...but I love mussels to be the "stars" of the dish, as they were here, plump and proud with their deep oceanic flavor and one of a kind texture accented on more than one level by porky ham strips, sweet onion, aromatic white and earthy garlic... [Full post]

...Again, happiness. The meat was near fall-of-the-bone yet still plenty tender, brushed with a tangy, sweet, spicy sauce, with hints of chili powder and garlic in the seasoning and a touch of vinegar,enough to wake up the inside of my cheeks.... [Full post]

...I prepared a box of couscous, first sautéing sliced garlic and pine nuts in butter in the bottom of a medium-sized pot, then using water and apple juice as my liquid, letting it boil, stirring in the dry couscous, taking it off the heat. Then, after letting it steam itself to doneness, fork fluffing it with a little extra butter and some diced mint leaves, spooning on a plate, topping it with the red snapper, and serving it with oven-toasted pita bread brushed with a rosemary-honey-olive oil mixture.... [Full post]

...I won't ever give up omelets or pancakes or French toast forever, but considering not only the great tastes in these two dishes, but how much healthier (lower in carbs, cholesterol, sugars) they were as well, I think I could make a good case for eating like this more often during the a.m. hours.... [Full post]

...After the first bite, I had a better idea of how Lois Lane must have felt the first time she hooked up with Superman. Usually—or, often, Italian combos get so overdressed that they mask and cover the individual flavors of the separate deli meats. Not here!... [Full post...]

... it was a whole new new surreality to watch pre-cooked egg "rounds"—available in "white" or "yellow", as my sandwich artist called them (?!)—being layered into the bread as I ordered a Black Forest ham, egg and cheese on a (pre-toasted but likewise not baked on premise) English muffin, and—to make good use of the toppings station that is made fully available for breakfast!... [Full post...]

...Stirring two cups of heavy cream into six whisked eggs, adding a little spicy brown mustard (eff you, Dijon...!), worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, chili powder, tobasco sauce, garlic powder, salt, fresh cracked pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, stirring in two cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and a cup of baked ham, separating the liquid base into two frozen pie shells, sprinkling another cup of shredded cheese and a few shakes of paprika and chili powder on top of each pie, and placing the pies on the middle rack of a 375°-preheated oven.... [cont.]

...But eventually you have to give McNally some credit. I've liked—if not raved about—the food at Pravda and Balthazar, and frequented those for many years regardless. Pulino's will have its heralders—and, I'm sure, some detractors—but longer after fanfare, discussions and debates have subsided and been forwarded to the new "next big thing", people will be squeezing in rezys and inviting their friends to grab a bite and a beer here with them.... [Full post]