Benedictine: I’m not religious, but it makes me want to pray

Did you know that Bénédictine is celebrating its 500th birthday? This liqueur created by the Bénédictine monks in 1510 is the oldest still in production today. Now, instead of an abby, there is the fairytale-like Bénédictine Palais, in Fécamp, France, where you can see how the spirit is crafted, peruse the museum’s artifacts, AND take in a current art exhibit. When I was a teenager, my mother favored this as a remedy for (ahem) menstrual cramps, so we always had a bottle around. I never thought to make a cocktail with it, that is, until attending the 500th Anniversary Celebration of Bénédictine. Five mixologists competed, adding some amazing ingredients like sweet potato au jus and house-made rose vermouth. Jackson Cannon, seen doing a double shake, above, created the Vincelli Fizz, which got topped with champagne. This got my vote as favorite cocktail. (See all the recipes, winners, and more photos from the event here.) Another cocktail whose season is right now is called Milk and Honey. This would make a great body-warming drink to sip as you come off the ski slopes.
Milk & Honey
1.75 ozs Bénédictine
Hot milk to top off
In a mug or toddy glass, pour in Bénédictine, add warm milk to taste. You can garnish with a slice of orange or cinnamon.

dine-out diet: week two

When you are cutting calories, you tend to focus more on the ones you are getting. So, the lesson after week two, is to be more selective with my restaurant choices, which were hit and miss. The Hit: On Wednesday, I attended i Trulli’s 15th anniversary party, and managed to stay on course. As you would imagine, they had an Italian bounty on display, featuring all sorts of goodies. I passed by the pork, turnips, breaded fried olives, mountain of cookies and focused on the table of seafood. There I was able to scoop up cold seafood salad, oysters, and octopus. I confess to having one mussel with bread stuffing on top! My favorite taste of the night, though, goes to Patti Jackson’s sauteed dandelion leaves, which were lightly bitter tasting. (see photo, left) I am still thinking about them and put i Trulli on my list of places to return to. Friday night, we headed west to Trestle on Tenth. I’m not saying it was bad, but just not fantastic. For the appetizer, I split some oysters and smoked trout salad with Bob. The strange thing about the oyster dish was how it arrived on the table. I am surprised nobody noticed this, or maybe that was the way it was intended to look? (click here to see more photos from that night) When the fish arrived on the table my heart sank. (top photo) How did I miss that this fish was served whole? It freaks me out to have to deal with the bones with every bite, and plus look at the tail and face of the fish, feeling bad as I am eating it. Sigh. It did taste good, but was tainted by the presentation. Saturday, I stayed in the ‘hood and visited Beppe. Everyone at our table loved the food, I thought my dish was good too, the halibut with brussel sprouts and cauliflower (photo, left). There was supposed to be something almond with the dish, but it didn’t come through, as opposed to the Commerce dish of last week. Sunday, my friend Judith came to visit, so a return visit to i Trulli seemed appropriate, especially since her father is from the Puglian area of Italy. After reading the menu online we slogged through the icy rain, excited to try most of the appetizers. Unfortunately, we arrived between lunch and dinner, only the bar menu was available. We still managed to do extremely well, with the endive salad, which had a hard boiled egg and parsley and matched it with grilled octopus with the tiniest fingerling potatoes, black olives, cauliflower and lemon confit. (photo above) It was a treat to sit by the window, have the restaurant to ourselves and catch up. More next week.

organicspamagazine.com

SEPT / OCT ISSUE
BEST IN GREEN DESIGN

See my picks for the latest and best in kitchen design, renovation tips, and garden sanctuaries. From the contributer's page, some background info:

Ellen Swandiak has had a lifelong love affair with design. Every space she has ever lived in has undergone at least one transformation. Whether shopping for accessories, pouring through design magazines, checking out apartments in other cites (just to see), or admiring friends' homes, the passion for beautiful things and ingenious design never ends. "I love mixing a minimalist backdrop with the focus on a few splendid objects." She especially enjoys the "find" scouted from a vacation, which preserves the memory of time spent exploring exotic places. "I think it is really important to surround yourself with the things you love to look at, because it brings joy into your life on a daily basis. They don't need to be expensive, but should make you smile when you see them."

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NOV/DEC ARTICLE IN ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE
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WINE REFINED
Natural and organic options for the holidays and beyond.
(please note: Coturri wine and Vintae Luxury wine stories were combined by mistake! this was corrected in a future post.)

dine-out diet: week one

After fully enjoying the inevitable debauchery at the end of 2009, I felt ready to clean up my act. Here is my experiment. Every time I go out to eat for the next three months, I am going to order what I think to be the least caloric and healthiest items on the menu, and report back. At the end of week one, I am feeling slightly lighter—and not at all deprived. I could get used to this. From the top: At the beginning of the week I stopped in at Marc Forgione, in Tribeca. Lucky for me, one of the specials that day was Oyster Shooters, at $3 apiece. I downed that Virginia Olde Salt oyster with jalapeño-pineapple vinegar with delight. For my entree, I chose the Long Island striped bass, with black pepper-meyer lemon emulsion, braised daikon, and James Beard salad (I guess that is the parsley). The sauce was absolutely out of this world. For lunch on Thursday, I met my friend Maya and had the arugula salad with mushrooms, lemon vinaigrette and shaved parmesan at Bar Breton. The portion was quite generous, and the mushrooms added an earthy, smokiness to the salad. Friday night, Bob and I went to Commerce, which was crazily bustling and busy. For my appetizer I ordered the marinated hamachi ceviche with yuzu, tomato, chili and cilantro, which was sliced like sashimi. Excellent. Both Bob and I had the black sea bass with crushed sunchokes, spiced almonds and heirloom apple. The almonds lent a nice crunch into the mix. Tune in next week for more healthy choices. See more pics of the restaurnant's ambiance here.

toast with RED!

A nice gem to bring to red wine afficianados is the Australian 2005 Castagna Sparkling Genesis. This Shiraz offers a not-too-sweet, balanced, and sophisticated taste to the sparkling red category. Happy toasting!

tips from the top

The Bryant Family Vineyard, known for their extraordinary wines by collectors, has gathered top chefs from around the country to create dinner recipes with matching wines suggestions (by the grape) in their new cookbook, The Bryant Family Vineyard Cookbook. See what Thomas Keller or Eric Ripert have to recommend for your next dinner party.

the nose knows

This beautifully boxed kit is designed to hone your olfactory awareness and develop the right vocabulary when describing wine. Nez du Vin contains tiny vials of the essences of fruits and flowers, and some odd items, like cut hay, roasted almonds, and leather. To reinforce learning, it’s best to test your knowledge with wine itself, remember, practice makes perfect! The 54 kit is a little on the pricey side, but might be a good excuse to form a wine group, so everyone can pitch in.

tasteful how-tos

The Tasting Club is the handbook for throwing all types of tasting parties: wine, chocolate, cheese, even apples. Author Dina Cheney guides you every step of the way—to help you assemble ingredients, show you what to serve as accompaniments—with recipes and hints on how to educate your palate. What a great way to learn.

define wine

Become a wine expert in nine weeks with Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. Kevin Zraly has updated his best-selling book for its 25th anniversary edition. A fantastic gift for someone who is ready to learn about wine, and great reference book for the wine fanatic. Its straightforward manner is immediately engaging, as are the lists of fascinating facts throughout.

holiday PARTY

Derek and I managed to pull together a last minute party for Dietl, an art import company. This Mexican Chili Cheesecake with Mango Salsa topping was a huge hit, and made for a great entry into our half vegetarian offerings. Seen behind are the chocolate mousse profiteroles. I wish there were still some left. See more pics from the party food and decor here.

double duty: wine bottle carrier

Stylishly transport a bottle of wine, and keep it cold, in this sophisticated felt carrier from Gräf & Lantz. Quiver is made of luxurious merino wool felt with vegetable-tanned leather adjustable belts. Other styles feature red, olive, and black felt, or you can go with the duo, which holds 2 bottles (for those who like to plan ahead).

R.W. Knudson Sparklin Essence: get your juices flowing

R. W. Knudsen, known for their natural and organic juices, has come out with a line of pretty little cans of organic sparkling water infusions. My favorite, the cucumber, is a natural in cocktails. I have been adding about a third of a can to a mix of vodka, apple juice (or pineapple), and fresh lime juice—a great way to stretch the drink without adding calories, yet still providing a complexity of flavor. Sparkling Essence also comes Organic Lemon, Organic Blueberry and Organic Mint. Play around with your own mixes and tell me which one is your favorite...

wrap-sody

No matter what you decide to give this season, think about re-usable gift wrapping. Living Ethos offers a line of bags, designed to last for years, so the bags can change hands again and again. They come in four sizes, and some very tasteful patterns. I like Deco Maze in black and white, or the Dottie Red, for holiday gifting without succumbing to the usual motifs.

ufo: ultra functional object

Sci-fi lovers will get a kick out of this woody space ship. Station it on a sideboard, then put it to use for cradling fruit, candies or bread. Comes with either a metal base, resembling the legs of a space ship, or the wooden base, shown. The Museum of Robots has lots of other responsibly designed products.

instant hang-ups

A lot of guests means a lot of coats. This coat rack from Desu Design acts as a subtle work of art when not in use, but can accommodate up to 9 garments in a flash. Available in white with metallic color accents or for the true minimalist, in all aluminum.

visual allure GALORE

Catching an exhibit at MOMA? Head to the cafeteria early, and you can beat the line, as my friend Maya and I did in late summer. The seasonal selection and service at Cafe 2 cafeteria was fantastic. We filled up on faro salad, arugula salad with prosciutto, goat cheese and figs and a trio of Bruschetta: eggplant and tomato; spicy broccoli rabe and citrus ricotta cheese; and lemon chick pea and artichokes. The visual appeal whet our senses for the Ron Arad exhibit, which was also divine.

'tis the season for SHERRY

At a recent Sherry and Tapas Tasting, I was reminded of how much I enjoy sherry. North Square’s sommelier, Raoul Segarra, shared his knowledge of this unique wine, with each of the six pairings emphasizing unique notes of every variety, whether a Fino, Amontillado, or Oloroso. Photo shows the sherries in order, which, of course, got sweeter and heavier as we progressed. I encourage you to head right over to the Washington Square Hotel and warm up with a glass yourself in their cozy surrounds. See more photos and details on the pairings here.

party TRADITION

Dempsey & Carroll have been in New York City, printing with hand-engraved steel dies on tactile cotton paper since 1878. Procrastinators, if you have yet to send out your party invitations for the holiday, you are in luck. This Friday, the store on 1049 Lexington Avenue (betw 74th + 75th) is having a 25% off sale on all boxes of fill-in invitations. You will definitely be wowed once you are in the store by the level of craftmanship and classic and modern motifs to choose from. You also might pick up a few gift items for the sophisticates in your life, or create a custom calling card for yourself—which people have started doing again, though instead of just a name, they are adding their blog or website. See more of what I liked at the store here.

BEAM me up! creative cocktails in the penthouse

Beam Global Spirits & Wine pulled out all the stops at their recent tasting held in the penthouse in The Hotel On Rivington. Five themed bars were cranking out creative libations from Contemporary Cocktails, including the punch—served by a mystical, golden lady. I could go on and on, it was a fantastic night. See more pics, cocktail recipes and creative decorations by artist Christopher Young here.

Thin is IN

There’s a new spot for pizza in town. Ultra thin, to boot. Trattoria Cinque is featuring them, along with Chef Mirco Grassini’s other Tuscan specialties. Head to Tribeca with a crowd, because you are going to want to try them all. We sampled the Lardo with Rosemary, seen here on the left, and the Margherita, right, to which the staff added some proscuitto for us. The Gorgonzola with Sliced Pears featured the most delicate blue cheese I have ever tasted. Not what you would expect. They even feature a couple of unique choices on the brunch menu: scrambled eggs, mozzarella and pancetta pizza or the Margherita pizza with fried eggs and bacon. See more pictures of the vast space and food here. The price is nice as well—order a pie and two Peronis and you pay $20, including tax.

Ward 111: a triple reWARD

Back in June, I attended the soft opening of Ward III in Tribeca and had a fabulous time. When Michael Neff served my favorite cocktail at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala I was reminded it was time to go back. Purposely, I went in the early eve, so I could get lots of personal attention from Michael and Kenneth McCoy (photo, left) who was at the helm. Author Kara Newman and I sampled from the cocktail menu, and were more than pleased with our choices (you can see more pics of the tasting here). Best of all, if you don’t see something you like on the list, you can refer to the “bespoke menu” (photo, right) which has lists of adjectives that you can use to describe the perfect cocktail which will be customized for you, on the spot. Check out Kara’s new book called “Spice and Ice” which is filled with her own selection of spicy cocktails.

three dog night

Bruce Kreig, author of Hot Dog, enthusiastically tells the history of this American icon—from its humble German-immigrant origins to the development of signature toppings. Hosted at the Roger Smith Hotel, Chef Daniel Mowles put his gourmet touch onto the regional specialties we tried. Pictured left is the Coney Island hot dog, which had onions, yellow mustard, and chili on top. The secret ingredient in the chili was beef hearts, which, everyone agreed, made it indescribably delicious (see more pics from this event here). Tasting these hot dogs brought me back to the Fancy Food show in July, where I had some amazing samples from D’artagnan. All four of their varieties are excellent—duck, beef, pork and buffalo (photo, right). I highly recommend them for your next barbecue, as they are skinless, fully cooked, raised on an all-vegetable feed, without growth hormones, antibiotics or nitrates in the mix. Excellent with or without toppings.

merrily we troll along

Bruce Gore began fishing kindly in 1978, long before anyone was concerned about traceability or the effects of net fishing. At the same time each year, salmon are line-caught in way that is in tune with the sea and the nature of the salmon. Because the boat travels at the same speed the fish swims, swiftly pulled onto the boat and humanely killed, cleaned and frozen instantly, the fish never develops the lactic acid that would result from a struggle. You can really taste the difference. Tanuki Tavern, the new restaurant that replaced Ono at the Ganesevoort Hotel, is serving it up in little bites—hibachi-style, as sushi and in special rolls. You can also buy it retail at Dean and Deluca. For ordering information, visit the Triad Fisheries website, and ask owner Mark Tupper to give you a taste of superior salmon. See more pics of the tasting here.

dinner with the STAR

I can’t think of a more fun way to end the weekend than having a fantastic meal, good company and a food competition to watch. The Harrison in Tribeca, where Amanda Freitag is chef, has been hosting viewings of The Next Iron Chef, as Amanda advanced into the final four. Friends and fans gathered around to see this talented chef, and watch her reactions as she viewed the episodes she taped a few months back. Of course, while I was there I had to take advantage of not only being able to see the food, but to taste it. Top photo is the Shrimp Cake, which was a crunchy delight. To see more of what happened that night, click here.

inventive natural wines from Spain

A few months ago I went to a Spanish wine and food show and discovered a winemaker inspired by American techniques and attitudes with an extremely creative collection. Vintae Luxury Wine Specialists produces Matsu, which means “wait” in Japanese. The 2006 label is a dedication to the people who have devoted their lives to the land (photo, center, on the right is a trio of older labels). I thought these designs were as innovative as the wine. Also noteworthy is Castillo de Maetierra, an elite line of white wines from the Valles de Sadacia, usually known for Rioja. This region of Spain boasts low rainfall and humidity levels, thus imparting the most sunshine for the re-established Muscat à petits grains grapevines. When combined with Viura and Malvasia varieties, Libalis, part of the collection, thrills you with its fruity and well-balanced taste. On the left is Ribera de Queiles’s “6” —a blend of Temperanillo and Merlot, this wine is intensely dark, full-bodied, excellent. Save these wines for a special occasion, but don’t wait too long!

At the Carlyle: the Tommy Rowles cocktail

Finding yourself in the 90s on the east side, around 9:30, can be a challenge to find a place that’s buzzing. Sfoglia was packed, and other spots closing or on the wane. What to do? Luckily, we had the stamina to walk down Madison until we came across The Carlyle around 76th ! At 10 pm the place was electric and actually a perfect segue to our outing at the 92nd St Y—an interview with the irrepressible and brilliant Gore Vidal. The jazz mixed beautifully with the classic cocktail called the Tommy Rowles, named after the bartender who was there for 50 years, and featured: Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac, Ten Cane Rum, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and house-made tonic. It was one of those nights where you say “I love New York!” See more photos from The Carlyle here.

Summit Bar: Creative Cocktails on C

Next time you are in the east village, be sure to check out Summit, the new spot that opened where Baraza was. Mixologist and part-owner Greg Seider, who was recently responsible for creating the cocktails at Minetta Tavern, has put together a menu of classics and alchemist cocktails. He will also create one just for you, if you tell him what you are in the mood for, perhaps using herbs from the rooftop garden. Since we had just come from a Tres Generaciones event at LEVANTeast, we stayed with tequila. The cocktail: Ground to Glass (photo, right) had El Tesoro platinum tequila, red pepper, cucumber, jalapeno, basil infused agave, fresh lime, orange bitters. I like the fact that in the front lounge area where we were stationed, there is a functional bi-level glass cocktail table, which allow purses to be stored underneath, and drinks to sit atop. Good use of space. See more pics from our night out here.

Save the harvest

This is a great method for preserving excess herbs that you’ve grown or bought. My dear friend, Maya, has been doing this for the past 5 seasons, allowing her to enjoy her garden spoils throughout the year. As a bonus, the herbs’ fresh-tasting flavors get more intense as time passes. She makes 3 varieties: an equal mixture of oregano, thyme, and sage; a basil batch; and a rosemary batch. Use them in salad dressings and marinades, and of course, when cooking. The rosemary is heavenly on steamed or roasted potatoes, the basil is a nice surprise in mashed potatoes or tasty on a green bean salad.
Maya’s method:
- Harvest herbs early or late in the day when they are cool, to avoid wilting
- Herbs must be thoroughly DRY before you begin, since it is water that causes spoilage. After washing, remove excess water with a paper towel, then spread herbs out for an hour or till all the water evaporates. (It may not be necessary to wash the herbs from your own garden, use your judgement)
- Strip the leaves, discard stems. Mince the herbs as finely as you can. This will release the most flavor into the oil. Maya likes using a ”mezza luna” knife (a curved Italian blade with a handle at each end that allows you to rock back and forth).
- Spoon herbs into small mason jars leaving about 1/2" from the top, then fill with olive oil (use cooking not extra virgin). Let the jars stand for an hour or so, topping them up as the oil is absorbed. There should be a 1/2" layer of just oil at the top, which will act very much like a wax seal.
- Label and refrigerate the jars. When using, spoon out what you need, and be sure to cover any exposed herbs with additional oil. Don't worry if you leave the jar out of the fridge and the oil liquefies, this will not cause spoilage, but do remember to put them back in the fridge when you are finished cooking. The photo on the right shows how it looks when it first comes out of the refrigerator.

Techno-Vino

At the newly opened SD26, there is a futuristic trend. They have ditched the traditional wine list and replaced it with a touch-screen device. It’s not only fun to play with to learn about the wines, it also works in real time, so that if a wine sells out, it will not appear on the list. This frees up a lot of time for the sommeliers, who can focus on discovering new wines instead of keeping track of inventory. I like the fact that the labels are displayed—like a face, I never forget a label but often forget the name. It’s great to see a paperless solution! They didn’t stop there. At the entry to the restaurant is a slick-looking wine bar, where you can sip some interesting by-the-glass choices as you gaze out onto picturesque Madison Square Park. The diplay which houses the wine, also prevents the wines from oxidizing, resulting in just-opened taste every time. I predict this will become a popular spot for wine enthusiasts and novices alike. See more photos from my visit here.

organicspamagazine.com

SEPT/OCT ARTICLE IN ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE
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HERBAL ECSTACY
Incorporate the stimulating flavors of fresh herbs into your repertoire.

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!