Diana's Mexican Fiesta with the Pampered Chef

My future sister-in-law Diana hosted a Pampered Chef party last night. Kimberly joined me too and the evening was an amalgamation of tasty food, cool kitchen gadgets and good ol' fashioned female bonding. Hannah, the youngest woman in our circle at only seven months enjoyed herself quite a bit and certainly added her two cents during the Pampered Chef presentation. It also has to be said that Hannah was by far the most fashionable lady of the night--sporting her pink Converse high-tops, and looking gorgeous like nobody's business. Fellas, watch out for this unmistakable fashionista!

Now, for the food...

What We Learned. What We Cooked. And What We Bought.

Learned how to...

1. Perfectly break down ground meat: Use the mix 'n chop tool. This thing is so low-tech but it really works. It looks like a small pinwheel, which you use in a turning motion around your pan to break down meat, tomatoes or anything else for that matter. Get one for $9.

2. Make your veggies look puuurty: Michele, our Pampered Chef consultant showed us how to embellish a pepper with the v-shaped cutter. It looked lovely and was cut into perfect zig-zags after she had her way with it. I'd probably use this technique for a semi-formal get-together with apps and wine. Buy one for $9.50.

What we cooked...

1. The Taco Ring: This dish is super easy to recreate, the best part being that it looks really impressive. All it is is ground beef, Pillsbury crescent rolls and some imagination. If you don't feel like making a hearty one you can always substitute with something sweet like fruit or chocolate. It's very versatile, not too messy and makes for a beautiful centerpiece.

2. Kimberly's Jalapeno Corn Bread: Staying true to her Southern roots, Kimberly spiced up an ordinary cornbread mix with roasted red peppers and a sharp Jalapeno cheese topping. She was a little doubtful about its taste in the beginning, but an empty platter at the end of the night proved otherwise. Simply scruumptious!

3. Diana's Queso Fundido: What's a Mexican fiesta without some creamy queso? Diana took on the challenge with impeccable results. She used low-maintenance ingredients like Velveeta cheese and RO*TEL diced tomatoes and green chilies, put them in a small crock-pot for 30-40 minutes and ta-da, we had nice, warm queso to enjoy. I also found a similar recipe for it on Kraft foods.

4. Foodista's Chunky Guacamole: While I like creamy guac, I'm a big fan of the avocado and love to taste its milky texture. I take 4 ripe avocados (if they are not brown and soft enough put them in a brown paper bag and keep overnight - 2 nights) and slice them into 1/2 inch cubes. Squeeze lemon or lime juice over this immediately to prevent inevitable yucky browning. Then slice 1 large or 2 small tomatoes (w/o the juice) and drop them into the bowl. Do the same with 1/2 a large onion. Mix all ingredients together gently with a spoon. Add a lot of salt and pepper to taste and top with fresh chopped cilantro.

What we bought...

While the variety of gadgets spanned further than our imaginations, I personally bought a couple of practical essentials like...

1. Small Spreader: Great for frosting cakes and cupcakes, which I always struggle with. I'm looking forward to the moment when my sweet creations can look like little masterpieces. $4 each.

2. Green Santoku Knife: Love the fun color and the size. This baby is practical for cutting fruit and veggies, cheeses, meat--you name it! $16 each.

3. Mix 'n Chop: As I explained above, I'm fascinated by this easy-does-it meat chopper. $9 each.

We all had a great time and the evening was a fun end to a very looong week. Thanks Diana!

Farmer's Market Fridays

I decided to make every Friday an official Farmer's Market Day on the Foodista! Why? Why NOT?!

I'm a big supporter of the Union Square Greenmarket, which brings you alternative and organic foods, sold by hard-working local farmers. I usually drop in to see what's going on in the market, every week--and every week, I discover something new and cool. Whether a new style of bread, various chutneys or flavorful turkey sausage this place has it all. The coolest part for me is getting to meet the people who actually plant, grow, cook or bake this food. It's a little bit old school mixed in with the new.

Here are highlights from today's visit:

DiPaola Turkey Farm: They were giving out some yummy sausage samples today and I must've gone back at least three times. It didn't taste too much like turkey and I actually thought it was pork before I looked at their sign--DUH! The sample I tasted was infused with aromatic spices like rosemary and cumin--good stuff. Buy it for $6.49/lb.

Beth's Farm Kitchen - Jams and Chutneys: This stand had a full sampling station of various jams and chutneys with a basket of sliced crusty bread. I tried the chutneys because I thought they were more unusual. There were many choices but I went for the hot plum and then the cranberry-horseradish. The latter was such an interesting combination and I simply loved it. The sweet cranberry was offset so nicely by the spicy horseradish. I'd probably buy this for a cocktail party and spread it on buttery crackers or even focaccia bread. Buy a 16 oz. jar for $8.

Tremblay Apiaries - Honey, honey...suga, suga... This place is suweet! I sampled the wildflower honey and boy did it keep me smiling. It wasn't too thick and had a fragrant berry aftertaste that was soothing and just really lovely. This would be a nice treat for someone with a cold to put in hot herbal tea. Just a suggestion...You can get if for $4/lb. They also have some beautiful hand-crafted candles--check 'em out.

And look at this adorable cutie pie I found chillin' by the Goat Cheese stand. He's gorgeous and I just couldn't resist a quick glamour shot.

Melody Cafe - Margot's Sneak Peek

Melody Cafe - 25-95 Steinway Street, Astoria, NY 11103
718.777.1514
N/W Train to 30th Avenue stop

Margot has been telling me about this place for a while and every time I look it up online, it's a mystery--cannot find it! I happened to walk by on Sunday and immediately did a double take after seeing the ornate brass doors--how cool do they look? They give Melody a secret feel--it's almost as if you're entering a forbidden vault. While I haven't unlocked that vault just yet, Margot has. Here is her quick recap, which is helpful and has peaked my curiosity even further.

Margot's Sneak Peek:
It was a lot of fun. It's a HUGE space. They have both Greek and Moroccan dishes on the menu (I assume to draw in some of the Greek community from the 30th Ave area).

The hookah... Mmmm we had blueberry--it was like having a little bit of pie aftertaste in your mouth. SO good. I had a lamb kebab platter. Soooo juicy and delish. It came with pilaf and veggies. I didn't try the pilaf because well - I'm laying off the carbs this week. Jen and Ted both got lamb sandwiches (made with the same type of lamb from my plate, so I can only imagine they were just as good - we were pretty much too hungry to talk). Their sandwiches came with fries which they devoured (must have been good). The place is pretty cool. The hookahs are fun and they even do fresh fruit hookahs - hard to explain, but they take a huge fruit, stick it on the top, and stuff it with tobacco. I like the place--it's no Dandana's but it's a lot closer! :)

A Food Adventure Very Close to Home

Yesterday I had the pleasure of dining at the One-Ass Kitchen in the home of Tamara Reynolds--Astorian food extraordinaire and blogger. My friend Crystal told me about Tamara's blog and her clever idea of hosting Sunday Night Dinner--a local supper club she organized with her business partner Zora. Dinner is open to others, but you first must pass a non-intrusive screening process. Once you're "in" (it feels so good to be accepted), you bring with you a bottle of wine and some moolah--$35 per person to be exact. Not a bad deal for something so unique and different!

Dan came with me--of course--to enjoy what Tamara and Zora called the Super Tuesday Cafe. Politically charged and boisterous, the evening presented a slew of food from all parts of the country, in honor of all the running--and even some drop-out/has-been--candidates.

Here are the highlights from last night's super supper:

• Kucinich's Crudite - Deliciously fresh veggies--the carrots and string beans had a wonderfully-loud snap! The dip was interesting and I've never had anything like it--anchovies, garlic and fragrant olive oil made up its components. It was a tad on the oily side but once I scraped the bottom of the dish, the smoky anchovies surfaced and aggregated nicely on my veggie of choice.

• McCain's Nachos - Good ol' Southwestern food is always fun to munch on--especially when you're patiently waiting for the main course. These nachos certainly hit the hungry spot--and the tortilla chips were homemade, individually fried by cook Zora. I've never seen this done in a home kitchen but I have to say it looked easy and the end result was amazing--and not greasy! But my ultimate favorite part of the nachos was their chunky guacamole topping--it was hearty and there was plenty of it.

• Obama's Chili - Another rich dish to warm the bones, this one's inspired by Obama who apparently loves to cook a good hearty stew. It was nice and beefy with plenty of beans and really chunky tomatoes. I loved it but Dan isn't a huge fan of the tomato so he probably could've done without it. Also, the toppings that came with this--sour cream, scallions chopped on a perfect slant, and cheddar cheese--were fantastic.

• Edward's Spoonbread - I've never had this before (it's apparently a Southern thing) but I sure will have it again soon! It's a soft cornbread-grits combination that is oh so comforting. It was especially a yummy side dish to Obama's chili and Dan and I took turns going back for seconds and thirds--it was that good.

• Huckabee's Garden of Eden Fruit Salad - Veery interesting combination of apples and various citrus and tropical fruit. It was also sprinkled with plenty of coconut--or at least what I thought was coconut. The fruit was incredibly juicy and generously sliced, which I love. I have to give our hostess credit for getting wonderful fresh fruit, which is sometimes hard to come by in the winter.

• Hillary Clinton's Chocolate Chip Cookies - An oldie but always a goodie, the chocolate chip cookie never loses its flair. This was another fave of ours and Dan had to basically glue himself to the sofa to refrain from seconds. The cookies were slightly bigger than bite-size, their batter was chunky and also nice and chewy. I could've eaten a dozen but had to save room for the pecan pie.

• Bill Clinton's Pecan Pie with Lard Crust - Lard crust? You must be thinking, "yuck!" But no...this was the best part--so buttery and flaky, mmm mmm. The filling was chunky and had a strong rum essence which I first didn't love but it grew on me as I continued to basically lick my plate clean. What can I say? I'm a sucker for good pie!

So as you see, our dinner was a gorge-fest in the truest sense of the word. It was fun to put ourselves out there and experience great home cooking and meet new--and passionate--foodies. And all this happened right here in Astoria--the 'hood that we love so much.

Contact Tamara if you'd like to experience it for yourself.

A Foodie Must-Read

Image by www.bn.com

Does food excite you? I mean, really excite you? If so, keep reading...

If you love food and enjoy reading about its many dynamic qualities, you'll love this book! My copy was a gift from Margot, who gives the best--and the most thoughtful--presents. Anyway, I'm still devouring it to pieces. If you see a short, brown haired girl reading it on the Astoria N or W train, you'll know it's me.

The book is a compilation of various food writing--from the NY Times to Gastronomica.com. The pieces are short and provocative, leaving you to ponder about food in a whole new way. Orgasmic burritos, death by lobster pad-thai and the best taco trucks in town are just some examples of the material this little food book offers.

Here are some of my favorite pieces from this delicious book:

• Death by Lobster Pad Thai by Steve Almond
• Porno Burrito by Jonathan Gold
• Meat by James Sturz
• Wedded Bliss by Jason Sheehan

Pick it up from your local libreria for $15.95 a pop. You'll love its scrumptious content--I guarantee it!

Sfoglia - By Guest Foodista Lisa

Lisa, today's guest reviewer is a good friend of mine who also shares my love for food. Italian food is Lisa's first love--she comes from a big and extremely close Italian family who is always cooking up amazing specialties. So needless to say, this foodie knows good grub when she sees it! Lisa lives in NYC with her lovely soon-to-be hubby Jay.

Sfoglia - 1402 Lexington Ave (at 92nd St), New York, NY 10128

212.831.1402

4/5/6 Train to 86th Street or 6 train to 96th Street

www.sfogliarestaurant.com

I heard about Sfoglia from New York Mag & saw that Sfoglia was named critic's favorite twice in a row. I read so many amazing reviews about this place that I had to try it. This place has two locations one in Nantucket and the more recent NYC location. It was interesting to read from their website that both husband and wife attended the CIA and they went into business together. Being from a family that loves food and having a brother who is aspiring to attend the CIA made me really want to try this place even more.

Atmosphere:

This is a charming, small restaurant situated on a corner street on the Upper East Side. When I walked inside I found my friend "the Foodista" sitting cozily on the small couch which is in the little waiting area of the restaurant. We had made a 1pm reservation and we were seated promptly. For lunch time, this restaurant was hopping. There was not an empty seat at the bar and mostly all of the tables were full. We were seated at what looks like a long sturdy wood kitchen table where three people were sitting at one end and Foodista and I sat on the other. I didn't feel too close to the other people at all and it was not cramped. The table had a big bowl on it with pineapples in it and some mixed type fruits for show. Next to our table were many different wines displayed, which I thought added to the decor. The bar area had high seats and had a rustic Italian flare to it. There was tons of light coming through the large windows and this just gave the restaurant a very open airy feeling.

Food:

When we arrived, the waiter bought out some olives and bread. I did not try the bread but the olives were seasoned well and were a nice little treat. I have heard rave reviews about the pasta from restaurant critics and knew already that I would order a dish from the primi section of the menu. This restaurant unlike many others in NYC does not have a separate lunch menu, so we went in knowing that the portions would be more than filling.

I ordered the "pappardelle alla Bolognese.” The Foodista ordered the "potato gnocchi, fonduta, leeks." We also ordered a side dish to share of the "sweet potato salad with balsamic.” Drink-wise we saw a large array of different types of wines to try but being that it was early afternoon we opted not to have a glass of wine and asked if there were any other drinks. The waiter mentioned that there was a house soda which was grapefruit and sage so we both decided to try it because it sounded very different. It was very good and not too overpowering nor sugary, it almost tasted like a seltzer mixed with fruit, very refreshing.

Our dishes came out simultaneously and in nice portions. My pappardelle alla Bolognese was simply delightful. The pasta was so fresh and the meat that was mixed in with the pasta was ground well enough that the meat wasn't overpowering. The pasta was cooked to perfection and was not chewy or too al dente--it was just right! The sauce was also delicious. I tried a small taste of the Foodista’s potato gnocchi and I must say this was amazing. It melted in my mouth and the sauce had such a nice taste to it--definitely will be trying this next time. The sweet potato salad was very light and paired well with the pasta.

Service & Cost:
The service was good. When we came in the woman who sat us took our heavy coats to the back which was nice. The menu while limited did offer some dishes that I think the average person would enjoy. When the waiter took our order he mentioned that the bread pudding would take 20 minutes to cook so if we’d like to order it, it had to be in the beginning of the meal. While this sounded amazing, we did not order this for lunch--it was too much food for us. For dinner we would definitely order it and the people across the table from us got it and it looked amazing.

They do not rush you here at all and you are able to sit at your table for awhile and really enjoy your meal and time with your companions.

Cost-wise I thought this place was a little expensive for lunch. My "pappardelle all bolognese" was $20.00 which for lunch I thought was a lot--although the portions are generous. When we got the bill, we noticed a charge of $16.00 for two of the sodas mentioned above. $8.00 each for soda!! That was a bit unexpected and will probably not get that next time. While it was good, we thought that was a little much.

Tips:

A great spot for a date--ask to reserve the small pink booth near the bar which seats two. It looks very cozy for a twosome.

Do not order the soda--although if you are not a drinker I would recommend this as a substitute to wine. Try the pasta dishes mentioned above, you will not be disappointed.

Make a reservation well in advance. There is about a 4 week wait to have dinner here--that is why we opted for lunch. For lunch, we waited about 2 weeks. It is a small place so reservations are a must. Do not get discouraged if you cannot make a reservation right away, the restaurant makes it very easy and has an email system where you can inquire about certain dates to make reservations. I suggest going for dinner and a nice glass of wine.

3 Mmmms