Where to Eat: Butter Restaurant

Among the many wonderful things about New York City, Restaurant Week has to be one of them. For one week in the winter, many of the top restaurants in the city offer prix-fixe lunch menus for $25 and dinner for $35. It's a great chance to hit all those places on your "list" without going broke.

I have been wanting to try out Butter restaurant for a while now. I love the "New American" style of cuisine and chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli's focus on seasonal ingredients. It takes some planning to get a table though; the Restaurant Week dates were booked solid a little over a week before event actually started.

Occasionally, restaurants will offer less-than-stellar menus for Restaurant Week. (Read: house salad appetizer, roast chicken main, creme brulee dessert. A bit blah, non?) Butter is not one of those restaurants. I was excited to eat there before even stepping into the restaurant because their menu was so enticing, I honestly wanted to try every item on it.

Butter serves its guests in possibly the most beautiful dining room I have ever been in. The ceiling is composed of high wooden arches and panels of glowing golden light. The back wall of the restaurant is lit with a forest motif. It's all very chic and elegant. The space is rather long and narrow. The walls are lined with semi-circular banquettes, and there are about 5 rows of 3 tables for 2 in the center of the dining room. My one gripe is that the tables were so crammed together (maybe one foot between tables!) that it was a little too easy to listen to the conversations of the adjacent diners.

After a lengthy and taxing debate, I settled on Batter-Dipped Florida Shrimp with Celery Root and Fresh Chilies as a starter, Braised Beef Short Ribs with Crispy Purple Majesty Potatoes, Chopped Leeks and Fresh Pomegranate. Dessert was Dark Chocolate Cake with Toasted Almond Jam.

The meal started with cornbread and brown bread served with quenelles of unctuous herb butter and vanilla butter (I assume, as I saw the little flecks in the butter but couldn't really taste the vanilla). The shrimp was wonderful; there were three large, juicy, battered prawns. The chili dressing was very hot, but the heat stays in your mouth, not in your throat, which worked for me. The beef was also well done. It was very tender, although the flavor went a little flat after I had finished half the dish. It started to taste just plain "braised beef in gravy"-ish. The pomegranate was the best part because the crunchy bursts of sweet juice was just what the dish needed to refresh the flavors; I just wish there was more of it. I was most looking forward to dessert, but maybe my anticipation was what led to me being underwhelmed. The round chocolate cake was on the dry side, and it was served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. I was really, really looking forward to the toasted almond jam (a nut jam? How does that even work??) but it was nowhere to be found on the plate!

Overall, the food was really excellent, especially for Restaurant Week. The one area that left much to be desired was the service. On occasion, servers will treat diners who choose to eat from the prix-fixe menu differently from those ordering a la carte (Megu Midtown, I'm looking at you.) The server was inattentive and condescending to us, but was perfectly capable of pleasant banter with the diners of the adjacent table. The bill was automatically sent to the table before we had even finished dessert. If a restaurant is not prepared to serve customers dining on a budget, then perhaps they should not participate in Restaurant Week.

Fortunately, the service was only a slight wrinkle in an otherwise wonderful meal. (I am also pretty sure that the behavior of one server is not representative of the entire waitstaff.) The ambiance and quality of food more than convinced me that I will be a repeat customer in the future.

Eat Here:
Butter Restaurant
415 Lafayette Street
212-253-2828

Image courtesy of nycgo.com

Tea, A Drink With Jam and Bread

Like fish n' chips or Marmite, afternoon tea is primarily of British origin. Technically speaking, there are actually several varieties of "tea":

Afternoon tea: Usually taken between 3 and 5 pm, afternoon tea is considered one of the fancier, more "proper" versions. Offerings usually include sandwiches (small, crusts off, and with fillings such as cucumber or smoked salmon), scones, and pastries. These are presented on tiered serving dishes and accompanied (of course) by brewed loose leaf tea, milk and sugar.

Cream tea: A little simpler; tea is served with scones, Devonshire cream, and jam.

High tea: Served between 5 and 6 pm, tea (the meal) is considered an informal combination of afternoon tea and dinner. Tea (the drink) is accompanied by meat, cakes, and sandwiches.

I would also like to add to the list, "Strawberry Tea." In elementary school, we used to have Strawberry Teas on Mother's Day. The menu included chocolate dipped strawberries and fizzy pink raspberry ginger ale. It was all very girly and, well, pink.

These recipes were not prepared for a Strawberry Tea, rather a typical afternoon tea. I whipped up some biscotti and scones to go with the tea and sandwiches. Yes, biscotti is supposed to be dunked in coffee, or dessert wine, but these are so delicious I didn't see why we couldn't have them with tea. This recipe makes deep, dark, cocoa-laden cookies that aren't so hard that if you nibbled on one without coffee you'd chip a tooth.

The dough stays together well and is very nice to work with. Just remember to let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing it; I used a large chef's knife and cut straight down. I did not use any whole nuts because I didn't want the cookies to crumble when I cut them.

These orange-scented scones are dressed for the occasion in a sparkly coarse sugar crust. I cut the butter into the dry ingredients and then tossed it, bowl and all, into the freezer for 10 minutes. Cold butter melts slower in the oven, and this assures a very flaky scone.

Afternoon tea is a simple, brilliant idea. The beauty of it all is that everything just goes together so incredibly well. The warm, fragrant silkiness of the tea marries with the various buttery, soft and sweet treats. I also think that sandwiches or other savory items are a must so that guests aren't overwhelmed by a sugar rush.

Take some time one day for a treat and a cup of tea (extended pinkie placement, optional). You'll be glad you did.

Chocolate Biscotti
Yield: 30

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (75 g) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (130 g) white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (230 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Dough will be stiff, so mix in the last bit by hand. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
3. Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape into 9x2x1 inch loaves. Place onto baking sheet 4 inches apart. Brush with mixture of water and yolk.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes.
5. Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1 inch slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet, placing them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until dry. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Cranberry Orange Scones
Yield: 14-16

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
• 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.

Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

Biscotti recipe courtesy of PA Granny
Scone recipe courtesy of Ina Garten and foodtv.com
Image property of beetsandbites

Where to Eat: Clinton Street Baking Co.

I love brunch food, pancakes especially. What other meal virtually demands that you eat cake and syrup as a main course?

Luckily, New York is a city that takes its brunches seriously. And among the numerous cozy restaurants sprinkled around Manhattan, the Clinton Street Baking Co. shines from its spot on the Lower East Side.

It has long been praised for its famous blueberry pancakes. A quick look on yelp.com pulls up around 500 rave reviews about these allegedly magical pancakes. The bakery has also gathered extra hype recently due to a feature on Bobby Flay's Throwdown on the Food Network. Well, what's good enough for Bobby, and thousands of other happy diners, is good enough for me.
So off I trekked on a blustery Saturday morning. (And blustery is not an exaggeration. It was probably -10C that day). I was hoping to beat the rush by arriving a bit before prime brunch time, so I put my name on the list at 10am. After waiting a little over an hour (outside, in the cold... I was determined to get my table), my brunch companion and I were seated a tiny bar by the window. It's not surprising that the waits are so long; the space is not large at all (maybe accommodates 40 at a time?) But it is every bit cozy and quaint as a brunch place ought to be.

I had the famous blueberry pancakes, biscuits with jam, and sugar cured bacon. I was initially skeptical about these pancakes, but oh my were they worth getting frostbitten during the wait. They are thick and fluffy, with the perfect sweet and salty balance. They're also loaded with fat, sweet, fresh blueberries. They keep their shape during cooking so when you cut into them they release their steamy, jammy goodness. And if that weren't enough, they're served with maple butter. Let me just say that again: maple. butter.

Beautiful, eh?

Our sides were also lovely. The biscuits were a bit bready (I prefer flakier ones) but the crust is quite unusual, in a good way. It's thick and very crunchy, strangely reminiscent of a nice rustic yeast bread. The bacon was also delish, and the sweet, salty, smoky balance was perfect.

As our meal went on, the tiny restaurant filled up with diners trying to avoid the cold while waiting for tables. There was a considerable lineup outside as well. Call me evil, but I suppose we indulged in a little schadenfreude as we sat by the window savoring that steaming stack of pancakes, in full view of those waiting in the cold. Ah, they'll get their turn.

Since I couldn't get enough of their delicious goodies, I got a mixed berry scone and a cranberry walnut muffin to-go. Honestly, the muffin was good, but not mind-blowing. And as my brunch companion had noted, they are sadly lacking that crucial, crunchy domed top created when the batter spills over the sides of the tin as the muffin bakes. The scone was a different story. It was chock full of fresh berries, and had the perfect not-too-sweet but buttery flavor. The crust is thick and crunchy (almost like a shortbread cookie) and sprinkled with coarse sugar.

I don't think I need to write much more to encourage you to eat here should you every visit NYC. Just go. It would be preferable if the temperature were above freezing, but if it isn't, then just suck it up. You will be rewarded.

P.S. They don't take reservations.

Eat here!
Clinton Street Baking Co. and Restaurant
4 Clinton Street (btw. East Houston & Stanton)
New York, NY 10002

Images property of beetsandbites

New Nifty Nwebsites

www.cookthink.com
My new favourite website. A cookthink search is how I dug up the short rib recipe below. It's perfect for those times when you can't figure out exactly what dish want to eat, but you know what you're in the mood for. (This happens to me. A lot.) I just knew I wanted "figs, red wine, and slow." It's like a magical, gastronomical mind reader.


www.foodgawker.com
One thing I love about cookbooks is the gorgeous colored photos. Oftentimes, it's the picture that makes me want to try a recipe. I think it's so important for food to look great since, as that cliche goes, you taste with your eyes first.
Foodgawker is sort of like a food photo album. Your first impression of a dish is from a picture, rather than the name of the recipe or the recipe itself. It is fed by food bloggers on a daily basis so the site is always fresh. It's also a great source of inspiration for food photography/styling.

(P.S. For more wow-that-looks-soooo-scrumptious-I-want-to-eat-my-computer-screen photos, also check out foodporndaily.com. You know you want to...)

Where to Eat: Japa Dog

New York has the mobile food concept down to a science. Its streets are spotted with those ubiquitous hot dog and pretzels stands, halal food carts, and even dessert trucks (Wafles and Dinges for thick and crisp Belgian waffles, or the Dessert Truck for all things sweet and decadent). Many of these highly successful businesses even keep their fans privy to their current location via Twitter. I had a hot dog from a street food cart today. But it wasn't in New York City.

Japa Dog is Vancouver's answer to the high quality, trendy mobile food movement. Established by a Tokyo ad salesman named Noriki Tamura, the cart has claimed its territory on the corner of Burrard and Smithe since its establishment in 2006. Having been highlighted by the local media and frequented by visiting movie stars, the cart is often surrounded by a sizeable crowd. On a cold, drizzly day like today, the wait wasn't much longer than ten minutes. Offerings include many types of sausages (turkey, beef, pork, veggie) served on a warmed bun, garnished with Japanese-style toppings. These include nori (seaweed) shreds, daikon radish, bonito flakes, and fried cabbage, to name a few. They also offer fried onions, possibly as an homage to the usual, "normal" hot dog carts (and also because that cooking onions smell is the most effective form of advertising for any sausage vendor).

I had the Edamame Terimayo hot dog. It consisted of a bratwurst sausage embedded with edamame beans, covered in teriyaki sauce, japanese mayo, nori shreds and fried onions. I also added wasabi mayo from the little squeeze bottle on the side. It was sooo juicy, flavorful, and well worth the $5. Yummmm.

I highly recommend this not-so-secret food destination. And with three locations (two in downtown Vancouver), it is easily accessible to visitors and locals alike.

Eat Here!
Japa Dog Food Cart (Look for the crowd. Or follow your nose)

Burrard and Smithe St.

Burrard and Pender St.

Coal Harbour Community Center

Their Big Break: Perfect Roast Potatoes. (with Braised Beef Short Ribs with Black Mission Figs)

Sometimes I think winter days were made for slow food. And slow food, this is. This meal is one of those hearty, homey and satisfying ones. It is simple food that is also deceptively complex.

When I feel like I have a little time to spare, I like to make what I'd call "projects" for myself. I'll find a complicated recipe, pick apart the steps and figure out how to best approach the execution. Here, the side dish was the "project," rather than obvious star of the meal which would be the braised short ribs.

The humble roast potato is often added to a menu as a culinary afterthought; something inexpensive, filling, and only good to soak up sauce with. But what makes a roast potato exceptionally satisfying and delicious? To me, it would be the golden brown, crunchy crust, and soft fluffy inside. Luckily, somebody's already figured out how to do it. I just needed to get it right.

I suppose the idea of the "project" was inspired by Heston Blumenthal. The chef and owner of three Michelin starred restaurant The Fat Duck, he is also known for his innovative and scientific approach to cooking. I also think it is remarkable and inspirational that this incredibly talented chef is, in fact, self taught. In his television program "In Search of Perfection," Blumenthal attempts to create the ultimate version of classic dishes. In one of episode, he tackled a traditianal roast chicken dinner. With it, he served the perfect roast potatoes. After a series of tests (from potato variety to salted vs. unsalted water) he created a recipe that truly resulted in some pretty scrumptious spuds.

Sure, it is much easier to parboil some baby waxy potatoes, toss them in oil and roast them. But these tips really do create a nearly french-fry-like result. A few features:
-the recipe calls for Maris Piper potatoes. After a bit of research, it appears that this is a common variety in the UK, but rare in North America. I used a normal Russet potato because I wanted the graininess
-boil the potatoes in salted water (they brown better later) until they nearly fall apart
-shake them in the colander when you drain them. The dry, roughed up edges create that crunchy crust
-heat the oil in the roasting pan before you toss in the spuds
-patience, patience, patience. Boiling the potatoes took 20 minutes. Roasting them took a little over an hour. You will be rewarded.

Surely it would be unfair if I neglected the short ribs. They took a decent amount of time too in the sense that they simmered away for four hours. But as long as you are capable to stirring the pot every hour or so, it isn't demanding at all. Browning the meat until it is wonderfully seared develops tons of flavor. If you have trouble skimming the fat off the top (and there is a significant amount), try to make the ribs a day ahead. Let the fat solidify in the refrigerator overnight and discard it.

The slightly unusual twist in the recipe is the addition of figs. I love how they add a thick, sweet depth to the sauce. Unfortunately, fresh figs aren't in season, but dried ones worked just fine for me. I wanted to keep the bone in for presentation's sake, but the meat was so tender that it fell right off. Well isn't that just too bad...?

The Perfect Roast Potatoes

• large maris piper potatoes, 1kg
  
• olive oil, enough to fill the roasting tray to a depth of just under 1cm
  
• garlic, 4 cloves
  
• fresh rosemary, 1 generous bunch
  
• table salt
  

• Preheat the oven
  • to 190 celcius / 375 farenheight / Gas 5
• Wash, peel, cut and rinse potatoes
  
  • Wash the potatoes thoroughly and then peel them.
    
  • Reserve the peelings and tie them in a muslin bag.
    
  • Cut the potatoes into quarters
    (the quartering's important because it's the edges that get nice and crunchy: that's why reasonably large potatoes are needed for this recipe)
    
  • Leave the quaters in a bowl under running water for 2-3 minutes (or put in a bowl of water for 15 minutes, changing the water every 5 minutes).
• Boil the potatoes
  • Bring a pan of salted water (10g salt per litre of water) to the boil
    
  • Add the potatoes and toss in the bag of peelings (they
    contain lots of flavour).
    
  • Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft: take them as far as you can without ending up without potato soup. (It's the fissures that form as the potato breaks up that trap the fat, creating a crunchy crust.)
• Preheat the oil
  • Meanwhile, pour the olive oil into a roasing tray (it needs to be large enough to hold all the potatoes in one layer) and place in the oven.
• Drain poatoes
  • Once the potatoes are soft, drain them in a colander and discard the bag of peelings.
    
  • Give them a gentle shake to roughen the edges and drive off any remaining drops of water.
• Roast the potatoes
  • Put the potatoes in the hot roasting tray and roll them around so that they are completely coated in oil.
    
  • Roast for an hour or so, until crisp and a lovely golden brown
    • Turning every 20 minutes.
      
    • Add the garlic and rosemary after 50 minutes.
      
• Season with salt and serve.

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Black Mission Figs

for the marinade;
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

for the braise:
6 beef short ribs, about 2x3 inches each
4 sprigs fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-4 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil
1 carrot, diced
2 medium onions, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cup red wine
1 cup diced Black Mission Figs
6-10 cups veal stock, or chicken or beef broth

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in an extra-large, resealable plastic bag or a large dish. Mix well. Add the ribs and coat well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

2. Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaf with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni. Remove the ribs from the marinade and scrape off any excess marinade. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Set a large, heavy Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Sear the ribs in batches on every side until nicely browned, making sure the drippings don’t burn. Set aside the ribs.

4. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of water, scraping up any flavorful browned bits. Pour the deglazing liquid and bits into a small bowl and reserve. (If the drippings seem to be burning, remove the ribs immediately and deglaze the pan with a bit of water. Wipe out any burned pieces with a paper towel, reduce the heat, add more oil, and continue browning the ribs.)

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

6. Once you've deglazed the pan, add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the carrots, onions and celery, and cook until the vegetables are browned. Add the tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine, stirring the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.

7. Add the seared ribs and reserved deglazing liquid, plus the figs and bouquet garni. Add enough stock to cover the ribs by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer. Cover and braise for 4 hours, turning the ribs every hour and skimming off excess fat. (If the sauce seems to be drying out, add more stock.)

8. Remove the ribs, smother with the sauce, and serve with mashed potatoes or creamy polenta and a glass of Côtes du Rhône.

Potato recipe from "In Search of Perfection" by Heston Blumenthal
Beef recipe from cookthink.com
Image property of beets and bites

Christmas Special: Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

Ok, this is the third and final Christmas installment. This is also the second variation on the gingerbread theme: gingerbread cupcakes with orange cream cheese icing.

If you have read this blog before then you know that cupcakes have a special place in my heart. These are a tasty twist on the classic spicy carrot cake and cream cheese icing combo. The cocoa powder deepens the flavor and color of the cupcakes without actually making them taste chocolate-y. The orange also lends a wonderfully fragrant zest to the frosting. This is my go-to cream cheese frosting recipe; it's decadently creamy but not so cheesy that it tastes like piped cheesecake.

These mini cakelets are a great addition to any holiday dessert table. I dressed mine up for the occasion with a bit of sparkle in the form of pastel dragees. I love how these little pearls shine like tiny Christmas ornaments.

Gingerbread Cupcakes
Yield: about 36 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup hot milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter or line with paper liners a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Cream 5 tablespoons of the butter with the white sugar. Add the molasses and the egg and egg yolk.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot milk. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the hot milk mixture. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tin.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes or until slightly springy to the touch. Allow to cool a few minutes in the pan and remove to a rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 3 cups (enough to generously ice 36 mini cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and zest, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Recipe source: allrecipes.com
Image property of beets and bites