1.31.2007

A DISCUSSION OVER JAPANESE





Last night, Dan and Steveo came by to discuss matters of the business world and enjoy a little Japanese fare. Meena and I both had relatively long days yesterday, so a little Hiro delivery among friends sounded like the very best possible option.

Meena got the:
- chicken tempura roll
- spicy tuna crunch roll

I scored the:
- miso soup
- maki combo A featuring spicy salmon roll, california roll and tekka

Dan and Steveo had a healthy assortment with names I can't quite recall (there were a few glasses of wine, too. Sorry!). I remember there maybe being a boston? Oh … for sure a sweet potato. Anyway, maybe they'll read this and post the true identities in the comments. If they even remember!

Anyway, it was a nice little night. I got moving on some homework after their departure and called it a night feeling wonderfully full!

1.30.2007

DELIVERY WITH FRIENDS






Last night was a really strange night. We had some odd happenings in the neighborhood and the street was closed down so we just decided that with the cold and day's events, it was just time to call in the good people at Friend House Asian Bistro and get some Chinese brought to the door.

Now I've recently been a big fan of China Wok. And I'm not saying my allegiance has faltered. I still love them. Especially when it's 3:00 on a Saturday and my head is still a little fuzzy from some Friday night cocktails. But Meena had requested some slightly more sophisticated Chinese this evening and I was happy to go along with her.

For me, the Friends brought:
- hot & sour soup
- hunan chicken

For Meena, they included:
- sesame chicken
- shrimp lo mein

I think everything was really well received. My hot & sour soup was one of the best I've had in the East Village. Oh. What the heck ... it was the best. Without a doubt. I've had better in other parts of town, but this one was far and away superior to anything in the neighborhood. The hunan chicken was pretty good. It was a little heavy on the oil, but I did enjoy it.

I had a couple bites of Meena's sesame chicken and it was really good. This dish is usually pretty delicious wherever you order it, but I'd say the Friends really hit it spot on. I didn't try the lo mein, but I know Meena enjoyed it.

So it was a nice night of delivery and Arrested Development/24. Can't ask for much more than that on a cold Monday night in January.

1.29.2007

JUST LIKE OLD TIMES



When I was a kid, few things were greater than a pot of Dad's chili simmering on the stove throughout a frigid Sunday afternoon in January. All the stress of another school week and the bitter cold walk to the bus the next morning melted away when the big dutch oven came out and the spices filled the kitchen air.

Typically Meena isn't a huge fan of the chili, so when she gave me the nod of approval yesterday morning, I realized I needed to act quickly or the opportunity would fade. After a little brunch with our friend Ali, we made our way to the store and secured all the wonderfully simple ingredients.

I know I don't usually include cooking directions, but this one is pretty much the easiest thing ever. You just brown some meat and let the thing cook for hours. Our pot included:
- ground sirloin
- samuel smith's oatmeal stout
- crushed tomatoes
- kidney beans
- carrots
- onions
- garlic
- serrano peppers
- cumin
- smoked paprika
- salt
- balsamic vinegar
- green onions

After a couple hours of low heat on the stove, this thing was just singing with flavor. I think we both stole a few bites every time we walked through the kitchen.

We also threw a little dollop of sour cream in at the very end just to give it a true Midwest finish. A dusting of shredded cheddar cheese also made this thing feel exactly like a bowl full of home.

1.28.2007

THE OTHER WHITE MEAT




I need to start by saying last night's meal was unfortunate for one big reason - hormel meat. I'm sure you're saying, "Well of course it was." If I were you and I was reading this, that's what I would say. But when we got to the store and the only thing available was the pre-marinated pork tenderloin, I tuned out my internal warning system and went ahead with the purchase defiantly. Stupid. Because the meal was pretty sound ... we just had one inferior ingredient.

Anyway, for our little Saturday evening dinner, we had pork tenderloin two ways. First take:
- pork tenderloin
- sautéed onions
- sautéed serrano pepper
- chipotle paste
- sour cream
- olive oil
- balsamic reduction

And the second try featured:
- pork tenderloin
- sautéed spinach
- garlic
- shallots
- pine nuts
- gorgonzola
- sour cream
- olive oil
- salt

Other than the previously mentioned mediocre pork, both dishes came out very well. The chipotle cream version was a bit too spicy and not quite as thick as I would have liked. A little longer on the stove would have helped ... and a teaspoon of the chipotle paste would have been fine.

The second option didn't seem to have any problems. The gorgonzola cream was used minimally (huge, because any type of creamy sauce typically freaks me out). The shallots and garlic in the spinach were strong enough to compete with the cream and each bite had lots of great flavor.

So it was a good meal ... that could have been great if we had better pork! With the world as my witness, I shall never make the same mistake again.

1.27.2007

LIL' COLD OUTSIDE

It was still bone chilling cold last night so Meena and I thought we might just hit the neighborhood pizza joint for a little wine and comfort Italian. It's about two blocks away and that's about all we could handle last night.

So within our warm and beloved Lil' Frankies, Meena ordered:
- rigatoni with baby meatballs

Alec remained true to his favorite:
- pizza marinara

Again, our desire to keep the running joke alive was satisfied - they reminded me that the marinara has no cheese and they could add it if I felt the urge. They must have had serious problems with some jerk who didn't realize he was getting a pie devoid of cheese. Dudes ... I know it has no cheese. That's why I order it. I like it that way. Anyway, it's funny for us every time.

As always, my pizza had just enough bite from some sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. The tomato sauce was spot on. The crust was just right and burnt to perfection in their superior pizza oven. Meena's little meatballs are always great and despite the fact rigatoni pasta isn't my favorite, I always steal a few bites. I think that with the meatballs being so small and the sauce so thick, each bite is always (by design) packed with tons of flavor. You get a little of everything every single time.

In addition to the fantastic food, Meena also had a nice glass of chianti and I had a couple pints of the Six Points "Lil' Frankies" Pale Ale.

Delicious.

1.26.2007

UNWILLING TO LEAVE THE HOUSE





Last night it was cold. Today is even colder. But last night was one of those bitter nights when leaving the house just wasn't an option. And with all the wonderful restaurants offering delivery in this city, it's not like we were up against some insurmountable culinary dilemma.

Historically, I'm not a huge fan of La Palapa. I honestly think it's pretty overpriced for a Mexican place. It's good. I won't take that away from them. But I've also had lots of really delicious Mexican food that was super cheap. So I guess I just don't really see why I need to pay a ton of money for something I know I can find for less. But Meena's persuasive argument for this spot up on St. Marks won me over and we gave them a call.

Last night I went with the:
- al pastor de pork taco (roasted pineapple~chile rubbed pork)
- bistec taco (char-grilled marinated skirt steak)
- al pastor de pollo quesadilla (chile rubbed roasted chicken)

Meena had the:
- Enchiladas de pollo verdes (chicken enchiladas in a tomatillo green sauce with homemade queso fresco, Mexican crema and sweet vidalia onion)

While Meena's doesn't look all that beautiful in the photo, I can assure you the taste is without a doubt very lovely. I was pretty happy with my "Mexico City style" tacos. The pork was more or less a mass of meat rather than the carnitas I typically like to see, but the taste was great. The skirt steak taco was great with some of the amazing salsas they send along. The quesadilla was also greatly enhanced by the salsas.

Anyway, great night. Expect more of the same this evening ... it's peaking at 20 degrees out there right now!

1.25.2007

CLASSY



In an effort to expand my mind and make myself a better worker bee, I've enrolled in a writing class at the School of Visual Arts here in the city. Nothing too intense, just a little copy-writing course taught by a really interesting guy with over 40 years of creative experience in this market. Should be pretty interesting.

At any rate, I got home rather late and cooking was just not in my plan. After walking twenty blocks from the school, I was pretty much done with labor for the evening. And I couldn't find anything I wanted in our delivery drawer (NOTE: For all those friends not in NYC, everyone has a delivery drawer. Or if you're of the organized persuasion, you have a delivery folder or file. We just throw all of ours in the drawer. This is just one of the realities read: AMAZING PERKS of living here). Anyway, I finally decided that China Wok was my only option and other than the high sodium and calorie content, I couldn't have been happier.

I got the:
- sichuan beef
- pork fried rice
- egg roll

Not bad. I ate about half the egg roll and Meena helped me with the rest. The food wasn't extra spicy, but I gave it an assist with a little chili paste. I ate about 1/16th of the massive pork fried rice portion. Not bad for seven bucks!

Before I got home, Meena actually had a little delivery herself. She went the tried and true Hiro route and picked up the usual:

- shrimp shumai
- chicken tempura roll
- spicy tuna crunch roll

We didn't really discuss, but I know she loved it. It's her favorite!

1.23.2007

SANDWICHES AND STUPID



We're watching the State of the Union after finishing up some really great sandwiches. It's like a train wreck. I don't want to watch, but I can't look away. More of the same rhetoric ... more of the same failures and abuses on the way.

Anyway, this is about food, people! And tonight was a banner evening for high quality sustenance! Tonight, after Meena's long day and my aggressive jog at the gym, I abandoned my aspirations of cooking a chicken curry and downshifted to some sandwiches and sweet potato fries. Downshifted may be the wrong word ... maybe more like, threw it into high gear?

Anyway, we got started with the sandwiches:
- baguette
- prepared pesto
- mayonnaise
- onions
- serrano peppers
- chicken breast
- tomato
- tandori spice mix
- brie

And the delicious sweet potato fries featured:
- sweet potatoes
- salt
- tandori spice mix

Meena referred to this as a possible addition to the Bonsignour menu. That may not mean much to most of you, but to us, that's the best damned sandwich shop in the West Village. So I take that as a massive compliment. Anyway, it was really delicious with some nice creamy cheese and some spicy peppers. THIS was exactly what I was looking for tonight.

1.22.2007

JANUARY HEAT



It's pretty cold outside, so a little spice at the beginning of the week was in order. I'd seen this pepper chicken recipe on the Hooked on Heat blog and thought it might be just what we needed. I stayed fairly true to the recipe and included:
- chicken
- green pepper
- serrano peppers
- garlic
- tandori spice mix
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
- onion
- curry powder
- soy sauce
- white rice

The only thing I would have changed would have been adding just a bit more soy sauce. Maybe cut with a little water. It was just a smidge drier than I would have liked. Meena added a little soy to hers at the end and I spiced mine up a little more with some chili sauce. It's pretty darn easy and pretty delicious. I'm pretty sure this one will come back for a repeat performance.

1.21.2007

THE BIG NIGHT







I have to say it straight away - COLTS WIN. I've been waiting to say that after a big game for over 20 (TWENTY!) years. And I can finally say it. Colts win. Going to the Super Bowl. I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it feels.

Anyway, in addition to the great AFC Championship game, we ate (and drank) tons of great stuff tonight with Dan and Steveo. It was a feast fitting of the big game without a doubt.

We got it started with my contribution:
- smoked whitefish
- sour cream
- mayonnaise
- toasted sesame seeds (with cayenne pepper, sea salt and dried oregano)

We moved on to Meena's delicious dip featuring:
- spinach
- cream cheese
- artichokes
- parmesan
- red chili pepper flakes
- sour cream
- mayonnaise
- mozzarella
- garlic powder
- whole wheat pita wedges

Dan threw in some amazing taco dip:
- just check the photo ... the recipe is top secret. No clue what he tossed in there.

And a vegetarian take on the sausage bread:
- ricotta
- spinach
- pizza dough
- mozzarella
- parmesan
- salt
- pepper
- egg
- water

Amazing night. Lots of cheap beer. Tons of fun. Wonderful food. F A N T A S T I C.

BRAISED NOT BOILED



Yesterday was about as bitter cold in NY as we've seen it this season, so a little comfort food seemed pretty vital. I had recently seen an advertorial (yes, an ADVERTORIAL) in Gourmet that was singing the praises of braising. A little pot-roasty type dish just felt perfect, so we went with it.

After browning some roast meat on the stove, I threw the following in a pot and let it simmer in the oven for a couple hours:
- carrots
- onions
- porcini mushrooms
- korean chili peppers
- beef broth
- browned roast meat

When everything was sufficiently tender, I threw a bit of the braising liquid on the stove with some soy sauce and sugar and reduced it to a syrup. I threw in some reserved mushrooms at the end and dressed the top of the bowls with it. Gave it a nice little glow and some really concentrated pops of flavor. Meena also cooked up a little wild rice that we dropped in the center of the two bowls.

Before I threw the rest in the fridge, I reduced the remainder of the braising liquid a little less than half and poured it over everything. I just felt like it was better that way.

Anyway, I think we both really enjoyed everything. It was perfect for a lazy saturday night spent on the couch with lots of blankets and a couple scary movies.

1.20.2007

DE LAUR-BREAKFAST



We’ve had Giada’s cookbook for quite some time but I’d never really taken many cues from it before this freezing NYC morning. She has this little recipe in there for an open-faced italian egg sandwich. I’d always had a mind to make it, but for some reason, I just jumped on it this morning.

It couldn’t be any easier with:
- marinara
- crusty bread
- garlic
- parmesan
- egg
- salt
- pepper

I decided I made salads far too often, so I opted instead for a baby parfait with:
- non-fat vanilla yogurt
- fresh blackberries

Meena really enjoyed this one and I agreed. There was something about the marinara (which I cooked down to make it really thick) that really made this one shine. Now back to bed because it’s too cold to go out in this city today!

APPLEWOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD








Applewood isn’t exactly in our neighborhood ... but it is in Dan and Steveo’s. And it just feels so much like a wonderful neighborhood out there that I had to throw that in the title.

Anyway, last night Meena and I went out to 7th Avenue in Brooklyn to check out this restaurant we’d heard so many good things about. They’re unique in that they have an unusually rabid devotion to local farmers and only use hormone- and antibiotic-free meats and poultry. They even have on-site butchering of whole animals, so I suppose that means you really know what you’re getting. AND all their fish is wild – never farmed. I obviously want the highest quality ingredients whenever I’m eating something, so if THEY feel what's being used is just that, then I’m very pleased. And being from Indiana, I’m all for the support of local farms.

At any rate, I really, honestly just love food. I’m pretty open to everything from the gyro stand down the street to the medium rare lamb loin on the menu. So I’m not typically the most critical restaurant reviewer. I’m pretty sure I know what’s good and what’s not at this point, but understanding how difficult turning out an uncommonly great dish can be, I feel like I’m very forgiving. But when you’re throwing down twenty-five dollars a plate, I also think my investment entitles me to a little more freedom to critique.

So after starting with a delicious cabernet and three of the best spreads I’ve ever slathered on my whole wheat bread (garlic cream cheese, french butter and a butternut squash paste infused with pancetta) we were both presented with our starter small plates:

Meena went with the recommended:
- crispy vermont pork belly (with sweet onion marmalade, applewood smoked bacon and brown butter)

Alec went with the special:
- a tiny rack of rabbit (with roasted garlic, wilted green chard and a vegetable puree)

Meena’s recommended pork belly was perfect. It was decadent as hell, but the crisp and buttery pork went so well with the onion marmalade. It was simply perfect and I’d honestly go back just for it. My rabbit, while good, wasn’t great. I’m not a big portion guy (in fact, I’m always FOR using less), but my rabbit was more or less a couple bones with some tiny bits of meat at the ends. Everything that was served with the meat was great, but the rabbit itself was not as special as promised.

After the starters, we worked into the main event:

Meena had the (again, recommended):
- grilled free range vermont veal (with mushroom-braised beef ragout and celery root puree)

Alec had another off-menu special:
- lamb loin (with kosher salt and what I think I remember to be a roasted rapini cream type sauce?)

Again, Meena’s was really great. Her celery root puree could have been halved and probably done the same duty. I'm no chef, but there was just a bit too much. Other than that small error, every bite was amazing and that mushroom-braised beef ragout was tremendous.

I have to say I was a bit disappointed in mine. The sad thing is, I don’t think I would have been if they’d actually cooked it to the temperature I’d requested. They made a big deal of my option to control the loin’s temperature, so I was a little unhappy when it came out medium rather than medium rare. What I think happened was someone got our two orders a little reversed. Meena wanted medium, I wanted medium rare. Her dish benefited, mine suffered. But it was fine. It was still a great cut of meat and the sauce it was served with was very good.

Because we like to go all out when we try a new restaurant, we went ahead with the desert menu when it was presented. They really did keep the portion size down, so a little desert wasn’t such a belt busting option. We split the:
- poached pear tart with homemade toasted almond ice cream

The ice cream really made this one. The poached pear was a little heavy on an almond extract or something. But that ice cream was perfect. Wonderful finish to a great meal in a really charming little neighborhood.

1.19.2007

WHAT BURRITO?







Hi. Ssam is so good it's sick. It's 10:22 in the morning and all I can think about is a momofuku ssam. I want to eat it every minute of every day. It's amazing. I may never look at a burrito the same way (which, in all honesty, is rather sad) because this korean equivalent of the mexican staple is so far superior in so many ways.

Anyway, after a little Men's Journal event in Chelsea, we went on down to momofuku ssam bar in the East Village. Before I describe our amazing dinner, I will say this about the hors devours at Aspen - the mini bison burgers were out of this world. Meena has decided she will never go back to beef hamburgers. It's bison from here on out. They had a couple other little bites that included the standard crab cake (which outpaced expectations) and some mini fish tacos with nice spice and some cabbage. At any rate, it was all very impressive.

But ssam. Ssam was out of this world. We got started with a couple korean OB beers while we waited for our dream dishes at their long, bar-like community table. After a few sips, my dinner came out:
- momofuku ssam (with berkshire pork, kimchi paste, edamame and flour pancake)

Immediately following ssam number one, Meena got the:
- marinated hanger steak ssam (with kimchi, scallion cream, rice and bibb lettuce)

Again, I can't even tell you how amazing this dinner was. It was insanity. I can't wait until I have a chance to go back.

1.18.2007

SUSHI AND BEER




Get it? Like the seminal Ludacris album titled Chicken n' Beer. No? Ok. I'll just talk about my sushi then.

So I attended a going away party for a work friend last night and one beer lead to another and before I knew it I was a little tipsy on my ride home from midtown. But because she's the world's most fantastic girlfriend, Meena had some delicious treats from Hiro waiting. She had already knocked back her:

- chicken tempura roll
- spicy tuna crunch roll

When I finally rolled in, I was treated to the:
- miso soup
- maki combo A featuring spicy salmon roll, california roll and tekka

I know what you're thinking ... spare me the details of another Hiro sushi night. But if I denied you the update, it wouldn't really be a memoir of my palate, would it? So just think of it this way ... I'm doing this for you. You need this!

1.17.2007

ODD

Tonight was one of those odd nights. On multiple levels. Not only did I audition for this really random game show on the Game Show Network, I also didn't really eat dinner per se. And what I did eat came from this really strange diner on 23rd Street. For those of you not in New York, 23rd street is like the crappy strip mall section of your town that you never go to unless it's totally necessary. Like, if you're trying to paint your apartment and you google map the paint store and your like ... crap, that Sherwin Williams store is totally in the disgusting strip mall and now I have to go there because I really need some paint. That's what 23rd street is like through most of Manhattan.

Anyway, I had this quesadilla at the Comfort Diner down the street from the crazy Masonic building where we had our audition. It wasn't bad. I'm not going to lie. I opted for the "buck extra" avocado option and it seemed to take an otherwise ordinary cheese filled tortilla to a slightly more sophisticated level. James didn't eat and Jason had some chicken tacos. He said they were OK.

When I got home from our stellar performance at the big audition, I saw that Meena and Dan had ordered our favorite Indian from Baluchis. I'm not entirely sure, but it looked like Meena stayed with her standard Tikka Masala dinner and Dan followed suit. Those two. Always ordering the same thing. I think the only difference was Dan's samosa appetizer and Meena's fish pakora.

Anyway ... odd night. Fun night ... but from a culinary standpoint ... odd indeed.

1.16.2007

WITH THE BAND





After a mostly lazy MLK day, Meena and I ventured out to Williamsburg for the first big Monument show of 2007. Because James is a peach, he added us to the guest list and we got our hands on some great seats to catch one of modern rock's finest.

Following the show, we met the band a couple blocks down from Northsix and hit neighborhood favorite, Anytime. We were assured the food was going to be plentiful and delicious and they didn't disappoint.

Alec had the:
- 8oz. burger with fries and mixed greens

Meena had the:
- grilled chicken sandwich with russian dressing and a side of onion rings

The remainder of the table had a varied assortment of upscale diner fare. I think everyone really enjoyed it. The table got awfully quiet once the food come out and I saw many an empty plate, so I think it was a hit.

1.15.2007

GREAT INGREDIENTS



Diana’s family was kind enough to pack us with an amazing assortment of the evening’s culinary highlights, so we thought we might mix it up a bit and assemble a little leftover breakfast.

We started with some baked eggs that included:
- rice pilaf (From D’s mom)
- corn and bean salsa (From D’s mom)
- prosciutto
- eggs
- barbecue sauce
- chili paste
- bleu cheese

We also topped her wonderful string beans with a little of the fantastic tabouli she made. Gave it a little zip and some new flavor.

Wonderful.

1.14.2007

ITALIAN WEDDING





I don’t even know where to begin. I guess I’ll back up and explain the setting first. James and Diana are engaged to be married, so a little party was being thrown in their honor up in Connecticut at her parents’ house. We’d never been to that neighboring state to the north and certainly never indulged in the legendary delicacies of Diana’s mother, so we were pretty psyched on multiple levels.

So food was VERY serious from the moment we set foot in the house. Two buffet tables were loaded with everything from giant sandwiches (turkey, brie, green apple and honey mustard) to the most amazing shrimp cocktail, hummus, tabouli, and antipasto plates with meats, cheeses and peppers. It was insanity. This would constitute an outstanding meal at nearly any other home on the planet, but for us on this day … it was just the beginning.

For those of us who hadn’t tapped out after round one, a royal dinner spread was unveiled a bit later on. Stuffed chicken, baked ziti, beef fillets, meatballs, tacos, mixed greens salads, garlic knots and about 10 other things adorned a couple banquet tables that just glowed with amazing food. It was a thing of beauty.

And if you thought it was over, you’re very wrong. Dessert literally took the cake. From carrot cakes and flan with fresh berries to strawberry shortcake, biscotti and assorted cookies, dessert just kept coming.

A massive thank you to James, Diana and their families. One of the best Sunday afternoons we’ve had in quite some time. Sorry the pictures were terrible ... I didn't do this thing justice at all.

A VERY TURKEY SAUSAGE SUNDAY



Although we were well aware a meal unlike one we’d ever seen in our lives was coming up later in the day, we decided that with some impending travel to Connecticut, we should get the day started right.

We had some leftover turkey sausage from the sausage roll and some other random ingredients hanging around in the fridge, so we went to work with the stuff we had around. This delicious, sausage heavy delight included:
- turkey sausage
- whole wheat english muffins
- cooked spinach
- bleu cheese
- egg
- barbecue sauce
- olive oil

We also had a little salad with:
- field greens
- red wine vinegar
- olive oil
- chili paste

Meena was a little overwhelmed by the sausage (and I should have been too, but I was pretty ravenous and it was TURKEY sausage, after all), but the taste was up to par. The salad was a little spicy (which was nice) and the sandwich had that nice bite from the cheese. Good start to a day of serious eating.

1.13.2007

AN ATTEMPT




Because the Colts were playing and I was totally inspired by Diana’s amazing sausage bread, we thought an attempt at replication was in order. And although the taste was pretty solid, the presentation (as you can see) needs a lot of work. At any rate, here’s what we threw in there:
- turkey sausage
- pizza dough from the corner slice shop
- shredded mozzarella
- garlic
- salt
- pepper
- egg wash

Meena also made a little marinara sauce that included:
- canned, diced tomatoes
- canned marinara sauce
- salt
- pepper

Again, the thing looked pretty terrible, but the taste was OK. The only thing that really needs some work is the folding of the actual roll. The filling was fine and the egg wash made it all golden and shiny … but it was just a little too thick and thin in odd spots. At any rate, this isn’t the last the sausage roll has seen of me … I’ll be back (maybe even for next week’s big game in Indy)!

A ROLL UP FROM MY HOMEGIRL



So while I was working on some stuff this morning, Meena took the helm and guided us to the land of breakfast bliss. It wasn't so much a garbage breakfast, it was just a breakfast with a bunch of random ingredients from the fridge. So I guess it's a little like a garbage breakfast. But not quite. Meena seems to think a jar of mustard helps secure that garbage title. But I digress. The semantics aren't important. Here's how she did it:

- eggs
- prosciutto
- shrimp
- field greens
- shredded cheddar
- salsa
- sour cream
- onion
- garlic
- flour tortilla

Can you tell that we buy a lot of flour tortillas? Man, they're just good for everything! Anyway, this one was killer. It was certainly mexican inspired, but the prosciutto gave it a nice little crunch and pop of flavor. And the sour cream was even in the shape of a heart. Presentation points through the roof. Anyway, there shall be more to come today. A monumental Colts game is coming up and we need to prepare a feast.

MISHMASH






We got last night started with a couple pizzettas as an appetizer. We were just hanging out and didn't really feel like dinner, so we threw together a couple more as a snack to accompany our Sophia's. Meena picked up a couple of those clever little sparkling white cans from a giveaway table at work, so we decided to get them out of the way this Friday night.

We did three, but they were all more or less the same. I just varied the primary ingredient so each one had a single salty source.

So they all had:
- tomato sauce
- field greens
- garlic
- flour tortilla

I did one with bleu cheese, one with prosciutto (crispy and uncooked) and one with anchovies. The two without bleu cheese also got some parmesan.

Once we'd knocked back the staples and before we watched a couple movies, we called the best gyro spot in the East Village - Cinderella. See, when we lived in the West Village, we ate at this place called Hudson Falafel once a week. At least. And when we moved to the East Village, it was a major shock to the system when we couldn't find anything that held a candle to our beloved HF. So we ate a lot of bad gyros in search of this little gem oddly nestled right up against the Times Square of the East Village (St. Marks).

Mine had a little extra hot sauce, Meena's did not, decent gyro meat and tons of veggies ... Dinnner was great, Descent was a terrible film. Excellent evening!