Amy Mintzer's Profile
Great Middle Eastern spinach and potato pies?
Holy mackerel--I went there with my dad, who was living on Henry St. at the time. Must have been '74 or '75. I've mentioned getting Middle Eastern pies from an underground bakery, and since no one ever knows what I'm talking about, I started to think I'd made up the memory.
strawberry short cake
Cousin John's on 7th and Berkeley in Park Slope has made a strawberry shortcake-type layer cake for years--genoise layers, fresh berries, filling and frosting are stabilized whipped cream. No goop, no jam. Often they put blueberries in as well, but I'm sure you could ask for just strawberries.
True strawberry shortcake is a homestyle thing that can't be made into a birthday cake, but I think this Cousin John's version is just what you have in mind.
First time making potato salad, question about the potatos
I think it depends significantly on the potato variety.
First time making potato salad, question about the potatos
Definitely you can make ahead. I recommend preparing some extra dressing to add close to serving time, since much of the original batch may have been absorbed. If the recipe calls for any fresh herbs or other fresh seasonings, you may want to add a bit more at the end, just to brighten it up.
Egyptian: Belady Bread and Koshery
Pulpio is right: Mr. Falafel has good koshery.
I don't know this Belady bread, but I'd try Bay Ridge. There are Middle Eastern bakeries and food stores representing half a dozen countries.
Help Me! Ostrovitsky Bakery Question
Glad you persisted! I've bought Ostrovitzky's meltaway at D'vine Taste, and everyone I feed it to goes bersek over it, but in truth, chocolate desserts are not really my thing. (But I could cheerfully eat an entire cinnamon babka myself.) As to the charm factor, that seems to me pretty typical of the "style," shall we call it, of the kosher bakeries here. Come it think of it, I realize I have a sense from childhood of all bakery ladies being a little cranky. Maybe it's all that self-control they have to exercise day after day...
Keith Haring @ The Brooklyn Museum.
Chavela's is a cheery (upscalish) Mexican place on Franklin Ave. around Park Pl. (or Prospect?).Owners of Al di la have recently opened Bar Corvo on Washington, just 2 blocks (barely) from the museum. Long wait on a weekend night; not sure what daytime hours are. There are several resaurants and foodish destinations like Ample Hills Creamery on Vanderbilt Ave.
matzah ball soup in Brooklyn
Fairway makes a very decent matzoh ball soup. Zap it at home.
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Fairway Market
480 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Tres Leches Cake -- Sunset Park or other Brooklyn
Lopez definitely has it. I've never ordered it, but I'm a Lopez booster, and while their cakes are nothing special on the whole, their pan dulce are great and so is their flan by the slice. So I think it's a good bet.
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La Boulangerie Lopez
645 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Need Brooklyn Heights Restaurant with Valet Parking for 9 ppl
The only valet-parking place I'm aware of is Marco Polo on Court and Union.
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Marco Polo Ristorante
345 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Does anyone know where to buy Iguana Meat
It's eaten in Mexico and maybe throughout Central America. This may be of interest!
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article1021412.ece
GOOD Jewish Bakery in Brooklyn???
Yes, Ostrovitzky's. It's carried "packaged" at various stores around the city as well as at the bakery.
Sweet/Flavored Hard Cider?
Cider, like beer (but unlike wine), has the required standard nutritional label on each bottle. Look for a higher sugar content, and you'll be able to identify ciders that are more to your taste. I prefer the dry ones, but there are many in the sweet style, especially from the U.S.
Bamboo Pavilion suggestions?
Thanks to you both. We ended up having to meet our friends late, and by the time we joined them, they had ordered hotpot for the table. It was fine, and I know theirs is highly regarded, but to me it's not very interesting to eat. It was a nice evening with friends, but in no way sated Sichuan cravings! Going back soon and bringing all your suggestions with me.
Craving goat water or similar -- any recommendations?
OK, I'll bite: What's "goat water?"
Bamboo Pavilion suggestions?
Anyone have favorite dishes at Bamboo Pavilion (Bensonhurst)? Going with a group of 6, so we can order a bunch of things but (tragically) not everything, so I'd love to have some picks in advance.
Ate there once about 2 years ago. I'm still dreaming of the noodles in red oil and will insist on ordering them again. Other than that?
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Spicy Bampa
6920 18th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11204
Tropical fruit purees at the Key Food in Sunset Park
I was in there this morning--so I looked! They had passionfruit, coconut (really grated fresh, not a puree), mango, pineapple, tamarind, soursop, guanabana.
And while you're in their frozen food aisle, get yourself a loaf of this Irish wholewheat bread they've brought in. It makes the BEST toast.
Tropical fruit purees at the Key Food in Sunset Park
I've definitely see passionfruit there. Also guava, mango. I don't know lulo. (But I'm sure I want to eat it.) So I'm not aware.
Is there a place that sells cheese piroshki in nyc?
Are they significantly different from Polish pierogi? (I'm not an expert.) If not, you can usually get cheese pierogi at Eagle Provisions (5th Ave. at 18th St. in Brooklyn) and many other Polish places I'm sure.
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Eagle Provisions
628 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Produce..specifically fresh artichokes and romansco cauliflower
I've never seen romanesco cauliflower for sale beyond the greenmarket (in late summer). But Rossman's will be able to tell you if it can be had commercially. They will also certainly have artichokes.
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Rossman Fruit & Vegetable
770 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Tropical fruit purees at the Key Food in Sunset Park
I find the GOYA frozen purees in both of the supermarkets I regularly shop: MET on Vanderbilt and Key Food on 5th and Park Pl.
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Key Food
120 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Met Food
632 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Clinton Hill vs Prospect Heights for a Chowhound who does A LOT of cooking
Me three. Shopping to cook and eat in Brooklyn is the best reason (possibly the only reason) to have a car in NYC).
Help Me! Ostrovitsky Bakery Question
They sell it around town as a Chocolate Meltaway. I'm sure it's the same one.
Lunch near the Brooklyn Museum? Need recs.
There are a number of posts on this topic. You should search! #1 question is whether you'll be on foot and how much time you'll have if you're walking.
Gravlax? Where to buy the fresh salmon and your best recipe!
A book called COOKING ONE ON ONE by John Ash (co-authored by me!) has a good explanation of how to do it, with a recipe and variations in case the classic flavoring is not to your taste.
