behold, the duffin

i had heard about the duffin about a year ago. my brother clued me in that a little bake shop, brownie points, existed near his work that made an impeccable duffin. i had never had a duffin before, but as a lover of both donuts and muffins, i was in from the start. my sister-in-law and i took a trip to there, and it is a memory i will never forget. i have been craving them since my voyage last week. my sister-in-law has, in fact, tried to recreate the duffin in her baking adventures, and said she has never been able to. the only thing i can do for now is go back (hopefully sooner rather than later) to brownie points.

the exterior of this magical treat was crispy and crunchy with a thin, sugary layer from top to bottom, which leads me to believe it was momentarily fried. the inside was doughy, moist and had the texture of a fresh baked muffin with the flavor of an old-fashioned donut. any tips on how to recreate this masterpiece?

brownie points bakery: 3 Beechwood Road, Summit, NJ 07901-2528

phone: (908) 464-2253

pancakes

mark bittman was right. the person who invented pancake mix was a genius. it occurred to me recently, that other than on a few special occasions, i never really make pancakes from scratch. the good ole’ aunt jemima mix occupies a valued piece of real estate in my cabinet, and i realized after this recent pancake adventure, it doesn’t have to.

there are really only a couple of dry ingredients (simple pantry staples, i might add) in pancake mix anyway, and the process itself is so easy, there is no reason to ever use the mix again! this is a basic pancake recipe from mark bittman’s how to cook everything, but i added the cinnamon and nutmeg for some wintry/fall flavor.

the batter was a little thick, so i added that extra 1/2 cup of milk.

the most important part? waiting until the pan is hot enough.

as soon as those bubble start rising on your pancake, it’s time to flip!

voila! nice buttery, crispy outside topped with some maple syrup.

ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 – 2 cups of milk

2 tbsp. melted and cooled butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

directions:

1. preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter.
2. mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the egg into 1½ cups of milk, then stir in the 2 tablespoons melted cooled butter and vanilla. gently stir this into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten the flour; don’t worry about a few lumps. if the batter seems thick, add a little more milk.
3. if your skillet or griddle is nonstick, you can cook the pancakes without any butter. otherwise, use a teaspoon or two of butter or oil each time you add batter. when the butter foam subsides or the oil shimmers, ladle batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. adjust the heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. the idea is to brown the bottom in 2 to 4 minutes, without burning it. flip when the pancakes are cooked on the bottom; they won’t hold together well until they’re ready.
4. cook until the second side is lightly browned and serve, or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degrees oven for up to 15 minutes.

abc kitchen

abc kitchen, the newly opened farm-to-table jean-georges vongerichten restaurant in the flatiron/union square area (it’s on the side entrance of abc carpet & home) promises to deliver only the freshest, local and organic fare prepared with the jean-georges touch. and it delivers.

the plates? all handmade by local artisans. the silverware? all vintage silver. the floors? whitewashed wood that created the farmhouse feel that makes the restaurant seems miles away from a bustling city. the staff uniforms? thrift store purchases. the food? excellent.

we started with these two appetizers, the white bean toast and the cauliflower soup. the white bean toast was as decadent enough that it didn’t even feel like a “bean toast.” it was smothered in a creamy puree of white beans, parsley, olive oil and herbs, and laid atop a crisp piece of grilled bread.  the cauliflower soup was also just as creamy, and was topped with delicious garlic croutons and a few splashes of olive oil.

next came the entrees. we had the artic char and the grilled portabello sandwich. the char was not under or overcooked at all, and still soft and moist inside. it was served over carrot puree and roasted root vegetables that melted in our mouths. the portabello sandwich was served on a ciabatta roll with arugula, lemon mayo, parmesan and jalepeno. the sandwich itself was good, but not great; however, the fries that came with it were wonderful (definitely double cooked – so crisp!). 

last stop: the desserts. the salted caramel ice cream sundae was superb (and so beautiful)! two scoops of super creamy, salted caramel gelato topped with caramel popcorn, whipped cream and bathing in a pool of chocolate caramel sauce. heaven! the concord grape tart was slightly less invigorating. the grape flavor was so muted, and the crust lacked that buttery flakiness that i thought was guaranteed with a tart that looked this great. still, the overall meal and dessert experience was excellent, and abc kitchen definitely deserves a trip for dinner.

- abc kitchen: 35 E 18th St (between broadway and park ave), New York NY 10003

- reservations can be made through open table

austin: part 2

day two of austin was filled with just as much food goodness as day one. we went downtown to south congress street where most of the awesome food trucks set up shop. the food trucks are parked in the same location each day, so they’re basically like brick and mortar shops with wheels. later in the day, we stopped for dessert at chez-zee. evidence below..

crepes mille:

from top to bottom: pork floss crepe (pork confit, sweet/spicy sauce), chicken burgundy crepe, pepperoni pizza crepe.

unfortunately, this little breakfast truck, “the local yolk,” was closed when we visited, but look how cute it is!

finally, some desserts from chez zee. each one was excellent, although my personal favorite was the highly recommended lemon rosemary cake (far left). also pictured, the coco leches cake and the double chocolate gooey cake.

austin: part 1

i can’t even begin to describe how much i loved the food in austin, but i will try my best to show it. below are some photos from our eating adventures.

tacos from taco deli:

it sickens me that we don’t have breakfast tacos in new york. richard and i seriously considered opening up a breakfast taco truck when we got back…

taco #1 is the “otto” (eggs, black beans, bacon, avocado and cheese) and taco #2 is the “vaquero” (eggs, grilled corn, roasted poblano and red peppers and monterrey jack cheese)

salt lick bar-b-que:

this bar-b-que was so good, and so far beyond any bar-b-que i’ve ever had, it made me question if i had ever actually had bar-b-que before. the meat was unbelievably moist and tender, the sauce divine and the pecan pie the best i’ve ever tasted (the secret ingredient: butterscotch).

below: pork ribs, brisket, turkey, sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, pecan pie

mesa grill: brunch

i had only been to mesa grill for dinner, but boy, now that i’ve been for brunch, i realize i’ve been missing out. one of the rare places to take brunch reservations, we came in at 11:30 on a saturday, were promptly seated at our table and were greeted with the world’s best bread basket that alone could be a brunch (similar to the one they have at dinner, but BETTER!). the breads in the basket were a raspberry crumble coffee cake (my favorite), small jalepeno cheddar biscuits, oatmeal raisin mini scones, and a corn muffin.

for our entrees, we ordered the blue corn buttermilk waffle and the sweet potato hash. the blue corn buttermilk waffle was served with blackberry bourbon syrup, and vanilla creme fraiche. the blue corn gave the waffle a unique texture and color, and the bourbon syrup was excellent.

next came the spicy chicken and sweet potato hash, topped with poached eggs, and  green chile hollandaise. this was the hit of the morning and the perfect salute to fall. the sweet potato hash was piping hot and cooked perfectly, not too mushy with still a little bit of bite, mixed with smokey and not-too spicy chicken pieces. the hollandaise sauce was also an interesting take on the classic; you could definitely take the green chile essence and there wasn’t too much of it (sometimes hollandaise sauces are poured on in sickening quantities, and then just become goopy and cold when the dish is halfway done).

mesa grill for brunch, a total do-again. i am ready to try the scrambled eggs chilaquiles and the smoked salmon quesadilla. mmm. time for breakfast.

morandi (let’s move)

i want to move.

i want to move to morandi.

yeah, morandi, the restaurant.

it’s a perfect plan—pretty west village spot, right there on waverly and 7th avenue south. (i used to live a few blocks away, i know it will be easy to fall back into a routine…reunite with the dry cleaners on 8th, the guys at the magazine store on hudson. i could start running again, by the water…)

if I lived at morandi, when the weather is nice, i could start the day with breakfast at 8–or ease into the brunch hour– at a table outside, like i did today.

i could have a skim latte and something simple—a selection from the basket of sweet breads. everything in it has a distinct and delicious ring, and indeed there are enough for each day of the week: brioche with chocolate and hazelnuts to make the monday less mopey; cherry spirals on tuesday; a simple cornetti, midweek; sweet pistachio bread on thursday; the panetti al forno-–a bit more savory, with prosciutto and raisins–for the friday morning after the night before; bombolini –little italian donuts!–as the precursor to a more luxurious weekend brunch; and, ricotta fritters to celebrate the 7th day.

is it working for you?

there are eggs, served with salt cod or skirt steak or more simply, with grilled tomatoes and country bread.

there’s salad: arugula or escarole, seafood, or spelt.

a more serious commitment can be made–meatballs with pine nuts and raisins, or an egg pasta with a classic meat sauce. (i’m not sure i could make that my first meal of the day—but i wouldn’t dream of messing with you, if you could. in fact, you could wind up being…my hero.)

but that is how a day could start at morandi. imagine where we could go from there?

sounds like a nice little life, ay?

ok, then.

let’s move.

***

maserazi–what a cool, sporty name for pistachio bread. as if pistachio bread didn’t sound enticing enough in english.

for a sweet bread, this is quite light. is it an olive oil cake, with pistachios? the color makes me think so.

i love that the crust and top is chewy–it has the springiness of good cake.

uova in camicia–egg in a shirt? i love it, yolk enrobed in its own white.

one of these eggs was a touch overdone–the yolk was almost a paste–but still delicious.

anyway, this dish for me was all about the fava beans.

i think i must hold fava beans in high regard–whenever i imagine them, they are a pert green color, as they are after a quick blanch. so when these arrived looking well-cooked, the color faded, i was disappointed. but everything changed with the first bite. yes, these were well-cooked, but perfectly so. they kept their body and flavor, as if they’d splashed around in the bath, but jumped out before they got wrinkly.

the peas were mushier–i like mushy. there was something else with terrific bite, from the onion family? or escarole?  i couldn’t tell. and i loved the vinegar splash.

bounty from the sea, with white beans, citrus, and gorgeous olive oil. a perfect late summer salad.

latte. hooray.

bonus pic: l’orange bike? i like.

***

morandi is at 211 waverly place. between 7th ave south and charles street.

phone: 212.627.7575

breakfast is served: mon-fri, 8am-11:30am

lunch: mon-fri, noon-3pm

brunch: sat-sun, 10am-4pm

dinner: mon-sat, 5:30pm-midnight; sun, 5:30pm-11pm

and oh my, they deliver. if only they would, to murray hill…

swoon (under the stars)

when we arrived at swoon kitchenbar at the noon hour a few saturdays ago, the energy of the room came entirely from the sunshine, bright wild bouquets, and luscious still life and nude paintings. there was no one in the place aside from 2 servers, my mom, my sister and me, leaving us to peruse the brunch menus in idyllic peace. an empty restaurant isn’t always a comforting sign, but we were the early-bird tourists invading hudson for the day; it would make sense that everyone else was rousing at a more leisurely pace.

coincidentally, things picked up once this cascade of shoestring fries arrived at the table: our conversation got a little more lively, other patrons started arriving.

these are perfectly crisp salty treats. i love diving into a dish like this, everything spilling over the sides, onto the table.

i studied the menu (several times) prior to our arrival and was set to order the short rib hash. but swoon relies on local, seasonal produce–they emphasize on their website that the menu changes according to what is available. on that day, no short ribs. of all the appealing alternatives–grilled lamb sausage, house cured gravlax, smoke salmon cake, duck confit hash (which my mom ordered), and the steamed P.E.I. mussels (which my sister chose)–i opted for the house cured pastrami reuben.

this is unlike any reuben i’ve had before. the pastrami is delicately seasoned and very tender. if you’re craving the aggressive salt and smokiness of a traditional pastrami reuben from your favorite diner, you won’t find it here. i missed that at first–the sharpness of the meat– but there’s no arguing with the quality of the beef they serve. theirs doesn’t need to be overpowered by curing spices. and the balance of sauerkraut and dressing–perfect. but there was one, true egregious thing about the sandwich–someone neglected to drain the beef from its bath or something, and the bottom layer of the sandwich was soaked through. it was a positive mess to handle. (upside: they have the most fragrant olive oil soap in the loo.)

there was one other slight disappointment, which i bring up only as a note to those of you who might seek something sweet to end the midday meal. the dessert chef may not be there until dinnertime, so don’t get to attached to the idea of crispy sugared churros, vanilla thyme honey panna cotta, or (sigh) dark chocolate pistachio fondant after your brunch.

but again, on the bright side, we were offered a fresh plum tart (on the house) and the opportunity to share an excellent chocolate chip cookie…

they are generous with the chocolate,  hazelnuts and pecans. this cookie made me hopeful for dessert on a future trip.

***

have a look at the menu (note that they kindly introduce you to their “sources”) and dream the promise of meals where the ingredients are the stars, and the chefs, the producer/directors. the purveyors are the folks behind the scenes who should rightly be thanked in the credits. they are as much a key to swoon’s very good performance.

***

swoon kitchenbar: 340 warren street, hudson, ny

they are open, thursday to monday.  (closed: tuesday and wednesday.)

lunch is served only on friday, saturday, and sunday.

dinner is served: 5pm-10pm monday, thursday, sunday; 5pm-11pm friday, saturday

reservations by telephone only: 518.822.8938

(got that?)

artisanal bistro

in a perfect world, every post that i offer here would keep to the standard of a true restaurant reviewer–meaning i’d dine at least 3 times at an establishment before rendering judgment. this probably won’t be practical for me, given my personal budget and the vast, seductive dining opportunities (new and established) in this town. with that in mind, with every post, i’ll offer full disclosure about the number of visits i’ve made, along with (i hope) fairness.

one place i can surely offer a proper review is artisanal.

artisanal has become a favorite neighborhood spot, the place i will always take someone who’s coming into town for a visit. brunch or dinner, at a table or at the bar, i’ve done it all, and i’ve never been disappointed. when there’s a crowd it can be loud, but never to the point of being a distraction. on a sunday, like the last, the energy of the sun is matched by a buzz in the room and you almost forget you’re in the midtown nowhere land called murray hill. you’re just in a very fine place…

a place where they have excellent, strong coffee.

and airy beignets that leave you with a beard of sugar.

a place where you can get a very fine prix fixe meal–maybe, the  sausage and egg (fresh creamy yolk, given a lift with a peppery sauce and a sharp cheese crisp); grilled english cheddar, apple and bacon (on terrifically hearty bread, with homemade chips); and cheesecake (surprisingly light) ?–all for only $24.07. any of those dishes could be  fine a la carte options…

you could opt for the boudin blanc…my personal brunch favorite. this looks built for tailgaiting, but it has a delicate, near to pudding consistency.

if you balance your entree, appetizer, cheese, and entree choices properly, you may have room for dessert. i have feasted on their fantastic pavlova, which i didn’t see on the menu this time. i’m pretty sure i could have tempted my sister with that cloud of meringue, its bracing sweetness offset by a tart berries.

she selected the trio of ice creams: blackberry-cardamom, which was unfortunately less exotic than it sounded, coffee, and fennel, which was solidly satisfying. i would have loved two fennel scoops and one  vanilla.

they were out of the coconut parfait, my first choice. i decided to give the strawberry-rhubarb soup a go.

smart move, ’cause this is summer all the way: bright and light and cool fruit soup, served with a wedge of vanilla frozen yogurt.

you can almost imagine being at the beach, skin hot and sandy, a trace of salt on your lips, happily devouring a creamsicle, before it melts away…

***
artisanal
2 park avenue
ny, ny, 10016

hours
lunch: monday – friday – 11:45 am – 5:00 pm
dinner: sunday – monday – 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm; tuesday – saturday – 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
wine bar: monday – saturday – open until midnight; sunday – open until 11 pm

check out the menu, and their affordable prix fixe options, including restaurant week “all year long” here…

other personal favorites: gougères, grilled octopus, steak tartare, sauteed skate wing, and any flight of three cheeses…