VittlesVamp

A Kick-Off Cookie

We're all putting a hell of a lot of pressure on 2021 to deliver.

We need to chill.

2020 was a train wreck. So, maybe we start this year without the added pressure of a Dry January or a new strict diet regimen? Take a breath. Just take it one day at a time.

And, something sweet might not be so bad right around now. Add some crunch, perhaps? Chocolate seems appropriate too.

Don't worry. I got you. This is another "oldie, but a goodie" from Mama Vamp's recipe box...

Lace Cookies
Makes 32 - 36 cookies

1 cup quick oats
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick softened margarine (that's right, margarine!)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie pans with aluminum foil. Mix dry ingredients together. Add softened margarine and mix well. Add the egg, orange juice and vanilla. Combine thoroughly. Drop cookie batter by 1/2 teaspoon. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on the foil and then peel off gently. Pair cookies by size/shape before sandwiching. Melt chocolate. Spread on shiny side of the cookies and sandwich. Allow chocolate to cool and harden before serving.

Cookie Season

I have been baking. Baking a lot. Cookies in particular. They are highly coveted this time of year and highly shareable. And, considering my inability to throw dinner parties these days, I have taken to my oven to make cookies for neighbors and friends as a sweet substitute.

I know I am not the only one baking cookies frantically this season. Thought I would share recipes for some of my favorites -- including one from Mama Vamp.

Last night, I whipped up a batch of Snickerdoodles from Bon Appétit's popular recipe. My twist? The addition of a half teaspoon of cardamom to the cinnamon sugar mixture. I strongly advise you get really good cinnamon for this! (Burlap & Barrel is my go-to supplier for intense, single-origin cinnamon.) Brought these crisp, yet cakey classics to the crew working Christmas Day at my local Joe Coffee shop. Hoping for good reviews when I go there for an espresso in the morning!

I also add a twist to another go-to cookie recipe -- Melissa Clark's Rosemary Shortbread. In this case, the addition is orange zest. Can't say enough good things about this recipe. You can vary it in a multitude of ways and the cookies are always sublime!

Then there are the tried-and-true recipes you never muck with, like David Lebovitz's Cranzac Cookies...

...which are a magical amalgam of oats, brown sugar, dried cranberries, coconut, golden syrup (I actually have a bottle in the pantry from an earlier foray into Sri Lankan cookery), and some staple ingredients. These are deeply satisfying cookies. Never fail. Always welcome.

I also refuse to mess with François Payard's recipe for Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies. A bit chewy, there is something reminiscent of Tootsie Rolls about them. But, they are altogether elegant from the first bite to the last.

And, of course there are the cookies that I grew up with -- the ones that my mother baked when I was a kid. I published her recipe for Crunchy Jumbles a while back, chocolate chip cookies given a new lease on life with the addition of Rice Krispies. I don't know a soul that doesn't enjoy them!

But, have I ever told you about Mama Vamp's Blondies?

This recipe is a winner! I recently cheated on it with Smitten Kitchen's Blondie recipe, which called for browned butter -- but I still think this'll be the recipe that I turn to, when a batch of blondies is called for from my kitchen. Try them for yourself and let me know what you think!

Blondies

1/2 lb butter (room temperature)
1 box light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
12 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and salt until a smooth thick batter. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined. Place batter in a 9x9 baking tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool and slice into squares for serving.

A Coffee Trip

Travel is a non-starter. So, being enveloped by something outside of yourself while still remaining in the borough is a distinct pleasure.

Pleasure. That was the sensation after one sip of Mofawar -- rich coffee with cardamom and cream -- at Qahwah House in the heart of hipster Williamsburg.

Williamsburg? Yes. Yemen by way of Bedford Avenue. Quite the trip, indeed. Hands warmed by fragrant, cardamom-laced coffee on a makeshift patio, I was a bit transported.

Then I took a plastic fork and tucked into a warm slice of...

...Khailat Alnahi, a honeycomb-inspired sweet. Small, soft pull-apart rolls stuffed with buttery cheese and drizzled with honey.

Totally worth braving the cold and sitting off a busy street to nibble on the pastry and slowly sip the hot coffee.

A warm breeze from Yemen suddenly hit. (Or was that backdraft from the L subway line?)

I knew full well that it wasn't proper travel. It was a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. But, right now an improper trip to the Middle East is welcome nonetheless. On a magic carpet or via a cup of coffee? I'm not quibbling over the specifics.

By Request: My Champagne-Shallot Vinaigrette

Yesterday, I snapped a picture of lunch for a post on my Instagram feed. The image is above. The composed salad featured matchsticks of endive leaf, slices of pear, a generous crumbling of Jasper Hill Farms Bayley Hazen Blue Cheese, and a handful of toasted walnuts.

The photo struck a chord. Several folks asked for the recipe. How could I say no?

It's a classic combination -- but what really brings all the flavors together is a vinaigrette. It's a recipe I have turned to time and time again. Happy to share. It is a fantastic dressing for a range of different salad combinations. And, although I make it with thyme, you can feel free to swap it out for any number of herbs, including tarragon or oregano.

Champagne-Shallot Vinaigrette

1 medium-sized shallot, minced (about 3 TBSP)
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
4 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
3/4 cups olive oil

With a fork or small whisk, stir together the minced shallots, mustard, thyme, salt, pepper in a bowl. Add the vinegar and whisk until it is all melded together. Slowly add the oil while whisking, until emulsified. Let the vinaigrette sit for at least an hour before using. Even better, let sit overnight.

Eating Out of Season

I am 110% about eating foods while they are in season. Asparagus and Ramps in April or May. Cherries in June. Peaches in July. But some seasonal designations are beyond me.

For example, lore has it that we should only be eating shellfish, particularly oysters, in months with the letter “R."

Ummm...I think it depends on the shellfish in question. Local oysters are harvested at different times of the year, but considering we fly many a shelled beauty across the country, I have slurped oysters throughout the year.

Clams definitely have a season, if we are talking about wild varieties. But, Stuffed Clams are a year-round indulgence. The platter above was had at Bostwick's front patio in East Hampton just a couple weeks ago. On the other hand, I ordered something else off the menu, which may be a bit more controversial...

Yes, a gorgeous Lobster Roll. For some reason this glorious sandwich is considered a gustatory hallmark of summer. Yet, I enjoyed this one in November. I enjoyed it fully, gleefully, and without guilt!

According to Maine-Lobster.com, "There is no special Maine lobster season for the hard-shell lobsters that are more commonly shipped out of state, since lobstering is done year-round in the waters off Maine. More lobsters are caught in the summer months than during the winter, but that is mainly because the demand is higher due to tourism, and because the working conditions are easier."

So, admonish me at your peril. There is no seasonality issue at play. Besides, it's a pandemic for goodness sakes! If I want a Lobster Roll in November, so be it. And, you know what? I might want another one in December. And, just to put it over the edge, I might wear white after Labor Day.

I'm such a rebel!

Salad Days...& Frittata Days Too

Pandemic cooking for one means leftovers. For me, leftovers demand a bit of creativity. I'm not suggesting that eating the same meal a few days in a row might not be just fine - but I often crave change.

A go-to solution? Salads. All sorts of salads. Case in point: the Lamb Salad above, featuring slices of grilled lamb from the previous night's dinner, red leaf lettuce, some cooked carrots (also from the previous evening's repast), a few stray croutons, some olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a makeshift dressing that mixed together spicy olive oil and shallot vinaigrette from dinner the other night.

Another way to go? Frittata. Here's a snapshot of a recent beauty...

...highlighting previously sautéed zucchini and onions with some goat cheese. Already earmarking some leftover roasted Brussels sprouts and rice in the fridge for a frittata later this week. A bit of Gruyere might play well with those ingredients as well.

Salads and frittatas - where leftovers find new life!

Hummus Is Where The Heart Is

Finally was able to get to Philadelphia and see Mama Vamp.

Did we celebrate? My mother made a special request - that I bring cocktail supplies to make her something special that we could sip together. I packed up a shaker, a jigger, and small bottles of St. Germaine and Applejack. Montparnasse cocktails were shaken and poured into good crystal coupes. We raised them, toasted to being in good health and lucky enough to be together.

One round and we were hungry. Very hungry. Some things don't change. Thank goodness!

It was a beautiful Saturday and Philadelphians were out-and-about, masked up, sitting outdoors at local cafes. Wait times for a table were upwards of a half-hour. Not surprised. We kept walking and then saw it - Dizengoff - Chef Michael Solomonov's Center City Hummuyisa. In other words - a trip to Tel Aviv without the flight.

Yes. This was lunch. Gorgeous, light, fluffy hummus. One platter topped with roasted cauliflower and pistachios, and another with roasted brisket, beefy in a rich tomato and onion sauce. Swiped the plates with freshly baked pitas and thick slices of Persian cucumbers.

Oh, yes.

It made me question why I haven't made Solomonov's hummus recipe as of late. The difference between the homemade stuff, using his recipe, and the stuff in the market? They aren't even close. A comparison isn't fair. Solomonov's hummus is revelatory. The secret ingredient? Ice water. Seriously. Ice water.

I may have been leaning on my "Meat and Greek" combo throughout the pandemic, but "Hummus and Friends" may be my next go-to. It'll make me think of Mama Vamp. And, I have a strange feeling that even if I start making the hummus at home, I'll be visiting Dizengoff again with my mom the next time I am in Philly.

Her face lit up tasting its creamy goodness. Maybe the company had something to do with the smile too - but that hummus sure didn't hurt!

Francophile Brooklyn-Style

I wouldn't necessarily categorize myself as a Francophile, but boy was I disappointed when my March trip to Paris was cancelled. That said, I do recognize that the whole world was cancelled in March. My trip was simply a small bit of collateral damage.

Nonetheless, I've been mooning over photos of the City of Light and riffing on French recipes, watching Instagram Live sessions directly from Paris, and occasionally visiting a French restaurant here in Brooklyn with a garden out back -- all in an effort to try to reclaim a trip that never was.

A new go-to in this pursuit? A sliver of a shop in Carroll Gardens -- Le French Tart Deli.

The word "deli" throws it all a bit askew to me, but once inside this French gem, you are surrounded by foodstuffs and sundries that transport you to the Left Bank.

Think mustards. Many, many mustards...

Think boxes of popular French cookies and supermarche grab-and-go cakery...

And, then there is a refrigerator stocked with saucisson sec, jambon de Paris, duck rillette, and pâté. Did I mention the cheeses? Soft-ripened double cream cheese with a side of homemade fig jam? Yes, please!

Oh, and there is a freezer brimming with ready-made meals like Blanquette de Veau and Cassoulet Toulousain.

But then, there is this...

Le French Tart Deli makes a supremely good baguette.

And, if you like their baguette, you'll love...

...their selection of croissant, pastries, and macaron cookies -- all baked on premises.

France may seem very far away, but I am grateful that this new shop is close enough for the occasional shopping spree until I can once again break out my passport and put it to good use.

Mercí Le French Tart Deli!

Oyster Happy Hours Of Days Gone By?

Remember Oyster Happy Hours? I recall them all too fondly. I cannot tell you how much I have sorely missed inexpensive shellfish slurping and cocktailing with friends.

And just when I figured that Oyster Happy Hour wouldn't be on the rotation for a good long time, I stumbled upon a sign at the new Cardinal Mkt on Henry Street, not too far from my apartment. Was I seeing things or was this a chalkboard inviting patrons to an Oyster Happy Hour? It wasn't a mirage. It was a bonafide Oyster Happy Hour - one that was offered up in a makeshift patio out on the street, but a real deal Oyster Happy Hour nonetheless.

Dare I? I don't usually sit out front of restaurants these days. I usually keep my dining out to garden locations. But, there was no one else sitting on the patio. There wasn't much foot traffic on the street either. I dare!

One slurp and it was all sortsa like Proust's madeleine. The briny, boozy memories of Oyster Happy Hours of long ago came flooding back. Oh, yes! This was pleasure. This was joyful. This was just the fix I needed before the weather turns frigid cold and I start to want my oysters in chowder instead of on-the-half-shell.

Will I return for more? Most likely. In addition, I'm going to be getting shucking lessons soon. If we end up back in lockdown I think I had better be prepared. I will make my own Oyster Happy Hour, if need be!

A Meat & Greek

Whereas "my go-to's" used to be a stable of favorite restaurants, today it is a series of dishes and preparations that I turn to on the regular.

One of my most regular regulars? What I call "a meat and Greek." Quite simply, we're talking about a protein accompanied by a freshly-made Greek Salad. Yeah, start thinking creamy French Feta, briny Kalamata Olives, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Red Bell Pepper, Red Onion, crisp Romaine, and copious amounts of fresh Dill, topped with a bit of Red Wine Vinegar and good Olive Oil.

Put all that next to the blandest piece of Chicken and you still have a winner dinner.

I don't try to make bland anything, if I can help it.

Above is a juicy Lamb Chop, sous vide with herbs and then seared for additional flavor. Lamb and a Greek Salad? A match made in heaven! Then again, I liked my Salmon and Greek Salad the other night. And, a Grilled Pork Chop with a Greek Salad is pretty yummy too.

Now I've got you thinking about making a "meat and Greek" too, haven't I? You won't regret it.

Saying Hello to HiHi

Garden dining is great - but, still, I miss restaurants. I miss bars. I do miss the food and drink - but I what I miss most is the people. The serendipity of a conversation with the person sitting at the table or stool next to mine or the person stirring and shaking behind the bar. I have forged many a friendship in this manner. And, even the fleeting conversations and connections had over a single drink can be fortifying.

It's why a recent visit to the HiHi Room was so darn satisfying.

New York Magazine might be kvelling about their Sliders (they are really good), but I am here to shout out about much much more - mostly the people. One person in particular - their bad-ass bartender Izzy Tulloch - had me at "hi" (how apt!) when we started talking about her drink menu, going down a cocktail nerd rabbithole that led me to trying the Wail Call.

Now, I am not usually a proponent of Mezcal. Too smoky for me. And, in my experience, most cocktails using it end up tasting like a charcoal briquet. The exception to this would be drinks made by Phil Ward (damn, I miss Mayahuel!). Any which way, with Mezcal as the base spirit, I was more than a bit reticent to take a sip.

And then...Well, hello...

The Madre Mezcal gave the cocktail the subtlest edge of smoke, which was beautifully rounded out by cucumber, Aperol, citrus, and a hint of chili.

As I said, Izzy is a bad-ass and this drink is proof positive that she has gifts. Pictured up top (sans mask for the photo, which was snapped from well-over 6-feet away), she started her career in deepest, darkest New Jersey at the Park Avenue Club, but I am so glad that she now has a bar to tend in the wilds of Brooklyn. The bar itself might not be open for business, but there is imbibing going on in HiHi's garden and front patio.

That said, look forward to the day I can sidle up to the bar for a round. I think you can safely assume that I'll be ordering a Wail Call.

P.S. And, must also shout out to the HiHi kitchen's Chef Sandy, with whom I talked biscuits at length. (Yeah, the Sliders are good, but you gotta try the Fried Chicken and Biscuits!)

The Stones of Summer

I am ga-ga for stone fruit. Seriously love the stuff. When it all starts hitting the market each summer, I'm all in.

This summer has been no exception. The apricots above? Made individual Apricot Galettes for myself and some neighbors...

These plums?

I was inspired by The Amateur Gourmet himself, Adam Roberts' , who tinkered with a Marian Burros recipe and varied it up further with this Plum-Almond Torte...

And, then there are the copious amounts of cherries I can't resist...

In addition to simply gobbling them up at all hours, I also pitted a few to try a Cherry Clafoutis recipe from David Lebovitz...

And, peaches? Yeah, got these from Georgia...

And, baked up a Peach-Rye Cake recipe from pastry doyenne Zoë François...

Where are the nectarines, you wonder? I have eaten them so quick that I didn't have time to take a snapshot.

Have a few precious weeks of stone fruit season left. I've been jamming on making jam with some of it too. But, I think you can safely assume that you'll see a few more stone fruit treats appear in my Instagram feed soon.