.::|TheDish|::.

Jimmy Choo for H&M

Kate Mazzini — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0500

In case you haven't heard, H&M is launching their Jimmy Choo line tomorrow, November 14th, at select stores. Sorry Boston peeps, we didn't make that privileged list, as it's launching in four cities in California as well as NYC and Chicago. Boo! But check out the cool threads that some of you may be lucky enough to get your paws on if you arrive sporting battle gloves; they are expecting large crowds, and are distributing wrist bands to the first 160 shoppers. Not really surprised.

Image from H&M.com.

Infinity Scarf

Kate Mazzini — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:33:47 -0500

Do you ever get frustrated with the way a scarf wraps around your neck? One side is too long/short, too bulky and uneven? Well the infinity scarf may be the answer, and it is all the rave this season; I can't believe the trend didn't set in a little earlier. The infinity scarf has no "ends", however as the name implies, it is a continuous wrap of material. There are tons of styles, colors and fabrics available from cotton to cashmere to this thick knit version available on shopbop.com. A great gift idea, just in time for the holiday season!

Thanksgiving Cocktails!

Kate Mazzini — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500

Who says Thanksgiving is all about the bird? I say why not bring on the cocktails! Here's a few fun libations I found to counteract that Tryptophan. I think my Perfect Pear Martini would be a great fit, but these sound amazing, too!

Pumpkin Pie Martini
Recipe by Host Bee and found here.

Ingredients:
2 parts Absolut Vanila vodka
1 part pumpkin schnapps
Splash of cream
Sprinkle with nutmeg

Directions:
Shake all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice
Strain into a martini glass
Garnish with nutmeg and a cherry

The Cranberry Cobbler
Recipe by Nick Mautone and found here.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/8-inch thick slices fresh ginger
6-10 fresh cranberries
2 parts Grey Goose L’Citron
1 parts Triple Sec
Long strands of orange zest, for garnish

Directions:
In the bottom of a shaker, place the sugar, ginger and cranberries. Muddle and mash vigorously. Add L’Citron, Triple Sec and ice and shake vigorously. Pour drink, including ice and cranberries and ginger, into rocks glass. Garnish with zest.

Gingersnap Cocktail
Recipe by thebar.com and found here.

Ingredients:
.75 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
.5 oz. ginger brandy
4 oz. eggnog
1 ginger snap (optional

Directions:
Add Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, ginger brandy, and eggnog in blender
Blend to desired consistency and pour into glass. Garnish with ginger snap for dunking if desired.

Dappled Jack
Created by The Intoxicologist and found here.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 part Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
1/2 part Berentzen ApfelKorn Schnapps
1-1/2 part Canada Dry Ginger Ale
Crystallized Ginger Garnish

Directions:
Build in a highball glass over fresh ice. Garnish with skewered round of crystallized ginger. This is for those who want a hint of apple, but not an overwhelming amount. You know who you are – you’ll go along with the flow of cocktail for the sake of celebration, but nothing is going to get in the way of your authentic Jack flavor.

Ebay's The Inside Source

Kate Mazzini — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Last week, Ebay launched an online magazine called The Inside Source. According to Meredith Barnett, the sites editorial director, The Inside Source is targeted at the smart shopper “who is sophisticated, has a sensibility about fashion and lifestyle and may be familiar with eBay but maybe not the full extent of everything it has to offer.”

Within the Fashion, Tech, Pop Culture, Home & Garden, Entertainment, The Green Scene, and What's Hot Now sections on the site (called "Topics"), there's a variety of editorial pieces written by journalists and specialists highlighting the latest trends across many categories, which are somewhat like blog posts, with contextual links driving users to check out and hopefully purchase realated products on Ebay. Additionally, you'll find online interviews with noteworthy people within the various categories, also with links to purchase their favorite products on Ebay; a product endorsement so to speak.

So, I started to poke around on the site a little. Although the site is primarily focused on fashion, as clothes and accessories are Ebay's biggest revenue generators, there's definitely a lot of content across a broad range of categories. Considering the breadth of content, they do a pretty good job at organizing it and the site is easy to navigate; it feels a bit like an interactive gossipy glossy :).

Being from Boston, the story on Barbara Lynch in the Home & Garden section attracted my attention. Since I'm a regular at some of her eateries here in town, I also immediately recognized the error in the first paragraph of the article: "her Boston-based company, Barbara Lynch Gruppo, owns a variety of food-related businesses in the area: critically acclaimed restaurant No. 9 Park; South End eatery B&G Oysters, which shares a space with fancy cocktail bar Drink...". Oops, not trying to be too critical here, but B&G and Drink are in 2 totally different neighborhoods.** Update - I left a comment regarding this, and they promptly corrected it, so props to The Inside Source for listening to their readers :) **

Overall, it's nice to give Ebay a voice, and being a bargain shopper myself, this site serves as a gentle reminder that I should run a quick Ebay search to see what I may find next time I am in the market for that special something. With sites like Gilt Groupe and Rue La La being front and center in the competitive discount online fashion retail space, I am curious to see how this site evolves and what it does for Ebay.com, and if they see ROI by attracting more of those savvy shoppers they are after.

Cranberry Port Sauce

Kate Mazzini — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500

This week in our kitchen it's about trying a couple new recipes, and we adapted one from the October issue of Fine Cooking Magazine (my ALL time favorite foodie read) that's worth writing about. The full recipe is for Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry-Port Sauce, however since I had just purchased a beautiful organic chicken, I decided to leverage just the sauce recipe to add some pizazz after roasting the fresh bird. It's simple to make, yet rich and complex; highly recommended for any poultry or pork.

For the sauce:
2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup ruby port
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. minced shallot
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the port and cranberries for the sauce in a small bowl, cover, and let sit overnight (I let the cranberries and port it for an hour and the sauce was fabulous, so I bet if you let it sit overnight the cranberries are even more saturated with yummy port).

Heat the broth in a small saucepan. Heat the 1 Tbs. butter in a separate medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, whisking gently, until it forms a thick paste, about 30 seconds. Strain the port through a fine sieve into the saucepan, reserving the cranberries (don’t press down on the berries). Whisk for about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the broth until the sauce is smooth, adjusting the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced by about one-third, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the reserved cranberries. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Just before serving, pour any accumulated juices from the hens, chicken or whatever you roasted, into the sauce. Serve the poultry or pork drizzled with the sauce.

Recipe adapted from: Fine Cooking 102, pp. 65
October 29, 2009
Photo: Fine Cooking, Scott Phillips

Franklin Cafe (Southie) - New Menu

Kate Mazzini — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:49:11 -0500

The Franklin Cafe Southie has a fabulous, hearty new fall menu! I have had the Pan Seared Chatham Cod and it's SO delish! Check out the fresh tasty offerings, here:

Lobster Bisque $8
Organic Crispy Vegetable & Green salad $6 Sundried Tomato Caesar Salad
Pecorino, Brioche $8

Roasted Local Apple & Frissee Salad
Bacon, Spiced Walnuts $8

Crispy Pork Confit
Cranberry Jam, Spinach, Mint $8

"Baja Style" Fish Tacos
Chimichurri, Black Beans, Lime $9

Roasted Vegetable & Polenta Torte
Local Goat Cheese, Mushroom $8

Soy Marinated Organic Chicken Livers
Horseradish & Fennel Salad $10

Smokey Skillet Roasted Mussels
Warm Clarified Butter, Parsley $9

Wild Mushroom Mac N' Cheese
House-Made Ricotta, Thyme $8

Spice Grilled Tofu Steak
Indonesian Fried Rice, Farm Egg $16

Pan Seared Chatham Cod
Tasso Succotash, Green Garlic Sauce $19

Poached North Atlantic Salmon
Lobster & Butternut Risotto, Apple $20

Slow Cooked Domestic Lamb Shank
Brandy, Apricots, Rainbow Chard $20

Roasted Statler Chicken
Creamed Spinach, Chestnut Mushrooms $18

House-Made Potato Agnolotti
Braised Short Ribs, Pecorino $18

Grilled Prime Flank Steak
Spicy Cabbage, Coconut Rice $19

Broccolini $4

Hand Cut Fries $5

The Franklin Southie
Website
152 Dorchester Ave
South Boston, MA 02127
617.269.1003

Hours
Open Monday - Sunday
Dinner: 5:30pm - 1:30pm
Bar: 5:00pm - 2:00pm
Brunch: 11:00am - 4:00pm, Saturday and Sunday
Outdoor Patio in the Spring and Summer open until 10:00pm

Zaytinya, Washington DC

Kate Mazzini — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0500

Rating: 4 forks

Our culinary adventures in our nations capitol also led us to another top-notch eatery, Zaytinya. Meaning "olive oil" in Turkish, Zaytinya features mezze, or small plates, from classical and contemporary Greek, Turkish and Lebanese cuisine. The power chef behind this trendy restaurant is James Beard award-winning chef José Ramón Andrés Puerta, better known in the culinary world as José Andrés; he's the man credited for bringing the "tapas"/small plates concept to this country. Muaaaah, thanks, José!

And the Zaytinya experience lived up to the hype and recommendations from friends, including Krista Kranyak, a friend and the owner of the fantastic Ten Tables restaurants here in the Boston area. We arrived to a kind 40 minute wait – much less than I had anticipated – and upon drifting towards the bar to wait for our table, our senses were teased by the sight and smell of the plates passing by. A couple seats cleared at the impressively large bar, we swooped in for a landing, and started on our international culinary adventure.

I am a sucker for good bread, and Zaytinya tops most, delivering freshly baked pita, still puffed-up and warm, with accompanying Greek olive oil and a vinegar drizzle. Despite our bartender's friendly recommendation to "save some room", we easily plowed through the first basket in no time. Whoops. We were rescued soon thereafter by a constant stream of mezze, including:

Baby Beet Salad
golden & candy cane beets, fennel, cress, feta, walnuts $7.00

Seasonal Mushrooms  
sautéed mushrooms, dates, toasted almonds $10.00

Octopus Santorini 
grilled baby octopus, marinated onions, capers, yellow split pea puree $10.00

Veal Cheeks Manitaro
slow cooked, lemon chanterelle mushroom puree $11.00

Knisa Lamb Chops
grilled lamb chops, smoked yogurt, caper-dill salsa  12.00

We closed out the evening with sweet perfection: Greek Yogurt with muscat soaked apricots, vanilla yogurt cream, apricot sorbet, and a pistachio powder. I am not usually a fan of the fruity desserts, however this was a total grand slam, and perhaps one of the top desserts to ever tantalize my tastebuds.

I'll be back, and I'd love to check out one of José Andrés other restaurants in the city: minibar by josé andrés, Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo and Oyamel.

Zaytinya
www.zaytinya.com
701 9th St NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.638.0800

Proof, Washington DC

Kate Mazzini — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0400

Rating: 4 forks
This past weekend, my husband and I had the pleasure of visiting our nation's capitol. Aside from DC being an impeccably clean city, the home to our president and other political folk, and a cultural center with an impressive list of stellar museums, we have proof that DC is also becoming a culinary capitol; at least, that was my take from the two dining experiences we had over our weekend jaunt.

Friday night, we dined at Proof, per the recommendation of power couple and our company for the evening, Ben and Elizabeth (you may remember my recent post about Ben). Proof is classified as a wine bar, and therefore of course boasts an impressive list of worldly vintages, including a few prize bottles from the esteemed (and incredibly expensive) winery Screaming Eagle, topping out at a mere $5500/bottle. Yikes. Of course, there were plenty to chose from for us "common folk", unique small-batch wineries like Owen Roe (which we discovered at Brix in Boston) and also the 2006 K Vinters, Pheasant, Syrah, our table's choice for the evening, at $70/bottle.

Now, the food. Oh, where to begin. First off, it was absolutely divine, and I must say, Proof trumped many of the meals I have had in my hometown of Boston, by far; I'd say, from our short experience, that the dining options in DC are on par with those of NYC and San Francisco, though I would guess there's slightly fewer options to chose from. We kicked off the evening's feast with a board of soft and hard cheeses, paired with toasted nutty bread, an apple puree, pure natural honey, and Madjool dates and a accompanying plate of cured meats from their charcuterie menu, paired with fresh dijon and cornichons. Yum. Next, we shared a few appetizers from the menu:

Roasted Beets with Pea Shoots & Kaleidoscope Carrots
sherry mustard vinaigrette, Stilton, toasted hazelnuts $8

Grilled Spanish Octopus
potato-chickpea salad, smoked paprika, piquillo pepper vinaigrette $13

Spicy Little Meatballs
goat cheese agnolotti, tomato fondue $10

Each were to die for, especially those little cheese agnolotti's, a fancy name for the-best-raviolis-ever. For dinner, the men both orederd-up the venison, which I don't see on the online menu; however us lady's opted for:

Honey & Spice Glazed Pekin Duck Breast
roasted jewel yam purée, pomegranate vinaigrette, grilled scallions $27

Duck & Pork Confit with Grilled Boudin
cassoulet of flageolet beans, spinach, herbed bread crumbs, lardons $25

And for dessert – I am surprised I can remember what we had after the self-induced food coma from tasting the above – we shared a warm carmel cake, and a serving of delicious homemade coconut sorbet.

If in DC, you must-must check out Proof; I can't wait to go back!

Proof
775 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
www.proofdc.com
202.737.7663