December 13, 2012

Free Cookies this Sat (and Meeting Momofuku Milk Bar's Christina Tosi)


We're no stranger to the deliciousness that is Momofuku Milk Bar. So when I got the opportunity from American Express to make/decorate cookies with the pastry chef behind it all - Christina Tosi (wearing her handmade blue hair tie above) - I knew I had to attend.  Besides, I'm now 9 months pregnant and if a few Momofuku cookies can't entice my little boy to come into the world, I don't know what will! =) (And yes, details about how you can get free cookies are at the end of this post!)

October 31, 2012

{Giveaway} #PiePartyGE and DUB Pies Giveaway!

Even though #PiePartyGE happened last week, it seems like it was so long ago. We're going through the recovery from Hurricane Sandy. Though we live in Zone A, we were lucky to have power and water for the most part throughout the storm.  We are safe and our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has been impacted by the storm.

Looking back on the photos from Pie Party 2012 - organized by the wonderful Jackie and Ken - I'm reminded again of why I'm so glad we've joined the food blogging community. Whenever food bloggers get together, you know there will be plenty of good conversation, lovely people. and of course, wonderful food (just check out the full list here). The get-together was held at the beautiful GE Monogram Design Center (hence the hashtag #PiePartyGE) and GE also provided some delicious hors d'oeurves (loved the lamb burger sliders!) as well as a pie crust demonstration.

October 29, 2012

A Taste of the Rhone in Sonoma



Recently, I returned from a whirlwind 36 hour tasting tour in Sonoma County. One winery that piqued my interest was Two Shepherds, a Rhone varietal-focused label based out of Santa Rosa, CA run by William Allen. There is no fancy vineyard to visit; William minimally processes the grapes at rented space at Sheldon Winery. I met William on a recent Friday morning before 9am with a couple of friends. He was moving bins around by forklift as it is a very lean operation. Most people do not get to see how much labor goes into making wine.

June 12, 2012

Rosés and White Wines for Summer (or Anytime)

For summer, we often turn to easy drinking white wines and rosésRosés in particular have become quite popular, and the great bottles are made from grapes grown specifically for rosé -- and usually dry with a light to medium body.

Some of the rosés and whites we have enjoyed recently include:

2011 Arnot-Roberts Rosé of Touriga Nacional ($20) - made from the grape varietal predominantly used in Port, this seemed to have more body and a bigger finish than typical rosés. And happily it had plenty of acidity.

2011 La Clarine Farm Rosé ($20) - an unfined/unfiltered Syrah and Mourvedre blend that's a little bit more wild. La Clarine's wines are minimally processed - it's a very charming wine. 

2011 Iconic Secret Identity Rosé ($25) - made from Trousseau Gris, this rosé has been the biggest surprise for me this year - one to share and discuss. I think most people will either love it or hate it due to the grape used. I hope they make this Fanucchi Vineyards-sourced wine every year.

2010 Wind Gap Trousseau Gris ($20): Also from the Fanucchi Vineyard, I had this citrusy white with some vegetable and pasta dishes. It is a versatile food wine. And like most of the other wines listed here, is relatively low in alcohol but full in taste.

2010 Matthiasson White ($38): Who would have thought this wine was from Napa? Unlike most buttery or rich Napa whites, this wine is clean and juicy Sauvignon blanc blend. With only 12.5% ABV, I paired this wine with roasted whole fish. This will be an annual white wine splurge for me.

Other good wines to try are Lioco's Indica Rosé (steel fermented Carignane) and their Chardonnay Sonoma County, and Donkey & Goat Isabel's Cuvee (Grenache Gris).

In Manhattan, good places to look for wines like this are Chambers Street Wines, California Wine Merchants and Frankly Wines, all downtown. If you can't find some of the wines above, also try an old World wine, such as a Chinon Rosé from the Loire valley.

June 3, 2012

(Dining Out} Favorite restaurants on the UWS

Liver, Eggplant rolls, Quattro pizza, and Halibut at Celeste

We've finally moved! It's been awhile since our last post due to all of the apartment hunting, packing, storing, moving, and unpacking but we're finally done! But before leaving my beloved UWS (home for the past 7 years), we ventured to all of our favorite neighborhood spots for one last meal.

Though Per Se, Dovetail, and Telepan were all elegant, fantastic meals, when it comes to "last meals", we delved into comfort foods (and consequently, much more affordable restaurants).  Our first dinner spot was Celeste, a perennial favorite. This cozy little cash-only Italian is the place I would take out-of-town guests staying with us, fatigued from their flights but eager to dine out in NYC, for one of their first meals.  The menu doesn't change a whole lot, but the prices are good and the food has always been satisfying. 
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