Gotham Gal

The Upholstery Store

2009-11-20T20:37:41-05:00

It has been a grueling week. I seriously need some R and R and possibly sun? I got movie tickets for tonight but honestly, that was too much. Both Fred and I crawled down the street to have a few glasses of wine, cheese, pickled veggies and some sausages. It was the perfect meal and so low key. They actually have landjager on the menu which is a sausage I grew up with. My father used to take us to the local deli in Los Angeles, the German ones and get us landjager sausages which we gnawed on. To me, it is still the ultimate sausage. Served with horseradish and mustard. I was in heaven. Great wine bar too...part of Wallse. Super smart addition to their umbrella. The bartender serves the wines, by the glass or bottle, and serves up your appetizers behind the bar. Low cost and lots of pleasure.

When Everything Changed...but did it?

2009-11-19T10:43:55-05:00

I am in the middle of reading Gail Collins, When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present. I usually wait to comment on a book when I finish it but after the last few days, I can't help but think/write out loud half way in.

First of all, the book is a great read. Collins has done a really good job on this book by being more of a journalist than a Op-ed writer. She is giving a full account on the history of women over the past 50 or so years. This is a book that should be read by all women but particularly all young women. We have come so far, and everything has changed but I can't help but think it just shifted.

Granted, we aren't home churning butter and scrubbing the clothes but we are still, for lack of a better word, women. What do I mean by that? Let me start by taking a few steps back. Women work, women can start their own businesses, women are lawyers and judges and senators and governors and heads of state, women, at least presently and hopefully for ever, have control over their own bodies, women go to the finest universities in the world...etc., but you get the point.

So now, let's go to the flip side of where we are today. There is no doubt that many many families have 2 incomes, both people/parents work. But, just taking a guess here, that when it comes to the majority of family issues, the woman takes responsibility for it. There are many men today who stay at home, take full and equal responsibility for the role in the house hold but I believe the majority don't. Maybe my generation more than people who are now just having families.

I will be the first to admit, I love life and live it to the fullest and have certainly achieved plenty with Fred over the past 28 years but there is a small part of me, particularly this past week, I have been thinking "when did I sign up for this". Combined with the fact that there is a part of me that put my life into cruise control for sometime to be home for the kids and for the family ( which is fine ) but I am still responsible for the majority of our life and probably will always be no matter what else I have professionally going on . Could Fred have had the success he has had without me if he had to raise 3 kids and be responsible for everything else that goes around a family? Who dealt with buying the cars, building the homes, planning our vacations, dealing with the kids and everything they need ( Ok that could take 12 pages ), managing the home, filling the fridge, making dinner, making plans, tracking personal investments, dealing with the dog etc., while still hoping to carve out some type of career for myself.

I do not believe that these problems are socioeconomic related but they just come in different forms. I also believe that it will be easier for my girls and their generation. There will be more acceptance and allowances in the work place for them. Who knows, maybe women will just have to struggle for ever. Maybe women are just more layered, have a bigger bandwidth and have care taking in their bones. No offense guys. But at the end of day, I sorta of feel that there is part of my generation that just got hosed because you can't have it all. Having it all is a total myth. BTW, what does having it all actually mean? You can bring home the bacon, be there for the kids, your husband and have time for yourself. Not unless you don't sleep because something gets screwed and it generally is you.

We certainly shouldn't take how far we have come for granted, because everything has changed but at the end of the day did it or more to the point....how much?

Pappy Van Winkle Whiskey

2009-11-18T08:33:58-05:00

Last night before we made our way out, a friend of Fred's, now mine, came over with a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Whiskey straight out of Kentucky. Super strong, smooth and tastes like the South, to me. This particular company started with a product that had to sit in barrels for 23 years before it came to market. No surprises, the family had to be bought out before the product came due. Now that the product is hitting the market, the family wants to buy it back. Sounds like a product that should have only been made by a family with serious deep pockets. Regardless, the whiskey is here and it is sublime.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

2009-11-18T08:21:17-05:00

After dinner last night, we grabbed a cab and headed down to the Bowery Ballroom. One of my favorite venues. We got there around 11 just as Edward Shape and the Magnetic Zeroes were coming on. The good news is, we know the trick to get to the front of the stage. Sorry, can't share.

An 11 person band. One person is more talented than the other. All great voices. They put on an incredible concert and one you can only appreciate in a small venue as it is lost in anything larger.

We knew a bunch of people at the show which is always fun to discuss afterward. If you get a chance to see them, run now because my guess is after the 2 lead singers stop sleeping together, that will be the demise of the group. Also, the song Home just won't be the same.

Convivio

2009-11-18T08:15:08-05:00

Yesterday as I made my way around the city, I had stuck this weeks issue of the New Yorker in my bag. It is the food issue. Over the course of the day, I read the first article which was all about the Michelin guide and a Michelin reviewer and how she goes about doing her job. The one thing that stood out is how they review the food and decide on the one star, 2 star or 3 star for each restaurant. Everything that they eat is analyzed from quality to the technical aspect to the combinations of the flavors, etc. Not as in "ooh this tastes so good".

Last night we went to Convivio which is located on Tudor Square. Not an area I frequent but a change of pace. I want to be kind as the restaurant has really been praised but I didn't sleep great and my mouth woke up in a sea of garlic so I am attempting to figure out what to say here. I wonder if the reviews were so good because of the location? Or as I think about the Michelin guide reviewer, maybe it is more essential that I return a few times before making any judgement calls. Unfortunately, I won't return for many reasons and I guess that is why I am a blogger not a Michelin guide reviewer. BTW, Convivio was given one star from the Michelin Guide.

The restaurant recommends a four course prix fixe. IMHO, too much food. There are a variety of appetizers to choose from. I opted for something a little off the beaten track as I was inspired after reading the Michelin article. I began with 2 marinated sardines served over tiny pieces of mozzarella with a thinly sliced piece of marinated red pepper on top over a plate of light green olive oil. The combo just didn't work. The sardines were really fishy and the mozzarella which I had envisioned to be soft and sublime wasn't. Fred had the octopus which was well cooked and served over a chickpea mixture that was deep fried like polenta with red peppers on the side. Good but not as good as the Octopus I had at Periyali a few weeks ago. My friend sitting next to me had the Quail. The plate was absolutely beautiful. The carmelized figs looked like they could melt in your mouth. I tried one and it was tasteless. Looked good but no flavor. Alas. Honestly, this is when I started to get bummed about the meal at large.

The pastas are probably the best thing here. I went with the Saffron gnoche mixed with crab meat and sea urchin. It was good but not an omigod. The gnoche was small and not as pillowy as I had hoped. The sauce was tasty speckled with the crab meat but there was also way more than needed thinly sliced pieces of garlic hiding through out the dish. Why? Fred had the Fuscilli mixed with a pork shoulder ragu. Again, I expected his to had a beautiful chunky sauce over the top but it didn't. It was more like a rich red sauce, no meat. I also tasted the rabbit filled ravioli which was quite tasty but again, didn't send me over the top. Hey..maybe it just wasn't my night.

For dinner, two people had the steak. It was perfectly cooked and looked really tasty. That was served with smashed roasted potatoes and huge pieces of roasted garlic. Fred had the fish which I didn't get to taste. I went with the lamb chops. 2 lamb chops coated with herbs and tiny pieces of chopped garlic and pan fried. Good meat. The chops sat over a reduced mixture of escarole, tomatoes and white beans. It didn't work with the lamb chops. I had a few bites and left it as it was so overpowering and just not the interesting.

For dessert, we all had different things. I had a chocolate type of souffle. Think of the small cakes that ooze when you stick your spoon in with a serving of gelato over the top. Took a few bites. So rich and I was full at this point. They also gave us a spiced apple gallette. The crust was fantastic, crumbly with a hint of lemon.

All and all, loved the company, as we try and get together once a year and always have a great time. It is like sitting down with old friends. But Convivio, alas, although I had heard it was worth the trek to Tudor City....except for the company, it wasn't for me.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

2009-11-17T08:28:07-05:00

Another Ad Hoc recipe. This book is almost like an education. The tiny little things that Keller does it why his food tastes so delicious. This soup is fantastic. Each step is worthwhile.

8 ounces of bacon ( you are supposed to use slab bacon but I had strips in the fridge so I went with it )
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups chopped leeks
2 cups chopped onions ( I used sweet onions and I actually used 2 onions vs 2 cups )
1 tsp. yellow curry powder
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes
2 Sachets ( one bay leaf, a few peppercorns, 4 sprigs of thyme in cheesecloth or a small sachet )
2 cup of French lentils
8 cups Chicken Stock
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Cut up the bacon into small pieces. In a 8 quart stockpot, on a low heat, add the bacon. The bacon just gets soft and renders the fat. Let this hang out about 20-25 minutes. The bacon shouldn't get crispy. You can crisp is up if you want for later use in another pan afterward.

Add the carrots, leaks, onions and curry powder to the vegetables and really mix. Season with some kosher salt and keep the heat on low. You are supposed to cover this with a parchment lid ( it took me a few times to figure that out but in the end I just used a folded piece of parchment paper with a hole in it and laid it over the top of the pot ). Now let the vegetables hang out about 30 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and chop into 1/2 inch dice size pieces. Put the potatoes, and one sachet and 2 tsp. kosher salt in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil and then down to simmer, cover and let cook for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is over ( I timed it ), drain and rinse with really cold water. Keller then puts the potato pieces on a tray so they can each cool. I didn't opt for that and let them cool in the colander after lots of cold water. Remove sachet.

Add the lentils and the second sachet to the vegetable pot ( once they are soft ) and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer, let this hang for about 30-40 minutes or until lentils are soft.

Add vinegar and salt for taste to the soup ( vinegar is key with lentils ). Put the potatoes in and serve. If you want, you can crisp up the bacon and add to the soup too but I opted out of that.

Delicious. Can stay about 2 days in the fridge. He recommends not putting in the potatoes until you serve it if you plan on using the next day. I am serving this to the kids tonight for dinner but put in the potatoes last night. That's why he makes the big bucks.

Apple Chutney

2009-11-16T11:05:19-05:00

Made this in the morning. Absolutely delicious!

1 1/2 pound apples (peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces) (3 gala apples, 2
grannies)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon ginger (chopped)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Put all of this in a pot, bring to a boil and simmer until liquid is gone.

Chicken and Sausage

2009-11-15T18:47:32-05:00

The next couple of nights I am going to try a few recipes out of the Ad Hoc cookbook. Tonight was chicken and sausage. Super easy.

One whole chicken cut in 8 pieces ( you can certainly buy the separate pieces but I like to do it this way )
3 Sweet Italian sausage
Roasted red and yellow peppers ( I bought a pre-made jar which had 2 of each in it )
Jar of beans of your choice (I added this to the recipe)

Keller believes in the brine. I did not have time so I didn't and that is fine, believe me.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large dutch oven or deep frying pan ( one that can go in the oven ) cover the bottom with vegetable oil. Heat. I seasoned the chicken pieces with kosher salt and paprika. Brown the thighs and legs. About 4 minutes. Add the sausages and brown. The sausages take about 10 minutes. Take out the thighs and legs and now add in the wings and breasts, all side down. Brown and then take out.

Drain the excess oil. Put in the beans and peppers, the chicken, the sausages ( cut these in half now ) and put in the oven at 350 for about 35 minutes or until done.

That's it. I served on the side rice with a bit of saffron in it. A hit.

Will Cotton Bakery

2009-11-15T15:55:41-05:00

I have always been a fan of Will Cotton's work. This Sunday he took his work to a completely different level, he opened a bakery.

Cotton, has been working with cakes and pastries to create his paintings and sculptures. A funny thing happened along the way. He became a really good baker. So today and I believe the next 2 Sundays from 12-5, you can buy his wares at Partners & Spade located at 40 Great Jones Street.

There are a few of his pieces at the gallery but my favorites are the sculptured head bands that the women are wearing behind the counter. One is multiples of white flowers, another was a cupcake....all mini sculptures. Also, loved the gingerbread house. Might try and replicate it when we do our annual gingerbread house this year.

I spoke with Cotton, such a nice guy, told him it was nice to have a back-up business. If the art thing doesn't work out, he can always open a bakery. He laughed and said that the art is supporting the bakery at this point. Regardless, go by and buy one of this wares....yummy!

Analog vs Digital

2009-11-15T11:11:42-05:00

In the last week, I have had this conversation with more than a handful of people. Maybe its a theme but there is something to be said about the balance between analog and digital. In all transparency, every person I had this conversation with was over 40 so keep that in mind except for one. Regardless, what comes into question is what is the balance between digital and analog.

I spent some time speaking with a very successful guy who was involved in the Fashion industry, in the high end world. He was moaning about the demise of print. His point was that there wasn't a fashion designer he personally knew (Valentino, Donna Karan, and some younger designers that I can't recall their names) that didn't have a concept board filled with pull-outs from magazines, filled with photos, etc. and none of it came from the Internet. It all came from paper, not printed from the web. In the back of my mind, I was thinking about Jessica, my own daughter, who has taken pull outs from tons of magazines and covered her college dorm room with them. He went on to say that the Hermes piece that just came in his mailbox this week was so beautiful and that can never be replicated on the web. Perhaps but is it worth the cost? What is the balance? As a culture, we seem to be going through that shake out now. What will be left? Playing devil's advocate, I just said that people will change the way they create, he didn't buy that. He also was frustrated by his nieces and nephews lack of writing skills ( ages 11-23 ). So, let's ponder all of that.

Last night, I was talking to someone else about basically the same subject. My friend agreed that the writing piece of most kids has gone down the drain. I am not in that camp. My kids write really well and enjoy it. Is that the school system to blame or the parents who have not pushed their kids to write. I actually believe that kids are writing more than ever, perhaps in staccato but they do write to communicate. Maybe the people who don't write well just becomes more apparent as more people are reading what they write. My friends daughter has not even learned how to write in script and she is 13. Maybe that is ok, maybe it isn't. If anything this generations face to face communication skills have probably suffered. As kids spend more time texting, playing Farmville and keeping up on Facebook, are they still able to walk into a room of new people and have a conversation? Not so sure but on the other hand, that has always been a skill and perhaps the ability to use the computer as a medium to communicate has been helpful to those that have a tough time with the face to face. Not that reality is sitting inside a dark room being on the computer all day at least it shouldn't be.

Many people believe that there is something about getting a hand written card. I know that I make our kids write thank you notes, the old fashioned way, when they get a gift, even it is to a friend. Over the years, most of the notes from their friends come in email form with everyone on the same blast. There is something to be said for holding on to a few things from each generation. Landmarks wasn't established in cities across the world for nothing. What should the landmarks be in correspondence of this generation? My friend lamented that when she interviews someone and they actually take out the time to send a handwritten note, put it in an envelope, get a stamp, find a mailbox, etc. vs just shooting off an email, she remembers that.

Certainly I am a huge proponent of the Internet. It is our bread and butter but I do wonder what have we lost, what is fine to lose and what should be kept. Will my kids still send out wedding invitations on print paper, will they send out hand written cards to say thank you or create individualized ones through the web for each person. Time will tell but between the print world, the correspondence world, there is something to be said about the balance between analog and digital.