Made in Bolivia: La Casa de Camba Hits the Boardwalk09.24.12
La Casa de Camba on Rockaway Beach
The hot weather may be gone but that doesn’t mean that beach days are over. Grab your hoodie and head to Rockaway Beach to enjoy some Latin snacks by the water. Caracas Arepa Bar has extended its reach with a third outpost on the urban surfer’s paradise, offering their flavorful selection of Venezuelan arepas. With fillings like creamy chicken – avocado salad (Reina Pepiada) and my fave with stewed beef – rice – beans – plantains (Pabellón), they have all of the ingredients of seriously satisfying homey fare. The popular hipster haunt Rockaway Taco, known for its delectable fish tacos, is back until the end of September. But it is newcomer La Casa de Camba, specializing in Bolivian Salteñas, which recently caught our eye. more »
Spotlight: Lali Restaurant05.24.12
In this week’s Spotlight, we’re featuring Lali Restaurant, a family-run business Dominican restaurant located in Hell’s Kitchen. This is part of a longer story that Executive Editor Karina Taveras wrote as her thesis for graduate school (which she just completed last week, WOO-HOOOO!).
On an unusually clear and breezy June afternoon, Lestiel Lopez, her curvy silhouette crowding the doorway of Lali Restaurant in midtown Manhattan, declares her latest plan.
“We start selling frio-frio today,” she announces to her staff.
Dressed in a cotton t-shirt and skirt, Lestiel, 30, known as Les, swiftly enters the restaurant, hugging a green jug filled with fresh mint that hides half her face with its wild stems. She walks past the vinyl stools at the counter and plops the greenery down on a table. A gold headband keeps her dark curls in place. Her skin is the color of brown sugar. more »
Get Spiced NYC is LIVE!05.01.12
I’m proud to announce the birth of a new food project. It’s a web food series called Get Spiced NYC and after many months of work, the fist episode is finally LIVE!
In each episode, we’ll sample 1 dish in 3 different spots and give you the verdict, so you can discover the city’s diversity along with us, one neighborhood at a time. Come along for the ride.
Spotlight: Hanoi-Havana Tasting at Zengo04.20.12
Lechon Asado with Vermicelli
Spring is here, which means the perfect time to try something new. Zengo, a Latin-Asian restaurant owned by celebrated Chef Richard Sandoval is doing just that. It has created a special tasting menu available through June that combines flavor profiles shared by Vietnamese and Cuban cuisine. Does it succeed? Let’s take a look. more »
A Chance to Savor Dallas04.17.12
Last month, I had the chance to visit Dallas for the first time to attend Savor Dallas, the city’s food and wine festival. Not only did I witness southern hospitality at its finest, but I had a chance to meet a ton of wonderful people and taste a lot of yummy food, including sublime beignets, whiskey cake, Thai ceviche, and rustic taquitos.
Want to see what’s happening in the Dallas food world? Take a look at the new video! more »
La Filosofía: A Legacy in Motion04.03.12
Aprons from La Filosofía
In her grandparent’s kitchen in Miami, Ana Sofía Pelaez would stir her grandmother’s natilla as it simmered on the stove. She was 5 years old. more »
The Morning Glory Inn: A Sweet Retreat02.14.12
Renate Wilhem serves breakfast
“My heart is in America, but my soul is in Germany,” said Renate Wilhem, owner of The Morning Glory Inn, a cozy Bed & Breakfast located in the northern wine region of Long Island, New York. On an unusually cold night this winter, we drove 2 1/2 hours east to find ourselves in a part of the state best known as the escape of choice for sun-starved New Yorkers. We soon discovered that two short ferry rides to the north of the Hamptons put us in the middle of New England wine country. more »
Pommes Dauphinoise and a toast12.28.11
Making Pommes Dauphinoise
And…exhale. After all the holiday parties, tree-trimming, gift exchanges, and last-minute shopping frenzies, being back in the kitchen again was a perfect opportunity to slow things down. So Ana, my mother-in-law and one of my favorite cooks, and I prepared Pommes Dauphinoise (au gratin potatoes) from the Food 52 Holiday Recipe and Survival Guide cookbook that I reviewed last week. We peeled, sliced, grated, sprinkled, and created a delicate rendition of the classic potato dish, all the while using the iPad as a guide, and infusing the house with mouthwatering aromas of nutty gruyère and lemony thyme. We then served it as one of the main characters in a totally simple, cozy meal of hearty pasteles, glazed ham, avocado salad, and red wine. We toasted to family and to being together. Thanks Alex, for capturing the story with your beautiful images. more »
Heaven-Sent: A Holiday Rompope Dessert12.22.11
As a holiday treat this week, our guest blogger Jessica Solt shares one of her favorite childhood desserts: Rompope Jello. Growing up in Mexico City, a Christmas holiday was never complete without Rompope, or Mexican eggnog. Learn how Jessica delves into its origins and transforms it into a luscious, boozy dish.
Velvety, creamy and aromatic; no wonder rompope has been a part of Mexican culture and a silent witness to countless table talks for centuries. Known to many as “Mexican eggnog”, rompope is a drink made with eggs, almonds, milk, sugar and vanilla. The yolks give this smooth beverage its yellow hue. Although the Spanish version uses rum—hence the name—traditional recipes use other cane-based liquors. more »
Food 52 Holiday Recipe and Survival Guide12.21.11
An interactive Holiday cookbook? How brilliant is that! A few days ago, I came across the launch of Food 52 Holiday Recipe and Survival Guide, and was giddy to find its nifty collection of Holiday recipes. I’ve downloaded digital cookbooks before, and they are usually striking and beautiful, but feel that they miss one key component: usability. The digital pages of the Food 52 cookbook for the iPad, on the other hand, are filled with photos, easy-to-follow instructional videos, slideshows, shopping resources – and everything has been integrated seamlessly throughout. It also has user-friendly features like notes and bookmarks that allow you to scribble digital notes and save the recipes you want to make in the future. more »
Food For Thought