porcelain artfully tangled in the mix. Dishes, bowls and cups. And lots of random goodies, seemingly purposeless, but so beautiful.

Clear, silver and gold - caught my eye in an easy second.

Took it home and tucked in a basic candle. Light a match, and voilà!

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-12-02T16:29:00.005-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Lemon Budino (and housemade cannolis!) at Donatella
Hazelnut Brownies at Cafe Grumpy
Tea Cookies at DavidsTea
A.M. Quickie at Jacques Torres
Miss Piggy À La Mode from Ample Hills Creamery

Tater Tots

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Tater tots are fairly high up on my list of weaknesses. But fresh ones? I didn't even know they existed. When I order tater tots it usually comes out as:

1. Frozen Sysco ones, deep-fried. The expected standard. Perfectly fine.
2. Homemade ones that closely resemble hash browns, not tater tors.

So you can imagine my surprise, when over lunch at P.J. Clarke's the other day, these tater tots were both housemade and real tarter tots. From the super crisp, deep-fried exterior to the fluffy white insides, they were tots though and through. Only even better because they mixed in a bit of parmesan cheese, and served it with smokey ketchup to dip. We polished these off pretty quick. To accompany: avocado and crabcake salads, and a half-half order of mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Best of both worlds, don't forget gravy on the side.

Morning

2011-12-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

We need mornings like this. Just an hour a day to sit with a big cup of tea and pile of books. Have you checked your calender recently? It's December 1st! I'm not sure where the year went (again). And sometimes I think I don't accomplish enough...or anything, for that matter. But then I sit down and write what I wanted to do, and what I did do. I realize it's not so bad. The wish list will always be longer than the accomplished list. That's why it's a wish list right? Cheers to the last month of the year.

P.S. My high school - Punahou, was just featured on Apple. So proud and happy! If I have kids, am moving straight back to the islands and sending them to Punahou. The education I received there was better than anything at (both ;) colleges I attended.

Six to Start

2011-11-30T09:00:00.009-05:00

1. Crazy about this new bamboo tea strainer from Lisa. It's so elegant and carefully crafted. Designed with aesthetics and not necessarily function in mind ;)

2. Can never resist the Earl Grey gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato. It's not often they have this flavor in stock, so when they do, a scoop (or pint!) is a must.

3. Oro Bakery and Bar. Forgot about this Broome St spot, but we went for sandwiches last weekend, and now I remember why I liked it here so much in the first place.

4. Sign me up for Coconut Eggnog at Donatella, yes please. There bourbon, rum, and coconut cream in this frothy elixir. Makes me all cozy inside, I love holiday drinks.

5. DavidsTea opened on Bleecker Street last week. This chain of tea shops come from Canada and it's one of the few places in NYC that stock milk oolong.

6. Steeping Earl Grey tea leaves into hot apple cider. Simple to assemble and a decidedly addictive combination. Will be drinking this all winter.

Tuesday Giveaway!

2011-11-29T12:03:00.026-05:00

[Update: The lucky winner is K! Thanks for playing, hope to be doing another giveaway next week :)]

I'm excited to announce a giveaway from the girls at Aperio Natural today!

They recently sent over beauty products to try - think sugar scrubs, hand creams, and shower gels. Scents like Green Tea, Peony, and a fragrant Cherry Blossom. Aperio is based in Saratoga, California and create completely natural products...no parabens, mineral oil, animal ingredients or alcohol. They're popular in Asia - where they've been featured in Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, and are expanding in the US. I've worked my way (tough job, eh? ;) though all the products, and Green Tea Sugar Body Scrub is easily my favorite of the collection. The tea scent is clear, relaxing and there's olive oil blended directly into the sugar so that it's silky in all the right ways. Slather on your skin, massage gently, and wash off. Ahhh, just one more reason to pamper yourself.

Leave a comment below noting which scent you like best: Green Tea, Peony, or Cherry Blossom. Enter by 12/1. Winner will be chosen at random and will receive a line of products (the one you pick!) from Aperio Natural. Good luck ^_^

Scallops

2011-11-29T09:00:00.005-05:00

Time for lunch.

There must be a million types of baby lettuce at the Union Square Greenmarket. Curly, straight, flat. Wild things. Earthy green, soft shades and darker colors. $10/pound. Don't settle on one type, mix and match five types. Just enough for lunch.

Two stalls down on Union Square West, you'll find PE & DD Seafood with fresh scallops. $17.95/pound. Eight pieces come out to just over a third of a pound. I take them home and pat the scallops dry. The three smallest scallops, I eat raw. Slice against the grain, two slices to a scallop. Squeeze a cut of lemon, then sprinkle on a bit salt. Eat standing up in the kitchen, best bites of the day.

The five larger ones I quickly sear. Melt butter, high heat, cook just 30 seconds on one side, maybe even less. 20 seconds? Plate with the lettuce. One crank of the pepper mill, a sprinkle of Maldon salt. Slice and devour. Only the outside is cooked, inside the scallops are rare and cool to the touch. Hope to be cooking lunches like this more often.

Haircut

2011-11-28T17:45:00.013-05:00

Remember when I got my hair cut like this? That was back in the winter of 2008. I went from all plain long hair to short bob and blunt bangs. It was so much fun but far from low maintenance and impossible to take care of. All flat when you don't blow dry, and all puffy with wild frizz in summer heat. Hilarious. And then maintenance! Get it trimmed every three weeks or...

...risk bangs that dare to literally clip away at your vision!

After that cut, I grew both hair and bangs out. It got longer and longer. At my shoulders, past my shoulders. It wasn't until I looked in the mirror last week and realized that it was now elbow length. Time for a cut! I go to Sei-Tomoko on W4th St (Pierre goes to Sei-Tomoko on 13th St, but I like the W4th one better). I wanted a crazy cut, something adventurous like that bob. Let's do it! Shampoo and condition is included in the cut ($50), plus hot tea and shoulder massage. Heaven. The hairdresser took out scissors and just as she was about to make that first snip, I chickened out:

"Maybe just a trim instead?"

We compromised. She knocked off a good three inches. And now I feel a little less like a shaggy dog. The only problem is that it's too short to put in a proper bun! Ponytails and hair down for now. Perhaps we'll bob it back the next time around ;)

Magret de Canard

2011-11-27T18:11:00.018-05:00

Pierre was ready to attack this plate this minute it reached the table, so no pretty plating for today. A bit messy, but one of the best lunch dishes I've made in a while. I've been craving duck in all forms recently - legs, foie gras, gizzards, breast. Anything duck! These cravings get particularly expensive so I figured I better learn how to cook a few dishes myself. First up, Magret de Canard. We rarely cook anything fancy at home...so if I can do it, you sure can. Three components to this dish:

1. Sautéed Pears
2. Haricot Verts
2. Magret de Canard

1. For the Sautéed Pears, peel and core a bosc pear. Cut into 8 pieces. Melt a pat of butter over medium heat and cook the pears for five minutes, until golden brown on both sides. I like to add a bit of sugar while cooking to caramelize it just a bit.

2. Trim the Haricot Verts. Blanch in boiling water 3 minutes. Drain and shock in cold water. Sauté with olive oil and salt for a few minutes. Add a handful of slivered almonds. Continue cooking until the almonds turn light brown, remove from heat.

3. I bought the Magret de Canard from our neighborhood Citarella on 9th Street and 6th Avenue. It's $12.99/pound, and each breast piece is approximately a pound, give or take a few ounces. The duck comes from Hudson Valley Foie Gras & Duck Products - top notch products. They also sell all their products online, very convenient.

Using a sharp knife, make a tight crosshatch pattern going across the entire skin/fat side of the duck breast. Salt and pepper both sides.

Place skin side down, medium-high heat, and start cooking off all that fat. A ton of fat will start to pool at the bottom of the pan. Keep a bowl on the side so you can drain or spoon off the fat every few minutes. Continue cooking like this for about 10 minutes until the bulk of the fat has rendered off, and the remaining fat is crisp, golden.

Note: some people save this duck fat for cooking, but I dump it out. The fat has essentially 'burned' off and won't be nearly as good as "clean" duck fat. Hudson Valley Foie Gras also carried duck fat by the 2-pound bucket for $12.50.

Then turn over and cook meat side down for a minute - it should be rare at the center. Remove to a cutting board. Pierre usually comes to the kitchen after around this time and takes care of the slicing. And I use that bonus time (always helpful!) to finish the haricot verts and plate it with the sautéed pears.

30-minutes, start to finish. Perfect timing, and a pretty balanced meal ;) Bon appétit!

Tea Pairings with Le Palais des Thés and Melanie Franks

2011-11-26T11:17:00.017-05:00

The other week I attended a tea tasting class co-hosted by Francois-Xavier Delmas of Le Palais des Thés (who flew in from France just for the occasion!) and Melanie Franks from the French Culinary Institute. Does Melanie's name sound familiar? It should! She prepared this entire six-course tea dinner at In Pursuit of Tea earlier this year. When it comes to culinary tea/cooking with tea, two names pop up most often.

First, Cynthia Gold, author of the Culinary Tea cookbook. I first met Cynthia at the World Tea East when I attend her Culinary Tea Seminar. It was a class for small business owners (cafes, tea shops) who wish to incorporate tea into their menu. And not just for drinking. But for salads, soups, pastas, etc. The class was literally like her book come to life - and that is a good thing. I saw Cynthia again at a tea event hosted by The Meaning of Tea where she made a variety of tea-infused hors d'oeuvres. She's based in Boston and is the Tea Sommelier at Boston Park Plaza Hotel.

Here in NYC, Melanie Franks' name is much more familiar. She's the go-to gal for tea-inspired cooking. In addition to being a chef-instructor at the FCI, she's also a tea chef consultant with In Pursuit of Tea, and a certified tea specialist with the STI. You can literally ask Melanie any question about pairing tea with food. Or how to infuse a certain type of tea into anything from fish to bread, and which tea brings out the flavor of which cookie, and she can answer you in a second. That is serious talent.

The first half of this tea class was conducted by Francois-Xavier Delmas - the founder of Le Palais des Thés, one of my favorite French tea companies. They've been around since 1987 and all their teas come directly from the source/grower, so no third party or wholesaler is ever involved. And though it seems like this is how it always should be...you'd be surprised to learn how many companies purchase teas in bulk from the same wholesalers. A little disturbing actually, but we'll save that talk for another day. Every industry has a dirty underbelly, tea included. Which is why when you find a good company you can trust, stick with it!

Francois-Xavier walked us through a tasting of the following five teas:
1. Long Jing - Also known as "Dragon Well." From Zhejiang, China.
2. Tamaryokucha Imperial - Japanese green tea from the island of Kyushu.
3. Dong Ding - Oolong from Taiwan (this tea also pairs well with quiche)
4. Darjeeling Thurbo - Darjeeling from India
5. Qimen Imperial - Comes from Huangshan in the Anhui province (where we went just this summer!)

I wish I had a photo capturing the different colors of the tea liquors all at once - they varied tremendously, and it was crazy to think that all these varieties essentially come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. I also appreciated the fact that we tasted only pure teas (and not blends), which gave a better sense of the quality of tea alone without many interferences.

After the five teas, Melanie did a demo on how to prepare this dish of Tea-Cured Trout with Tea-Smoked Yogurt. It was actually the exact same dish as the one she served at the tea dinner, only plated a little different. This was actually my favorite dish from the dinner, so learning how to make it was a real treat. Here are the components:

1. Tea-Cured Arctic Char. She used trout for the dinner and arctic char this time around. You can use any white fish or salmon. Cure the fish in a 2:1:1 ratio mix of salt:brown sugar: lapsang souchong.
2. Tea-Smoked Yogurt. Make a tea-infused oil first by heating up a neutral oil (corn, grapeseed, canola), adding the loose leaf lapsang souchong. Remove from heat immediately and then let infuse for 15 minutes before straining out the tea leaves. Blend a bit of the oil with Greek yogurt.
3. Niçoise Olives
4. Cippolini Onions
5. Micro Greens
6. Citrus Segments (orange, lemon)
7. Garlic Chips

Plan to recreate this dish at home soon, so will make sure to do a step by step post.

Finishing on sweets and cheese of course. A wedge of Fontina and Humbolt Fog to pair with cups of Sencha. The cookie is a Chocolate-Hojicha Cookie. When most people do tea cookies, it's usually a matcha cookie, so this was a very fun change. Melanie grinds up hojicha in a spice grinder and uses the ground hojicha to replace most of the flour in this recipe. It's impossible to not get excited about infusing tea into everything from salads, meats, sweets, and soup...the possibilities are endless!

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-11-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Brown Butter Plum Tart at L.A. Burdick
Payard's Raspberry Verrine at Butterfield Market
Pumpkin Tart at City Bakery
Sugar Pie at Bouchon Bakery

Pied de Coq

2011-11-25T12:46:00.010-05:00

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! Pierre and I celebrated with friends (same wonderful hosts as last year), only this time we replaced turkey with roast beef, potato gratin, haricot verts, and a mushroom saute. One couple bought homemade ravioli - truly incredible, miniature in size and half stuffed with spinach/ricotta mix, and half with pumpkin/amaretti. They prepared it on the spot and served with sage-brown butter and Parmesan. Sanu made bourekas with plenty of ground lamb, and we snacked on an excellent carprese salad with burrata all afternoon. For dessert: cannolis from Villabate, coconut-custard and pumpkin pies from Veniero's. A success.

But now, back to reality...one stuffed with macarons. Ladurée just introduced a new box creation, the 'Pied de Coq'. How chic is that? This one is the blue/orange/pink hounds tooth pattern. They have three other color combinations, including a black/white/blue, yellow/purple/green, and green/orange. Serious shocks of color.

I ate the pistachio and raspberry ones first...

...then Pierre came home and we devoured the rest. Flavors top to bottom, left to right:
- Vanilla, Raspberry, Coconut, Cinnamon-Raisin (NYC-only flavor)
- Pistachio, Coffee, Black Forest (new this month), and Chocolate

Another box for the set. Piled in the corner. Halloween boxes, green boxes, rectangles and squares and shiny gold tubes for macarons. I can't decide whether I buy these Ladurée macarons for the boxes or macarons themselves...ahh perhaps a bit of both ;)

Ovando

2011-11-22T16:16:00.010-05:00

A little sunshine for this rainy day. In the West Village, there's a beautiful flower shop on the corner of Christopher and Bleecker Street. It's called Ovando and the walls are painted black, fresh flowers and arrangements provide all the colors in the world.

This place is officially a flower shop/design company and they've done work for brands ranging from MoMA to the Four Seasons and Saks.

They also carry what I like to call "flower accompaniments," things like pots and trays, and these shiny gold and copper bowls. Gorgeous. I came with Diana a few weeks ago, and again with Lisa last week to select an arrangement for an event.

This is the one we picked! Orchids always make me think of Hawai'i.

The do mini-versions as well - $35 each compared to $120 for the larger one.

Packed into deep black bag and off we go!

One Weekend in Connecticut

2011-11-21T14:23:00.019-05:00

Hello! Hope everyone had a good weekend. Pierre and I went to visit his cousins and their two little boys in Connecticut. Two and half hours north on the Amtrak, we left the computer at home and turned our phones off. First priority: relaxation.

It's important to get out of the city every now and then. Otherwise the speed and rush of things here will drive you crazy and insane. Perhaps a combination of both. We were gone for just two days but it seriously feels like we came back from a spa retreat. His cousins are amazing cooks and within the first few hours of our arrival we feasted on fingerling potatoes fried in duck fat, a light salad, and stunning côte de boeuf for four. There was a whole chocolate cake combining génoise, gavottes crumbled in nutella (will replicate this at home!), and chocolate mousse. And that was only lunch.

We drove to Fromage in Old Saybrook to pick out cheeses for dinner including a buttery Coupole and Stinking Bishop among many others. And then we stopped at Atlantic Seafood Market for a variety of oysters, monkfish, scallops, salmon, and shrimp while sampling cups of creamy haddock chowder. The scallops and shrimp was for dinner, simply seared - the main course to appetizers of raw oysters and warm buckwheat blinis (made from scratch!), fresh cream and smoked salmon. Cocktails too! I think we were all in heaven. Out of habit, we dine out/takeout/do delivery too often in the city - home cooked meals are rare and much appreciated treats.

The next morning, well rested (no sounds of drunken people yelling on the streets or cabs honking down Broadway) we had warm pancakes and baguettes with soft butter and jam. Hot tea? Yes please! A walk to the beach, rest and then lunch of monkfish and fried pancetta. Cheese plate and more of that divine chocolate cake to follow.

Then it was off to B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill in Mystic, a short 30-minute drive. Half a dozen fluffy sugar-dusted Apple Cider Doughnuts and hot Mulled Cider to match.

A look at the menu. They also sold jars of apple butter, applesauce, apple-everything!

Fresh batch. Beats the cider doughnuts from Union Square Greenmarket which are often stale by the time farmers bring them down to the Greenmarket. We drove around the Mystic river and back to the house. One last late afternoon hour by the fireplace with that October issue of Food & Wine, and one more pot of genmaicha. A train ride back to NYC, and somehow...it's Monday once again, surely much too fast.

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-11-18T22:58:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
Pumpkin Madeleines at Épicerie Boulud
Coconut Pudding at Red Egg
More Pumpkin Gelato
Orange Blossom and Ricotta Babka at Abraço
4 Pistachio Milkshakes We Love in NYC
Rosewater and Tahini Fruit Salad at Public

Changes

2011-11-17T21:45:00.038-05:00

You might have noticed a few changes here recently. Or actually, throughout the year.

More posts on tea, home, and lifestyle. And less on only food. To the point where I feel titling this blog "A Passion for Food" doesn't make as much sense anymore. Perhaps misleading for people who come expecting to find a straight-up food blog when food is just one of many things I'd love to share. I've decided to change this site to my name, plain and simple: Kathy YL Chan. The old address, www.apassionforfood.net will direct to www.kathyylchan.com. Both urls work, though do update to the new address when you get a chance. Thanks for sticking around guys - it means a lot to me :) Change feels good, and I'm excited to see what the future brings.

What does this mean for the blog? At the heart of it all, this is still the same blog, still the same me, but now posts on non-food subjects will feel more comfortable and at home. Hope you guys don't mind. And in fact, I hope you even like it.

P.S. A huge 'thank you' to D for this new header.

The Shelf

2011-11-17T09:00:00.001-05:00

Gave the tea shelf a little lift this morning. I've been rotating the teas every other week, but this morning I literally saw gold and silver everywhere...in the folds of chocolate squares, in an open Ladurée case, jewelry piled on the nightstand and well...

Maybe we'll just turn this tea shelf into an inspiration shelf!

This is what looked like when we first got started ^-^

Jazz Nights

2011-11-16T08:36:00.012-05:00

We are always on the lookout for good jazz spots in this city. Elegant places to also sit for a good drink and unwind from the day. Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel has been on our list for a long time - Woody Allen plays there on Monday nights! But alas, the $125 cover charge deters us just a bit. I recently learned that Two e Bar/Lounge at The Pierre does Tuesday jazz nights, so Pierre (who was happy to visit a hotel with the same name) and I joined Nora and friends for an evening of drinks and music. I was surprised by the price of the drinks - $14 cocktails. Right on par with most cocktail bars in the city...and in a gorgeous hotel nonetheless. They host jazz nights in the same room as afternoon tea, only with the lights turned low.

Pierre started with the Antique Fashion (rye whiskey, simple syrup, grapefruit bitters) while I went with the First Crush (fresh strawberries, fragoli, champagne). Second round of drinks was off their world cocktail menu - a special they're doing this month. We shared a bunch of savory dishes. The intention was snack and nibbles, but we ate so much, it wound up being dinner! Oysters topped with ikura, grilled lamb chops, and seared shrimp with potato pancakes to name a few. And even if you don't order food, a silver platter of fresh chips, olives, and grana padano goes out to every table. That's something you won't find at cocktail bars downtown.

And then...stepping out onto 5th Ave, hailing a cab home. That building on the right is The Plaza Hotel and Bergdorf's is in the center. If this photo was wider you'd see the Apple store on the left and Central Park on the right. Pretty, even in the rain.

Two e Bar/Lounge
The Pierre Hotel
2 East 61st Street
New York, NY 10065
(212) 838-8000

La Colombe

2011-11-15T09:00:00.022-05:00

Good morning! The third location of La Colombe opened near our apartment last week. Natural light, bar stools, tables for two. I like this table the best, the one I'm sitting at. Back against the wall, a view out. Peppermint tea and a slice of olive oil cake.

La Colombe doesn't have the best coffee or tea. The breezy and carefree atmosphere however, makes up for both. It's always busy, and yet you could spend hours here with no disruption. I recently joined Crunch - the gym next door, so this is my post-workout treat. Not a bad incentive to exercise, heheh. All the pastries are from Payard save for the olive oil cake which is a creation by Kate Jones, a local jeweler/baker.

Am fairly certain this sweet-savory slice of olive oil cake reverse any workout efforts. It's hard to really care when you take that first bite. Golden, and incredibly moist with a dense crumb. Alas, it's the thought that counts, no?

La Colombe
400 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 625-1717

Six To Start

2011-11-14T09:00:00.006-05:00

1. 2011 New York Chocolate Show. Food meets Fashion, literally. Amazing how they get the chocolate (hats and bras included) to stay on girls. Edible highlights included sweets from Pralus, Prestat, Valrhona, and Roni-Sue's Chocolate.

2. Smother this Gorgonzola Dolce Artigianale on everything. Decadent, buttery and faintly sweet. Oozes at room temperature and perfect by the spoonful.

3. Skin Renewal Serum from Amore Pacific. Love the color, the packaging style, and then the serum itself is velvety, lightly fragrant. Once I have a spare $525 sitting around, you might find me committing to a full-size bottle ;)

4. These Quinoa Hashbrowns from Public are impressively crisp with soft, fluffy interiors that release steam at the first cut. Heaven. And two big pieces are only $4.

5. Serving this truffle pasta simply with brown butter, grated parmesan, and sea salt.

6. Somewhere between Fall and Winter. Warm up: Frosty Hot Chocolate at Dominique Ansel Bakery.

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-11-11T16:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Indulgences from this week include:
- Pear and Pecorino Crostata at Babbo
- Pumpkin and Apple Cups at Bosie Tea Parlor
- Caramelized Apple Mille-Feuille at Bouchon Bakery
- New Tiramisu Flavors at Dolce Vizio
- Pear Crisp at Gramercy Tavern

It's All About the Dress

2011-11-10T11:52:00.013-05:00

I'm a total sucker for cheeky, gossip-rich books, so you can bet I pre-ordered Vicky Tiel's It's All About the Dress way before it came out. The subtitle explains it all: "what I learned in forty years about men, women, sex, and fashion."

She delivers, and though the name dropping gets tedious, I love the photos and dreams of extravagant lifestyles. I mean, how could you not?

What I didn't expect to find however, was a chapter on Vicky's relationship with Martha Stewart! Juicy tidbits of course. She delves into Martha's home life and why her marriage fell apart. After a career as a model and stockbroker, Martha married a publisher and became a homemaker. A few years in, Vicky approached Martha with a coffee-table cookbook idea. Martha took on the book project, and at the same time, started catering parties and became completely consumed with this work/her passion.

"Martha worked and worked. Maybe she was too busy to notice what was happening to her marriage. Martha's world collapsed when she found her husband cheating with her young assistant, Robyn. He left Martha, married Robyn, and a new creature emerged. The new Martha had a motivated heart to show Andy (the ex), and she did. I truly feel her drive was born of the need to let him know what she was capable of and make him sorry that he had left. ... She learned to stand alone and find out what she was worth. America and Martha both benefited." Read the book for more details ;)

Vicky also has a section on Martha Stewart's Life Lessons (pictured above):
- Life can have two acts.
- You can develop any persona if you believe it yourself.
- Learn to speak correctly and beautifully, and you can become anyone you want.
- If you can get up at four thirty every morning, you will outwork the competition and achieve all your goals. When I visited Martha the Mogul in East Hampton, I got up at five and found Martha already out walking her dogs.
- Turn a failed marriage into a good thing.

The Pierre Hotel: Warm Sunrise

2011-11-09T09:43:00.012-05:00

At the Two E Bar and Lounge inside The Pierre Hotel, you can partake in a very chic afternoon tea served on low tables. The floor is grey and brown and the lights a notch dimmer and more seductive than most places. And when they ask you what tea you'd like to drink, request the "Warm Sunrise." It's an off-menu favorite, a dreamy creation of chamomile, fresh orange and lemon slices, honey and cinnamon sticks.

The waiter that brews this concoction best is Ilya Aksenov - it's all about proportions and knowing just how much honey to use, and you have the beautiful Nora Walsh to thank for inventing this drink.

I've become so obsessed with Warm Sunrise that I make it at home daily. It's our realiable post-dinner sip when you crave something sweet but the idea of an actual dessert seems too heavy. Remove the strainer from your teapot and spoon in loose chamomile (use disposable T-Sac filters if you want to keep things less messy).

Add a single cinnamon stick...

...slices of fresh lemon and oranges.

Pour in hot water and stir in a spoonful or two of honey.

You can use any honey, but I love this Earl Grey Honey Lisa brought back from Japan. It's simply earl grey leaves infused into honey - the result is potent and true to taste. I often combine tea and herbs in my drinks, this is just another way of doing so.

Steep five minutes, then drink. Makes for an equally good start and end to the day.

A Revisit: Blue Hill Stone Barns

2011-11-08T22:39:00.020-05:00

Sunday lunch at Blue Hill Stone Barns. This second visit wasn't nearly as magical as the first. But it was still fun. And truly delicious. For those who haven't been to Stone Barns, go. But for those who have gone, I don't necessarily think it warrants a second visit. It's too much of the same, little changes. This time around there were noticeably fewer amuses, a waitress who spoke so fast no one could understand. She also didn't present the raw eggs or grains like they did the last time around - small things like that make all the difference and I couldn't help comparing everything to last time. I also couldn't help but compare this to Eleven Madison Park (lunch is around the same price), where each visit seems to get better and better.

Lunch is $88 for 4-courses, plus a $16 supplement for the cheese course. Below, photos. A few select favorites from the meal. For the entire photo set, click here.

First of many bites. Smoked kale, fried green beans, pancetta and sage. There were shots of "V-9", those beet burgers, sesame seed-crusted salsify. Cured meats and of course the vegetables - love that presentation. We received a serving of fried green beans twice, but missed the chocolate and liver sandwiches spotted at different tables.

11-grain brioche with swiss chard marmalade and fresh ricotta

Beet salad...followed by "this morning's egg."

Diners at the table next to us received bone marrow. I was envious, you bet. So I asked our waitress about it, and following the main meat course, this was presented for our table to share. Sturgeon caviar and bone marrow. My favorite savory "course" of the meal. You never get what you don't ask for.

The cheese course

Goat's milk caramel, biscuit, apples, and vanilla bean ice cream. A second dessert of peanut butter ice cream with concord grapes and chocolate. Red fief cupcakes to finish.

They've done away with the fresh herb cart (which usually runs until late November), so only dried herbs are available now. Drinking a blend of chamomile and mint.

A little walk/tour around the farm before heading back to Manhattan. A million turkeys, meaty Berkshire pigs, sheep and rams, and the cutest sheepdog in town.

Afternoon Tea at Bergdorf's

2011-11-08T09:14:00.016-05:00

You'd be surprised by how busy this place gets on a Monday afternoon.

Take the escalator up to the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodman. There's an elevator as well, but escalators are just so much fun. A glimpse of each floor. Handbags! Shoes! Furs! More furs! More shoes! Buttery scarves and luxurious coats. And then you reach the home floor. The 7th floor is my favorite. Think La Maison du Chocolat, Bellocq, Angelina, and YokuMoku all in one room. It's where they stock endless rooms of tea platters, pots and cups. It's where you'll find gilded bar carts and fox fur rugs. And the candles! There's a whole room for just candles. Lafco, Diptyque, Ladurée, and the king of them all....Cire Trudon. Save all that for later, now it's time for tea.

Make a left into BG Restaurant and make sure they seat you in one of those silly wonderful cocoon chairs (Lisa's sitting in one at the top photo). They come in gold and Tiffany blue and I'd love to just curl up in one for the entire afternoon.

A pot of Anji white tea. They serve Dammann Frères, tea menu/selection here.

Here comes the afternoon tea tiers. Finger sandwiches, scones and sweets.

Six sandwiches: egg salad, smoked salmon, cucumber-cream cheese, turkey and sesame, and cranberry chicken salad, and tuna salad. All very ordinary, but good enough. We did agree however that it's best when the type of sandwiches served at afternoon tea are ones that you wouldn't likely assemble yourself at home. Case in point, teas sandwiches from The Plaza, Russian Tea Room, and Pierre Hotel.

Vanilla-raisin scones and frosted tea cakes. One in caramel, another with berries. Jars of honey, fig jam, and apricot preserves. Buttery devon cream nestled in a pot.

Two macarons, lemon curd in chocolate shell, miniature pumpkin pie tarts, and a final tart that tasted like a cross between gingerbread and pecan pie. That is a good thing.

Lisa and I shared a single order of the tea set and the Seared Tuna Salad. Baby arugula, roasted red peppers, wild mushrooms, egg mimosa, preserved lemon, and champagne vinaigrette. It felt very right to eat a salad here ;)

Glasses of Iced Chai before the clock turns 6pm. Dusk. Sun down. Cool autumn air. Views of Central Park. Now let's go back to take another look at that fox fur rug...

Mariebelle

2011-11-07T12:51:00.011-05:00

These new Frangelico Truffles from MarieBelle officially come out next Tuesday...but I thought you might want to take a quick peek ;)

Stunning packaging as always. Silky brown ribbons and perfect bows. The Blue + Brown boxes are MarieBelle's signature colors and packaging style. These Red + Blue boxes (pictured above) were introduced later. Both are ridiculously gorgeous, so sturdy and could easily be mistaken for a jewelry box. That in fact, might be the point.

These chocolates are a collaboration between MarieBelle and Frangelico. The result? Dark chocolate ganache infused with hazelnut liquor. You can taste vanilla and almond in there as well. Patchwork squares in shades of pink, orange, brown, and deep red cover the surface. A bit of a r t, a kiss of chocolate, and a whole lot of luxury.

Six To Start

2011-11-06T18:43:00.014-05:00

1. Saturday morning at Doughboy Bake Shop on Hudson. Tea and a peanut butter cookie for later. Also good for people and dog watching.

2. Friday snack with Don at Gramercy Tavern. Love that lick of chicken liver with the 'Chicken Soup and Potato Dumplings'. The dumplings resemble super soft gnocchi. Moo Shu Duck in the center and Smoked Kielbasa with Spaetzle at the end.

3. Staring at the sparkly windows of MarieBelle on Broome Street. They always have such beautiful displays. I'll take that silver stand and matching teapot, yes please.

4. Thursday evening. The Ramscale Penthouse in the West Village. A tea event hosted by The Meaning of Tea. Tea-infused nibbles and talks, earl grey gin cocktails and matcha shortbreads. Watching the sun set on the terrace.

5. 8am breakfast with Phyllis at Balthazar. Wild mushrooms, scrambled eggs, and asparagus overflowing from the buttery puff pastry nest.

6. Pierre catching us a cab in midtown, Sunday noon. Merci!

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-11-04T18:34:00.007-04:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

Dominique Ansel's new bakery just opened up a few days ago. And that is very good news!! It's the only place in the city to find Gâteau Battu (pictured above), a specialty of Picardy that is so decadent and buttery when warm from the oven. Slather on the soft butter and jam (though note that they charge an extra $3 for that). We drank glasses of cucumber-thyme lemonade at The Dutch and devoured a sweet potato pie at Peels. The fudgy slices of chocolate-almond-pear cake at Doughboy Bake Shop are impossibly rich, but I keep going back for more. And who cares about chilly weather when Buvette is making ice cream and sorbets in-house? Don't forget to visit Benoit for the dessert bar at brunch - mark me down for Tarte Tropezienne and Ile Flottante.

Sugar Rush: Housemade Ice Creams at Buvette

Sweet Finds: Stony Brook Roasted Squash Oils

Sugar Rush: Buttermilk Custard Pie at The Dutch

Sugar Rush: Sweet Potato Pies at Peels

Cool Drinks, NY: Cucumber-Thyme Lemonade at The Dutch

First Look: Dominique Ansel Bakery

Sugar Rush: Chocolate-Pear Cake at Doughboy Bake Shop

Sugar Rush: Brunch Dessert Bar at Benoit

Dessert Box

2011-11-03T15:07:00.007-04:00

A good boyfriend...brings you sweets when least expected. And for no reason at all.

This light green and white stripe box from Financier Patisserie is recognizable a million miles away. Open, open!

A round of Chocolate Mousse on an almond macaron base. Love all the little swirls. Silky dark chocolate ganache to top...

...and Fraisier Cake! Fresh strawberries, cream, vanilla biscuit base and just enough Grand Marnier whipped right in. Bonus points for the two bottles of prosecco :)

Velvet Covers and Shiny Edging

2011-11-02T21:58:00.023-04:00

Had to snap this photo at today's meeting with Lisa. So many pastels at the table. Love the extra cheer it brought to a sunny day. We met at Physical GraffiTea this afternoon, a great meeting spot if you need a pot of tea and quiet place to chat/work.

We drank Florence, a chocolate and hazelnut black tea blend by Harney & Sons.

Lisa brought a surprise. Open the pink box. How many books come with a matching box? And on top of that...wrapped in pink tissue paper with a velvet cover. Hello, Ladurée: The Savory Recipes. You can count on Ladurée for such pretty frou frou.

I gave Lisa the sweet version of this same book when we went to Paris, and now we have a complete set! The sweet book comes with a pastel green velvet cover while the savory cookbook comes in a pastel purple cover. Shiny gold edging for the sweet book and silver (pictured) edging for the savory book. It's all the little details that count.

Fodor's Travel Guides: NYC's Best Afternoon Tea Spots

2011-11-02T15:00:00.006-04:00

Afternoon tea at The Russian Tea Room

Happy Wednesday guys! My article on NYC's Best Afternoon Tea Spots for Fodor's Travel Guides just went live today. Click here to read it. Check out The Pierre Hotel for couples, The Russian Tea Room to bring kids - they have a separate menu for children, and it is awesome. Cha-An for afternoon tea with a twist, Podunk for cozy afternoon tea get togethers, and Bosie Tea Parlor for a great value. I've also included a little "tip" section for each spot, little unknowns and tidbits I hope you find helpful :)

Miniatures at Per Se

2011-11-01T16:49:00.013-04:00

A little something for your sweet tooth. With many thanks to Serious Eats, I went to the tea + champagne launch party for Cup4Cup this afternoon. It's the new gluten-free flour from The French Laundry and Per Se (you can read more about the flour here). Lena Kwak is the chef who created this blend, and she's only 26. Incredible.

On to the desserts! Everything in miniatures. Chocolate Tarts, Lemon Meringue Tarts, and Pâtes de Fruits. The first thing I think when I see things in mini is...afternoon tea party. It's incredibly time and labor intensive to make miniatures at home. In my wildest dreams there would be a one-stop shop in the city where I could pick up the "best of" miniatures. Three Tarts on 9th Avenue is my go-to spot for all things tiny at the moment. But even there, the selection is fairly limited.

Cinnamon Doughnut Holes - the tiniest I've ever seen. You see the bottom right corner of that photo? For every guest, one doughnut, one at a time with shiny silver tongs. Love the precision.

Miniature macarons in Pistachio, Red Hot Cinnamon, and Banana. I swore I couldn't eat any more macarons after this incredible adventure with Serious Eats, but alas ...there always seems to be room for just. one. more. ;) Banana was the best.

Would you like a cup of tea?

They serve teas from Rare Cargo at Per Se. I went with Buddah Blend. So serene.

Many savory bites including these famous Salmon Cornets...

...nibbles of falafel quenelles...

...and plates of cheeses and cured meats.

But always finish on a sweet note. Spoonful of red velvet cake. A fudgy dark chocolate one with cream. All the classic Bouchon Bakery treats done up tiny, and gluten-free of course. The little sugar-topped blueberry muffin on the left was still warm, bliss!

Creams and Lotions for Winter

2011-10-31T18:51:00.012-04:00

Breaking out bottles and jars of creams and lotions for winter. In the cold, my skin can't get enough of moisturizers. Growing up in Hawai'i I never used cream - there was always enough moisture in the air. Seriously paradise. Here in NYC I slather it on when the temperature dips below 60F. Legs, neck, arms, and all in the middle. Otherwise, dry skin in a day. No wonder they say people age faster on the east coast.

Kiehl's Crème de Corps is a lifesaver and a staple. One big jar, we store it on the nightstand. Smother on at night and in the morning. It's a decadent feeling, whipped body cream made with soy milk and honey. Sinks right into your skin, no oily feel.

Now you realize. It's never just about the cream/lotion. It's also about the packaging and design. Cannot emphasize how important the packaging is. Bonus point and sways for containers and clever vessels that come easy on the eyes.

Hello Tocca. This Italian brand is best known for their amazing candles, but the creams and lotions deserve just as much attention. I'm working my way though this glass jar of Florence Crema Da Sogno, the Orris Rose scent at the moment, but will move on to a different scent (maybe the Bianca - Green Tea and Lemon) after we finish this jar. They just opened a shop in the West Village and you can test out all the creams there before settling on a scent. Too hard to pick only one favorite!

Tocca also does hand creams in cute little two-ounce squeeze bottles. The scents are too strong/girly for Pierres' liking, but it's perfect for myself. I buy them in a three-pack set, the "Crema Mani Viaggio." The set includes a tube each of Cleopatra (grapefruit cucumber), Stella (blood orange), and Florence (Orris Rose). They also sell the three hand creams individually if you don't like all the scents in the set.

And for the days it's extremely cold outside, I use a cream that really just coats you completely and thoroughly. But one that also leaves you feeling non-greasy and still light. Enter the Royal Jelly Body Butter from Savannah Bee Company. I'm a fan of their honey and many people don't know they also have a line of beauty products (it's not only food!) Lightly scented soap, body and lip balms.

The body butter uses pecan butter and "royal jelly" from the beehives. According to the box, this jelly is "a 'Cinderella' substance that turns a worker bee into a Queen.... and allows her to live 40 times longer than the average bee." I can't promise you this, but I can assure you that the cream is amazingly voluptuous, really thick and doesn't slide off anytime you wash your hands. Besides, the glass jar is a nice bonus, no? ;)

...don't even get me started on face creams, heheh. We'll touch that subject next time!

Hot Chocolate

2011-10-29T23:09:00.010-04:00

There are only two things...

...I can imagine doing on an October day where we get rain, snow, sleet, and thunder. All at the same time. Did you see this photo of Washington Square Park in the NYT? That's exactly what it looked like when we walked though the park this afternoon.

1. Early dinner at Babbo. First time in history we've stroll in for two corner bar seats with zero wait time. A decadent dish of Warm Lamb’s Tongue followed by Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail and Lamb Chops. Winter food. Two glasses of wine, one cocktail.

2. An evening at home with hot chocolate on the stove.

I wrote about La Maison du Chocolat's Tasse de Chocolat on Serious Eats. One of my favorite hot chocolates for good reason. These silky dark chocolate pearls are just as fine whisked and melted in hot whole milk and cream as it is straight up for snacking.

Whisk, whisk, whisk.

Drink up in little espresso cups. Precious. Too decadent for anything bigger.

Huggable Tea Cups

2011-10-28T18:26:00.015-04:00

Late Friday afternoon at Le Gamin. I love these tea mugs, don't you?

Warm and huggable. A little doily and matching saucer. There's a hand knotted tea bag housing peppermint-based blends in the center. Bright and minty, honey on the side. It's hard to imagine a more inviting cup, especially at this authentic French cafe. Le Gamin's very charming owner, Robert Arbor (whom I first met at Olivia's apartment in 2007!) also serves his signature iced tea here. That you must try on a warmer day. But as of now, the weather forecast calls for snow tomorrow and so hot teas and tisanes it is. For big cheerful mugs also look in the direction of...

...Harney & Sons, love the elegant foot and handle on this one, and...

...Le Pain Quotidien, saucer-less but still adorable.

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-10-28T17:18:00.007-04:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

This week we ate golden canelés from Petrossian...a good one is almost impossible to find in NYC, so take note. Tons of pumpkin desserts, including a top ten round-up for the season. Can't miss the pumpkin doughnuts in cake and yeast form at the Doughnut Plant. Speaking of Doughnut Plant, they recently introduced fresh nut milks...think raw pistachios and cashews. Each milk is scented with different spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and they are heavenly. Pies, apples tarts, and earl grey cupcakes, enjoy!

Sugar Rush: Canelés at Petrossian

Sugar Rush: Pumpkin Cheesecake and Whoopie Pies at Tribeca Treats

Cool Drinks, NY: Fresh Nut Milks at Doughnut Plant

Our 10 Favorite Pumpkin Desserts in NYC

Sugar Rush: Earl Grey Cupcakes at BabyCakes

Sugar Rush: Plum Crumble at Four & Twenty Blackbirds

Sugar Rush: Apple Tarts at O Cafe

Facial Sprays, Mists, and Waters

2011-10-28T09:26:00.007-04:00

Forgive me while we venture off the subject of food for a second, but something else has consumed my mind. Facial sprays, facial mists, facial waters. It is technically food...but for the skin. Ahaha.

I've always been a little nuts for sprays. There's something rather nice about carrying a tiny bottle of elixir in your purse...this is magic, this shall hydrate me to youth. Whether it actually works or not, I love the idea of spraying a potion on your face. Hold the bottle six inches away...that's the perfect distance. Press down, and out releases a cool dreamy mist. Some are scented and some are not. I could go either way. Little travel size bottles of Evian always come with me on the plane. It's the most basic of facial hydration mists...and you have to love the packaging.

Some people poo pah the sprays: it's water - why don't you just wash your face?! You know who you are. And for you I whisk out the Moisture Bound Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System from AmorePacific. The name is so long, but the faint sweet scent is addictive. Inside...no water but bamboo sap. Pure stabilized bamboo sap and not a touch of water. The mist feels slightly thicker (almost like a clear liquid spray lotion) than other water-based sprays. AmorePacific thoughtfully puts a reflective sticker on the cap of each bottle - that "mirror" has come in handy more than once.

And then of courses, there's my collection of rose waters. I bottle the Mymoné and Nielsen-Massey rose water in empty Jurique bottles just because those don't come with spritzer caps. Store in the fridge and I use these for not only my face but the entire body right after I shower. It is...how do you say? Ahh right, heaven.

This is Breakfast

2011-10-27T10:28:00.010-04:00

Okay guys, I'm pretty sure this is what I'd like to have for breakfast every morning. Petrossian hosted their annual media breakfast earlier this week. They baked pastries in miniature just for the occasion - you know how I love miniatures. Tiny croissants of the super flaky and butter-rich sort. Little financiers studded in melting chocolate shards and pecans. Then there was silky smoked salmon slices presented in tidy pairs and caviar and quail egg atop blini. A dish like this each morning and no day could possibly go wrong. Don't forget the hot tea + coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice.

Breakfast

2011-10-26T10:38:00.004-04:00

Good morning! Do you eat breakfast every day? I weave in and out - sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. But I figure it's about time I established some consistency. Wake up 30-minutes earlier than usual, prepare a quick meal. I'm not a cold breakfast person, especially during fall/winter. Hot dishes and "real" food preferred. Today, two scrambled eggs topped with trout roe and olive oil crackers. I beat some crème fraîche with the eggs to make it extra-rich, but usually just add whole milk or cream. The trout roe is gifted from California Caviar Company, so decadent, and this particular one is infused with bourbon. And that's how we'll start the day off right.

Halloween Macarons!

2011-10-25T16:34:00.012-04:00

Happy (early) Halloween. Orange-Passionfruit Macarons from Ladurée, six lined in a row. Limited edition treasures, brightly colored, just for Halloween. The tart of the passionfruit/lilikoi balances out the sweet orange. Pistachio and rose still tie as my favorite flavors, but this is mighty fun. They've been available at the shop for a few days now, and come appropriately in a noir case trimmed with gold. More sexy than scary, it's a keepsake to add to our ever growing collection of macaron boxes.

I'm not a Halloween person (you'll catch me avoiding crowds, inside with a movie that night)....but as far as these macarons go? Yes, please. And for once we have a leg up on the Paris locations of Ladurée: this flavor is available only in NYC, heheh.

Gotham Magazine: Tea Pairings at Union Square Café

2011-10-25T11:54:00.005-04:00

Happy Tuesday! My article on tea and dessert/cheese pairings for Gotham Magazine just went live today. Union Square Café recently introduced this program, run by the really sweet and knowledgeable Karen Dunlap. Teas are by In Pursuit of Tea and the desserts/cheeses are of course, awesome. Click here to read the article and enjoy ^_^

International Afternoon Tea Books

2011-10-24T16:51:00.010-04:00

Lisa recently lent me a ton of great afternoon tea books to explore (she has them all!!) - I was truly surprised by how many books on this subject exist.

If there is one conclusion I can draw from these books, it's that international afternoon tea books are decidedly better than ones published in the US. Not even a close call. The US books are often repetitive, boring and Victorian frou frou. There's a time and place for frou frou, but based off US books alone, you'd think that afternoon tea couldn't be chic, classy or elegant. When in fact, it should be all the above. Enough with the rant ;) These are three of my favorite international books on afternoon tea.

1. Tea & Cake London. This mini-book reminds me of the afternoon tea version of Patisseries of Paris (which I briefly mentioned in this post).

It's a visually driven book of all the spots in London where you can have...tea and cake! Categorized in reader-friendly sections like everyday specials for cafes and tearooms, grand affairs for a formal afternoon tea, and tea with a twist for alternative and themed tea spots. The grand affairs section is my favorite, with teasers into The Ritz, Palm Court at The Langham, and Fortnum & Mason...I will get there one day.

2. The Australian Women's Weekly Afternoon Tea. It's technically a magazine, not a book. But given the high quality printing, material, and structure of this "magazine," I'll sure be treating it like a book.

This one is all recipes - mostly sweets with a few savory tea sandwiches. How can you resist rosewater meringues with fairy floss! Expect to find everything from fig and walnut friands to lilikoi cream biscuits.

Conversion chart, tea menus, and colorful ingredient grids fold out the cover.

3. The Vintage Tea Party Book. The cover of this British book is little scary. This is not your cutesy afternoon tea book.

It's a sassy, very complete and in-your-face book that starts with recipes, but also includes a lot of DIY activities. Like how to decorate a hat (you can't attend a tea party without a hat of course), how to make candles, and how to pick the "perfect" vintage dress. Vintage dresses (and vintage anything for that matter) also creep me out, but it's surely the thought that counts.

Keep your eyes out for the rose petal tea sandwiches :)

Weekend Snapshots

2011-10-23T22:57:00.021-04:00

1. Sunday movie. Cambozola Black Label - buttery blue cheese, crackers, red wine.

2. Afternoon gelato stop at La Cremeria on Mulberry Street

3. Blending ink colors at Shann's graphic design studio in Gowanus. I should have figured when we became friends in middle school (we've known each other for 13 years now!) that she'd eventually become an expert at letterpress.

Shann did the design + printing for my business cards. She's seriously amazing at this. The machine behind her is a giant paper cutter - the "guillotine," heheh.

Letterpress machine! The entire open studio set up was both foreign and fascinating. Most of the day involved me oohing and ahhi-ng. So this is how you make it....that's how card comes together? ...this is how you turn xxx dark/shiny/awesome? Forgive me, I'm usually surrounded by food and computers. Thanks a bazillion Shann!!

Afternoon break with mugs of hot tea...and a late lunch of Thai food. Can't go wrong with curry and drunken noodles on a cold day.

4. Da Bao from Mei Li Wah. Only $1.60 apiece. Stuffed with lup cheong, pork, and chicken. It used to come with a hard boiled egg inside as well...but not anymore. The one from Bale in Honolulu is still my favorite, a super big Da Bao worthy of the name. Filled with everything including the egg, mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles.

5. 5pm at Buvette in the West Village...

...daily specials on the board. That foie gras aux pommes sound especially good ;)

6. Friday night dinner with Nikki at the James Beard Foundation. A lovely 5-course meal from Chef Abraham Salum of Komali and Salum in Dallas. The sight of so many wine glasses at the table always makes me smile.

7. Saturday morning breakfast with Shann at Four & Twenty Blackbirds. The people who work here aren't very nice, but the pies are delicious.

8. Dim Sum at Jing Fong. Pierre calls this place "dim sum football field," and that it is. I love the steamers piled high on rolling carts, the energy, and the fact that we scored a whole table (no sharing required!) to ourselves today.

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!

Sugar Rush'ed...

2011-10-21T16:08:00.008-04:00

Happy Friday! I write the 'Sugar Rush' column + other sweet stuff for Serious Eats.

This week there were slices of Olive Oil and Ricotta-Almond Cake from il Buco Alimentari. They also make amazing gelato - think salty pistachio and olive oil. All their sweets verge on savory. We revisited the macaron - or more precisely, what makes a bad macaron. Air bubbles, poor ratios, stale macarons, fake flavoring, we cover them all. And then we ate miniature vegan doughnuts from BabyCakes and matcha doughnuts from Doughnut Plant. A little sour cream apple walnut pie (make sure to warm in oven), and chocolate-peanut cookies to finish the week. Happy Friday!

Sugar Rush: Loaf Cakes and Olive Oil + Pistachio Gelato at il Buco Alimentari

Sugar Rush: Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie at Little Pie Company

10 Signs of a Bad Macaron

Cool Drinks: 12 Noon to Midnight Sparkling Beverages

Sugar Rush: Matcha Doughnuts at Doughnut Plant

Sugar Rush: Mini-Mini Doughnuts at BabyCakes

Sugar Rush: Chocolate-Peanut Cookies at Bakeri Brooklyn

Le Palais des Thés: Coffret de Thés du Monde

2011-10-21T11:28:00.013-04:00

Whimsical set-ups! Shiny tubes filled to the brim with loose leaves. Every single one with a matching label indicating proper water temperature and how long to steep each tea. I'm a proponent of tea sampler kits, and have mentioned a few favorites in the past: Steven Smith, Village Tea, Tay Tea, and Dammann Frères. It's a ideal and fun way to get a taste of everything at your own pace without immediately committing to an entire tin/package of just one tea.

Samplers always come in mini sizes, and we've agreed: everything is cuter in miniature. I'm obsessed with good (and sometimes bad) packaging. The inventive ways companies choose to package mini tea kits is an endless source of fascination. I met the owners of Le Palais des Thés (a must-visit for any Paris holiday) at the Fancy Food Show in July. We got along well and to celebrate the launch of their new US e-commerce website, they sent a tasting kit, "Coffret de Thés du Monde Entier." Essentially, teas from around the world.

Let's dive in, shall we? Lift open the cover, inside is a sheet breaking down all the teas, twelve tubes in total. Each sample has enough tea to make a 6-8 cup teapot. Would make for a fun tea tasting party (you bring the tea sandwiches and scones!)

The kit comes complete with The Théophile guide, a house-published book on the history of tea, types of teas. It also covers everything from teaware to tea etiquette.

Come to think of it, Le Palais des Thés has quite a number of in-house publications - remember my post on Bruit de Palais, their monthly magazines?

Pierre walked into the living the other morning when I had every single tube opened, upright on the table. Sniffing them all. What are you doing? Eventually he joined in, heheh. The scent of tea is intoxicating. I've yet to try all twelve, but mark me down as a fan of Thé du Hammam (we bought the full-size for my parents), the Butterfly of Taiwan, and Darjeeling Margaret's Hope from India. They carry different themed sets including one for green tea, and one for low-caffeine teas. Am already brainstorming what to do with the tubes after we polish off all teas! The possibilities are endless.

A View from the Street

2011-10-20T22:58:00.014-04:00

Spotted on the way home. I love Tribeca in the evenings, just past 11pm. Here on Thursday night, we are on Duane Street, between West Broadway and Hudson Street. A glimpse into the kitchens of Bouley, where we dined for lunch in the summer.

Take a step closer, the pastry kitchen is just to the left. Everyone is busy at work. Outside it's 50F with a light breeze. Locanda Verde is a few blocks north if you're in the mood for a nightcap. But instead, let's stand here and stare into the windows. It makes me think of this night where I chanced upon a noodle factory in east Chinatown. Eerie quiet outside, and a steady calm rhythm of rolling dough, flour in the air.

NYC is full of these magical spots, but I seem to come about them less frequently the longer I live here. Tonight, a block away, I celebrated the launch of Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner's cookbook, Neue Cuisine The Elegant Tastes of Vienna at Blaue Gans. We feasted on veal schnitzel, foie gras rolled in pretzels, smoked trout, herring, warm chestnut soup, and more glasses of wine than I can remember. For dessert: apple strudel and Sachertorte. A ten-minute cab ride home, shower and tumble into bed.

A Paris Tea and Cookies

2011-10-20T12:05:00.010-04:00

Remember our tour of the Harney & Sons factory in Millerton the other week? Well at the very end of the tour, John Harney led us to a cluster of shelves that were filled - almost to the ceiling, of perfect tea tins. Endless rows and rows of color, columns and columns of every Harney & Sons tea imaginable.

It was like something out of a wild dream, only this was real. He said, "pick! any tea! any one!" And so we did, and that is my little tin of "Paris" you see.

Make sure to save the tins, they make wonderful containers for sparkly things and treasures. But first, we drink. "Paris" is a black tea blend, tasting of vanilla and faintly of citrus notes that come with earl grey. Breathe deep and you'll pick up whiffs of Harney's black currant - the very first flavored tea they introduced years ago.

And what is tea without a few sweets to nibble on? Thank you to Sara and Ryan for these Momofuku Milk Bar cookies. Simultaneously chewy and buttery, wide, indulgent discs studded in chocolate chips and...

...cornflakes and marshmallows, oh yes.

Good Morning: Thé Adoré

2011-10-19T23:12:00.014-04:00

Good morning sunshine! It might be pouring outside, but all is well and cozy inside Thé Adoré, a Japanese-owned French bakery/café on 13th Street. The bakery is on the first floor - look for warm quiches and a parade of sweets. Madelines, tarts, and almond butter financiers. But if you wish to stay for a nibble, go up one flight the creaky stairs, don't forget to leave your wet umbrella near the entrance. We're here for breakfast with Noelle - she's in town for just a few days.

Sign me up for a morning meal of fresh-baked croissants - so flaky, and baguettes. Doesn't it remind you of Paris? The baguette is still warm, sliced lengthwise and ready for a hearty spread of butter. Apricot jam or strawberry? Strawberry please!

A little pot of Earl Grey tea from Mariage Frères. Check out that clever little strainer, it catches all the drips. A splash of cream and...

...miniature sugar cubes!

Orange juice, tea, and a savory breakfast sandwich for Noelle. Here is our spread, let's dig in. Warm wooden tables and views of a tree-lined street. Catch-up chats and gossip of the girly sort, an extra sugar cube or two just because. Positively serene.

Thé Adoré
17 E 13th Street
New York, NY 10003

(212) 243-8742

Delivery: THELEwala

2011-10-19T10:05:00.010-04:00

THELEwala: officially our new favourite place for delivery. I've mentioned this relatively new Macdougal Street spot before, and you can find more info on it here and here. We walk there on the weekends, but for weeknight dinners when cooking is not an option and we don't want to venture out the building, hello THELEwala.

Rolls, it's all about the Nizami Rolls. I order Lime Paneer (center) most often - grilled cheese, red onions and coriander. Pierre always gets a few for himself. Think Thelewala Chicken (left) with fried eggs, red onions, spices and lime, and Chapli Roll (right) of lamb, red onions, lime and fried eggs. About $5 apiece. Fillings are laid out and rolled up on housemade paratha bread. One is a snack, two is a meal.

On occasions we switch it up and order items from the non-roll section of the menu. Keep your eyes peeled for Tawa Chicken Fry ($8). It's sauteed with onions, coriander and a signature blend of masala spices. Comes with two parathas. I always finish the bread but make sure to save some chicken (and the sauce!!) for breakfast the next day. Warm up in a fry pan and scramble with two eggs. Rewarding.

And don't forget a cup of housemade Masala Chai. Only $1.50! Heheh.

THELEwala
112 Macdougal Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 614-9100

Union Square Cafe: Fall Food & Wine Dinner

2011-10-18T12:38:00.007-04:00

Yesterday's dinner at Union Square Cafe started like this. Hors d’Oeuvres for the table. Gougères warm and oozing liquid cheese, Schiacciata dell’Uva piled high with pancetta, Fried Sunchokes, and Apple-Parsnip Soup topped with Oysters. Ahh indulgence indeed!! It was all part of Union Square Cafe's bi-annual Food & Wine Dinners, one in the Fall and one in the Spring.

This particular meal was co-hosted with California-based Schramsberg Vineyards. A sparkling wine paired with every course, five in total. To begin: Blanc de Blancs, North Coast, 2007.

"Jack-O-Lobster" comes next. The name put a smile on everyone's face. Not so serious, but decidedly delicious. Individual pumpkins for everyone. I received an orange, the fellow next to me had one in green + yellow, and the woman across had an all-green pumpkin. Sink your spoon in. Meaty lobster chunks tangled with chanterelles and leeks...and pumpkin of course. Paired with J. Schram Rosé, North Coast, 2000.

A little salad of mache lettuce accompanied the Rabbit Lasagna. How many layers of the supple pasta? I lost count at six. This was my favorite dish of the evening. Between each layer, tender rabbit meat nestled in with chestnuts and black truffles. Drink with: J. Schram, North Coast, 2004.

I had to hold back from eating all the excellent bread and butter for there was more to come. A Wagyu Strip Loin, rare in the center with Twice-Baked Potato - crisp skin and buttery, melting interior. A late harvest Mesclun dressed in Cabernet Vinaigrette. This was paired with the only non-sparkling wine of the night: J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District, Napa Valley, 2007.

And to end on a sweet note, a duo of Cinnamon Doughnuts. Miniature! Cake doughnuts! Hot out of the fryer, piled one on top of the other with Apple Cider Caramel and Roasted Apples tucked in the center. Did I ever tell you that Fall is my favorite season? Spring is too bright, Winter is gloomy, and Summer is just gross. So cheers to Fall: Crémant Demi-Sec, Napa Valley, 1986.

But. But dinner is not over yet. Not until Hugh Davies (President of Schramsberg)...

...sabers that bottle of champagne. Wooosh! There it goes! And that is how Monday nights ought to be.

Union Square Cafe
21 East 16th Street
New York, NY 10003

(212) 243-4020