VittlesVamp

Happy Tiki Birthday To Me

Did you think it was possible to close out the year without mention of my birthday festivities? At this point, birthday blogging is as much of a tradition as blowing out the candles. And, as bdays go, I will say that this was a blowout year.

Highlights included:

*Plump Shrimp Dumplings and Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf at Chinatown's flashy dim summery Red Egg

*A miracle of a Slow-Braised Lamb Shank at Astoria's upscale Greek hot spot MP Taverna

*Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream, happily downed in the middle of a snowstorm at Oddfellow's in Williamsburg

*A plate of Zizi Limona's perfectly-fried Falafel Balls, balanced atop Pickled Cabbage and Charred Onion, then drizzled with Curried Yogurt

*Bowls of al dente pasta followed by dense Lemon Olive Oil Cake at the East Village's Porsena

Sounds terrific, right? But the coupe de grace was a road trip to Staten Island with my pals Jim and Max.

Yes. You read correctly. Staten Island. Why are you surprised? I've written about this much-maligned outerborough before.

This trip was different though. Food wasn't set in our Staten Island sites. We were after pleasures of another sort. The kind that came in carved out coconuts or Hawaiian surfer girl glasses, with large spears of brightly colored fruit, dangling orchid flowers and paper umbrellas.

We ventured to Staten Island for the Polynesian cocktails, preferably accompanied by plenty of 1970's kitsch and old men remembering the good old days when disco ruled and leisure suits were the height of fashion.

Arriving at the strip mall classic Jade Island, we knew we'd come to the right place. Scorpions, Navy Grog and Zombies were on the menu, the lighting was decidedly day-glo, Tiki gods lined the walls and AARP members were lined up at the bar. Yowsa!

Several potent Polynesian favorites were had as we kibbitzed with the regulars, but the libation of the night arrived in a hollowed pineapple with two kinds of rum and three straws...

Oh. Heck. Yeah! Happy freakin' Tiki birthday to me! Who needs the Big Island when you have the Isle of Staten?

Now the question is: How do we top that field trip when it comes to next year's birthday? Luckily, Jim and Max have some time to think about it...

Cookie! Cookie! Cookie! Cookie! Cookie!

'Tis the season. Time for cookies to come out of the oven and take center stage.

And, take center stage they did at my pal Max's cookie swap last night. His dining room table was brimming with cookies by the dozen, a mind-boggling array of freshly baked treats.

My fave? I had two. First up, savory buttery coins dotted with briny black olive bits. Hoping that this is the recipe, so I can make them at home. My second pick was actually my own cookies. A tad full of myself? Perhaps, but my Crunchy Jumble cookies won plenty of kudos from other party guests.

A classic from my childhood, this cookie marries the traditional chocolate chipper to the snap, crackle and pop of Rice Krispies. They are all at once light and buttery and remarkably crisp, studded with chocolate for good measure.

I'd say that I'd make them for next year's cookie swap, but the truth is that I don't want to swap them at all!

Crunchy Jumbles

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl combine butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture. Incorporate flour mixture one-third at a time until well mixed. Add cereal and chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon on cookie sheets with parchment paper. Bake 15 minutes. Makes 30 - 36 cookies.