33 Pounds of Cheese

This article's pretty amazing. The USDA fights obesity and encourages Americans to eat healthier -- that's great. They also praise Domino's, Taco Bell, Burger King and their freaky fatty friends for adding more greasy cheese to their menu options.

Any thoughts?

Read the NY Times article here

The department acknowledged that cheese is high in saturated fat, but said that lower milk consumption had made cheese an important source of calcium.

“When eaten in moderation and with attention to portion size, cheese can fit into a low-fat, healthy diet,” the department said.

In its reports to Congress, however, the Agriculture Department tallies Dairy Management’s successes in millions of pounds of cheese served.

Farm to Table at Blue Hill

Blue Hill Tuesday night -- pretty amazing stuff. Blue Hill has a farm in Connecticut, a Farm in the Berkshires and a few sources scattered around New York. The NY restaurant serves deliciously local food and boasts an impressive wine list. That's the overview -- now to the good stuff.

We started off with 'This Morning's Farm Egg' which was served soft boiled with Lamb's Quarters (which is a vegetable, surprisingly), Roasted Tomatoes, and Chanterelle Mushrooms. The egg was sweet and gooey and the mushrooms gave the dish a salty punch. Also had the

Fall Vegetable Salad' with seckel pears, pea shoots, pistachios and three colors of cauliflower. Paired that with a Roussane, a grape I don't believe I've ever tried, that was very satisfying and refreshing with strong honey on the nose.

A little kale chip amuse-bouche came next which was a lovely surprise -- it was served in a wood block -- how interesting.

For the entree, I had 'Rabbi Bob's Veal' - it was meaty and peppery and salty! Served with sweet black dirt carrots and yellowfoot chanterelles. Unlike most veal, this little baby calf was allowed to roam free around the farm, allowing some muscular development in the animal which results in tougher meat. However, the little fella was fed grass and mother's milk, giving the meat a hardier flavor than most veal cuts. I was served two cuts, the leg, which was meaty and a little crunchy, and a piece of shank which was soft and salty. We ordered that dish with a side of Jerusalem Artichoke, which has no known relationship to Jerusalem and is not a type of Artichoke (go figure). Cassie-girl had the fresh "Long Island Fluke" served with zucchini, almonds, apples and celery. Her plate ended up cleaner than when it came out of the washer...

Perhaps the most impressive thing at the restaurant wasn't any of the dishes, it was the people serving them. The staff was dedicated to providing the best meal possible. They were quick with knowledgeable suggestions and helpful offers. Choosing the right meal for Miss Cassie can be challenging to those unfamiliar with her dietary restrictions (no cow's milk, no red meat, no cute animals, no spicy, etc.), but the Blue Hill staff was incredibly accommodating. Case in point, when I ordered the "Honeycrisp Apples", normally served with Hudson Valley Milk Jam, Almond Cake and Honey Ice Cream, the chef instinctively knew that my lactose intolerant date would want a few spoonfuls so he left off the jam and replaced the ice cream with fresh Raspberry Sorbet. And... they could tell it was a special night for us (our second anniversary... sort of) so they brought out a little sampling of coconut marshmallows, cocoa-covered almonds, and organic berry gummi - with candle.

Well... that is just about as much as I could possibly say about a meal. All in all, it was one of the best I've ever had. Thanks to SR and DQ for making it happen!

Farmers' Market Feast

The Bounty

The Chopping Pattaps

The Delicious Dishes

The Smiling Diners


A great meal of locally grown produce with the Woofing Pattaps and friends on Saturday. Fresh Caraway Bread and Goat Cheese, Pickled Fiddle-heads, Hungarian Eggplant Tomato Paprikash, Roasted Crinkle-Cut Potatoes and Rutabaga, Brussel Sprouts with Shallots and Crimini Mushrooms, and Cassie's Fresh Baked Choco-Chippers - Yum!

Bagels Toasted on an Open Fire...

You don't get that every day! Toasty H+H Bagels in NJ's Darlington Park.

Portsmouth Brewery

That's me with a 10-beer sampler from Portsmouth (and Smuttynose) Breweries. All fairly excellent selections. Finished them all except the blonde (2nd from right) and the Heffeweizen (4th from left).

Favorites were the Chat Noir (Stout - empty glass on the right), the Bock (3rd from right) and the Smuttynose Old Brown Dog (far left). Also exciting was the glass-in-hand which was the seasonal pumpkin ale. I don't normally jump on the pumpkin ale bandwagon, but this one was quite enjoyable with a delicious aroma of sweet pumpkin and well-balanced hoppy flavor.

Thanks New Hampshire!

Wild Squash in Zion Nat'l Park

It's a foragers dream come true! (except that you shouldn't really forage on national park land)

This squash was growing all around the park. I'm not exactly sure what species this is -- something in the zucchini family, I suppose. Maybe one of those Wwoofing Pattaps can help us identify it...

I Grew a Cherry Bomb!

That cherry pepper was born on a farm, adopted at the Union Sq farmer's market and raised on my window sill. It was my most exciting plant of the summer and now it's chopped up and infused in some T-Jo olive oil.

I tried a nibble and it honestly wasn't so hot... but I chopped it up, threw it in a jar with some fresh Cayenne's from Spot's Pop's garden and some extra virg. Stay tuned for a tasting report...

Katz's - Biggest... Order... Ever

Take-out from Katz's today for lunch today. Clients visiting from Michigan - gotta provide the real New York experience. What does that experience taste like...?

7 Pastrami sandwiches on rye with mustard
4 Corned beef on rye w/ mustard
1 Reuben (for the Michigan client... surprised?)
3 Knishes
5 Dr. Browns Soda (cream, black cherry, cel-ray)
1 Large tub of Pickles

Grand Total - $218

One of the guys here literally choked when he found out he was eating a $15 sandwich.

Ever Try Shakshuka?

Double Date at Hummus Kitchen last night. It's a delightful little neighborhood spot with casual vibe, tasty food, and a no-rush attitude. The prices are fair, the dishes are good proportions with lots of flavor, and the staff is genuinely Israeli. I had the shaksuka.

Shakshuka is a pan-fried casserole of poached eggs and spicy tomato sauce with peppers and add-ons like spinach, beans, sausages, etc. My first exposure to the dish was at Dr. Shakshuka in Jaffa, Israel. Dr. Shak is a very highly-rated Shakshuka joint that been around for generations. Nothing delights me more than international foodie-ism - seeking out the foodie spots that the foodie natives visit in their own countries.

On that same trip, I also seized the opportunity to taste "The Best Shawarma in Israel".

Standby Pizza Pie

Lunch trip to Lombardi's today -- Overall rating among 5 diners was 4.5 stars. How nice to have such a pie within 10 minute walk. Secret seating upstairs on the covered roof.

Ceasar Salad - the classic executed well - shake some crushed red on it
Spinach/Pancetta Pie - tasty garlicy spinach - pancetta's actually rather bland
Mushrooms/Smoke Roasted Peppers - the clear stand-out toppings-wise

Delicious smokey charcoal dough and plenty of sweet sauce, that's how they've survived since 1905!

Must Try Thai - Bodhi Tree

I have a new favorite Thai spot. Check it out - Bodhi Tree. Food, Decor, Service, all excellent. I had the lunch take-out once, the price is great and it comes with two tasty side dishes. I recommend the Taro dumplings!

For dinner we had Roti Massaman which came with a rich, spicy Massaman curry for dipping the doughy roti. They have a special Thai-Tastes menu which comes with the disclaimer "These dishes are served spicy. Do not order if you cannot eat very spicy. Do not ask us to make it less spicy, it is our aim to keep these dishes true to the original recipes." Much Respect! Of course I ordered a dish off of this menu - 3 out of 4 spicy stars. It was a delicious plate of glass noodles with shrimp, squid, and minced pork with tomatoes, onions, and fresh red chilis in a lime-lemongrass dressing. Very tasty, although I would have liked it if peppers were diced into the dish instead of being served whole.

Go ahead and give it a Thai-Try next time your in the East Vill. Any thoughts...? Does Bodhi Tree beat my old favorite Thai-Standby, Boyd?

(Props to Farmer Benny on the find!)

Must Try - Las Ramblas

Took Cassie-Girl to this little West Vill Tapas joint this weekend. Man-0h-Man that was tasty stuff! The wild mushroom dish is a must and the seared shrimp-and-pineapple skewers were also incredible. Plus the paprika potatoes which our friend described as "the best homefries I've ever eaten!" Quite the review!

All washed down with yummy pear sangria and topped off with fresh berries and chocolate... with a delightful birthday candle for Miss Cassie herself.

Check it out folks: http://lasramblasnyc.com/

Tennessee - Do it with your hands

Tennessee - land of a thousand chain restaurants. They're taking it to a whole new level.. they actually have something called KFC Buffet... All you can eat fried almost-chicken? No Thanks.

How about the meal at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show? This is a prixe fix meal served to you while you watch cowboys and Indians, trick-riding, the chicken chase relay race, magic, bad comedy, song and dance etc. It's the TV dinner on meth. The menu? Each person gets: 1 WHOLE Chicken, 2 Pork Chops, 1/2 corn-on-cob, 1/2 baked potato, cream of vegetable soup, 1 biscuit, and an apple turnover. What you don't get, is silverware. That's right folks, you're gonna eat that all with your hands. Wash it all down with unlimited sweet tea for a meal that robs you of any hope for family conversation and injects you with a hefty dose of barbarism (and sodium) in the process. Pigeon Forge, TN is littered with these dinner shows (Elvis Impersonators, Magicians, Animal Wranglers, and even good Christian Storytelling). But I suppose I can't really be surprised, seeing as the town boasts more As-Seen-On-TV stores and go-kart tracks than I've ever seen in all other places combined.

Man, the South seems like another world...

Last Night - JoJo

Nothing like Restaurant week to reignite the blogger spirit...

Last night it was JoJo - a Jean Georges project rated with a Zagat 24-22-23.

The restaurant is lovely and romantic... although we were seated at a strangely narrow table in particularly low, although comfortable cushy seats. When the waiter came I feel like I was looking up at him like a little kid, a bit odd.

Anyway, my darling date and I opted to go for the $35 restaurant week tasting menu - 2 choices per course... we ordered one of each down the line.

For me:
Butternut Squash Puree with Creme Fraiche and Black Mushrooms
Chicken with Ginger, Olives, and Chickpea Fries
Fruit Salad with White Pepper Ice Cream

For Her:
Warm Asparagus Mesclun Salad with Avocado and Enoki Mushrooms
Baked Salmon with Truffled Mashed Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts and Truffle Vinaigrette
Warm Chocolate Cake with Caramel Ice Cream

The appetizers were both wonderful. The soup was was hot and delicious, the mushrooms giving a little punch and crunch. Cassie said that the salad contained the best asparagus she'd ever tasted... wow... the girl's tasted a lot of asparagus, let me tell you. Everything was off and rolling to a great start...

The entrees left much to be desired. Texturally the chicken was perfect, but I barely tasted any ginger, the sauce was over salted, the olives were nothing special, and the chickpea fries were a little bland and mushy. I tried one taste of the salmon and one taste only. It was very fishy and quite simply didn't taste good. I don't know if it was just a bad piece or what, but I couldn't even go back for another bite. The truffle mashed potatoes were great, as was the vinaigrette, but seriously, that salmon was foul.

Dessert, once again, was exquisite. Fruit salad in spiced syrup with white pepper ice cream. Could be the best fruit salad I've ever had - the syrup was amazing. The ice cream - interesting, tasty with the fruit, but on it own, objectionable. It was sorta like barn-animal ice cream. You know how white pepper can sometimes make thai food taste like horse manure... yeah. The chocolate cake was fairly standard -- and the caramel ice cream was devastating. Incredible!

So it begs the question... would I go back...? Probably not. I'm sure some of the non-restaurant week offerings (duck) would be delicious, but it's just not a good sign when a restaurant can't do salmon. I mean, it's in the neigborhood, it's romantic, it's lovely, but I don't think I'd return. Glad I tried it though...