VittlesVamp

Windy City Ramble - Part 1

This weekend I grabbed a plane from LaGuardia to O'Hare to see my boisterous gal pal Gourmet Rambler and experience Chicago from her singular point-of-view.

No sooner did I land when the tour began. Straight off the plane I was ushered into a Chi-Town cult favorite -- Hot Doug's, a one-stop shop for all things involving encased, tubular meat. There was no way I wasn't paying call on this visit. The hot dog holds a special place in Chicagoans' hearts and Hot Doug's is the ultimate top "dog" when it comes to their wiener and sausage obsession.

With only a couple of patrons ahead of us on the lunchtime line, we quickly settled on three specimens from the extensive menu: a bayou-inspired Smoked Shrimp and Pork Sausage with Creole Mustard, Hominy Grits and Goat Cheese; the infamous Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleur de Sel; and the traditional Chicago-Style Hot Dog.

No contest. Pictured above, the Chicago-Style, topped with yellow mustard, chopped onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices and a dash of celery salt was the winner. There's a reason it's a classic. Absolutely delicious!

Sated, we rolled my suitcase down the block and onto the bus towards Roscoe Village, where Gourmet Rambler's apartment waited with a fridge full of bubbly and a list of "must-do" spots for the rest of the weekend.

Curious if she led me to one of the city's celebrated deep-dish pizza joints for dinner? No. Not her thing and not mine either. But, do stay tuned for more on my tasty Chicago adventures, because the Windy City offers a lot more than hot dogs and deep-dish...

Skipped GoogaMooga For Kick-Ass Fruit Salad At Talde

In truth, I had no intention of going to the Great GoogaMooga Festival this past weekend. Too many people. Too many lines. Hall & Oates? Not so much.

I just said "no."

Instead, I said "yes" to Talde with my pal Margo. Figured we might be able to score a coveted brunch table with all the foodie fah-fah over at Prospect Park. We were right. Huzzah!

And let's just start by saying that the food was darn right killer. The Shrimp Toast with Fried Egg and Chinese Sausage Gravy is all it's cracked up to be and more. (Next time, we're definitely going to take Chef Dale's recommendation and order it up uncut, split it down the middle to let the yolk start to ooze and gobble it up sandwich-style!)

But there was one dish that stopped us in our tracks -- Fruit Salad. That's right! Fruit Salad.

The picture above doesn't give this dish its due. Gorgeous ripe fruit glossed in honey with star anise, five spice powder and lime. Then it's all piled high atop a rich blend of roasted bananas and tofu whip.

Oh my freakin' goodness! Sheer Asian-inspired fruity-tooty brilliance!

So, yes, you'll find me camped out early evenings at Talde's bar with a cocktail and an order of that genius Shrimp Toast, but also expect to see me weekend mornings grinning like the Cheshire Cat in front of an order of glorious Fruit Salad -- especially when the GoogaMooga is in full-swing.

Having A Ball - And Not Of The Meat Variety

Promise that this will be my last spherical-theme post for a while, but these babies warrant a shout out.

Crisp on the outside, tender and creamy within, Arancini Bros. knows their balls -- their rice balls, that is. A tempting treat at Brooklyn's DeKalb Market, the one at the back was infused with pesto, sporting a center of bright cherry tomato and an oozing of Mozzarella. Up front, the soft arborio rice had been cooked with deep yellow saffron and its middle was graced with a zesty meat ragu with peas.

So, I guess the headline isn't completely accurate.

Accurate, schmaccurate.

These lovelies were divine! My recommendation: Run out and get a pair!

New Orleans -- A Few More Morsels

Apparently, some of my friends and readers feel like they've been short-changed when it comes to my trip to New Orleans. Who am I to short-change anyone when it comes to the Big Easy?

And so, we'll start with a New Orleans tradition: Friday lunch. It's a monumental multi-course, multi-drink extravaganza, that is meant to last for the better part of the afternoon.

My Friday lunch was spent with my good pal Anne, a native of New Orleans, who picked out one of the city's hottest spots for our get together -- MiLa. Modern, yet warm, I knew that we were in for a treat the second I sunk my teeth into their homemade Sweet Potato Biscuits, but it was the kitchen's Venison Pâté with Creole Mustard, Cornichon and Toasted Baguette that made me audibly moan. My entree of Fried Rabbit Tenders, Bok Choy, Roasted Mushrooms, Onion Puree and Mustard Jus was jim-dandy as well, but it was the Pâté that made the meal.

Not wanting our time together to be over -- and craving a bit more by way of the hard stuff -- Anne and I sauntered over to Mr. B's for one of the city's infamous boozy milkshakes, known as a Brandy Milk Punch. Unsurprisingly, it packed a wallop and went down easy alongside a slab of rich Bread Pudding drizzled with Irish Whiskey Sauce.

Now, that was a lunch!

You'd think I would be too full from that meal to ever eat again. Well, not so much. In fact, not at all!

A few more of my favorite morsels in the Big Easy...

*Listening to live jazz the Windsor Court Hotel's Cocktail Bar, while enjoying a Sazerac or two (or three) made by their ever-gracious mixologist Christine Jeanine Nielsen.

* A Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich that rivaled Van Horn's, downed gleefully at the French Quarter's Sylvain.

* Watching "Master Oyster Shucker" Leo Price do his thing at Bourbon House, as I slurp back half a dozen plump Louisiana Oysters on the Half-Shell with Mignonette and Caviar.

* Reveling in a flute or two (or three) of Nicolas Feuillatte N/V at the civilized Vieux Carre wine bar known as Patrick's Bar Vin.

* Splitting a "fully-dressed" Catfish Po' Boy at neighborhood joint Franky & Johnny's in Uptown.

* Swooning with every bite of dessert at Chef John Besh's August -- a Creole Cream Cheese Tartlet with Ponchatoula Strawberries, Elderflower, and deep green Pistachio Butter.

OK. Now I'm too full to ever eat again. (Maybe.)

Overstuffed In New Orleans

Those of you who follow my Twitter feed, know that I recently went to the Big Easy and are waiting for several overstuffed posts recounting decadent tales of drink, food and music aplenty. I could do that, but I don't think it would do this last trip justice

Instead, I wish to offer a simple snapshot that perfectly encapsulates my time in New Orleans -- a photo taken at Arnaud's French 75 of a gorgeous cocktail, luscious oysters and a bit of candlelight.

But what bar experience would be complete without the company of fellow bar patrons?

First off, nice guess, but nope -- he wasn't a Brand Ambassador from Captain Morgan Rum.

Second of all -- God bless New Orleans and everything it is overstuffed with -- from Sazeracs to Po' Boys to a cast of characters.

A Turn For The Worse? Apply Liberally With Gelato

This has been a hell of a week. I thought I was coming to Philly for a couple of days to be by Mama Vamp's side as she endured yet another surgery. A hospital stay is never a good time, but that sort of thing has become pretty pro forma at this point.

Unfortunately though, pro forma wasn't in the cards. Things took a sharp turn for the worse post-op and Mama Vamp landed herself in the ICU. Following that, I landed myself into a frazzled heap of stress and worry.

Lucky for Mama Vamp (and myself), the hospital's medical staff swooped in just in the nick of time to make sure she'd recover. Lucky for me (and Mama Vamp), I have friends who rallied around for support.

Now, usually I would have expected support to come in the form of comforting words, a shoulder to lean on and several shots of bourbon. In this case though, the first two came with a healthy does of something else -- or should I say a healthy scoop of something else?

Instead of hitting Village Whiskey or alike, I found myself venturing with friends to Capogiro, Philadelphia's very own gelato mecca. The colors of the confections were enough to dazzle the eye and distract from sorrow -- vibrant green Kiwi laced with tiny black seeds, pure white Thai Coconut Milk, deep brown Chocolate Scuro that was so dark it verged on black, bright orange Champagne Mango, soft pink Uvo Rosso brimming with the essence of juicy red grapes...

Picking two flavors, I felt better already. I felt even better taking a bite and then another, taking solace in the rich nutty taste of Pecan and the luscious tang of Gooseberry.

It is possible that ice cream could become the new bourbon? (Maybe I should try Capogiro's Bourbon Vanilla Gelato before I make that decision.)

Any which way, I am happy to report that Mama Vamp is stable and recuperating. Thank goodness! And, a special thanks to the friends that came to Philly, called, emailed, texted, Tweeted -- and took me for gelato.

St. Paddy's Day Rendered Unnecessary By Mama Vamp's Corned Beef

There is no reason to hold out for St. Patrick's Day to get your Corned Beef on. Take it from me. And, if you don't want to take it from me, take it from Mama Vamp. Her recipe is below. It's freakin' delicious. Great with cabbage, but equally lovely with a side of asparagus. In addition, it's complimented by most beverages, but truly at its best if you refrain from drinking a pint of green beer alongside.

Mama Vamp's Corned Beef

4 lb Corned Beef (including pickling spice packet)
3 TBSP mustard
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Boil the Corned Beef with pickling spice packet for 3 hours or until tender. Place on a cooking tray or roasting pan. Allow meat to cool for 15 - 20 minutes. Spread a coat of mustard on the top of the meat. Sprinkle generously with light brown sugar, followed by a light sprinkling of the salt. Broil for 4 -5 minutes, until sugar is fairly melted. Turn oven down to 425 degrees and allow to bake for another 10 - 15 minutes until the sugar and mustard are bubbly, but not burnt. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Having A Ball - And Not Of The Matzoh Variety

I know the expectation is a Passover post, but instead I feel like reminiscing of a dinner party past, a party where balls took center stage, but they were Meatballs of Italian lineage rather than the classic Judaic Matzoh Balls of seder fame.

It all started with a harmless conversation over cocktails, as my pal Jimmy and I questioned the roots of the current Meatball craze. Then talk turned to my Meatball prowess and a dinner plan was born. Others were invited and soon I was whipping up Meatballs according to Sal Vetri's instructions (how could the father of Chef Marc Vetri be wrong?).

As pictured above, I blanketed the beauties with homemade Tomato Sauce and placed them on a bed of soft Mascarpone Polenta. Slivers of fragrant fresh basil were the finishing touch.

Mmmmmm....

Now I must return to making Matzoh Balls. Glad I could take this break to be an equal opportunity ball backer.

The Geek & The Greek

Am I talking about some hot hipster Greek spot in Astoria? Not so much. In fact, not at all.

I'm referring to a geek-fest in Oracle, Arizona with my archaeologically-inclined pal Kristin, who just happens to live in Astoria when she's not on the road being all science-like.

We were total nerds in Oracle, living the dream as we toured Biosphere 2, the oft-mocked, faux space colony at the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Couldn't help but gawk at the Dharma-like compound, wondering if it might've provided some of the inspiration for "Lost." It certainly looked like a 1970's futuristic fantasy. Got to say that the self-sustaining rain forest and desert ecosystems were kind of amazing, as were the two "lungs" that supply the structure's H2O. And then there was the hatch...

Once we had gotten our dork on, we found ourselves a bit peckish.

Where to go?

Kristin led us to a Northwest Tuscon shopping center with a restaurant named It's Greek To Me.

I was incredulous. You leave Astoria to visit Arizona and you go for Greek instead of Southwestern? She nodded. We sat. She ordered with confidence.

And then the food arrived. A Mediterranean mixed platter of major proportions, sporting Tzatziki, Eggplant Spread, Hummus, Taramosalata, Dolmathes, Roasted Red Peppers, Feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, and warm slices of Pita.

Heaven. Greek heaven. Greek heaven in Tuscon.

And truth be told, the Southwestern I tried in the area was fairly feh.

I'll head on the subway to Brooklyn's Sunset Park when I need an authentic taco fix. But, dang if I didn't wish that the subway could take me to Tuscon the next time I need a Tzaziki and Dolmathes fix.

Who knew?

Little Fish, Big Flavor

I don't understand people who order a Caesar Salad and ask to "hold the anchovies."

Well, at least it leaves more of these wee pungent fishies for me!

I love 'em. I mince them up and add them into tomato sauce for a hint of complex saltiness that takes the red gravy to another level. I toast slices of baguette, slather with good butter and lay a couple of anchovies atop, for the perfect nibble with wine. Sometimes, I'll chop them up and saute in olive oil with cauliflower florets and red onion, tossing the mixture with a bit of pasta, fresh rosemary and grated Parmesan. For a special treat, I'll eat white anchovies bathed in vinegar (better known as Boquerones) on their lonesome, downing them one after the other with toothpick in hand. And, once in a while, I'll even have them on a pizza.

So, disparage the anchovy if you must. But these tiny fish are a culinary wonder. Brackish, beautiful and altogether bad-ass!

Bo Ssam -- A Good Read & A Great Meal

It's a dirty secret. A great recipe isn't just all about great food. It's also about a good read -- the kind of read that has you drooling from the first ingredient to "serves 6 to 10." Such was the good read a month ago in the New York Times Magazine, when they featured the recipe for Chef David Chang's Momofuku Bo Ssam.

Wandering through the shelves at Kalustyan's, searching for various Korean ingredients on Chang's list, I could see that I wasn't alone in appreciating the recipe's finer points. As I purchased the store's last container of Kochujang chili paste, the cashier remarked that they couldn't keep the stuff in stock over the last few weeks. "Why is this chili paste so popular all of a sudden?"

All I can say, is I hope other Kalustyan's patrons had as much success with the recipe as I did, evidenced by the photo above of mind-blowing slow-cooked pork butt.

Below, you'll see equally over-the-top accompaniments including Kimchi, the requisite Ginger-Scallion and Ssam sauces, as well as a batch of homemade Vietnamese pickled carrot and daikon.

Paired with series of rich, chocolatey Imperial Stouts, the meal was an undeniable winner. And, to cap off the porky, stouty goodness, my guests and I indulged in a Belgian-style Biscotti lager as a malty companion to one heck of a dessert...

...a warm Banana Tart Tartine that oozed caramel and almost garnered as many oohs and aahs as the Bo Ssam itself.

So that's what a good read can get you. A great meal.

And to that I say, if you can't read, hoping you're enjoying the photos on this blog.

However, if you can, get to it and find me my next go-to recipe.

2012: The Year of the Egg?

We are used to seeing the humble egg grab the spotlight on Sundays, when brunch is the preferred meal du jour and dishes that range from the classic Eggs Benedict to Colonie's savory Duck Hash with Poached Egg and Fingerling Potatoes (pictured above) are taking centerstage.

But lately, I've been seeing a bit more of the freshly cracked, gentle white and yellow eye appearing on evening menus -- and we're not talking about "breakfast for dinner" here. For example, Danny Meyer's Manhattan hot spot The Modern showcases a Slow-Poached Farm Egg with Maine Lobster, Artichoke Purée, Crosnes and Sea Urchin Froth on its Bar Room Menu. One of Chef Thomas Keller's most famous French Laundry dishes is a riff on "Bacon and Eggs," sporting a spoon filled with a soft-poached quail egg with applewood-smoked bacon and beurre monté. And, proving that the egg is more than just an American phenomenon, "The Hen and the Egg" is the signature dish of René Redzepi, the chef at Noma in Copenhagen, arguably the most lauded restaurant in the world.

To top it off, WD-50 molecular gastronomy whiz Wylie Dufresne presented a dynamic lecture about the wonder and glory of the egg at a recent TED conference.

So, is the egg going to finally overtake pork belly as the "it" ingredient of 2012? Poached, sunnyside up, scrambled or hardboiled, my bet is in.