foodstuffs

One for Mickey

Despite a meager supply of charcoal briquets, Mickey and I grilled yesterday. Instead of our usual marinade, we opted for barbecue sauce for the chickens. Mickey was Head BBQ Sauce Chef, and concocted a potion from ketchup, Sriracha hot sauce, hoisin sauce, brown mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar, and probably a few other things he found in my fridge.

Upon sampling the slow-roasted bird, Roommate EAK exclaimed "Oooh, this is delicious!" Mickey may have found a new calling.

I am really going to miss my patio and grill when I move out of this apartment.

Slice Club Outing #4

I finally made it a Slice Club outing on Wednesday. Well, sort of. The main event was the sampling, dissecting, criticizing and extolling of the offerings at John's Pizza on Bleecker Street.

I, however, was late, and so by the time I had arrived, Adam, SeltzerBoy, Tien, and group had already done the dirty work. Apparently, I hadn't missed much. (Read Tien's review for the details).

But the pizza troups had a jones for more pizza, so we marched west on Bleecker, where we encountered the new Bleecker Street Pizzza. Situated on the corner of 7th Ave and Bleecker Street, this establishment occupies a long shallow storefront, with the counter and oven in the windowed front corner, and just a few tables for two clustered in the remaining space. I was starving and attacked my "nonna maria" slice (below right).

PHOTO CREDIT TO TIEN I completely forgot my camera that day.

I was flat-out starving, which may have contributed to just how tasty I found my slice. Thick dollops of sweet, chunky, garlicky tomato sauce squeezed in next to subtle slicks of buffalo mozzarella, with the overall effect being an unruly glob of pizzastuff that was eager to slide right off the crust. I fought with mine a bit before scarfing the whole thing. Others said "eh," but I was reasonably happy with my slice. If I was stuck in the neighborhood, I would probably go there again...

...if Joe's Pizza wasn't three blocks away. We then marched northeast to Joe's, that tried-and-true late-night treat. I got a hot slice right out of the oven, and crunched away on the charred, crisp crust. Yup, I'd choose Joe's over Bleecker Street Pizza anytime.

The evening concluded at Mary's Dairy, a trippy, hipster-y, anime-and-irony themed ice cream store in the West Village. Adam boldly ordered ice cream on a Krispy Kreme donut. Though I enjoyed bouncing around on the rubber-ball ice-cream cone stools, I found my pistachio ice cream average -- not much better than Brooklyn-standard-issue Uncle Louie G's -- and not worth $3.45. Cutesy, but not enough to go back.

It was nice to finally meet the Slice crew -- I hope to more fully participate next time. And I'm still voting for the next outing to be for the clam pie at Lombardi's.

Big Apple Block Party!

Thanks to a tip from reader Jesse, it has been confirmed that New York will have its 2nd Annual Big Apple Block Party.

This is wonderful news. Sorry for the lack of posts this week -- my network went down last Sunday, and it's hard (no, impossible) to post at work.

BBQ! BBQ! BBQ!

Given the fine, fine weather of the weekend -- though a bit cooler than I would have liked-- Mickey Rooney and The Irish Stepdancer and I decided to inaugurate the grilling season with a Sunday evening BBQ.

Ever since my 2002 trip to Nashville, when I was steered by a Vanderbilt-alum friend to Jack's BBQ, I have been obsessed with BBQ and the obsessive folks dedicated to achieving the perfect BBQ flavor. At Jack's, where neon pigs dance over the door on Broadway, brisket is buttery smooth, and you have your choice of the "Tennessee Original" spicy vinegar-based sauce or the smoky, thick "Texas Sweet" sauce. Your heaping paper plate comes witht two sides, plus cornbread. My vegetarian friends quit rolling their eyes and happily feasted on the mac and cheese and baked apples. That, my friends, was true induction in to the cult of BBQ.

The BBQ bug seemed to have bitten many people at the same time. How so?

- In New York City, a host of BBQ restaurants opened up within two years of each other. From Danny Meyer's high-end Blue Smoke, to cheap-and-easy yuppie spot Biscuit in Prospect Heights, to an UES outpost of veteran Queens BBQ hole-in-the-wall Pearson's to the easy-but-not-quite-cheap take-out joint/cart supplier Daisy's Mae's in Hell's Kitchen.

And rumor has it that Syracuse/Rochester legend Dinosaur BBQ will open in Harlem this year, too. Yup, this is definitely a trend that is here to stay.

- The proof was in the pulled pork. Las year saw a rainy, though nevertheless well-attended, debut of the 1st Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. I was there clutching soggy tickets and eagerly redeeming them for a pulled pork sandwich from Mitchell's Ribs of Wilson, NC (check out the sizzle on their website).
>> Gothamist on the Block Party. Anyone know if this is happening again?

- Last summer, my dad built his own smoker out of a hot plate, an aluminum trash can, and some smoking chips. Let me tell you -- his version of brisket is not to be messed with.

With our huge porch and upright Weber grill, we are lucky NYers indeed. We can grill our own BBQ!

Our Sloped version of BBQ is admittedly only distantly related to the hype and hoopla surrounding Southern BBQ and its smoke pits. It's MUCH less involved (we were fighting darkness on the porch), definitely less Southern (c'mon, we're all New Englanders!), and even [GULP] healthy (no red meat products). However, our charcoal briquet-fueled meal ably captured the simple, grilled flavor of bbq, as translated into lower calorie, less stomach-ache-inducing components.

Sloped BBQ- The Menu
- Applegate Farms Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage on a toasted white bun. These were topped with:
- grilled red, orange and yellow bell peppers and sweet red onions
- corn on the cob
- grilled potatoes
- strawberries and whipped cream

The veggies were all tossed in a balsamic vinegar/soy/olive oil/garlic/salt and pepper marinade. I know that's more "Mediterranean," but I don't think one needs to get all fancy with marinades for vegetables. There's only so much flavor you want them to adopt; you want their own natural juices come through and mingle with the charcoal. This combination was subtle enough to provide seasoning, but not overpowering.

We were stuffed. Here's to a summer of bbq-ing!

May 10, 2004 in Comfort Food | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wall Street is positively LACKING in affordable, tasty lunch options. I have resorted mostly to bringing my own lunch, to save slapping down anywhere from $6-$9 for a sandwich that's too big for lunch, not to mention bland, from the "affordable" deli options, or to avoid succumbing to the temptation of forking over $9-$14 for the somewhat tastier, but pricier choices (sushi from Niko Niko, the Swedish place on Stone Street, or anything from Mangia). And it's not ever anything that I really want.

Thursday's warm weather sent me on a lunch-time stroll down Beaver Street, which cuts diagonally northeast from Broad Street towards Wall Street. At Wall, I spied a cart I had seen a few times last summer: John Vincent's Pizza and Catering, parked on the corner of Wall and Front Streets.

Pizza from a truck? The only times I had seen this pulled off was in the "tourist-fast food" setting, whether at The Spencer Fair in my youth, or more recently lining 17th Street in DC next to the White House, right next to trucks selling "Witness Protection Program" t-shirts and crystal replicas of Abraham Lincoln. No, I was quite certain I had never eaten pizza from a truck.

So I was quite skeptical when I plunked down my $2 for a slice of John Vincent's Sicilian pizza pie, which appeared to be their specialty (the guy in front of me bought four slices). They also offered a vodka slice for $3, as well as eggplant parmesean, chicken parmesean heros, and about a half-dozen other Italian hero items.

But I was quite pleased with this slice. The crust, as is expected with Sicilian, was thick -- about a 1/2 inch -- but it was charred underneath, making the overall bite crisp. My slice, which was a corner slice, was bathed in a healthy layer of tangy, garlicky tomato sauce. My impression was that the recipe for this sauce is probably quite simple -- but uses fresh ingredients. Topping the sauce was a dusting of pungent parmesean cheese and a single basil leaf, measuring about 4 inches in length. The overall effect? Simple, pleasing, authentic flavors on a substantial crust, the breadiness of which, despite its thickness, did not dominate the slice. This is not a "classic NY slice" -- no mozzarella holding it together -- but a tasty, affordable lunch option -- very welcome in the nabe.

I tried to research this place on Chowhound, and I swear I read at one point that John Vincent's is based on Staten Island, but I lost that post. At any rate, they supposedly have another truck on 47th and Vanderbilt, near Grand Central. Check it out, if you are so inclined.

It's been a busy week, and so I haven't gone out to eat much, save for a slice or two grabbed here and there. So this entry is about what I generally eat when I'm not noshing away from the apartment: soup.

It goes without saying that soup is necessary for life. It is both eaten and drunk. It was warm, flavorful and fills you with happiness. All this has been said before, yada yada yada. Hooray soup.

In the winter time, Mickey Rooney and I are soup-making machines. I'd say once a week we gather the ingredients for soup, and huddle around either of our kitchen's tiny counterspace, chopping and dicing. Our soups are usually vegetarian, but have occassionallly expanded to include chicken. There have also been forays into experimentation with Jamaican hot peppers, jalapenos, and roasted garlic.

There are few things that Mickey Rooney does not like in his soup:
- chickpeas
- sausage
- mushrooms

There is one thing that I do not like in my soup:
- celery

This week's creation included pureed potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes and corn, mixed with roasted garlic and fresh parsley. Not our best, but a nice, filling creation.

Other soups that I will readily eat:
- New England Clam Chowder at Pret a Manger.
- Chicken & Dumpling Soup at Mama Duke's on Flatbush.
- Matzoh Ball Soup at 2nd Avenue Deli
- Korean Tofu Soup at Hanover Square Deli
- Jook (made by dad). Here's a recipe (though it's not his recipe).

Suggestions for other sources of superlatives soups welcomed!

I love Macaroni and Cheese. And I like pancakes, pretty much. An unlikely marriage made in fun-food heaven is the Macaroni-and-Cheese-Pancakes at Shopsin's.

I think they just have some already-made kraft stuff, and throw that on top of the raw, uncooked side of the pancake while the first side is cooking. Then they flip it over, and the cheese burns just a little bit. I guess I shouldn't try to analyze it -- that's not the point of the place. But it's delicious. A side-order of these babies is $6.95, and waaaay too big for two people who are also ordering ginormous regular entrees too.

The Pizza Truck

Wall Street is positively LACKING in affordable, tasty lunch options. I have resorted mostly to bringing my own lunch, to save slapping down anywhere from $6-$9 for a sandwich that's too big for lunch, not to mention bland, from the "affordable" deli options, or to avoid succumbing to the temptation of forking over $9-$14 for the somewhat tastier, but pricier choices (sushi from Niko Niko, the Swedish place on Stone Street, or anything from Mangia). And it's not ever anything that I really want.

Thursday's warm weather sent me on a lunch-time stroll down Beaver Street, which cuts diagonally northeast from Broad Street towards Wall Street. At Wall, I spied a cart I had seen a few times last summer: John Vincent's Pizza and Catering, parked on the corner of Wall and Front Streets.

Pizza from a truck? The only times I had seen this pulled off was in the "tourist-fast food" setting, whether at The Spencer Fair in my youth, or more recently lining 17th Street in DC next to the White House, right next to trucks selling "Witness Protection Program" t-shirts and crystal replicas of Abraham Lincoln. No, I was quite certain I had never eaten pizza from a truck.

So I was quite skeptical when I plunked down my $2 for a slice of John Vincent's Sicilian pizza pie, which appeared to be their specialty (the guy in front of me bought four slices). They also offered a vodka slice for $3, as well as eggplant parmesean, chicken parmesean heros, and about a half-dozen other Italian hero items.

But I was quite pleased with this slice. The crust, as is expected with Sicilian, was thick -- about a 1/2 inch -- but it was charred underneath, making the overall bite crisp. My slice, which was a corner slice, was bathed in a healthy layer of tangy, garlicky tomato sauce. My impression was that the recipe for this sauce is probably quite simple -- but uses fresh ingredients. Topping the sauce was a dusting of pungent parmesean cheese and a single basil leaf, measuring about 4 inches in length. The overall effect? Simple, pleasing, authentic flavors on a substantial crust, the breadiness of which, despite its thickness, did not dominate the slice. This is not a "classic NY slice" -- no mozzarella holding it together -- but a tasty, affordable lunch option -- very welcome in the nabe.

I tried to research this place on Chowhound, and I swear I read at one point that John Vincent's is based on Staten Island, but I lost that post. At any rate, they supposedly have another truck on 47th and Vanderbilt, near Grand Central. Check it out, if you are so inclined.

SOUP

It's been a busy week, and so I haven't gone out to eat much, save for a slice or two grabbed here and there. So this entry is about what I generally eat when I'm not noshing away from the apartment: soup.

It goes without saying that soup is necessary for life. It is both eaten and drunk. It was warm, flavorful and fills you with happiness. All this has been said before, yada yada yada. Hooray soup.

In the winter time, Mickey Rooney and I are soup-making machines. I'd say once a week we gather the ingredients for soup, and huddle around either of our kitchen's tiny counterspace, chopping and dicing. Our soups are usually vegetarian, but have occassionallly expanded to include chicken. There have also been forays into experimentation with Jamaican hot peppers, jalapenos, and roasted garlic.

There are few things that Mickey Rooney does not like in his soup:
- chickpeas
- sausage
- mushrooms

There is one thing that I do not like in my soup:
- celery

This week's creation included pureed potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes and corn, mixed with roasted garlic and fresh parsley. Not our best, but a nice, filling creation.

Other soups that I will readily eat:
- New England Clam Chowder at Pret a Manger.
- Chicken & Dumpling Soup at Mama Duke's on Flatbush.
- Matzoh Ball Soup at 2nd Avenue Deli
- Korean Tofu Soup at Hanover Square Deli
- Jook (made by dad). Here's a recipe (though it's not his recipe).

Suggestions for other sources of superlatives soups welcomed!

Macaroni and Cheese Pancakes

I love Macaroni and Cheese. And I like pancakes, pretty much. An unlikely marriage made in fun-food heaven is the Macaroni-and-Cheese-Pancakes at Shopsin's.

I think they just have some already-made kraft stuff, and throw that on top of the raw, uncooked side of the pancake while the first side is cooking. Then they flip it over, and the cheese burns just a little bit. I guess I shouldn't try to analyze it -- that's not the point of the place. But it's delicious. A side-order of these babies is $6.95, and waaaay too big for two people who are also ordering ginormous regular entrees too.