VittlesVamp

Chalkboard Sign Speaks True

When wisdom is paired with caffeine, it can be a powerful tool for truth, justice, and the Cuban-American way (at least in Brooklyn Heights).

The Perfect Paris Bistro Dinner

I don't think it gets much better than this. I have David Lebovitz to thank. He waxed poetic about Chez Dumonet in the 6th. So much so, that I felt obliged to make a reservation. Damn, am I glad that I did!

It all started with thick slice of pate, served with garlic confit and a few lettuces, and a bowl of cornichon and pickled baby onions alongside. Add a smear of dijon and I was in heaven. Parisian heaven.

Then came a miracle of a main course - Millefeuille de Pigeon...

There are no words. Seriously. I'm not even going to try.

And, then there was dessert. Bien sur! Grand Marnier Souffle...

This was a dreamy, golden brown, cloud of a dessert. A tiny glass of Grand Marnier came alongside just to gild the lily. As if it was necessary.

Not necessary. I was already drunk on the magic of Paris. Liquor was wholly optional.

Sweet on Paris

I am in the City of Light. I have gone to Pierre Herme on Rue Bonaparte in Saint-Germain. I have had macarons.

That is all.

To Market in Bordeaux

You might imagine that my recent weekend sojourn to Bordeaux was jam-packed with trips to grand chateaux for exquisite wine tastings.

You'd be wrong.

I skipped wine country in favor of time in the city. My favorite part? The food market. Marché des Capucins.

It was breathtaking in its range of offerings. Birds freshly plucked and those still feathered, cheeses the likes of which I had never seen, ripe, fragrant produce that beckoned...

Pates, rillettes, and any number of other magnificent terrines...

And, then there were the fishmongers...

Then there was the small sit-down market bistro Chez Jean-Mi, where I ravenously tore into fruit de mer, starting with six plump, intensely briny oysters...

Followed those up with a bowl of pink, pudgy prawn, ripping off the heads, peeling them with abandon, and dunking them into aioli.

After a few, I felt particularly indulgent. I began plopping peeled shrimp and a schmear of aioli onto some of the crusty baguette on the table. We're talking shrimp salad sandwich on crack.

Washing it all down with some dry white table wine and a chateau tour seemed like frippery.

Market lunch.

That's what Bordeaux is for.

Lunch in London

Sleep was at a premium during my recent weeklong stay in London. What can I say? Conference in Europe and clients in NYC and Silicon Valley. My daily walks across Westminster Bridge, through Parliament Square to the Queen Elizabeth Centre was a joyous respite from the week's 16 - 18 hour workdays.

Food? Except for one fantastic gourmet Indian dinner in Chelsea with a colleague, room service was my friend.

But, sneaky me, after a business meeting in Islington, I popped into one of London's most heralded culinary landmarks - St. John.

The crowd was casual. The room, a stark white, blank canvas with wooden chairs and white tablecloths. The menu, filled with offal and other British delights. My pick? Roast Bone Marrow with Parsley Salad...

Decadent, to say the least. Is there anything more gloriously gluttonous than spreading fatty beef bone marrow on toast, sprinkling on a few grains of sea salt, topping with some bright green parsley and slivered onion, and then taking crunchy, rich bite after bite?

Thankfully, I am no longer tempted. I left London.

OK, temptation still abounds. I am in France. Think butter. Think foie gras. Think I will have to diet after this trip...

Drinking Alone

On the surface it sounds rather sad -- drinking alone. But, I don't see it as a sad activity.

First of all, I don't do it at home. No drinking solo at home. My well-stocked bar may call its siren song. Same goes for that beautiful bottle of Sonoma Pinot Noir waiting to be opened. But, I don't listen to their tune.

Instead, if I want to have a drink and I am without company, I am required to make additional effort. I need to leave the apartment. I need to pay call on a local restaurant or bar if I require the joys of a tipple.

There is something about settling yourself into a bar all by yourself, ordering a drink, watching the bartender take care as they shake, stir, or pour, and then appreciating the weight of the glass in your hand before taking the first sip. It feels utterly decadent.

Try it some time. Take a breath. Grab a seat at the bar. Appreciate your surroundings. Appreciate the exchange with the bartender. It will prove more restorative than you think.

Not sad on the surface -- or any where else for that matter.

The South on a Plate

For some it is Pimento Cheese. For others it is Boiled Peanuts. And, then there are those that are partial to Fried Green Tomatoes.

All of those make for fine eats, but none of them can hold a candle to an expertly-cooked dish of Shrimp n' Grits. Mind you, we're talking "expertly-cooked," like the specimen above from Charleston's Marina Variety Store Restaurant - where Sweet Tea comes in giant plastic cups and Bloody Mary's come with a thick slab of bacon, just because.

Have yet to have great Shrimp n' Grits in New York City. And, that's a shame. Open to suggestions, if you have any that you want to send my way.

The Happy Accident

There's nothing like screwing up ingredients in a tried-and-true recipe to discover a new one. Such was the case with a drink recipe I accidentally created and aptly named The Happy Accident. Refreshing, with a tart edge married to a bittersweet finish, I've happily have been shaking these up all summer.

The one ingredient that might be hard to locate at your local liquor store is Cynar, the Italian amaro made of artichokes. Trust me, it is worth seeking out. Besides, if it's made of artichokes, doesn't this drink count as a vegetable? It's practically a health tonic!

The Happy Accident

1 ounce Gin
1 ounce Cynar
1 ounce Aperol
1 ounce lemon juice

Shake. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a lemon peel. Serve.

Foods of Summer

Is summer really summer if you didn't eat a Lobster Roll? I say no. This one is from Pilot, a lovely docked sailboat that serves as a restaurant and bar in Brooklyn Bridge Park. It was summer outfitted in a buttered roll.

If a bright yellow cob of sweet corn had been served alongside and ice cold slices of watermelon had been on deck for for dessert, it would have been summer trifecta bliss.

Those are my big three for summer. Toss in some gorgeous tomatoes and a nectarine or two for extra credit and I'm swooning.

What are your flavors of summer?

Fried Chicken Mania - A Trend I Can Get Behind

Fried chicken has finally done it. It's not only turned Rob Lowe and Reba McIntyre into Colonel Sanders, but it has become a go-to main dish item on fancy restaurant menus - and we are not just talking about in the South.

Case in point, consuming a platter of "everything lickin' good" fried chicken at Chef Thomas Keller's Napa restaurant Ad Hoc. Take a look at that platter of deep fried, poultry deliciousness above. Tell me you wouldn't forgo some foie gras for a serious taste of that!

The East coast is smitten as well. I was picking nubbins of crust off of the table after ravaging this beauty at Brooklyn's Freeks Mill...

Oh, then there is Korean fried chicken - a category all its own. In fact, it seems that the Korean fried chicken-chain Bonchon is nipping at KFC's heels - or, ahem, wings as it were.

Note to self: Must get to Atoboy in Manhattan before the summer is over.

Open to other fried chicken must-do suggestions too! Where do you go for your fave fried chicken fix?

This Dessert Is Everything

I love going down recipe rabbit holes that introduce me to a new culture and cuisine. When "Salt Fat Acid Heat" author/chef Samin Nosrat shared 10 of her favorite Persian recipes in the New York Times, I took it as a personal challenge to cook Persian. Friends encouraged me -- and two even offered to cook alongside.

The dinner was filled with flavor and a magical alchemy provided by the sheer number of fragrant spices and herbs taking a starring role in the meal.

There was a platter overflowing with bright greenery -- delicate lettuces, peppery baby watercress, feathery fronds of dill, fresh parsley, and slivers of baby cucumber, all with a crumbly slab of soft, rich feta and a bowl of honeyed, minty vinegar syrup called Sekanjabin.

Another plate was slathered with a roasted eggplant and labne spread dotted with toasted nuts and drizzled with a saffron tea.

There was a Kuku, a hot-from-the-over Persian frittata, packed with herbs.

The entree was Nosrat's Persian Chicken with Walnuts and Pomegranate, seared chicken thighs stewed in a beautiful thick mole sauce made of cups and cups of ground, toasted walnuts with hints of sweet pomegranate molasses, saffron, and tumeric. It was accompanied by my attempt at making a Persian rice stalwart -- a crispy cake of saffron-infused basmati rice, called Tahdig.

It was a marvelous feast. But, it was dessert that made the meal transcendent.

There was a Saffron Ice Cream, icy, aromatic, and lush. Scoops of it were topped with pieces of candied brittle.

This wasn't any old brittle, mind you. This was Saffron-Rose Water Brittle with Pistachio and Almonds, sprinkled with bits of dried rose petals and crunchy flakes of Maldon sea salt. Pictured above, this was a eyes-roll-back-into-your-head-type of treat. It required me to buy a candy thermometer and I burned myself while making it -- but no matter. It was worth the fuss. More than worth it. This is candy of the Gods.

Now, I need another excuse to make some.

Maybe I should take a queue from the Wall Street Journal next. They have, after all, run a series of Persian recipes from Sofreh owner/chef chef Nasim Alikhani.

Then again, this gorgeous goodie doesn't require an excuse. Just need to have Persian saffron, rose water, dried rose petals, and plenty of nuts on hand. This time though, I will wear protective gloves. Want my digits in tip-top shape, so I can grab a shard of the heavenly stuff as soon as it is cooled.

Getting My Veg On

There is no question that I like meat. Meat and fish both. Cannot visualize going vegetarian, but I have been seeing more and more vegetarian options on restaurant menus - and have found myself intrigued.

Cauliflower steaks galore, people!

In truth, cauliflower has been a bit overplayed. But, there are other vegetables that are calling to me these days...Above are some gorgeous blistered green snap peas with Aleppo oil and crispy pita from Brooklyn's Celestine, and below are some of the kitchen's beautiful roasted baby carrots with crushed cashews...

Now, these are vegetarian mains I can get behind!

So, share vegetarian recipes if you've got 'em. No mock duck or mock anything though. If I want meat, I'll have it. If I do go veg, it is because I want the veggies out, loud and proud. Bring out the best in a beet or the finest in fennel, and you got me! Dare I say it? Produce pride!