National Food Days in New York

Celebrate each national food day with the best New York City Has to offer!

[nycfooddays]

It's National Cheese Lover's Day! Who doesn't love cheese? Even though I have a slight intolerance to lactose, I power through it to eat any and all the cheeses I like. Hard, soft, veiny and moldy...they're all so delicious!

Last year I highlighted Murray's Cheese Shop, one of the oldest cheese shops in New York and the best place to get your favorite variety, from sharp cheddar to their own special cheesy blends they age in the basement. You can buy all of your cheese there to take home, or try out a Murray's Melt, one of their signature grilled cheese sandwiches. Who can pass up a grilled cheese sandwich? And with great ingredient blends like smoked gouda and cranberry chutney, blue cheese and fried chicken, and feta and lamb belly, you can be sure you're getting the most interesting grilled cheese sandwiches made from the best cheese in New York City!

I couldn't get down to Murray's Cheese Shop this year for a Murray's Melt, but I took a look at their Murray's Melts menu and gained inspiration to make my own grilled cheese sandwich creation. The BF and I tried our hand at our own variation on The Gentleman's Club, which consists of cheddar cheese, grilled chicken, ham, and local honey-mustard sauce. Here's what we did: - I chose the Gentleman's Club because cheddar was one of the cheapest and most abundant cheese they list on Murray's Melts menu, lol. I used extra sharp cheddar, which did crumble a bit when I put it into the sandwich. - We also had different cheeses in my kitchen, so we added those as well. Slices of Jarlsberg don't melt well at all into a sandwich, but man, are they yummy. And a few slices of Colby-Jack worked perfectly to melt into the cheese and make a great grilled cheese sandwich. - We thought adding the grilled chicken was a bit excessive, so we omitted the chicken. - We had an overripe avocado we just had to use on something, so we mushed it up and added it as a spread. Delicious! We grilled the sandwich (made with whole wheat bread, just because it was what I had in the kitchen) in a frying pan and it came out delicious! We didn't think the honey mustard sauce would work well with cheese, but it gave it a nice tang that was incredibly tasty. And we didn't miss the grilled chicken at all :) The only thing I would change about making the sandwich is, I'd use actual slices of cheese, instead of slicing it off a block so it's easier to put in between the bread. And I'd use a milder cheddar next time, because the sharp cheddar crumbled too much and fell out of the sandwich. But this was so delicious--even with the altered recipe--and I'd love to try Murray's authentic melts sometime soon!

[nycfooddays]

Try Dirt Candy's Popcorn Pudding For Yourself on National Popcorn Day!

Today is National Popcorn Day! A celebration of that wonderful snack that can be eaten sweet, salty, or just plain popped for a wide range of flavors! Popcorn happens when corn kernels, which have a hard hull and a dense, starchy inside, are heated, causing pressure to build inside the hull until the starchy "corn" of the corn has got to get out--with explosive results. Popcorn became popular in the United States during the Great Depression, because corn was easy and cheap to cultivate, and World War II, when the rationing of sugar caused popcorn to become the most popular snack in the country. It's the reason why we still love a big tub of popcorn to munch on at the movies!

Last year on National Popcorn Day, I highlighted a restaurant that was utilizing popcorn in a very interesting dessert. The vegetarian restaurant Dirt Candy serves up some great all-veggie entrees, but their dessert--a caramel popcorn pudding--is not to be missed. The sweet taste of caramel complements the popcorn, as we've seen in so many boxes of Cracker Jacks, and both flavors can be found in the sweet pudding. Dirt Candy's got their own cookbook, so if you don't have the time to head to their restaurant today, you can make their Popcorn Pudding right at home!

Dirt Candy's Popcorn Pudding From The Star and The Dirt Candy Cookbook

Ingredients:1/4 cup (60 mL) popcorn kernels 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil 4 cups (1L) 3.25 per cent milk 1 cup (250 mL) (250 mL) fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels 2 large eggs 3/4 cup (185 mL) + 2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar 1/4 cup (60 mL) + 3 tbsp (45 mL) corn starch 1/4 fresh vanilla bean, split open, seeds scraped or 1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter

Directions:1. In large saucepan over high heat, combine popcorn and oil; cover. When popping starts, reduce heat to medium and shake pot continuously on — or just above — element until popping stops. Add milk and corn. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk eggs until well-beaten. 3. In large bowl, whisk together sugar and corn starch. Add eggs. Whisk well. 4. Slowly pour popcorn-milk mixture into sugar-egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour mixture back into pan. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until heatproof thermometer reaches 165F (74C), about 6 minutes. Add vanilla bean seeds or extract, then butter. Cook, stirring constantly, until back of a wooden spoon is thickly coated or temperature reaches 185F (85C). Remove from heat. 5. Push pudding through fine-mesh sieve using wooden spoon to press mixture down and spatula to help scrape it from underside of sieve into bowl. Discard solids. (This will take several minutes.) Pour into communal bowl or 4 to 6 individual serving bowls. 6. Cool to room temperature. Cover; refrigerate until cold.

I didn't try to make Popcorn Pudding this week for the national food holiday, but my BF did make his own recipe for a unique popcorn flavor! I'll be posting that next ;-)

[nycfooddays]

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry for National Curried Chicken Day!

Happy National Curried Chicken Day! Curry is not actually one particular dish, or even one particular spice: it's a blend of spices that varies based on the individual curry maker! It's fantastic because every curry can be a different taste experience :) Many cultures around the world enjoy a curry blend in their cuisine, from South and Southeast Asian cultures to Caribbean cuisines and, yes, it even got into the colonial motherland of Britain, where curry takeaway is now as prevalent as fish and chips.

I love the taste of curry: to me, it's a spice that has a slow, burning heat for best effect; not one of those hot-and-fast heats like hot pepper, that burn your tongue right on the spot. Curry has always reminded me of my parents: even though none of my culinary cultures uses curry in their dishes on a regular basis, we had a big tub of Madras curry powder in the pantry. My mom would mix the curry powder in with bread crumbs, bread chicken breasts or tenderloins, and bake or fry them, giving them just a hint of the curry flavor. My dad would make a chicken curry stew, using tough chicken thighs in a big slurry of carrots, onions, and curry powder, and let it simmer all day until the meat would fall off the bone.

I loved both versions of chicken curry I ate as a kid, but as an adult I wanted to try out the latter--a chicken curry stew. And what better way to make a stew for a grown-up on the go than in a crock pot!

Back in 2012 I highlighted three different types of cuisine for National Curried Chicken Day: Jamaican curry, Thai curry, and Indian curry. The recipe I found--coming from the mistress of meticulousness, Martha Stewart--most resembled the Indian curry, but without the chile peppers and heavy spices you'll find in many authentic Indian dishes. Since I'm actually on vacation right now, I made this dish last weekend, and here are my findings!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry From Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 16 thin slices peeled fresh ginger (about 1 ounce) 2 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Madras 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin Coarse salt 2 packages frozen green peas (10 ounces each) 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk 1/2 cup toasted cashews (optional, for serving) 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional, for serving)

Directions:1. In a 5-quart slow cooker, toss chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, and cumin to coat. Season with 2 teaspoons salt. Cover, cook on high setting until chicken is fork-tender, about 4 hours (do not uncover while cooking). 2. Stir in coconut milk and peas; cover, cook until peas are heated through, about 20 minutes. 3. Transfer chicken to a large bowl; shred with fork. Return to pot; toss with sauce. 4. To serve, garnish with 1/2 cup toasted cashews and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, if desired.

What I Did Differently:

- Since I only have a 1.5 quart slow cooker at home (which I'm planning to remedy this week! Crock pots are on sale at Shoprite!), I halved the chicken required for the recipe. Plus, I substituted chicken tenderloins instead of the thighs because that was what was on sale at the grocery store that week. Chicken, schmicken, it all tastes the same. :P - I also halved the onions, garlic, and frozen peas to also fit into the slow cooker. I did not adjust the curry powder or coconut milk because I really wanted this recipe to be saucy. - I omitted the coriander because I hate the taste of coriander/cilantro. No, seriously, hate it. BF says that he can't taste cilantro very much in a dish, but if just a sprig is used in an entire pad Thai, I can taste it, and it makes me want to gag and I can't eat the entire meal. Many people have this hate/hate relationship with cilantro, including celebrity Top Chef Fabio Viviani, so I don't feel alone in this sentiment. You may say omitting it will compromise the end flavor of the dish, but if there's any coriander or cilantro in it, I just plain won't eat it. - I also omitted the cumin because I didn't have any. The curry powder blend does have cumin in it, however. - I omitted the cilantro leavesfor the same reason as above. Fuck cilantro.

I was surprised that the recipe calls for you to throw the chicken into the slow cooker with dry spices and no liquids at all. And even worse, to crank the thing up to high and let it go for 4 hours! I did as Martha commanded, and came back from Sunday shopping to curry chars on the bottom of my crock pot. Sure, the thing did cook the chicken to fork-shredded goodness, but man, did I have to scrape that curry off the bottom of the pot something terrible. I'm glad I didn't decide to also halve the coconut milk in the recipe, because that was the only saving grace: getting that cooling, creamy coconut milk into the pot helped me salvage the crusty bits off the bottom of the pot.

You may say that it was because of all my omissions or changes to the original recipe, but I found the flavor in Martha's curry chicken to be lacking. Sure, it had the curry flavor, and I liked the balance between the curry and the sweet, creamy coconut milk...but it didn't have the spicy spark I've come to know in a curry, that slow burn that makes it so invigorating to eat. It was just...a creamy, curry-tasting mud of shredded chicken with peas. Which wasn't bad, mind you, but it definitely tasted like the recipe was given to me by a white woman from New England. I will try more recipes by Martha, certainly, but perhaps I'll stick to baked goods next time.

I did enjoy the chicken, however, and had it the first night with the BF over brown rice, and then later for lunch leftovers with mashed, cooked butternut squash.

[nycfooddays]

So starts the first in my many cooking endeavors of the year! As I said earlier this year, I want to take some of the dishes I highlighted in 2012 for their national food holidays and actually cook them for 2013. I'm an amateur cook with a Farberware pot set, a gas stove, and a slow cooker, and a passion for making delicious foods. (I also have an immersion blender and holy cats I love it.) When available, I want to make the recipe directly from the restaurant I recommended last year, but when I can't find that, I'll take an "authoritative" recipe for the same dish ("authoritative," meaning, I've heard of that chef before, and perhaps they have a TV show that I like.) Granted, I won't be making everything, because either the recipe is above my cooking skill level (no Baked Alaska from me, folks), the ingredients will be too rare or costly for my food budget (National Caviar Day may have to wait till next paycheck...), or I just plain don't want to make it. The Clinton Street Baking Co. has a great recipe for their world-famous blueberry pancakes for National Blueberry Pancake Day, but I hate blueberries, so that recipe will be left aside--perhaps for you to make instead!

So, for the first week of 2013, I celebrated with a classic sauce that I made for the first time! Last Friday, January 4th, was National Spaghetti Day, and I had recommended a restaurant called Lamarca Pasta for their exceptional Spaghetti Bolognese. Bolognese sauce, so named because it originated from Bologna, Italy, is a tomato sauce cooked with meat, usually beef or pork. Lamarca doesn't have their recipe online, so I found a reputable chef to make a substitution: Emeril Lagasse's Bolognese recipe on FoodNetwork.com. It's a rather straightforward recipe with some great results, so I decided to try it out and let you know what I thought!

Spaghetti Bolognese From Emeril Lagasse on Food Network.com

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 ounces bacon or pancetta, diced 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions 3/4 cup diced carrots 3/4 cup diced celery 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 bay leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 pound ground beef or ground veal 1/2 pound pork sausage, removed from the casings, or ground pork 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup red wine 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and their juice 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 cup beef or chicken stock or broth 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 pound spaghetti 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Directions:In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the beef and sausages, and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and remove any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, and until half of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato sauce, beef broth, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 1 1/2 hours. Add the cream, butter, and parsley, stir well, and simmer for 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and return the water to a low boil. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking, until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander. Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese and toss to blend. Divide among pasta bowls and serve with the cheese passed tableside. (Alternatively, toss only the desired portion of pasta with a bit of the sauce at a time in a serving bowl, reserving the remainder for another meal.)

My first and favorite step was slicing and cooking the bacon, because, well, bacon! You can't say no to bacon :) Some of these recipes I'm going to cut the ingredients proportionately to fit my ideal serving size of 4--because I don't need a ton of leftovers hanging out in my fridge! But with the bolognese, I kept the recipe as it reads. You can never have enough meat sauce, and I gave half of the leftovers to my boyfriend after the dinner.

The bacon sizzling in my pot. This makes such a fragrant kitchen! Who needs air fresheners when you have bacon?

My mise en place of onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. (Can you tell that I'm getting the hang of this cooking blog and don't really know what to take pictures of yet?) :P

I did a few things differently from the recipe as shown. I used 80% ground beef for the meat of the sauce, and omitted the pork sausagebecause #1, my boyfriend is not a fan of Italian sausage due to the fennel used in most blends. And #2...three different types of meat in one sauce? Isn't that a little bit excessive, Emeril?

I also used Marsala wine instead of red winebecause it was what I had in my pantry at the time.

Once I added all of the ingredients and left the sauce to simmer, I noticed that there was a layer of orange grease on the top of my sauce. This could be caused by the rendered fat from the bacon, the high fat content of the ground meat I was using, or a combination of the two. I was disappointed with how greasy it was! And that added liquid made the sauce quite thin. I omitted the heavy creamas I didn't want to add any more liquid to an already liquid-y sauce.

Here is the finished product--the bolognese sauce sitting atop a bed of Ronzoni Smart Start spaghetti. BF liked the taste of the sauce, but I found it a little weird: the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors were quite evident in the sauce, and it was distracting me from all the other goodies to be found, like the bacon and the beef. Nothing should distract you from bacon and beef! I side-eyed the recipe when it told me to add those ingredients, but I did it anyway and kind of regretted it later. I was also surprised that the recipe called for such a small amount of oregano, as that's the one spice I think of when I think about Italian tomato sauces. I don't think my substitutions or omissions would have drastically changed the flavor of the sauce, so that wasn't what turned me off to it.

What I'd Do Different Next Time: - To keep the accuracy up for the recipe, I'd certainly make sure I had red cooking wine in the house before I started! - I might lower or omit completely the cinnamon and nutmeg spices, because those were flavors I just didn't enjoy in a bolognese sauce. - I'll use a leaner ground meat to minimize the amount of grease I get in the sauce.

While Emeril's recipe gets extremely high marks on the Food Network website, I'd have to claim this recipe was a miss for me. While the sauce was hearty and filling, I just didn't like the strange taste the cinnamon and nutmeg gave the sauce, and will probably look for another recipe the next time I try out a bolognese.

But don't just take my word for it--try the recipe out yourself and see if you like Emeril's Spaghetti Bolognese. Maybe even try it next year for National Spaghetti Day :-D

Tune in next Saturday as I post my second week's national food holiday challenge--National Curried Chicken Day!

[nycfooddays]

Hi, all! It’s been a whopping whole…three days since I’ve made a post, lol. But for me, after making at least one post per day, that’s a long time to be away! I wanted to do something to keep this blog active, even though my calendar year of National Food Holidays is over and complete. So I’ve come up with a few ideas to keep the blog current and (hopefully) keep you reading!

First, I want to start cooking. I know, one part of making the National Food Holidays in NYC blog is that there are already tons of blogs dedicated to making the food holiday being celebrated each day. And the other reason for making this blog with its unique spin was because so many New Yorkers don’t cook! But I really enjoy cooking, and it’s fun to step out of your comfort zone and try new recipes for foods you may have never looked at before. (And the joy of New York City is, if whatever you attempted to cook ends up being unfit for human consumption, lol, there’s always a takeout place down the block!) Plus, my boyfriend just got a slow cooker for Christmas, and he’s Emeril-ing it up on a regular basis–and I want to encourage him to cook more with new and interesting recipe ideas. And it’ll definitely be cheaper than going to all these restaurants every day!

But I don’t have the energy, time, or desire to make every food listed on the National Food Holidays calendar. (I don’t like blueberries, so National Blueberry Pancakes Day is out, and I’m not even going to TOUCH National Roast Suckling Pig Day, lol.) So I’m going to take at least one holiday per week and try to cook it–whether it be something I’ve never tried before, like making homemade kimchi for National Cabbage Day, or something as simple and yummy as Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. And, as often as I can, I will use the actual dishes and recipes from the restaurants I’ve highlighted in the past year–to really tie the whole blog together! I hope you come join me on my culinary adventures over the next year 

Speaking of recipes…if you want to celebrate one of the national food holidays at home, I’m going to track down the available recipes for each restaurant’s highlighted dish and post each restaurant’s recipe on the blog. Want to learn how Harry’s Bar makes the original Bloody Mary? Dying to see who’s come up with the closest chocolate chip cookie recipe to the world-famous Levain Bakery? I’ll bring it to you here! Some of those recipes I’ll definitely want to try for myself, but others–like Momofuku Ssam Bar’s Roast Pork Butt and Babbo’s Beef Cheek Ravioli–are either too complicated for a home cook like me, or I have no interest in making it myself. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give ti the old college try!

And lastly, just as a courtesy of the blog, I want to let everyone know when a restaurant closes on the national food holiday list. The restaurant business is an unforgiving industry, and a restaurant, bakery, or store can close for any number of reasons, from health code violations to financial troubles to natural disasters, as we saw back in November. So, both in a new post that day and on the original post, I’ll make a note if a restaurant whose cuisine has been highlighted is closed. Wouldn’t want to trek all the way to Harlem for the best sweet potato pie, or to Staten Island for the city’s best ices, only to find out it had closed months ago!

So, in a nutshell, that’s the direction the blog will be taking. I hope you continue to join me in reading about all these great New York City restaurants, and the National Food Holiday calendar that’s kept me intrigued and writing all through 2012. And let’s hope 2013 is full of more great posts…and great food!

[nycfooddays]

December 31 - National Champagne Day

I can't believe it's already the end of the year...wow, where did 2012 go? When you think of New Year's Eve, there's really only one national food holiday you could celebrate...National Champagne Day! Contrary to what the alcohol industry wants you to believe, champagne can't be purchased from just anywhere: it hasto be made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France. This is where sparkling wine was invented, in a process that allows double fermentation of the grapes (making champagne both bubbly and boozy). In the region, there are strict rules as to which grapes, processes, and vineyards can produce "true" champagne. All other versions must be called, under international law, "sparkling wine," which can be made sparkling either from double fermentation or by mechanically adding carbonation to the wine. So if you think you fancy with your bottle of André champagne tonight, think again! :P

You probably already have your plans for midnight of New Year's Eve, whether it be at a swanky open bar event, or just a quiet evening at home...or even braving the cold (and the sea of tourists) in Times Square for the ball drop. But just in case you're looking for some last-minute place to toast some bubbly at midnight, there are a few champagne bars in New York that are worth looking into. The Flûte Bar, with two locations in Gramercy Park and Midtown, is one of the trendiest places to sip a tall glass of champagne to ring in the New Year. They have the real deal here--champagne only from the region in France--and they've got lots of varieties to choose from. With a contemporary atmosphere that is trendy, but not toolish, you can enjoy your champagne either in a private room for groups or in the main lounge, which also has "privacy" curtains around the booths for a more intimate chamagne experience. You won't get the bridge and tunnel crowd spilling their cheap sparkling wines while bumping into you on the dubstep dance floor. And for the New Yorker who loves to surround themselves in local history--like me--you'd love to know that Flûte Midtown is housed in an old 20s speakeasy, complete with live jazz music to complement the mood.

Flûte Bar 205 W 54th St (between 7th Ave & Broadway) http://www.flutebar.com

"Both Flûte locations have a unique feel. The Gramercy location is the bigger of the two, and feels like an upscale living room turned bar (if your living room had little nooks to cuddle up in, and a never ending supply of bubbly). The Midtown location feels much more speakeasy-esque. At this basement level lounge things are small, dark, and definitely sexy. The atmosphere at both is aided with live jazz."--CBS New York

"If you’re in a celebratory mood, Flûte is the place to be. Choose from vintage, non-vintage, prestige cuvee, Rosé, or boutique Champagnes, sparkling wine or cocktails and snuggle into one of their intimate couches. A good place for celebrating with a group (there’s a private room downstairs) or that someone special, this place has loads of sexy appeal with deep red lighting to set the mood and comfy couches in hidden niches (some even with curtains) throughout the room for privacy. They also have a selection of appetizers and desserts, but if you’re getting champagne, we suggest choosing from the list of caviars, with choices from $55-$225. If you’re not a connoisseur of champagne but like to dabble, order one of the four flights of champagne, to try 3 distinctive kinds."--New York Magazine

"Flute has been the lounge that New Yorkers have been turning to for more than a decade to quench their Champagne thirst. Their two locations in the city give Champagne drinkers a contemporary and intimate interior amongst plush fabrics. Guests choose from an extensive list of Champagnes and sparkling wines. If your friends don't prefer bubbly, the lounge also has a full bar, inventive sparkling cocktails and delicious small plates. Insider tip: It's a great place for a date with romantically secluded, curtained nooks."--Haute Living

"Down a short flight of stairs from the sidewalk, Flûte Midtown operates in a space that was once a speakeasy run by the notorious Texas Guinan—a woman with a brazen disregard of Prohibition, an army of scantily clad showgirls, an arsenal of memorable catch-phrases and a string of New York nightclubs where writers, socialites and shady types rubbed elbows. Flûte Midtown’s speakeasy history is preserved in its subtle lighting and honeycomb of intimate booths. Groups of up to 15 can reserve one of the larger tables, and the L-shaped space is easily partitioned for varying-sized cocktail parties."--Metromix

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"The first time was on a lark - we wanted to check out the place and ended up staying for a few hours, with champagnes and small finger foods to keep us occupied. There were a few couches and alcoves on the left side of the room, with a bigger open room on the right side. Since it was set a bit lower than ground level, it feels all the more like a speakeasy. Apparently it was a real speakeasy location back in the 20s. If you want to keep it romantic, this is the place to be. We saw all couples come in, or people obviously on double dates."--Vanessa X.

"We were all pleasantly surprised - the place was almost empty at around 8:30 PM (though it did get a bit busier as we were leaving) but it made for a very cozy, quiet backdrop for catching up, so this girl's not complaining. Apparently, the space that is now Flute used to be a secret bar during Prohibition, and they've definitely maintained that feel in the current establishment - red velvet EVERYTHING, heavy tasseled curtains and super dim lighting, that type of thing. There are some really cute nooks and crannies in which I would have loved to tuck ourselves away - I'd recommend making a reservation if you're a group of 4+ and requesting a semi-private table if any are available. Oh, and the drinks are top notch (I highly recommend the champagne mojito and bellini-tini). The champagne varies from $9 - $25+ per glass depending on the variety and cocktails are priced at around $12 - $15, which is standard speakeasy pricing in my experience. If you're in the area and looking for a romantic date spot or a chill, intimate place for drinks with friends, definitely hit up Flute."--Marina K.

But for the swankiest glass of champagne you can drink this New Years Eve, you've got to hit it up in old-school Gilded Age style at the Plaza Hotel. I find it really funny that I'm bookending the calendar year with iconic hotel bars--Bloody Mary Day on January 1 should be celebrated at the bar that brought it to America, the King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel. And National Champagne Day should be celebrated at the Champagne Bar at the Plaza Hotel. The Champagne Bar, so appropriately named, has been around since the Plaza Hotel opened in 1907, and the classical glamour of the time can certainly be felt everywhere in the room, from the sumptuous drapery to the stylish furniture. And the champagne selection is just as high-end: they boast having the world's top champagne varieties as well as some of the best caviar in the city. The bar is exclusive--I doubt you can just saunter in there this evening, but try if you can!--and the menu can be mind-boggling to the penny-pincher, but this is the epitome of old-school swank in New York City. Make your reservations today for New Years Eve 2013--and ring in the new year in one of the most iconic champagne bars in New York City, and the world.

The Champagne Bar Plaza Hotel, 768 5th Ave http://www.theplazany.com/dining/champagne-bar/

"Overlooking Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain, the new Champagne Bar at The Plaza, a Fairmont Managed Hotel, is reminiscent of the Champagne Porch that was in the same location when the hotel opened its doors in 1907. The most exclusive of the Plaza’s dining venues, which once welcomed legendary figures including the Prince of Wales and Diamond Jim Brady has become a favorite destination of today’s social set. By night, celebrate with the world’s finest champagne, caviar and wines. By day, indulge in freshly baked pastries, light gourmet fare, and specialty coffees."--The Plaza Hotel

"Crisp, clean, and classy, the champagne bar at the Plaza Hotel is reminiscent of the Champagne Porch that opened there in 1907. The décor is lush, and elegant, and the champagne list is epic, as are the cocktails. You’ll feel like you gone back to a time when sitting to sip was an art form."--CBS New York

"We all want to sip our delicious Champagne in a private, exclusive setting. That's what you get when you visit the Champagne Bar with Fifth Avenue views overlooking the Pulitzer Fountain, this exclusive lounge is the place to taste the world's finest Champagne alongside mother-of-pearl spoons holding caviar. Sipping bubbly here will make you feel like a truly pampered New Yorker."--Haute Living

"After a $17 million renovation at the historic Fifth Avenue hotel, the new Champagne Bar is the crown jewel of the Plaza. This lobby bar evokes the elegant gentility of its predecessor in the early days of the 1900s. Step back to old Manhattan and imagine you’re Nick & Nora while you pass the evening sipping champagne, or stop in for breakfast before spending the day in Central Park."--NYC Go

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Great selection of champagne, extremely high backed, throne like, seats. Very discreet, romantic and great for dates or discreet business meetings. The waiters are attentive and fast but does not hover or bother you every two minutes. Definitely a Gossip Girl, Sex and the City type of place. Put on your Laboutins for this place, ladies, and leave the kids home."--Bratty K.

"My family loves this place. When we dine and drink here it is because we are guests at the Plaza, and it is the perfect place for a light dinner or a happy hour or a night cap. It has a very see and be seen feeling to it, without being overly snooty. The waitstaff is friendly, though sometimes a bit slow. I love the champagne they offer ( I forever pledge my love to thee, Veuve Clicqout) and my Dad can get his brand of Bourbon (Wild Turkey 101) and my Mom and Sister like the Bellini's. I will say that their price for a glass of the Widow is comparable to everywhere else in the city."--A M. D.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

Bicarbonate of soda....? I know we're reaching the end of the national food holidays calendar here, and so we may be scraping the barrel on what foods we still have to highlight, but...bicarbonate of soda? Really?? Also known as sodium bicarbonate, or NaHCO3, bicarbonate of soda is an alkaline compound that, while sounding kind of scary, is found in many household cleaning products, detergents, and yes, even in the food you eat. Don't be scared! It's not a nasty chemical additive. It's plain old baking soda! Because of its alkaline pH level, baking soda reacts to acidic compounds found in many baking batters, like vinegar, cream of tartar, and buttermilk. The reaction releases carbon dioxide, which makes the batter rise as it's baked. And thus, you have bread, cake, pancakes, biscuits--so many baked goods come to life with the help of bicarbonate of soda!

(Sodium bicarbonate can be used for way, way more than just baking: it neutralizes stomach acids, helps extinguish fires by releasing carbon dioxide, works as a cleaning agent around the house, boosts the washing power of laundry detergent, helps whiten teeth, polishes silver, and helps absorb strong odors in the fridge or garbage can. It's quite literally a miracle chemical that is safer than the vast majority of modern cleaning products out there. But enough of that--let's get back to the food!)

Lots of baking recipes include baking soda as the chief leavening agent for breads, cakes, cookies, and muffins. But the most famous baking soda bread is, well, literally, the soda bread. Culinary cultures all around the world have used baking soda to make quick breads: the blending of the baking soda with an acidic agent in the batter, like buttermilk or cream of tartar, gives the bread a slightly sour taste. Irish soda bread is one of the most popular types of quick bread, and you can find oodles of loaves all around the city during St. Patrick's Day. Traditional Irish soda breads are baked plain, made with low-gluten pastry flour and served unsweetened and unadorned, while Americans indulging in soda bread typically add sugar and raisins to the mix. You can find real, traditional soda bread at the old Irish pub known as Cronin & Phelan's in Astoria. You wouldn't expect to find an Irish restaurant doing well in such a deeply Mediterranean and Greek neighborhood, but Cronin & Phelan's has been in town since the 1920s, and it's kept up a lot of its speakeasy charm. Traditional Irish fare can be had here at any time of the day or night--a full Irish breakfast is offered for early birds. And every meal is accompanied by a basket of free, freshly baked Irish soda bread, the way they make it back on the Emerald Isle. If having great, authentic Irish soda bread wasn't enough, Cronin & Phelan's serves it for free! My favorite way to have my bicarbonate of soda :-)

Cronin & Phelan's 38-14 Broadway, Astoria http://www.croninandphelans.com

"A soft-spoken but spirited, silver-haired, unmistakably Irish gentleman, owner and executive chef Mike Peacock butchers all of the meat daily, and also preps the entrees. Recipes inspired by his mother, including a standout egg-studded potato salad and creamy whipped turnips, draw regulars from both Astoria and beyond. The Guinness pie is also mind-blowingly delicious. Meals commence with baskets of Irish soda bread, and sweet endings include homemade rhubarb pie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream."--Boro Magazine

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"My first visit was Saturday night, where I had the Irish mixed grill and my bf had the Shepherd's Pie. The friendly waitress started us out with the most delicious Irish soda bread rolls, and from that moment on I was sold. I have not had soda bread like that since my Irish grandmother passed away 10 years ago. I learned later that Cronin's bakes them fresh on site, so that alone sets this place apart from your run of the mill pub."--Kim K.

"What a perfect pub night! Guinness blew my mind and my belly. Shepherd's pie was delectable, full of flavor. Complimentary soda bread was the perfect surprise and the waitstaff was so en point and charming. Love at first bite (and pint)."--Anna F.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

December 29 - Pepper Pot Day

What exactly is a pepper pot? It's the last savory national food holiday of the calendar, for one (unless you count champagne as savory...), and the recipe for the pepper pot varies by different regions. The broad definition of a pepper pot is just a winter stew of meat (usually beef but can also be pork or mutton), winter root vegetables, and savory spices, like cinnamon and, of course, pepper. A warm winter stew is always great for the end of the year, and with the weather we've been having, I might make some pepper pot myself!

There are two popular variations of pepper pot, that developed independently from one another, but both are eaten during the winter months (especially around Christmas). In Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War, Continental soldiers ran low on food during the 1777-1778 winter in Valley Forge. Their saving-grace meal became a stew of tripe, root vegetables, and any other edible items they could find, and it was called the pepper pot. There's no real recipe for a Philadelphia pepper pot, as it grew out of extreme necessity, and not many people cook it during the holidays anymore (considering that we can get far better meats than tripe in the grocery store nowadays!)

But another form of pepper pot developed not out of food desperation, but celebration: the Guyanese pepperpotis a dish that is similar to the Philadephia pepper pot only in the sense that they're both winter stews, lol. Filled with beef, pork, or mutton, the stew is seasoned with spicy peppers and pungent spices like cinnamon, and thickened with Cassareep, a sauce made from the cassava root. It's a thick, meaty, hearty kind of stew that is eaten with dense Guyanese bread, and it's the perfect meal to stick to your ribs. Because the pepperpot needs to stew for several hours, it has traditionally been served in Guyana as a special occasion dish, especially for Christmas. And you can get Guyanese pepperpot anywhere you can find Guyanese cuisine--which makes it perfect for a New York City winter meal!

And fortunately for New Yorkers, we've got almost every culinary culture represented somewhere in the boroughs for everyone to enjoy. In the Flatbush section of Brooklyn--which Brooklynites in the know prefer to call the Junction--you can find all the Caribbean food you could ever want to taste, from Jamaican jerk to Trinidiadian pelau. And at Sybil's Bakery & Restaurant, you can try out some fantastic Guyanese cuisine. An outpost of the Queens original, Sybil's is a family-owned restaurant selling authentic Guyanese dishes straight from their mother's recipe book. The most interesting thing about Guyanese food is that there are many recognizable dishes from other cuisines that have their own twist, thanks to Guyanese immigration and diversity: spicy chicken lo mein may look like the stuff you'll find at the corner Chinese restaurant, but the taste is unique to the South American nation. But you shouldn't leave Sybil's without trying their pepper pot, which is thickened with molasses to add some sweetness and depth to the stew at the same time. Try out the Christmas traditions of a different culinary culture--and you may never go back to over-dried ham again!

Sybil's Bakery & Restaurant 2210 Church Ave (between Bedford Ave & Flatbush Ave), Flatbush http://www.sybilsbakery.com

"On the menu, the restaurant offers seemingly far-flung foods, but Sybil’s most popular dishes actually reflect the many who called Guyana home at one time. “Guyanese are a diverse people,” Bernard says. “When they settled over there, everyone brought their specialties, and it becomes Guyanese food.” Diners can taste a little bit of India in the spicy curry goat and roti. Chicken lo mein is just like the Chinese original, with thin, springy noodles and sautéed veggies. Pepperpot, a meat stew seasoned with molasses, cassava juices and cinnamon sticks, comes from the country’s native Amerindians. Chicken and beef patties, filled with carrots and peas and enclosed in a flaky crust, evoke British meat pies. Everything at Sybil’s is made from scratch and with local ingredients. Their fresh take on Guyanese staples is what keeps customers coming back for more."--New York Daily News

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"The Guyanese patties are absolutely a must and all of their hot food is good. We tend to get the lo mein, pepperpot, oxtail, spinach rice, spinach, pumpkin, channa and in the pastries we pick up the salara (bread with a red swirl of coconut inside), pone and of course the Guyanese patties."--PatMal J.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

I'm sure we've all had quite a bit of chocolate candies during this holiday season...but what's just a few more on National Chocolate Candy Day? It is a day to celebrate, after all ;-) There's no strict definition for what chocolate candy can be--nearly anything that's made out of chocolate can also be considered candy, like chocolate bars, truffles, bonbons, and the ever-popular chocolate Santas (there may still be some available in the Christmas candy clearance aisle!) We've had a lot of chocolate candy holidays in the calendar, and this is the last day to celebrate chocolate in the whole year--so get to it! Here's a list of all the chocolate candy days that have preceeded today; try out one of these recommended chocolate shops for a great specific chocolate candy!

January 3 - Cherry-Filled Chocolates Day February 14 - Creme-Filled Chocolates Day February 25 - Chocolate-Covered Nuts Day March 24 - Chocolate Covered Raisins Day April 21 - Chocolate Covered Cashew truffles Day May 2 - National Truffles Day

In the great culinary city of New York, there is absolutely no shortage of gourmet chocolate shops to taste some of the best chocolate candies in the world. Some of the most highly-acclaimed chocolatiers on the planet have satellite shops in New York City, if not their flagship stores like Jacques Torres and Vosges Haut-Chocolat. I've already highlighted some of the best chocolate shops all throughout the year, but even with a ton of chocolate candy holidays sprinkled throughout the calendar, I still couldn't hit all of the best there is. (That just goes to show you, there's more great chocolate in New York than you think!) Here are some other great shops to test out their chocolate candies this holiday season!

We've highlighted the gourmet food shops inside the world-famous Bloomingdale's department store before: Forty Carrots, the frozen yogurt shop that's been selling high-quality fro-yo since before it was cool, was highlighted on National Frozen Yogurt Day and is considered one of the most original and best places to snag a scoop in the city. But for chocolate candy, you've got to head to the sixth floor of the building and try out Martine's Chocolates. They make the best quality chocolate truffles here by hand, with all "real" chocolate (with actual cocoa solids and butter! Imagine that!) Their most popular chocolate is the "butterfly," a rich chocolate candy with pralines for wings and served with fresh whipped cream. The chocolates are definitely pricey here, but, as with anything you'll buy at Bloomie's, the high quality is worth the cost.

Martine's Chocolates 1000 3rd Ave, 6th Fl http://www.martineschocolates.com/

"Some of these exceptionally rich Belgian creations can take up to three days to make. What to try: Chocolate "Butterfly" filled with hazelnut praline and fresh whipped cream."--New York Magazine

"Martine’s Chocolates creates a variety of fresh cream chocolates and truffles. Their delicacies are handmade right in front of their customers with the finest ingredients including Belgian Callebaut couverture chocolate, French butter, fresh American cream. Martine’s is, perhaps, the best place in the city to watch the chocolate-making process. Be sure to take out an order of your favorites in their signature pink boxes for a friend."--Enduring Wanderlust

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Their chocolates are as good as any I have ever had in Paris or Belgium (save the truffles at jean charles rochoux!). Actually, I should revise my previous statement. Their normal chocolates are delicious, but not magical. What really makes them special are their fresh cream chocolates, which melt in your mouth like a cloud. And yes, I have had clouds in my mouth, so I know exactly what that tastes like. Not all of their chocolates have fresh cream, so if you get a box, I would suggest filling it with as many of these as possible."--Kelsey E.

"Listen closely. This is the best chocolate you will ever eat. Maison du Chocolat. Jacques Torres. Debauve & Gallais. The lesser but still delicious Teuscher, Godiva. None of them hold a candle to Martine's. Miniature pianos filled with caramel. Fresh whipped cream with no preservatives hand-pumped into dark chocolate shells. Coffee tinged cream inside beautiful hearts. If you love fresh, high-quality chocolate, this is your spot."--Emily R.

Some of the prettiest chocolate candies in all of New York come out of Mariebelle Fine Chocolates, a SoHo chocolate shop that makes their little squares of fine chocolate into works of art. Their signature chocolates, which come in a variety of unusual flavors, all have multicolored art and designs on their tops, ranging in everything from Impressionist-like watercolor scenes to abstract Pollack-ish line designs. But the chocolate isn't just great to look at: it's delicious to taste, too. Different flavorings like cardamom, mango, espresso, and whiskey are all available in the store, so don't think you're limited just to white, milk, and dark. (Not that there's anything wrong with white milk and dark chocolate!) Order a box of these dainty chocolates to go, or, if you make it here on a Wednesday night, check out their free live jazz music while munching on some chocolate candies and sipping a mug of Aztec hot chocolate.

Mariebelle Fine Chocolates 484 Broome St (between Wooster St & Broadway) http://www.mariebelle.com

"The signature chocolates are topped with quirky, colorful designs, like jade green swirls, blue-and-white Mondrianesque checks, and silhouetted figures against yellow or lavender backgrounds. But don't let the whimsy stop you from taking this chocolate seriously. The pieces have a good couverture-to-filling ratio, the thin coating snapping away to reveal intensely flavored doses of ganache. Some of the best are flavored with spices, like the cardamom and cinnamon chocolates; there are also several fruit-based choices like mango, coconut, and lemon."--New York Magazine

"MarieBelle doesn’t manufacture chocolate. They create works of art. The most aesthically pleasing on the list, MarieBelle’s chocolates will satisfy all of your senses. Their traditional blue boxes are the perfect gift for a loved one. Each box is filled with a sampling of their finest work. MarieBelle also has entertainment on Wednesday nights. Visitors will enjoy Jazz In The Chocolate Factory at their Madison Avenue location."--Enduring Wanderlust

"All their chocolates were whimsical in terms of patterns and the flavors were nicely balanced. I adored the pistachio white chocolate bark for some reason. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate to eat by itself but the sweetness and lightness of the white chocolate complimented the whole pistachios so well that it’s very enjoyable. If you crave a very good, luscious cup of hot chocolate, you should go to Mariebelle. Their beautifully packaged chocolates are something you can get for your significant other or for yourself."--The Wandering Eater

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Found this place when my cousin and I were doing a scavenger hunt we purchased off group on. This place was one of the last destinations we had, and oh boy it was the cherry on top of a fabulous exploration of SoHo. The chocolate here is AMAZING. I love how they have samples laying around, and everyone who works there knows their stuff! Definitely pricey stuff, but you pay for taste and decor. The little cocoa bar is the cutest. My cousin and I could not resist taking pictures of all the different areas. We got fondue and strawberry crepes. It was delicious to say the least. When I get a little bit more moolah in the bank Im going to buy a box of chocolates from here and savor every single piece!"--Nisha G.

"I love chocolate - hot chocolate, chocolate desserts, chocolate covered strawberries - you name it. MarieBelle is my hub, I feel like a kid in a candy store every time but with fine chocolates instead. I found this place on accident one day when it was raining and I needed shelter without an umbrella in pouring Soho and I couldn't be more thankful I did. The store is adorable and the chocolates are incredible. It's not cheap but they do have sales on gilt taste sometimes and they ship anywhere. To give you an idea, a 25 piece box of chocolates is $60. The presentation is beautiful, each chocolate looks like a piece of fine art with intricate designs and exotic ganache fillings like passionfruit, champagne, saffron and cardamom. They come in a hand-made box and make really nice gifts. The store has a front room where they sell chocolate, teas, small items etc and then the back room is a cacao bar and tea salon. You feel like you've left bustling NYC and entered some chic town in Europe."--Sasha H.

It's a little bit of a misnomer to say that L.A. Burdick is one of the best new chocolate shops in the city. Technically, the Burdicks have been around New York for almost my entire life! The Burdick couple started their chocolate candy business back in 1987, but they only sold their wares wholesale to restaurants. After earning a stylish reputation among the culinary community, they moved their operations to a factory in New Hampshire, but in 2009 came back to New York with a storefront and a ton of great chocolates and confections in hand. Their shop and cafe on East 20th Street offers a beautiful atmosphere and a mean mug of rich hot chocolate. But the chocolate candies are the goodies that kept L.A. Burdick at the top of the confection game for so long, and now brings everyday customers in (and has them coming back for more!) Chocolate bonbons in adorable animal shapes like penguins and mice are a hit with restaurateurs and gift-givers alike. Pick up a New Year's gift for your party host full of white chocolate mice--that, although they look harmless and pedestrian, pack a chocolate ganache filling with flavors like Earl Grey and lemon pepper...anything but ordinary. These are definitely not your everyday chocolate candies!

L.A. Burdick 5 E 20th St http://www.burdickchocolate.com

"The 2009 opening of this Gramercy chocolate caf was a homecoming of sorts for Larry and Paula Burdick, who started a wholesale business in Red Hook in 1987 (their top customer was David Bouley) before moving the factory to New Hampshire. The excellence of Burdick’s hand-formed bonbons—such as the signature mice, available in dark, milk and white chocolate and filled with a sophisticated ganache that’s whipped with orange juice, espresso, and cinnamon with port wine, respectively—seduced us years ago."--Time Out New York

"Signature chocolate mice (and penguins too) share a case toward the back with à la carte squares in interesting flavors like Earl Grey and lemon pepper, while packaged chocolate bars and other goodies overwhelm at a central island. Small tables line a wooden bench that runs the length of the dining area. Pastries are excellent, even chocolate-free ones, such as the crumbly linzer torte filled with tangy raspberry jam and topped with sweet whipped cream, but those jonesing to sample the cocoa wares can stick to a self-styled chocolate tasting that includes four bonbons."--New York Magazine

"I love going in there because it seems like everyone inside emanates happiness (who wouldn’t be, when you’re surrounded with such alluring treats); I look around and people are all smiling and jovial. In spite of the long lines, the crowded little tables, and the fairly expensive prices, the store draws in fellow chocolate aficionados, and keeps us captivated with bonbons and truffles and adorable chocolate penguins."--Confessions Of A Chocoholic

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"After several years of being a loyal online consumer to the LA Burdick box selections, it's a treat to visit a store location and indulge in all the rich offerings of a self-seletion case and café. Their chocolates are dainty in size, a few nibbles at most, but they are refined with robust flavors including saffron, chartreuse, scotch, earl grey, lemongrass, honey, pear, and more. They also have charming novelty pieces built of delicate almond slivers (mice, penguins, and seasonal bees, snowman, rabbits ...). The most amazing piece I've had from their case (and arguably from anywhere) is the Pavé Glacé. These are melt-in-your-mouth cubes of ground hazelnuts, saffron, chocolate covered in a layer of powdered cocoa. They could make a scene. So worth it."--K. O.

"An amazing chocolate shop with unique items like chocolate mice, chocolate bees and traditional desserts. The hot chocolate can be made with milk and dark chocolate which is so darn tasty! Lots of shops in the area, a great break from shopping to stop here and get a bit to eat and purchase some chocolate. The owner, Paula is a doll, please stop by if looking for something unique and yummy!!"--Rosemary N.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

Well, here's a Christmas tradition no one is going to be particularly pleased about...it's National Fruitcake Day! In recent years, fruitcakehas gotten a bit of a bad reputation for being something that stays around forever, and no one wants to eat it. But fruitcakes have been a food staple since Ancient Rome, and a Christmas tradition since the 15th century (when an official statement from the Pope allowed bakers to make cakes with butter during fast times--meaning that fruitcake could now be enjoyed during Christmas!) In other parts of the world, fruitcakes incorporate spiced fruits, candied fruits, and nuts, and sometimes has a white icing frosting on top. And Caribbean versions of the fruitcake commonly soak the fruit--and the cake, and basically anything they can get their hands on--in rum, so no one gives a damn what the cake tastes like after a few bites! But the fruitcake became popular in the United States because of an excess of candied fruit in the colonies, so fruitcake with candied, preserved fruit became the American norm. Our collective tastes have changed since the 18th century, however, and now no one is particularly fond of the lump of cake Johnny Carson so frequently lampooned on The Tonight Show.

But don't fret! You don't have to settle for a brick of old fruitcake, with stale nuts and unrecognizable candied fruits embedded into its crust. There are a few options around the city that can have you tolerating--even liking--the humble fruitcake. As I said before, American fruitcakes vary wildly from European varieties, so a fruitcake recipe from across the pond may be more suitable to your tastes. In Romania, the fruitcake of choice isn't actually a cake: it's Cozonac, a sweet bread made with raisins, orange zest, walnuts, and hazelnuts. It's served during the Christmas holidays and is considered one of Romania's national foods. You can try one out for yourself at Nita's Bakery in Sunnyside, Queens. The cozonac is baked fresh here and you can be sure they've got lots in stock for the holiday season. Nita's has been around for over 30 years and they definitely have a following in this neighborhood. They make their cozonac in a number of varieties which include fruits and sweet fillings--but make sure you bone up on your Romanian to know what you're really getting! The cozonac is a sweet, old-world alternative to the fruitcake that you'll actually wantto eat this holiday season.

Nita's European Bakery 4010 Greenpoint Ave, Sunnyside

"Nita's has been serving up Romanian-inspired desserts for years, including an assortment of cakes, breads and croissants. That includes Cozonac, a Romanian-style sweetbread. Nita's is very popular with those looking for a quick dessert pickup for a party or gathering, and the bakery also features seating and coffee, for those who want to sit and relax."--Golf Link

"Oh dear…Nita’s European Bakery. Located on Greenpoint Avenue, you should RUN, not walk, to this Romanian family’s bakery. OMG. Crispy, not too sweet cookies required a second visit to take more home. The cheese pateuri? Melt in your mouth. The cozonac, a Romanian sweet bread filled with nuts, raisons and many other choices based on the menu above? To DIE for."--Gotham Girl Chronicles

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"I love the fact that I can go here of course and buy things like pateuri, cozonac cu mac, and other stuff that you just don't find in any other so called "European" bakery. Not to mention all their chocolate mini cakes make me literally drool every time I enter the store. If I could buy everything they have displayed in their window I would in a heartbeat. (Probably not the best thing for any diet but they're soo good)."--P. M.

"Yum. I live around the corner and drag myself out of bed to get croissants on the weekend, they go fast because they're so good! Its my go to place when I have to bring desert to a gathering... eclairs, tiramisu, baklava.. yum. They also have Cozonac, which is a sort of bread stuffed with nuts and such. ... I prefer the poppy. Mind you, its european style, so its not exactly the same as those in American bakeries, so those reviewers that comment on it not being what you're used to, that's why. Its better:)"--Marianne B.

Another fruity, nutty fruitcake-that-is-not-fruitcake is the panettone, an Italian sweet bread loaf filled with candied oranges and citron and is baked in a signature domed shape. You see imported panettone in brightly colored boxes around the holiday season, and since World War II has become an Italian Christmas tradition. And while most people believe that imported panettone is perfectly fine for the holidays, I'm still a little wary about eating supposedly "fresh" sweet bread out of a box shipped here from Italy. But the Doughnut Plant on the Lower East Side has you covered: for the holidays, they make a panettone doughnut that I daresay is better than the original. (Of course it's better, it's deep fried!) A cake-based doughnut, the panettone has golden raisins, citron, and pine nuts baked into the dough--a nutty, fruity mix that isn't too tough to swallow. A lemon-orange glaze and a hearty shake of the confectioner's sugar box finishes the doughnut, and you've got a sweeter, more compact, and fresher version of the panettone--better than anything else you'll find in New York City. This is only a seasonal doughnut, however, along with the marzipan, cranberry, and gingerbread varieties, so stop by today before the panettones vanish for the rest of the year!

Doughnut Plant 379 Grand St (between Suffolk St & Norfolk St) http://www.doughnutplant.com

"The cake: It’s a cake doughnut, made with the Doughnut Plant’s usual doughy mastery. Moist but not greasy. Hearty yet light. Aside from the fact that Israel’s creation is a doughnut, he’s stuck close to tradition, flavoring with golden raisins, citron and pine nuts. On goes a lemon-orange glaze, and voila! A portable Italian fruitcake."--Metro Mix

"The only problem with coming to Doughnut Plant is deciding what to buy. Crème brûlée is their top seller, but then again there’s carrot cake and tres leches, and their famous square peanut-butter-and-jelly doughnuts. Chief Experience Officer Jeff Magness made my decision harder by telling me about their special holiday edition doughnuts like marzipan, cranberry, gingerbread, and panettone. “Mark is always coming up with new flavors and ideas,” he says."--National Geographic

"Dotted with extra plump raisins, pine nuts and citron, the Panettone Cake Doughnut held true to its name—a fried form of the classic holiday bread, dusted in sugar. This was a messy one, but surely worth the extra napkin."--Serious Eats

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"After minutes deciding which flavors/types to get, we finally settled on the marzipan and pomegranate yeast doughnut and the tres leches cake doughnut. We sat down to eat at the window and while we were sitting, they offered us each a panettone doughnut - on the house! I have to admit that they were closing soon and still had a lot of doughnuts for the night. I personally would never have ordered the panettone doughnut so I was glad I could try it. It had citrus peels (lime/orange?) and pine nuts, which my friend is super allergic to. He's fine though and actually really enjoyed the taste and texture. He first described them as "really oily." I didn't like how they turned what seemed like a savory flavored doughnut into a sweet doughnut by completely covering it in granulated sugar. It seemed more like a round, smooth churro than what I would expect from a doughnut."--Hannah C.

"They have special flavors for the holidays including panettone which I had to go grab for the hubby and it did not disappoint ; DP continues to amaze me with the unexpected donut versions and flavors. Each time I visit I find myself thinking and craving them for weeks that follow."--Krista M.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

I hope everyone who celebrates had a wonderful Christmas yesterday! Now today is one of the high holy days for couponers and dealhounds...it's Christmas Clearance Day! LOL the day after a big holiday is always when the holiday decorations and candy go on sale, so it's the perfect time to stock up on Christmas cards or ornaments for next year...or gorge yourself on 50% off Christmas candy! (As if we didn't eat enough yesterday...) So it makes sense that the day after Christmas is National Candy Cane Day. Not only can you enjoy these curved peppermint candy sticks today...but you can also get them for cheap! Score!

While lots of candies and chocolates are sold at Christmas, candy canesare legitimately a Christmas candy. The popular origin story of candy canes is that a German choirmaster in the 17th century gave red-striped candy sticks to his choir boys so that they would stay quiet during worship services. He justified giving the candy by bending them into hooks, reminiscent of the shepherd's crook, and making the alternating red and white stripes represent the sacrifice and purity of Jesus. We don't take candy canes that literally now, but it's good to know, so next year if you attend midnight mass, you can take in your candy cane and it's totally church-acceptable :P

Nowadays though candy canes can come in any color and flavor, in both gourmet and mass-produced brands: Starburst and Spree make flavored candy canes for the season that come in wild neon colors that represent their fruity, sour flavors. And gourmet candy shops are on overdrive making candy canes for the season, usually out of existing flavors in their arsenal. Take Papabubble, for instance: the international gourmet candy chain may be known for their outrageously large and wacky lollipops, but come the winter time they channel their candy-making instincts towards candy canes as well. I'd take it to far as to say they're the premiere gourmet candy cane maker in New York City this year! (And hey, if you buy them today, maybe they'll be cheaper than the usually pricey store!) Unlike mass-produced candy canes, Papabubble makes gigantic canes in red and white stripes, but the stripes aren't just painted on, like the ones you get in the grocery store: Papabubble stretches and molds their candy by hand, so the thick red and white stripes (and the peppermint flavor) stays throughout the cane. There's real peppermint oil in the cane, too, so that flavor you're getting is all natural. And for those who enjoy a little variety in their cane, Papabubble also makes their candy canes in chocolate-mint and apple cinnamon--interesting, yet still festive, flavors that will have you stretching out the holidays way past the new year!

Papabubble 380 Broome St (between Mott St & Mulberry St) http://www.papabubbleny.com

"Remember those pallid sourballs petrifying in the dish on your grandmother’s coffee table? They are still there, even if your grandmother isn’t. The sweets at Papabubble, on the other hand, may well have been confected today—you can witness a batch of hard candy being made every couple of hours in the out-front kitchen that is also a stage. There’s something transfixing about watching molten sugar being turned into beautiful goo, and then kneaded and pulled into colorful canes that a Venetian glassblower would be proud to claim."--New Yorker

"Also a bit dubious was the Papbubble price tag: $8 for one five-ounce candy cane. Granted, it's handmade in a well-appointed little boutique instead of spit out by a machine in some nameless factory, but eight bucks still seems a bit steep for what is, basically, a hardened mass of sugar and artificial flavors. Those artificial flavors did taste like peppermint, though for all of the sugar and glucose involved, the flavor was almost not sweet enough. The cane had a dryer taste than its CVS counterpart; it didn't linger, but instead shot straight into the nasal cavity, leaving only a mentholated sensation in its wake. One taster noted that the flavor "verges on the medicinal, in a Jagermeister sort of way." The best part was the candy cane's appearance -- when broken into pieces, it revealed a beautifully striated interior and amber core."--The Village Voice

"“Regular candy canes are pretty mild,” says Chris Grassi, co-owner of the newly opened candy shop. “Ours have better flavor because we use really excellent peppermint oil.” The canes, all of which are made right under customers’ happy noses, come in a variety of tastes, like chocolate-filled peppermint, passion fruit, apple cinnamon and fig."--Time Out New York

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"I'm not particularly interested in candy, but I love papabubble because it is part candy store, part art gallery, part cooking demonstration. Here, house-made hard candies are spun from molten sugar before your eyes. There are sour candies, licorice-flavored candies, ginger candies, and fruit-flavored candies. Some have tiny colored designs that cleverly reveal their fruit flavor, some have miniscule writing. The finished product is sold by the jar, or by the sealed bag (they make great gifts, stocking stuffers, or souvenirs). The offerings change with the season -- right now you can get huge, chunky candy canes as well as little yellow and blue hannukah suckers."--Pamela S.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

December 25 - National Pumpkin Pie Day

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you're all spending a good Christmas with friends or family (or with yourself, curled up in a fluffy bathrobe and not dealing with any stress! lol!) This whole section of the national food holidays calendar is filled with holiday-related foods and treats you love to enjoy during this season. Just yesterday we celebrated National Egg Nog Day; tomorrow, it's National Candy Cane Day. And while we usually consider pumpkin pie to be a Thanksgiving tradition, it's also got its roots set in the family dinner on Christmas Day. That's why we celerbate National Pumpkin Pie Day on Christmas! Usually made with only the bottom crust, pumpkin pie is a sweet and spiced fall harvest treat. Pumpkins were sliced in half, baked, the innards scooped out and pureed to make that silky-smooth pumpkin pie filling we all know and love. Nowadays, it's much easier (and sometimes cheaper) to buy the filling in a can if you plan to make it: I tried using pureed, real pumpkin I prepared once in a pumpkin cheesecake, and let me tell you, the can would have saved me hours of work and tasted muchbetter. My family has never been big on pumpkin pie--we're much more of a sweet potato pie people, lol--but I really love the deep spices the hearty pumpkin filling can hold up to, so you get a mouthful of nutmeg and cinnamon and allspice along with your pumpkin. Pumpkin pie also lends itself to a number of different crusts, which my mom likes--she loves to make her own graham cracker crust held together with honey!

I highlighted the great Brooklyn pie bakery Four & Twenty Blackbirds back in October for their salted caramel apple pie, but they also do another mean traditional American pie: the pumpkin pie! Theirs includes browned butter instead of regular butter, a process that gives the end product a nuttier flavor. (I've tried to brown butter before, too, and I've more often than not gotten "blackened" butter--a.k.a., a burned sautee pan!) While the design of the pie, with a pastry crust, is rather traditional, the flavors Four & Twenty Blackbirds gets out of the pie are phenomenal: it feels just like your grandmother baked it. You can buy the pie by the slice or whole--so, share it with all your friends, or maybe just enjoy a slice all on your own!

Four & Twenty Blackbirds 439 3rd Ave (between 7th St & 6th Ave), Gowanus http://birdsblack.com/

"Butterscotch and nutty brown butter add depth to this lush pumpkin pie, which is brightened with lemon juice."--Time Out New York

"We tried a selection including the plum crumble, brown butter pumpkin and the salty honey. All the pies are hand made, and come with the same crust, which is totally the right combination of tenderness and crumble, with a great buttery flavour. The plum crumble was amazing. Sweet and crunchy with a tart punch of local plums, all smoothed out with some lightly sweetened whipped cream. The pumpkin was everything a pumpkin pie should be. Dense, deep, moist, pumpkin-ey custard filling spiked with cinnamon and the surprise addition of a nutty richness supplied by the brown butter."--Hand To Mouth Blog

"By the slice or a whole pie, Four & Twenty Blackbirds serves up the richest seasonal pies. In season right now? Not only a Pumpkin Pie, but a Honeyed Pumpkin Pie too!"--Becoming Brooklyn

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Got a brown butter pumpkin pie from Four & Twenty for Thanksgiving. One word: Orgasmic. Seriously I'm not exaggerating. It was THE best pumpkin pie I've ever eaten. The texture of the pumpkin was perfect and the taste was delicious. It didn't taste like the typical pumpkin pie; it was better. I don't know what they did to this pie but I can only assume magic was involved. The crust is always great here, flakey and buttery. I have to be honest, once my family and I tasted the pie we decided not to serve it to the guests coming over. We hid it in the fridge because it was too good to share (no shame in my greedy game)."--Angelique A.

"The pumpkin was in its own category, as the finest piece of pie that I have consumed. Perfect texture. Subtle spices. Lots of real pumpkin flavor. Crust - off the charts."--Eric N.

But, like I had said before, my favorite kind of pumpkin pie isn't the kind Four & Twenty Blackbirds make: it's got a super-sweet, honeyed graham cracker crust, just the way my mom makes it. That's why, despite all the rave reviews for the former, I will be trying Birdbath's pumpkin pie when I can get my hands on it. Part of the hugely popular City Bakery family, the Birdbath bakeries are scattered around Manhattan, serving organic, seasonal pastries and pies. You won't be finding any canned pumpkin pie filling here! Their pumpkin pie filling is looser than Four & Twenty Blackbirds because it's made more like a custard than a thick pie filling, which I also happen to prefer. The thick graham cracker crust clinches it for me, though: it's crumbly and sweet, exactly the way I like it to be. Hardcore pie aficionados don't always consider a graham cracker crust to make a "pie," but when something tastes this good, I don't care what you call it, as long as you call it mine!

Birdbath Bakery 223 1st Ave (between 13th St & 14th St) http://birdbathbakery.com

"This was the most polarizing pie of the lot, with some loving its "soft custardy innards" and "hints of nutmeg," some thinking it was "too loose"; some loved the "nutty, crumbly, sweet" graham cracker crust, others declared it "not a pie crust." That said, those who loved it, really loved it."--Serious Eats

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"I have been to this place a few times. Being that it is fall they have started to make their pumpkin pie and I must say it is delicious. The filling was rich but not overwhelming and has a fresh pumpkin flavor and the crust was perfect. Normally I make my own desserts for Thanksgiving but this year I may just have to make their pumpkin pie a part of my tradition."--Elizabeth D.

"Really expensive -- 2 cookies for $5. A slice of pumpkin pie and a cookie costs $8. The pie was very good though - pumpkin was velvety smooth with a super thick graham cracker crust. I'm a sucker for graham cracker crusts."--Lu H.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

'Tis the season! If I told you to drink a mixture of heavy cream, sugar, raw eggs, and rum at any other time of the year, you'd think I was crazy! But that's exactly what eggnog is made of: traditionally, the spiked seasonal drink has milk, sugar, whipped egg whites (to give it that frothy appearance), warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and a good helping of liquor to help wash it all down! It's a Christmas tradition after all, is it not? The exact origin of eggnog is unknown, but there are accounts of Americans drinking the stuff in the late 18th century, especially when rum became the liquor du jour of the country. Obviously to allay safety concerns, commercial brands don't sell eggnog with raw eggs in them, but the ingredients to replace the frothiness are far more artificial (and no less weird!) I've never been much of a nog drinker, but I feel that, while some traditions are great, there hasto be a better way to get your liquor intake this holiday season than taking it with a huge glass of fat, sugar, milk solids, and possible salmonella poisoning. Some wassail or rum punch, perhaps?

But, people are bound by tradition, and that mix of thick, sweet beverage and the kick from the liquor and spices makes lots of people feel in the holiday spirit. You can't turn your back on an American classic! And the best way to celebrate is by trying a new twist on an old tradition. Lots of bars will be serving some 'nog this Christmas season, but it's a good bet that their recipes will most likely be coming out of a carton. But not at the Waterfront Ale House. For years, this pub-style bar--in two locations on 2nd Avenue in Manhattan and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn--has been serving a homemade version of eggnog for the holidays, and it's considered one of the best in the city. It's so popular that the recipe has been featured by the grand poobah of all things holiday, Martha Stewart. Whole eggs, not just the whites, and lots of heavy cream are the secret ingredients to owner Sam Barbieri's "Sam's Serious Eggnog"--as well as a healthy serving of rum, brandy, and bourbon. Make no mistake, this drink isn't just the holiday pick-me-up you may imbibe in at the office Christmas party. Sam's Serious packs a punch, but if you're hankering for some serious, authentic 'nog in the city, the Waterfront Ale House is the only place to go.

Waterfront Ale House 155 Atlantic Ave (between Henry St & Clinton St), Brooklyn Heights http://www.waterfrontalehouse.com/

"Sam Barbieri, the owner of Waterfront Ale House in New York City, and Pete’s Ale House in Brooklyn. He makes arguably one of the best eggnogs in New York City — and has been doing so for the past 18 years. Taking a sip of his ‘nog, the aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove are the first thing you notice, while the creaminess mingles perfectly with the trio of liquors used. It’s beautifully balanced — something not to miss."--The Daily Meal

"During holiday season, we love the warm cozy atmosphere and the famous house brand ‘Serious Egg Nog’. It’s so tasty and full of good rum that we usually take a couple of bottles home with us. It is our no. 1 holiday drink."--Wined And Dined

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"The place is great for a gathering or an intimate dinner for two, IMO. My favorite is the smoked turkey with cheddar and jalapeño dressing. Wash it down with a Bar Habor Blueberry Ale and life is good. I bring family and friends here all the time. For the holidays, let us not forget the 'Serious Egg Nog'!. So very tasty and full of good rum!"--Doyle R.

"Pete's atmosphere is casual and welcoming. They have an old-fashioned wood bar. They have an interesting bunch of regulars, be wary of getting snared by the fellow who thinks the family who smokes pot together stays together. He's a talker. If you prefer beer to weed or like it just as much, the beer selection is excellent. And during the Christmas season, you should really try Pete's egg nog. Be careful though, that's some powerful nog."--Alice S.

Want that great egg nog-gy feel and flavor without the booze (or the raw eggs), there are tons of places around New York to get egg-nog flavored goodies...without resorting to the lattes at Starbucks. This season brings out all the seasonal flavors from restaurants and bakeries, and traditional favorites like gingerbread, peppermint, and pumpkin spice come out to play. Over at the Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery, they've come up with a seasonal dessert dish that reminds you the great bakers there do way more than just make cupcakes. (You can also get your seasonal fix with pumpkin and gingerbread cupcakes here, just so you know, you cupcake fiends!) Their pumpkin eggnog pudding is more than just a plain custard: it's more of a holiday trifle, with spiced pumpkin cake swimming in a thick, sweet, creamy eggnog pudding. The result is a super-sweet mix of textures, soft cake and creamy pudding, and a host of flavors that will always make you think of the holiday season.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery 126 Rivington St (between Essex St & Norfolk St) http://www.sugarsweetsunshine.com

"We’ve been fans of this teeny Lower East Side bakery and its pies, cakes and cupcakes for years. We love the story of these two ladies, Peg and Deb, who met while performing in The Music Man, living parallel lives of auditioning and working together at Magnolia Bakery. They launched this itty bitty bakery over nine years ago and we think it gets better every year. Come October, they roll out their moist and surprisingly light Pumpkin Cake. But the best card they’re holding is the Pumpkin Eggnog Pudding Cake, a mildly spiced trifle layered with moist Pumpkin Cake and a thick and luscious Eggnog Pudding."--Restaurant Girl

"Banana Pudding and the Chocolate Bomb Pudding are offered year-round at this Lower East Side bakery, but only in the autumn months does the pumpkin pudding make a debut. The pudding looks messy, and it is, but it's is all part of the fun, with crumbled pumpkin cake layers tossed with whipped cream and eggnog pudding. You'll end up with a toothache, but it's worth the sacrifice."--Serious Eats

"For a rich and creamy dessert, head to Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery on the Lower East Side. The bakery also serves a pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting, but the pumpkin-eggnog combination is hard to match. The Rivington Street shop has a bright 60′s/70′s decor, creating the perfect atmosphere to enjoy your pudding."--Besen Retail

"When we crave that creamy, delicious pumpkin spice, we can turn to Sugar Sweet Sunshine's Pumpkin Eggnog Pudding. Layered with crumpled pumpkin cake and topped with whipped cream in a savory eggnog concoction, this rich, milky treat will leave you full and gratified."--Guest Of A Guest

"The Pumkin Trifle may be a sugar overload, but it’s way too good to pass up in all its cloying glory. Eggnog pudding is layered with pumpkin cake crumbles and whipped cream. Get your taste buds ready and toothbrushes on deck."--Fashion Indie

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"SUGAR SWEET SUNSHINE has been COMMENDED! This LES bakery best known for its cupcakes also makes puddings so awesome I call them whipped cream with superpowers. This seasonal version, with pumpkin cake, egg nog pudding and gobs upon gobs of whip, may not be around for long, so snag some while you can. WARNING: May induce a days-long sugar high."--The C.

"I ordered the banana pudding, loaded with chunks of fresh banana and 'nilla wafers....or was it cake? I can't remember that part, but damn, was it good..... and the "shot" was just the perfect amount after a filling meal @ Katz's Deli. My husband got pumpkin eggnog pudding, which he loved. I'm not a fan of eggnog, and I really liked his, as well."--Claudia B.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

Have you ever had pfeffernusse? (I have to admit, I had to copy and paste the name throughout this entire blog post. D'oh!) Well, I guess the first question is, who knows what "pfeffernusse" is? Even though it sounds like a complicated dish (or reminds me of the rabbit "Hasenpfeffer" stew they always wanted to bake Bugs Bunny in!), pfeffernusseis a kind of biscuit-y cookie coming from the Netherlands. Dense and filled with chopped nuts, pfeffernusse are spiced with cinnamon and ground cloves, and covered with a dusting of confectioner's sugar. They're traditionally made on the December 5 holiday of Sinterklaas, but in modern days, they're eaten all throughout the Christmas season. I had these little round ball cookies only once: during the annual holiday cookie exchange at work, my coworker who comes from a Dutch-German Mennonite family made her family's pfeffernusse recipe. They were heavy, and a little hard to bite into, but once you got to the heart of the cookie, it was delicious: spicy, nutty, and sweet from the confectioner's sugar. They looked a little like powdered Munchkin donuts, but they definitely didn't taste like them!

There aren't many bakeries in New York City that make this traditional Dutch treat: spicy and jaw-breaking hard when they're first made, they aren't the shining star of a holiday cookie menu. But you can find pfeffernusse--and other old Dutch and German baked treats--at Glaser's Bake Shop on the Upper East Side. Full of old-world nostalgia and immune to the passing fads of macarons and cupcakes, Glaser's has been in the same location--and run by the same family--since 1902. All of their recipes seem to come from that era, too, from the chocolate pecan brownies to the Bavarian cherry spritz. They offer pfeffernusse cookies for the season, and you can bet they're the most authentic and tastiest you'll find in the city. If you've never tried these cookies before, head to Glaser's Bake Shop and see what you've been missing!

Glaser's Bake Shop 1670 1st Ave (between 87th St & 88th St) http://glasersbakeshop.com

"Freshly baked pfeffernüsse — small round cookies covered in powdered sugar — can still be found just around the corner from St. Joseph’s, at least at Christmastime, in the wood and glass cases of Glaser’s Bake Shop, a third-generation, 106-year-old business at 1670 First Avenue."--The New York Times

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Although this bakery has German roots, it does not offer a wide assortment of the most typical of German baked items. Although you can still get things like "Linzer Tarts" and "Apfelstrudel" as well as "Stollen" and "Pfeffernüsse" during the holidays, it's more the "look and feel" as well as the quality that still makes "Glaser's" a German-American style bakery. The last of it's kind in Yorkville's "Little Germany", Glaser's lives up to its reputation as one of the best bake shops in NYC."--Kent W.

"Upon walking in, it really is like being transported in time (a bit). All of the antique fittings, wood cabinets and details are original (or at least very old) and the place smells terrific. The display cases are full of tempting baked goods from huge lemon meringue pies (which are excellent) to tarts, cookies, cupcakes, etc. They always seem to have seasonal goodies. Their pfeffernüsse and stollen at Christmastime are phenomenal."--Justin S.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

Date nut bread is the perfect in-between seasonal dish: not too sweet, but also not too savory, date nut bread is a great break from both the super-sweet treats and the savory portions of holiday dining. As easy to bake as any other fruit bread--even a horrible baker like myself can't mess it up--date nut bread has the mild sweetness of dates baked into its batter, along with the nutty crunch of walnuts, that makes it a simple bread to bake or buy in the store. And, as a holiday bread, you'll find mass-produced brands cropping up in grocery stores around this time of year.

But why buy mass-produced, packaged date nut bread when you can have a slice fresh, with a little schmear to go on the side? New York City's got a deep history with the date nut bread that we may not even think of. Before the popular fad of boutique coffeehouse chains came to the world by way of Seattle, New York had its own national coffee chain: Chock Full O' Nuts. Back in the 1950s and 60s, it was way more than a yellow tin in the grocery store and a catchy jingle: Chock Full O' Nuts coffee shops filled the city, and offered breads, cakes, and pastries along with their high-quality coffee. And one of these pastry items became the chain's signature dish: date nut bread sandwiches filled with cream cheese. The dense, chewy bread and the thick cream cheese made the sandwich quite a filling meal for very little money, and the "starving artists" of bohemian New York grew to be not-as-starving after a trip to Chock Full O' Nuts. My mom remembers eating at the Chock Full O' Nuts locations around the city when she was a teenager--it's where she got her love of cream cheese and jelly sandwiches. Although the bread wasn't baked in-house--all baking was done in CFON's warehouse facilities in Secaucus--the date nut bread sandwich was a huge hit all the way through the 1970s. But after the original owner died in 1983, the shops all shuttered, and the Chock Full O' Nuts coffee house brand was a thing of the past.

At least, until now. Just a few years ago, Chock Full O' Nuts announced they were relaunching their coffee house business in New York, with their first location open on 23rd Street and 5th Avenue in 2010. (Although it may have been an imitation, a Chock Full O' Nuts cafe opened in Midwood when I was still going to high school, so around 2000 or so. I remember they had the best coffee smoothies there, way better than Dunkin Donuts' Coolattas.) To reinvigorate their brand, Chock Full O' Nuts even sponsored a Date Nut Bread Sandwich eating competition through the International Federation of Competitive Eating at Madison Square Garden! How cool is that?? You can order their famous date nut bread sandwiches at any of their new locations throughout the city, and enjoy them as you did when you were young, like my mom, or try them out for the first time and see what all the fuss was about back then!

Chock Full O' Nuts various locations http://www.chockfullonuts.com

"The sandwich, made of two dense slices of date-nut bread slathered with cream cheese, was once a daily fixture of New York City life, particularly for those on a budget. In their respective memoirs, By Myself and Then Some, and Memoirs of a Beatnik, model-turned actress Lauren Bacall and poet Diane di Prima recount how they relied on Chock Full o' Nuts’ date-nut sandwiches as a primary source of young-artist sustenance. Bacall remembers the sandwiches (10 cents when she ate them in the 1940s) and a cup of coffee (5 cents) being “not substantial, but filling—[they] got me through the day.”"--Capital New York

"“It finally dawned on us that we were missing the heritage, and that we really needed to get back to the roots of what Chock was really well-known for,” said Jim LaGanke, a vice president of the company, which has continued to sell its self-proclaimed “heavenly coffee” in stores. “We’re going to bring back Chock to New York in a way that people remember it.” Quite literally: the restaurant, on 23rd Street between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas, is even offering two versions of its nutty sandwich — the original, on whole-wheat raisin bread with walnuts and Neufchatel cheese, and one with cream cheese on date-nut bread, which many people remember fondly despite its late introduction to the menu, Mr. LaGanke said."--The New York Times

"You couldn’t pick a better comeback symbol than Chock Full o’ Nuts. For one thing, these lunch counters were the early vanguard of health food. Their meals were cheap, quick, delicious, and nutritious, like their famous Cream Cheese on Date-Nut Bread. In a city full of expensive faux-diners, all claiming to serve old-fashioned comfort food, this wonderful dish hasn’t been seen anywhere on a menu in years."--The Village Voice

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"My chili-stuffed avocado, a daily special, was delicious and at $7.99 was a bargain for a whole Hass avocado, topped with two ice cream scoops of very good chili.and served with homemade chips The mac and cheese was creamy and old-fashioned and though I would have preferred a sharper cheese in the mix it's definitely a kid-pleaser. And the date-bread cream cheese sandwich was everything my mother remembered."--Elizabeth B.

"Love this place! The coffee is good, and the date-nut bread with cream cheese is insane. Our waitress was super nice and friendly. Will definitely be back!"--J. C.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

Quick trivia question: where does the kiwi fruit originate from? I'm sure you want to say the land known for kiwi: the fruit, the bird, and the people--New Zealand. It's one of the things we really think of when the Southern Hemisphere nation is brought up. But kiwis didn't come to New Zealand until the early 20th century, and were brought over from mainland China. But Kiwis embraced yang tao--the Chinese name for kiwi--and by 1962 the fruit had become so synonymous with the country that they dubbed it "kiwifruit," to go along with the rest of the country. (It's popularly known that the kiwi fruit was named after the kiwi bird, because they're both small, brown, and fuzzy!) Nowadays, New Zealand isn't even the main producer of the vine-grown berry fruit--that happens to be Italy, whose southern lands hold the best year-round climate for growing kiwi fruit. But it's still the official fruit of New Zealand, and everyone around the world wants to eat a kiwi from the land of kiwi!

So, with respect to the worldwide tradition that kiwis have and always will be a New Zealand kind of flavor, you've got to get your kiwi fix today from a real kiwi restaurant. Like Kiwiana! I mentioned Kiwiana before for their take on the New Zealand pavlova on National Cake Day. Chef and owner Mark Simmons is from the ol' isle himself, and everything about this restaurant's menu is a celebration of New Zealand cuisine. But while you may drool over the Kiwi Lamb Burger and cranberry lamingtons, make sure you get there early for brunch to put that slovenly mouth to good use--and enjoy a glass of kiwi mimosa. This take on the perennial morning-after cocktail uses kiwi juice instead of orange juice, and it gives it a floral kick that you may need during this holiday season. It's the perfect accompaniment to a Kiwi brunch--and one that I wouldn't mind tasting myself!

Kiwiana 847 Union St (between 6th Ave & 7th Ave) http://www.kiwiana-nyc.com/

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Came here with group of ladies for a book club/brunch. The service was awesome. Everyone was very accommodating and friendly. The staff didn't even complain when we stayed longer than our reservations were for (they were setting up for a private party). The food is also pretty good. In line with the overall theme, they've managed to infuse kiwi into several of their menu options. Seems to be working out pretty well for them; I Ioved the kiwi mimosas."--Ana B.

"Kiwiana is a surprise found. We were trying to find a lunch place before we went to Brooklyn Museum. Egg benefit is very special here. It's doesn't have the smoked salmon. It's made by braised pork belly, poached eggs, brioche and hollandaise. Kiwi mimosa is special and delicious as well. The price is very reasonable. I am looking forward to visit them again soon."--Danny C.

Want something a little more substantive on Kiwi Fruit Day? Then head to a different borough--Queens--to Cannelle Patisserie, an unassuming little pastry shop that has gotten a lot of critical and popular acclaim. Cannelle has been known as the little French bakery outpost that could, rivaling many comparable Manhattan bakeries for an outer-borough price. And while rote pastry bakeries will feature kiwi fruit only in their sugar-glazed fruit tarts--which usually have very little taste or originality--Cannelle makes a Mango-Kiwi combo pastry that will knock your socks off! A layer of shortbread sets the foundation for this finger-food, which then has a layer of kiwi filling, topped with a fluffy mango mousse. The result is a French pastry that has decidedly un-French flavors: the brightness of the mango and kiwi come through in this little pastry bite, but the mousse and the shortbread remind you that this is a unique mix of fruit and crumbly sweet cake, with a perfect balance between the two. Boring old fruit tart, this is definitely not.

Cannelle Patisserie 75-59 31st Ave, East Elmhurst http://www.cannellepatisserie.com

"The mango and kiwi flavors make this a perfect summer dessert. I do wish I could taste more of the mango a tad more though. I also like the different textures- the mango mousse, the kiwi filling, and the crumbs at the bottom. I believe this was $3.75."--Eat Drink Explore

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Mango Kiwi Shortcake: Shortcake with a slice of kiwi on top, covered in a rich mango mousse. Tart and sweet, a perfect summer treat."--Tinya C.

"This place is in a surprising location. Sadly, I live very far away. But I managed to meet up with a friend who brought me a few of these sweets, the coco-fraise, mango-kiwi, black forest, flan, and the cheese danish. (All for less than $13). The mousse desserts here are really light and airy, without being too sweet and perfectly sour in the case of the mango-kiwi one. Whose kiwi bit insides remind me of passion fruit.. surrounded by fluffy mousse, very good."--Laura W.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!

[nycfooddays]

While some days that have two national food holidays don't really go together (like Pumpkin Day and Mince Meat Pie Day, uh, no thanks...), I think today's pair would make a lovely dinner accompaniment! To go along with National Fried Shrimp Day, you can wash all that delicious shrimp down with a glass of sangria for National Sangria Day! Known as a festive party drink, sangriais a Spanish wine punch that adds fresh fruit and simple syrup to a red or white wine to make it sweeter--and more fun! Red wine sangrias are more typical than white, and the fruits usually differ based on the wine and the season: red wine sangrias can hold up to bolder fruit flavors like berries, oranges and other citrus fruits, while white wine sangrias tend to be lighter and served in the summer with melons and grapes. The nature of the preparation means that sangria is best ordered by the pitcher--or even the bowl--so it's perfect for a group of friends over tapas or a festive drink during a party. Although sangria has become popular all over the world, especially in the West Indies, and it's made throughout the year, in Spain and Portugal where it originated the punch is only enjoyed during the holiday season. So, it's the perfect punch to serve at your Christmas party!

One of the most celebrated sangrias in New York City comes from a Cuban legacy restaurant, Victor's Cafe. Originally opened on the Upper West Side in 1963, Victor's serves some of the best Cuban food in the city, with a fantastic atmosphere that can change nightly from a smoky piano bar to a full-throttle Latin nightclub. The original location on the Upper West Side was sold, but the original Victor--Victor del Corral--opened a new location on West 52nd Street that caters both to his original Cuban expat clientele and Broadway fans looking for a pre-show dinner. The place is still a family-run restaurant and still fantastic after all these years. Their sangria, both red and white versions, is impressive to critics and patrons alike, and is sweetened with orange and apple slices. Since they always keep the sangria flowing here, you can order it by the glass, or treat your whole table to a pitcher--I'm sure no one will be complaining! Try a glass of red, then a glass of white, and order up a batch of your favorite, along with some delicious Cuban dishes like ropa vieja and filete mignon criollo.

Victor's Cafe 236 W 52nd St (between Broadway & 8th Ave) http://www.victorscafe.com/

"I have fond memories of that steamy and colorful spot in its heyday, before yuppification washed over the neighborhood, when exuberant Latin couples packed the place late at night sharing pitchers of fruity sangria and excavating earthenware crocks overloaded with arroz con pollo. Mr. del Corral sold the cafe five years ago, although it retains his name, and he now concentrates on his second, larger establishment opened seven years ago in the Broadway theater district, called Victor's Cafe 52."--The New York Times

"The sangria service was impressive – our waiter managed to balance his tray of four stemmed glasses, tilting the pitcher into each one, without spilling, or toppling the whole thing. It made me a bit nervous just watching him – I certainly couldn’t manage such a feat of coordination. The sangria, much like everything else we had tried, was on the sweet side, with slices of orange and more than a hint of apple flavor."--Me Like Eat

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"The Vaca Frita was amazing and so were all of the other dishes that my family ordered, not to mention that the sangria was possibly the best sangria I think I've ever had. The ambiance was great and every one in the restaurant truly looked like they were enjoying themselves and the food. I would go back for the food alone, but the great customer service we received yesterday will keep me coming back for sure. They made me feel like family and not just another customer."--Carlos J.

"We started off with the Sangria since my girlfriend loves that drink and this is a Cuban restaurant. BEST SANGRIA WE EVER HAD. We ordered then lobster empanada and savored every morsel. Both of our meals were delicious! Our waiters were VERY attentive the entire night. We never had to pour our own sangria, the waiters made sure our glasses were topped at all times. When my girlfriend took a restroom break and left her napkin on the seat, the waiter came by and folded her napkin and set it back on the table. I noticed that when the waiters weren't serving, they were observing all the tables to see who needed what. Other restaurants need to take notes."--Mike P.

Daring to try something different this National Sangria Day? Try a variation of sangria that comes from the West Indies. Miss Lily's down on Houston Street serves up Jamaican cuisine and other Caribbean delights, with a great party-like atmosphere that draws a fine line between restaurant and nightclub. Alongside their food menu of jerk chicken and roti, they serve both hot- and cold-brewed Jamaican coffee from Blue Mountain and homemade ginger hibiscus tea. While it's strange that a restaurant that keeps teetering on the edge of nightclub doesn't have a full liquor license, you never notice with the beer and wine selection they serve. You can be a tourist and order a bottle of Red Stripe, but the best thing to get are their pitchers of Dutty Wine--or, Jamaican sangria. Their sangria comes in both red and white, and uses fruit purees to sweeten the punch. It's tough to peg down a specific recipe for their Dutty Wine--each bartender at Miss Lily's makes it a little bit different. That just means you have to visit on more than one occasion and keep ordering the sangria!

Miss Lily's 132 W Houston St (between Sullivan St & Mac Dougal St) http://www.misslilysnyc.com/

"This jumping Jamaican spot offers red and white sangrias, or as they call it, Dutty Wine, for brunch and dinner. Although no two bartenders make the exact same recipe, they are all likely to make use of fruit purees. On a recent Saturday, the red sangria had a dash of raspberry and the white was laced with a tropical note of passionfruit. Both are served over ice and garnished with citrus and apples."--CBS New York

"When you think of Miss. Lily's you probably don't think of sangria, but this Jamaican diner puts their own twist on the Spanish classic. Miss Lily's makes both red and white sangria, and depending on which bartender makes it, the drink tastes different every time."--Guest of a Guest

"First off, the vibe is so chill you almost forget you’re in New York. The staff is extremely laid back and contagiously friendly. Every inch of the place is covered in authentic Caribbean decor. You cant help but feel relaxed and at ease as you shimmy into the 70’s-style booth, settled within the dimly lit dining room. The menu reflects the authenticity of the ambiance, you can expect to feast on dishes like jerk chicken and cod fritters. The must have are the festivals, a Jamaican specialty bread which is my favorite ting on the menu. Drink wise - go for the white sangria or a classic Dark & Stormy."--Downtown Diaries

Some reviews from Yelp.com:

"Being the sucker for adult bevvies consisting of red (or white as well here at Lily's!) wine infused with fresh-pealed citrus, and soda water that I am... boy was I excited to touch my lips to Miss Lily's sweet, Godly nectar on a humid evening in the city just a handful of days ago. I was fairly parched and carrying around a pretty notable humidity ooze, so it was just what the doctor ordered. Er, make that just what the nurse ordered. We all know they do most of the work..."--Ruggy J.

"The host found seats for us at the bar, the DJ was spinning sweet, sweet music and the bartender saw to our every need. Durty wine (white and red) and jerk chicken to die for. Seriously, folks, have you had the jerk chicken? I actually picked up the bones to make sure I'd eaten everything... After dinner we were comped a lovely chocolatey, ice-creamy, caramel corn dessert. We will be back!"--Debby R.

Make sure you check out the updated NYC Food Holidays Mapto find this most recent holiday!