A couple of years ago, I was shopping at the Italian grocery store Agata e Valentina, and as I went to pay for an item at the takeout counter, I spotted a jar full of cookies studded with pistachios and topped with jam. They looked good, and so I bought one on a whim. It …
A couple of months ago, just before all non-essential businesses got shut down in NYC, I discovered the truly fabulous apple-honey cake at Epicerie Boulud. My (bad) timing was actually pretty remarkable: had I tried the cake even a couple of days prior, I would have made it back in time to get a second …
This past December, I went to Costa Rica on vacation. I’m generally a fan of Latin food, but it’s not a cuisine whose intricacies and regional variations I’m particularly well acquainted with, and I did not know all that much about (or have a lot of time to learn about) Costa Rican food prior to …
Finding casado in Astoria (Costa Rica via Brazil) Read More »
As a Boston native, I have, shall we say, a very particular take on the relationship between cold weather and ice cream—that is, I acknowledge (or at least behave as if there were) no relationship between the two. After all, it’s not as if people suddenly stop consuming cold drinks during the winter months; why …
In which I miss out on soft serve but eat a $10 slice of cake that’s actually worth it Read More »
One of the inadvertent side effects of eating mostly outside my neighborhood is that I have a tendency to overlook good food when it’s right nearby. Or rather, I should say, I have a tendency to investigate less and to dismiss more easily after a single so-so experience. Such was the case at Epicerie Boulud …
I’ve spent the last week trying to get over a brief but nasty bout with the flu, and as per usual when I get sick, pretty much the only thing I’ve wanted to eat is dumplings in soup. More specifically, jhol momo, which prior to three days ago I hadn’t eaten in months but suddenly …
Dumplings and dancing in Jackson Heights (a tale of two momos) Read More »
Cardamom-laced coffee is ridiculously fast and easy to make, but it manages to turn what a standard beverage experience into something really exceptional. Prep Time: 3-5 minutes 2 shots of espresso 1/3 cup milk 1 packet of brown sugar Sprinkling of cardamom powder and cinnamon Directions: Put milk in a saucepan with desired amount of …
I’ve never been a huge fan of nougatine (i.e., torrone, the confection made from egg whites, honey, and various types of nuts), especially the crunchy Italian kind, but this year for some reason I got a craving for it. More specifically, I got a craving for the soft, dark chocolate-covered kind with hazelnuts. I was …
For the record, it was my New Year’s resolution last year as well, but this time I really mean it (hah!). It’s not as if the world really *needs* one more food blog, especially from someone living in New York City, but I certainly spend enough time looking for/thinking about/talking about food, and have sufficiently …
Starting this blog is my 2020 New Year’s resolution Read More »
