Welcome to MONICA PETERS': TheGritsnCheeseDish! [TM]

I Knew It: Paula Deen and Type II Diabetes

2012-01-26T11:01:00.011-05:00

I had the opportunity to have an interview with Paula Deen at the AC Food & Wine Festival in 2010. My camera was about to die so I could only ask one question. While in the room, I noticed that Paula kept going back for artificial sweeteners for her coffee. It was then that my curiosity was peeked if the food media mogul was diabetic and keeping it secret. In all honesty, I knew she was diabetic but was hiding it--just needed the official confirmation from her on what I already sensed and knew. I could not see how a person who cooked as dangerously as Deen could not have suffered any consequences.

Here is footage of my Paula Deen interview. In the beginning of the video, notice the artificial sweetener packets she is using. This is one of the reasons I asked her about has she ever considered not using so much butter in her recipes. Notice that this question makes her uncomfortable and she plays it off by walking away for a brief moment.

Note: High amounts of butter does not cause diabetes. I had planned to ask Ms. Deen about eating healthy etc. but the camera died. Oh well.

Grannies on Safari @ Philly Travel Show: I Won an Antler Suitcase!

2012-01-16T13:59:00.005-05:00

Hi gang,

The Philly Travel show was in town this weekend at the PA Convention Center in Philadelphia. I saw my favorite ladies and travel partners in my head, "Grannies on Safari." The Grannies were giving away 3 Antler suitcases and I won one of them. A sign from above that I must take a trip somewhere! Pic Regina Fraser (L), Monica Peters (m) and Pat Johnson (r)

Watch Pat and Regina give packing tips using their brand new Antler suitcase. Also catch the Grannies on Safari on Facebook!

-Monica

Oldie but Goodie: "The Soul of a New Cuisine A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa" by Marcus Samuelsson

2011-11-06T19:51:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite cooking books, "The Soul of a New Cuisine A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa" by chef Marcus Samuelsson, has been out for 5 years. It makes African cooking easy for the beginner. It's also fun to go to the market to purchase and discover spices that you normally don't buy. Make it a family trip.

Nanking Asian Fusion @ Bally’s Casino Atlantic City

2011-11-04T21:03:00.028-04:00

Nanking’s in Bally’s Atlantic City specializes in Chinese, Thai, and Indian cuisine. Before we get into the food review, let’s get to the very important particulars first. Yes, Nanking is authentic Asian fare and it is family affordable. The atmosphere and design is also a glimpse into Asian dining customs and culture including private/semi-private dining rooms. Upon walking into the restaurant, customers will see a huge gold Buddhist statue of Gautama which faces the door to bring positive energy. Nanking also does not have a table 13 in the restaurant since it is regarded as an unlucky number in Asian culture.

Chef Krishna Bhandari from Nepal puts a lot of care and time into his meals. Akbar Jumani, General Manager of Nanking from Bombay who was also a chef in Switzerland, makes it clear that he does not like spicy and hot to be the star of Nanking’s meals. He feels that spicy can overpower a dish and he likes for patrons to taste and relish every ingredient in their meal. However, have no fear, Nanking does have spicy offerings for those who like to walk on the hot side. So let’s get into my 2-day dining experience at Nanking which varied from Indian Lemon Gingerale (nothing similar to American ginger ale) to bird saliva for dessert

Day 1: First Tasting Menu

First up to bat from Nanking’s “first tasting menu,” I ate Mumbai chili chicken ($10) which is wok steamed with cayenne peppers, ginger and coriander. This dish was excellent and the flavor was robust. It was not spicy per say but definitely left your taste buds wanting more.

I also ate the “drums of heaven” ($10) from the first menu which is cooked with chilies, garlic and herbs. This dish was more on the mild side and the flavors of the ingredient were subtle.

Asian Drinks: Japanese Pineapple and then some Indian Lemon Gingerale (both $4)

While chowing down on Mumbai chili chicken and the drums of heaven, I decided to try some drinks that are popular in Asian culture.

First, I drank a Japanese pineapple drink fused with aloe vera and garnished with cilantro. To my delight this drink had a natural sweetness that made it great. The sweetness was from the fruit, not corn syrup and mystery ingredients.

Next, I ordered the Indian lemon ginger ale. I must admit it takes an acquired taste. Although ginger ale is in the name, this drink which is very popular in India contains no ginger. Indian ginger ale is made with club soda, lemon and cumin seeds mixed with Indian spices including black pepper. People in India drink this beverage to help them break down food after a meal. If you are not accustomed to drinking this kind of beverage, it may take a while for you to get used to the taste.

Specialty Dish menu—Imperial Fish (Red snapper) $22

The Imperial fish which is red snapper with spicy garlic infused with tomato sauce is well worth every penny! The fish is fried in peanut oil with tempura flour and topped with a tasty semi sweet spicy tomato sauce. This fish was definitely a winner.

Dessert: Birds Nest Soup (Bird Saliva, $14) and Banana Egg Roll ($6)

To round out dinner, I started with the Birds nest soup with rock sugar on the dessert menu. Birds nest soup, a very popular Chinese delicacy, is actually bird saliva (yes, bird spit). This dessert is mixed with rock sugar that cooked overnight with touches of ginseng (korean dates) added. The soup had a clear color with a thick texture. Health experts also say that bird saliva is very good for the immune system. After getting over my mental barriers, I took a taste and thoroughly enjoyed it. I even took some back with me. Check out the video below.

Next up, I had the banana egg roll served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge

The banana wrapped in egg roll wrapper is deep fried and drizzled with cold chocolate fudge. Of course, this was good!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Day II: LUNCH

The following day I tried some items from Nanking’s Dim Sum, curry dishes and teas.

I started first with the Lemongrass Beef Lollipops with spicy chili glazed pierced with bamboo stick in the middle. The dish was very tasty and mild in flavor. $10

The snow crab and chive dumpling from dim sum menu was made with tomato, tamarind and mango chutney (all sauces are made in house). The shredded crab is blended with tomato. The tomato is brought down to its base, and then blended with the crab so the tomato flavor is mild. The dumplings are served over bed of cabbage and lettuce. If you love mild flavored food, this is right up your alley. $10

I absolutely loved Nanking’s Som Taum salad which is raw papaya, peanuts and cherry tomatoes. The salad is tossed in a vodka citron vinaigrette which is made in house with Indian spices and red chilis. The papaya is imported from India and South America and is prepped fresh daily at the restaurant. ($9)

Diving into the meats menu, my first meal was Mongolian lamb which is cooked with peppers, scallions and ginger sauce. This dish was mild and even flavored.

However, the lamb curry (with the spicy green curry sauce made with bell peppers) was AWESOME. the curry is very creamy, sweet and hot. The dish also has zucchini, eggplant and bamboo shoots. I highly recommend lamb curry.

Mongolian Lamb $20, Lamb curry $20

While dining at Nanking, also try some of their Golden Monkey tea that is imported from the Providence region of China. Centuries ago monkeys were trained and used to fetch the tea leaves. Lovely.

Some more pics of Nanking:

First pic is a center view of the restaurant.

The next two pics are the semi-private and private dining rooms.

Monopoly on the Boardwalk!....Literally

2011-11-03T23:57:00.001-04:00

Although, the weather is getting cool, the boardwalk still sizzles. Check out the Monopoly board game at Bally's Dennis Courtyard. You must visit this this display next time you visit Atlantic City and take some pics. You all remember how we hoped we could buy Park Place when we played this game back in the day.

Nanking Restaurant at Bally's Atlantic City & GritsnCheese Hits the Caribbean

2011-10-19T08:53:00.004-04:00

It's been real busy the past few weeks but trust, I have been on my foodie adventures. I will be posting my review of Nanking Restaurant at Bally's Atlantic City this week, in the mean time here is a pic of their lamb curry to get your taste buds watering. I may also be hitting the Caribbean for a foodie trip in December to taste some of the wonderful food. Keep your eyeballs on the TheGritsnCheeseDish this week. Thank you for reading.

Scarduzio’s Steak | Sushi | Lounge (Showboat Atlantic City)

2011-09-30T13:10:00.042-04:00

This new restaurant located inside the Showboat Atlantic City is a hidden gem. I almost wonder if patrons on the casino floor know about this Italian steakhouse that makes their own pasta and sauces, the brainchild of acclaimed chef and owner, Chris Scarduzio.

I came to the restaurant unannounced before my scheduled reservation. Upon entering the restaurant which has beautiful décor including an extravagant knife set hanging on the wall, we were greeted promptly by manager Robert Grabowski. As a food blogger, I will intentionally crash a reservation sometimes to see what the actual service response is like for the average patron when they enter a restaurant. Scarduzio’s passed that test as they greeted all persons promptly.

There is something to be said for a restaurant that pays close attention to detail.

First up to the table was this delicious trio --cornbread, Lavash French flat bread with sesame and parmesan and Rustic Italian bread. The butter was seasoned with a tasty kick-ass black lava salt which is literally sea salt scraped off of lava rock. How’s that for culinary detail? (Chef Giancarlo Generosi who is actually the chef for Scarduzios broke it down for us). The cornbread was made from scratch and was amazing. Tasting the chunky corn kernels in the cornbread gave it a very nice taste. The cornbread was sweet, but not too sweet. The Lavash was flavorful as was the Italian bread. But, the cornbread stole the show in the bread department.

Photo on left: butter sprinkled with black lava salt

Before diving in fully with entrée options, we were served Scarduzios signature appetizer, homemade cavatelli pasta with spicy tomato butter and sundried tomato pesto,—great and hearty.

I also had the Diver Sea Scallops made with fregola sarda (which is pasta or Italian couscous) and pancetta cream. Excellent. What made this dish spectacular was the temperature. The pasta and cream was at a slightly lower temperature than the scallops allowing your tongue to taste every bit of natural goodness.

My non-foodie friend (i.e. just cares about the taste, not the particulars) ordered the tuna tartare with masago, cucumber, jalapeño, caper and crispy wonton from the sushi appetizer menu. Although I am not a fan of sushi in general (with the exception of California rolls), I must say that Scarduzio's sushi was awesome. The fresh ingredients and texture of the Sushi made this appetizer refreshing. Not bad for $15.

Traveling off the menu a bit, we decided to try the special for the evening which was sesame Ahi tuna with seaweed salad and spicy sweet sauce courtesy of Chef Generosi. The tuna was well cooked but very tender. Once again, this dish had this “temperature texture thing” going on which makes their dishes spectacular. Chef Scarduzio informed me that once their food is cooked they let it sit for a little bit (I think there is more to his secret).

Now for the main feature—the steak (all steaks served at Scarduzios are USDA certified prime beef), which I also ordered with a lobster tail since that was a special for the evening. I ordered the 12 oz center cut filet mignon well done (photo on left, $43). My guest ordered the 8 oz Tajima Wagyu filet (i.e. Japanese steak, $85) medium rare as our wonderful server Ming recommended (photo left). My steak was served well done, yet very juicy. I love Scarduzio’s presentation with their steaks—especially the roasted garlic clove on the side of the dish with a rosemary towering from it where you simply spread the garlic over the steak with your knife for optimum taste.

My guest’s Tajima Wagyu filet (photo on left) was superb which is saying a lot since I am not a fan of medium rare anything. It was tender, very moist, juicy, but not runny.

Desserts

We ordered two desserts: Peanut butter cheesecake with miniature vanilla milkshake with chocolate straw (left) and a pistachio crème brulee with Bacardi Rum 151 proof. The peanut butter flavor is more prominent than the cheese with this dessert. However, I ate most of this great dessert when it set at room temperature where the cheese and peanut butter flavors compliments each other perfectly.

Our pistachio crème brulee, which was fired up table side and was very nice dessert to wrap up the dinner. The brulee was so good I even saved some to eat for breakfast the next morning.

Check out Chef Generosi, server Ming and the crew fire up the brulee.

Check out photos of the Scarduzios' lounge, sushi and drink bars.

BAJAN CHEF SAYS "REDUCE SALT INTAKE"

2011-09-21T04:43:00.003-04:00

BARBADOS (September 18, 2011) - "Cut back on table salt!" That's the message from a Barbadian chef and entrepreneur who wants Caribbean people to abstain from over-consuming salty foods following reports of tragic life-altering strokes and other serious medical conditions.

Chef Derek Went of Went Caribbean, a company which offers healthy Caribbean lifestyle support, said while the Caribbean region is known worldwide for its culinary exploits and some of the most flavour-filled foods, the region was playing "Russian Roulette" with its food preparation and consumption habits.

Went Caribbean is keenly focused on reducing the high incidence of chronic, non-communicable diseases by offering a variety of products and services which promote a healthy lifestyle.

"I am all for maintaining the diverse culinary traditions of the Caribbean, but let's make sure we do so without compromising good health," Went asserted, proposing a switch from table salt to moderate amounts of sea salt as a healthier alternative.

The Caribbean chef promotes sodium-free, healthy spices and herbs in Barbados, across the Caribbean, and soon to the Caribbean Diaspora communities in North America.

In addition to avoiding excessive quantities of salt present in today's over-consumed processed foods, he also urged drinking pure water, checking blood pressure, daily exercise and other dietary habits - as recommended by medical doctors and qualified nutritionists - which were key to a healthier Caribbean and an economically sustainable health care system.

Went Caribbean, supported by the Barbados Entrepreneurs Venture Capital Fund (known as BIM Ventures), promotes its WentWorx line of all natural, aromatic seasoning blends which contain no salt, no sugar, no MSG and no artificial preservatives. "You can definitely reduce the salt in your meals without sacrificing authentic Caribbean flavour when you use WentWorx blends," he emphasized.

WentWorx products currently contain naturally occurring sodium in health sustaining proportions.

For further information visit: Went Caribbean on Facebook

Cool Flick to Watch: "How Sweet Potato Pie Became a Flying Saucer"

2011-06-02T16:33:00.003-04:00

Watch more free documentaries

"Grannies on Safari" on PBS Starting May 2011! & Travel Expert Arthur Frommer Talks "The Oxford Experience" Vacay!

2011-01-24T11:12:00.015-05:00

This weekend I went to the Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show and caught up with Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson. They talk about their upcoming travel show "Grannies on Safari" debuting May 2011 on PBS which features their international journeys around the globe. Check your local listings and be sure to watch! (Photo: Pat Johnson (L), Monica Peters (m) and Regina Fraser (r)

They also give a tip about one of their favorite things: The SCOTTEVEST, a lightweight water, stain resistant travel vest that has 22 pockets.

Travel Expert Arthur Frommer talks about ditching the usual vacations and trying something new; like spending a week taking a summer course at Oxford University for "The Oxford Experience." The program is open to all adults and there are no entrance requirements. The fee is as little as $1500 which includes the course and housing! They even have a scout to wake you up each morning and that greets you with tea. Listen to Arthur break it down about Oxford and other universities that offer a similar program.

Author Patricia Schultz Tells Some of her 1000 Places to See....Tahiti, Bali, Quebec and more!

2011-01-24T10:30:00.008-05:00

Patricia Schultz, author of "1000 Places to See Before You Die" gave a presentation at the Philadelphia Inquirer Show. Check out some of her travel recommendations.

First up, Bali and Miramar

Then...Tahiti, French Polynesia, Quebec, Canada

TRAVEL: 5 Ugliest Airports in the US

2010-12-29T12:39:00.005-05:00

TheStreet just published their "5 ugliest Airports in the US" report based on their polls rating major airports. I'm sure New Yorkers won't be happy that LaGuardia Airport and Kennedy Airports topped the list at #1 & 2 respectively as the most visually unappealing. Here is the top 5 breakdown

1. LaGuardia (NY)
2. Kennedy (NY)
3. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
4. Philadelphia International Airport
5. Los Angeles International Airport

Read the full story as passengers sound off.

Stuck in the House Blizzard Meal: Beef Cubes, Steamed Collards and Sweet Potatoes Paired with Porto Tawny

2010-12-28T12:57:00.004-05:00

Were you snowed in yesterday with no food because you didn't go grocery shopping? That described me. I was craving a nice hearty stew but had to settle for what I had in the fridge. Here what I made: Slow-cooked beef cubes (seasoned with McCormack's Montreal Steak Seasoning and cooked at 250 degrees for 4 hours), steamed collard greens and sweet potatoes fried in olive oil.

....Paired with a nice glass of Sandeman Tawny Porto (ten years old and aged in oak casks) that has a rich fruity flavor.

Point of this post: Use what ya got to make your taste buds pop!

Whole Foods Market Announces A Recall For Ginger Bread Houses In Twenty-Three States

2010-12-27T18:00:00.002-05:00

December 24, 2010 - Whole Foods Market announces that it is recalling assembled Ginger Bread Houses sold in, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin that came from its supplier Rolf’s Patisserie of Lincolnwood, Illinois.

The recalled ginger bread houses may have been assembled, decorated and packaged in clear plastic wrap and sold with a Whole Foods Market scale label; some scale labels also may list “Rolf’s Patisserie” as part of the description. This includes all ginger bread Houses made after Nov. 1, 2010. Products produced by Rolf’s Patisserie have been connected to several outbreaks of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) food poisoning. Read more.

New Orleans for Christmas, New Year's and more!

2010-12-23T06:34:00.000-05:00

You know I can't go too long without talking about one of my favorite cities, New Orleans! Are you looking for a city to travel to for Christmas and New Years that gives you great food, culture and the ultimate experience without breaking the bank? Check out what travel and restaurant experts are saying about the crescent city and more:

NO voted #1 for New Years Eve destination & lots mo' stuff

Travel + Leisure (T+L) recently announced that New Orleans was voted the number one urban destination in the country for New Year’s Eve, Neighborhood Joints and Cafés, People-Watching, Singles/Bar Scene, Cocktail Hour and the overall category of Nightlife in the 2010 America’s Favorite Cities survey.

Most Affordable Dining

According to the latest Zagat Survey, New Orleans is the most affordable dining destination in the country. Zagat surveys more than 375,000 diners from around the world in order to help consumers make informed decisions about restaurants, hotels and attractions.

Take a 7-Night Cruise!

The 1,966-passenger Norwegian Spirit from Norwegian Cruise Lines began sailing from New Orleans on November 7 and will depart year-round on seven-night cruises.

Christmas Action?
New Orleans started their Christmas festivities, hotel discounts and other cool stuff for the holidays on Dec 1 and they still have plenty of Christmas action left to enjoy! Read more!

Sunday FUN Food Pick: Seasoned Kale Chips--in 10 minutes!

2010-12-05T16:17:00.009-05:00

Move over potato, there's a new crunchy, tasty chip in town that's going to make you green with envy--Seasoned Kale Chips.

I made some of these early this afternoon to substitute as an healthy alternative to potato chips. I bought a brand of delicious kale chips from Whole Foods, but it was $7 a bag. I figured I could make this myself. And, so can you in 10 minutes flat.

Ingredients:

Dino Kale (preferably organic)
Olive Oil Spray
pinch of salt (optional)
garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take kale and cut the leaves into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Spray kale with a little olive oil. Add pinch of salt. Sprinkle with garlic powder and your favorite herbs. Toss kale. Spray baking pan with a little olive oil. Place kale on baking sheet. Stir and spread kale out evenly. Place in oven for 5 minutes, then stir. Let continue to cook in oven for another 5 minutes.

....When you remove from the oven you will have tasty crunchy kale chips!

Sunday FUN Food Pick: Homemade Chocolate Pudding!

2010-11-28T14:25:00.003-05:00

Loving Linda Hall's homemade Chocolate Pudding recipe featured on Cookwork.com!

TheGritsnCheeseDish Featured on Better Recipes!..Monica's "Homestyle Oyster Bagel Dressing" Makes Top 10 Thanksgiving Dressings List!

2010-11-19T11:19:00.028-05:00

Double Great news!

TheGritsnCheeseDish.blogspot.com is one of 4 featured blogs on Better Recipes! My Homestyle Oyster Bagel Dressing made with a twist--using pumpernickel and everything bagels also makes their Top 10 Thanksgiving Dressing List this year, landing at #4!

Other blogger recipes on the top 10 list are Food Network's Claire Robinson, Amy of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free.....and more! Learn how we made our knock out recipes!

See Better Recipes "Dressing and Stuffings Galore" Featured blog list
OR
their complete Top 10 Thanksgiving Dressing list

Sunday Fun DRINK Pick: Avocado Date Shake!

2010-11-14T16:23:00.018-05:00

Today' Sunday Fun drink is an Avocado Date Shake that I made this afternoon. This sweet n' tasty shake is real simple to make and very nutritious. Although it is a shake, you can also eat with a spoon instead of using a straw. The dates are really sweet so you do not need to add sugar. Interesting fact: Avocado shake is a very popular Vietnamese drink!

Ingredients:

1 avocado (the biggest one you can buy)
One 5 oz can of carnation evaporated milk
5 pitted dates
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Peel avocado, and put in food processor (be sure to remove pit from avocado before placing in food processor). Add in dates, evaporated milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend in food processor for about 15 seconds or when your desired texture is desired....Enjoy your sweet delicious drink!

Psst. Read more fun stuff like my 3-hour Argentine Steakhouse Cooking Class with Top Chef Finalist Casey Thompson.

Sites I Likey!: Eating in South Jersey!

2010-11-13T13:16:00.000-05:00

I love sites that give out lots of great information like Eating in South Jersey. Check it out!

Argentine Steakhouse Cooking w Top Chef Finalist Casey Thompson and Viking's Chef Shawn Fair

2010-11-11T08:23:00.003-05:00

On Monday afternoon I had the opportunity to attend a 3-hour Argentine Steakhouse Cooking class with Top Chef finalist Casey Thompson and Viking Cooking School's Chef Shawn Fair at Harrah's AC. Our task was to make the following goodies under their guidance and instruction: Argentine Empanadas, Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimicurri Sauce, Roasted Marinated Sweet Peppers, Oven Roasted Potatoes and Flan.

Before starting our 3-hour culinary adventure,Viking prepared Grilled Chorizo on Crusty Bread with Chimichurri Sauce to fill our bellies in the meantime paired with Terrazas de los Andes Malbec.

Chef Casey then talked to us about Argentinian wine and pairing with Malbec.

Chef Shawn first had us prepare the flan, a chilled custard topped with caramel. Flan is made by blending condensed and evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla extract and nutmeg. We made the caramel by simply boiling sugar and water which naturally turns into caramel. We poured the caramel into ramekins (or flan molds) and then poured into our custard. In Argentina, the caramel sauce used for flan is called "dulce de leche."

Ahh, now time for the Argentine Empanadas. There are many versions of empanadas and they are specific to how families choose to make them. Instead of minced steaks which are normally used for the filling, we used ground beef. In Argentina, they place the whole olive and an hard boiled egg wedge inside the empanada. However, we chopped up our olive and egg, then mixed it in with the filling. We put our ingredients in the pan: ground beef, onions, garlic cloves, rehydrated raisins, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, oregano, paprika,red wine vinegar and more. Afterwards, we placed the filling in the middle of an empanada shell and sealed and tucked it.

Finally, the main course: Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce and marinated roasted pepper! First we started with the chimichurri sauce which we made with fresh cilantro, flat leaf parsley, oregano, garlic, lemon, olive oil and other ingredients. We mixed the ingredients in the Viking food processor--and that's it!- done for the chimichuri! Next, we roasted a pepper on the stove to make our marinated sweet pepper in balsamic vinegar to compliment our steak once it was served. We poured the chimichurri sauce on the raw steak and gave it a good rub so the flavor can seep inside. Afterwards, we grilled up the steak.

Now the best part, food is served. I have to thank my fellow team members, Sarah, Kay and Maggie of Tasteful Living for our delicious meal. We did good! (Sorry no picture of the potatoes. I ate them all before snapping a pic :)

...By the way a quick little trick from Chef Shawn on how to separate eggs.

Gettin' Ready for Argentine Steakhouse Class with Top Chef Finalist Casey Thompson

2010-11-08T10:47:00.008-05:00

I'm Cooking...No Sunday Fun Food Pick Today!

2010-11-07T08:21:00.001-05:00

Hi gang,

Good Sunday morning. Today I'm cooking my little heart out.....so I won't have time for my Sunday Fun Food Pick today. Will share my cooking adventures with you this week. Thanks for stopping by. Love ya!

Classic but Good: Chicken Shawarma from Waterfalls Cafe, 144 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn

2010-11-01T06:17:00.010-04:00

Went to Brooklyn Heights last week and decided to take a walk to explore the borough. I was referred to Waterfalls Cafe, a Mediterranean restaurant on Atlantic Avenue by one of their faithful customers. Well, they were right. This was some damn good food: Chicken Shawarma (r), Greek salad, hummus and rice.

Simple and classic signature dishes done correctly never lose their greatness or appeal. Pocket damage: $11.

.....For those who love inside visuals

Sunday Fun DRINK Pick!: Heidi Klum's Ghoulish Cocktails! ABSOLUT Fast Mary, Dark Night and Goblin!

2010-10-31T16:10:00.017-04:00

Today I'm focusing on some fun drinks for the Sunday pick. ABSOLUT pairs with Supermodel Heidi Klum for her popular annual invite only Halloween party, held in NYC this year, to make some ghoulish drinks: Fast Mary, Dark Night and Goblin!

ABSOLUT DARK NIGHT

1oz ABSOLUT PEPPAR

1oz Chocolate Liqueur

1 Pinch Chili Powder
Shake and strain all ingredients into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a Jalapeno or other small pepper