Mercury’s in retrograde this month, throwing things off a little and creating some chaos. While we shouldn't be making any life-changing decisions or commitments, it is a time to formulate plans and work towards achieving future goals. While this probably means you shouldn't make decisions like breaking up with a boyfriend, but having this time of steady reflection can make you realize changes need to be made that will help for a better tomorrow. Plus, life is too short not to give attention to those that genuinely care about you and are positive influences.
During my years lived in Costa Rica, I crossed paths with an inspiring free-spirit who was so full of life and emitted a contagious vibrancy. After losing touch a couple years ago, I found out about his tragic death via Facebook (of all ways) when I went to wish him a happy birthday. Death is a hard concept to grasp – especially when it is so sudden and unexpected. But, it serves as yet another reminder of the uncertainty of life and the appreciation we must have and give to everything and everyone we are given in our life. The moments should be seized and life pursued in a meaningful way that gives us fulfillment. As morbid as this thought might be: How would you like to be remembered…for what?
I got back to regularly cooking with my girlfriends and tried cooking with a completely new vegetable. Now, this is hard to believe – but it was my first time cooking spaghetti squash, and I am still amazed by the deliciousness and how easy and versatile it is. It can be used similar to any grain like couscous or pasta and mixed with almost anything. The variation below was great, but another one could be with feta, sun dried tomatoes, sautéed garlic spinach and olives.
Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Cauliflower and Sage
1 large spaghetti squash
1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting cauliflower
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/2 cup grated Grana Padano, or more to taste
Preheat oven to 375°F and place a rack in the middle of oven. Scrub the squash well and pierce the flesh with sharp knife all over. Place it in a shallow baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour. Let it cool.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. In a large baking pan, toss cauliflower florets with a few tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until slightly brown and tender, turn them occasionally.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and toss sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, and sage; stir and cook for one minute. Remove from heat, combine cauliflower in the skillet.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise; scoop the seeds and fibrous strings from the center of the squash. Gently scrape the inside of the squash with a fork to shred the pulp into strands. Place the pulp in a large serving bowl, add the garlic-cauliflower mixture, toss them together, and season with salt and pepper.
Before serving, sprinkle grated Grana Padano on top of the dish.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." Einstein
For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"
This is shamefully my first posting in the New Year, but after long hours at work, I rarely want to be glued longer to a computer screen. I’ve wanted to get back to a balance of spending time with friends and enjoying my passions of food and dance. With an exhaustive list of NY restaurants and coffee shops I’ve wanted to try (old and new), I’ve managed to check off several this year thus far, pleased by each experience. My top three for January: The Smile, Bell Books & Candle, and Betel.
This year is about passion – enjoying the moments and doing everything with intention, breathing in the aromas and savoring the flavors.
The Smile: Tucked away downstairs along the outskirts of Noho is a rare find that transports you to a general store that could possibly exist in the Midwest, only with a more obvious hipster vibe. The exposed brick, wooden floors, rustic tables and country flowers and décor make you smile as you settle in with a deliciously strong tea cup of coffee. I came for weekend brunch to catch up with an old friend from home. I got there early and waiting for my friend on a stool in the center of the restaurant where people come to enjoy a coffee and read the Times. I tried to get in to my book but was too involved with admiring how special the place was. I was immediately attracted to one item in particular at first glance of the menu, one that I usually avoid eating out because it seems to boring – Oatmeal. But, I am still raving about the steel cut oatmeal made with coconut milk and topped with fresh berries. It was the perfect accompaniment to my Americano to round out a satisfying and surprisingly memorable meal.
Bell Book & Candle: When I first read about this restaurant on Urban Daddy, I immediately added it to my “must-try” restaurant list. Love the idea of a roof-top farm to table restaurant in the city – the first in the country. Located on the 6th floor of a building on West 10th, there is a garden that grows hydroponic fruits and vegetables for the dimly lit basement restaurant. I stumbled upon it one night when it was closed for renovations but the owner still took my sister and I around, showing us the private, hidden, intimate room that has a small open window to the bar for easy ordering access. Along the bring walls hung custom artwork and the chef’s table in the kitchen can be reserved for larger parties. It was all impressive up to the friendliness of the staff and owner himself. I returned another night soon after for great food and drinks. While the food was fairly simple, it tasted incredibly fresh and special. I had the “Gin and Tonic” Wild Salmon that was laid upon a bed of flowered caramelized cauliflower with a lime emulsion. Even the bread (tasted like it had a touch of sweet cornmeal) was incredibly fresh and tasted like it was made with the best ingredients and a labor of love. I’m not usually a dessert person but figured I should skip the sambuca this time and be adventurous with the popcorn panna cotta. I asked the waitress what that meant and how it was prepared, but I honestly don’t remember. Maybe it was because I was already a little tipsy from the wine and intoxicating food or because when I tasted the panna cotta, I forgot about everything. It was smooth and creamy with a subtle nutty popcorn flavor drizzled in a sugary caramel sauce and scattered freshly popped kernels. It was perfect for ringing in the New Year after one of the crippling east coast snow storms.
Betel: As life gets congested with work, personal and social facets, it’s not easy to make time for EVERYONE that you would like to see and maintain meaningful relationships. But, with a mutual understanding amongst New Yorkers, the time you can find to get together and go out, is priceless. And, for these special, infrequent moments, you make the most of it. My friend and I caught up over dinner at Betel in the West Village. Sifting our way through the line down from the 49 Grove club, we entered a lively, dim restaurant, greeted by a pleasant Australian hostess. I was surprised by the size of the restaurant and the dj in the corner playing fun music…but a little too loud to have an easy conversation. Aside from the company, the night was about the food. We made a quick decision to order food first before even looking at the wine / cocktails (not like me). The couple next to us was cuddling up with a bottle of wine and several dishes spread out across a table that could have fit 5 people. It’s a sharing plates type of place, which is my favorite type. We started off with the deviled eggs, which have been appearing as a trend lately (for at least a couple years now) on menus around. I didn’t expect much from them or think of them as “good”, “nice” food, but they were soooo good. The “Son-In-Law Eggs” are glazed in a sticky-sweet yellow bean tamarind sauce and scattered with fried shallots. Even if you’re not a fan, or if you still believe Blue Smoke has the best deviled eggs in Gotham City, Betel’s are a must-try. This modern Southeast Asian (Thai) restaurant supposedly has great chicken and other meat dishes, but as a “semi-pescatarian”, we explored those dishes together. I chose the “Stir Fried Tofu with Morning Glory Chili Wild Ginger Shitake & Black Bean,” and we asked the waitress for her pairing recommendation of a fish dish. She said that if we can handle spicy food, the swordfish would be best. It comes dowsed in a spicy southern curry with lemongrass lime leaf and snow peas and served with thick and crisp cucumber icicles laid in a bowl of ice cubes. The tofu dish was incredible – even my meat-lover friend felt the same love towards this dish. The swordfish was unfortunately a let- down. I really wanted to love it and prove my strength with spicy food, but the spicy curry was just too over-powering and not enjoyable to eat. Plus, for swordfish, it felt a little too soft and undercooked. The cucumbers were an invaluable asset though with the dish. I kept trying it but couldn’t convince myself that it was worth eating. I wanted to enjoy the wine more, which could definitely not be drank in tandem with the swordfish. The whole night and experience was wonderful. I would go back, maybe for drinks and some plates with a group of friends but avoid the super spicy dishes that we’re warned about.
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"
This is shamefully my first posting in the New Year, but after long hours at work, I rarely want to be glued longer to a computer screen. I’ve wanted to get back to a balance of spending time with friends and enjoying my passions of food and dance. With an exhaustive list of NY restaurants and coffee shops I’ve wanted to try (old and new), I’ve managed to check off several this year thus far, pleased by each experience. My top three for January: The Smile, Bell Books & Candle, and Betel.
This year is about passion – enjoying the moments and doing everything with intention, breathing in the aromas and savoring the flavors.
The Smile: Tucked away downstairs along the outskirts of Noho is a rare find that transports you to a general store that could possibly exist in the Midwest, only with a more obvious hipster vibe. The exposed brick, wooden floors, rustic tables and country flowers and décor make you smile as you settle in with a deliciously strong tea cup of coffee. I came for weekend brunch to catch up with an old friend from home. I got there early and waiting for my friend on a stool in the center of the restaurant where people come to enjoy a coffee and read the Times. I tried to get in to my book but was too involved with admiring how special the place was. I was immediately attracted to one item in particular at first glance of the menu, one that I usually avoid eating out because it seems to boring – Oatmeal. But, I am still raving about the steel cut oatmeal made with coconut milk and topped with fresh berries. It was the perfect accompaniment to my Americano to round out a satisfying and surprisingly memorable meal.
Bell Book & Candle: When I first read about this restaurant on Urban Daddy, I immediately added it to my “must-try” restaurant list. Love the idea of a roof-top farm to table restaurant in the city – the first in the country. Located on the 6th floor of a building on West 10th, there is a garden that grows hydroponic fruits and vegetables for the dimly lit basement restaurant. I stumbled upon it one night when it was closed for renovations but the owner still took my sister and I around, showing us the private, hidden, intimate room that has a small open window to the bar for easy ordering access. Along the bring walls hung custom artwork and the chef’s table in the kitchen can be reserved for larger parties. It was all impressive up to the friendliness of the staff and owner himself. I returned another night soon after for great food and drinks. While the food was fairly simple, it tasted incredibly fresh and special. I had the “Gin and Tonic” Wild Salmon that was laid upon a bed of flowered caramelized cauliflower with a lime emulsion. Even the bread (tasted like it had a touch of sweet cornmeal) was incredibly fresh and tasted like it was made with the best ingredients and a labor of love. I’m not usually a dessert person but figured I should skip the sambuca this time and be adventurous with the popcorn panna cotta. I asked the waitress what that meant and how it was prepared, but I honestly don’t remember. Maybe it was because I was already a little tipsy from the wine and intoxicating food or because when I tasted the panna cotta, I forgot about everything. It was smooth and creamy with a subtle nutty popcorn flavor drizzled in a sugary caramel sauce and scattered freshly popped kernels. It was perfect for ringing in the New Year after one of the crippling east coast snow storms.
Betel: As life gets congested with work, personal and social facets, it’s not easy to make time for EVERYONE that you would like to see and maintain meaningful relationships. But, with a mutual understanding amongst New Yorkers, the time you can find to get together and go out, is priceless. And, for these special, infrequent moments, you make the most of it. My friend and I caught up over dinner at Betel in the West Village. Sifting our way through the line down from the 49 Grove club, we entered a lively, dim restaurant, greeted by a pleasant Australian hostess. I was surprised by the size of the restaurant and the dj in the corner playing fun music…but a little too loud to have an easy conversation. Aside from the company, the night was about the food. We made a quick decision to order food first before even looking at the wine / cocktails (not like me). The couple next to us was cuddling up with a bottle of wine and several dishes spread out across a table that could have fit 5 people. It’s a sharing plates type of place, which is my favorite type. We started off with the deviled eggs, which have been appearing as a trend lately (for at least a couple years now) on menus around. I didn’t expect much from them or think of them as “good”, “nice” food, but they were soooo good. The “Son-In-Law Eggs” are glazed in a sticky-sweet yellow bean tamarind sauce and scattered with fried shallots. Even if you’re not a fan, or if you still believe Blue Smoke has the best deviled eggs in Gotham City, Betel’s are a must-try. This modern Southeast Asian (Thai) restaurant supposedly has great chicken and other meat dishes, but as a “semi-pescatarian”, we explored those dishes together. I chose the “Stir Fried Tofu with Morning Glory Chili Wild Ginger Shitake & Black Bean,” and we asked the waitress for her pairing recommendation of a fish dish. She said that if we can handle spicy food, the swordfish would be best. It comes dowsed in a spicy southern curry with lemongrass lime leaf and snow peas and served with thick and crisp cucumber icicles laid in a bowl of ice cubes. The tofu dish was incredible – even my meat-lover friend felt the same love towards this dish. The swordfish was unfortunately a let- down. I really wanted to love it and prove my strength with spicy food, but the spicy curry was just too over-powering and not enjoyable to eat. Plus, for swordfish, it felt a little too soft and undercooked. The cucumbers were an invaluable asset though with the dish. I kept trying it but couldn’t convince myself that it was worth eating. I wanted to enjoy the wine more, which could definitely not be drank in tandem with the swordfish. The whole night and experience was wonderful. I would go back, maybe for drinks and some plates with a group of friends but avoid the super spicy dishes that we’re warned about.
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