Savoring the Salt

For our 1 year anniversary I signed Ron and myself up for a cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education. We took the Savor the Salt class which focuses on dishes that use salt in a variety of cooking techniques. Chef Renée Marton explained to us the history of salt and brought in salts from various regions for us to taste. The truffle-infused salt was by far our favorite. Eleven of us were divided into teams and had the opportunity to cook Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons, Spiced-Salt Rubbed Rib Eye Steak, Whole Red Snapper Baked in a Salt Crust and the reason I chose this class... Caramel Ice Cream topped with flaky pink Australian sea salt in homemade tuiles. Ron was especially hands on in making the ice cream. Hmm, I wonder why?

We love you BLUE

Amidst rolling hills once occupied by America's richest and most prestigious family, the Rockefellers... Stone Barns is now a modern eco-fantasy, full of frolicking animals, rows of lush vegetables, manicured lawns and set deep in Westchester county.

When we drove into the gates, we gasped for air at the sight of endless views of hilly terrain and antiquated wooden fences. A very relaxed voice greeted us as we entered the gate "Oh you're here for Blue Hill? Are you excited?".... Absolutely. Never in our wildest dreams did we ever expect an experience of this magnitude.


As we continued along the drive of the property, we could sense that they take great pride in their level of service. The valet jokingly asked if we wanted the car waxed with Armor All and then explained the property to us. The valet!!! A few steps later, by way of a cobble stone path we approached a barn adorned with stone bricks and ivy growing wildly on the building's facade. We could hear sheep in the background. We smelled fresh air. Wait a second, "Where were we again?"... Only 45 minutes from the city.







Entering the restaurant, we were amped for the Farmer's Feast, a multi-course tasting menu the chef creates around the day's harvest. The waiter asked us to take a look at the ingredients available to the chef, and to list those that we had aversions to and those that 'excited' us. We requested no chick peas, organ meats, lamb or goat cheese... We were game for anything else.

They were generous with the amuse bouches and brought them out one after the other. First up, a sugar snap pea 'burger' which had an incredible combination of flavors in between two tiny bite-sized buns.



After that we had a sampling of two house made charcuterie, thinly sliced bologna and speck wrapped around warm potato, followed by two shots of a cool fizzy lime drink- just what we needed on a 9o degree day.

For our appetizer we were served Maine crab sandwiched between thinly sliced white beets, garnished with diced strawberries, wildflowers, and an inexplicably delicious green sauce. Very refreshing! Next came a farm fresh poached egg served over warm fava beans and topped with bits of pancetta and crispy breadcrumbs.

Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, out came the main course: Pork tenderloin au jus, served along side a duo of roasted and pickled beets, and a bite-sized cube of crispy pork fat. After that, dessert didn't dare disappoint. We had raspberries & blackberries served atop a cream 'jam', sprinkled with homemade granola and garnished with pink rose petals and lemon zest. An unbelievable finish!

We will definitely visit the Stone Barns estate again (perhaps on a cooler day) and can't wait to spend more time exploring the farm. We never did find the pigs. And next time I think next time we'll try the cafe which is supposed to have amazing sandwiches and be a much easier on the pocket.

Hello Fada

Ron and I went to The Renegade Craft Fair on Sunday in Williamsburg. We met up with Jenny, Erik, & ellis and when our stomachs started growling we worked our way over to the charming French bistro, Fada, located on the north end of Driggs Avenue. I recalled having been there before many years ago when Jenny was still living on Bedford Avenue (circa 2002). It was nice to see that not much had changed.

Even though it was very hot out (with a chance of tornado), we opted to sit outside in the garden. We were happy that Jess and Matthew joined us there later after having missed each other at the fair.

The menu was simple, with standard french fare-- croque monsieur, moules, salade nicoise... We were too hot for anything warm so Ron and I split the caprese sandwich and grilled chicken salad. Tasty, but really the atmosphere surpassed the food: chipped enamel tables, worn flea market chairs, painted beams in a provencal cornflower blue... It was a mini-trip to Marseille just before the rain began to fall.

Shake Shack Attack

Shake Shack is our infamous neighbor who is always too busy to hang out. We've been yearning to chill there for a while now, but the line that's usually wrapped around the south end of Madison Square Park always keeps us walkin on by. On the prelude to Summer's Eve (Memorial Day dinner to be exact), we decided to go for it... and you know what, the line wasn't bad at all. In less than 15 minutes we were ordering our food. Luck was on our side.

We ordered the shake shack burger, New York dog, french fries and vanilla shake, all for $16, which anyone in New York would consider a real bargain for quality food.

The burger was well prepared and tender, with cheese melted to perfection. The fries were crinkle cut, which we normally hate because of the soggyness factor, but surprisingly, these fries were crispy even after an hour. The shake was like a slowly melting scoop of ice cream with a hint of salt. Needless to say, we passed out soon after eating. A perfect way to end Spring and bring in Summer...

Oxymoron Cafe

Cafe Regular du Nord is nestled on Berkeley Place off of 7th Avenue in Park Slope. The name of this cafe is its anti-thesis, as there is nothing 'Regular' about it. The decor oozes old world European charm and convinces you that it could have been here for at least a century. No details have been overlooked, from the dark wood paneling to the crystal chandelier hanging from a weathered tin ceiling... all done with utmost authenticity.

Even better than the decor is the coffee itself. The iced coffee was probably one of the best I've had (it was actually an iced cafe latte, but same difference :). The frothy milk on top tamed the bold flavor of the Latin American beans just enough.

The outstanding coffee & aesthetic of this cozy cafe really sets it apart from the rest. If we lived in the North Slope there's no doubt we would become regulars.