Best fresh cream cheese (flavored and plain) in Nassau Long Island

I'll step in: strawberries are now available. Golden Earthworm Farm, for example, started pick-your-own this past Friday/Saturday:
http://www.goldenearthworm.com/u-pick-organic-strawberries/

and I bought some at their booth at the Islip farmers' market.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best fresh cream cheese (flavored and plain) in Nassau Long Island

Bagel boss also refers to the plain cream cheese as homemade.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best fresh cream cheese (flavored and plain) in Nassau Long Island

From a bagel POV, I wouldn't really think of any one place where any part of the trifecta--bagels, lox, cream cheese--really stands out as a Long Island souvenir. Catapano goat cheese (just had some with dinner: rosemary, cilantro, and thyme chevre) definitely, but not as a cream cheese.

I tried emailing Bagel Boss from their site, but for some reason the email (from their form) bounces.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best fresh cream cheese (flavored and plain) in Nassau Long Island

I believe the rules are much less strict if they use milk that's already been pasteurized at an approved dairy. But otherwise, what are they saying when they claim it's homemade? (Bagel Boss, at least)

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best fresh cream cheese (flavored and plain) in Nassau Long Island

Two different points, I think: Catapano's cheese is wonderful. Amazing. I especially love their chevre with chunky garlic, and once my summer CSA shares come in, when I get the bunches of beets and arugula, I'll look to their plain for an arugula/beet/walnut/goat cheese salad.

But as a substitute for cream cheese? I don't know. It might be an interesting alternative but I don't think it tastes like CC much at all (for me, bagels and cream cheese also means lox, and this is the biggest sticking point).

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best fresh cream cheese (flavored and plain) in Nassau Long Island

They don't say explicitly, but (at least impliedly) I think Russ and Daughters does make their own:
http://shop.russanddaughters.com/store/department/3/Cream-Cheese/
"Think cream cheese is just cream cheese? Think again. Most supermarket brands are filled with gums and preservatives to give them an unnaturally long shelf life. But not at Russ & Daughters. The freshness, quality and double-whipped goodness of our cream cheese cannot be matched."

Here on LI, Bagel Boss makes their own:
http://www.bagelboss.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5
"Our Plain Cream Cheese is homemade and all natural. At Bagel Boss, we do not compromise homemade New York taste with additives."

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Long Island Wineries - where to go?

I guess they saw this thread and updated their web site and FB page. :)
(the old info was still on their website when I posted)

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Indian Food in Long Island (middle of the island)

I second both recommendations. The Spicy Coriander soup at NCC on Woodbury Rd is wonderful, spicy AND flavorful.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Club Car in Mamaroneck - Dont Bother Making a Reservation

Reminds me of the Seinfeld bit about reservations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7uvttu8ct0

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Long Island Wineries - where to go?

Long Ireland isn't a brewery; they're a distributer. The beer is made at New England Brewing Company in Connecticut. LIB is supposed to be building their own brewery, but I haven't heard any updates on that for a year or so.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Great new things at North!! [Armonk]

North: one of the worst restaurant web sites I've seen.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Gluten Free Restaurants around Westchester

MSG does *not* have gluten in it; this is a myth that keeps getting perpetuated.
http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic/74913-msg-has-gluten-in-it-right/
http://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/newsletter/msg/

"Bottom line: There may be other reasons to avoid MSG but gluten is not one of them. According to the International Glutamate Information Service (http://www.glutamate.org) monosodium glutamate (MSG) is gluten free. This flavoring “enhancer” is made primarily through fermentation using various sugars and starches, such as sugar cane, beet sugar, corn starch and tapioca starch as starting materials. Wheat starch does not appear to be used.

Why the confusion over gluten-free status? MSG wasn’t always produced using fermentation. It used to be isolated from protein sources that contained high amounts of glutamic acid (monosodium glutamate is a monosodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid). The protein source typically used was wheat gluten. In fact, glutamic acid was first isolated in 1866 from the wheat prolamin gliadin. When MSG first became available commercially in 1909 it was isolated from wheat flour. Wheat gluten remained the primary source of MSG until the 1960s when other methods of production were developed, including chemical synthesis and fermentation."

Also to clarify another statement: "Keep in mind that most soy sauces are not gluten free; any Asian dishes prepared with soy are suspect."

Soy sauce presumptively has gluten in it--not because of the soy, but because wheat is a primary ingredient); soy does not. So if the dish contains soybeans, it's fine. Tofu, which is made from soybean, is also fine (careful if it's flavored or formed into processed items).

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Great new things at North!! [Armonk]

Maybe I keep overlooking where it's mentioned in the thread, but where is North? Western NY, Adirondacks Long Island, Westchester...?

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Chinese in Port Jefferson or Setauket

How about Yao's Diner in Centereach? Not that far away:
http://imgur.com/a/Ob9xf#w5gR9

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

My mouth is on fire! Memorable spicy food moments. [moved from Not About Food]

I believe the poster was categorizing the ginger itself as being spicy.

Scott_R in General Chowhounding Topics

Where can I get Macarons on LI??? I am moving from NYC to Nassau County in a few months

Here you go:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833006

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best BBQ On Long Island

I think the general consensus is to rate Swingbelly's #1, though LI BBQ isn't much to talk about overall. Check here for detailed reviews:
http://pigtrip.net/Directory-main.htm#NYLI

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Any great breakfast places in Plainview, Huntington or nearby?

I should add... the timeline won't help the OP, but this might be an interesting addition to Huntington when they open:
http://www.twoblondesandastove.com/

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Any great breakfast places in Plainview, Huntington or nearby?

To be specific, I'm not speaking of quantity but of variety--and at that, not that the place must have two dozen different omelets to choose from, but that the choices be interesting.

I've never been a fan of the "Create your omelet" thing--in large part because the options given tend to be boring. Looking over the choices at Toast, they're pretty pedestrian. I want a place to mix it up, do something different.

Just today, for example, I went to Winnie's in Bay Shore; they had an omelet special with broccoli rabe and mozzarella. I can't recall seeing an omelet like that before (either as a selection or with BR as a choice); it was delicious. Two weeks ago, I was at Cornucopia's Noshery in Amityville, and they made me a custom omelet with baby beets, goat cheese, and sunflower seeds. Not my own creation--it was "hey, how would you like...." Excellent.

It's been a while since I went to Toast/Huntington. IIRC, I had an omelet special (i.e. not on the regular menu), but it was pretty ordinary--in execution I mean, not content (I don't recall what was in it). No better than an acceptable diner omelet. The experience was enough that my guest and I didn't think it worth a return trip--maybe if they were closer, yes, but not worth a half hour drive.

Between the two places (Munday's and Toast), I've been to each precisely three times. While not wowed by either, what I had at Munday's was as well-executed as anything I'd had at Toast, but more interesting in content.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Any great breakfast places in Plainview, Huntington or nearby?

For me, it's the relative shortage of omelet choices at Toast that drops them in my ratings.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Any great breakfast places in Plainview, Huntington or nearby?

I lean a bit more to Munday's over Toast, though neither place is at the top of my list.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Project: Long Island Coffeehouse map

Closed: The Coffee Shop, Bellport.

There are some mighty big holes in the map; did I miss anything?

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Any great breakfast places in Plainview, Huntington or nearby?

Maureen's would be a really out of the way shlep from Plainview and then going back upstate. :)

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Any great breakfast places in Plainview, Huntington or nearby?

Try The Chef's Corner in Mineola. Not in Plainview but not that far away, and it would be on the way home:
http://thechefscornercafe.com/
(note that their breakfast menu is expanded on weekends)

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Looking for manzano bananas (aka, apple bananas) on Long Island

Anyone know where to get them?

Bonus points for Gros Michel, but that's probably asking too much.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

My mouth is on fire! Memorable spicy food moments. [moved from Not About Food]

It's a competition for some, not all. I have never had the urge to take part in a spicy food contest. I simply like spicy food.

Scott_R in General Chowhounding Topics

Having breakfast on Long Island

Desserts aren't really my thing.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Having breakfast on Long Island

Does the Village Market have seats? The Newsday article seem to imply it's grab-and-go.

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best Mexican Cuisine in Nassau County?

Who has it spicy? I've failed so far in finding a Mexican place on LI that can kick up the heat (I mean, inducing sweat).

Scott_R in New York State (exc. New York City)