VittlesVamp

I Went To Lancaster And All I Got Was A Pretzel

The title of this post is wholly inaccurate. Even if it wasn't, that was one heck of a soft pretzel. Lancaster's Shot and Bottle delivered on that front.

There is no question that I ate and drank well on a recent trip to Lancaster, PA.

The real win? An Italian spot called Luca. We were so impressed during our dinner there that we promptly made a reservation to return the next evening.

Yes, it was that good. Even my before-dinner drink was stellar...

...a Torino 'Sbagliato' Bianco, combining Antica Torino Bitter with Vermouth Bianco. A refreshing sipper to start the meal.

And, here are just a few dishes that inspired me and my pal to return for "seconds" the following night.

Let's start with a take on the classic Beef Carpacccio...

---in this case, made with wafer-thin slices of melt-in-your-mouth tongue, the meat brined for several days with garlic and peppercorns, and then braised until tender. Served over a slathering of bone marrow aioli, then showered with toasted bread crumbs and fresh herbs, this could have been the dinner's showstopper. Would have been. Except for what came next.

How could you resist this? Housemade Gnocchi with sweet corn, smoky pancetta, shishito peppers, grana pandano cheese, and some slices of summer black truffle to take it over the top.

Try to top that? Well, one way would be with Rabbit and Heritage Pork Sausage, cooked on the kitchen's wood-fired grill and served with summer beans, fennel, olives and cherry tomatoes.

And, what's for dessert? Was too full for a sweet from the chefs, but couldn't resist one from the bartenders...

This concoction is called an Espresso Nonna, a heady, not-overly-sweet meal capper that marries Averna amaro, anisette liquor, fresh espresso, and orange bitters, shaken till icy cold. Strained into a Nick and Nora with an orange peel twist, it went down awfully easy.

As you can see, it was worth a return visit. And, if I am honest, if we'd stayed any longer in Lancaster, there may have been a third visit to Luca. And, if I am completely honest, I would say that there might have been another pretzel from Shot & Bottle on the docket too.

Puebla By Way Of Philly

For those that pay close attention to this blog, you may recall that I took MamaVamp to South Philly a couple years ago to indulge in sublime Mexican food at Chef Christina Martinez's Casa Mexico.

We were more than overdue for some killer Mexican in the City of Brotherly Love. This time around, I took her to a spot called El Chingon.

This place is not just a gem - it's a full-on treasure.

Just take a look at our app above, Remolacha. At the base is Sikil Pak, a creamy, smoky dip made of pepitas. Piled on top are perfectly marinated beets, along with avocado, darkly roasted and sliced thin. Add a bit of goat cheese crema and caramelized sesame seeds, and I promise that you won't give a moment's thought before grabbing one of the crispy Totopos to start scooping it into your trap.

As if that wasn't enough, we had two entrees.

Whoa.

Let's talk about the Tacos Arabes. As pictured below, these were sourdough tortillas filled with pork marinated in fresh herbs, a spoonful of chipotle salsa atop. A few rings of grilled onion sat alongside, a caramelized, sweet addition if desired...

And then there was the Cemita - a classic Pueblan sandwich - which in this case was a Cemita Pierna Adobada.

This was a thing of pure beauty. It started with the bread. That's right. This is served on a homemade roll made by El Chingon's Chef/Owner Juan Carlos Aparicio who used to bake bread at Rittenhouse Square's Parc. This bread was gluten-filled gloriousness. It was stuffed with Adobo-rubbed pork butt, a slathering of ayocote beans, red onions, avocado, a slice of grilled pineapple, and a shower of shaved Oaxacan Quesillo cheese.

To be clear, I plan on eating each and every item that Chef Aparicio offers. It won't happen any time soon. But it will happen.

A birdie told me that he wouldn't say "no" to opening a branch in New York City. Well, I would not say "no" to that.

I have a feeling that El Chignon would fit in with the NYC food scene quite nicely. After all, the name translates to "bad ass." And the food that Chef Aparicio serves is bad ass, indeed!

Chinese, But Make It Cold

When I have thought of cooking Chinese food with friends, I imagined several of us gathered around a table making dumplings, pinching them closed with a flourish, steaming them up, drizzling with black vinegar and enjoying them with abandon.

But to quote Cole Porter: "It's too darn hot!"

Nonetheless, my pals Brett and Emily were thinking about cooking Chinese food. Now, I was too. Thank goodness for the various cold dishes on the Chinese menu.

A non-negotiable was Cold Sesame Noodles. Made this recipe from the NYT. Despite my using tahini instead of Chinese sesame paste, this dish was a serious win.

Then Emily and I tag-teamed on Chinese Smashed Cucumbers with Sesame Oil and Garlic...

...Yes, the recipe was also from the NYT. And, yes, Emily did the heavy lifting on this dish, but I found the recipe and did a tidbit of the work, so I am staking some claim.

Finally, Brett brought it altogether with his rendition of a Chinese Wood Ear Mushroom Salad. You want to see it? Sorry! My photos were way too fuzzy for blog use. You'll just have to trust me. It was a beautiful dish - and delicious as well.

Did we stop there? No. We succumbed to the call of the stove. Brett whipped up some Mapo Tofu, and it was fantastic.

Still, I feel like the meal was centered on chilled Chinese. Maybe next time I'll try my hand at a Cold Jellyfish Salad? Hmmm...Maybe not. But those Sesame Noodles? Hell-to-the-yes! Perhaps with the addition of cucumbers and cold poached shrimp or chicken...Lots to consider, and I am already getting hungry.

Imbibing Brilliantly & My Baked Goods

I am a loud and proud cocktail nerd. Persnickety doesn't even begin to describe it. And, while I am finicky, I am also a fangirl. If a bar and/or bartender treats me right, I am on board. So much so, that home baked cookies might be in that mixologist's future. (Tipping well is a must, but I find that baked goods can take the bartender-barfly relationship to a whole other level.)

Behold above an Improved Pendennis Club -- a bewitching mix of Gin, apricot, lime juice and Peychaud's bitters. This beauty was had at Long Island Bar in Cobble Hill. Now, I have made cookies for the bar's Phil Ward in the recent past, but now I think I best make some for David Moo as well. Need to keep all the barkeeps there in tippage and Rosemary Shortbread.

And, if I am able to afford it, I might find the need to soon bake for the team that is mixing and shaking at The Portrait Bar. Check out this Martini variation called a Barrio Getsemani...

This lovely was stirred to perfection, made with Gin, aguardiente, a hint of passion fruit, Sherry, and cherry bark vanilla bitters. Soooo good.

NoMad is a bit far and the drinks are on the pricey-side, so not sure that becoming a regular is happening. But, brilliant cocktails are most definitely happening, whether at The Portrait Bar, Long Island Bar, or another watering hole. So, needless to say, butter, sugar and flour are on my grocery list.

Good Thai-mes in Brooklyn

I may have traveled to Bangkok a few years back, but I am not an expert on Thai food by any stretch of the imagination. Nevertheless, I know what I like - and I've been liking some of the newer Thai restaurants in Brooklyn as of late.

Sukh in Fort Greene was a winner from the get-go. The starter of Pak Mor (seen above) started things off extremely well. Think thin homemade rice crepe wraps stuffed with sweet radish and peanuts, heavily drizzled with coconut milk, and topped with a fiery chili pepper. So good.

Heck, I even enjoyed their Green Papaya Salad, a dish which I am decidedly "meh" about. Sukh's rendition features shredded green papaya, tomato, salted egg yolk, dried shrimp, and peanuts mixed with Thai chili lime dressing.

It is absolutely addictive.

And, I recently visited The Nuaa Table in Prospect Heights. Take a glance at a menu standout...

...Grilled Coconut-Glazed Duck Skewers with a bright green chili-mint espuma for dipping. I am also inordinately fond of their Fresh Banana Blossom Salad. I don't have a pic, so you will just have to trust me.

Speaking of not having pics, I enjoyed the food at Williamsburg's Kru so much that I never even got around to shooting photos.

Next on my Brooklyn Thai wishlist is Untable in Carroll Gardens. It's a highly popular spot and they don't take reservations. Not sure when I will be up for the challenge, but considering my positive Thai taste trajectory I expect a table at Untable to be in my future.

In-Freakin-Credible Churros

These lovelies? Can you say "Wowza"?

Freshly made at New York City's Noho Mexican cafe Atla, these Churros are deep-fried, sugar-coated wonders. In all honestly, I have never been taken by Churros before. Now? I am completely ravished -- and all the happier for it,

'Nuff said.

Dinner Party Healing

On the work front, the past month has been a crazy, crisis communications whirligig. It has been relentless. My days and nights have had me walking a precarious tightrope - an effort that demanded energy, unwavering attention and an unfortunate lack of sleep. And, yes, I was trying to balance on that tightrope while still recovering from ankle surgery. I literally was trying to regain my foothold.

So, what did I do in the midst of the madness to settle my nerves and feed my soul?

Feed my friends.

Last weekend, I hosted a dinner party for eight hungry pals who helped in the kitchen and raised a glass (or two) as we enjoyed cheeses aplenty at the cocktail hour, followed by Scallop Crudo, and then plates of perfectly al dente Rigatoni alla Norma.

Guests brought bottles of precious wines and a glorious kombucha to accompany.

With plates cleared, Dried Apricots were passed as a palate cleanser before a duo of desserts. We started with generous slices of my tender Olive Oil Cake served with fresh raspberries doused in orange blossom water. Next, we dived into some gourmet chocolates fetched from the Tin Building by one of my friends and some homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies baked by yet another one of my guests.

It was utterly decadent.

It was truly healing.

Did I still need sleep? Absolutely. But until time for rest was available, I had friends and leftover chocolate. A damn fine combination, if ever there was.

Peru By Way Of Queens

Back in October I interviewed wine merchant–turned–archaeologist and art historian Robert C. Bradley, talking about his book "Eating Peru." Ever since, I have been daydreaming about a trip to Peru - not necessarily to visit Macchu Picchu or the gourmand hot spots in Lima, but to get a taste of the real Peru. Robert made the everyday sound exceptional - visiting coastal seafood shacks to dine on fish that had just been swimming in the ocean. And, from the sounds of it, there are lesser known archaeological sites that I should be checking out.

Will I get there this year? Not sure. Still in physical therapy, post-ankle surgery. But even in a cumbersome aircast, I was able to make it to Queens for a preview of some Peruvian delights - visiting Jora in Long Island City.

First up was a lipsmacking ceviche topped with kernels of choclo corn from the Andes and crunchy corn nuts, known as cancha.

Mind you, the fish hadn't been swimming just moments ago in the East River - alongside Jimmy Hoffa's remains, perhaps? - but that was okay by me. It was an undeniably gorgeous dish. And, continuing the coastal theme, we dove into Arroz con Mariscos that made us swoon...

That shrimp was a beauty, but damn if those rings of squid weren't perfectly tender, as were the scallops, clams and mussels.

We went to the red meat on the menu to finish things off right...

What, pray tell, is this? It is Lomo Saltado, an umami-packed dish if ever there was. Chunks of sirloin sauteed with onions and tomatoes in soy sauce, topped with a mound of French fries and finished off with a few leaves for greenery.

Did I mention that this is packed with umami?

Oh, mami!

Going to keep on keeping on with my daily exercises and physical therapy. I will get to Peru. That's a promise.

North Fork Vines

Had a great conversation with Richard Olsen-Harbich, the winemaker at Bedell Cellars. The chat was recorded for posterity on New Books Network, where I invited Olsen-Harbich to talk about his book Sun, Sea, Soil, Wine: Winemaking on the North Fork of Long Island and delve into the environmental elements that make the North Fork an idyllic location for great winemaking. He also provided expert insights into the impact of climate change, the natural wine trend, and the genetically modified plant debate. I also asked him for his views on restaurant wine programs, books for aspiring winemakers, and the best wineries to visit in the region.

Take a listen here.

Now, admittedly I have yet to be fully enamored by North Fork wines, but now I am tempted to break out a bottle or two and see if I can fall in love with local vines. I am up for the tasting!

Eat Your Vegetables

I was shocked. This dessert before you? Celery Root Ice Cream. Yes. Celery root. Served with celery glacé, coffee oil and preserved cherries.

A gorgeous finale to a dinner by Chef Nick Tamburo, which I had a while back at Fulgurances in Brooklyn. I am still thinking about it. Not only because it was so delicious, but because it made me question myself.

Have I been sleeping on vegetables for dessert?

Yes, there is Carrot Cake. I have had the Indian pudding known as Carrot Halwa and a Carrot Halwa Ice Cream as well. Rhubarb is also categorized as a vegetable. Goodness knows it gets strong play in many a sweet.

And, now that I think about it, there was Otto, the Berlin restaurant where I had the most glorious, sweet beets -- prepared in such a way that I thought they could pass for dessert. I am happy to say that I will have the chance to enjoy them again on this side of the Atlantic. Heading shortly to Ft. Greene, where they are having a pop-up residency. Let me see if those beets still give me a dessert vibe.

Any which way, clearly I need to stop discriminating down the produce aisle. Why should a red bell pepper be relegated to a savory dish? Could a Sweet Red Pepper Sorbet be in my future?

Not so sure about spinach, asparagus or eggplants, but I am game to be proven wrong.

Link Love

The link in question is Chef Donald Link.

Many friends have asked if I hit any great new restaurants on my recent trip to New Orleans. In truth, besides the market stalls, dives, luncheonettes and holes-in-wall that I ventured to during my walking tour, my standout faves where two old faves from Chef Link - Peche and Cochon.

In fact, first meal of the trip was a late dinner at Peche, kicking off with a half dozen of Gulf oysters. Those lovelies did not disappoint. Neither did his Cajun rendition of "Shrimp Toast" enrobed in sesame seeds and topped with slices of pickle. And, the main was spectacular. Pictured above, it was a whole Speckled Trout, flash-fried and served atop a tamarind sauce, showered with pickled carrots and daikon, roasted peanuts, and loads of cilantro. Also gobsmackingly good were the turnips. Yes, you read correctly. Take a look...

This seemingly banal side dish was featured in the New York Times Magazine with a recipe. Seriously. If the Citrus-Glazed Turnips are on the menu, they're a must.

Now, lets talk about my late lunch at Cochon. This where we sat, with the wood-burning oven throwing off a heady scent that made my mouth water.

That oven was put to good use in the service of the kitchen's Wood Fired Oysters with Chili Garlic Butter...

And, that was followed by the restaurant's namesake - Louisiana Cochon served with Braised Green Beans, Pickled Pears, and Pork Jus...

Hellz to the yassss.

And, in case you are wondering, some real warmth and hospitality came our way from both the back and front-of-house at both Peche and Cochon.

These are what you call oldies, but goodies - so, so good. So, while looking for the shiny new hot spot is certainly with merit, don't sleep on the merits of a standby that consistently stands and delivers.

A Real Taste of New Orleans

Took a quick trip to New Orleans. Hadn't been in ages. High on the list of "must do" activities was taking Culinary Backstreets' walking tour in the city. The one hitch? My ankle has been a freakin' mess and I knew I would be hobbling a bit as I made my way.

I needn't have worried. This is, after all, The Big Easy.

Chatting with our guide James, while swooning over a Praline-filled Beignet at Loretta's, I was assured that a slow stroll was more than acceptable. That said, would have been happy to stay at Loretta's all day and have another order of the Beignets.

Eventually, I was convinced to amble to the next stop - which luckily was only a couple blocks away.

Always good to hit a bar before noon. Molly's at the Market was a go-to in the aftermath of Katrina, due to its working pay phone and working taps. Not sure if the Frozen Irish Coffee was on hand then, but it sure was when we hit it...

Lightly boozy and heavily delicious.

The slow and steady tour went on and on from more stops in the French Quarter to places in the Marigny and then over to the Treme. First stop in the latter was Lil' Dizzy's, a family-run lunch spot with some seriously good Southern cooking. Think Gumbo, Hot Sausage Po-Boys, and some amazingly crisp Fried Chicken...

It took a lot of willpower to finally leave Lil' Dizzy's, but I was told that the next place was worth the effort.

It was.

Just a few blocks away, this welcoming sight greeted me...

That pot on the fire? Filled with grease for the weekly Friday Fish Fry. Open since the 1950's, Little People's Place has been more than a bar in the Treme. Family-owned and run, it is a community gathering place that means so much to its neighbors in the 9th Ward.

How much? Just take a look...

This, my friends, is a meticulously created diorama of the bar's interior, built by a long-time regular. This is love.

There was one more stop on the tour. No photos taken. It was a stop for a Sazerac at Bar Tonique on Rampart. Now, this was the right way to end a long day in New Orleans.

After all that, took an Uber back to the hotel, put my foot up and iced my ankle for a while. Still had the faint taste of anise and rye on my lips though.

I do like The Big Easy so very much.