Chai Time

A while back I had posted about my love for the Shah-family chai, and now I'm excited to share the recipe. I'm in the habit of picking up ginger and mint with each trip to the grocery store so that I can make the tea on a regular basis.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. Wagh Bhakri brand tea, a granular black tea found at Indian grocery stores
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 6 fresh mint leaves

Makes 3 cups

In a small saucepan, combine the water, milk, tea, sugar, and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the tea reaches a boil, reduce heat and stir in the mint leaves. Return the tea to a boil and then promptly remove from heat. Strain tea and add more milk and sugar to your desired taste.

Oat Meals

They say the closer you live to work, the more likely you are to be late. I can attest to that! Recently I’ve been waking up 45 minutes earlier so that I can take my time at home and still get to work on time. When I was living in Brooklyn, I spent that extra time commuting-- now I use that time to catch up on reading, write lists and make breakfast, the best perk of working so close to home.

This new routine of mine coincides nicely with our joint goal to eat healthier breakfasts. This week we started each day with a bowl of McCann’s quick cooking oatmeal. Oatmeal can be a bit boring, so to keep it interesting we've been changing up the toppings:

Monday: Bananas with Toasted Pecans & Brown Sugar

Tuesday: Blueberries with Brown Sugar & Flax Seeds
On this day, I had an ripe banana lying around so I mashed it up, and mixed it right into the pot of cooking oatmeal. Delicious! (Thanks to Phoebe for this tasty idea!)

Wednesday: Apples & Cinnamon.
To make the apples: Peel, core and dice 2 medium apples. Place them in a small pot with 2 tablespoons of water and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Cover and let simmer until the apples are soft and the juices are mostly evaporated. About 5-7 minutes.

All this healthy eating has us thinking about the bagels, eggs and bacon we’d like to have this weekend!

Pop on Over

On Friday I received my December issue of Real Simple. As I flipped through I came across a recipe for "Secretly Simple Popovers" which inspired our breakfast for Saturday morning. We happened to have some bacon on hand, so I got to experimenting... and I have to say, the result was absolutely delicious.

Bacon & Parmesan Popovers
(adapted from a Real Simple recipe)
Makes 12

Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the bacon: Line the bottom of a broiler pan with foil. This will make for easy cleanup later. Arrange the bacon slices on the top broiler pan and place in a cold oven. Turn oven onto 400F. Walk away, and come back 17 to 20 minutes later. As soon as the bacon is golden brown and crispy, it's done. Drain on paper towels. Once cool, cut the bacon into 1/2" pieces and set aside.

Keep oven on at 400F. Brush the cups of a 12-cup non-stick muffin tin with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, butter and salt until only a few lumps remain (do not overmix). Gently stir in bacon.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle each cup with a teaspoon of Parmesan cheese. Bake until puffed and a deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes. (Do not open oven door before 30 minutes or the popover will collapse. Serve immediately!

Tried & True

When we're entertaining and deciding what to make for dessert, the recipe for Banana Tarte Tatin is one we go back to time and time again. It looks impressive and is bound to get a lot of ooos, ahhs... and mmms. It's a cross between Bananas Foster and Tarte Tatin, two of our absolute favorite desserts. The tart is best served slightly warm or at room temperature so it can be made a couple of hours ahead.

In the past we've served it with vanilla gelato, but this time around we opted for a dollop of Ronnybrook Farm crème fraiche. The perfect pairing!

Good 'n Plenty

While at Stone Barns last weekend we picked up a new cookbook: Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. At first we wondered if we really need yet another cookbook, but after flipping through the mouth-watering photographs we quickly decided 'yes, we do!' What we were missing in our collection was a good vegetarian cookbook, one with recipes that inspire us to eat more healthily, but still manage to fill us up.

Last night we made the cover recipe Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce, after all it was the cover image that sealed the deal on our purchase. The ingredients were few and simple, and all together created a very tasty dish. Served alone, the eggplants make a great starter, but for a more substantial main meal we served them over rice. Thinking about it now, next time I'm going to use Israeli couscous which would be an even better compliment to this middle-eastern dish.

Peared Down

This time of year seckel pears make their grand entrance at the farmer's market. Their small size and sweet crunch makes them irresistible. I tend to buy too many knowing that even if I don't get around to eating them, they will at least look pretty on the kitchen table.

Last night I found a recipe for Upside-Down Pear Tartlets . The selling point-- it only calls for only 4 ingredients, all of which I had on hand. Puff pastry, butter, sugar and pears. I substituted seckel for d'anjou so slicing the pears wasn't necessary, just a quick lop in half. I reduced the overall size of the tartlet by using standard muffin tins (the recipe calls for jumbo) and cutting the puff pastry rounds to fit. I found that a 1/2 cup measuring scoop makes the perfect 'cookie cutter'.

Warm and sticky, we ate them right out of the oven... and then of course, the rest for breakfast.

Cheers!

We celebrated Ron's launch on CNBC's "Trading the Globe" at Imperial No. Nine located in the Mondrian SoHo Hotel. Lucky for us, our friend Leah is the head hostess there. She greeted our party as if we had arrived at her own home and escorted us to a low-lit corner, away from the bustle, but still in the heart of the ambiance.

The space is warm and enchanting, and fully enclosed under a glass roof. Leah told us that the décor was inspired by Jean Coucteau’s 1946 film La Belle et la Bête. She didn't have to tell us who runs the kitchen. We already know that: Sam Talbot of season 2's Top Chef. Even though we didn't see him, we had the chance to taste his much talked about dishes. Our favorite dish was the Cauliflower Fritters made with ricotta, sunflower seed-olive brittle and white balsamic. They literally pop in your mouth. Leah really outdid herself when she had the waitress bring us a selection of desserts-- on the house! How sweet! Spoons were passed around, glasses were clinked and smiles exchanged. The energy that evening was truly celebratory.

On Tour

Our good friends Silka and Jake, aka the Butcher & the Baker, do almost all their shopping at the Union Square Farmers Market. I admire their knowledge of seasonal produce and dedication to supporting local farmers. While I know my way around the market when it comes to buying plants, vegetables and fruits, I often pass by the meat, fish and dairy vendors. It's not that I'm not interested, but the prices tend to be higher and less items are on display, allowing a pile of jewel-like radishes to grab my attention instead.

I'd like to learn more about these vendors so today I shadowed Silka and Jake on their weekend shopping trip. They gave me a run down of their favorite places to buy meat and dairy, and let me in on their favorite selections from each.

I came home with a pint of half & half from Milk Thistle Farm, a bouquet of zinnias, homemade cider donuts, and seckel pears-- still no meat. I've decided that I'll go back this week more prepared with a recipe in mind and list in hand.

Café Colette

"Babe, I'm gonna take you out!" Words that I love to hear. On tonight's adventure, Sara decided to take me to Café Colette, which is just across the river in Williamsburg. As soon as we rolled down Berry Street, I discovered my new found love for Brooklyn.

We arrived at Café Colette and the vintage charms won us over right away. With its green bead board walls, globe light fixtures, large mirrors and checkerboard tile, we felt welcomed back to an older era.

The drinks were well planned. I had a tequila based cocktail infused with pepper syrup, which was small, but outstanding. For starters, we ordered the fried corn (YES), which was covered in lime aioli, cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese, resembling Mexican street food. After thoroughly licking our fingers we started on the grilled sardines, which was the knockout dish of the evening. The sardines were marinated in lemon and salt, char-grilled, and coupled with the roasted vegetables. For the main course, we shared the brick chicken set on top of chorizo hash and potatoes. Needless to say, it was slamming. We finished the meal with peach crumble à la mode, which was large enough for us to share. Overall, an incredible experience, and one we would like to repeat again soon.

Keep on Stallin'

The Madison Square Park bi-annual food stalls have become a regular stomping ground of ours. The standout at this Fall's stalls is Roberta's Pizza, straight outta Bushwick! Delicious personal pies. We also tried the Wafels & Dinges (first time for me), and ended our visit with a truffled mozzerella crêpe from Bar Suzette, which we ate on our bench just across the street.

Birrrreria

Okay, maybe it wasn't so birrrr yet, but it was getting there. The entire summer had passed and as we approached the end of September, Sara and I decided to try Birreria -- Eataly's rooftop beer garden.

A color palette of red for the chairs; deep mahogany brown for the wooden trim, and dark metallic grey for the framework of the space. The ceiling seemed to be retractable, but we weren't quite sure. The space, indeed, was very impressive. Surrounded on all sides by NYC landmarks, from the MetLife clock tower to the Empire State (prompting our usual question about what the colors represent that night).

The beer was also impressive. The space was adorned with cask barrels for brewing their own beer, right on the rooftop. The drink selection outside of beer was also vast, and ranged from an elaborate wine list to my favorite-- grappa.

The food, much like many of Eataly's other mall-like outposts, was well conceived and constructed, but relatively uninspired .... and expensive. We enjoyed a cheese plate to start and crispy chicken thighs served over sweet corn, though felt a little "jip'd" by the grilled portobello dish. On the upside we sat next to some SNL alums. All in all, you visit Birreria for the beer and the views, and in that regard, it doesn't disappoint.

Building on Bond.

Open Air

London has its fair share of open air markets. We sampled our way through Borough Market and Camden Lock, tasting homemade Toulouse sausage, ginger-grapefruit iced tea, piping hot churros filled with dulce de leche, and chunks of salted caramel fudge.

Summerlovin'

Our first morning in London we ventured out to Camden Town to have brunch at The Summerhouse along the Union Canal. Between the white-washed walls, blue pinstriped upholstery and warm breeze coming off the canal, the essence of summer vacations lives on here year-round.

Fish 'n Chips

We had our obligatory English meal of fish 'n chips at Golden Union Fish Bar, just around the corner from Liberty on Poland Street. Freshly battered and cooked to order, the fish was crispy and golden just as their name promises.

DISHOOM!

Six years old, asleep in flannel pajamas, it was always the rapid successions of the sound “DISHOOM” which woke me up. I’d open my eyes to find my mom watching a Bollywood film. Dishoom is the sound of a punch making contact during a fight sequence in any Indian movie during from the 1980s. When Sara and I walked by the sign for DISHOOM in London, it immediately spoke to me in that primal part of my gut and brought a huge smile to my face. We decided we would have to go there for breakfast the next day.

The restaurant is the pinnacle of creative execution in both ambiance and food – with strong connectivity to the lost times of comfort food across Mumbai – Dishoom calls itself “A Bombay Café” in the same vain of that tradition. The menu is full of Bombay classics, with a beautiful modern touch. Case in point – our breakfast: Bacon Naan (oh yes, naan with m’f’n bacon in it, along with a light yogurt and cilantro), Bombay Omelette (a fluffy omelette with tomatoes, onions and masala), paired with masala chai and coffee in classic Indian café glasses. The food was perfectly prepared, the naan was very fresh, the bacon was crispy, the portions were reasonable as were the prices.

The décor is a whole other conversation. Pure class. Mahogany wooden trim panels, accented by large mirrors. Beautifully arranged collages of Indian families (mostly the owner's family), and vintage advertisements. A seamless, graphic print on the floor. Small touches, too: an old Indian apothecary cabinet in the bathroom stalls, a lower-level dining room which feels like a underground club in 50's Bombay.

The visit touched our hearts, and made our creativity soar. Our time there concluded when I spoke with the owner, Shamil, and spent a little time trying to convince him to open up Dishoom in New York. We’ll see what happens next….. but in the meantime, he asked us to visit his other location in London's Southbank…. (see below)

Chowpatty Beach on the Thames

While still digesting the amazing wonders of Dishoom 1 (above), our next stop was Big Ben, well maybe. Secretly, we really just wanted to check out Dishoom 2. So we went to Big Ben, took the requisite pictures and hastily walked across Westminister Bridge. Strolling along the waterside, our eyes were on the lookout for Dishoom…

In the distance, in pink letters we saw “Chowpatty Beach”, the Dishoom pop-up restaurant on the waterfront of the River Thames. Since Sara visited Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai, both of us grew very excited.

At the front entrance there was a cutout board so we took a moment to pose as vintage 1960's Bollywood models... Further along there was a wooden ramp, painted to look weathered with pastel paints, and blue plastic streamers. Very Bollywood beach party. The party and creativity continued inside... There was a wall of rolled up vintage Indian newspapers, brightly colored bottles across the bar, hand woven canvas wallpaper, spray-painted chairs and old relics of “found items” lining the walls. The bathrooms were wall papered with plastic Indian mats and authentic vintage signs.

For food, we wanted to order the spiked coconuts (coconuts full of water and spiked with rum), but they were all out. So we opted for Limca and Thumbs Up, the classic Indian sodas. Since we had just eaten breakfast, we ordered a small appetizer – bread crumb calamari, which was perfectly seasoned and delivered to our table in a kraft paper cup with wooden forks. The space truly evokes the colors, and the feeling of Chowpatty Beach, but with a modern and fun twist. Truly a restaurant experience not to be missed in London.

Sakagura

Our impromtu dinner at the elusive Sakagura, which is located on the basement level on an indiscriminate office building in mid-town.

Catch of the Day

After two days of pure relaxation in Turks & Caicos we were up for a little adventure. We signed up for a guided tour and set out for snorkeling and conch-diving with the sea breeze on our faces and Bob Marley strumming from the speakers. A flock of seagulls followed our boat, knowing we would lead them to the fish.

After spending most of the day in the water, we made our last stop at Iguana Island. We kicked back with a couple of local beers and watched how to extract conch from its shell. Pretty unappetizing, but with some tomatoes, peppers and Caribbean hot sauce the conch was surprisingly delicious.