Filed under: Cook, Eat | Tags: baked, cupcakes, football, party, Project Cupcake, strawberries, Superbowl
In the spirit of the upcoming college football season, I thought I’d share my friend Sera’s football cupcakes from her last Superbowl party. Chocolate-dipped strawberries with icing laces! How festive and football-y is that?
You should see the hamburger cake she made for her bf’s birthday. Uh. Maze. Ing.
If you want her to whip up some custom cupcakes/cakes for your next fete (bdays, bridal showers, baby showers, weddings), leave a comment or tweet me and I’ll send her a note for you. She is one half of the sometimes-on Project Cupcake.
Filed under: Cook, Drink | Tags: chicken, Filipino, mango, recipes, summer salads
In 2008, we had a rotating potluck going and it was Jilly’s turn to cook the main. I’d been craving Filipino food so I requested that she make chicken adobo because all Filipinos know how to make amazing chicken adobo, right? Riiight. All Filipinos know how to make amazing chicken adobo just like all Japanese are ninjas. That first stab at chicken adobo? Let’s just say it was… less than successful. Blame it on the fact that she used boneless skinless chicken breasts, or that she used full sodium soy sauce, or that she hadn’t yet learned what brining was. One diner actually asked, “Is this beef?”
Then one day, she posted this picture, and I knew she’d finally figured it out:
Two years, it took, but she finally perfected the recipe and when I begged her to let me try the new and improved version of her chicken adobo, she had me over for dinner. As I walked into the apartment, the aroma of garlic and ginger wafting through the air, the sound of the chicken sizzling in the pan, and the sight of my lovely hostess smiling at me… it all had me a little weak in the knees.
You’ve come a long way, baby.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in chicken legs (drumstick/thigh combos), brined overnight in solution of 1/4 cup salt + 1 gallon of water
- 8 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- Coconut oil OR canola oil to fry chicken
- After brining chicken for 24 hours, remove and let sit in a bowl for 1 hour (to let the water soak into the chicken and away from the skin…we want crispy skin!)
- Marinate chicken for 1 hour in all of the above ingredients (minus the brine, of course) in a large pot
- Begin cooking; let simmer and stir regularly until chicken appears cooked, opaque and white. Turn off heat.
- Have a frying pan ready with oil, preheated till oil is shimmering (supa dupa hot)
- Begin frying chicken in batches as pan allows–this will be messy, but worth it! If possible, a brave soul with long arms (and long sleeves) should be the one doing this step
- Fry till crispy, golden, and brown.
- As each piece is perfectly fried, put it back into the pot with the soy/vinegar/garlic mixture
- When done frying, cook the chicken back up in the soy mixture, and simmer until mixture is thick and chicken is cooked through (the poke-with-a-knife test, etc.)
- Jill likes to add a teaspoon of sugar in there as it simmers at this step to make it a little richer and caramelized-ish
Region: Pfaffenheim (Alsace), France.
Notes: 100 growers created a co-operative called ‘The winegrowers of Pfaffenheim’, whose grapes are never sold outside of the Co-op. Several Grand Cru vineyards. 2010 is the first year these wines are sold in the U.S.Description: Beautiful golden-yellow color with clean aromas of peach and apricots. The palate is surprisingly dry for such intense aromas and richness. Lovely minerality and starfruit character that yields to red plum on the finish.
- 3 Jersey tomatoes OR 4-5 plum tomatoes, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 red onion, also diced
- 1 mango, diced (use a firm mango to avoid smushiness..we like crisp!)
- as much or as little cilantro as you’d like, finely chopped
- dash of white vinegar, to taste
- dash of soy or fish sauce, to taste
- squeezed 1/2 lime or 1/4 lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
Filed under: Go | Tags: Blue Ribbon, bowling, Brooklyn Bowl, free, summer, Williamsburg
Yet another reason why NYC in the summer is so rad: MORE FREE STUFF! This time, free bowling at Brooklyn Bowl. For those of us wage slaves stuck at our offices until 7, this may not be a viable option, but for those of you lucky ducks who can make it to Williamsburg by 6 pm to take full advantage of the offer, please – drink a cold brewski or a White Russian for me.
FREE BOWLING + SHOES, every Monday through Friday from 6-7PM.* Just mention “Summer Bowl” when checking in at the bowling desk to receive the discount. *Door charges for ticketed events still apply. Once the bowling happy hour is over, though, it’s back to $25 per half hour. Then you can take a break and nibble on some Blue Ribbon goodies.
Bowl forth and be merry.
Filed under: Eat | Tags: botan ebi, East Village, Japanese, sea urchin, St. Mark's, sushi, tofu, tuna, uni
Cold tofu dissolves on tongue. Scallion bits crunch.
Miso black cod melts in your mouth, hint of sweetness lingers.
Slightly warmed rice gives new life to fresh and succulent fish. Unctuous uni and silky botan ebi leave me with eyes aglaze.
Tempura fried bananas corrupt.
Cotan reduces me to poetry.
Seriously, though. This place is legit underrated. Quality of sushi vs. price makes it an incredible steal, and the non-sushi fare was excellent, as well. This is not the place you go for sexy ambiance or cheap sushi. You go here because the food makes it so effing worthwhile. The sushi deluxe (9 pieces) includes uni (sea urchin) and a tuna roll that made my eyes roll into the back of my head. Yeah. It was that good.
Eat: Cotan. 135 1st Ave at St. Mark’s.
They gone done it again. Scoop Street first broke onto the online couponing scene two years ago with its Taste of Seventh Street food fest. Now they’ve picked some stellar Nolita eats.
I’m there.
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$19 ($35 value)
 Nolita,
Manhattan |
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If you had to pick just one neighborhood in New York that embodies cool – that has all the chic-est boutiques, the hippest vibe, the widest variety of delicious restaurants – what would it be? Nolita wins our vote, which is why – after two Tastes of 7th Street and a Taste of Midtown East – we’re bringing you our first ever Taste of Nolitafood festival.From tacos at Tacombi to award-winning croissants (Serious Eatsrated them #1 in NYC) at Ceci-Cela to fusion hot dogs at Asiadog, Nolita offers some of the city’s most diverse and lauded food options. But don’t just take our word for it – grab your friends, family, date, or anyone else you know and come experience the flavors for yourself.For just $19, your “Taste of Nolita” ticket gets you nearly half off the signature menu items – a $35 value – at the neighborhood’s hottest eateries all day from Wednesday-Friday, June 22nd-24th, 2011.Whether you try them all in one go – complementing the tastes with discounts on coffee and drinks – or spread out your sampling over the three-day affair, this is one event you won’t want to miss out on.So where does this one-time event make you an insider?
Is your mouth watering yet? Hurry and grab your tickets to the first ever Taste of Nolita extravaganza before they disappear. |
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Filed under: Drink, Eat, Go | Tags: Alphabet City, duck, Edi & the Wolf, feast, Rendezfoods
Kick off the summer with a whole roasted duck feast at Edi & the Wolf in Alphabet City as featured in Time Out NY and Thrillist. Austrian chefs Eduard “Edi” Frauneder and Wolfgang “the Wolf” Ban salt and stuff a duck with orange and apple quarters, celery, garlic cloves and rosemary before rubbing it down real good with paprika and other magic herbs.
We’ve ordered two whole birds and a sampler of small plates, shared plates, and shared entrees.
- Who: Your hosts plus 10 lucky foodies
- What: Duck Feast, estimated cost $30 to $40 pp including tax and tip – does not include beverages
- Where: Edi & the Wolf 102 Ave C btwn 6th & 7th (212-598-1040)
- When: Friday, June 10 @ 8 pm
RSVP via Eventbrite no later than Wednesday, June 8. The RSVP is free, but bring some cash to cover your share of dinner.
Haben sie Hunger?
Filed under: Drink, Eat | Tags: Abita, all you can eat, beer, crawfish, Parkside Lounge
Crawfish boil part deux! Crawfish army takes over LES.
- What: $35 all you can eat crawfish, potatoes, and corn on the cob
- When: Saturday, June 11 at 2 pm until the crawfish runs out (around 5 or 6 pm)
- Where: Parkside Lounge, LES, Houston at Attorney
For tickets, e-mail Chris at parksidefun@gmail.com.
Filed under: Drink, Eat | Tags: Alphabet City, beer, bourbon, burger, Burger Conquest, EVill, free, Idle Hands Bar, sliders, whiskey
I love a good free food with drink deal. And I love Idle Hands Bar – how can you not love a place whose tagline is Bourbon. Beer. Rock.? So this news makes me giddy:
- Who: burger, beer, and bourbon lovers all across NYC
- What: free mini burgers from That Burger Tent
- Where: Idle Hands on Ave. B at 3rd St.
- When: Mondays from 7 to 10 pm
- Why: One of the Idle Hands’ owners also runs Burger Conquest. Need I say more?
- How: Get a free mini burger w/$5 drink purchase, or buy mini burgers for $2 each
Eat/Drink: Idle Hands Bar (Alphabet City/East Village) 25 Avenue B between 2nd and 3rd, downstairs; New York, New York 10009. (917) 338-7090. Miniburger Mondays from 7-10 pm.
Filed under: Drink, Eat, Love | Tags: benefit, Bond St, Buddakan, Chelsea, EN Japanese Brasserie, Japan, Japanese, Japanese Red Cross, Kajitsu, Kyotofu, Kyoya, Matsuri, Sakagura, sake, Tanuki Tavern, tasting menu, wd-50
New York’s premier sake and restaurant community has partnered with Project by Project to host New York Loves Japan, a sake and chefs’ tasting to benefit relief efforts in Japan.
The benefit takes place this Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at La.venue in Chelsea, featuring 100 tastes of sake with food pairings to pay tribute to the culture and the rebuilding of communities in Japan. See Event Details.
Food sponsors include 15 East, Bond Street, Bozu, Buddakan, EN Japanese Brasserie, Geisha, Hibino, Kajitsu, Kyotofu, Kyoya, Matsuri, Sakagura, Tanuki Tavern, wd~50, and Unique Eats Chef Lee Anne Wong. For a full list of sake sponsors, click here. The list is quite impressive.
VIP Admission: $175
- Early Event Admission Starting at 6 PM
- Private VIP Daiginjo Sake Lounge Starting at 6 PM
- Sake Cup Gift Bag
- Plus General Admission Ticket Privileges
General Admission: $100
- Event General Admission Starting at 7 PM
- Try Over 100 Different Sakes
- Delicious Food from over 15 Restaurants
- Silent Auction
All proceeds will benefit the Japanese Red Cross Society. Your donation will support disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.
General Admission Tickets will be $125 at the door, so buy your tickets online now!
