Paul Trapani's Profile
Diagnose My Flat-Tasting Pasta
Yikes! You're supposed to be making pasta not soup!
A couple of thoughts (personal viewpoints of course).
You're not using nearly enough oil. Use 2-3 tablespoons, some will stay in the pan, some on the plate.
Onions should not be sauteed overly soft, but only softened and rest of cooking would soften them up.
Give the vegetables a good sizzle in the oil before adding any liquid.
The onion and vegetables (and garlic if you add) should flavor the oil, then the oil flavors the sauce.
As GH1618 points out, make sure you're using enough salt. Taste the pasta water, should have a slightly salty flavor.
Too many ingredients.
If you added stock to the pan you didn't need to also add pasta water and probably should have drained most of pasta water. Add pasta water when the sauce is not too liquidy.
Herrell's Ice Cream in Huntington, NY from the guy that created Steve's Ice Cream
I was excited to find this fairly new place (they said they'd been there two years) in Huntington village across from the movie theater. This is a new franchise from Steve Herrell the guy behind Steve's Ice Cream. They helped popularize the concept of premium ice cream (i.e. not loaded with air) and the idea of mixing stuff like Heath Bars into the ice cream. I used to devour the stuff a pint at time. The ice cream is made in store and looks like they rotate flavors with 20 or so available at a time (from a stable of 200), You can also get a smoosh-in where you pick stuff to be mixed in to your ice cream. Those of you thinking about Cold Stone, forget about it, Steve was doing that stuff years before anybody else.
It looks like this is one of three in the country, but hopefully there will be more soon.
http://www.herrells.com
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Herrell's Ice Cream
46 Gerard St Unit L, Huntington, NY 11743
Organic Farmstand in East Islip, NY
169 Washington Street
East Islip,NY 11730
This is a great hidden farmstand (next to a small farm!) in East Islip. The heirloom tomatoes were hearty enough to to make a sandwich out of with nothing else (using great bread of course). I also recommend the broccolini if there's any left. The guy running it has been farming since he was a boy in Sicily. I need to get back on a Saturday or Sunday, because they have fresh pies and breads. It's open 7 days a week from 9 to 6.
http://www.organicstodayfarms.com
LI, Beer and Wine
Two new interesting places just opened. One with a long list of beers and the other with a long list (100!) of wines by the glass
beer in Bay Shore:
http://tjfinleys.com
and
wine in Garden City:
www.novita-ny.com
At Novita I liked the prosciutto panini, but not the pasta fagioli that I ordered with it.
Indian in Nassau county
Madras Woodlands is great. I believe they used to have a place in the city. Be sure to try the Madras Coffee after your meal. Also, recommended Masala Vadai, Dhal Fry and Onion Chili Rava Masala Dosa. The lunch buffet is a good deal and all the food is extremely fresh.
Check out Punjabi Kabab house on 107 in Hicksville (old Mr. Sausage location). It's my current Hicksville Indian of choice. Kebabs are always great. Other dishes are good to great based on who's cooking.
Farm/Orchard Pie Jim leff used to write about
There's also a new place worth checking out in Jamesport. I haven't tried any of their pies, but they make great berry muffins and amazing apple strudel. You can buy 1/4, 1/2 or a whole strudel. Buy the half or whole the quarter goes too fast.
Junda's Pastry
1612 Main Road (Rt 25)
Jamesport, NY 11947
631-722-4999
It's in a converted house.
New Soul Food Place in Hempstead, LI
No, Riddick's is a couple of blocks past V & T on Front Street. Jade's is on Franklin a few blocks up from V & T.
Is there another place in the V & T shopping center?
New Soul Food Place in Hempstead, LI
Yes, I've been there a couple of times. The chili is excellent. It's worth checking out for other dishes as well. They have a big Sunday buffet brunch that I want to try out.
Also, I'm hot on the trail of another soul food place in the area. There used to be a place called McKeller's on Franklin Street in Hempstead. Unfortunately I never got around to trying it, but there's a new place in it's spot, called Jade's (Jahday's not Jayde's).
New Soul Food Place in Hempstead, LI
Mr. Riddick has taken command of what used to be a fried chicken and fish place. He's added a cosy sit down section and a steam table full of "dynamite dinners" (and "delicious side orders"!).
Mac'n'cheese was different the two times I've had it. Once it was dry and cheddary, another it was creamy and laced with cayenne. Neither one lasted too long under my fork. The sweet tea is great, plenty of sugar with no trace of bitter tannins.
Riddicks Kitchen & Catering Restaurant
213 Front Street (just West of V & T)
Hempstead, NY
516-483-1060
