weekend wishes

Wishing you at least one (if not two or...three) of these this weekend.

Cheers!

tartinery

Call me biased but I'm partial to any place where the entire waitstaff speaks to each other in lyrical French and greets you with Bonjour! Such was the case upon entry into the impeccably styled Tartinery in Nolita. So I smiled real big and let out a le sigh and promptly ordered a Kir. Ah, c'est si bon la vie.

Might I suggest you treat yourself this weekend? Perfect bites and sips will ensue. And you'll feel, even just for a moment, that you've transported yourself to Boulevard Saint-Germain. And as soon as you've finished your long, leisurely, and fashionably late lunch, you'll stroll home along the Seine, arms linked with ton amour, grinning in sheer awe and unadulterated happiness to be surrounded by a city with more style, history, and culture than you ever thought possible.

And then you make a left on Spring Street and start heading home.

kir with a lemon twist

jambon brie

smoked salmon, poached egg, hollandaise

saint marcellin, prosciutto, arugula, olive oil

Tartinery

209 Mulberry St.

whale's rib

When it comes to seafood, I like it one way and one way only: unadulterated. You can have your fancy sauces and ornate garnishes. I'll take mine dead simple with minimal add-on's. I want to be able to taste the salinity and purity of the ocean with each and every bite. Steamed Maine lobster with drawn butter. A whole fish, stuffed with orange slices and a few sprigs of fresh thyme, thrown onto the grill with nothing but a healthy sprinkle of crunchy sea salt. A freshly shucked Bluepoint with little more than a squeeze of lemon. A glistening piece of salmon sashimi, sliced nearly paper thin, chopsticks hovering in anticipation of its blissful entry. It's served in a respectful manner; showcasing its glorious and unrivaled freshness.

Which is why when it comes to the ambiance of my seafood dining experience, well, I'll take that dead simple too. And bring on the kitsch, please.

Enter: Whale's Rib, Deerfield Beach, Florida.

A basket of rock shrimp, simply steamed (hold the Old Bay, please) with a few lemon wedges for squeezing and a side of drawn butter for dipping. Toss in two frosty mugs of beer alongside and you couldn't wipe the smile off my face if you tried. And the poor service? Well, I can turn the other sun-kissed cheek on that. We're cozied up at a seafood shack dive bar and I'm distracted by my rock shrimp, ice cold beer, and charming company. Simple food. Simply delicious.

Just as it should be.

Whale's Rib

2031 NE 2nd St.

Deerfield Beach, FL

weekend dinner party

Photo courtesy of Vietnamesegod.blogspot.com

Have you seen Luke Nguyen's Vietnam on the Cooking Channel? I caught a marathon one Saturday a couple weeks ago and it completely paralyzed me. I couldn't peel myself away for a solid two and half hours (at least). The food in Southeast Asia really excites me. The combination of flavors challenge your palate in a way that, I would argue, no other cuisine can. It's complex and fresh and vibrant and leaves your lips tingling and your mind racing. The street food, in particular, is what I find the most interesting. That in the median of a busy road, a woman is methodically shredding papaya for salad with bags upon bags of fresh mint at her disposal and little more than 12 inches of workspace (if any at all). Or deeply marinated meats with lemongrass, sugar, fish sauce, and cilantro, are skewered and slapped onto a makeshift grill, all from an unassuming cart, while traffic furiously buzzes by. It's proof that good--no, great food is only as good as its ingredients. And the person crafting them together.

I desperately need to go to Vietnam.

In the meantime, here's a Southeast Asian menu to hopefully hold me over.

spicy green papaya salad

grilled chicken with garlic, lemongrass, and cilantro

2009 Jean Ginglinger Riesling

Check out a clip of Luke Nguyen's show here.

Recipes:

Spicy Green Papaya Salad

Recipe Courtesy of Zak Pelaccio for Food & Wine

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp. Asian fish sauce

2 tbsp. sugar

2 Thai chiles, minced

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp.minced peeled fresh ginger

2 pounds green papaya*--peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/4-by-1/4 inch sticks

1 firm, barely ripe mango--peeled, sliced off the pit and cut into 1 1/4-by-1/4 inch sticks

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup shredded mint leaves

salt

1. In a blender, puree the lime juice with the garlic, fish sauce, sugar, chiles and ginger. In a large bowl, toss the papaya with the mango, cilantro and mint. Add the dressing and toss. Season with salt, toss again and serve.

*If you can't find green papaya, you can substitute with using all mango or jicama or celery.

Grilled Chicken with Lemongrass, Garlic, and Cilantro

Serve with sticky rice.

filipino brunch at maharliko

After catching a glimpse of SeriousEat's experience at Maharlika, the new Filipino pop-up restaurant in the East Village, I immediately sent out a desperate email to the management, begging for a chance to indulge in some Filipino fare. After reading and re-reading promises of poached eggs and grilled prawns and coconut milk and lime and shrimp paste and more, I wouldn't settle for anything less than a reservation. Because that eggs iMelda needed to be presented in front of me sometime in the immediate future.

And so this past Saturday, with three gals in tow, we dove head first into a Filipino brunch and toasted with calamansi mimosas and a killer playlist to boot.

calamansi mimosas (filipino lime)

eggs iMelda: pandesal (filipino bread) topped with laing (taro root leaves, coconut milk, shrimp paste, and chilies), grilled prawn, poached eggs, calamansi hollandaise, and kamote (sweet potato) fries

eggs benigno: pandesal topped with thinly sliced spam, poached eggs, calamansi hollandaise, and kamote fries.

ilog breakfast: sunny side up quail egg served over rice with garlicky pork sausage and a cucumber salad.

maharlika

351 e 12th st. (b/w 1st and 2nd ave.)

bar tables and a whole lotta DIY

[my favorite mod and super tall champagne glasses, a brilliant find snagged from the salvation army]

There are pros and cons to my recent DIY/design kick as of late. Pro: It keeps me busy. And the feeling of instant gratification is one that I crave. Often. Con: It keeps me busy. And I can't focus on anything else but finishing the (what feels like) hundreds of little projects I've started (and with some, failed). My posting regularity has suffered terribly. And for this, I apologize.

But one of my many DIY projects that is actually relevant to Eat and Greet is my bar table which is still a work-in-progress but well on its way to fabulousness. In the before photo (seen just below), you can see that table had caning underneath the glass top. Do I have a thing against caning? Absolutely not. But for whatever reason, the color of the caning against the Wild Truffle wall yielded an unappetizing combination. It got to the point where I couldn't stand looking at it anymore. Something had to be fixed. And after sifting through inspiration photos that I'd pulled from here and there, I started to make some changes. And the first thing to go was inevitably going to be that caning.

Enter: a piece of cream burlap, cut down to size and placed underneath the glass. Instant improvement. Snarls be gone.

Also? A bottle of Bombay Gin which my thoughtful roommate picked up in Duty Free on her way back from Switzerland. There's something about that iconic blue glass bottle that adds a finishing touch to any bar area. It's beautiful. And legitimizes the spot for me. Nevermind the fact that blue glass is a bit of a recurring theme in our apartment. It pops up, well, everywhere (see top left corner of the following photo).

A few shots (all pulled from Remodelista) of inspiration I love for your bar area...

Cheers! TGIF.

Oh, and allow me to indulge you (but really, me) with a sneak peak at another DIY project that was started and completed this past weekend. Never, ever underestimate the power of paint. Particularly matte charcoal paint. Yum.

Before

After

Nothing in our apartment is safe anymore.

happy valentine's day

There's something about meatballs (especially two of them) that just says "love" to me. Enjoy the day, my lovely lovas. xo.

weekend dinner party for two

Whether you're recognizing the upcoming holiday or not, cozy up to someone you love this weekend. Your spouse, your best friend, a significant other, a family member, the flavor of the week, the dude you had a staring contest with (and lost) on the E Train, or the "grande skim, no whip, non-fat green tea chai latte with sugar free air and an extra shot of decaf espresso in a venti cup" chick who you see at Starbucks every morning, invite someone over for dinner this weekend. Go on. Do it! Dare ya.

If it were up to me, I'd be cozying up to a sushi spread fit for six for two. My head and stomach know no limits when it comes to pristine and silky raw fish and seasoned rice. There's just no "OK, I've had enough" point. And, yes, sometimes that becomes problematic. Why do you ask? But there would also be bubbles and super dry Riesling and maybe some Sake, too. Because quite frankly that's what makes me happiest (albeit also sufficiently tipsy...Happy Valentine's Day!). But hypothetically dining out aside, taking the time to prepare a meal for someone never, ever goes unnoticed (and neither do flowers...). It's an incredibly romantic gesture in and of itself whether you decide to take on the endeavor yourself or invite your lucky plus one to join you in the kitchen.

Here's what I propose you (hand) feed your loved one:

red snapper ceviche with coconut milk and ginger

Pisco Sour

grilled spiced garlic skirt steak

fennel, avocado, and clementine salad with arugula and mint

Argentinian Malbec

Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Methode Chapmenoise NV

Keep in mind that although show-stopping and beyond satisfying, this menu is intentionally light. And listen, you're welcome [wink].

And dessert? Depending on your company, do I need to go there? I don't think I need to go there. Don't make me go there.

Recipes:

Red Snapper Ceviche with Coconut Milk and Ginger

Recipe based loosely on this one by David Rosengarten

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 tbsp. freshly grated ginger

1 tbsp. fish sauce (Thai or Vietnamese)

1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 a can of unsweetened coconut milk

3/4 lb. fresh red snapper (skinless) cut into small cubes

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1-2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Place the jalapeno, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and coconut milk in a blender (or food processor) and puree until smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the mixture with the red snapper. Cover and refrigerate for no more than four hours. Mix in the remaining ingredients and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Pisco Sour

Grilled Spiced Garlic Skirt Steak

Fennel, Avocado, and Clementine Salad with Arugula and Mint

XOXO.

lambrusco for your valentine

While artfully crafting Valentine cards that would make Martha Stewart herself blush with envy (well, maybe), I figured the best and most appropriate thing to sip alongside was Lambrusco. Sure, we could've gone with sparkling Rosé, but there was a certain convivial element to popping a bottle of something (Donelli Lambrusco di Castelvetro Amabile DOC) my guests had never tried. And as soon the cork was gracefully albeit dramatically popped and the deep and gorgeously crimson juice was poured into flutes, I heard three little gasps. And a big smile spread across my face. Blushing raspberries leaped out of the glass with a black pepper note that kept the residual sugar in check. A slightly effervescent and seemingly festive glass of decadence.

The decidedly perfect way to toast an afternoon filled with red and rose colored paper, a superabundance of sparkles, and words of endearment and romance. Lambrusco. It's a very good thing.

Seek out a bottle of your own this Valentine's Day. I assure you, it will not disappoint.

when there's "nothing" in the fridge

When faced with a fridge full of "nothing" I often default to this. An egg 'n cheese with home fries, all neatly rolled up together in a soft flour tortilla. It's a quick, filling, ridiculously economical but undeniably comforting little dinner. In fact, I could have a fridge full of fabulous and exotic ingredients and still cozy up to this without a peep of complaint. I'd argue you could even turn this into a pretty fabulously received brunch dish by serving up a salad with avocado and a zippy vinaigrette alongside. Blood orange mimosas to wash it all down. The perfect dish and sip for Saturday or Sunday morning, ahem, revival. And I think we all know what that means.

For my recipe for the best home fries out there (yeah, I said it), click here.

practicing the refined art of no restraint

I ate well this weekend. Quite well. I ate and drank quite well.

hot & dirty martini

pomegranate-acai margarita

salmon sashimi salad with cucumber, shallot, mint, and lime-mustard dressing

rice vermicelli, sliced salmon, coconut milk, cilantro

weekend dinner party

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

One of the many things I love most about wine is its natural affinity with food. So much so, that wine in and of itself, can be the inspiration behind a dish. Simply because wine almost always begs to be enjoyed with food. As I sipped on a glass of zippy Sauvignon Blanc last night, I was immediately hit with an intense craving for Vietnamese food. The bright, juicy tropical fruits that were wafting from my glass were exotic and lush then quickly cut by sharp and intense lime-like acidity. Visions of chilies, cilantro, mint and basil flooded my head. And then, while sifting through tear sheets and Matisse prints, I noticed a recipe out of the corner of my eye for Halibut Vermicelli with Fresh Dill and Pineapple Sauce. I gasped. The transformation of my facial expression was extreme. From ho-hum-blah straight to pure elation. As if I'd stumbled upon a hidden treasure, like a crumpled $20 bill in the pocket of an old coat. Big win! Look. What I'm trying to say is, had someone been secretly filming me, it would've gone viral. Like that. Or at the very least, would have made for one hell of a flip book.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have normal reactions in situations like that. You know, ones that aren't quite so...dramatic. But then I remind myself that that'd be boring. And by boring I mean less certifiable. Then my mind wanders elsewhere.

Let's eat, shall we?

spring rolls with vietnamese dipping sauce

2009 Loimer Riesling Kamptal

halibut vermicelli with fresh dill and pineapple sauce

2010 De Martino Organic Sauvignon Blanc

tofu dessert in ginger-clementine syrup

RECIPES

For the spring rolls, I recommend buying frozen. Any reliable Asian Market should have a couple of different varieties for you to choose from. Also, Trader Joe's carries Lemongrass-Chicken spring rolls that have brought in countless rave reviews. Paired with a simple homemade Vietnamese dipping sauce, and no one will know the difference.

Halibut Vermicelli with Fresh Dill and Pineapple Sauce

Tofu Dessert with Ginger Syrup

after + before

Playing around with the Instagram App on some pictures I snapped of dinner this past weekend and I can't decide which I prefer. The unadulterated versions (seen below) or the ones put through a filter. They certainly do a good job of masking the imperfections (of which there are many) in the steak plate shot. In fact, it's masking so much it's almost hard to tell what it is you're looking at.

But hey, if anything, that's what I'm here for.

An impromptu dinner party was whipped up in a matter of minutes on Saturday night. Really, because that's just how I do. Remember that coconut braised beef I was flipping out over? Well, this was my quick-fix version. And I'm afraid to say that it just might have been better than the real deal. Instead of braising beef chuck for hours in the fantastically fragrant coconut sauce, I made the sauce on its own and allowed it to simmer for a half hour or so. Then I seared off a flank steak which had quickly marinated in garlic, ginger and soy. Sushi rice went into the rice maker, a splash of orange juice was reduced with fresh ginger then whisked with oil and a few red pepper flakes for salad dressing. At the sound of the buzzer, vodka was poured over ice and quickly followed by a splash of pineapple juice and topped off with seltzer and a squeeze of fresh lime. Cheers. Clink. Sip. And as soon as our hunger started to kick in (shortly thereafter, I assure you), the steak was thinly sliced and fanned out over a spoonful of rice, generously covered in the decadently rich and racy coconut sauce and topped with roughly chopped cilantro. Bibb lettuce gently tossed in the orange-chili-ginger dressing, snuggled up seductively alongside.

After dinner, I briefly left the room to take a phone call. When I returned, the table was empty and there were two people (who shall remain nameless) in the kitchen, hovering over the stove, spoons in hand, just absolutely going to town on the remains of the coconut sauce.

So, again, the recipe is here.

french onion soup

I had nothing to do with this. Last night, Berit knocked on my door and presented me with the greatest gift imaginable. A little ramekin of homemade French Onion Soup topped with a slice of baguette and bubbling Gruyère. Deep, dark, and decadently fragrant with layer upon delicious layer of flavor. I mean, are you kidding me? I burnt my tongue thanks to obvious impatience. Hands down the best version I've ever encountered. Seasoned to perfection (the girl adds salt with gumption) and unarguably the best thing to cozy up to on a night when temperatures drop to sickening record lows.

I'm heading South. Permanently.

Here's the recipe Berit used. I can't urge you enough to give it a shot. Believe me, your roommate will love you for it.

bar stools for a bar nook

I'm lucky enough to have a little nook in my kitchen for a high bar table. And while I may not use it as such as often as I should, I love having it there as an option. It's more like the dinner-for-one-nook or the coffee-and-laptop-nook on Saturday mornings. Regardless of the hat it's wearing on any given day, this area is clearly functional. But practicality can sometimes only go so far. And given my appreciation for Scandinavian design of style meets functionality, I think it's time to entertain the idea of seeking out some new, modern bar stools.

And also because after an hour of sitting in the ones pictured above, your behind is not exactly pleased to be a part of you. Therefore new style = better function. I've totally legitimized the expense! Phew. That's a relief.

Of course I've lusted over the Kartell Ghost Stool for quite some time now. Their "invisibility" factor is ideal in a small space.

But there's something to be said about a stool with some back support. There's also something to be said about winning the lottery. Which is what I'll need to be doing in order to support this exciting endeavor. Because this Knoll Bertoia Stool is making my heart race. And my bank account panic.

Emeco Icon Stacking Barstool

Blu Dot Barstool

Artek Chair by Alvar Aalto

So what do we think?

This is a sponsored post on behalf CSN Stores. All opinions are 100% my own.