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If all goes well, I should be in Lisbon, Portugal right now. Ensconced in a lovely apartment in the Baixa District, I'll be here for two weeks of work and merriment. Needless to say, I look forward to sipping glasses of fine Port, listening to the strains of Fado, and enjoying one too many Pasteis de Nata (aka Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts).
I had very low expectations when I headed into the new DeKalb Market Hall. It tries to offer something everybody. Artisanal donuts? Check! Italian heroes? Check! Shanghai street food? Check! Gourmet grilled cheese? Check! Polish pierogi? Check! Pit barbecue? Check! Lower East Side-pedigreed pickles? Check!
Not a good sign.
And, since hipsters like shiny nostalgic things, the hall sports more than its fair share of faux-vintage neon signs.
Also not a good sign.
That said, it also lays claim to an outpost of a legendary New York deli...
Dare I hold out hope? I brought my pal Brooklyn Fit Chick along for the grazing to make sure that more than one palate - and plate - was put to the test.
Biting into a Grilled Beef Bahn Mi from Bunker, it seemed like DeKalb was going to be failing that test...
To put it kindly, the sandwich was insipid. I don't know how it's possible to create a lackluster Bahn Mi with the inclusion of Vietnamese pickled vegetables and jalapeno peppers, but somehow it was done.
We consoled ourselves with a pickle from Guss' and took several turns around the place to see if there was another stall worth a go. After much debate, we settled on two.
First up was BK Jani for authentic Pakistani fare. We ordered the spicy Seekh Kebab platter, complete with crisp Roti bread, a mild cucumber salad, and sweet roasted red peppers...
Then we tucked into Turkish food with a Berlin twist from Kotti Berliner Doner Kebab, greedily plunging our forks into their namesake Kotti Chicken Salad, drizzled with Harissa-style chili sauce and herb-garlic yogurt...
These delectable plates filled our tummies and restored our faith. I'll definitely be back for more.
Repeat after me: "Hall-elujah!"
Despite its humble 1950's and 60's beginnings and central focus on commonplace iceberg lettuce, the Wedge Salad is embraced by today's chefs as a stalwart starter. And, there is good reason why. It's delicious.
The salad pictured above is from Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill in Brooklyn. Its crisp iceberg crunch was perfectly off-set by soft blue cheese, gorgeously caramelized bacon, a scattering of tomatoes and chive, and a hint of sherry vinegar. Paper thin slices of red onion and radishes adorned the plate for good measure. We're talking old-fashioned comfort food, presented with contemporary panache and full-on flavor.
The last Wedge Salad I presented in my home was a New Orleans riff on the classic, featuring a Champagne Vinegar-Shallot Vinaigrette and Shrimp Remoulade. It was undeniably yummy, but now I have a hankering to make the real deal for my next soiree.
Blue cheese and bacon? How could I go wrong? Well, gloppy, overly sweet Blue Cheese Dressing could spell disaster. Same goes if you use a blue cheese that is too aggressive.
Happily, if I do go in the traditional Wedge Salad direction, I have a family recipe for Blue Cheese Dressing at-the-ready. Give it a try. My aunt knew what she was doing when she came up with this one...
Aunt Jo's Blue Cheese Dressing
8oz Danish blue cheese
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon country-style Dijon mustard
Soften blue cheese for a half-hour. Add vinegar and mash with a fork to combine. Sprinkle over the onion and garlic powders and the pepper, mashing the seasonings in lightly.
In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayo, and mustard. Add cheese mixture into the bowl and combine. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving to let flavors meld.