Julia Child's Chocolate Souffle

Ryan and I get the itch to make an epic meal every now and then. Christmas Eve seemed the perfect excuse for just such a cooking feat. We started with appetizers- stuffed mushrooms, then moved on to a delish entree, pasta with mushroom and white wine and butter sauce- and of course, for the finale, decided to attempt the piece de resistance, chocolate souffle!

Now I love to bake, so souffle seemed a challenge, but nothing beyond the pale. I will caution, however, that the dishes are not few, and the time and effort is intense. But the end product? Does it RISE to the occasion? Well... see for yourself!

Chocolate Souffle: A recipe from the one and only Julia Child herself!

Ingredients:

To coat the souffle dish:
Sugar
butter, softened but NOT melted

For the chocolate flavoring:
7 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/3 cup strong coffee or espresso

For the base:
1.3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
3 tbsp butter softened, not melted
1 tbsp vanilla
salt

For the whites:
6 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Prepare the souffle dish by generously coating it with soft butter and sprinkling in sugar. Tip the souffle dish to coat the entire inner surface with the sugar, and tap out any excess.

2. Place the rack in your oven to the lowest third and preheat to 425 degrees.

3. In a small saucepan, melt 7 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate with 1/3 cup of coffee.

4. In a separate, larger saucepan, heat up 1 cup milk and whisk in the flour, blending well. Slowly add in the rest of the milk and 1/3 cup of sugar. Bring to a slow boil and whisk for 2 min. Remove from heat.

5. Beat in 3 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp vanilla, a pinch of salt, 4 egg yolks, and the melted chocolate mixture.

6. Whip the 6 egg whites to stiff peaks. Add in 1/2 cup sugar once they are foamy.

Now, let's talk seriously about this "whip to stiff but not dry peaks' business. It is a terrifying instruction in any recipe, wrought with problems and causing of much angst, but no worries, it can be done!! Here's how:

In a large bowl, the best is of copper, (if you have that kind of fancy stuff lying around), but I use ceramic or pyrex- have the 6 egg whites reserved and ready to whip.

A. Start with room temperature eggs.

B. Use a long-handled whisk and any bowl, so long as it is not aluminum or plastic. The eggs react best with copper, but poorly if there is any grease in the bowl or on the mixing elements, so clean everything well.

C. MAke sure the bowl is significantly larger than the eggs you start with, as they will gain volume as you whip them.

D. It would take approximately 900 strokes- or a little over 6 minutes- to whip 6 egg whites by hand. Trust me, the first 100 feel fine. It's the next 800 that will suck. Also, in the beginning, you can be slow and relaxed- until it's foamy, but to finish the job, you are going to have to get some seriously fast whipping on, and for a sustained period of time. *Insert pervy joke here* Remember, once you start, you cannot stop.

E. Here's what we did: We started off by hand, and then once they were foamy (see photo), I switched to my magic wand cuisinart stick using a whisk attachment*. This was THE way to go. This is also the time to start slowly adding in the sugar, as it will help the peaks to form.

*This is by far my favorite and most used kitchen gadget- if you do not own one, you can use a regular hand held beater with whisk attachment too.

F. You will know you have reached the correct level of 'stiff peaks' when they stand up, and do not wilt back down. Stop as soon as this effect is observed- it is a myth that you should whip them until they are SO stiff that the bowl can be inverted- this is too much in the case of the souffle!! If for some reason they just wont stiffen up (sigh, can't get away from the innuendo),then a pinch of salt or splash of lemon might do the trick.

7. Combine the base with the whipped eggs by ladling the base sauce into the whipped egg bowl, and combing and folding rapidly until thoroughly blended together.

8. Pour mixture immediately into mold, and put in oven. Turn the heat down to Bake @400 for about 40 minutes, or until the puff rises (hopefully). DO NOT OPEN the oven door during the first 20 minutes. Walk lightly as you pass by. Test for doneness with a toothpick or skewer inserted at 45 degrees, it should come out clean. Dust with powdered sugar and serve- the 'puff' will only last about 3 minutes or so once it is out of the oven, so snap a photo and quick serve it! (with homemade whip cream, of course!!)

France

Ah France! Our vacation was dedicated to fine food and wine- and there was definitely plenty of that! To start, we visited Hediard and Fauchon, two boutique retailers of delicious gourmet goods. My french came in handy as I ordered un pain au chocolat, et un pain de campagne.... and then asking for du vin blanc.. and some amazing fraises!! We did our picnic in two parts- one in the Luxembourg gardens and then later on the champs de mars by the Eiffel tower. Life did not suck.



For dinner, we tried Au Vieux Comptoir (not to be confused with the millions of other bars and restaurants by the same name- this is the 'old' one. It got to the point where we saw one 'comptoir' restuarant a day, all across france....even in the airport!) (It means 'counter'...)





We shared a plate of white asparagus in a delicious dijon butter thing, and then I had a creamy porcini mushroom risotto, one of the hardier meals I had on our trip. Ry had a steak which he enjoyed with some super creamy mashed potatoes!




And for best lunch, this lovely spot by our hotel- in a pretty little square in the marais- had an awesome salad provencale- complete with egg, tuna, green beans... so delicious!



And of course... the drinking! Our first stop was Champagne- and even the streets are painted with these handy graphics and an _____> to point the way. We tried 3 different brands: Mercier, the most popular in France, Moet Chandon, the most popular... everywhere else, and De Castellane, holder of no significant moniker, but in a 'charlie and the chocolate factory'-esque building. Who could resist?


Very classy tour featuring video with voice over by Scarlett Johanson.


'The people's champagne' with some crazy cool cellars.


Charlie wasn't home.


Then it was off to St. Emilion, Home of Bordeaux. First, a walk through the vineyards outside the city:


Then a little wine tasting... .


Followed by some wine buying..


WARNING: You too may 'storm the castle' after drinking this much wine (kidding...)


Coffee is always better in Europe...


We then spent a day in the Chateauneuf du Pape in Provence, tasting straight from the foudre (big-ass barrel) and checking out the very old vintages (1926!!)


The word is that 2010 is gonna be a good one.


Old (the wine, of course... I would never say that about Ryan!)




For lunch, we had perhaps one of our most outstanding meals at Chez Serge. Truffles, a piece of beautiful fish in a lemony butter sauce, and Ryan had more meat, and of course a really good baba rum cake with berries....



And later, in Avignon, this cute spot- though the food was just ok amongst our many meals, the location and interior had me charmed!!

A great trip, and a lesson learned- next time I will have to blog more as we go so I remember more of each meal!!!

The perfect snack

Mesclun greens with a lemony-olive oil dressing, marinated olives, slices of a sharp gruyere, a piece of toasted french bread with garlic buttter.... and a glass of white wine.

No, it's not wintery. But with all the soups and chili's and baked sweet potatoes, this super light and refreshing meal seemed just right.

Dressing:
Olive Oil- go with the good stuff
Lemon
salt
pepper

Garlic butter:
Boil 8 slivered cloves of garlic in water. In room temperature butter, mix garlic in and mash well. Sprinkle with sea salt, refrigerate to harden up.

Bar Artisanal

Last night Ryan and I celebrated 6 years together! We have nicknamed our anniversary of meeting/dating the "anniversary of knowing". I feel very lucky to know Ryan....

So, we ventured to Tribeca to check out Artisanal's little sister, Bar Artisanal. Long before this blog, perhaps some three or four years ago now- *gasp* time goes fast- we went to Artisanal with a large group of friends during restaurant week. Friends who have been living in Italy for two years... friends who have been in Florida for a year... Friends we dearly miss! Anyway, sentimental romanticizing aside, we had an amazing time. Artisanal began as a fromaggerie- a cheese shop-and though I can't recall the majority of the food and wine we had, the highlight for me was a "1,000 cheese " fondue. It was a blend of many different cheeses, and it was just awesome. Beyond that, I remember tasty french fare, and mainly just a lot of fun.

So, back to Bar Artisanal. This new spot highlights Spanish wine and food, rather than the uptown spot which is french through and through. We Started off with a glass of Albarino- a citrusy, refreshing white wine ($11)- for Ryan, and a glass of Cava- a sparkling, champagne- like white ($10)- for me. Both are perennial favorites and hit the spot on a humid and muggy night. We didn't try the sangria- which was probably a huge mistake, as it looked awesome- and comes in several styles, including a hot & spicy version ($8/ glass) ! I'll add that to my "next time" list.

We started off with some tapas- small plates- which they offer in both 'classic' and 'modern' versions. We ordered marinated olives($4) and patatas bravas ($7) from the classic side, and manchego tempura ($7) from the modern.

The patatas bravas- basically fried potatoes- are a favorite dish of ours, and I've always seen them before as actual potatoes, but here were french fries. They were really nicely seasoned, salty, lots of pepper, and some herbs, and served with two traditional sauces, one which has a smoky, chipotle flavor, and a second which was an aioli, a creamy garlic- olive oil-mayonnaise. I thought this dish was really awesome and both sauces were addicting- but I wished they were served as potato wedges rather than fries.

The Manchego tempura was really interesting- manchego cheese was shaped into a ball and then batter dipped and fried. Awesome. My only complaint was that they were way over-salted, at least the two I ate, but Ryan did not have the same experience, so this might reflect a heavy hand more than the actual dish. I also thought the fries were salty too, so this might be my one complaint. Then again, I am an exception to most people's taste in salt.... I wonder if the manchego would have benefitted from a sweet sauce of some sort, just to balance the savory and salty flavors of the cheese and the batter. But overall, my mouth is watering recalling this dish, so clearly the saltiness did not ruin an otherwise lovely plate.

I had a glass of red wine, a Tempranillo from Rioja, which, as my husband often forgets, is a region and not a grape or style of wine. The red was really nice- and I received by far the most generous pour of the evening. We did notice that the bar seemed inconsistent- some glasses were quite full, primarily mine, and Ryan's always seemed rather small. The tempranillo had a subtle oak flavor that complimented the tapas wonderfully. Ryan ordered a glass of viura, a white wine also from Rioja- that was very floral and perfumey, but lacked the citrus notes I'd like in a glass of white.

We then split a meat and cheese plate ($25), I mainly eating the cheese.. and Ryan taking on the meat. The plate came with 3 types of meat: Chorizo, salchicon, a dry cured sausage, and lomo, cured pork loin. I DID sneak a bite of the chorizo, which was nice and spicy, like salami. oooh yes. As for the cheese, I asked the waiter to select one cow, one goat, and one sheep, and sort of pick his favorites. The goat was semi-firm, nutty, sharp, and really nice, but the sheep was my favorite- Roncal- and Ryan's. It was not quite as sharp as the goat, but also had a nutty flavor, similar to manchego. The last was definitely a curiosity- a soft cow's cheese that had cayenne in it- Afuegal Pitu. We both thought it was interesting, but not sure that either of us could really say we liked it. I'm glad I tried it, just for the experience!

Finally, we shared a dessert, another classic- churros ($10), served with hot chocolate. I love churros- fried dough- and these were really fresh and tasty. The hot chocolate was also great, I actually poured a little into my coffee!!

Overall, I had a really nice time. We both saw more we'd like to try- Ryan wanted to taste the mussels, and I saw some tasty looking salads, as well as more cheese I would love to sample. Not to forget the sangria!! I definitely see this spot as good for snacking and drinking.... Ole!

DBGB & Quartino

Ryan and I celebrated my official homecoming last night with dinner at Daniel Boulud's DBGB on the Lower East Side. The place fits its location on the Bowery- lots of raw materials- concrete piers in the dining room, and open kitchen, glass front- and the noise certainly gives the place a buzz. The tables are packed in tight- but booths along the side seemed to offer intimacy for some. The scene reminded me of one of the large food halls in paris, where the waiters buzz around as diners, packed in side by side, well, eat. Gives the place a better vibe for groups, parties, and fun, but not for a romantic, quiet dinner. More sceney and hip, less white linen than its big brother Daniel.

The menu had a ton of choices for meat and seafood lovers- and luckily, one vegetarian option for me. I have to admit, I must have either still been eating meat yet when I looked at the menu, or just didn't pay enough attention, but it wasn't until I was sitting there that I realized my options were fairly slim. Probably not the last time that will happen. I guess I could have asked them to turn out a vegetarian version of one of their other dishes, but I spotted a tasty pasta dish to try, so I went with that. It was really very good- a fresh marinara sauce, with onions and ricotta with lemon. Really clean, nice flavors, and it was a nice portion. (I couldn't finish!). I also had the butter lettuce and chive salad, which was as simple as the name suggests, and had a great 'green' spring flavor.

Ryan tried the tuna crudo, which came in nice size squares with a gingery dressing and cilantro. He then had the 2 sausage combo- and selected from maybe 10 different homemade choices. He went with the Beaujolais-which smelled so good I even tried it! You could taste the wine, and whole pieces of bacon, with a nice smoky finish. The second sausage he tried was the DBGB hot dog- which basically was the finest quality hot dog we've ever come across, garlicky and smokey. It tasted like it came off a camp fire. With a dash of the dijon mustard, nice and spicy- it was delish.

Unfortunately, we just didn't have the appetite to try one of the featured desserts- home made ice cream sundaes. But holy moses they looked good, and I sorta regret not forcing one down.

DBGB is also known for its beer menu, a large variety is on tap, and ryan tried one with his sausages that he really enjoyed.




Before dinner, We popped into this cute looking little wine bar- Quartino. They only serve organic wines, with selections mainly from italy and france. Each serving is a quartino (hence the name). I tried a white falanghina from Italy, and Ryan had a Barbera D'alba from Italy as well. Both were quite nice. I liked the romantic atmosphere and soft light! I'd pop in for a glass sometime again!

Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Beef A la Bourguignon

A few months ago Ryan and I watched "Julie & Julia", the pic based on the life of Julia Child, and one blog writer's attempt to cook her way through Julia Child's tome, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Inspired by a fellow foodie-blogger (and jealous, of course, that she now has published books and films...hmm...how do I get this blog on that bandwagon?? ) We decided that we wanted to try our hand at a few of the recipes Julia made famous/ Julie tried in the movie, and we figured Valentine's Day would be a good time to give it a go. So, we decided on Beef A la Bourguignon, which I can still only sorta-spell. Here is a play by play of our adventure:

2/14, 3 pm: Lora is passed out in bed, drooling after a morning mimosa that was just clearly too much for her to handle. Ryan decides that this is not going to happen, and decides Beef A la Bourguignon will have to wait until tomorrow.

2/15: 1 pm: We slowly start to realize that the recipe is written in english, but clearly not any english we know -check out the version we cooked off of here:http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=8222804&searchtext=julia%20child&criteria=&page=1

It's just not very clear. There are also about thirty steps, which we're about to breakdown, but are pretty much just all listed out. We also realized that we do not own the proper pan, so some improv is gonna be called for.

3 pm: It starts. Grocery shopping at whole foods for the meats, and prepping the veggies- slicing onion, peeling carrots, and dicing up mushrooms.

Ingredients:

Meats:
One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes (We bought it pre-cubed)

Vegetables:
1 carrot, sliced (We like carrots, and then we can eat these as a side, so we put in way more. Go for the baby, they will get SUPER tender as the whole thing cooks down)
1 (white) onion, sliced
18 to 24 white onions, small (we bought a bag of pearl onions)
1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered- we bought baby bellas, awesome flavors from these guys.

Stuff you cook with:
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 tablespoons butter

Flavorings:
3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
A crumbled bay leaf (approx 1/2 tsp)

"Herb bouquet":
4 parsley sprigs ("stems")
one-half bay leaf (approx 1/4 tsp),
one-quarter teaspoon thyme,
tied in cheesecloth- ok, so cheesecloth? Basically, we bought a little herb satchel- they sell them near the meat counter in our grocery store, usually used to flavor soups and stews- see photo below)

5:00: the cooking starts.

Cut bacon into " lardons" (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). We left the rind on, though Julia recommends you separate. Simmer for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.



Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a flameproof casserole (We used a large saute pan) over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.




Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Place to the side with the lardons.

In the same fat, brown the sliced onion and carrots. Remove to the side and pour out the excess fat.

Return the beef, bacon, and vegetables to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Then sprinkle on the flour and toss to coat the beef lightly (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust). Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.

Remove and toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 more minutes.

Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

On stove top, stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Transfer to a casserole dish (If you are, like me, cooking in a pan) and Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

(Entered oven at: 5:30ish)
*****

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms, start about an hour before ready to serve.



Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of olive oil until bubbling in the skillet (We had the advantage of using the same one we'd cooked the bacon and beef in, so lots of flavor already in the pan)

Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.



Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.

Heat remaining olive oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.

Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.

When the meat is tender and you're almost ready to serve, pour juice into sauce pan.

Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top of the beef.

Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.

Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.

8:30 PM: Declare victory.

Serve with potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.

Sage & Prosciutto-wrapped chicken

This one is a fabulous Dean & Deluca-inspired recipe. And of all the recipes I make, this one remains almost pure, practically perfect right out of the cookbook (what a rare, and wonderful occasion!) We serve this one to our friends, and it usually is a hit. A few lessons learned the hard way: THIN pieces of chicken, that will cook quickly. THIN. If prosciutto starts to smoke or butter browns, turn down heat and cover saute pan with a lid. Your chicken is not thin enough. You lose. THIN. My other tip is do not look at this recipe and shudder at the butter required. If you're gonna do it, go all the way. Slather on that foaming, golden butter, and don't look back.


4 Chicken breasts (or 6-8 cutlets, see step 1)
salt and pepper
1 stick unsalted butter
8 whole sage leaves (1 per piece)-more if you really like sage the way I do, I'd double to 16
1/4 pound of thinly sliced prosciutto
2 eggs, beaten
8 thin slices fontina cheese

Sauce:
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh minced sage, or more if you, like me, can't get enough
1/2 stick of butter

1. The breasts: You want them to be thin pieces. Remove the "flap" under each fillet, and save for another use. Cut the breasts into two equal square-shaped pieces. Pound them out nice and thin- we have discovered this step is crucial, because if they are too thick, there is cooking issues later. MY new solution: just by chicken cutlets instead. Season with pepper, put aside.

2. Heat butter in pan over moderate heat. When foaming, add in the pieces of whole sage, and cook 1 min on each side. remove and place 1-2 pieces on each chicken piece, per your taste.

3. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each chicken cutlet, and dip in the egg. Make sure there is plenty of foaming butter in the pan, and not browned. Cook chicken a few minutes on each side, until just past pink inside and golden on the outside. (If the pieces of chicken are thick, which we have had trouble with, it will take much longer to cook through, and the butter and prosciutto will brown!!)

4. Place chicken on baking sheet and cover with a piece of fontina. Place in broiler until cheese just melts, about a minute.

5. Sauce: While in broiler, take the butter and chicken bits from the pan into a sauce pot. Add in a cup of white wine, and reduce to 1/2 cup. Add in sage, and whisk in the additional butter. Adjust seasonings.

6. Serve sauce over and around chicken. We like this very rich dish with a green vegetable- usually either wilted spinach, asparagus, or bok choy. Roasted potatoes make a great side, or yams, or squash.

Saint-Amours in Bruges

Bruges, Belgium

Ry & I were in Belgium, land of good food, and decided to try one of the more notable restaurants in Bruges, Saint Amours (Also known as 'T Voermanshuys). The restaurant is in a vaulted basement, and very romantic. The main dining room has about ten tables total, and on the evening we were there (In the major off season), it was about half full, all couples. Definitely not a singles scene, and all of us were clearly out-of-towners, so not a locals-joint, either. The cuisine was definitely "Haute"- there was a lot of gelees and ice creams.

Ry and I were served an amuse-bouche that featured several preparations of fish. Now, full disclosure, not my favorite genre, but I tried everything. There was a lobster consumme, that I didn't love, but didn't hate, either. I could detect a nice buttery flavor to the broth. Ry enjoyed it, and the bite of lobster within as well. There was also a piece of white fish, served cold, over a smoked salmon cream. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this quite a lot.

We shared an appetizer of pheasant stuffed with foie gras, which was quite decadent. The pheasant was served cold, and on the side eight or so small deconstruted bites accompanied the dish.

For my entree, I cut to the chase and ordered the steak frites, which was phenomenal. The steak was tender and flavorful, and served with a really nice jus. The frites were by far the best we had on the entire trip. Skinny and salty. Ryan had a haddock in a cream sauce, which was delicate and really clean.

For dessert, I opted for the cheese dish. We were dissapointed to discover they had sold out of the chocolate cake (booo), so Ryan instead chose a pear dish, which was good, but not exactly chocolate, if you know what I mean. The house red and whites were quite nice, but no other wines are available by the glass, though the wine list looked really nice.

For the money, this place was fantastic. We were shocked by how highly-priced and touristy most other restuarants were, so given the fact that We were having 40-plus euro lunches, we thought this place was a steal- I think all said and done, it was around 150 euro. If you ever find yourself in Bruges, I'd definitely check it out!!

Daniel

So, it was a special occasion, and we went all out. For our second anniversary, Ryan and I went to Daniel Boulud's flagship, Daniel. We sorta had a chef crush on him to begin with, and we got to see him in person, which was amazing!! As for the food...

WOW.

The amuse bouche were amazing. The size of pinheads, but more flavor packed in one bite...my personal favorite of the 3 was a leek and mushroom, super creamy soup-type thing. It was basically served in a thimble, but oh what a thimbleful!

For appetizers, we had the artichoke soup with foie gras and sunchoke, and a lobster foie gras in consomme with small strips of duck prosciutto. I thought they were both very delicate and delicious. We also went with the wine pairings, Ryan had some crazy riesling that smelled like a mechanic shop. Ryan swears it tasted good...

For my entree I had a killer piece of lamb. The sauce was... very rich, creamy, and flavorful. Don't ask me what all was in it. There was also a bed of garbanzo beans that were nice and crunchy, which really added to the dish. Ryan had the beef two ways. The short rib was melt in your mouth goodness, and the filet was tender and really flavorful.

For dessert, I had a cheese plate, and Ryan had a chocolate peanut butter ganache, and we have no complaints.

Overall, the setting was gorgeous, the service was great, the food was delicious- and the wine was both wonderful and palate- pushing. Our only complaint was that the pours were a bit small! We will definitely be back someday soon!

Le Veau D'or & Flute

To celebrate my trip home to NYC, Ry and I went to a New York Institution- Le Veau D'or. Started in 1937 and still open, and with original decor, it is like walking onto a movie set. The original owner is still alive and greets you at the door dressed in an impeccable suit and waist coat. His daughter now does the majority of hostessing, and with only 14 tables, every diner receives some personal attention.

As for the wine list, classically french with one bottle representing each region, with a slight emphasis on Bordeaux. We ordered the chateauneuf-du-pape, from the Rhone. I had the endive salad and ryan had the mussels as an appetizer, and then had the steak au poive and rack of lamb for our entrees. The lamb is carved tableside, a great touch, and the food is classic. Recently featured thanks to Julie and Julia, this restaurant is one of few where traditional preparations and sauces are proudly on display. There is nothing nouveau happening here, and that was just fine! I loved the au poive, which was spicy but not biting, and the frites were skinny and delicious. Ryan noted the traditional preparation of the lamb, which came quite rare, so if you prefer your meet cooked, order it medium for sure.

For dessert, we tried the peach melba and the "floating island". Really light, and really tasty. An egg meringue in a vanilla cream with toasted almonds, I really enjoyed every bite.

Following dinner we headed downtown to "flute", New York's champagne bar.

Loved the scene, dark and with plenty of tables for two. We tried two different champagne tasting flights, and had several glasses to boot. My only drawback was that drinks here cost as much as dinner. Definitely a great "classic" new york date!!

Le Barricou

So I am back in New York visiting the hubz, and we went to one of our favorite local joints last night, Le Barricou. A french bistro, we usually don't do dinner, but prefer either the fabulous weekend brunch, or the late night bar menu. The atmosphere is great and I love the flavors. Ry and I usually order some wine and share the beet salad and hamburger and frites.

The beet salad is one of the best I've found. The beets are shaved thin, and served with fuji apple, a small sprinkling of goat cheese, and a tart vinaigrette over greens. Huge fan of the combo!! The burger is always good, get it medium rare, and served on a brioche bun. The fires are super thin and fried just right!!

As for brunch, wow. I have never had a bad bite! Each table gets a croissant and a pain au chocolat to munch on while you wait. I love the goat cheese croissant with two eggs sunny side up. The french toast is thick and delicious, and the croque madame?? Oh man, heaven. French bread with swiss and ham, and an egg on top.

If you are in the hood, check it out!!

Troquet

Ryan & I decided to venture into Boston for dinner on Saturday night, and discovered this wonderful wine bar & french-inspired restaurant. We were lured there by the promising wines by the glass menu, and the promise of a to-die-for cheese plate. The location, right on Boylston street off the Common, is great for pre-theater or pre-clubbing (If either of those are your "thing"). The small bar downstairs was nice for a pre-dinner cocktail.

Ryan and I sat at the bar and sampled some champagne and sauvignon blanc, and debated trying Krug, a champagne rarely available by the glass, here offered for $20 for 2 oz or $40 for 4. Ouch. We weren't feeling like millionaires, but it was tempting... maybe next time.

We headed upstairs for dinner, and the dining room is simple but pleasant. We started off with appetizers- I had the baby squash blossoms salad, and Ryan tried the braised short rib canneloni. The squash blossoms were very lightly battered and fried, for a delicate taste, and served with a mixed green salad with pine nuts, a little pesto, and a nice citrus vinaigrette. Ryan's short rib had a great smoky flavor, and the noodle was just right, not too thick to ruin the other subtle flavors. Ryan had a glass of shiraz and I had a new zealand sauvignon blanc, both recommended by the staff, and both very nice pairings.

For my entree, I opted to have a second appetizer- the truffle oil and mushroom cavatelli. Really savory and delicious, it went down well with the suggested pinot noir. Ryan had the miso- glazed salmon with bok choy and eggplant, and a glass of riesling that we both agreed was a bit sweet for this pairing. We finished our meal with 3 cheeses, that are selected from a cart brought by the waitress. We tried a triple cream cow's milk, a harder cow's milk, and an herb-crusted goat cheese. Really good stuff!!

We enjoyed this restaurant a great deal. The food is savory and pulled off a broad range of influences. The wine pairings were great, and though the bottle list is quite expensive, the wines by the glass were fairly priced. The only thing to note is that we were the youngest couple in the restaurant, probably by about ten years, but the older crowd did not effect our evening at all!! (Translation: bring a date!)

Eating and Drinking Exploits: January 2009

I thought I'd start off with a month in review for January. I have been very busy getting my food and drink on in an attempt to pass the winter nights. Here's our latest adventures:

1) Dressler- South Side Williamsburg, Brooklyn-

By far one of my favorite restaurants in the city right now. This was my third trip to Dressler, and I am head-over-heels for their food. The atmosphere is romantic and upscale, but still retains a casual neighborhood-vibe. The prices are great given the fact that the restaurant sports a michelin star, and the food can't be beat!

I love the raviolini appetizer stuffed with butternut squash. The dish is savory and satisfying, featuring the flavors of sage, parmesan, and mushroom. For my entree, I had the chicken, which is served with dumplings and swiss chard. My husband likes the short rib & hanger steak, which features two cuts of meat on one plate. The food really plays to the flavor of umami: savory, salty, and buttery. Everything is well seasoned and full-flavored.

My only complaint, after three visits, is the service is considerably less than sparkling. We have had delayed entrees, long gaps between service for dinner and dessert, and the staff definitely could take some notes from their peers at Union Square Cafe or Cru. But, the food is too good to stay away, and the price is soooo right for the quality. I'll be back!

2- Cru- 5th Avenue and 9th street

For Ryan's birthday, we thought we would try Cru, a well-known wino's heaven. The wine lists are bible-sized leather binders, one for white and one for red, and really fun to try and taste from. We really liked a glass of the barolo ($35) and enjoyed the sommelier's wine pairings for our meal. The bar is right in the front, and is quite dark. I was surprised by how well lit the dining room was. I definitely liked the vibe at the bar better- more intimate and less formal. The prix-fixe menu in the dining room starts at $78 for three courses, and we paired it with wine. I had a similar appetizer to the Dressler butternut ravioli, but featured some foam on top that actually tasted really good. Ry opted to try the extravagant black truffle pappardelle, which came with an entire black truffle sliced on top. No complaints there, and worth every penny of the supplement. If you like truffle, this is not to be missed.

Our entrees were a bit disappointing, but I think that is partly in comparison to how much we loved the wine and appetizers. Ry had the veal and I tried a beef entree that was paired with marrow. (Tried a similar dish at Landmarc- the marrow has a buttery flavor that is really awesome). Ry's veal came with some sweetbreads that we both bravely tasted. I actually really liked it- sort of like a gourmet chicken finger, lol. Desserts were good, I opted for a cheese plate, and ry had 2 desserts (one on the house- they also offer a free amuse bouche course...)

Unlike Dressler, the service was top notch and we walked out feeling like we had a truly special meal. I don't know if I'll splurge again for the dining room (but it was well worth it for a one-night-only blow out), but I'll be back at the bar sampling the wines for sure!

3) Planet Thai- williamsburg, N. 7th street- this is an old joint we used to frequent a lot when we first moved here 5 years ago. We haven't been in a year or two, and thought we'd take some friends. I was shocked at how dingy the place seemed these days- nasty bathrooms, poor service, and mediocre food. I think it might be time for a reinvention of this early 'burg spot. Never again.

4) Motorino- Williamsburg- Graham & Devoe Street- One of my new favorite local spots- inexpensive and delicious, and great for any night of the week. I really like the soppresseta pizza, the arugula, fig, and blue cheese salad, and OMG the tiramisu is amazing. Check this place out! See ya next week.

5) 10 Downing- 6th avenue and downing street- cute, but not my favorite. Every item on the menu seems to involve a mystery ingredient- thank god for top chef. I had a sunchoke soup and my entree was... forgettable, seeing as I don't remember what I had, lol. Ry tried the arctic char, everything was very clean and light flavors- which admittedly is not our palate. I bet this place will be mobbed come warm weather with its prime locale. Oh wait! I remember. It was the cacio e pepe. Solid, but nothing special. For the tab, go to Dressler or 5 ninth!! Probably not, maybe for drinks or a summer lunch?

6) 5 Ninth- Little W. 12th and 9th ave-

5 Ninth has been on my list of must-tries for at least 2 years. The atmosphere is incredible, in a "bare" townhouse. Very dark and incredibly romantic, try to get a seat by the candle-filled faux fireplace or right by the windows on 9th ave. I hear there is a fantastic garden in summer, too. We skipped the restaurant week menu and opted for the regular one- we split an awesome appetizer of a mushroom gnocchi with parmesan, which was super! For my entree I tried the filet mignon, and Ry had the braised lamb. We were both really happy with our meals and too stuffed for dessert. The service was nice, and overall we had a great meal. We'll be back.