"EAT like a MAN" and SAVE MONEY

FOOD and LIFESTYLE:

On Cooking Lounge, a constant theme is cooking to live better. When you SAVE MONEY, you can improve your lifestyle. In today's recessionary times, a few extra dollars is a godsend. Plus, you can have the added bonus of sharing a meal with friends or even a date.

Esquire has a how-to cooking guide out for men, "EAT like a MAN", aimed to blast away the fear and mystery of the kitchen. I can not say that I have followed the eponymous blog regularly on Esquire. I have clicked on a few links that brought me to the blog, usually worthwhile reading. At Cooking Lounge, we are all for anything that gets you into the kitchen to prepare a meal. "EAT like a MAN" was released early summer 2011, I discovered it through a NY Daily News article that had a spicy, sausage sandwich recipe. By the way, for the Hot Sauce Aioli, I would use olive oil and Tabasco Sauce.
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge

Carafe, Decanter, Box - What's Inside Matters

LIFESTYLE:

There is a nostalgic place in food culture filled with red-checkered tablecloths and carafes of house wine. Dining was a simpler affair - bereft of so much choice, so much foodie acumen. The carafe is center stage in romantic notions of smoky, European cafes. Add some candlelight; and, snap transported. 

A carafe is in the decanter family; but a name makes loads of difference. When decanters are part of the table scape, meals tick up a notch - the sparkle and clink of crystal, the timeless shapes. Decanters seem suited for the rarefied: aged whiskey, expensive cognac, fine wine. 

Wine in a box is an ultimate packaging versus product conflict. Boxed wine falls in with the twist off cap arguments about wine. Sure it might be practical, save natural resources, be economical, blah, blah, blah, BUT, the aesthetics. Oh, la, la. However, wine in a box is pushing it's visibility through design and gaining acceptability in the market.

What's inside is what matters. The New York Times, posted an article that rated wine in a box, "Thinking Inside the Box." One selection from Wineberry comes in a wooden box, perhaps a nod to the barrels of the artisanal craft. 

Carafes and decanters let you step away from the packaging and create your own sense of value, place and style while serving quality wine. Go ahead; buy some wine in a box then set a nice table.

Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge

Cobble Hill and Court Street with Brandon Maya

Cooking Lounge explored Court Street in Cobble Hill with Brandon Maya. She is a chef and writer, who trained at the French Culinary Institute. Brandon Maya writes about food and shares recipes on her blog, Dresses & Appetizers. 

Cobble Hill is a Brownstone Brooklyn neighborhood lined with great restaurants, food finds, and amazing chocolate (The Chocolate Room). Cobble Hill is a foodie haven that has become a destination for the hip and in-the-know. One block over is Smith Street, stacked with bars for carousing nights. We made a video of our walk around Cobble Hill in the Spring. Have a look.

Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge

Shepherds Pie

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FOOD:

Shepherds Pie

Shepherds Pie is an old school favorite but when not done right resembles scary cafeteria grub. One of the best things about Shepherds Pie is you can tailor the recipe to your taste, budget and servings needed. Go from rich and creamy to simple and low fat with ease. Making a meatless version works too. Add your own twist to Shepherds Pie. The Cooking Lounge Shepherds Pie recipe is traditional with the flavors bumped up a few notches. 

Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:

2lbs lean ground beef
1.5 lbs potatoes (peeled, diced and cooked)
2 large onions
10oz baby portabella mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic, a bit more if you like
2.5 cups diced fresh carrots
1 cup green peas
fresh parsley 
dried herbs, try a mix of sage, tarragon and rosemary
olive oil
1/4 wine (red or white)
butter
milk/cream
salt 
pepper

Preparation Guide:

Saute mushrooms in butter with 1/8 cup white wine and a few tablespoons of milk or cream. Season to taste. Set aside. 
Saute onions in a little olive oil with salt and pepper for 5 minutes. Add diced carrots and continue to saute till carrots are tender but not soft. 
Saute ground beef; season with dried herbs, fresh garlic, salt and pepper plus 1/8 cup of white wine. Add fresh parsley when browned. Add the mushrooms in cream sauce that was put aside and mix in with the ground beef; set aside. 

Make your favorite version of mashed potatoes to top the Shepherds Pie then set aside. This is where you can get super creative by adding cheese, heavy cream, pureed celery root and so on. In the Cooking Lounge recipe, we went light on butter (add some olive oil) and milk/cream then mixed in some fresh chopped parley.

Time to combine the earthy ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350. In a large baking pan (13x9 or larger), spread the ground beef and mushroom mixture evenly, toss the peas on top next, then add the carrots and onions. Layering on the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the top with chopped parsley to add color. Bake until golden brown, approximately 35 minutes. 

I was hoping for leftovers; but, the Pearl St gang devoured the Shepherds Pie. Also, Shepherds Pie is an amazing, almost luxurious meal when made with lamb. Visit soon, more about lamb in upcoming post.

photos: wbj

Enjoy!
Cooking Lounge

Fresh Music Super Group: James Blake, Toro Y Moi, Janelle Monae

MUSIC:

SXSW ended days ago. Friends have returned filtering latest, greatest, new, best. So, that got me stuck on music artists I find exciting, fresh and individualistic. Here are three relatively new and unique faces of Fresh Music from Cooking Lounge.

Back in NYC after SXSW, my friend Nina turned me on to James Blake as a must listen. James Blake is an anomaly for me - electronic, dubstep, brit soul(hates being called a soul singer), experimental. Waves of lushness in down tempo music. Effusive praise seems to be the reaction to James Blake with his win of the BBC's Sound of 2011.

The self-titled debut album was released February 7, 2011. Checking out the YouTube videos made me think of Bryan Ferry. So maybe James Blake is not so ground breaking but instead well informed.

Toro Y Moi came on the Cooking Lounge radar in Spring 2010 after hearing "Causers of This", loopy, dreamy, chill electronica with catchy beats.

Toro Y Moi personifies the Chillwave moniker. "Speakeasy" in The Wall Street Journal tracked the trend and posted a Chillwave primer "Is Chillwave the Next Big Music Trend?".  

Toro Y Moi released his second album "Underneath the Pine" on February 22, 2011. "New Beat" is a bouncy lo-fi disco throwback.

Janelle Monae takes a bite of style from pop divas of the 80's onward but distills the influences into her own distinct art school infused future funk pop.

Signature tuxedo clad Janelle Monae keeps it sweet and alluring without veering off into overt sexuality or buffoonish exaggeration. ArchAndroid is her debut studio album release from May 18, 2010. The single "Tightrope" did well and had wide appeal.

ArchAndroid is a cosmic ride through genres that showcases Janelle's style, vocal range and best of all, humor.

Imagine these three on the same bill or same stage as a Super Group..futuristic awesomeness on blast.
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge

Interview_Margo Patisserie Cafe_Almond Croissant

FOOD:
Flaky, buttery croissants are a hard to find french staple, done properly, even in New York City. 
Margo Patisserie is a cozy cafe tucked away at the corner of Driggs & Fillmore Place, in uber locale of the moment, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Margo Patisserie is unpretentious, laid-back and authentic with selections from sweet to savory, along with outdoor seating and free wifi. Margo Patisserie caught my attention when I needed a quick afternoon bite. I went for a coffee and pain au chocolat (which was excellent) but kept staring at an empty row, flecked with pasty flakes, that had held almond croissants. Ummmm, almond croissants - not too sweet, moist, filling and rich. A few weeks later, I stopped and tried the almond croissant...one of the best ever. Supporting small, artisanal food businesses is good for the taste buds. Here's a video we shot with the owner, Margo, about making almond croissants at Margo Patisserie Cafe. The music is Tres Tres Chic from Mocean Worker. Have a look.

video:wbj

Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge

More NYC men are cooking at home -- and impressing the ladies, too - NYPOST.com

More NYC men are cooking at home -- and impressing the ladies, too - NYPOST.com
Been saying this for years.