Review – Bierkraft

As half of the name suggests, this place is all about beer. Despite its name, it’s not just German beer but an international place of happy drinks. One part of the locale is a store where you can peruse a wall of beers you can take home, and the other half is an indoor-style beer garden (very small), with long wooden tables and benches providing an excellent atmosphere for chilling with friends while enjoying not only a cool glass of beer but also delicious sandwiches or smorgasbords of meats and cheeses.

We shared a jug of dark beer with a couple of friends and my husband and I chowed down on their Italian sandwich (ham, sopressata, prosciutto, pecorino, arugula, tomato, onion, roasted peppers, oil and vinegar) and our friends shared the Serrano sandwich (Serrano ham, manchego cheese, fig spread, arugula, oil and vinegar). They were delicious and definitely big enough to share. Besides ordering their signature sandwiches, you can also create your own, kind of like Subway but on a more gourmet level. Their sandwiches cost about $10 so it’s not too much more than Subway anyways.

The rest of the crew indulged in a second jug of beer which I had to skip because the sandwich had done a number on me.

I think on Tuesdays they also have beer tastings in the evenings which we have yet to check out. Seems to be a popular spot though so I’m sure the tastings are crowded too. If you go, be prepared to share your table and bench with locals and don’t be shy, make new friends.

Street Vendors

New York being the big city that it is has of course plenty of street vendors to go around. If you indulge in their offerings in busy tourist areas, you’ll pay a lot more than in quieter neighborhoods. Regardless though, their food is usually pretty good anywhere. Keep in mind however that if you buy food from a vendor who hasn’t been very busy, you might get food that has been kept warm for a while, so maybe you’d rather pay the extra buck to get something piping hot.

My favorite thing to indulge in are the honey-roasted peanuts. I highly recommend them as a perfect small snack to hold you over while you are shopping or sightseeing. As long as you are not allergic to nuts, you should definitely give these a try.

There are vendors who sell soft drinks, sandwiches, kabobs, gyros and entire plates of meats and sides, such as marinated beef with rice. If you are not sure what to buy, always go with what smells good as you pass buy. If you walk by a vendor and there is no yummy smell emitting from his cart, don’t buy anything there.

As I’ve had the chance to travel a bit, I always like to see what vendors in other cities or countries have to offer.

In Greece we stuffed ourselves with gyros that were only $3 and were the best we’ve ever had. Naturally, it’s Greece. In Austria, as soon as it gets cold outside, you can buy roasted chestnuts, roasted potatoes or hashbrowns smothered in garlic butter. Jeez, I’m drooling at the thought.

In France, we ate nothing but crepes the whole time. Savory (stuffed with cheese and ham) and sweet (Nutella or chestnut paste). In Amsterdam, we had of course the Belgian fries with mayo. Not a good combination in my opinion, but when in Rome….

When my husband went to Taiwan, he said every vendor he came across was selling all sorts of dumplings. You even got to pick the ones you wanted and tell them how to cook it (see below). Choices, choices.

So when you are walking the streets of your hometown or visiting a city, try their local fare and share with us what you found.



Romanian Meatball Soup

Ok, so I’ve already somewhat provided the recipe in an earlier blog but here’s something more exact. This is my family’s favorite soup (or is it just my favorite?) and it’s very easy to make.

Serves 6-8

8 cups of water

½ pound of ground beef

1/3 cup of uncooked white rice

1 egg

1 teaspoon of dried herbs (parsley, basil, etc.)

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of paprika

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

1 small onion, diced

3 dried bay leaves

3 beef bullion cubes

1 can of crushed or diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

Add the carrots, onion, celery, and bay leaves to the water in a soup pot and heat over high heat. Once the soup comes to a boil, add the bullion cubes. In the meantime, mix the meat, egg, rice, salt, paprika and dried herbs in a bowl. Form golf ball size meatballs and place on a plate until they are all formed. You should get about 15 meatballs, depending on how big or small you actually form them. Turn down the heat to low so the soup stops boiling completely. Gently lower each meatball with a long spoon (I use a wooden spoon) into the soup, careful not to burn yourself. Once all the meatballs are in the soup, turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the can of tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for at least two hours. Check the seasoning and add more salt if necessary. During the cooking process, skim off any fat that may rise to the surface.

This soup is great served right away and even better the next day when some of the rice from the meatballs has become loose and thickens the soup a bit. In Romania, people serve it with a dollop of sour cream as well, but that’s a matter of preference.

Observed NY Food Trends

Since moving to NY a couple of months ago (can’t believe time flew by so fast), I’ve noticed the following food trends in the city (Manhattan and Brooklyn so far).

Red Velvet Cake – this is everywhere!

Octopus salad – unlike Ceasar Salad that I found on every menu in San Diego, this salad seems to make many appearances in NY.

Pulled Pork Sandwich – it’s delicious, I’m not complaining.

Breakfast served all day – for those too lazy to get up in the morning.

Cupcakes – yes, these suckers are everywhere just like the red velvet cake. Sometimes you can even find a combination of the two – a red velvet cupcake.

Super size cupcakes/muffins – I felt it necessary to create a separate category for this just because the huge muffins are outrageous in size. I guess they are meant to be shared or promote obesity.

Coffee – ok, so this seems like a no brainer and I was certainly expecting much coffee to go around here but I thought it would be more in the form of Starbucks. That’s not the case at all though as we’ve stumbled upon numerous mom and pop coffee shops. They are awesome places to hang out and work or get homework done. Some even have live music performances in the evenings.

Lots of Cuban food – makes sense since there are a lot of Cubans here.

Specialty restaurants – places that specialize in only one type of food, such as pork sandwiches, desserts, meatballs, fries, etc..

Beer tastings – guess the wine needed some competition.

Asian Fast Food

This title might be a bit deceiving. I’m not referring to fast food as in junk food, but to food that is cooked fast and served in small portions. I specifically thought of Asian food that is served in small portions for everyone to share. If you’ve ever had Dim Sum or been invited to dinner at an Asian person’s home, you know what I mean. There are several dishes laid out offering different types of vegetables, meat and starches and it’s kind of like a buffet where everyone helps themselves to whatever. Love that kind of eating since you get to sample a bunch of different things and not be stuck with one dish you might not like.

Other cultures enjoy this communal eating as well such as the Spanish with their tapas. The Greeks fall into the same category I found although they do a bit of both (small dishes to share or you can order large individual ones). Trying to think of who else does that…Not speaking from personal experience but saw on Travel Channel a few episodes of Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern going to the Middle East and they apply the same concept. Many small dishes spread out on one table or blanket to be shared by all.

If any of you have enjoyed this type of communal eating, feel free to let me know what your experience was like. I get inspired of course and oftentimes want to try cooking some of those dishes myself at home. The good thing about cooking that way is that you are cooking small portions so you don’t have to slave away in the kitchen all day. That is as long as you don’t decide to cook enough dishes to feed an army. I usually make about 3-4 for my husband and I, so for example a bowl of sautéed chicken bites, a separate plate of sautéed vegetables, stir-fried rice and maybe a plate of pickled vegetables (pickles, cabbage, bell peppers or tomatoes). Of course if you put all those things onto one plate, you pretty much have a normal dinner plate but I guess it differentiates itself by the way you present it. Take for example the pictures below. You’ve got soup, vegetables and tofu in one picture and rice, vegetables and clams/mussels in another. Put all those things together and that’s a good meal but they are served separately so everyone can decide what they want to eat and how much. Love the concept of people helping themselves. It makes for a much more relaxed and fun eating atmosphere where your guests are involved as opposed to sitting stiffly at the table waiting to be waited on. Think about serving dinner or lunch or even breakfast this way next time you entertain or just cook for your fam.

Folding Omelets

Omelets apparently are a big deal in the culinary world. The French are snobs about making the perfect one and Julia Child’s mission was to teach the Americans how to imitate the French. I agree that an omelet can either be good or rubbery if not made well. I’m no master as I’ve had my share of kitchen disasters but just wanted to show you picks of my non-pretty omelets and let you know that it’s not that intimidating to make.

I cook the omelet slow on low heat on the stove and it practically cooks itself. Before I fold it, it looks like a funky pizza look-alike (depending on your toppings of course). After it’s folded it thankfully is presentable. I’m not going to provide a recipe since I think I already did that a few blogs ago however I encourage you to try adding different ingredients to the omelet such as herbs, cheeses and even veggies. If you don’t fold the omelet and let it cook open-faced, you can turn it into a frittata (Italian open-faced omelet is what I would call it).

Pre-fold 

Pre-fold 

Folded  



Amsterdam’s Palette

Amsterdam is a really cool city that I only enjoyed for a couple of days. It seemed to me that it was the most crowded city I’d ever been to. It’s not bigger than many other international cities however there were so many people walking around day and night, it never let up. It seemed like Christmas time, when people walk and shop and enjoy the city lights. Of course there, people were enjoying plenty of eye candy in the infamous red light district.

There are so many things to check out and the city offers great public transportation so you can do a lot in a short amount of time. You can even rent a bike and ride/live dangerously along with the locals, who by the way don’t give a hoot for pedestrians. Walk at your own risk there.

I’m getting sidetracked – I’m supposed to be talking about food…

Since I was only there for two days, I can’t say that I had many chances to explore the city culinarily (is that a word?) but whatever I did indulge in was decent. I remember the prices being outrageous though and both my husband and I, as well as my accompanying cousin, were on a budget. So we did what we do lots of times, eat at local small places or hit up the street vendors.

Let’s see, we had Belgian fries of course with a disgusting amount of mayo. It’s a specialty there and I know many folks here eat fries with their mayo (or vice versa), however my husband Mark and I weren’t buying it. Next time, we’re sticking to ketchup or whatever else is available.

We also had Chinese food, or was it some other Asian category? Can’t remember but I had stir-fried rice and hubby and cousin had brothy noodles. This was ok, nothing to write home about. I think we just picked the place because we had been sightseeing the whole afternoon and were close to strangling each other – you know, once hunger kicks in…. So we walked around totally undecided on what to eat and after passing at least a dozen joints, we settled on the Chinese place that was at least cheap.

We also had the chance to go to a bar and drink local beer, but alas, missed out on pub grub. Speaking of pubs, stopped at one for lunch the second day and always wanting the local stuff, I ordered bitterballen, a mixture of ground beef, spices, breadcrumbs, egg and milk, which is deep-fried. This was funky, funky. It kind of melted in your mouth but you could not detect any meat. Probably my first real mystery-meat dish. I also had the most traditional thing on the menu, pea soup. Thought this would be somehow different than regular pea soup I have at home but no, it’s pretty much the same darn thing. Maybe theirs had a tad too much pepper in it. So my advice, skip it if you go.

Other than that, can’t remember what else we ate but we walked around so much and did the usual Eurotrip (non-stop sightseeing and photo taking) that I’m sure we didn’t fuel up as much as we should have. I’d love to go back and try their waffles, herring and Indonesian food (history and politics again).

Fries and a tub of mayo

Waffles 

One of many beautiful canals 

Creepy Food

Yes, even creepy crawlers can be eaten. If you’ve ever watched Andrew Zimmern on Bizarre Food (Travel Channel), you know what I’m talking about. He eats everything.

I try to be open-minded and delve into culinary adventures but even I have to draw the line somewhere. The last nontraditional meal I had was the sweetbreads and bone marrow I mentioned a few blogs ago. Maybe a creepy crawler will make it onto my plate soon too.

For now, I am sharing pictures of weird food or going-to-be-food my husband snapped during his trip to China and one we took in Chinatown, NY. Yes, there’s a picture of live snakes. Just like there are restaurants in the US where you can pick your fresh lobster out of the tank, there are restaurants in China and Taiwan (and I’m sure many other places), where you can pick your fresh snake for lunch. I’m not kidding. Mark decided to skip the snake that day.

On that same trip, he took the chicken picture which is the trippiest menu picture I’ve ever seen. He had dinner at a restaurant in Hong Kong and said the menu was very long (like the Cheesecake Factory one) but consisted only of pictures. Guess this makes sense since many tourists go there. Once again, he skipped that bizarre food. I know I couldn’t order that chicken and eat it for the same reason I can’t eat lechon, a whole roasted pig – the freakin’ face is still attached! Sorry, it can be the best meat ever but the face is looking at me. ‘nough said…

I’ve had chicken feet and pigs ears before, not extraordinarily creepy food but still not everyday fare for most people. Both were tasty and I’d eat them again. You know why? Cause there was no face attached to them!

The picture of the frogs was taken in Chinatown and I was heartbroken to take it. Yes they aren’t the most attractive animals to look at, but it was depressing to know that they were all crammed in there waiting for someone to buy them as lunch. Ugh.

Alright, guess I freaked myself out with the creepy food today. I just might have a cinnamon roll now.

Lamb Burgers

The lamb burgers are super easy to make and are delicious. You will notice that the portions I made a pretty small and there’s a reason for that. If you’ve ever had lamb meat, you know that it tends to be pretty heavy in the stomach so this is not one of those occasions that calls for a super size burger.

I don’t generally make lamb burgers but during a chicken contamination health scare here in NY a few weeks ago, I was of course buying whatever meat I could that wasn’t chicken. It allowed me to experiment with different flavors and I was grateful for that but it was also expensive as well. Who knew that fresh fish on a regular can break the bank? Anyways, here’s my somewhat Greek-inspired recipe, great for lunch or dinner.

I don’t include the exact recipe for the salad but it’s a no-brainer. Chop up a cucumber and cherry tomatoes, mix and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Serves 2

1 pound of ground lamb

2 garlic cloves minced

2 teaspoons of salt

½ teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of dried parsley (you can use fresh instead)

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Mix all the ingredients except for the oil and let the flavors combine for at least half an hour or more if possible in the fridge. Before cooking the burgers, remove the meat from the fridge and let it come to room temperature (about 15-20 minutes). Form into four patties.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and add the patties to pan. Cook on both sides for about 4 minutes, depending on how well cooked you like your meat.

Remove from the pan and place on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up the oil. Serve with the salad or other preferred sides.

Tofu

Tofu is one of those things that people either like or hate. I think of it as being in the brussel sprout category. I started cooking tofu a couple of years ago and haven’t stopped since. It’s a nice alternative to meat since it is full of protein and is very easy to cook. You can find it many times in soups (miso soup for example), salads, stir-frys or deep fried on its own.

I usually buy extra firm tofu since that keeps its shape and is easier to cook with. I drain the tofu and pat it dry really well. Then I marinade it in Asian spices (Chinese Five Spice powder, ground ginger and garlic), and sauces (soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame seed oil) for 3-5 days in the fridge. After that, I pat it dry again and sauté it in oil and serve with a side salad. This makes for a very satisfying and not heavy lunch.

You can also cut it into small cubes, roll it around in a dry rub (mixture of various spices) and stir fry along with other vegetables. Sprinkle the whole dish with white or black sesame seeds and you’ve got another fast and vegetarian-friendly dish.

My husband was fortunate to travel to China and Taiwan for business a couple of times and ate various tofu dishes there. Of course the authentic tofu dishes there are much better than what you’d order at a restaurant in the Western world but even so, I encourage you to try ordering it when eating out or cooking it at home. It is easy to prepare and healthy for you (if you are not deep-frying it). I even heard of blending it with fruit to make smoothies. Haven’t tried that myself but will do so soon since I’m on a smoothie roll right now. You never know, tofu might just surprise you.

Here are a couple of shots of Asian tofu dishes.

Fried Tofu

Tofu Soup 

Marzipan

I feel it is my duty as fellow food lover to explain marzipan to you. Many people in the US are not familiar with this delectable treat so here it goes. Marzipan is almond paste, meaning almonds are ground finely until they form a paste. Sugar is added to give it sweetness. Europeans have used marzipan for eons to enrich any type of dessert, be it cakes, cookies, pastries or even chocolates. My family uses it often to make marzipan cake, which I have yet to master myself.

Austria is famous for its Mozartkugeln, which are chocolate truffles filled with nougat and marzipan. They are named after Mozart because they originated in Salzburg, Mozart’s hometown. If you ever visit Austria, you must try the Mozartkugeln (they are rich so buy a small box just to sample).

Marzipan is very versatile and makes many appearances in the form of marzipan animals, fruit and other cute shapes. In Europe it is customary to give little marzipan pigs on New Year’s Eve that are supposed to bring good luck in the new year (along with the chimney sweepers and horse shoes, in case you didn’t know).

If you buy marzipan as a gift or bake with it, make sure you ask your intended taster or gift recipient if he/she is allergic to nuts since marzipan is made from almonds.

Pictured here are various uses for marzipan.

Marzipan potatoes (not real potatoes)

Dominos (biscuit, gelatine, marzipan) 

Stollen (fruit loaf with marzipan) 

Marzipan covered in dark chocolate 

Mozartkugel (Austrian tradition) 

Marzipan fruit (just the shape) 

Marzipan animals 



Review – Cubana Café

Great café in Brooklyn that serves probably the most delicious Cuban food I’ve had so far. Went there twice and got to sample a few things.

The first time we went with friends for dessert however one of our friends was hungry so he ordered ceviche and then rice with ground beef. The ceviche was good although I think the sauce had a bit of mayo in it - wasn’t super crazy about that. The rice and meat were delicious and I’ll probably order that the next time I go back.

For dessert we had tres leches cake and flan. The flan is out of this world and I’m pretty sure not the healthiest thing since it was so creamy, there must have been at least two cans of condensed milk in there. Definitely worth it though.

The group also ordered white sangria which to me was not as sweet as I would have liked but the others liked it.

The second time I went with my husband for lunch. I ordered black bean soup and an appetizer of crispy mashed potatoes stuffed with ground beef. Sounds funky and looked a bit funky too. It was a baseball-size ball of mashed potatoes that was probably fried or baked to make it crispy and had the meat filling. It was actually delicious, just like shepherd’s pie. The appetizer was served on a salad of chickpeas that was garnished with tomatoes, red onions, parsley and corn. Yum.

My husband ordered the Cuban pork sandwich which had the tastiest marinated pork ever. I think I ate half of his sandwich too…

He also ordered a drink that apparently is the house specialty. Can’t remember everything that was in it but I think it involved rum and pineapple juice. Anyways, it came out in a martini glass and looked very girly. Guess many male customers were fooled by the house specialty on the menu since several guys were sipping those.

The customer service was great the second time around but the first time we were rushed to pay and leave since the café was closing. Guess people want to go home too at some point so I won’t hold it against them. I’ll be back.

Oh, two more things. The prices are cheap by NY standards however they only accept cash. There is an ATM machine inside the café if you only have plastic with you.

Farmers Market – Seattle

Here’s another feature of a farmers market. The one in Seattle is probably the best one I’ve been to so far in the US. The seafood selection there is unbelievable and their fresh produce looks scrumptious. I visited the city in the spring and of course, it was rainy, but the market is mostly covered by awnings so the weather doesn’t interfere with your shopping experience.

We got to sample a few things and watched the exciting spectacle at the fish station, where workers yell, dance, sing and throw fish, not necessarily in that order. There is always a crowd watching them and I’m pretty sure they’ve been featured on a few TV shows now.

The other thing I liked about the market was its variety of produce. I finally saw elephant garlic, not anything I had found at any other markets I’d been to. Also many veggies from the cabbage family and the usual ones too.

Of course the seafood selection is unparalleled. You can buy everything from crab, mussels, oysters, shrimp, scallops, clams, lobsters, and an endless array of fish.

The market is located next to a bunch of small cafes and restaurants so you can stroll through the market and grab a bite to eat afterwards or vice versa. The views from those restaurants are stunning as you get to overlook the water and boats.

Right across the street from the market is also the very first Starbucks built. The line for coffee is ridiculous but tourists that we were, we braved it and had our coffee half an hour later. The store is jam-packed with tourists and even outside it’s impossible to navigate around those taking pictures in front of the store.

If you ever visit Seattle, don’t miss out on the opportunity to check out their amazing and fun farmers market. It is truly one of the best experiences in that city.

Ribollita – Italian Bread Soup

This soup is delicious despite its funky appearance. Made this when there wasn’t much left in the pantry and fridge except these ingredients. My version might vary slightly from the traditional Italian one but it’s still good and comforting on a cold night. The bread soak up some of the broth and turns almost meaty. In fact, my husband thought there was meat in the soup, so this might please vegetarians as well as carnivores.

Serves 4

8 cups of chicken stock (or water if necessary)

1 head of kale, rinsed and chopped

1 14 ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

Half an onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes or use fresh tomatoes if you have them

2-3 thick slices of country loaf bread, diced into large pieces

2 dried bay leaves

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the chopped onions and carrots and let sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft. Add the kale and garlic and stir until the kale shrinks down a bit in size (it wilts like spinach when cooked). Add the stock or water, tomatoes, beans and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and let simmer for half an hour. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary, especially if you used water instead of chicken stock. Once the soup has acquired the right flavors, add the bread and simmer slowly for another five minutes until the bread is soft. Serve right away.

If you have to refrigerate the soup, the bread will soak up the broth and you’ll end up with a stew instead. Still tasty but just keep that in mind.

Review – Naruto Ramen

This small restaurant is not even a block away from our place so the convenient location already puts it on our map. The prices are reasonable too so there’s another plus. The food is good but most of their items are spicy. If you are into spicy food, that’s great. If not, your selection will be limited.

The first time I ate here I ordered a miso-flavored ramen soup which came with pork and vegetables. The broth was tasty although a bit too salty and I had to water it down a tad. The ramen were also more al dente than I prefer them but not too bothersome. My husband had a similar ramen soup that was spicy and according to him, hit the spot.

We also tried pork buns which are steamed buns filled with pork, lettuce, mayo and tomatoes. I guess they assembled them like a burger but they are so freaking delicious. You get two per appetizer so we started out with that and ended with the soups.

The second time we went there, we again started with the pork buns and my husband had the same spicy ramen soup. I tried their pork fried rice and my huge serving was excellent. I would definitely recommend that.

I noticed they also serve several curry dishes which we still have to try. Their staff was very friendly and you can be seated at the bar which overlooks the cooking stations or at small tables in the back. If you want excitement, I recommend sitting at the bar.

I’m eager to try their other items as well but might just end up ordering a few servings of those darn pork buns. Yum!

Shrimp with Edamame Puree

As I often get tired of chicken, I cook a lot of shrimp and scallops. Yeah they are not the cheapest fare but at least it’s fast cooking, delicious eating and somewhat healthy. So I buy the large frozen shrimp from Trader Joes, guess they would be 14-16 count. The lower the count, meaning you get 14-16 per pound I think, the larger the shrimp are. That makes sense since a large piece of meat weighs more. Ok, that’s my mathematical logic for the day.

So the shrimp already come peeled and deveined (I still check for both just in case) and I defrost them in the fridge the night before I cook them. The next day, they just have to be seasoned and cook in less than five minutes.

The edamame puree was one of those inventions out of necessity. Didn’t have any starches on hand so I mashed up shelled edamame. All it needs is seasoning as well and voila, you got dinner.

Serves 2

14-16 large shrimp

1 ½ cups of shelled edamame (just the bean part)

½ cup of chicken stock

1 teaspoon of sweet paprika

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

2 teaspoons of olive oil

half a lemon

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pat the shrimp dry and season with half the salt, half the pepper and all the paprika. Place in the hot pan and sauté for roughly a minute and a half per side. While the shrimp are sautéing, put the edamame in a blender or food processor with the chicken stock, remaining salt and pepper and blend until combined. Check for seasonings and adjust if necessary.

Before removing the cooked shrimp from the skillet, squeeze the lemon over the shrimp. Shake the pan a few times so the shrimp get coated with the lemon juice. Serve the shrimp alongside the edamame puree.

Cake Flavors

Let me start out by saying I’m a cake snob. I didn’t used to be and I’m sure like every kid on this planet, I ate every cake that came my way. However, the women in my family are quite great bakers so almost every cake that came my way was pretty darn awesome. I didn’t learn to bake until about a year ago. Until then, I tried not to set the house on fire with my rock-hard cookies. The cakes I’ve had in the US tend to me a bit more sweet and many have buttercream frosting. I’m not a fan of that but many people are and more power to them. Personally, I think the regular sheet cake from Costco is a disaster…

Since I don’t eat a lot of chocolate anymore, I learned to bake and am experimenting with flavors. A lot of European cakes tend to be coffee cakes, meaning not necessarily buttercreamy birthday cakes, but dry cakes (think no frosting) that one might enjoy with tea or coffee. In my family’s household, it’s often served as an afternoon snack. I know that sounds cliché but we tend to get hungry right about 4-5pm and European dinners are served late, so cake at that time comes in pretty handy.

Personally I like fruit-flavored cakes but I’ve been experimenting with different herbs in my cakes. For example, I took a pre-existing recipe (of course) and substituted different flavors, so I added rosemary or dried lavender. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I once made a cake with pumpkinseed oil. The oil is an Austrian specialty and since the seeds are green, so is the oil. I did indeed make a dark green cake that was not the most appetizing to look at however it was different tasting and quite tasty in my opinion. I’ll have to try making it again although not sure if my husband will want to be my guinea pig again.

My inspirations for new cake flavors come from different countries but I am trying to learn from the Viennese bakers. Paris is known all over the world for their fantastic pastries and to their credit, they know how to bake a darn good baguette and pain-au-chocolat (similar to a chocolate croissant). I do think however that Vienna is very much overlooked in the dessert world and deserves a bit of respect. After all, they’ve been baking for centuries (royal history and all). So until I order some Austrian cook/bake books, I’ll have to research online and experiment on my own. I’ll let you know how that goes. In the meantime, here are a few pictures to get you drooling.

Fruit Cake

Walnut Cake 

Sacher Torte 

Eszterhazy Torte 

Schwarzwaelderkirschtorte (Black Forest Cake) 

Dobos Torte

Fig & Poppy Seed Cake

Review – Union Market

Don’t be fooled by the name, this is not a farmers market. It’s an awesome grocery store I found next to Blue Apron.

The store sells a lot of organic produce as well as packaged items (pastas, canned goods, etc.) and lucky me, they set out many samplers such as olives, cheeses, cookies and even chips & guacamole. This makes for a great shopping experience as I ended up buying the cheese I sampled.

They tend to be more pricey than the regular stores but if you are looking to buy something fresher than at the regular chain markets (such as fresh fish), this is the place to go. I do however have to complain about their customer service. The cashiers always seem to want to be anywhere else other than working there and the guy at the fish station just plain needs to learn common sense. I will not go into details however interacting with him a couple of times now makes me not want to buy fish there again. Unfortunately there is no other close market that has the same quality of seafood so I might have to just bite my tongue and continue shopping there. Consider this your official warning though.

Other than that, I am happy with the selection of non-ordinary products such as fish and veal stock (frozen section), sheep’s milk yogurt, eco-friendly dish soap and organic dried spices. If you are into those things, you know they are not easy to come by.

Overall, the product selection is good but pricey and the customer service leaves much to be desired. I will however continue to shop there due to its convenient location and accessibility to hard-to-find products.

Soups To Warm You Up

Soups in my opinion are easy to make and always comforting. In the winter they warm you up, in the summer they cool you down (if you are making gazpacho or something similar). Given that it’s winter time and apparently is raining everywhere right now, I’ve been making hearty and homey soups. Although I’m not giving a play-by-play rundown on how to make each soup, here are some ideas to get you going.

Chicken Soup – everyone’s favorite

Combine water, chicken legs and/or thighs, a couple of diced carrots, a couple of diced celery sticks, one diced onion, pinch of salt & pepper, and a couple of dried bay leaves. Let the soup simmer for about an hour until the meat falls off the bone. Add cooked pasta to the soup if preferred or serve as is.

Creamy Vegetable Soup – perfect for a meat-free meal

Combine 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, one diced carrot, one diced onion, 1 cup of trimmed string beans, 2-3 dried bay leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a pot and boil for 15 minutes. Blend 2 cups of milk and 1 can of corn (liquid drained) in a blender or food processor and add to the soup. Turn the heat to low and let the soup warm through before serving.

Romanian Meatball Soup – family favorite

Combine 10-12 cups of water, a couple of diced carrots, a couple of diced celery sticks, one diced onion, 3 beef bullion cubes, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2-3 dried bay leaves and bring to a boil. In a bowl, mix half a cup of uncooked white rice with 1 pound of ground beef, an egg, a dash of paprika, salt, pepper and dried herbs (whichever you prefer). Form golf ball-size balls and line them up on a plate. Turn the heat to low so the soup does not boil and gently lower the meatballs into the soup. Turn the heat up a bit and let the soup simmer for at least two hours. Taste the broth occasionally and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Add more water if it’s too salty from the bullion cubes or add more salt if necessary. Also, skim the foam and fat that rises to the top until the soup finishes cooking. Serve in big bowls.

So here are pics of the chicken and the veggie soup. Sorry, didn't get around to making the meatball soup to take a photo but will post it next time I make it.

Chicken soup

Veggie Soup



Review – Rosewater

This is a very cute café/bistro in Park Slope, a popular Brooklyn neighborhood, that is packed every time we pass by. Our friend recommended it and we were eager to sample its fares.

We went for brunch or lunch, can’t remember what time it really was. My husband, our friend and I sat at a small table near the window. As most NY restaurants, you are cramped in with fellow New Yorkers.

Their menu looked promising as I skimmed over duck confit or roast pork sandwiches, frittatas or baked polenta. I didn’t really want a sandwich and eggs didn’t sound right at that moment so I settled on their garlic roasted potatoes and slow cooked pork, both from the Sides menu. I was told that the minimum order per person is at least $14, so my order did not meet that requirement. Highly annoyed I ordered the duck sandwich instead.

My husband ordered custom eggs with potatoes and bacon and our friend got the butternut squash sandwich. They also ordered fresh pear and ginger juice.

The juice tasted a bit bitter and salty instead of the sweetness expected, so they both returned the juice and got something else instead. The hostess was very apologetic and assured us that usually the juice is more palatable however that day the pears weren’t playing along.

The food arrived and we dived in. My sandwich was actually quite good but as expected heavy and greasy cause of the duck. And here I didn’t want a sandwich to begin with. The eggs my husband ordered with the bacon were good but according to him, not worth $14. Keep in mind you can order the same thing (eggs, bacon & potatoes) anywhere else for half that price. My friend’s squash sandwich seemed to be good but she didn’t seem over the moon nor devastated by it. Guess it was ok.

The hostess as mentioned was very nice but our server had a bit of an attitude when asked about some menu items. They also screwed up on the drink order the second time around.

Overall, a lovely interior does not guarantee a lovely experience. I would give them another chance since their menu had some out-of-the-box items but this won’t be a regular food stop for us. And I’m definitely not going back for their $14 brunch when the brunch isn’t spectacular.

Side Dish – Green Beans

Yes this is a side dish but sometimes I make it also for lunch. It’s one of those quick fix meals.

Serves 2

2 cups of trimmed green beans

3 strips of bacon

1 teaspoon of salt

Heat 2 cups of water in a small pot over medium heat. Add the green beans and salt. In the meantime, cut the bacon into small pieces and fry in a skillet over medium-low heat. The bacon will render a lot of its fat and crisps up quickly. Be careful not to overcook it – it should be slightly crisp but still chewy. Once the green beans are fork-tender, drain them. Drain some of the bacon drippings from the pan (reserve in a container for later cooking) and add the green beans to the bacon in the skillet. Stir well to ensure the beans get coated with the remaining bacon drippings. Fry gently for a couple of minutes until the beans brown up a bit. They are already cooked so they should just color slightly. Serve alongside roast chicken and mashed potatoes or as is for lunch. Or as a snack. Or whenever this sounds good.

Review - Blue Apron Food

I found this super cute mom and pop shop on my way to the farmers market the other day called Blue Apron Food. After searching for a decent grocery store, I was beyond excited to find this gem. I know my review won’t mean much to them since they’ve received several accolades, however maybe you’ll want to check them out when you visit after reading this review.

They have some imported products such as pastas, chocolates, canned goods, oils and vinegars but they also have fresh breads, pastries, deli meats, cheeses and an olive bar. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and patiently answered my inquiries about this cheese and that salami (you know me). I got to sample several things before deciding what to take home and that is always alright in my book.

Their pastries looked delicious, fresh and definitely not dry. I didn’t have a chance to try any last time I went but am planning on enjoying the fruit tarts next time. Their bread loaves were not only huge but also cheaper than any grocery stores I’ve been to so far in Brooklyn.

They also have a lot of imported and organic pantry items (think lentils, tomato pastes, etc.) however those products seemed more on the higher price bracket.

Can’t wait to go back and try different cheeses and salamis they have. This is a new regular for sure.