Oy, vey! Oysters!

Hey, y'all! Sorry this post took so long, I lost the paper I wrote my list and descriptions on! While packing for my next trip to DMV (and possibly NYC), I found it in between jeans. Weird.

Anyway, when I went to Grand Central's Oyster Bar, I was presented with a menu and time. I read over the menu and decided I wanted 6 from each coast. I was once told west coast oysters are smaller and sweeter whereas east coast are bigger and saltier. I wanted to put that to the test by choosing 2 oysters from each location. I'll start with West Coast oysters.

Emerald Cove from Washington: the first one was very milky and basic tasting (alkaline). Almost like eating liquid soap. The second one was better b/c the mignonette sauce (MS) cut thru the basic taste.

Hama Hama from Washington: very salty at first, goes down good! The second one was too intense with MS. Salt + Acid doesn't taste too good.

I tried to order Snow Creek, Yaquina, and Totem Inlet but they were out. It looked like my west coast oyster tour has ended. I didn't want to eat anymore from Washington but the other states like Oregon and Cali were perkin. Now for East Coast.

Martha's Vineyard from Massachusetts: first one was salty! But unlike the HamaHama's, the second one tasted much better with MS!

North Haven from Maine: this was a bitter oyster. I remember making a medicine face. It became sweet when paired with MS.

Beaver Tail from Rhode Island: the first one was bland, the second one was AWESOME with MS! It was my fave of the bunch! Note to self, get RI oysters whenever possible and have plenty of mignonette sauce available.

Cape Breton from Nova Scotia: this one was recommended to me by a Russian couple seated next to me. The man overheard my trouble with various west coast oysters and suggested I try this one. He looked like he eats people who don't follow directions (think the typical russian goon bad guy in movies) so i didn't want to tell him I was trying to get an equal number of oysters from each coast... anyway, it was a nice oyster and better with MS. I was still in love with the RI oyster.

I thought about ordering some more Beaver Tails and trying different ones but I was kind of full. Remember, I had a hotdog, shackburg, and fro-yo! No worries, I walked EVERYTHING off freakin around in NYC!

So that was my oyster adventure! I can't wait to go back and try some more!

*my notes are cracking me up. You should see the exclamation points and capital letters I used to emphasize each oyster*

Feed My Face, I'm on Vacay!: Day One

I went to see the McQueen exhibit at The Met and was simply amazed by that man. He was truly an artist, not just a fashion designer but an AR.TISTE. Almost scary.

Anyway, after being annoyed by everyone else who was in the museum, I was thisclose to calling the day a wrap. The rain was unrelenting, my feet were wet, my umbrella I just bought from some guy on the street had a hole in it and the day was just gray. I wanted some hot chocolate, sweats and tube socks. But I was in Manhattan. I was walking down 5th Avenue. I was walking down Madison and then Park Ave. It hit me that I am in New York City! I needed to make the most of my day cause guess what? I let the rain keep me indoors while in the DMV. Not this time!

As I made my way back to the front of the Met, I remembered I wanted a hotdog from a street vendor. For some weird reason, I ordered a jumbo one thinking that was more of a NYC move. That was dumb. It was a slightly bigger than the bun dog that tasted like any other hotdog I've ever eaten. Oh well, check it off my list.

Now I'm walking down 5th and I realize if I want something to eat, I'm going to have to get off this avenue. 5th Ave is lined with residences and then shops. An occasional boulangerie or nail spa but for the most part, golden gates and doormen.

I make my way towards Lexington where I saw more down to earth places like CVS and duane reade. I walk in city block circles, sometimes crossing the street and walking back the way I came. I didn't know where I was going and my GPS was tripping with the location of a specific restaurant I wanted. Oh well, I made a right on some street and found a Tasti-D-Lite. I think I saw C. Bradshaw eating there once so I got a sugar cone with french vanilla ice fro-yo.

It was so good. It was like eating cotton candy silk velvet. so smooth and rich and light at the same time. A whole mouth feeling in just one bite. It made my mouth feel good, a warm fuzzy feeling even though it was a frozen treat. Almost like a good red wine I guess.

Too bad he gave me a ish-ton on a tiny cone. I ended up throwing most of it away cause I just finished eating a jumbo hotdog. And I realized I didn't like cone. It doesn't get soft like cheapy-cones you get from the grocery store get.

I'm still sitting in the TDL trying to find the soft shell banh mi restaurant on my own (with GPS) and it's not working. I leave and start wandering aimlessly, looking down cross streets for something to grab my interest. I walk past a burger joint with no-one in line. OMG, this is Sha.ke Shack! It's on my list and I've heard talk on twitter abt this place! Wait, no line?!?! I'm there!

I get the Shac.kburger. What makes it a shackburger is the tangy mayo sauce they add. I think I would've liked more of the sauce but other than that, it was delish. All parts of the burger melted in my mouth. The bun was lightly toasted but still soft and almost croissant-ish; tear away gooey goodness. The hand made angus patty was to-die for. the fresh veggies were not overwhelming. And it was the perfect size. (Well, I did just eat a jumbo hotdog and a few bites of fro-yo so this statement should be taken with a grain of salt). Believe it or not, they use american cheese and guess what? IT WORKS! I would like to go back to try some of their other menu items like the frozen custard and the split hotdog. Y'all know i'm a whore for hotdogs.

If our friend B.BeyonceL-W was reading this, she knows she better take me to willie's weener- wagon before I know sumthing!!

So in the past hour, i've eaten three iconic NY foods. I'm good! I make it back to 86th and Lex and get so confused about which train to take. Uptown or Downtown? I just want to go to Brooklyn and all the signs are saying the same thing. It turns out I was supposed to cross the street to get to the BK bound trains... who knew?

I get on the right train and I hear the conductor announce "Grand Central Station". I jump up and decide to hit up the oyster bar! Why not!?!? This day will not go to waste!

I'm headed in the right direction!

It looks like a diner. But it's a raw bar. *swoon*

You seat yourself and the NYC equivalent of a wafflehouse waitress named Dottie tosses a paper menu printed that day at you. That's when I went to work.

Feed My Face!

So as you may or may not know, Z a g a t has a list of the 30 must-have foods in NYC this summer. Of that list, I chose 20 I'd like to try. Here are the ones I eliminated:

I crossed off 'a bucket of Corona's at the Frying Pan' b/c

1. I don't drink beer and

2. really? i'ma come to NY to drink something I can get ANYWHERE else?

I don't need to try the DitchPlains's mussels b/c I realize i'm not the biggest fan of them. I always get them rubbery. Send me oysters instead.

I don't want Gray's papaya drink b/c papaya may be the fruit I hate more than cantaloupe (but not more than guava).

I've decided to pass on a tiki drink from a place called Hurricane... if tiki drinks weren't invented in So.Fla, they were definitely perfected there.

I don't want ribs from anywhere above the Mason-Dixon, sorry Hill Country.

I'm not going to pay upwards of $12 for a yerbabuena ensalata which is nothing more than a dressed up caprese but instead of basil, they use mint (yech in food).

Starbux iced anything didn't make my list and neither did rosa mexicano's overpriced pom margarita (Which I happened to already have tasted whilst in DC).

I didn't add gownusyacht's 'beer and a burger' cause i already have a burger joint on my list and i'm kind of burgered out.

So what does that leave?

Black Forty's Crab Boil

The Bedford's Sangria

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck's Salty Pimp

Brookyln Farmacy's Egg Cream

Cafe Habana's Grilled Corn

CoolHaus' Ice Cream Sandwich

El Faro's Gazpacho

Grand Central Station's Oyster Bar's Oysters

Grimaldi's Pizza

Grom's Gelato

Luke's Lobster Roll

Mermaid Oyster Bar's Oyster Po Boy

Mr. Softee Ice Cream

Nathan's Hotdog

Nuela's Ceviche

People's Pops

Red Hook Ball Field's Huarache

Rouge et Blan's Soft Shell Crab Banh Mi

Shake Shack's Burger

Tacombi's Fish Taco

Zengo's Tequila Snow Cone

Also on my list is the requisite NY stuff. A hotdog from a vendor on the street and maybe a pretzel. I can live my life w/o eating pretzels so I'm not too pressed abt that one...

Stay tuned for the next episode of Feed My Face!

Max & Min

I like to think I'm opposite of Jameil when it comes to recipes. Where she will spend all day in a farmer's market and get every.single.ingredient for a dish, I will look at same recipe and skip it b/c of the "esoteric" qualities. Although I TOTALLY admire her for her no fear approach to cooking, I'm more on a "what will I ever need cardamom for? Pass". She has no fear, I just like to stick with what I know.

You can imagine my joy when Foo.dNetwork introduced a show called '5 Ingredient Fix'. Sooooo up my alley! If something calls for 18 steps and ingredients, my eyes glaze over and I order sushi. I really don't know where this lazy approach to cooking came from cause I used to be a cooking fool in college!!

I digress.

I found recipes that aren't even 5 ingredients. Try THREE! I'm sharing an app, a main, a side, and dessert!!

Goat Cheese Empanadas
Using a 3-in round cookie cutter, cut out 16 circles from 2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts. Divide 4 ounces fresh goat cheese among the circles. Lightly dot the edges of the dough with water, fold in half, and press with a fork to seal. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 20-25 mins. Serve with 1 cup store bought corn salsa.

Creamy Pecorino Pasta

Cook 12 oz spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add 1 cup heavy cream to the pasta and bring to simmer. Add 1/2 cup grated pecorino, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and cook tossing until thickened and creamy, abt 2 mins.

Parchment-Baked Halibut with Orange

Place 4 6-oz pieces of skinless halibut on 4 12-in pieces of parchment, keeping the fish to one side; season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp blk pepper. Dividing evenly, top with 12 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 thinly sliced small orange. Fold the parchment over the fish, then seal each packet by making overlapping folds along the edges. Bake on 2 baking sheets at 400 degrees F for 12 mins. Cut packets open and serve.

Sauteed Spinach & Basil

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add 1 10 oz package spinach (abt 16 cups); 2 cups fresh basil, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper and cook, until just wilted, 2-3 mins.

Raspberry Ice

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring; let cool. In a blender, puree 3 cups raspberries with the sugar syrup. Strain into a loaf pan or shallow dish and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Whip 1/2 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Using a fork, scrape the surface of the raspberry ice to create icy flakes; divide among bowls. Serve with whipped cream and add'tl raspberries, if desired.

I'd like to think you can get maximum satisfaction with minimum effort/ingredients!

Drink and Be Merry

If you know anything about me, I like to know or assume "what's in" and try to incorporate "it" into my life as much as a teacher can! Whether it's a color, food, or song, I try to call it and share.

So Ursh and J have a song called "Hot Tod.dy". I do like the song and like the thought of what an actual hot toddy is. Being the person who loves chocolate martinis and white russians, a hot alcoholic drink sounds right up my alley! I found a FABULOUS recipe to share with you! Be a hit at your Winter Wonderland Extravaganza!

Belve Hot Toddy

(serves 10-12)

1 bottle Belvedere Citrus

24 oz pressed apple juice

3.5 oz cinnamon simple syrup

1.5 oz lemon juice

cloves

cinnamon

Warm al ingredients and serve in heat resistant glasses (clear mugs would be awesome). Garnish with slices of apple or lemon

It's Haute

Cupcakes.


Yes, the bakery concoction is what I'm talking about.


They are what's HAUTE.


Everywhere in Aventura, little kiosks of cupcakes are everywhere.

French Vanilla, Red Velvet, Death By Chocolate...

and don't start on the icings

well, I won't cause I don't like icing.


But yeah, get on that. No one is buying cakes, pies, or slices anymore. Its all about the mini cake.

I did it!

I made my very own ceviche.

and it was banging off the chain love in your mouth so good make you wanna slap yo momma!

all that.

i did put drew to work to take pics of course.






and now blogger is perking with uploading the pics.

1lb flounder
6 garlic cloves
1/2 large red onion
3 limes
1 bell pepper (preferably orange for color)
bush of cilantro
1 tomato
1 avocado
large glass or stainless steel bowl

Cut the fish filet into bite size pieces and place in large GLASS or STAINLESS STEEL bowl
crush 6 garlic cloves out of the paper. do not mince, CRUSH
slice the red onion thinly, add to bowl
squeeze the juice out of TWO limes and add to bowl
slice 1/2 bell pepper and add to bowl
rip leaves of cilantro off stems and add to bowl.

Mix/toss aforementioned ingredients well, cover with saran wrap and place in fridge for 30 mins.

After 30 mins, remove from fridge, mix/toss again. Drain lime juice. Dice tomato and add to recently drained mixture. Add juice from 3rd lime. Mix, cover, place in fridge for 15 min.

Remove from fridge and serve with slotted spoon. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and avocado wedges

Ceviche in, Sushi out

Let me start this with: I hope you're not pregnant. Consuming of raw fish during pregnancy is a no-no.

It's going to be a long nine months when my time comes.

Anyhoo, sushi has been around for THOUSANDS of years. I tried it my sophomore year in high school and wasn't impressed. A shoulder shrug + "eh, it's aight". In the past calendar year, I must have eaten enough sushi to match a japanese emperor. OMG, I HEART SUSHI! Any chance I get, I'm eating it.

The dish that can be raw or cooked, hot or cold, has made a phenomenal impact in the south florida community. Considering that the main cultures in S. Florida are of the Carribean descent, the only asian food we eat here is chinese. Enter the art of Hibachi. With hibachi restaurants entertaining families for the past 20 years in West Palm Beach and i'm sure all over south florida, the Japanese got their foot in the door to intoduce us to sushi. All the "it" people have been doing it for the past year; sashimi and sushi alike. Enter South AMERICA.

Ceviche is a traditional Peruvian dish in which fish is chemically cooked in citrus juices. The temperature of the fish and accompanying veggies (see: onions, bell peppers, hot peppers if you dare, cilantro) never reach 40 degrees. What fish is used? Whatever you like. Yesterday, I had shrimp ceviche that had lime juice, small red and orange bell peppers, onions, cilantro, and bean sprouts in it. DEE-LISH-US. The first time, it was conch cooked in lemon juice; ice cold and scrum-diddley-umshus.

Next time you're in the mood for raw fish, pass on the sushi and ask for the ceviche :-)