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Wine Blogging Wednesday #59: Homage to the God of Sake

Erika Strum — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:55:09 +0000

Once I figured out that saké doesn’t always have to be served piping hot, dunked into a pint of beer and chugged, I realized that I love it. If I’m not in the mood for wine, saké can be so refreshing and beguiling. And that extra boost of alcohol always makes for a fun evening [...]

Cucumber, Tofu and Avocado Salad with Pine Nuts

Erika Strum — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:35:36 +0000

Here is that famous recipe mentioned yesterday, with regular cucumbers instead of the long-lost lemon cucumbers. It’s such a fresh and hearty mix of flavors with the crunch of the cucumber, the zest of lemon and creamy avocado. It can be served over beans, lentils, brown rice, or soba noodles says Heidi at 101Cookbooks. I [...]

The Hunt for Lemon Cucumbers

Erika Strum — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:39:51 +0000

I seem to have a knack for finding recipes with obscure ingredients. It’s completely unintentional, they seem to find me. I’ll find a nice braised fish recipe and boldly make my way to the store, only to find “cassia bark” on the ingredient list. Maybe I enjoy the challenge of the search. Making just one [...]

Wildwood Barbeque (A Scrumptious Surprise)

Erika Strum — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:54:19 +0000

I didn’t expect much when my girlfriends and I abandoned an empty and depressing Irving Mill for a more lively scene at Wildwood Barbeque down the block. Good barbeque is tough to come by in New York and with Wildwood being part of the B.R. Guest restaurant consortium I had my doubts. Could a puppy [...]

Matt Levine Out-Douches Himself

Erika Strum — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:48:33 +0000

Matt Levine, owner of the Eldridge Bar which opened during the recession with butlers serving $30 cocktails to select cool kids, has somehow out-douched himself. I caught a peek at his remodeling of the restaurant in The Hotel on Rivington, LevantEAST. The menu is one huge cliche of tired bar foods, written in a French [...]

Harbour (Sustainable Seafood but a Rocky Ride)

Erika Strum — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:48:42 +0000

Shiny and new Harbour owned by an ex-chairman of the NY Merc exchange serves sustainable seafood by Michelin star chef Joe Isidori. It feels like a cruise ship with its blonde-wood walls and porthole windows, with a purple and yellow glass chandelier as the centerpiece (by Dale Chihuly says my Mom). It’s tasteful though, and [...]

Quick Bites: Bar Stuzzichini

Erika Strum — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:49:55 +0000

The Basics: Stuzzichini is a paradise for the peckish with little plates of Italian crostini, cheeses, grilled seafood, affordable pastas and more. Nothing revolutionary here, but it satisfies. I can’t figure out why people complain about the spacious, Brasserie-esque ambiance, it seemed fine to me! Best Dish: Ricotta with saffron-honey crostini, Mixed wild mushrooms with ricotta [...]

Fresh-Caught Seneca Lake Trout with Peppercorns and Paprika

Erika Strum — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest parts of our Finger Lakes trip was a fishing excursion we went on the night we arrived. E had suggested the idea of catching something and cooking it ourselves on a cedar plank. As adventurous as that sounded, I had my doubts. There were so many things to consider! How do [...]

Quick Bites: Azuri Cafe

Erika Strum — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:06:22 +0000

The Basics: Taking a little abuse from owner, Ezra Cohen, is worth it for the best falafel in the city. What Azuri Cafe lacks in ambiance and friendly service it makes up for in crisp, homemade falafel patties, more rich in spice and flavor than anything I’ve had in Israel. Super-fresh salads of white bean, [...]

NY Toast of the Town 2009 (My Five Faves)

Erika Strum — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:38:17 +0000

While I try to keep the self-promotion on here to a minimum, I have to comment on how wonderful Toast of the Town (our annual wine/restaurant tasting event at Lincoln Center) was last night. Even in a down economy we still had 1400 people in attendance, sipping hundreds of wines and noshing on flavorful bites [...]