Snow Shots.

Farewell Farinata . . .

It is with deep sadness and regret that I have to announce Mr. Mark Bittman has retired his weekly column, The Minimalist. Ughs and expletives all around. I can't say I followed religiously, but Bittman's work often brought me out of a cooking slump. His recipes introduced me to pimention & chickpea flour, which are now two staples in my kitch cabinets.

Bittman's final column was a compilation of his 25 favorite recipes. I prepared Socca or Farinata as a solitary homage. And of course it was easy and delicious. You will certainly be missed. 

Batter Up!

I broke out the hand mandolin to add some red onion.

Out of the oven & into the belly.

Golden, light, & savory. 

She Waan Di Vitamin S.

You may have noticed by now that I rarely have any breakfast food here. The first meal of the day is usually my simplest one. Let's face it, I live alone, I'd have to be a damn glutton to whip up a stack pancakes every morning. I like to keep shit light & easy with a simple smoothie. Here's the latest mix:

1/4 C Yogurt

1 Banana

Few Squirts of Honey {Let's call it 1 -2 tsps}

2 Scoops of Protein Powder 

2/3 C Frozen Blueberries

2/3 C Frozen Pineapple

About 3/4 C Orange Juice

Blend it together for around 20 secs and start your day with a delightful boost!

Brown is the Color of My True Love's Tomato.

Hey folks! So about a year ago a grocery store, Best Yet, opened let's say around he corner. I was very skeptical at first because as you can tell food is near and dear to my heart. Therefore, where I get my food is of the upmost importance. Fairway was my clear favorite back then. I could buy cheap veggies, everyday staples, and specialty items like pimenton. It's an amazing store. 

Needless to say, Best Yet had to really be the shit. Luckily it is. Okay so there are regular groceries of course. In addition to that you have the most random ass shit that food nerds such as myself cream their pants for. I've found purple potatoes, blood oranges, and the subject of this post, Kumatos. I'd never seen  nor heard of them before. Of course I had to try them. I didn't want to do anything too complicated because I wanted to get a sense of the tomato's true flavor. I made a simple sauce, see below:

1 1/2 Tbsp of Olive Oil

3 healthy heaps of chopped garlic

1 package of Kumatos {I think there were 5-7 tomatoes}

8-10 garlic & parsley anchovy filets 

A few dashes of kosher salt {not too much though b/c anchovies are oh so salty}

A few dashes of coarse black pepper

Italian Parmesan for garnishing

And it goes a little something like this:

Brown Beauties. Dice tomatoes, then add to a pan with chopped garlic and olive oil. 

Sim-Simma, who's got the keys to my Beamer? This is a good time to add anchovies. 

I think it got to this consistency after 12-15 minutes of cooking. The anchovies dissipated into the sauce. Well except for a few pesky little bones here and there. Hey man, it's so worth the flavor!

I added spaghetti to the tomato sauce, then bowled {not plated} with some Italian Parmesan Cheese. I tasted a difference in the sauce, but it may have been the anchovies. It was delicious either way.

http://www.sunsetproduce.com/product/speciality/kumato-tomato

170th Btwn Haven & Fort Wash

Breakthrough.

There are Some Benefits to Laziness.

I bought a whole mess of kale last week. To be frank, I wanted to eat it but didn't really feel like chopping the shit up, putting in a pot, and checking on it periodically. Now that's pretty pathetic, I know. But it also led to this stroke of genius.

I bought some salmon steaks & cut them in half. I also cut off a few heaps of kale. I'd say about 12-15 leaves. Watch out for that wet floor!

Then I sprinkled them with Lawry's {feelin lazy!} and some garam masala. Next I nestled the salmon in between two pieces of kale, like a sandwich you shouldn't eat. 

There goes Mr. Steamy. I placed the extra leaves of kale on the bottom of the steamer, then covered, and let it cook for I'd say 15-20 minutes. Don't quote me on that.

Luscious! 

The great thing about steamed fish & veg is that you can eat as much mac & cheese as you want! 

Mr Steamy.

So, unfortunately, if you haven't seen the informercial product the subtle hilarity of this title is lost on you. My family celebrated Christmas at my sister's apt in BK. She prepared a delicious spread and I felt full for days. My Mom, my sister, and I all have different approaches to food which is brilliant because I always pick up some new ideas when we spend time together. {food is a regular subject.} One of the stand out, "ah that's a good idea," dishes was steamed salmon. I found myself thinking, wait why don't I have a steamer? It would certainly make shit easier and healthier. I think it's also a merit badge on my Food Nerd Merit Badge Sash. {Shit, now I actually want one of them.}

As you can imagine, I've been steaming veggies like crazy. First bunches upon bunches of broccoli then I moved onto every kid's favorite, brussel sprouts.

Meet the newest addition to the kitchen gadget family.

Gorgeous!

I sliced the piping hot brussels in half then sauteed them in a 

pan with butter, red onions, chopped garlic, and sea salt. 

So f'n good!

Just An FYI . . .

This is my new bitch and my new theme song.

Somewhere btwn Frankfurt & New York

September 2009

2010 Fav Flix!

So last year I composed a list of 25 movies I loved and recommended to people just starting to get into the film world. I watched so many many flix in 2010, what was life before Netflix, and therefore felt compelled to make a new list of my top favs. You can always email me for the complete rundown. Here are my top five. Wait, let me just say the first three a brilliant for the score alone. Alright, now look:

1.  Umberto D. (1952) It's a very simple premise, an old Italian pensioner is struggling to pay his rent. There is something about the feel of this movie that makes you fall in love with it. For me it's the score, Carlo Battisti's subtle yet emotive performance, and the gorgeous shots of an Italian town in a state of decay. Oh Umberto, you've got my heart. Here's a clip:



2. A very, very close second is Fellini's I Vitelloni (1953). Watch the trailer. I'd say Scorsese's quote captures the film best.




3. Elevator to the Gallows (1958), is about the coolest suspense movie you will ever see. Miles Davis is the soundtrack which gives this film noir/French New Wave Masterpiece a warm breezy flow.  Peep the trailer and don't even try to tell me it's not some sexy shit!



4. Shoot the Piano Player (1960) - So we'll stay in Paris, because it's wonderful there and the French make brilliant movies. Charlie is a piano player who's swept back into his criminal family's drama without warning. We learn about his professional career, past loves, and regrets in two days of his life. The trailer's a bit funky but the movie is grand!




5. A Prophet (2009) Whoaaaaa, wait 2009? Ms Christiana doesn't only watch old movies? Answer to that, sometimes. And films like this made me realize there is some really good shit out there now that I'm missing out on. Netflix threw this movie my way and honestly, I only watched it because it's French. And let me tell you something friends, it is no joke. Tahar Rahim plays Malik, a young North African new to the French prison system. He is muscled into working for the Corsican gang which places him at odds with the Arab community. That's just a basic synopsis, it goes really deep from there. The directing and cinematography is bold, inventive, and exhilarating. And hey, it's in color!

All That Glitters . . .

     May be my golden photo wall! My photo wall is a major part of my gallery like uptown apt. I got the idea late last year to create a grid of 36 photos that visitors can re-arrange to their liking. And then about a year later I firmly decided to paint my massive 10'X17' wall gold. I get these romantic visions in my head and I'm telling ya, I just go for it. The first attempt was extremely disappointing. DO NOT USE Ralph Lauren Metallics! The paint is heavy and very hard to apply well. My bright apt became so dark and I literally ripped all the paint off the wall. The photo wall was in a state of chaotic limbo. 

About a week later I was fortunate enough to meet two warm and helpful interior designers. {Huge shoutout to Tim & Stuart!} The suggested checking out metallic colors at Benjamin Moore, which worked out brilliantly. One of my neighbors, who is a contractor, painted the base and first coat {shoutout to Ant}. I put on the final coat while watching Muppets Take Manhattan on a chilly Monday morning. I adore it! The photo wall is just as I envisioned it. 

Later that evening, I framed, arranged, and nailed 38 new photos from 2010. One of my resolutions for the past year was to take 10,000 photos. The ones featured on the wall reflect some of the people, moments, and changes that impacted me. 

It took several gallons of paint, hundreds of dollars, and oodles of time, but I finally struck gold.

Don't Call it a Comeback!

First and foremost, Happy 2011 peeps! To put it frankly, 2010 was a shitty year for a lot of people. But hey, we got through it right? One of my last dishes of the year was courtesy of Mark Bitman once again. I'm not the biggest fan of gnocchi, but there was something about Bitman's Ricotta Gnocchi recipe that appealed to me. Here's how it went down:

Scoop out pasta dough, I used a tablespoon and fingers. Add the dough to a large pot of boiling water.

Then transfer to a small pan and sautee in a pan with fresh sage. 

So you'll notice my gnocchi is darker than Mr. Bitman's. There is an awful lot of multi-tasking involved with this dish. I got distracted and the gnocchi started to brown. I thought they looked even more beautiful and it added another texture to the dish.  

I diced some campari tomatoes then simmered them in a pan for a few minutes. The lightness and sweetness of the tomatoes were a perfect contrast to the saltiness of the cheese. 

Superb!

First Photo of the Week of 2011.

M Train btwn BK & Manhattan