STIR THE POTS

Quaint

My neighborhood  Sunnyside can't be called a mecca for food but there is a place I visit when I don't cook at home or travel across to the city! About a year ago our  neighborhood experienced a nasty blackout widely reported, some of it's victims like me were luckily able to get something to nosh on at this eatery down the street from my apartment building ! Soon I was making  friends with the owner and chef as well as most of the staff of my local watering hole, Quaint.

The Chef and I have since become friends when I gave him some sour dough, this cemented the  cooks bond and hopefully infected him with the baking bug!

John McGrath has been at the helm since the original opening Chef decided to cut loose just at the tail end of the infamous blackout last year! Tim Chen the owner has had his moments of doubt and I keep encouraging him to let his hair down or ya-ya's out and let John cut loose with some of his more upscale menu he was making at Bliss restaurant where I first tried his food! Just recently they were awarded  best new restaurant from Time Out 2007 for Queens, an upsurge in business and a really honest kind of cooking make for a great night out in Queens!  This "quaint" restaurant is really a a breath of fresh air and gives some hope for local places in all neighborhoods where Manhattan isn't the only choice!

The other night I spent some hours sipping wine and eating some fine cooked salmon as well as snapping some shots of the crew. The onetime bartender bartender John who I had met when the restaurant was in crisis during the blackout was there with his family,he was leaving to head back to his home state. When I first met  first John he said he didn't like sourdough, so I showed up in the blackout during my insane 90 F baking marathon I would bring in a loaf or two for the guy's, that would be served at our table and amongst the staff! We will miss his kind welcome at the door and his willingness to slice the loaves and participate in the noshing of the handmade bread!

Thanks Tim, Veronica, John, Katie, Lucas and the rest of the guy's at Quaint

Poulet!

It's dinner time and I didn't want to go out again, I figured I would have a simple roasted chicken! So I headed off to the supermarket and gathered my mental list of important flavor profiles for the main course.
First a chicken, herbs....hmmm what veg? Broccoli rape is so good and full of vitamin a, eat your greens!
Then a starch? Yeah my favorite, some sweet potatoes roasted with rendered duck fat and garlic, smothered with herbs and scallions! That's it!

Arthur Avenue

Arthur Avenue... It's what we call little Italy, an enclave amongst the collegiate Fordham set and the knock-off boutiques with big butt mannequins in hot pants amongst the subway sandwiches on Fordham road east!
Since my last visit I noticed decay like a scene reminiscent of a B-grade Roman movie where the empire is crumbling from the barbarian invasions!
Sad to say the bakeries are dwindling and the cloned Little Italy style restaurants with tour guides in tow of out of towner'€™s on the crowded sidewalks explaining the difference of extra virgin olive oil from just the regular oil visit like a freak show visit! From downtown Mario meatball type restaurants to the same bread with one-dough breads, are abundant. Still clinging to some lost memory, there is something to be savored, for how long I am not sure? Amongst the other immigrant population are the Albanians who are making in-roads as if this  enclave is an escape from there current and past history, I dared myself to venture into a restaurant with name Skopje restaurant, thought again but determined to comeback for that experience,but for the moment I was feeling Italian!
My nostalgic visit found me dismayed at Pietro's bakery shuttered, last time they still had a rye and pancetta bread in the window crying for me to buy it! Now most of the bakeries have pre-filled cannolis and the basic frolla cookie with the a-typical garnishes of chocolate and sprinkles! Where are the Italians? As real estate and gentrification determine the boundaries of where poor and middle class neighborhoods are overrun with homogenized mega markets for the rich!

es of our city, we will all be eating and drinking from the same well and with no more diversity!
I stopped at what is the market with only a few stalls and cigar makers, my usual sausage store no longer there! These are pilgrimages that a Queens mets fan makes when crossing into unfamiliar territory, Yankee land! I ate a sandwich with familiar cold cuts and cheese, semolina bread, $7.00 bucks and it wasn't a whole hero! $2.00 for a pint of Pellegrino water, what made up for the steep prices was listening to the older gentlemen talking Italian and trying to decipher it all!
Still the place is valuable to find some gems, Tietel Bros. sale prices of imported oils and sundries. The meat markets with coniglio, strange cuts of smoked pork, tail and snout!
Dismayed but still satisfied, I hope that this corner of Belmont can survive the rich people invasion and still give some satisfaction for us foodies!

Springtime in New York

Nothing like a guilty conscience especially on a hot Saturday morning in New York's lower east side!
Finding myself with a 'wife free' day and a bloggers dilemma of finding some subject to talk about like a case of writers block. I initially was heading across to New Jersey for Mitsuwa in edgewater for a look at everything from exotic ingredients to housewares, perhaps a ramen or something for lunch? instead I started out at the Union Square Green Market where I set forth with the idea of photographing food and instead started buying cheese from some great cheese makers including Cato Corner Farm as well as a  sheep  milk cheese producer  of  Valley  Shepard Creamery. I lazily walked by stalls snapping at ramps, potatoes, onions and of course that all so photogenic bread! The people of Flying Pigs Farms were amazed at the fact that I wanted to snap at some samples of their pork products and engaged in conversation about my previous guest Michael London's famous encyclopedic knowledge of anything food!

The market finished I started losing direction and my plan to go to Mitsuwa vanishing with the rising temperature, so much for it felt like summer already, I made my way to the subterranean transport intending now to see either Brooklyn Brewery or Una pizza Napoletana (even though I had forgotten the exact address!) I made a last minute jump from the L train and got off of first avenue and 14th street in the east village. Somehow I had forgotten how different New York city had changed or turned into a commercial hub of boutiques, Starbucks a legacy of the Giuliani years, white washing what was character in these neighborhoods. Crossing Houston street I decided to just pass some of the landmarks of Jewish culinary tradition, what is still left interspersed with new luxury development and New York University claiming land  like the settlers buying Manhattan for 24 dollars and some glass beads just so they can say they are an Ivy league school!

Katz , Russ & Daughters along with Yonah Schimmels Knishes are what is left of a dead neighborhood and lost art of the Delicatessen's I remembered, no more Shmulka Bernstein's on Essex, Ratners or 2nd Ave. Deli it's not here anymore!
Crossing Delancy I made my way down Essex passing some old Synagogue padlocked, sighing a bit I looked ahead of me on Grand street at the Doughnut Plant next Kossars Bialy's, being Saturday I decided to stop in for a doughnut as Kossars observed Sabbath rules and were closed, I have to remember to stop by on a Sunday!

The Doughnut plant are the brain child Mark Israel who follows the recipe handed down by his Grandfather Herman who's picture hangs on the wall as you enter. Fretting a bit the sign above the counter calmed me when I noticed  the dough nuts were trans fat free! The wafting smell of the yeasted dough nuts permeated and I ordered an iced chai tea and a phat raspberry filled dough nut, unorthodoxly square with a whole in the middle that had a heavenly vanilla glaze, all organic!
I skipped out making my way to the next corner ceremoniously chomping and licking my fingers, across the way the Pickle Guy's were shuttered as was Gertels probably one of the only Jewish bakeries left!

The neighborhood was turning into the periphery of Chinatown but I made my way down Eldridge street to look at the Old Synagogue that is being renovated, beautiful building! Across the road when my Brother made me aware of this jewel landmark when we were eating across the street in  a Malaysian restaurant.  Following the back streets  near the Manhattan bridge  I noticed the vegetable vender's selling Asian vegetables and seafood in the ad hoc fashion, still with a large clientèle.

Heading back north from Canal street I made my way up to see my friend at Public, Brad Farmerie. I first stopped to by some wine at Wine Therapy on Elizabeth street and chatted with it's amiable owner who made a suggestion what I should try with my Sister in-laws Salt cod dinner! (Seem to be eating a lot of the stuff of late!)
I stopped in to see if I could invite the Chef of Peasant for an interview but all I found in the window was a funny looking French Bulldog so I snapped a picture of the photogenic fella!
Brad was knee deep in brunch so I retired myself to having a snack of Dosa filled with potato masala and peanut chutney at  Hampton Chutney co. before heading for dinner at the in-laws later that evening!

Saturday's can be hell especially in Springtime!

What's in a name?

Bayaldi

It’s been some time since I made this wonderful vegetable, which I learned with my first Chef Jean-Michel Gammarielo. My first real French restaurant where without having a clue of what or how to cook anything except what I had learned most recently as a soldier working for a General!
This particular dish is known as Tian Provençale, but is also known as Bayaldi at least at this restaurant; it consists of eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, and cloves of garlic, orange peel, thyme, coriander seed and olive oil.

This bayaldi was the heart of Jean-Michel's plate, I can recall they would use the remaining juices to make a sauce or it was served with omelets or fish. What I loved most of all was the beautiful colors and floral smell from the coriander seeds. The simplicity of turning the vegetable into a circular rose shape which Jean-Michel would so carefully make, each vegetable would be cut like so, layering tomato between the eggplant and zucchini. I never made the connection with the Turkish vegetable Imam Bayildi and it's ingredients aren't exactly the same, but I think its romantic name somehow translated and enhanced Provençale tian to the Ottoman table.

Imam Bayildi: the legend

The dish was tasted by a certain Imam who after observing a holy day was served this dish and fainted when he tasted this dish so liberally dressed in expensive olive oil.

A Turkish proverb casts light on another interpretation: Imam evinden ash, olu gozunden yash cikmaz (No food is likely to come out of the imam's house and no tears from a corpse). A reference perhaps to the stingy Imam, tasting such a rich dish it overwhelmed his senses and fainted with delight!

Michael London

Michael London is more than just a baker, he is a schmoozer and doorman at least that is what he calls   himself when you meet him at his shop in Saratoga Springs NY. I like to think of him as sort of Voltaire or some other literary enlightened man with a touch of Brooklynese thrown into the mix. I never imagined finding as good a product as his various confections in so far away place, that I may say rival or even better some of the best shops in the city. As for his ability to make one understand the quality it’s a mix of his early hippie day’s baking in the village and his memory of his Nana's breads. Michael is not only a fine baker as he is a knowledgeable man that shares his views on slowing down the process of making bread. By understanding that it is a living culture in itself and that we are just tending and shaping it in it’s natural form. I surely will make the trek again, not just for the croissants but the good company and great hosts both Michael, his Wife Wendy and son Max were on my visit, thanks Michael!  This is part 1 of the interview or conversation, I hope to speak and learn a lot more from Michael, he is a walking encyclopedia!

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Dinner at Theresa's!

Ever the complainer when I am not cooking, I didn't resist going to Greenwich Village to my beloved Sister in-laws house for Easter dinner. First I should remind everyone that Theresa has always cooked wonderful food, as can be noticed on my waist! She out did herself this time and though she will get a lesson on the real way to prepare Dauphinoise potatoes it didn't stop anyone from wiping them out! Thanks Tere! Ever the trooper she was traveling the next morning and without flinching she prepared the gorgeous meal that we all devoured and savored, wishing only for another piece of tarte smothered in cream!

Anthony Bourdain

Tony Bourdain is a "star" chef, but his trajectory is the world table and he sits with his mouth wide open.Almost like Magellan he tastes his way from the Kalahari to Singapore and points in between, from the desert to the white tablecloth of Michelin starred temples of gastronomy! Without fail he looks at the little guy and shares his own experience not bemoaning it, but like characters that hearken from Orwell's "Down and out in Paris and London!" he describes the freak show it is! Debunking myth's about everything from Mario Batali's branded red clogs to Gordon Ramsay's food having a "sort of feminine touch! Of course this blogger was somewhat skeptical regarding Ferran Adria's food,but by conversations end I realized with an open mind your taste bud's, especially a chefs should be ready for anything.....it doesn't hurt  too that he is a fan of Iggy Pop like me!

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Podcast

Fanesca

 

This being Holy week for both the Jewish and  Christian faiths and I being a child of parents of the two religions decided to do my part in hoping for peace. As with any dream of mine, it usually comes in the form of sharing food. This dish is from my wifes country of Ecuador where even there  wars are fought over such things as the ingredients or how to proceed with the recipe! This particular Fanesca was judged by the two wickedest critics, my sister in law and my wife, oh well next year I will
try to make Matzoh!

In these pictures I give an idea that this is truly a Lenten and native dish of the Andes with some incorporation of the famous bacala (dried cod).

Some of the ingredients not included in the photos are peanut butter, achiote, garlic onions etc... I want to get my sister in-laws version from the familiar town of Zaruma , I have spoken about in my previous posts on Ecuador! She claims my "gringo self" made a real Serrano grano style! (Not the right way!)

 

Craig Ponsford

Ask this guy a question and he will surely answer it, why? Craig Ponsford is the chairman of the BBGA and owner of his own successful  bakery located in Sonoma California. As coach and team player in the winning teams who compete at the Olympic level of baking in France the heart of anything bread he has won twice! Without a doubt a really nice guy he gave me some time for a chat and that is saying a lot when he is so busy! He gives me incite on the training, the reason we don't have the same culture of bread, but why we excel or at least he does! Baking brotherhood is a term which I think describes the way Craig will cross borders to help other teams but as well to gain experience and strengthen the bond.

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