art with heart

I just found out Benicio del Toro and I have something in common—we both own art by Joseph Heidecker. Joseph re-interprets iconic photos and transforms furniture into a visual treat that’s full of surprises. His art has a deliciously, quirky sense of humor. My piece (photo, top) makes me smile on a daily basis. Come and see his latest—the show opens this Thursday, September 10, from 6:00 to 9:00 at Johnson Trading Gallery, located at 490 Greenwich Street, between Spring and Canal. Hope to see you there!

Michael Collins Irish WHISKEY persuasion

At a recent soiree, when offered a whiskey cocktail, I had a few guests decline. I let them have their glass of Prosecco without argument. A little later I began my seduction with “just a sip.” Before you knew it, the whole party had made a unanimous vote for Irish Whiskey. Michael Collins Irish Whiskey comes in a Single Malt variety (smokier) and a Blend (smoother). I thought the Blend worked absolutely perfectly in this cocktail, which I doctored for the gathering. To make it party-friendly, I made the juice mix earlier in the day, and had my supply refrigerated, which I poured out as needed into a pretty glass pitcher. To create the cocktail, each glass got ice, a little or a lot of the whiskey (to taste) and filled with juice to the top, then stirred with a glass stirrer. See more photos from the party here.

Here is the juice mix, take a wine glass and measure the following:
1.25 parts Sauvignon Blanc wine
1.5 parts Lakewood Organic Pure Apple Juice
.5 part of Ceres Passion Fruit Juice
the juice from one big organic lemon
1 part Lakewood Organic Lemonade
2 big squirts of Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Honey
Expand this recipe to accomodate the number of guests. Refrigerate till ready to use. You can substitute Prosecco for the Sauvignon Blanc, which we did when we ran out of the wine. For garnish, add a thin slice of golden delicious apple, whose yellow color and pear-ish taste makes the perfect accompaniment.

saving endangered species

Industrialized farming’s profit-driven methods of breeding are starting to produce genetic weaklings. There is a flip side to this. Meet Jeannette Beranger of American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, who made a fascinating and enlightening presentation at Astor Center on August 17. The topic: Bringing Heritage Breeds Back to the Farm and Table. Preserving these ancient and hearty strains is of the upmost importance, and not only as a way to keep the big breeders on track. Jeanette shared her hands-on knowledge of these historic breeds’ personalities, habits and preferences, and showed how raising these animals as part of a system of give-and-take with the environment is loaded with benefits. Geese make great security guards, chickens take care of pest problems, horses and oxen pull plows, and with sheep and cows you need never worry about grass cutting.
These breeds have naturally evolved to be resistant to disease, are suited to their environments and offer a purer food source. See the website for details about the animals, and which ones desperately need saving. Chefs (and diners!), you can support this organization by becoming a member, or by becoming familiar, and ordering, your local breeds. The newly launched classified section on the website, can connect you to sources or you can call Jeannette at 919-542-5704 x103.

CASA MONO: mi casa NO es su casa

I live a few blocks away from Casa Mono. When I first moved into the Gramercy area 4 years ago, I spotted the restaurant and thought it was beyond charming—a perfect spot on Irving, lots of windows, cozy interior. Unfortunately, its not one of those places you can just walk into, so I visit at off-times, usually late at night. Recently, when a chef visiting NYC asked me for places to go, I did not hesitate to suggest it. Late afternoon on Sunday, we met for some wine and tapas (see photo), some pulpo, some croquettes. Esteban chose a great wine. We each had 2 glasses. When we decided to split a third, before taking off, something odd happened. We were asked to leave, i.e. go next door if we weren’t going to order more food. The restaurant was practically empty. Casa Mono, why so mean? I want to love you, but don’t feel the love in return. Correct me if I am wrong, but weren’t tapas created as little side dishes to wine?

clubby standards

I recently had to have an extended working meeting in the meatpacking district, so thought The Standard Hotel might be a nice place to situate myself and a colleague. We stationed ourselves in The Living Room, which overlooks the outdoor tables, and were pleasantly hosted by the staff over the course of the afternoon. It truly made for a productive meeting, as there were provisions for laptops and, to boot, a nice selection of food and wonderful mojito sans alcohol. When I eyed The Standard Grill, which is the restaurant adjoining the space, I fell in love with the nostalgic, clubby design, and promplty made a reservation for that Friday night. Photo above shows the bar area and the substantial chilled lobster salad. To see more photos of the dinner at The Standard Grill click here.

Scandinavian BEAUTIES

I am usually attracted to anything round or dotted, something about circles excites me. So naturally, when I saw these carafes, I immediately wanted to know more. Design House Stockholm offers these blown-glass pieces which can be used as a pitcher with stopper, a wine decanter, or a vase. When the stopper is not in use, it can still act as part of the design, only securely stationed underneath. The stopper actually has one flat surface, so that it will not roll. See the website for more designer tabletop items—there are a few more things on there that would come in handy, like the lacquered Gourmet Tray, which rotates, or the Bono Bowls, whose stark white look is accented with thin black lines.

low-cal dessert SUBSTITUTE

My trainer, Steve Zullo, of Sal Anthony's Movement Salon, turned me on to this. One of the bonuses in working out in a former German Rathskeller, is that Steve and I repeatedly discuss dieting tips and eating to train. If you love coconut, as I do, you must get yourself a pack of this gum. The taste is really super—just like you are eating a coconut, and mellows without the rubbery end-taste. We agreed that it’s a great way to address sugar cravings, and take care of your teeth at the same time. See the adorable Trident website for amusing videos, and facts on whitening.

Apotheke: an uncommon cure

Apotheke’s Orson Salicetti is developing cocktails with the a mind of a chef. His culinary influence stems from his youth in Venezuela, where he began working in his mother’s restaurant at the age of 15. With his trained palette, ingredients like cherry tomato infused gin, and adding a slice of bell pepper as garnish make perfect sense. His latest experiment, a house-made Vermouth, was inspired by apprenticeships in small towns in France and Italy, whose residents would heat wine with local botanicals, fruits and herbs, creating distinctive local tastes. Also in the works is a citrus-oregano infused Mezcal. I got to have a taste of the works-in-progress. In the photo above, Orson makes a dramatic display of heating a glass of Absinthe, which, I am here to say, went down smoothly and appealingly. This is what I call good medicine. See more photos of the cocktails and Apotheke here. If you’ve got a surplus of cherry tomatoes, try this recipe:
INFUSED GIN by Orson Salicetti
1/2 bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin
30 cherry tomatoes, pierced with a skewer
36 basil leaves, torn
1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns
Put gin into a pitcher, add tomatoes, basil and peppercorns. Pour mixture into a glass vessel and seal. Allow to soak overnight. When mixing in cocktails, muddle approximately 6 cherry tomatoes per serving, before adding other ingredients, to get all the rich flavors.

stomp your way to the top

Be sure to tune into a new reality show on PBS. Yes, even PBS cannot resist the temptations of pushing participants to their limits. This show will feature 12 contestants, who all share a passion for wine and winemaking, and compete to win the chance to create their very own wine label. Check out the website for details. Season One begins in September 2009. You just missed casting for Season Two, so you have time to hone your skills and knowledge and go for a spot on Season Three. See more photos from the launch party at Rayuela here.

a culinary B + B in Portugal

When my British friends Andrew and Rupert decided to open a B+B in Castro Marim, Portugal, I knew it would be something special. I had the opportunity to live with them while working for a publisher in London a few years back. To say I was pampered by Rupert’s hospitality and cooking and Andrew’s magnificent company and dry sense of humor, is just the tip of the iceberg. Between their gardening skills and culinary feats, I can attest you will be wowed, and will have vacationed properly. For more proof, see the write up in today’s Times Online UK Edition and be sure to visit Andrew John Roberts Facebook page for an ongoing, intimate look at their garden and life in the Algarve.

Tres Generaciones Tequila Cocktail: heat wave rescue

Get ready for actual August weather, arm yourself with a Sweet Breeze. I suggest you substitute this cocktail for your next Margarita—it’s just as refreshing and loaded with low-cal summer fruits and sweetended with agave nectar, which works perfectly with tequila. The Tres Generaciones Reposado Tequila is also great for sipping on its own. A stimulating peppery blast then mellows pleasantly on the tongue. Stay cool...see more pics from the tequila tasting here.
Sweet Breeze
1 diced strawberry
1 segment ruby red grapefruit, remove skin
2 large basil leaves
1.5 oz Tres G Reposado
.5 oz Agave Nectar
2 oz fresh lemon sour mix
juice from half a lime
Muddle the strawberry, grapefruit and basil. Add rest of ingredients, shake, strain into a tall glass with ice. Garnish with skewered grapefruit segment wrapped in a basil leaf.

intoxicated zodiac candle: keep on using me...

I am all for multiple usage—reversible clothing can actually make me giddy. Or that time a balsamic vinegar bottle made the perfect vase for my bathroom. Here’s a candle that does more than the average. Intoxicated Zodiac starts out as a soy candle, and when finished, can be used as a glass to house a cocktail based on your astrological sign. For me, an Aquarian, they suggest The Flowering Quince: vodka or gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and quince jam. Recipes are based on Nicholas Culpeper’s medieval astrology that categorized herbs, flowers, and fruits into Zodiac signs. If you want to know more about this radical botanist from the 1600s, you can see his entire book online.

the new ECONOMY: Veritas' bar menu

Who could predict that there would be such delicious perks in these unpredictable times. As New York restaurants are extending their “restaurant week” menus to a month, there seem to be bargains everywhere. Last Friday, me and the gang checked out Veritas’s bar menu, whose elaborate entrees are under $20. You absolutely can’t go wrong. Photo shows the Seas Bass with a chorizo crust, with peppers, onions and tomatoes below, and a lemongrass emulsion. I will have to find out how they made that chorizo crust, as it added an intensely smoky, spicy touch with each bite. See more photos from our night here.

light and luscious OLIVE OIL

If you are hankering for a selection of delicious bread and the most amazing olive oil, head over to Aldea in the Flatiron district. It’s beautiful bright yellow color adds to the dipping splendor, and announces its delicate taste. Our server told us that everyone was asking about it, and slipped us the name: Arte Oliva from Spain.

all is beautiful at LE BERNARDIN

Excellence abounds everywhere you look at Le Bernardin. I can't wait to go back and feast my eyes and appetite! See more of what we sampled here.

speakeasy: love RAINES at Raines Law Room

I remember being amused at this wallpaper at the ICFF in 2008. Here it is in action in The Raines Law Room, a new speakeasy in the Flatiron district, NYC. In case you didn’t know, in 1896 Raines Law disallowed selling alcohol in pubs on Sundays, but made exceptions for hotels. You only needed to have 10 guest rooms and serve sandwiches. As a result, saloons began adding rooms above their space. So the law meant to discourage drinking did not, and opened the doors to prostitution. Atelier Blink, a Belgian design studio, came up with the patterns. “Oh, Shocking,” also appears on bedding and pyjamas, “Rendez-vous” is the wallpaper. See more pics of The Raines Law Room here.

method: ROASTING PEPPERS

Recently, I was preparing a lot of ingredients, and was short on pans. I needed to quickly roast peppers. So, as necessity is the mother of invention, I created a pan out of aluminum foil, basically just rolling up the 4 sides, and put it under the broiler. Minutes later, the peppers skins were nice and black. Knowing aluminum does not hold heat very long, it was easy to transform my pan into a tent, by unrolling the sides. Voila! No muss, no fuss, as they say. Of course, be a good citizen and put the used foil into the recycling bin.

true BLUE: potato salad makes a statement

Question: could this potato create a beloved classic-tasting potato salad?
Answer: Definitely! I recommend this for your next barbecue...it's surprising and beautiful, and has a nice creamy texture. Finely chop organic celery, red peppers and scallions for crunch and contrasting color. See more pics from the barbecue here.

JB raises dough for Roxbury Farm

I am thoroughly amazed again and again at the level of invention that comes out of the James Beard House kitchen. It’s almost as if James himself is overseeing the production. At this event, The Farm Stand, the Food Bank for New York City benefitted, and raised money to buy shares in Roxbury Farm, a community supported organic farm. Featured chefs were Daniel Eardley (Chestnut), Shanna Pacifico (Back Forty) and Matt Weingarten (Inside Park). See more photos of the event here.

AAAHHH, AH-FRICA / new tastes from South Africa

During Fancy Food show in June, I was invited to the South African Embassy for a cocktail party and got to check out some of the new products being offered. The party food was quite delicious and leaned toward an Indian-flavor profile. (though I am not sure if that was because the caterer was part Indian) Two of my favorites were a blood sausage and indiginous type of polenta, seen top left. The center photo shows a serving spoon from Poivre d’Or. They had the most beautiful assortment of tabletop items I have seen in a while, woven placemats in hot pink and a searing orange, gorgeous matte-black dishes, polka-dotted spoons, plus an assorment of marmalades whose intense flavor combinations were like spooning out tiny little taste blasts. Everyone went crazy for the Amarula, on right. See more photos here.

in the house: Junior Merino at the James Beard House

I love the fact that James Beard House is doing cocktail parties. This was the second one I attended, and thoroughly enjoyed. (There’s one coming up on July 21, which is focused on local farms and will raise money for the Food Bank of New York City. See website for details)
Cocktails and Canapes / June 25, 2009 Chefs Alexandra Guarnaschelli (Butter), Akhtar Nawab (Elettaria), Jason Neroni (10 Downing), and Doug Psaltis (Smith’s) squeezed into the tiny kitchen and prepared a variety of nibbles to go with Junior Merino’s cocktails. Highlights: Doug’s smoked lamb ribs were extra meaty, and a nice change from the norm. His Olive Fritters would make a great snack with a strong martini. Alex made fabulous wild mushroom pizzas, and decadent warm brie sandwiches. Jason actually did not show up for the event, as his wife had just given birth, but his backup did a great job with the bacon-wrapped rabbit terrine. Akhtar made a beautiful display of tuna on spoons with tapioca, pickled celery, and sea urchin. Junior offered up his signature Los Agaves: Siembra Azul Bianco, Combier, Jicama Juice, Grapple Juice, Aloe Vera Juice and Lemon as well as some edible cocktail desserts. The Margarita Marshmallow was fab. Some more photos here.

BAR ARTISANAL: a CHEESE fest in Tribeca

Love the new downtown Artisanal, called Bar Artisanal. See more pics of the space and what we ate here.

crop report/ TOMATOES ARE IN

Due to the cessation of stormy weather, the crops seem to be growing in my elevated mini-farm. Tomatoes are coming in daily, and pea pods, well, I am just eating them off the vine. So CRUNCHY. Have added a basil plant, so now ready to enjoy a classic Caprese. Life is good.

gifts / VERVACIOUS CONDIMENTS FOR THE DRIZZLER

Vervacious’ unique stacking bottles come in handy for all sorts of great finishing twists. Their signature “stack” (photo, right) covers all the bases. Espresso Balsamic Drizzle is equally good on grilled sirloin, on the cheese board, or on top of some fresh strawberries. Wild Maine Blueberry Mignonette is a hit with fresh oysters. Windward Island Roasting Rub will add zip to any barbeque. Photo on the left shows the latest offerings at the Fancy Food Show, this past June in NYC. With Vervacious it’s easy to get creatious.

gifts / BOWLS FOR THE NATURALIST

I love the line of kitchen accessories from Bambu. Choosing bamboo as a material is loaded with advantages. No only is it a fast-growing plant that needs no replanting and conserves water and soil, it also allows products to be made in rural environments. Owner Jeff Delkin, dedicated to fair trade, keeps a watchful eye on the craftspeople’s villages where each piece is hand-made and finished with a lacquer derived from the cashew-nut tree. The cheery colors and natural finish would be a fun asset to any kitchen. See also Bambu's line of disposable utensils and dishes, sure to add chic-ness to your next outdoor soiree.

gifts / HONEY FOR THE EDUCATED PALATE

Start a tasting party with this beautiful set from Bee Raw. To create the fruit flavors of this honey, they have positiioned their bee hives in the center of densely populated blueberry, cranberry, raspberry and orange blossom groves. Tubes are sealed in bees wax, and make a lovely display with morning or afternoon tea. Or, if you are more inclined to partake in happy hour, take along this recipe.


RASPBERRY HONEY MOJITO
1 tablespoon fresh raspberries
10 mint leaves
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon Bee Raw Wild Raspberry Honey
1 shot white rum
2 shots cranberry juice
Ice
Muddle the first 4 ingredients well in a cocktail shaker. Add the rum, juice, and ice, shake well. Serve in a Collins glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a couple of whole raspberries.

HEALTHY DRINK: happy inTEApendence day!

Having been overdoing it the past few weeks, I decided to prepare a healthy alternative for my visitors this fourth of July. I made a pot of tea with White Lion’s Cranberry Hibiscus, added some agave, and about a third of orange juice. It made for a refreshing berry-ish treat. Am already feeling the cleanse.

gifts / WINE FOR THE DESIGN LOVER

With the myriad of great wine choices out there, for gifting I like to limit my selections to the ones with stark, graphic labels. These two natural wines from Spain stood out at a recent wine tasting. Made of Tinot Fino grapes, they were exceptionally full-bodied, glass-staining dark, and intensely delicious. The Wines of Telmo Rodriguez, Ribera del Duero, are in the process of getting organic certification. Matallana 2005 is aged in French oak for 15-18 months, the MB 2005 for 14 months. The labels were designed by Spanish graphic designer Fernando Gutiérrez, known for Benetton’s Colors magazine. Don’t waste your time trying to choose between the two, bring both.

gifts / TSP SPICES FOR THE COOK

What cook wouldn’t appreciate individually wrapped spices in pre-measured 1 teaspoon packets? Tsp Spices’ founders Katie and Sara, a.k.a. The Cardamoms, developed this line to eliminate waste and maintain optimum taste in the spice pantry. For gifting, they offer 3 themed boxed collections: Spice Basics, Sweet Basics and Green Basics. The Greens boxed set is a safe pick for just about anyone—featuring basil, dill, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, thyme. These organic spices come neatly housed in aluminum tins,12 to a tin, and stay absolutely fresh until used--making it a fantastic choice for a weekend house.

gifts / SERVING DISH FOR THE ODD COUPLE

Do you know of a couple whose tastes clash? Industrial designer Ron Gilad has created a marriage of traditional and modern design in his sleek elevated platter. When hostessing a get-together, I love to have a raised area to maximize the serving area, and to create a more dramatic display. This platter fits the bill, whether in its round or square configuration, and can be used as serving dish, a fruit bowl, or as an anchor spot to throw your keys.

gifts / GLASSES FOR THE PURIST

The Float glass collection from Molo not only seemingly suspends liquid in space, but has the added functionality of insulation. Whether serving cold or hot tea, the Float Tea Lantern’s double insulating walls will maintain the temperature, while flaunting it’s austere, minimalist presence. Neat freaks will love the fact that moisture from cool drinks accumulates under the bowl, keeping rings off the table. This series is handblown in the Czech Republic from the finest water-clear German borosilicate glass, the same glass Pyrex is made out of, so can also be used in the oven—think French onion soup or crème brûlée. See the whole line at the website, plus their lighting and seating pieces.

organicspamagazine.com

JUL/AUG 09 ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE ARTICLE
click image to enlarge


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MY GARDEN / exciting news

My tomato plant has ONE red tomato (so far...). No, the plants have not drowned yet, and there may be a crop after all, on the 19th floor. Keeping my fingers crossed...