Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Dog Day (Year?)
Welcome to the year 4704. We are not novices. In the spirit of all great Chinese people before us, we bundled up against the cold wet grey sky and headed off for Canal Street to celebrate the new year. Apparently 8 million other people, tourists and locals alike, had the same idea. We arrived at Jing Fong on Elizabeth Street just as the Firecracker Ceremony was starting. Maybe it was the hunger pangs of a Sunday morning or maybe it was the slick and crowded confetti-lined streets, but the allure of cheap fireworks couldn't compete with the prospect of some hot dim sum. Unfortunately we were #142 ...while they were calling #38. We played with the idea of waiting amidst the desperate masses for a cramped table inside but quickly decided to trek further downtown to the reliable favorite, Golden Unicorn (on Catherine and Broadway, near Confucius Square). There we were lucky enough to beat out the dilettantes (aimless groups of white college kids). We waited patiently and eventually got to stuff our faces with yummy oriental treats off a dingy pushcart served by surly Chinese ladies with a heavy disdain for english-speakers. yeeeeaaaaaaaaaah!
Golden Unicorn, 18 East Broadway (at Catherine Street)
212.941.0911 (good luck calling them)
After some inauspicious run-ins with the NYPD (let's not talk about it), we cowered to the weather and went home again to dry off and eventually make our own New Year's HappySuperFuntime#1LuckyFortune dinner.
Better than dim sum? Maybe. At least not as greasy (how to translate the Chinese concept of "too-much-fried-food-imbalance-of-chi-firebreath"?)
Salmon ala Eric (marinated with Ponzu sauce, soy, white pepper, garlic, etc) served with sauteed spinach, shiitake muchrooms, and sesame soba noodles.
Golden Unicorn, 18 East Broadway (at Catherine Street)
212.941.0911 (good luck calling them)
After some inauspicious run-ins with the NYPD (let's not talk about it), we cowered to the weather and went home again to dry off and eventually make our own New Year's HappySuperFuntime#1LuckyFortune dinner.
Better than dim sum? Maybe. At least not as greasy (how to translate the Chinese concept of "too-much-fried-food-imbalance-of-chi-firebreath"?)
Salmon ala Eric (marinated with Ponzu sauce, soy, white pepper, garlic, etc) served with sauteed spinach, shiitake muchrooms, and sesame soba noodles.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Best Soup of 2006... so far.
The following soup delight was inspired by an amazing one that I had a few weeks ago at our local bistro, Brick Cafe. Its fast becoming one of my favorite restaurants: its right around the corner from our house, its inexpensive, the service is great, there's a kickass bar, and did I mention the food is fantastic?? AMAZING. Their soup du jour was some magical blend of garbanzo beans, spinach and morel mushrooms in chicken broth. Mine is a slight variation and uber-easy...
Brick Cafe, 30-95 33rd St Astoria
718.267.2735
Annie's 'shitake asparagus soup'
1 lb fresh asparagus, cut into little chunks
3 big leeks
1/2 lb shitake mushrooms
1 big tetrapack of chicken broth
1 can garbanzo beans
lots of greek (strained) plain yogurt
pinch of coriander
Saute everything up with some olive oil, softening the asparagus and leeks significantly before adding the beans and then the chopped shrooms... Add chicken broth and simmer for like 10 min. BLEND (puree) 2/3 of the soupy stuff and then add it back to the pot (be careful, I almost exploded my blender from the heat). Turn off heat and stir in generous amounts of yogurt. Eat. Smile.
Brick Cafe, 30-95 33rd St Astoria
718.267.2735
Annie's 'shitake asparagus soup'
1 lb fresh asparagus, cut into little chunks
3 big leeks
1/2 lb shitake mushrooms
1 big tetrapack of chicken broth
1 can garbanzo beans
lots of greek (strained) plain yogurt
pinch of coriander
Saute everything up with some olive oil, softening the asparagus and leeks significantly before adding the beans and then the chopped shrooms... Add chicken broth and simmer for like 10 min. BLEND (puree) 2/3 of the soupy stuff and then add it back to the pot (be careful, I almost exploded my blender from the heat). Turn off heat and stir in generous amounts of yogurt. Eat. Smile.
I heart street food!-- Part One
Halal kabob dudes on 49th Street and 6th Ave (conveniently located across the street from my office of course)... the only guys who do falafel too!
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Monday, January 16, 2006
Readymade
My husband inspired the mirror to stand behind the faucet in the bathroom.
'Whether Mr Mutt with his own hands made the fountain or not has no importance. He CHOSE it. He took an ordinary article of life, and placed it so that its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view - created a new thought for that object.'
-The Blind Man, May 1917
'Whether Mr Mutt with his own hands made the fountain or not has no importance. He CHOSE it. He took an ordinary article of life, and placed it so that its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view - created a new thought for that object.'
-The Blind Man, May 1917
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Would William Burroughs have liked a turkey burger?
Last night, bearing our bravado on our sleeves, Eric and I ventured out of our safe and warm hovel in order to see a screening of David Cronenburg's Naked Lunch at our neighborhood museum.
Author's Note: get a membership at the Museum of the Moving Picture. Today. Its supersweet. You get to see all their movie screenings for free.
I had never seen Naked Lunch before and hadn't eaten anything beforehand in anticipation of the grotesque big-screen depictions about which I read so much. Although the film was stellar (ohhhh the bug powder!), we left the museum's theatre with cavernous stomachs ready for indiscriminant devouring. Luckily, our favorite neighborhood diner's soggy neon signposts beckoned to us from right across the street-- convenient since by this time stinging needles of freezing rain began to come piercing through the sky into my frightened face. Not only was I hungry but the sky was attacking me again. At least I didn't shoot my common-law wife in the head.
Museum of the Moving Image, 35 Avenue at 36 Street Astoria
(718) 784-0077
Cup Diner and Bar, 35-01 36th St Astoria
(718) 937-2322
Safely inside CUP, we began the feast with their phenomenal onion rings and some hot green tea (actually a great combo). I had my comfy favorite: the turkey burger with melted swiss and carmelized onions. yuuuuum. Let's not even talk about their curly fries. However, it must be said that their menu changed dramatically sometime late last year (new management?) and some of the coolest foods disappeared in favor of a more orthodox diner theory involving 'roumanian shell steak' and grey-colored vegetable sides, etc. I say: stick to the burgers, steer away from their salad-type things, and mourn only lightly for the now-defunct fresh Kesso yogurt and granola at brunch.
Author's Note: get a membership at the Museum of the Moving Picture. Today. Its supersweet. You get to see all their movie screenings for free.
I had never seen Naked Lunch before and hadn't eaten anything beforehand in anticipation of the grotesque big-screen depictions about which I read so much. Although the film was stellar (ohhhh the bug powder!), we left the museum's theatre with cavernous stomachs ready for indiscriminant devouring. Luckily, our favorite neighborhood diner's soggy neon signposts beckoned to us from right across the street-- convenient since by this time stinging needles of freezing rain began to come piercing through the sky into my frightened face. Not only was I hungry but the sky was attacking me again. At least I didn't shoot my common-law wife in the head.
Museum of the Moving Image, 35 Avenue at 36 Street Astoria
(718) 784-0077
Cup Diner and Bar, 35-01 36th St Astoria
(718) 937-2322
Safely inside CUP, we began the feast with their phenomenal onion rings and some hot green tea (actually a great combo). I had my comfy favorite: the turkey burger with melted swiss and carmelized onions. yuuuuum. Let's not even talk about their curly fries. However, it must be said that their menu changed dramatically sometime late last year (new management?) and some of the coolest foods disappeared in favor of a more orthodox diner theory involving 'roumanian shell steak' and grey-colored vegetable sides, etc. I say: stick to the burgers, steer away from their salad-type things, and mourn only lightly for the now-defunct fresh Kesso yogurt and granola at brunch.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
hey mister DJ
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
nobody walks in la
Returned home for a brief winter respite in the comforting smoggy arms of my MotherState. As always she welcomed me with her outstretched horizons of golden warmth, fringed with ludicrously iconic palm trees and expansive parking lots. Our only misstep? Not enough time for the requisite visit to In-N-Out (or Rubio's Fish Tacos for that matter). The absence of the extraordinarily greasy meaty Mormony patties hit hardest the morning of our flight out: why doesn't the place open before 10:30am??? You can be sure a letter writing campaign on behalf of all early-morning-In-N-Out-lovers is underway. Well pish-posh, the most important thing is that we got to see LeAnna, Cheryl, Dave, and Nate. And of course the fam. Again, all-too-brief but totally titilating. Next time we aim to be NOT jet-lagged. And not to steal my brother's luggage while he's sleeping.
Random record store (soon to be plasma-tv-screen-showroom?) we plundered on the way to the UberRecordStore, Ameoba Music.
We are adults.
Totally normal.
Responsible adults, not call girls. I swear.
The ethereal beauty of comidas mexicana
NYC's charming welcome back: in the backseat of our cab on the way back from JFK. In case you can't see it, it says "NYC Money Hungry Women/Men Beware Hide Your Wallet". Good advice.
Random record store (soon to be plasma-tv-screen-showroom?) we plundered on the way to the UberRecordStore, Ameoba Music.
We are adults.
Totally normal.
Responsible adults, not call girls. I swear.
The ethereal beauty of comidas mexicana
NYC's charming welcome back: in the backseat of our cab on the way back from JFK. In case you can't see it, it says "NYC Money Hungry Women/Men Beware Hide Your Wallet". Good advice.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Favorite Sandwich of 2005
I made this today. As a proprietary sandwich creation, I call it "le panini final". Admittedly, it was inspired by an item at the greatest panini cafe ever ('Ino in the West Village)-- its a bastard child of their bresaola, asparagus and pecorino peppato panini. If you've ever wondered what The Sandwich could ever aspire to be, you've got to go to this panini mecca: part brunch salon, part espresso bar, antecedent to the amazing Inoteca, and 100% kickass. AND they're open late! By the way, their transcendent 'truffled egg toast' is a topic for another post.
'Ino, 21 Bedford Street (between Houston and Downing)
212.989.5769
My version is: proscuitto de parma (from Gary at D&F Deli of Astoria, of course!), steamed asparagus, fresh chevre goat cheese, and some black pepper... all on a halved authentic [pocketless] pita (Astoria brand is the best, fool). Served with my favorite sandwich partner: zesty, crunchy cornichons. Try it and you'll know.
My best friend, the panini press. I use this thing 10000x more often than the stupid calculus I learned in college. Someday the sandwich will battle the icons of mathematics (Pythagorean triplets are nothing compared to a good panini) and we know the victor will be.
A peek at the insides before hitting the press: assemble this baby with the chevre sprinkled on top so that it melts down through the asparagus bits. Its so easy, even my little brothers can make it.
'Ino, 21 Bedford Street (between Houston and Downing)
212.989.5769
My version is: proscuitto de parma (from Gary at D&F Deli of Astoria, of course!), steamed asparagus, fresh chevre goat cheese, and some black pepper... all on a halved authentic [pocketless] pita (Astoria brand is the best, fool). Served with my favorite sandwich partner: zesty, crunchy cornichons. Try it and you'll know.
My best friend, the panini press. I use this thing 10000x more often than the stupid calculus I learned in college. Someday the sandwich will battle the icons of mathematics (Pythagorean triplets are nothing compared to a good panini) and we know the victor will be.
A peek at the insides before hitting the press: assemble this baby with the chevre sprinkled on top so that it melts down through the asparagus bits. Its so easy, even my little brothers can make it.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
The Aftermath
It may look like the squalid, forsaken squatter-shack of an anonymous flop house, but no, its my kitchen. Is it possible to autoclave an entire room?
In another life, this sticky smudge was some sort of food... proscuitto? Tomato? Fetal duck egg? And now it is another quasi-permanent fixture of our kitchen floor.
Yes, that's a dime, a cigarette butt, confetti, lime wedges, and a bottle cap in my sink. What you don't see is the secret ingredient: fun.
We awoke to find what you can't quite see here-- the broken dishes cleverly hidden underneath.
Apparently kitchen sinks serve purposes additional to ashtray and broken glass receptacle. Astonishing. We clean up good. Thanks to all the dozens of friends who came to ring in the new year with us! Many more thanks to those who stayed and helped us clean up.
Thanks most of all to all the inebriated masses who left us their half-bottles (and some full bottles) of booze! A wino's dream! You're on notice for our next party... we're now accepting applications for casual weekday drinking buddies. Kool-Aid and all.
Auld Lang Syne
Cooking: step one-- heat application. Coveted cut getting seared.
Slicing: Don't be fooled by the crimson rivers. Its good. Weaklings-- I mean 'vegetarians', look away!!!
Plating: This, among many reasons, is why my husband is an artiste.
Meanwhile outside...
The Murray Hill contingency celebrating their triumphant crossing of the East River
"nouvelle année heureuse!"
Eric (known as DJ Y-Tea to his groupies) and Dawnie (known as DJ Bauer to the jet set)
fellow Astorians unite.
No New Year's Eve celebration is complete without a mouthful of quiche.
Sam and Dawn. Or, as an anagram: "Damn and saw."
Peaceout in the new year, muthafucka.
DawnBauer marvels at Sam's cookin' in the kitchen. Funkadelic?
DJ Y-Tea and another one of his adoring fans, taking a rest from dropping his phatty beats.
The tortilla espanol was MAGNIFICO!
Obviously the occasion calls for mixing Kool-Aid juice bottle thingies in... whatever.
PhoebeCat goes wild and closes out 2005 right.
About me
- I'm Annie
- From New York City, New York, United States
- I'm not from here. But this you probably knew. This is an extended stay as I pass through. I document these days in eclectic ways, in the interests of science, travel, and love. And sandwiches.
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