A Meal Fit for a Princess

I hope I don't lose my foodie card for failing to visit Salumeria Rosi for so long, bc it's just that good.

Their wine list is the perfect size: a thoughtful, representative collection of Italian wines that does not overwhelm the casual drinker. Their list of meats on the other hand is very broad. Fortunately, we had an excellent server who had clear, concise recommendations on both: we had an off-list nebbiolo, finocchiona, and prosciutto toscano grigliato. The finocchiona was delicious - the fennel gave it a very pleasant flavor and I nibbled it with a little of the rosemary that is part of the place setting. I found the prosciutto to be surprisingly ham-like; not unpleasantly, but not something I need to have again.

We'd originally planned on going for tapas last night, so the small plates were perfect. We had lasagna, brussel sprouts, costina (Tuscan short ribs braised in a tomato sauce), and butternut risotto. Everything was delicious, but I particularly liked the sweetness of the butternut in the risotto in contrast to the pumpkin seed garnish.

How wonderful was our server? When we asked for a cheese recommendation, she noticed we still had a little wine left, and suggested we save it to go with the ubriaco, a drunken cow cheese. Yum! The best though was our dessert: a campari semifreddo. It had the perfect amount of campari-bitterness to match the sweetness of the other ingredients. I'd go back to Salumeria Rosi just to see what other desserts their chef creates. Read More......

When Farmer's Markets Strike

On the one hand, I just spent $50 on food and came home with pretty much one grocery bag. On the other hand, it's all fresh and yummy and local.

Personally, I blame the Missoula farmer's market. When a local friend suggested it as A Thing To Do in her town, I was dubious, but went anyhow. It was enormous, with an entire section devoted to produce and a different area devoted to prepared goods. Even with nowhere to cook, I bought huckleberries and heirloom tomatoes, quiche and chocolate and a roll. I finished the huckleberries with granola and a glass of milk at Mammoth Hot Springs (visitor center) in Yellowstone; I couldn't wait with the tomatoes and ate them immediately at the market.

The tomatoes were again my downfall at today's market: this is the first time I've seen them sold at Lincoln Center. Once I decided to buy 2lb of tomatoes, the rest was downhill. I bought swiss chard, round zucchini, turkey sausage, and macoun apples. I love how enthusiastically the fishmongers made suggestions for the flounder I'm currently eating. The acidity of my enormous tomato perfectly sets off the flakiness of the fish, and I'm looking forward to rosemary bread and farmer's cheese for dessert. Read More......

Getting My Green On

I know I'm going to hell for this, but I'd never actually been to my local green market until today - and I only went today bc I passed it on my way to Bed, Bath & Beyond for a new nonstick pan.

It was awesome. There were two vendors selling baked goods, one selling turkey, one selling pork, and one selling cheese. I was tempted to buy an herb plant, but couldn't decide if I'd really use enough rosemary to make it worthwhile, or if the basil plant was big enough.

The cheesemonger had cheese-glazed croissants and a variety of rustic breads. I bought a "medieval alpine" cheese, a cranberry walnut loaf, and a croissant. Next time I'll try the whole wheat croissant.

I couldn't decide between the various fish, so I let the fishmonger pick. I broiled the sea bass in the oven with a little white wine, olive oil, and butter while I steamed asparagus on the stove. The fish with the slight olive oil flavor is so delicious, I almost ate it between the kitchen and the dining table. I'm vaguely tempted to go back right now and buy some more, but tomorrow I get to have the beet pasta with pork chops. Mmm... Read More......

Steak and Cakes

It's funny how the simplest foods can be elevated to cult status. Take the Philly cheesesteak: about three years ago, I noticed several storefronts open that sold only cheesesteaks. Despite my love of a good fast food burger, I'm not really a Philly cheesesteak fan. Not sure why - I grew up eating an unspeakable amount of Steak-Umm and even named a stuffed animal (a cow of course) Steak-Umm - but even at Jim's in Philly, it was just a sandwich.

I hadn't had a cheesesteak in seven years, but I was hungry and needed a little grease to go with my martinis last Thurs. I'd foolishly had falafel for lunch, so I couldn't go to Mamoun's, aka the best falafel you will ever have outside of Israel, but I passed BB Sandwich Bar on my way to the West 4th St. subway. It's a nice sandwich - they only make it one way, with beef on a kaiser roll with onions and relish and white American cheese - just the thing when you've been drinking.

And then there's the whole gourmet cupcake craze that Sex and the City started. The same storefront that houses BB Sandwich Bar sells Tonni's Minis. After ODing on Magnolia's a few years ago, I thought I didn't like cupcakes: they are too dry and the frosting is too sweet. I'm didn't like the ones from Buttercup Bakery either. The ones at Tonni's are making me reconsider. They come in a variety of flavors - my first was white cake with a red velvet layer, bc they were out of carrot - and the cake is moist like cake should be. I like the frosting very much: it tastes like it has cream cheese in it and at the very least, it has more fat than Magnolia's, which makes the sugar less jarring. Fortunately, they come in two sizes, the smaller of which is just the right size for a dose of yumminess. Judging by the way my co-workers gobbled them up the next day, they thought so too. Read More......