Gotham Gal

A slice of Australia

Jessica and I have lunch today at Ruby's which is on Mulberry between Prince and Spring.  I had the car because we had been running errands.  There wasn't a spot so I pulled into the parking lot across the street.
When we left, I noticed this sign in the lot.  I pointed it out to Jessica.  At one point, this area was Little Italy, now it is completely different.  Jessica said, now it is Little Australia.  She is right.  There are a bunch of stores, a restaurant and bar on the street that are Australian.  Funny how that happens in New York.  There seems to always be a location that becomes a destination location for something.  As our city becomes more and more a land of foreigners, people from Australia can feel right at home on the block of Mulberry between Prince and Spring. 

Coffee

Coffee is big in our house.  I grew up with a grinder and a plunger.  I still stick with that method.  I used to love the smell of fresh coffee waking up in the morning as a teenager.  Now I am the one making the coffee.  There was always one rule of thumb in our house about coffee....you must drink it black.  Enjoy the beans for what they are and the different flavors.  We grew up with a mixture of mocha Java and French roast. 

Emily and Jessica have followed the black rule.  Josh is not quite there yet. The girls particularly like an espresso or black with a shot of espresso.  Emily has really been the one who has been tasting new and old places.  Her haunts are Gimme Coffee at 228 Mott Street, Ninth Street Espresso located in Chelsea Market on 16th and 9th Avenue, Coffee (Emily and I just tried this morning) on Charles between Washington and Greenwich and Joe, the Art of Coffee located in 3 locations but Greene (inside Alessi) and Waverly are her favorite locations and Jacks, stir brew on West 10th.   

She says Gimme Coffee and Ninth Street Espresso are tied for first place in terms of taste but Gimme Coffee is a little smoother and the vibe in there is good.  As I get the kids to take over the cooking, Emily will soon be buying an espresso machine and taking over as our homespun barista.   Maybe my future is sleeping in and smelling coffee wafting through the house as I am waking up.  Somehow based on the sleeping cycles of a teenager, I highly doubt it.

Art

We bought a piece of Ryan Wallace's work two summers ago.  I have tried to keep up with the artists we have collected.  I admit, I have not been so good at it lately.  Ryan emailed me that he had a show and wanted us to go to the opening.  I couldn't make it but I finally did get down to see the show. 

The show took place at the Envoy Gallery which is at 131 Chrystie Street.  Interesting space.  What I really like about keeping up with the artists is watching each of them evolve.  At one point, you see something that resonates with you and if you are lucky you can buy it or just keep the picture in your mind.  Believe me, there is plenty of art over the years I still think about but for many reasons didn't or couldn't purchase.  That piece of art is captured at a time of the artists career like a photograph of an event.  Then the artist grows and get inspired by different things in their lives and their art changes.  Sometimes you like the direction they take, other times you don't get it or hate it all together.   

I love the piece we own of Ryan's which is the painting on the left.  Lots of representational elements and figurative objects.  His show was quite different from his previous work.  Our piece had a lot going on on a small canvas.  This new series of work is more landscape driven and abstract.  Very different from his past work yet some hints of the same qualities.  I had also seen some of his earlier work that he had done even before the piece that we bought.  So watching the growth is fascinating. Ryan is very prolific and quite talented.  It was really a pleasure to see his work and the next steps he has taken.   The latest piece is on the right hand side of this page.

I brought the girls down to check out the show with me.  We talked about what we liked and what we didn't and how the work has changed.  I really have to check in with the rest of the artists we know to see what they are up to.  I have been checked out for too long. 

Wallse

Wallse is one of my favorites.  The food is always good and the vibe is wonderful.  We went there last night and had a great meal.  Also, it appeared to be a locals night.  Julian Schnabel was there with his family and Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed.  The chef, Kurt Gutenbrunner was making the rounds....at our table too.  It was a treat.

We started out the night at the closing party for Rick's Picks.  I love those goodies.  Smokin' Okra wrapped in Italian ham, spears of tasty asparagus, beets with goat cheese.  Very clever ways to using the veggies besides just eating them straight out of the jar.  Also vodka mixed with okra brine.  Wow.

After we dined on pickled veggies, we made our way over to Wallse.  Sat in the front room.  The place was quite crowded by 8pm.  I started with a beet salad which is a mixture of roasted golden and red beets served with a mache, toasted pistachios and a light vinaigrette.  Fred had the butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds.  Rich and tasty.  For dinner, Fred went with the wiener schnitzel.  He spent some time growing up in Germany so the schnitzel is always calling out his name.  I had a fantastic piece of Wild Striped Bass served in a carrot broth with glazed carrots and truffles sliced on top of the fish.  All the sides we had were excellent too.  Spatzle, a large potato pancake and creamed spinach. 

Of course, dessert was in order.  Chocolate with peanuts and I always enjoy the chocolate dusted almonds they serve as an extra goodie.

You really can't beat Wallse for good food with an intimate yet happening room.  Nice bar too, if you can grab a seat.

Chocolate Crackles

My friend made these this summer.  They are beautiful and delicious.  The key is making the balls really small.  Mine are probably a bit bigger than they should be but trial and error, right?

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt chocolate.  I melted the chocolate in a small saucepan on low.  Then cool.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Mix butter and brown sugar on a medium speed until fluffy.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Mix in chocolate (after it is cooled).  Then mix in the flour and milk in two batches, alternating each time between the flour and milk. 

Take this dough and divide into four sections, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

Once they are cold.  Take each and divide into small 1 inch balls.  1 inch is not that big.  Dip each ball into sugar and then into confectioners sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for about 13-14 minutes or until they begin to crack.  Let cool.  Voila. 

Apple Pie Bars

This was a serious undertaking but really worth the effort.  There are 3 parts to the recipe.  I think the most time consuming is slicing the apples but luckily I had my sous-chef Josh partaking in this particular activity.

Crust:
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375.  Line a 15X17 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.   Then add in the flour and salt until a dough is formed.  Take this dough and put it on the parchment paper and press the dough over the entire sheet and up the rim about 1/2 inch.  This isn't easy.  It is a workout.  Do it in small clumps, then press and knead and then add more dough until you have finished.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.  Let cool.

Filling:
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
12 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. granted nutmeg
water, if necessary

In two large skillets (unless you have HUGE skillet), melt 3 Tbsp in each and divide the light brown sugar between the two skillets too.  Melt at a high heat and then add the apples.  Stir occasionally until soften.  After about 10 minutes, add the cinnamon and nutmeg to each pan (again divide by two) and continue to stir.  Once they get really browned, cool.  The water is if the bottoms start to get sticky, add water to the skillet.  I added a few Tbsp to each during the process.

Topping:
3/4 cup cashews (it called for walnuts but we prefer cashews)
3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups flour
11/2 cups light brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 sticks unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes that is chilled

Toast the cashews in the oven for about 4 minutes or until golden.  Cool and chop.  In a mix master blend together the oats, flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  After that is really blended, add in the butter and mix until is resembles a coarse meal.  Then add in the chopped nuts for one more mix.

Spread the apple mixture over the crust.  Then scatter the topping over the apples, slightly pressing it into the apples.  Bake for one hour in the oven, rotating it after half an hour. 

Let cool and cut. 

Blueberry Lemon Crumbles

Emily pulled this recipe out of Gourmet a few months ago.  We keep a book with plastic inserts broken down by category.  So every month we go through the magazines, pull out the recipes that sound good and then toss the magazine.  Otherwise our house might be filled to the brim with magazines. 

I made these the other night.  They are time consuming but well worth it.  You need a nonstick mini-muffin pan with 24 cups.

1 cup sliced almonds
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp.
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup blueberry preserves

Preheat oven to 375.

Toast the almonds for about 3-4 minutes until golden.  Then cool.

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugars, 1 tsp. lemon zest, cinnamon and salt.  Then add the butter, pulse again.  Then add the egg yolks and vanilla and keep pulsing until the mixture begins to form clumps.

Take 1 1/2 cups of this and put it in a separate bowl.  When the almonds have cooled, toss them into this until they are completely folded in.  Some will break but no worries.

Make sure you spray the muffin tins generously with some type of Pam or just butter them heavily.  Take the dough which is left and not mixed with anything and put 1 Tbsp. in each muffin tin.  You are going to press the dough into the bottom of each muffin tin and push the dough up the sides so it looks like a little cup.  Then refrigerate the muffin tin for about 15 minutes.

Take the remaining lemon zest, dried blueberries and preserves ( we actually have preserves left over from our summer jelly making ) and mix together.

After the muffin tin has been chilled, take it out of the refrigerator and fill each muffin tin with about 1 tsp. of the preserves.  I probably should have filled a little more than I did but this recipe reflects that.

Then take the dough which is mixed with the almonds and put about 1 tsp on top of each cup that has now been filled with the blueberries.  Cover the tops so you can't see the blueberry mixture.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden.  Take a small spatula and loosen the edges before taking out.

Really good...and a bit crispy.

New York Cake Supplies

New York Cake Supplies is a baking store institution.  The guy who owns the store is a bit of a lunatic.  He really doesn't like people who browse. In the retail world, that is insane.  You can't help but browse in this store, especially if you are a baker. He will actually yell at you to see if you are ready or not to make a purchase. If he decides you have browsed for too long, he will confront you.  Crazy, yes.  But he has managed to stay in business for years because he  has every gadget you can imagine to make your baking experience seamless. An awesome inventory and good prices.  Every size muffin tin, pastry brush, pre-cut parchment paper, bricks of chocolate, tart pans, etc.

I have been on a baking roll this week.  Every Tuesday morning I happen to attend a meeting in the building that sits over the store.  So, I walked in there today and picked up a few things although I could have picked up much more.

When we make our next move, at the end of the year, a serious methodical walk through this store is necessary.  With a list, of course, because no browsing is allowed.  On second thought, maybe I will just make my purchases from their website.

The week at large...

There is something in the air every year around this time.  Everyone is either getting sick or getting over something.  Everyone seems to be in that blah mode.  Although March 1st is a far cry from spring, March rings of spring.  I, for one, am in need of some sun.  Also, I am sick of my winter clothes. 

This week was the girls last basketball game of the season.  I think we were all ready for it to end.

Wednesday I went with my mom and sister to Great Jones Spa for massages.  My sisters bday.  Afterward we went to Il Buco for lunch.  Had a great lunch.  Incredible soft tasty mozzarella.  We had a pork panini with warm soft yet crunchy bread with arugula inside and the pork belly.  So good.  We also had a flash in the pan kale that was tossed with an anchovy vinaigrette and grated Parmesan.  Really different and good.  One of the best things about Il Buco is that they are long on Sagratino de Montefalco.  Rich red and full bodied.  One of my all time favorites. 

Thursday we had theater tickets but decided it was too cold and we were too tired to bother.  It is part of a series and I had already heard it wasn't so great so we passed.  Instead Fred and I had dinner at my favorite local haunt, The Spotted Pig.  For years, Gramercy Tavern was my local haunt, the front room only.  Then Blue Water Grill was my spot for lunch and I do go to Blue Ribbon Sushi on occasion and now I have moved to The Spotted Pig.  I love the place.  The vibe is great.  No hurries there.  But most important, the food is just fantastic.  I have never had anything that wasn't delicious.  Right now I am very into the pumpkin salad.  Small chunks of roasted pumpkins with grated manchego cheese, baby arugula and a spicy dressing.  So good.  The goat cheese Jerusalem artichoke salad is quite good too but the pumpkin is better.  I also love the roasted beets with the greens for a side dish.  The broccoli rabe and pancetta or succotash is also worth it.  The grilled hanger steak with roasted beets and horseradish sauce comes and goes on the menu which is always good.  As the world has heard, the hamburger is top.  A great bar.  Looking forward to the fish place they are opening up in the Meatpacking area.

Came home and watched the debates.  Great ending for Hillary and good for the Democratic party.  Let's be friends, please. 

The weekends have really changed in the past few months.  Josh doesn't need a babysitter even when his friends spend the night.  The girls have been on their own for quite a while.  We used to stay home most weekend nights but now we can do what we want.  Josh had a double sleepover this weekend so we went to see There Will be Blood.  Figuring the Oscars is this weekend, we'd see the Daniel Day Lewis performance.  That is the best part.  Just didn't love it for many reasons.  Slow character development, Kubrick ending that didn't fit the rest of the movie, two greedy bastards one using oil and other using the lord.  Just not that interesting. 

After the movie, we stopped by Gotham Bar and Grill.  Another favorite local haunt where we like to go and eat at the bar.  There were 3 seats.  Jessica had just finished play practice and we told her to meet us.  It was really nice.  We split four appetizers, all good.  There is a reason that Gotham Bar continues to rule.  The seafood salad is one of the signature dishes and always good.  We also had hamachi, grilled octopus salad and the tuna tartare which is another house specialty.  After we finished, Jessica took off to a party.  Fred and I felt the evening with Jessica gave us a glimpse at the future. 

Tonight we are crashing our friends dinner and joining the group.  This morning I sat around the read the paper, completed the crosswords and took in Josh's soccer game in the afternoon and a little shopping up the street at Martin Margiela.

All and all a typical February week in NYC.

Following the cell phone trail

Last week Josh found a cell phone on Bleeker Street on the way home from school.  I called the last number that had called the phone and found the owner.  A man who was incredibly thankful but spoke very little English and mostly Chinese.  Telling him where I lived was difficult and in the end I gave him my cell phone and told him to call me when he would come by.  He worked or lived in Long Island City. 

3 days went by and I heard nothing.  Then Sunday, my cell rang and it was his wife.  She spoke English much better than he did.  We decided she would come by at 5pm on Wednesday to retrieve the phone.  She was still a bit confused about where we were etc. and the communication, although better, wasn't fantastic.

Today around 630, my cell rings and a young man introduces himself as the son of the lost cell phone.  He speaks beautiful English and was very polite.  His mother just gave him the information to call me and I gave him our address.  He happened to be in Tribeca so I told him I was home all night. There was no need to rush and he said he'd come by around 8.

At 9pm, my cell phone rings and this young man tells me he is outside our front door.  A young man, maybe 16, thanks me.  I give him the phone.  He gives me a nice bottle of white wine in appreciation for the phone.  He was thrilled.   

A great New York story....and a good deed.