Gotham Gal

Radishes

Ever year, Food and Wine puts out a cookbook or 2 with the best of recipes.  American Express, for some reason ( I probably opted in for this and forgot about it ) sends me one of the books.  Of course I can return it and not get charged but I never do because the books from Food and Wine are always so good.

This year, the cookbook I received was Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes from the 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year.  I used to be a big cookbook collector but have found that in the last few years because of the magazines and the Internet, I buy them and don't use them that often.  Also, I continue to pull out recipes and have a book of my own that I keep. 

So far, I have tried a few recipes in the book, and they were just ok.  My favorite group of recipes are from Nate Appleman and Shelley Lindgren with Kate Leahy in their cookbook, A16 Food + Wine.  So good that I might buy the cookbook.

I love radishes.  Radishes dipped in sea salt is always a simple refreshing starter when people come over for dinner or even drinks.  So, this recipe really sparked my interest.  I doubled the recipe because I wanted to keep the sauce on hand in the refrigerator for other things and this is what I did which is a little different but it came out delicious.

2 cups packed flat parsley leaves
1 cup panko (or bread crumbs)
3/4 cup olive oil
4 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 bunches of red radishes, thinly sliced

Put everything, except the radishes, in a food processor.  Pulse until it is creamy and pourable.  Pour over the radishes ( if you don't need all of it, you can save it in the refrigerator with olive oil over the top in a tupperware container ).  Mix and season with kosher salt.

Pickle Day!

The 9th annual Pickle Day event takes place this weekend, Sunday, Oct. 4th.  This event is put on by the New York Food Museum in conjunction with the Lower East Side Business Improvement District. 

It is a fun event.  Serious professional pickle makers ( like Ricks Picks ) and even some amateurs but plenty on hand to taste.  20 participants. Condiments as well as pickles, cooking demonstrations, gardening tips, etc. 

I will be there tasting out the local wares.  The event is located at the parking lot on Broome street between Ludlow and Essex Street, in the heart of the old pickle district.  Takes place between 11am and 430pm, rain or shine.

The MOMA needs to get into this century

Last week, I received in the mail, a large heavy envelope from the Museum of Modern Art.  My first thought was who ordered something from the MOMA? 

Inside was a monthly appointment calendar, put out by the MOMA, with each month next to a piece of art owned by the MOMA.  Since there wasn't even a card inside the mailing, I am assuming that because we are members, that this is the annual "thank you". 

The MOMA, which just re-opened a few years back to fantastic new building and consistently puts on wonderfully curated exhibits, should figure out how to get into this century.  The website has always been sub-par.  Regardless of a poor website, I'd be interested, as a donor, how much money they spent on sending out the calendars.  The MOMA store sells the calendars for $16.95 and I am going to guess and say with shipping and tax, that would come to about $20-21. Give that a single membership is $75 for the year, $120 for a duel and $150 for a family and they just gave back $21 to me doesn't make any sense. 

Money is not flowing like water these days for organizations that count on private funding to operate.  Not only is it beyond poor skills from the Development department to not send some type of note inside the mailing, I have not used a paper calendar in years.  Does anyone in the MOMA notice that the majority of people these days are using some type of device, be it a Blackberry or IPhone to keep their calendars. 

It is wasn't for the fact that I want to support the arts, particularly the MOMA, as I do go there more than a handful of times over the course of the year,  I'd consider not supporting them this year on principle.  The business as usual out of their Development office is a disgrace by sending out a calendar instead of coming up with a clever way to thank their donors while keeping in mind that it is almost 2010.  Times are hard and I would be shocked if the MOMA wasn't having the same financial difficulties as other institutions depending on private funding.  My bet is that even as times get better, we will not see people going back to the days when no thought was given to a philanthropic gesture. 

Big organizations, in the arts, need to be leaders in the non-profit world not only when it comes to exhibits.
If we don't see leadership from the big guys, who is going to be the leader of change in this arena? 

House of Awe

I am late to the party because I was out of town this past week (as yesterday was the last day ) but the House of Awe & Repentance Cafe will hopefully be an annual event. 

The Days of Awe, is the time period between Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year ) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).  It is a time to observe and prepare from the beginning of the year for 10 days until the day of atonement which is a time to reflect and think about the promise of moving forward. 

The House of Awe and the Repentance Cafe took over an empty space on 8th street, during this time, for people to come in and engage in an interactive environment.  There was a variety of artistic installations.  Also, Rabbi Dan, was on hand to have conversations with people coming in an out. 

This picture is of a ventricle type structure that has a video inside of an artist acknowledging things she might have done.  Very clever. 

What I liked most of all is that the leaders of our temple are really thinking out of the box on how to engage community members and possible new members.  They are trying to keep connected to observances that probably the majority of Jews presently do not engage in but have in the past and try to engage with the realities of practicing Jews in the 21st century. 

Girls Guide to Paris

2 summers ago, we spent a month in Paris with the kids.  Now, of course, we are all obsessed with returning to Paris as often as possible. 

While we were there, Fred and I had lunch with a woman who beat to the punch with her Paris obsession.  Actually, she gets the total France obsession but Paris is her highlight.  She is super smart and has had and continues to have an interesting career.  Her next project was creating a website called Girls Guide to Paris.  Dipping her toe into the entrepreneurial waters. 

Her site went live last week.  I got the email in my box and quickly scoured the site.  She did a fantastic job.  Well written, easy to navigate, covers all the bases and no surprises, she really knows her stuff.  I will be using her site as a reference for our next visit (December). 

Big congratulations to Doni.  A must read. 

Jessica in a Finnish Magazine

Jessica is in a Finnish magazine.  Here is the translation.  My translation is "so cool".

 

her blog is www.jessicasarawilson.com (she like photography and styling her freinds) her whole family blogs and she interned for style.comand zac posen  and she has seen anna wintourat vogue canteen and zac posen studio ...
determination has helped.. she doesnt want to know what she is going to
do in the future but wants to continue photography and be part of fashion

Jessica 1

Boundary Restaurant, Terence and Vicki Conran

Terence Conrans (I believe this is a co-project with his daughter, Vicki) boutique hotel, marketplace, restaurant and cafe is located in the new happening area of London, Shoreditch.  The entire concept is not anything people haven't talked about doing but he did it and I thought it was brilliant.

He took an old building and created a small hotel, 12 rooms and 5 suites.  I didn't get to see them but would have liked too.  On the street floor is a marketplace and bakery.  Jellies, fruits, ready made food to take home (boxed), fresh juices, breads, etc.  Also at street level (and roof top in warm weather) is a walk-in cafe, Albion.  Simple, modern, clean that sits in front of an open kitchen that spans the length of the building after walking through the marketplace.  Around the corner is the door to the restaurant, Boundary.

The restaurant is in the basement, at least 3 flights down.  There is a small bar seating area and the rest is the restaurant and again a huge open kitchen.  It doesn't feel dark at all but hip, cool, modern and chic.

The menu is simple.  Every day there is a special from the rotisserie.  Of course in true British style you can have roasted lamb, tongue and sweetbreads too but there are a variety of fish and poultry dishes too.  A few salads to start and a raw bar section.  The wine selection is excellent.

Both Fred and I had the pork which was the rotisserie of the night.  We both began with salads.  The pork was delicious, well cooked with some basic veggies on the side.  We had some cheese for dessert and honey roasted figs that sounded better than they were.

The food was solid, good and a place you would continue to back to.  Like a Balthazar, some things probably better than others.  I'd go back without question.   What stuck with me is not only the ambiance at the restaurant vs the cafe and then of course the market and bakery.  Each feel different but there is no doubt that there is a cross-over on customers.  Owing the entire building and literally creating a place for the community to buy food, eat food (last minute or in advance reservation) or to sleep adds to the neighborhood in one fell swoop and IMHO, is just genius.

(Top is the building, next down is Boundary, next down is Albion, last down is the marketplace - not the best pictures but you get the idea)

Thriving or Surviving

I got an email from a reader who lives in Lisbon, Portugal who saw I was coming to London and was planning on being in London this weekend and wanted to know if she could interview me.  I am leaving tomorrow so she flew in today so we could talk.  Why me?  Good question but she is fascinated with the topic  "Are You Thriving or Surviving".  Wanted to ask me some questions on this particular topic. 

Tanya is from South Africa, worked like a dog in NYC and one day had a serious wake up call and thought to herself, I am not thriving, I am just surviving and she made a conscious decision to get off the treadmill.  She happens to be extremely bright, driven and full of energy so she has found herself just doing things differently.  Tanya moved to Portugal and is now starting to emerge with her next thing.  I believe she has hit on a topic that is extremely relevant to the times today. 

As the economy took a serious stand still in a matter of a day, people are not only being forced to think about their lives but the next generation seems to be wondering if the dog eat dog world is not such a great thing, for most people.  People are starting to return to community, buy what they need not what they want, buy local particularly in regards to local green markets, stores are beginning to pop-up that are reminiscent of Main street circa early 1900.

We spoke at length about thriving vs surviving which when you begin to think about it is truly a fine line.  We all have to survive to pay the rent, put food on the table, but are we enjoying the ride?  Our conversation made me think.  Personally, I believe I am a thriver but that might have come in my DNA package.  I have always been the cup if half full kind of gal and am happy to make decisions in a second and be willing to veer down another path if need be.  I love that existence.  I have been fortunate.

Her topic doesn't veer that far from other blogs I have written about on how difficult it is to do it all, particularly for women.  You can find yourself working like a dog but missing out on the family life or just the opposite.  Tanya found it hard to find women who were having the life balance.  Life balance is about thriving, at least I think so. 

I give Tanya huge credit for jumping off the treadmill.  It isn't a tough thing to do.  She questioned her existence.  Did she really need to make that kind of money, where would she be happier, what were her basics needs (sea and sun which is how she came upon Portugal).  Fast forward a few years of taking a breather, she finds herself a yoga teacher starting a clothing line and working on a possible documentary in regards to thrivers and survivors.  Great story.

I was delighted to meet her and love the topic.  Will be thinking a lot about this. 

(I added Tanya to my blogroll)

Shoreditch area of London

I explored the Shoreditch area of London this morning.  This area is basically where I went to school when I lived in London.  My, my how things have changed. 

This area used to be full of Jewish delis and shops.  Gone.  Now some areas, still student driven, feel more like Williamsburg while other areas closer to the Liverpool Station feel more like a new clean neighborhood.  Lots of brand new stores fronts, some with tenants some without.  A bit too new like a planned area. 

We began at 91 Brick Lane which is located in the old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane.  There is a little cafe called Cafe 1001 or the Story Deli.  Pizza is supposed to be good at lunch time but we were there for breakfast.  An open area where someone will make you a fresh breakfast.  Perfect for a college student.  3 pounds gets you toast, eggs and sausages.  I wouldn't go out of my way to get there but it is nice to know it is there if you happen to be in the area.  Although I soon realized after heading out over the course of the day there are a variety of small food shops that have sprung up in the area.  Yet, when I tried to do research for a great local (non-chain) breakfast/coffee place in the neighborhood, I came up empty.

After breakfast, Fred went to his meeting which was in the area and I walked down Brick Lane over to Chesire Street.  Chesire Street, although only a few shops, each are small and unique.  Really reminds me of the East Village 20 years ago but then the East Village was more punk, this is more refined like Williamsburg.  People just doing their thing. 

A few vintage stores, a store that only carries artists that work with clay, another hipster men's store (t-shirt driven) and the now famous, Labour and Wait.  I've read about this store more than a few places.  Labour and Wait is basically a 21st century General store.  Cookware, utensils, soap, blankets, shirts, garden tools, thread, vintage buttons, random items, twine, bread bins, etc.  Very clever actually.  To me, the store represents where we are returning as a culture.  In Brooklyn go to Marlow and Sons where they have a general store, more food oriented inside their restaurant and then a good old fashioned butcher that is run by them called Marlow and Daughters down the street.  Back to community, back to basics, back to thriving instead of surviving (more on that later). 

On the way back to the tube, I wandered into Tent London which is a design exhibit of the latest and greatest designers from furniture, textiles, etc.  Slightly edgy and more emerging.  The one thing I thought was clever was this bird cage that had a small video inside of the bird.  A virtual pet, sort of. 

I walked back to the Liverpool Station and strolled through Old Spitalfields Market where each vendor sells their wares in their own area.  A bit like a flea market.  The market is indoors and there is a Daily Grind for coffee and a few other stores.  Kind of reminded me of a junky South Street seaport.  I did notice that pizza and coffee are everywhere.  But that puts us back to the basics in some ways.  Not that expensive and fills our needs.  It is like the burger craze in NYC.  Simple stuff. 

Hopped up the subway and went back to the hotel 

Scotts Restaurant, London

Even if the food is good, sometimes I just need the full package.  I'd rather go down and dirty with good food vs fancy.  Maybe it was just the night.  But, regardless that Scott's won restaurant of the year award by Square Meal, it just didn't do it for me. 

Scott's is located in the tonier section of London known as Mayfair.  I felt a little bit like I was at a restaurant on the Upper Eastside.   Although beautiful, elegant, wonderful service, it wasn't what I was looking for.  Didn't realize what I was getting into until we showed up. 

The menu is all about fish although you can certainly order sometimes besides that.  Fred had the oysters which were good and I went with the seafood cocktail.  A mixture of shrimp, lobsters and crab all mixed together with lettuce and a heavy handed russian dressing.  Very British.  For dinner Fred went with the special.  Half a lemon sole, grilled and served simply with a piece of lemon and some spinach on the side.  All good.  I had the sea bream.  A grilled piece of sea bream, skin side up ( extra crispy ) over a Spanish flavored mixture of calamari and potatoes.  Nice.  Just simply really well done fish. 

When we got there, Fred was wearing jeans and he was concerned they wouldn't let him in.  That sort of sums up Scotts.  But, there is always a plus side to any story.  Two tables over from us was Dana Cowin, the editor and chief of Food and Wine magazine.  Since I have literally been getting Food and Wine delivered to my house monthly for the past 25 years, I recognized her.  Just to be safe, as you never know when things are out of context, I secretly googled her image under the table.  Confirmed.  Bold perhaps, but I went over to say hi and introduce myself. 

She was eating with a colleague and they were in London to see clients and then to Paris today to do the same.  I introduced myself as a blogger (sort of food related) and a fan of the magazine.  That's my new thing when people ask me what I do, I say I'm a blogger.  She asked me if I used my name for the blog and I told her what I went under.  She actually knew who I was because Food and Wine had used some pictures of mine from the Burger Bash on their blog.  I knew this but she obviously did too.  Needless to say, I was over the top thrilled.  Chatted a bit about food and Eater (where I am an investor) and then I left them to enjoy their meal. 

Scotts might not have been my type of restaurant but the chance meeting of Dana Cowin, for me, was a delight.