bobby flay, ya done good

When Jamie asked me if eating at a Bobby Flay restaurant would tickle my fancy, I told her that would be an understatement. She must really love me, because she booked reservations at Mesa Grill soon afterward.


Upon being seated last Saturday night, I immediately became completely and totally captivated by the menu. There were so many options that sounded right up my alley, and, as usual, I had a hard time deciding. Don't worry, I was quite pleased with my final selections.

I apologize for the blurry pictures--I didn't want to waste time fiddling with the camera. Me and my buds wanted to eat!

The bread basket, a nice variety:



(blue corn muffin = excellent)

My appetizer was black bean soup. It was so creamy, slightly sweet yet still spicy, and utterly delicious.


Black Bean Soup with Toasted Cumin Crema + 3 Relishes of Tomato-Serrano, Avocado-Tomatillo + Grilled Red Onion

The cumin crema gave a terrific smoky flavor and the three relishes were all wonderful, with my favorites being the fiery tomato-serrano and the smooth-like-buttah avocado-tomatillo. So, so good.


(Look at that chunk of avocado. Just look at it.)

My entree was a chile relleno:


Cornmeal Crusted Chile Relleno filled with Roasted Eggplant + Manchego Cheese with Sweet Red Pepper Sauce + Balsamic Vinegar

The filling was so luscious and flavorful, and spiced perfectly to boot. I didn't need the salt shaker at all!


(the innards)

Jamie and Katie each got a queso dip:


Goat Cheese Queso Fundido with Rajas + Blue Corn Tortilla Chips


(cheesalicious)

James also got the ribs:


Barbecued Country Ribs with Mango Habanero Glaze + Green Onion Peanut Relish

Katie also got a smaller chile relleno...


Anaheim Chile Relleno filled with White Cheddar Cheese, Black Beans + Rice

...and the mashed potatoes with cilantro pesto:


(the only disappointing dish of the evening--not enough pesto!)

Jamie's friend Leslie joined us and got the mushroom grits, promptly proclaiming that they were quite possibly the best thing she'd ever put into her mouth.


Creamy Wild Mushroom Grits with Poached Egg, Charred Serrano Sauce, Cotija Cheese + Blue Corn Tortilla Crisps

I don't care for mushrooms, but I have to admit that they were extremely tasty. I've often heard dishes described as complex, and now I can honestly say I know what that means. It was a lovely marriage of flavors and textures.

This was a super exciting and satisfying experience for me. Great food and great company--ya just can't beat it with a stick.

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a picnic in the park and a plethora of playthings

(Just so you know, I have no qualms about abusing my knack for alliteration.)

Saturday began with a picnic in Central Park. This wasn't just any ol' picnic, oh no.


It was, to put it mildly, a Middle Eastern extravaganza. We got takeout from this lovely little gem called Pyramida.


The fella behind the counter was more than happy to take our large order, and even recommended a white bean dip that turned out to be one of our favorite buys.

We got tabouli...


(very fresh and herbacious)

spanikopita...


(a unique take on the classic and pretty darn tasty)

white bean dip...


(soooo very creamy and not too garlicky, with plenty of paprika)

baba ghannouj...


(not my favorite, but still yummy)

hummus...


(a wonderful consistency and lovely flavor)

pitas...


(thick and soft and fabulous)

and of course, baklava...


(some of the best I've ever tasted)


(a baklava beginner...it's safe to say that she enjoyed it)


(it's safe to say we all enjoyed it)

We spent a good hunk of the day lingering over the picnic, reminiscing about the past and even learning a few new things about each other. It was really great.


(I love you gals!)(Yes, that's me on the right, not some random vagrant.)

Properly fed and enthusiastic, it was time to do some walking. We saw some awesome, almost So-You-Think-You-Can-Dance-worthy break dancing...


...some large jewels...


(Jamie claims she would be willing to sacrifice her education to own this ring from Tiffany's)

...and toys. Lots of toys.

FAO Schwartz is an amazing toy store. If I had visited as a child, I would've been beside myself with glee. As an adult (well...let's go with semi-adult), however, my main goal was to see The Big Piano:


James found a friend...


...and Katie found a fitting hat:


A couple of loons, these girls.

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tapas and tourists

I'm back from NYC, much more civilized (ha--I laugh) and sophisticated (no, not really), very well-fed (that's the truth) and glad to have good friends (amen). I'm spreading my trip recap out over a few posts, beginning with Friday night.


I took my first train ride into the city, and I have to say, I'm a fan. It's much roomier than a plane, and the chances of having a double seat to oneself are much greater. After three hours, I was there.

Penn Station on a Friday evening is quite a sight to behold. People of every shape, size, color, and flavor are hustling and bustling around. It was like the Tower of Babel, a din composed of just about every language known to man (except, say, Bantu clicking). I might've gotten swept away if my friend wasn't there to greet me.

After a lovely hugs-all-around reunion with my girls...


(Jamie and Katie, for future reference)

...we set out for our dinner. We had reservations at Pipa, a place for Spanish tapas (and more).


We got a real smorgasbord of tapas to share, starting with some of their famous Crispy Calamari. I'm not exactly sure what was slathered all over the little squidies, but it almost made them tasty enough to earn the description "good squid," which I personally didn't think was possible. Katie and James loved it and the chewy little critters disappeared from the table rather quickly.


lightly breaded calamari rings, served with a smoked paprika aioli

Next came the Jumbo Crab Coca (or flatbread). As an anti-crabber, I didn't try this one, but I did notice that it wasn't devoured by my buds as quickly as the calamari.


jumbo lump crab meat with goat cheese, tomatoes, baby spinach, jalapeno, and mustard oil

Mushroom Croquettes came out next. I'm sorry, but they look like little turds to me, and that's that.


mixed wild mushrooms flavored with rosemary, thyme, and garlic and served with truffle trumpet aioli

The next dish was my favorite of the night--the Veggie Coca. 'Twas fresh, crisp, savory, and delicious.


broccoli, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, corn, pureed eggplant and manchego cheese all drizzled with a truffle trumpet oil

I also enjoyed some chicken skewers. They were nicely-spiced and very moist.


My friends were excited by these Stuffed Piquillos. Oh, how I wish I liked crab.


oven-baked stuffed piquillo peppers filled with delicate jumbo lump crabmeat and shrimp with a paprika aioli

We partook of some sangria throughout the meal. It was my first taste of the fruity delight, and I really enjoyed it.


Gran Torres orange liquor, Chambord, apricot brandy, Cointreau, with fresh apples and peaches

After that wonderful dinner, we headed off to visit Times Square. Good googa mooga, the place was swarming with tourists. Swarming, I tell you. The lights were mesmerizing, as was the Hershey's store...


It was a dazzling evening, and I slept like a rock despite the never-ending street noise and a frisky feline named Oscar...

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bogus but breathtaking baklava

I'm slowly summoning the motivation to tackle making real, authentic baklava. In the meantime, I've stumbled upon something that will suffice quite nicely. Yes, it will do just fine.


This is a less-delicate-but-still-darn-tasty, easy-way-out, prize-winning Betty Crocker recipe. I followed it pretty closely, but since it seems I always have to tweak something, tweak I did. I used a combination of pistachio nuts (a personal favorite) and glazed walnuts rather than just plain ol' walnuts. Since the walnuts were glazed, a reduced the sugar a bit. I also skipped out on the crumbled phyllo shells. I didn't have any, and although they would've made the bars more baklava-like, I didn't think they were essential to the flavor. So there. Oh, and I added more cinnamon in every component because cinnamon = love.


These are truly wonderful bars. I found it particularly difficult to take pictures of them because the smell was so alluring. In fact, and the grease on my camera is proof of this, I caved and ate a slab as I took these pictures. Butter, nuts, cinnamon, and honey--come on now. Tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing.


Baklava Bars
(adapted from here)

Cookie Base:
1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
pinch of cinnamon :)

Filling:
1 cup glazed walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Glaze:
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir nuts, sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt with fork until mixture is well-mixed and crumbly.
Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially-baked base. Bake 18 to 20 minutes longer or until golden brown.
For glaze, microwave honey, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon uncovered until bubbly. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle honey mixture evenly over bars. Cool completely before cutting, about 2 hours (yeah, right--who can wait that long?).


I'm off to NYC this afternoon, for a weekend chock-full of eating, sight-seeing, eating, catching up with a couple of my very best friends, and eating. I hope to take lots of pictures, but I'm still not particularly comfortable breaking out the camera in restaurants (bad memories and all that...). Have a great weekend, folks!

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a case of bad timing

As I mentioned yesterday, I spent the majority of Monday evening trapped in an airport.


I finally landed in Albany around 10 pm. I realize this doesn't sound bad to most normal people, but it feels ridiculously late when you wake up at 3 o'clock in the frickin' morning like I do. Needless to say, it had been a long day and I was pretty much worn to a frazzle.

It takes about 45 minutes to drive from the airport to my apartment, so I cranked up the music and the cold air and set off.


A bit of pertinent information: I got my first ticket ever a few months ago (speeding--76 in a 65)(I've done much worse) and it sucked. $145. Ludicrous. Don't get me started, but I learned my lesson and have been very speed-conscious ever since. (Apparently a ticket was an immediate cure for my leadfootitis...)

Also, I've been driving around with a burnt-out headlight for about two months.

Perhaps you can see where this is going. Yes, dear readers, on my journey home, the ominous flashing lights came up behind me.

Fully convinced I'd been speeding without realizing it (I was tired, dang it!) and completely forgetting about the headlight, I pulled over, immediately began sweating, and dug out my license and registration. The cop sidled up to my window and I gave him my info and promptly burst into tears. It wasn't a "feel-sorry-for-me-I'm-a-sensitive-gal" act--I was just in a particularly vulnerable state, I promise. The poor guy kept asking me questions, trying to carry on a normal conversation and save me from my downward spiral into blithering idiocy, but to no avail--I morphed into a blubbering fool.


Of course, I hadn't been speeding at all--the headlight was the culprit. Honestly, I've been waiting, expecting to get pulled over for that stupid thing as long as it's been out. It just so happened that I got caught at my most tired, most emotional point. Bad timing, indeed.

Ultimately, he told me to get my headlight fixed and "keep my chin up" (I kid you not) and let me go with a warning.


I'm pretty embarrassed by my inability to control my tear ducts, but I guess being a blubbering fool can have its advantages.

I got this here toasted coconut donut as a tribute to the nice policeman. I ate it, and I ate it good.

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when the weather outside is frightful...

...and I'm stuck in an airport, I appreciate a good distraction. Luckily for me, Kristin from The Kitchen Sink (an incredible blog with delicious dishes and wonderful writing) tagged me for a little questionnaire.


What were you doing ten years ago? Although I'm not certain, it's a safe bet that for me, June of 1998 was spent at various basketball camps and tournaments. It's a safe bet because it's what I did every summer from ages 11 to 18. Yes, folks, basketball was my world for about a third of my life.

What are five non-work things on my to-do list for today?
#1. Begin preparations for my weekend excursion to New York City [New York City! (said like the fella in the Pace commercials...)]. That's right, folks. This country girl is taking a deep breath and going in!
#2. Give money to undeserving people. This is more commonly referred to as "getting gas."
#3. Eat massive bowl of this:


#4. Fertilize tomato plants.
#5. Deposit latest expense check in the bank. Money in the bank is a good thing.

What snacks do you enjoy?
#1. Guacamole. Salsa. Hummus. Various other dips.
#2. Yogurt and granola. Yogurt and berries. Yogurt and various other additions.


#3. Glazed walnuts. Salty cashews. You got it--various other nuts.
#4. Kashi Go-Lean Crunch. Honey Nut Cheerios. Various other cereals.
#5. Apple chips. Grapes. Various other fruits.

bonus (because who can be healthy all the time?):


What would you do if you were a billionaire?
#1. Travel to Greece and Italy and Australia and Ireland and all those places I've longed to visit.
#2. Purchase a sports team, preferably the Atlanta Braves. How much are they going for these days?
#3. Have Lasik eye surgery. Contacts are a pain.
#4. Get some land where I can have peace and quiet, a real garden, and all the pets my heart desires.
#5. Buy the Mamominator a new car.

Where have you lived?
#1. Conception to age 18--Floyd, VA, a small town occupying a huge portion of my heart.
#2. 18-21--Salem, VA, for college.
#3. 21-23--Blacksburg, VA, for more college.
#4. 24--Johnstown, NY, for a scary three-day stint in a hotel with most of my worldly possessions stored in my car while I looked for an apartment.
#5. 24-present--Amsterdam, NY.

What jobs have you had?
#1. Recreational basketball referee. I learned that parents of athletes (no matter how young) can take things way too seriously and take out their frustrations on strangers (i.e. completely undeserving teenagers like me).
#2. Basketball videographer. I learned that most camcorders do indeed record sound and that I should keep my opinions of the members of the men's basketball team to myself.
#3. Donation solicitor. I learned that people who call and ask for donations to a college must be extremely bold and brave and that you should always be nice to them--they're just doing what they're paid to do!
#4. Barista. I learned that most people are pretty particular about how their coffee beverages are made and can get downright rude at the slightest imperfection. It's a hectic job, folks--cut 'em some slack next time!
#5. Winery lab technician. I learned that yeast wrangling is a fun pastime, Concord and Niagara grapes are a pain to juice but a delight to eat, and the wine-making process is much more involved than you can ever imagine.

I'd like to know some more about these folks, if they're willing and haven't already participated:

Sharon of Culinary Adventures of a New Wife
Leslie of The Hungry Housewife
Erinn of Sunday Dish
Vera of Baking Obsession

A merry Tuesday to you! (And yes, I finally made it home, safe and sound.)

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oh ye of little faith

I've come across a lot of recipes with funky combinations of ingredients, and what I've learned is that you really shouldn't knock something until you try it.


Recent phone conversation with Mamsterdam (slightly embellished for the sake of entertainment):

M: Did you cook anything today?

G: I did. Lately I've seen a bunch of recipes combining chicken with something hot and spicy and something sweet, usually fruit preserves.

M: Okay...

G: So I took my chicken pieces, smothered them with copious amounts of cumin and chili powder (as I'm wont to do), and browned them a bit in the skillet. Then I added some hot salsa (mild salsa is absolutely useless to me and I laugh at the idea of it) and--brace yourself--apricot preserves.

M: Apricot preserves and salsa?

G: Yes.

M: Apricot preserves. With salsa.

G: Yes.

M: And you enjoyed it? You enjoyed this mixture of apricot preserves and salsa?

G: Yes.

M (sighing): Where did I go wrong in raising you?


Oh Mammicus. I'll have you know that I really liked this particular melange of flavors. It was ridiculously hot (I wouldn't have it any other way) thanks to the salsa and chili powder, but the heat was tempered by the super-sweet apricot preserves. Like Mamby-Pamby, I had my doubts at first, but it turned out to be a really great meal!

Moral of the story: Sneer not at unusual ingredient combinations.

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