VittlesVamp

Rome is Offal

It was only a few week ago, but my trip to Rome seems like a faint memory - except for the offal. Yes, you read write. Romans adore their innards, also referred to as quinto quarto. Visited several fine restaurants - Tram Tram, Santo Palato, Trattoria Pennestri, Trattoria Monti, and Trecca - and was happily ordering a range of offal dishes at each and every one.

The Calves Liver with Grapes, Onions and Herbs, seen above, was a marvel. And, became obsessed by the Rigatoni Con La Pajata...

Toothsome, al dente pasta, with a rich tomato sauce ladled on top, featuring seared pencil-thin veal intestines. I know that might sound disgusting to those who are squeamish - but trust me (and all of Rome) that it is deservedly a local classic.

Tongue with a slathering of Salsa Verde was another offal winner...

Will I try making these innard-enriched delights at home? Likely not. Have a hard time seeing the majority of my dinner guests taking to tripe and alike. That said, they don't know what they're missing.

Best Bites in Berlin

I went to Europe, came back, and didn't lose my affinity for alliteration. Deal with it - and enjoy some of my favorite food finds in Berlin. (Ack! Almost had it going with that string of "f's," but Berlin needed to be named Ferlin for it to really work. Nonetheless...)

First off, let me say that I most definitely have a favorite restaurant in Berlin. Its name is Trio. The food is decidedly German, decidedly farm-to-table, and quite honestly, decidedly delicious.

The room is modern and understated. The clientele has an air of hip, but not hipster. The owners were warm and welcoming.

Back to the food. Above, is a Herring Salad with Apples. This was salty, creamy, sweet and savory goodness. It disappeared from the plate lickety split. The dish that really had me at "hello" though was a bowl of soup...

Drop dead gorgeous, ain't it? That's the kitchen's version on Flädlesuppe, an intense mushroom broth with ribbons of a thin crepe-like pancake, topped with chopped chives.

The rest of the food is marvelous as well - from Goulash with Bread Dumplings to Schnitzel. It was so good, in fact, that we ended up going to Trio twice. Would have liked to make it a completely ironic third time, but we had just so much time in the city.

Another spot I took to was just a couple short blocks from where I was staying in Mitte - a very homey pub called Schwarzwaldstuben, serving very traditional fare. Yes, I had their Schnitzel. Yes, I had their Späetzle. But it was their Flammkuchen that was the real winner...

A classic dish from Alsace, it is a savory tart that is sometimes referred to as "German pizza." This one was topped with cheese, apple, onion and bacon and was utterly addictive.

Then, a little farther afield, was the contemporary restaurant Otto, which promised a view overlooking an open kitchen and refined fare in a relaxed, yet lively dining room. It was all of those things and more.

The standout dish? No contest...

Beet, Sloe Berry, Labneh and Brown Butter. This, to my mind, was dessert. Decadent dessert. Soooo good.

I found the recipe, but considering that making this dish is a two-day commitment, I think I'd rather just return to Berlin to enjoy it again.

Do you want to come with? Might make it to Trio too - for that completely ironic third dinner!

Queens Quicktake

How the hell had I never been to Astoria Seafood until recently? This place is a seafood lover's wet dream. Literally. The floors are pretty darn slippery.

It is a one-time fish market where you grab a plastic bag or two or three (or four) and fill them up with as much or a little of the incredible fish and crustaceans that they have on display...

At the front counter, they weigh your bags and ask you how you want the different selections cooked. Then you order up a salad, maybe a veg or two, some lemon potatoes, and wait for it come to the table...

Yaaaassss!

Oh, and did I mention that this place is BYOB?!?

What the heck took me so long to get there? Needless to say, I look forward to a return trip - many return trips. Just need to wear shoes with better grip.

Queens Culinary Crawl

I've been known to take a food tour or two when I travel. And, if a walking tour company called Culinary Backstreets is offering one wherever I am headed, it's a must-do. I've been lucky enough to take some of their tours in Lisbon, Porto and Athens. (Still dreaming of that food in Athens!)

For years I've been promising that I would check out one of their tours in my own backyard - Queens. This is the borough that the company has chosen to embrace in its New York food tour offerings. They have two Queens walking adventures. One dives into Flushing's Chinatown and the other starts in Corona and then hits Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. I adore all things Chinatown, but I had to go for the United Kitchens tour that would start me off in Corona Plaza.

Let me say this before I go any further: Sign up for this tour. It is fantabulous. Go hungry. Very hungry. You will surely not leave hungry. I can vouch for that!

Mexican pastries and freshly squeezed juice started us off as we ventured on a side street.

That kitchen above and the lovely lady doing her thing in the window? Looks pretty darn good, doesn't it? It was...

Hell to the yeah. This was a Quesadilla that had me transported far from Queens and straight to a table in Mexico.

Of course, eating that amazing Quesadilla made me hungry for a humongous sandwich...

That was quite the Cemita specimen. Napkins were deployed as we polished it off. Then, not the least bit peckish, we stopped for some Peruvian snacks. Then we headed to an Argentinian butcher for some seriously delicious Empanadas...

So good!

We kept walking, stopping into an Uruguayan bakery for a few sweets before we hit Jackson Heights.

Once we arrived, Asian food took centerstage. We quickly lined up at a food truck to get a platter of Nepalese dumplings called Momos...

We could hardly down more than one Momo each, when we asked for them to be wrapped to go. (Momo-to-go sounds like the next great fast food joint, am I wrong?)

A stop for Samosas was had before we had what we believed would be our last morsel of the tour. And, what a morsel...

These are the crowned jewels of Bangladeshi street food. Called Fuchka, they are deep-fried spheres of wafer-thin dough stuffed with spiced chickpeas and potato, garnished with chaat masala. We drizzled some tangy tamarind chutney atop and enjoyed - thoroughly.

But how could we finish the tour without something sweet to send us back home? Never fear. Our trusty guide knew exactly where to take us. We walked into a small Thai mom and pop grocery and were presented with icy cold pandan treats. We ate them so quickly that there is no photo to behold. Just the memories of a very full stomach.

By the way, if you think that I won't be signing up for Culinary Backstreets' tour of Flushing, you are mightily mistaken!

Holy Food

Had one of the most engaging chats of my culinary-centric life with Christina Ward, the exceptionally eloquent author of a book entitled "Holy Food: How Cults, Communes and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat." The conversation was recorded for posterity as a podcast on New Books Network. Feel free to listen here.

Of course, her references to foodstuffs influenced by Jewish culture will likely hit different now. Even with hindsight, I am unable to say anything profound, tying those bits to the current horrors. I can offer nothing more than what was provided in the late September back-and-forth.

Still, tonight I am making Hummus and Jerusalem Grill for a friend. Not sure what it signifies beyond a deep attachment to my culture, my people -- and a desire to revel in the flavors that allow me to embrace that.

Christina Wards' book talks about how religion in many permutations can influence how we eat and how we restrict ourselves, the reasons that what's on the menu can play a key role in proselytizing and celebrating whatever spirituality speaks to you. It's a great read. It was a great conversation.

I am just going to leave it at that.

Easy Peasy Pasta

Despite the title of the post, this pasta recipe doesn't include peas. But it could.

I happened upon this recipe by Chef Jonathan Benno in the Wall Street Journal. Very simple - and very delicious. I immediately started adding things to make it my own. My go-to version includes a tin of lightly smoked mackerel or sardines and some toasted pinenuts atop for some nutty goodness and crunch.

You should feel free to substitute both. Have some leftover rotisserie chicken? Chop that up and add it instead of the tinned fish. Have some slivered almonds or panko bread crumbs? Sprinkle them on top and forgo the pinenuts.

As implied earlier, add-ins are welcome. Think steamed broccoli florets, slivers of roasted red peppers, some halved cherry tomatoes, a handful of spinach leaves - and, yes, even a fistful of peas from the freezer.

Pasta Facile
(Serves 4)

1 pound linguine
1 can of tinned fish such as mackerel or sardines
⅓ cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons minced parsley
1½ teaspoons red chile flakes
6 tablespoons minced parsley
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Kosher salt

Fill a large pot with salted water, set over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Add linguine and cook until almost al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water.

Set a large pan over low heat and swirl in olive oil, garlic and chile flakes. Gently heat oil until garlic is aromatic but takes on no color, about 1 minute. Add canned fish. Increase heat to high and add drained pasta, butter and half the reserved cooking water. Quickly toss pasta without stopping until sauce emulsifies, thickens and coats noodles, 1-2 minutes. If necessary, add splashes of remaining cooking water to stretch sauce until it looks creamy and completely coats the noodles.

Off heat, toss in half the parsley, half the lemon zest and half the juice. Season with salt and more juice to taste. Serve with toasted pine nuts and remaining parsley and grated lemon zest scattered over top.

Canceling Cookbooks?

A recent conversation got me to thinking.

It was an innocent enough exchange. Was talking to a friend about one of the cookbooks that I featured during a podcast interview - "Ed Mitchell's Barbeque." I waxed on about how I appreciated both the recipes and the insightful headnotes, as well as the fire-building science and lessons in Southern foodways history.

And, then he asked me a follow-up: What other cookbooks would you recommend?

I immediately mentioned Samin Nosrat's "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat." It is a go-to on several fronts; a book that celebrates and educates all at once.

I also cited the "Gjelina" cookboook from Travis Lett, explaining that I regularly tap the Condiments section, but avoid the majority of the recipes since most require a wood-burning oven or grill. (Shocker - I have neither in my Brooklyn apartment.)

That was the end of the chat. But, I was left with the gnawing sense that I hadn't been 100% honest.

While I definitely use those two cookbooks a great deal, it's actually a book called "Molto Gusto" that I have turned to time and time again. Many of its pages are graced by ingredient splatter. That's the sign.

The problem?

The book is a collection of recipes from Mario Batali's now-shuttered Otto Enoteca Pizzeria. I used to frequent the restaurant bar, adoring the menu's Fregula with Corn and Cauliflower alla Siciliana, the wafer-thin Vongole Pizza, and its genius Olive Oil Gelato. The bartenders would often pour me a glass of Prosecco before I'd even shimmied my way onto a stool.

"Molto Gusto" has recipes that bring me back to that bar. They are flavorful and thoughtful. I have never had one of the recipes let me down. They are that good.

But what to do about the cookbook's author?

To put it nicely: Mario Batali has fallen from grace. To be blunt: Mario Batali has been revealed to be a vile sexual predator. While one court may have found him not guilty, the once iconic superstar chef has been very much canceled.

Does that mean that "Molto Gusto" needs to be canceled too?

I have been wrestling with that question. My answer: While I do not want to endorse Batali, I can't help but think that it is possible to separate the recipes from the man. And to make the decision even a bit easier to swallow, Mark Ladner is a co-author, and the dessert recipes come from a brilliant female pastry chef, Meredith Kurtzman, rather than Batali.

So, ask me again. What cookbooks would you recommend?

"Molto Gusto" will be among them.

From Pastrami To Crackling Pork Skin

Have a couple of new podcast interviews to share from my work with New Books Network.

Absolutely adored chatting with Author/Illustrator Ben Nadler about his new book "The Jewish Del: The Illustrated Guide to the Chosen Food." We covered a lot of Judaic ground in this discussion, hitting upon topics that range from the differences between pastrami, corned beef, and Montreal smoked beef to favorite bagel sandwiches to the glories of the black-and-white cookie to genesis of all things Kosher.

If you enjoy any of these things - and are even up for talk of eating tongue and stuffed derma - I urge you to take a listen.

And, I was lucky enough to speak with Ryan Mitchell, one of the authors of "Ed Mitchell's Barbeque" which shares the story of his father's rise to pitmaster legend. Ryan is a renowned pitmaster in his own right, and we dove into complex history of North Carolina whole-hog barbeque - a method passed down through generations over the course of 125 years and hearkens back even further than that, to his ancestors who were plantation sharecroppers and, before that, enslaved.

We also chatted about the importance of backyard brisket as a competitive sport, why deviled eggs make for genius culinary canvasses, and the perfect menu and playlist for a pig pickin'.

Listen to the interview here.

Christmas In July

I just came back from a few weeks in Philadelphia and in addition to grabbing a coveted table at the OG location of Laser Wolf, I was lucky enough to snag a reservation with friends at South Philly's River Twice during their weeklong "Christmas in July" dinner series.

Christmas in July?

Does that mean Egg Nog, Roasted Goose and Fruitcake in 90 degree weather? Thankfully, not.

It is a series of evenings in which River Twice's celebrated Chef and Owner Randy Rucker pairs up with other local Philly-area chefs to create incredible one-night-only dinners. The evening I attended, he teamed up with Chef Alex Kemp of one of the city's newest hot spots, My Loup.

The 7-course dinner was nothing less than stupendous. (Yes, I said stupendous. I could have said un-freakin-believable, but this was an elegant repast. I felt the use of a thesaurus was in order!)

First up was a sweet Raw Scallop with Tomato Water, Finger Lime, Verbena Oil, Preserved Ground Cherries and Currants. Snapshot of the glorious crudo is above.

Below, is a photo of the wholly moan-worthy second course - Beef Tartare with Fried Oysters and Romano Beans...

It took "surf and turf" to another level.

Next up was Heirloom Corn Grits with Miso-Mustard Smoked Maine Unagi and Summer Truffle...

Yaaaassssss!

And, because good, fresh corn is plentiful, that dish was followed by Skate Cheeks with Corn, Tomato and Basil...

That sauce!

Maine returned to East Passyunk with a piece of seared Wild Maine Halibut with Lightly Dried Tomatoes, Sea Beans, Kombu Butter and Golden Ossetra Caviar...

A little caviar is always a fine idea. Yup!

And, for the final savory course, the twosome of Chefs Rucker and Kemp delivered big time...

Braised Rabbit with Foie Gras, Carrots and Egg Noodles.

Simply using my words will never do this dish justice. Instead, imagine a wide smile and my eyes rolling back into my head.

Mmmmmmmmmm...

But then there was one more course before we set course back home to dream of sugarplums (or in my case, that Braised Rabbit).

Corn took the stage again with a Blueberry and Corn Tart...

A few bites in and that dinner was tied up with an ever-so-tasty bow.

Needless to say, I am ready to book a res for next year's "Christmas in July." It might just be my new favorite holiday season!

Imported from Philadelphia

The idea that Philadelphia is a force on the New York restaurant scene is funny to me. Then again, not so much.

I mean, Friday Saturday Sunday just captured the Best Restaurant in America nod from The James Beard Awards.

And, recently hitting Chef Michael Solomonov's Brooklyn outpost of Kfar, I was easily convinced that hyper-critical New York diners would fall in love with his modern Israeli menus.

Just look at that gorgeous bowl of creamy Hummus topped with a cascade of Crispy Mushrooms. Take a gander at that fresh-out-of-the-oven pita.

Thinking about making a reservation?

Take a long look at the snapshot below and you'll think no longer.

That's a Flintstone-sized Bone-In Short Rib with Amba and Passionfruit, served up with Braised Cabbage in a Tomato Amba.

Need to apologize to my pescatarian and vegetarian friends for that photo. Suggest that they don't scroll further, lest they see...

That.

In Philly now and paid call on Solomonov's Laser Wolf restaurant in the Fishtown neighborhood. It is impossible to get into the Williamsburg branch, unless you want a 10:30pm table. I felt triumphant scoring a 7:45pm res on a Monday night at the original location.

Yes, that Bone-In Short Rib should look familiar. Yes, it was large enough to be served at Fred Flintstone's table. And, just to make sure that there was enough meat on hand, we had two skewers of Koobideh, made of ground lamb and chicken.

By the way, did I mention the platter of 10 Salatim that landed on table before the meat even arrived? Cucumbers with Harissa, Moroccan Carrots, Babaganoush, Lebanese Potato Salad - need I go on?

Yeah. I can see why this is a hot ticket spot in New York.

What will be imported from Philadelphia next? I look forward to finding out.

My Pasta Obsession

Fusilli was so last year. Rigatoni? Fine, but not getting me all that excited. How about Penne? What can I say? It's sort of commonplace.

A new pasta shape has caught my fancy. And, you know how I like my fancy struck!

It's called Reginetti. They are gorgeous ribbons with curlicue edges, cut into bite-sized, ruffled pieces.

Above, I served them in a White Ragu made with veal, guanciale and marjoram.

Below, they are enveloped in a Creamy Mushroom Ragu.

If Italy Magazine is to be believed, there are 350 pasta shapes in the Italian food canon. Will I find another shape that sets me aflutter? With 350 to choose from, I would imagine so. That said, right now I am seriously enjoying my infatuation with Reginetti. And, so are the guests at my table, if I do say so myself!

Great Expectations

There was a time during the height of the pandemic that a piece of toast made by someone other than yourself was an unmitigated pleasure. We yearned to go back to restaurants to feel some semblance of normalcy -- and dare I say, even experience something celebratory.

The pandemic is behind us. I have eaten many a meal at a restaurant since. And, yet, there is a bit of "pandemic-era-esque" guilt that creeps in these days if I am unhappy with a restaurant meal.

Case in point: above is a snapshot of a beautifully plated Red Shrimp Crudo at Fradei, a restaurant in Ft.Greene that has won rave reviews from critics. I had tried many a time to nab a coveted reservation. I finally did.

Entering the dining room with a friend, we immediately enjoyed the low-key vibe.

The menu looked fantastic.

Looks were deceiving.

That crudo above? It was a salt lick. Red shrimp is beautifully sweet and is known for having a texture more like lobster or scallops. None of that was able to shine through the brine. Other dishes were just as dismal.

In fact, my dining companion and I took one small bite each of our shared main of Nettle Dumplings and spit it out into our napkins.

The waitress didn't even inquire about our satisfaction when she took away the full plate and handed us the bill - a mighty bill.

We paid and felt the need for something to delight. Without hesitation, we headed over to Dick & Jane's for a well-made cocktail.

As we imbibed, I started to feel bad that I didn't like our dinner at Fradei. Then I took a sharp turn and got ticked that the food was so poorly executed and the bill so high. Then I took a sharp turn again and returned to feeling guilty, thinking about how I might have been so grateful for that same-said dinner to be served to me at the height of Covid.

Hmmmm...

Frankly, menu prices since Covid have skyrocketed for various reasons. Admittedly, my expectations have risen somewhat in accordance to the new price of going out. But, am I really more persnickety than I used to be?

Maybe not. In truth, I would have preferred a diner omelette that reveled in being a diner omelette -- and a diner omelette has gone up in price as well.

Perhaps I am just as persnickety as I used to be. And, perhaps the kitchen at Fradei was simply having a bad night. I can blame my unhappiness at dinner there on my great expectations, if I like. But, what I most certainly expect at this point is that I won't be returning to Fradei. Besides, that diner omelette is sounding pretty darn good to me right about now.