Fresh Leather - DUNLIN

LIFESTYLE:

Wandering a tree lined stretch of Havemeyer on Williamsburg's Southside after my friend christened her new gallery in Bushwick, I was struck by a soft, moody glow emanating from a small shop. Aged patina, antiquated lighting, bygone era aura fills this tucked away gem. And, the smell of leather saturates the air. Hand-crafted leather at DUNLIN.

photos: wbj HTC Hero

Enjoy!

Cooking Lounge

Honeychiles' Po Boys

FOOD:

Jesse Crawford, co-owner
photo:wbj

Oyster po' boy and Fish po' boys at Honeychiles'
photo: wbj

Jesse Crawford, one of the owners, was behind the counter at Honeychiles' when I went in after a show in Williamsburg (see music post below).  Went in with a couple of friends wanting a good, filling, and fast meal to soak up the beers before bedtime). Honeychiles' name brought a big smile to my face thinking about all the sunshine in this southern term of endearment.  I could hear the distant lilt of grandmothers and aunts in Virginia. Perfect place on a summer night for seafood po' boys and a cold beer.  Honeychiles' is inside the Charleston, a rocker bar on Bedford Avenue and North 7th.  The food was the attraction not the insouciant, tattooed and just-so-coiffed bar patrons. The oyster po' boy was crunchy on the outside with a juicy, briny, fresh oysters crowding an pretty average italian roll slathered with a lemony remoulade sauce and shredded iceberg lettuce.  My friends found the fish po' boys equally good even a bit large because they had to skip out on the bread and go for the fish.  There are other items on the menu worth trying. Honeychiles' has been getting lots of press for it's punk meets New Orleans comfort food m.o. Go early to avoid the 'scene' and grab a table and a cold one. 
MUSIC:

NOT BLOOD PAINT

Not Blood Paint
In early August, I saw Not Blood Paint at Cameo in Williamsburg. Cameo is a backroom performance space behind The Loving Cup Cafe on North 6th Street.  A raw room with high ceilings, lots of concrete and brick so not the best acoustics but still a good room.  Never felt like the music was bouncing all over the place.  Met up with Leisa Arndt from TrashCan Magazine and our friend Carlos to see Not Blood Paint (NBP).  TrashCan is a new online mag where Leisa wrote a music review for NBP.  A few weeks later FREE WILLIAMSBURG, posted an article, "Not Blood Paint: Band Most Likely to Start a Cult",  that peeps in on the NBP's fanatical followers and straight-out-of-bushwick cred.  Wondering if NBP is this art hood's Fischerspooner?. Not Blood Paint made me think of Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust days.  NBP had crazy presence with a theatrical and choreographed performance that would have kept you caught in the onstage antics and projected visuals if they weren't such a solid  band with each member in the mix on vocals. 
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge!

Fennel, Orange, Olive and Mint Salad

It's been a while since I posted.  I made this dish for a friend's brick oven pizza party in late spring.  Give this a try for a cook-out, potluck or an easy meal for you.
FOOD:
Fennel, oranges and olives tossed in sherry vinaigrette with mint is a refreshing summer salad popping with bright flavors.  I think this salad works with seafood to grilled meats to artisanal pizza; and, with some finessing (toss with_______) can be a really nice, mediterranean inspired entree.  
Adjust the main ingredients to fit your taste and add your favorite oil based dressing.

photos:wbj

Here's what I did. 
Trimmed 2 bulbs of fennel.  Sliced fennel lengthwise.  Cut off the bottom so the bulb easily separates. Pick your favorite seedless orange (approx 6).  Slice off the top and bottom so ends are flat. This makes it easier to separate into segments.  Peel removing as much of the pith as possible.  Divide into segments.  Toss in pitted olives ( I used katamala, approx 8 oz) and chopped fresh mint. The host of the party had a crazy selection of oil and vinegars.  I went with a combo of vintage sherry vinegar (Gran Capirete 50 year old) and with a newer, more acidic sherry vinegar from the same maker and virgin olive oil with a little salt and pepper.  Done!  Served the Fennel, Orange, Olive and Mint Salad on a bed of baby arugula for color, extra bite and as a filler to stretch the salad.
LIFESTYLE:
Periodically, Cooking Lounge will have Lifestyle posts, advice or links from Larry Betz on health and fitness.  Yeah, you know so you can eat more and eat better.
Larry Betz, CSCS, has over 30 years of training experience, from gymnastics to a variety of martial arts and weight training. Larry is a certified expert on overall health, strength and conditioning after study with some of the top coaches in the world. 
Some of his certifications include: CSCS (Certified Strength Conditioning Specialist), Exercise Science from The Swedish Institute of Health Science, Holistic Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, NSCA-CPT, Titlist Performance Institute (golf fitness instructor).  Check back soon for links and more.
MUSIC:
Step-up your game; keep your music FRESH.  
Here are some links.  Find your summer jams.

http://www.discobelle.net/
http://pitchfork.com/
http://prettymuchamazing.com/
Enjoy!
Cooking Lounge

What's in the Fridge?, Spinach Potato Pancakes aka Latkes

FOOD/LIFESTYLE:

“What’s in the fridge?” is a common question when you want to eat but have no real plan.  Often you open the refrigerator, and glaze over with a million miles stare at the assortment of condiments, take-out and leftover bits.  Open and slam a few cabinets. Then you decide, there is nothing to eat.  Wrong!  Put down the phone, save some money, and cook.

So Cooking Lounge is starting a new posting called...that’s right What’s in the Fridge?.

The jump-off idea is to get you thinking about what works together, how to use what you got and make the most of your food $$$.  
Note: Hope you read the previous post (Top 10 Easy Cooking Tips) and have some basics on hand.
Spinach Potato Pancakes aka Latkes

Used what was on-hand so no etched in stone way to make this.  This is a guide.  Tailor it to you.
Spinach Potato Pancakes aka Latkes are savory, filling, easy to make and keep well in the fridge.  They go from brunch to supper with simple additions.  Serving suggestions: for a variation on Eggs Florentine, top with a sunny side up or poached egg; tasty plain from stove to plate as a snack; nice with sour cream and a little smoked salmon or even salmon roe; a hearty late night meal when topped with leftover chicken in a cream sauce.

1lb (approx) thawed and drained frozen spinach.  This was the last of a large bag of spinach in the freezer.  Drained means squeeze all the water out of the spinanch.

11/2 cup mashed potatoes (a dinner leftover). Roasted potatoes will work too as long as you chop them up well.  Even instant potatoes will work if you MUST.

3 eggs

1/2 cup grated hard cheese.  Pretty much any cheese will work except maybe soft cheeses like brie.  But you can try that too if that is what is in the fridge.  Have some fun.  Experiment.
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup milk.  May need less or more depending on potatoes used.

sauted garlic (on low heat till soft not browned)

sauted onions

salt 
pepper

olive oil or vegetable oil
Combine potatoes, flour, chopped sauted onions, smashed sauted garlic and cheese in a large bowl.
Beat the eggs; add milk; pour into the large bowl of potatoes etc;  throw in the spinach.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir until all ingredients are combined into a chunky batter.
Heat a large skillet or griddle with a little oil.  Vegetable oil is fine for this.
I used an ice cream scoop to measure batter portions.  Use a spatula to flatten and flip.  Cook each side until golden brown.
Yields approximately 10 large, thick, spinach potato pancakes.
Here's a video impression of the process.

video:wbj
Enjoy!
Cooking Lounge.

Nneka – Afropean global soul

MUSIC: 

Nneka is a fairly new artist to American audiences; but, she is gathering a bundle of accolades in the US.  This camera-ready Nigerian raised artist, currently based in Hamburg, Germany, has her eyes on the States.  “Concrete Jungle” is Nneka's 3^rd release since 2005, after critical success in Europe and Africa. Nneka’s website.
 

Nneka is in a Top 10 list of artists to watch from SXSW 2010 compiled by Flavorpill.  Nneka is the stand out for CL; because, she is not so prefab, not so slick (yeah, yeah she's a label artist).  Her music is raw, from-the-gut worldbeat and change focused.  

In a way, Nneka is a combo of Zap Mama  and Erykah Badu (note: making headlines w/ her new video,"Window Seat") with some American-style folk rebel in the mix. Nneka will get you all irie.

Check out the “Heartbeat” video filled with Nigerian street life scenes.

 

Feel her spirit in this short docu video, "Who is Nneka?".

Enjoy!

Cooking Lounge

Top 10 Easy Cooking Tips

                               Spring, Awright!              photo wbj

FOOD/LIFESTYLE:
Lately, several people (yo! Gordon, was listening) have told me they would cook more and eat healthier, if they had a guide.  Once you wrap your head around 'no need for a big production' and understand the basics, cooking a good meal is simple.  In New York City, people expect and accept near empty fridges. 

Eating in means calling out.  With subtle lifestyle adjustments, you can chow fresh food and feel full and satisfied.  Plus, you will save a chunk of change.  That's money for drinks later.  Go out; it's Spring.

Here's the Cooking Lounge Top 10 for Easy Cooking.

Top 10 Easy Cooking Tips

1. Olive Oil
2. Butter
3. Sea Salt and Black Peppercorns (buy a grinder)
4. Brown Rice, whole grains or other good carbohydrates (fiber, fiber, fiber)
5. Pasta
6. Garlic
7. Onions
8. Quality Herbs and Spices (buy a pre-filled spice rack)
9. Fresh produce (salad greens, tomato, zucchini, green beans, kale, spinach, whatever you eat or is convenient or is in SEASON).  Seasonal produce tends to be fresher, more local.
10. Fresh chicken, beef, pork, seafood (or a meat substitute if a vege... protein is the point)

With the above items on hand a 30-minute meal is within reach.  
Let's be real.  This is doable.  You can pick-up a meat or a veg on the way home from work, or stock up on items over the weekend.  Plus, there are companies like Fresh Direct that will deliver in a lot of metropolitan areas.  If you travel a bit or have an unpredictable schedule, buy high quality frozen vegetables and stick the meat or seafood in the freezer (in serving portions - so it's grab, thaw, cook). 

The bottom-line is have it in the house; so, you can cook a quick, easy, healthy, meal.
Suggest you cook a batch of brown rice in advance when you have a little downtime because brown rice can take 45 minutes or so. Or get the quick cook version (not my usual choice).  With the cooked brown rice on hand, all you need to do is microwave or reheat with a little water and a touch of oil or butter in pan.  Quinoa is a great side dish that is making its way onto more US plates.  Pasta is a no brainer and fast.  Add whole-wheat pasta to your choices for a change.  

Now, all you have to do is saute, broil or bake your meat or seafood.  Make a salad.  Wilt some spinach with slivers of garlic and squeeze lemon over it.  Saute green beans and toss with strips of red peppers. Broil some zucchini brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with herbs.  

Snap.  Done.  Minimal mess. Minimal fuss.  Minimal cost.  Give this a try!

Garden of Eden is one of my favorite food places in the New York City area.  They import a wide range of specialty foods; so if you look around, you will find bargains.  Check out the Garden of Eden with shelves and aisles ladened with goodness.  

Oh and as I have noted before, I am not a health or food expert; so, it is best to check with you doctor prior to making significant lifestyle changes.

MUSIC:

Spare beauty and a dark resonance haunts The xx's music.  The single "Crystalised" topped the UK charts in 2009.  I listened to several tracks on the debut release "xx" plus some Rough Trade bonus tracks.  "Heart Skipped a Beat" is my favorite at the moment.  Thought of the soulful, engrossing pull of Portishead on "Dummy" while listening to The xx.   "VCR" is the  latest single, released in January 2010.  Here's the video.

Enjoy!

Cooking Lounge

Beef Stew Slow Cooked in Red Wine with Bacon, Onions and Mushrooms - Beef Bourguignon

FOOD:
Beef Slow Cooked in Red Wine with Bacon, Onions and Mushrooms
Craving food that envelops you in comfort?  Beef Bourguignon is perfect.  Sooo much snow the last few weeks, right as you start thinking, winter's end.  Bacchanal celebrations to chase away the dead season have waned.  Come oooon Spring.  Knee-deep snow still covering the ground, icy rain slicking streets, brisk sunny days turning into near freezing nights, make stews and soups seem more appropriate, more seasonal.  I used Julia Child's classic Beef Bourguignon recipe as a guide to making this beef stew slow cooked in red wine (a very traditional French favorite).  
Here's what I did:
Serves 6, easily stretched to 8.  
8 oz of slab bacon
3.5 lbs of lean beef.  I used a rump roast ( cut into 2 inch cubes).
2 diced carrots.  If you want, use whole baby carrots...nice presentation; guesstimate on amount 1/3 - 1/2 of a cup.
1 large onion diced
3 cups of hearty red wine.  Selected a liter bottle of Chilean Concho y Toro, the ubiquitous brand of choice at gallery openings for awhile.  Went with Frontera, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend...drinkable (yep!) and very reasonably priced around $12.00.  I marinated the beef over night in 1 1/2 cups of wine with thyme, garlic and a little salt and pepper. Some recipes marinated for two days.  Julia Child's not all.  Do your own thing.
2-3 cups of beef stock.  I made my own.  But a quality packaged stock works. 
1lb - 1 1/2lb Small boiling onions.  You want 18 - 24 according to Julia Child. I added more.
1 lb of small whole Crimini mushrooms
1 tbs of Tomato sauce
2 tsp Sea salt
1 tbs of cracked whole black peppercorns (use less if you like)
Garlic
Thyme
Bay Leaves
Olive oil
Flour
Sides Dishes
Green beans (threw in a few sauteed cloves of garlic and grape tomatoes for color)
Little Fingerling potatoes boiled in salted water w/ bay leaf
Hardware: Fireproof casserole dish (like Le Creuset) or a Dutch oven as most people know this type of sturdy stove top to oven cookware.   Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Drain the marinade from the beef and blot dry with paper towels.
Trim the rind from the bacon.  Cut into chunky strips.  Toss all into a quart or so of water and boil for 10 minutes.  Drain and place chunky strips on the side.  Then saute for a couple of minutes to brown in casserole/Dutch oven.  Remove bacon.   In same pan, brown small batches of beef in the bacon fat. Set aside with bacon.  Saute diced onion and carrots in bacon fat; you may need to add a little additional oil.  Remove the onions and carrots; place with the bacon and beef.  Empty the oil.  Return beef, bacon, onions and carrots to pan.  Sprinkle in salt and pepper then dust with flour, tossing all through these steps.  Place in the HOT oven (450 degrees) uncovered for about 5 minutes, toss, and return to oven for about 4 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Lower temp to 325 degrees.  Time for the wine.   Stir in the wine, beef stock to cover meat.  Add tomato paste, garlic, thyme and bay leaf (remember to remove bay at end).  Cover and place oven.  Slow cookfor approximately 3 hours until meat is fork tender.
Now the onions and the mushrooms:
Basically you need to braise, saute, boil or roast the onions and mushrooms because they are going to be added just before serving. Cook them how you like.
Finishing Beef Slow Cooked in Red Wine with Bacon, Onions and Mushrooms.
When beef is done, use a colander over a saucepan to drain off all the luscious liquid that will become the sauce. Skim fat from the top and reduce the cooking liquid. May want to add a little butter or cream, maybe a bit more wine. After thickened, the sauce can be refined by pouring through a sieve. Wash up the casserole pan because all the ingredients go back in and it can be used for serving. Add all the elements. Pour on the sauce and the Beef Slow cooked in Red Wine with Bacon, Onions and Mushrooms is ready to serve.
Here's a video impression of the process.

video:wbj
Enjoy!
Cooking Lounge