Naked Chef Streaks Through Italy!

Hello Foodies,

We wanted to recommend Jamie oliver's new cookbook called Jamie's Italy. He spent two months traveling and cooking his way through Italy. We hope the recipes taste as good as they look in the photos. Usually, Australian cookbooks make me want to eat the photos...but this one does too. We just received our copy and here's where you can get one too: Amazon.com.

You all know how much we love Italy with Tour de Forks Sicily and a new tour to Puglia! You can check out the itineraries for these tours on Tour de Forks. Come with us!

Cheers,

the Forks

Post Boid!

Hello Foodies,

How was your Thanksgiving? What was your favorite part of the meal? Anyone have a nontraditional Thanksgiving? If so, let us know what that was!

We hope that you had a special holiday with your family and friends and critters, etc!

Cheers,

the Forks

Thanksgiving Disasters!

Hello Foodies,

Before we get onto the subject of the day, we just want to report that we had another fabulous meal at The Spotted Pig last night. If you've never been there, run don't walk. Check out the website for address and directions so you know where you're running to....The Spotted Pig. If the lovely Francesca is handling the throngs of foodies waiting for a table, be sure to say "Hi!" And don't leave without having the sheep's ricotta gnudi or the pork tonnata. I also think they have the best burger and fries in town. There is no bad choice at the Spotted Pig!

Now, what we want to know is your Thanksgiving Disaster story? Ever drop a turkey? And not tell anyone? Tell us...tell us!

Happy cooking,

the Forks

Thanksgiving is Approaching!

Hello Foodies,

Who is getting ready for Thanksgiving - shopping, prepping, cooking, baking? And who is just eating? If you are in this category - where are you going to eat - family, friends, restaurant?

One year, we went to Maroons (southern and jamaican restaurant) on 244 West 16th St. between 7th and 8th Avenues. It was the perfect place - good southern home-cooking. Also try Maroons not on Thanksgiving. Check it out at http://maroonsnyc.com/ I highly recommend the crabcakes, fried green tomatoes, Grandma's Crispy Fried Chicken in addition to all the Jamaican specialties.

Let us know...if you have time (this means you're in the eating category).

All our best,

the Forks

An Evening At the Beard House!

Hello Foodies,

Last Friday, we were invited for an evening that was part of the Greatest New York Chefs series at the James Beard Foundation by our dear friends (and Beard House regulars) - Dr. Bill Shay and Jim Hood. Seated from left to right: Melissa Joachim (fork), Bill Shay, Lisa Goldman (fork) and Jim Hood.

The featured chef for this evening was Andrew Karasz from Django in New York City. Meet the smiling chef below.

The evening starts with champagne and assorted canapes. My favorites were the Foi Gras Mousse with Mango Chutney and the Curried Potato Croquettes with Minted Yogurt. Then we sit at our table to indulge further. We were so lucky to be the only table in the front room. It was like we had our own private party. The standouts from a four-course tasting dinner was the Seared Maine Diver Scallops with Cauliflower and Black Truffle Vinaigrette and the Cider-Braised Short Ribs served with spiced parsnip, broccoli rabe and parmesan foam. The wine served with this course was great.

As shown below, this was Norton Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2003.

An evening at the James Beard House is always quite special. You should try it at least once if not often. Here's where to get more info: http://www.jamesbeard.org/

You can also enjoy one of Andrew Karasz's meals at Django at East 46th St. and Lexington Ave. on the Northwest corner. Check out the website at http://www.djangorestaurant.com

We hope that your weekend was as yummy as ours.

All our best,

the Forks

Bao Wow Wow Wow!

Hello Foodies,

We just wanted to share with you a gem of a Vietnamese restaurant called Bao Noodles. We have been trying to work our way through their menu and have found few disappointments. It is also hard not to keep ordering the same things over and over.

With what we've eaten so far...this is what I'd recommend....for appetizers....the homerun is the "Grilled Lemongrass Shortribs" - don't leave this restaurant without them. The Green Papaya Salad with green papaya, shrimp, fresh mint, and spicy lime dressing is quite tasty. You can't go wrong with any of the rolls from spring to summer - yum!

Moving on from the starters as hard as that is...try the Oxtail Noodle Soup that has thin slices of rare beef with rice noodles, bean sprouts in an anise-flavored oxtail broth. Pork on Rice Vermicelli (just what the name says) - the grilled pork is quite tasty. Spicy Beef Stew with beef brisket, carrots, daikon, ginger and anise brings stews to a whole new level. And a favorite of mine has been the Salt & Pepper Shrimp - tiger prawns coated with salt and pepper, stir-fried with garlic, shallots, red and green peppers...what could be bad about that!

There are pictures on the website so you can see your meal before you even get there or order it in...http://www.baonoodles.com. Bao Noodles is located at 391 Second Ave between 23rd & 22nd Sts.

Have a delicious weekend!

the Forks

That Vino!

Hello Foodies,

The wine that we drank and loved at Centovini on Sunday evening - a 2004 Verduno Basadone from Castello di Verduno - was one of Frank Bruni's choices for a Thanksgiving wine in an article written by Eric Asimov that was in yesterday's New York Times. It's made from the pelaverga piccolo grape and obscure in its home territory in Piedmont region of Italy. It's a fun article and the link is nytimes.com.

You can purchase this wine at our favorite Italian wine store - Vino (mentioned in previous blog). Go to vinosite/ to check for exact store location (East 27th St. between Park and Lex) or order online.

It's never too early to be picking out your Thanksgiving wines!

Enjoy!

the Forks

Chicken Soup or bust!

Hello Foodies,

We had a friend arrive last night for a visit. She was battling a terrible cold. Out of sympathy, I found myself eating chicken soup for lunch today and I felt better. Somewhere I read that zinc is the curative factor in the Jewish penicillin. I hope our sick friend ate some too.

Do you like to have chicken soup when you're sick? What else do you like to eat when you're sick?

Let us know - flu season is approaching.

Be well and eat well!

the Forks

Friends and Centovini = A Great Visit, Food and Wine

Hello Foodies,

Last night, we had dinner with Tour de Forks alum, Anita Lo. For those who don't know, Anita is chef/owner of Annisa Restaurant. In this photo, she is dressed like a chef but last night, we can confirm that she was in civilian attire. Annisa is a small fine dining establishment in the West Village. The restaurant is owned and operated by Anita Lo and her business partner, Jennifer Scism. Anita is a winner of Food & Wine Magazine's 2001 Best New Chef Award and Annisa was awarded by the 2006 Michelin Guide a coveted one star. Visit their website at www.annisarestaurant.com.

We were lucky to get Anita on a rare night off from Annisa and we all met for dinner at Centovini
Anita is a friend of Patti Jackson, the chef at Centovini, and wanted to see Patty. Patti is an Alto veteran and devout Greenmarketer. We began our evening and reunion with Prosecco...we love bubbles! Nicola Marzovilla, one of Centovini's three owners (Murray Moss and Franklin Getchell from Moss Gallery are the other two), also spent time visiting with us.

Besides talking, we were eating. To start, we nibbled on formaggi and salumi and olives. My favorite of the antipasti was the Burratina di Bufala - so creamy and served with tomatoes and agretti. My favorite pasta was the Maccheroncini alla Bolognese - a comforting match to a rainy night. And for our mains, we delighted in hangar steak, veal cheeks and lamb chops. Although we were too full to eat dessert, we managed to eat Dora's cookies and biscotti and homemade truffles and an Espresso Granita! Our meal was matched with a Basadone 04 Castello di Verduno from Piemonte region.


If you'd like to visit Centovini...25 West Houston Street between Mercer and Greene. 212-219-2113.

If you go let us know.

Cheers,

the Forks

Tapas Anyone?

Hello Foodies,

Last night, two of the Forks - Melissa and Lisa -and Tour de Forks alum - Jackie Chasey -discovered a new tapas restaurant called Boqueria. Pictured to the left are Jackie and Melissa. My apologies for the photo quality - the snap was taken with my new phone that I barely know how to use. However, the photo certainly captures the fun of our evening.

Boqueria was packed last night. Monica, the hostess, was amazing at keeping everyone posted on the ETA of their tables. Not an easy job, I assure you. We were lucky enough to score seats at the bar before our table became available. We were also lucky to be at the bar because we were seated right in front of Marga, the tapas chef. Marga gave us excellent recommendations and Joe the bartender was very attentive.

So this is what we ate: The queso: Monte Negro, La Sarena, and Valdeon. The cured meats: jamon serrano and salchichon de bellota. Txipirones - it's baby squid, garbanzo, olive, radish, and al i oli. A wild boar pate. Dates stuffed with almonds and Cabrales, wrapped in bacon (datiles con beicon y almendras. Fried quail eggs and chorizo on toast (dojonudo). White anchovies. Jamon on a flatbread. And patatas bravas - fried potatoes and spicy al i oli. We loved everything but we all agreed the patatas bravas could have been crunchier. We drank a rose cava and enjoyed a Spanish Malvasia after dinner. For dessert, we devoured a chocolate and coffee mousse with hazelnut ice-cream and candied hazelnuts. Marga also suggested that we try (the next time) a dish called Arroz Cremoso - it's like a rosotto made with creamy bomba rice, salt cod, Manchego, lychees, and mussel broth. One big yum!

We're definitely going back and maybe we'll see you there. Let us know what restaurants you go to this weekend.

Enjoy,

the Forks


P.S. Boqueria is located at 53 West 19th St. between 5th & 6th Avenues. Visit Boqueria online at http://www.boquerianyc.com.

Always Need Great Bread!

Hello Foodies,

We love great bread and we confess that we've never made bread from scratch...never kneaded it (literally). But boy, do we need it. An article in the New York Times today has had us thinking about great bread all day. The article is called "The Secret to Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work" here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=dining. Apparently, Jim Lahey has figured out the secret.

To me, there is nothing better than bread with a thick crust served warm and with butter! We like to buy bread at the Union Square Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Where do you like to buy bread?

What restaurants do you think serves the best bread?

Let us know.

Cheers,

the Forks

Vote Early and Vote Often!

Hello Foodies,

The message for today is to vote, vote, vote! Then have lots of treats on hand to eat while watching the election results later this evening. A fun treat place to go is Trader Joe's and to find the location near you - visit http://traderjoes.com.

Happy Voting!

the Forks

Treats To know About

Hello Foodies,

How was your weekend?

We think this is worth sharing - the smoked whitefish salad from Daniel's Bagels is the best we've ever tasted. What about the chopped liver? Amazing. Daniel's is located at 569 Third Ave. between 37th and 38th streets. 212-972-9733. They make homemade bagels and flagels too. Expect a line because this place is not a secret.

We also ate great hanger steaks at Les Halles on Park Avenue South. It comes with a shallot sauce and crunchy frites. Oo-la-la! Here's the link: http://www.leshalles.net/ny_park.php.

What did you eat?

Cheers,

the Forks

Have a Bottarga Weekend!

Hello Foodies,

One of our favorite things to eat these days is bottarga. It's being called the new caviar. Bottarga can be tuna or mullet eggs. We indulge with "pasta con bottarga" -- we heat up some olive oil and garlic then mix in the pasta...when plated, we shave or grate the bottarga on top. It's a beautiful thing!

Our friends at Gustiamo.com want to make it as easy as possible for you to have bottarga and to be able to make this special dish. They have created a gift basket called "Bottarga" in a box - The new caviar! - and it sells for $100. If you tell them that you are friends of Tour de Forks, you'll receive a 5% discount. The "bottarga" in this gift basket is mullet roe dried in the Sardinian sun, an ultimate indulgence. The gift basket includes a box of single cultivar Taganrog spaghetti by Latini, a stellar bottle of pure extra virgin olive oil from Sicily and a special recipe from Gustiamo's chef. Everything is carefully packaged inside an Outer Borough Chic crate, recycled straight from the lively Bronx produce markets. See this gift basket and many others at www.gustiamo.com.

Bottarga can also be eaten very simply with bread, after being sliced in thin shreds and softened in olive oil for at least half an hour. Try it on omelets, rice, and mashed potatoes.

If you have some over the weekend at a restaurant or at home, let us know.

Have a delicious weekend!
the Forks

More Red Wine...Please!!!

Hello Foodies,

Red wine has been receiving so much press in the last few days. The fuss is about a natural substance called resveratrol that is found in the skin of grapes and red wine. Resveratrol offsets the bad effects of unhealthy, high-calorie diets. Everyone is hoping it has the same great effects in humans as it does in mice. To get the same results as the mice - you have to drink a lot. For example, a 150 lb. person, would have to drink 750 - 1,500 bottles a day.

This just makes us want to race down to VINO, our favorite Italian wine store to start stocking up on red wine. We suggest that you do too...their super knowledgeable staff always helps you to make the perfect selection. The link to the website is: http://www.vinosite.com. Vino is located at 121 East 27th St. between Park and Lex (closer to Lex). They have weekly free wine tastings.

Maybe we'll see you there! Let us know your fave Italian reds....

Cheers,

the forks

Tis the Season for White Truffles...

Hello Foodies,

In one of our previous blogs, we mentioned that one of the adventures planned for Tour de Forks Puglia is a white truffle hunt followed by a delicious meal made with the white truffles found on the hunt. White truffles seem to be everywhere and funny that Florence Fabricant wrote about them in her article in the New York Times today (she probably saw our blog - kidding, but you never know) .

It's under the heading called: Ah, Time to Break Out That White Truffle Nest Egg
She gives current market prices and places to enjoy white truffles in New York City. Here's the link to her article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/01/dining/01stuff.html?ref=dining

Remember you can stay local and indulge in white truffles - anywhere from $140 to $169 an ounce - or you can go to Puglia with Tour de Forks. Itinerary and prices to be posted soon on www.tourdeforks.com.

Let us know where you like to eat white truffles in New York City and what's the dish!

All our best,

the Forks