amedemonet's Profile
Hong Kong-style Borsch
Make your own, it's easy. Pork bones for the broth (has to use pork bones to get a little fat, can't substitute), plain tomato sauce (enough to taste, not to thicken), vegetables, red pepper flakes.
Peet's alternative - whole beans for drip coffee
House of coffee on Noreiga. Price is similar but much better than Starbucks and as strong as Peet's. Price isn't much too different at about 10-15% lower.
http://www.spooninandforkin.com/2009/02/24/house-of-coffee-san-francisco-blue-mountain-coffee/
japanese prix-fixe
High end would be Morimoto or Soto. They don't stay with the regular sushi menu. There are also Bond St, Sushi Samba, Rosanjin.
http://www.spooninandforkin.com/
Help! Need chocolate/cocoa finger food recipes and ideas...
Cocoa dusted foie gras on a crepe or blini!! Serves cold so it's easy on the timing. Make the crepe/blini chocolate flavor would be perfect.
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Per Se AND French Laundry Veterans: Is FL worth trying?
I've been to Per Se, and except for the once in a lifetime experience if you're a foodie and must try everything yourself, I don't recommend. Yes the food is top quality and execution is beautiful. But there was nothing I care to eat again and even less of that was memorable. It's not so inventive you think wow, how in the world is this created?! It's yes, I've seen this, been there dont it. I guess it's slightly better. Otherwise, boring.
I'll be going to French Laundry in a week, finally got a reservation. And going only because I'm a foodie and it's on my bucket list. Wished it did it when it was only $120 a head, sounds so cheap now.
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Eleven Madison Park, Babbo, and Yasuda no Michelin Star for 2009! You must be kidding...
I don't understand the high regard for Yasuda. They didn't have real wasabi when I was there. And the fish, though fresh, was not exotic, nothing extraordinary. Gari has the creativity but not the decor nor the same freshness. I think Soto is the best sushi place in NYC IMO.
Babbo have decreased in quality over the years but certainly deserve a star. I disagree with Jean Georges' rating completely. http://www.spooninandforkin.com/2009/02/04/jean-georges-sucks-3-michelin-stars-my-ass/
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Where to go for Dessert (after dinner)?
The Modern casual dining room. It closes late, 12am I think. And it has beautiful presentations of desserts.
But if you want casual.... GROM gelato in the village has sitting space, they are crowded, another gelato place around the corner on 7th ave.
http://spooninandforkin.com
Cabernet Sauvignon tasting: general impressions
You have some young wines, 2 hrs isn't enough for a young cabernet from CA. I love Napa cabs. The Caymus was wayy to young, a good Napa cab gets better after 8-10 yrs.
If you get a chance, try Hourglass, Sherwin, Neal, Anomaly. All cabs, all wonderful.
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Upscale bar menus at a discount?
Go to a tapas place that are so abundant in the city instead like Boqueria, Alta, Pipa.
Or a casual great food place like Spotted Pig for an amazing burger.
Bar menus - Otto, Sushi Samba, Macondo http://www.spooninandforkin.com/2009/01/28/macondo-restaurant/
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Cook it yourself in Hot Oil Restaurant?
that's shabu shabu (jap)/hot pot (chinese). Plenty of places in NYC, Queens has Mimi, Happy Family. Manhattan has Quickly's on Grand and Bowery, Grand Sichuan etc.. Japanese are better quality meat but I don't like the bland broth. It's not oil, but broth.
The yolk is used only, you mix with alot of other dips like soy sauce, sesame paste, chili, sesame oill, parsley, and the most important, lots of sa cha sauce.
Go to Quickly's and Mimi's for your first experience. Individual pots and you mix your own broth.
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Uses for Lobster Bisque?
But it is soooo good. Try sweet potato fries, nor Taro root fries. Bake them in olive oil and it's practically healthy! =)
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Manhattan Clam Chowder?
Canned clams don't have the same texture and flavor. Might as well puree it if you are going to use it. but you can use any regular recipe that asks for fresh clams and substitute the same amount. I would use clam juice because you won't get any flavor from the canned clams. Clam juice is salty so don't add additional salt.
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Pork belly with mui choi-梅菜扣肉
It's definitely with black tea leaves, it's the only kind strong enough for cooking. You have to marinate it for hours for the flavors to be deep enough. Marinate it overnight then braise. Tea leaves are a popular spice in Northern China cusine.
Don't use tea bags, have to get the actual loose leaves, not the tea "dust."
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Uses for Lobster Bisque?
Mix it in with ground up seafood and make salmon cakes, shrimp cakes, crap cakes.
Pour it over oysters, topped with cheese and bake it.
Thin it out with some coconut milk, seafood stock, lemon grass, herbs, and use it as a base for mussels, with plenty of bread for sopping.
Soup base for any rice-based Asian noodle (viet or thai), spice it up chili.
Reduce it further and pour it over grilled/oven baked white fish.
Reduce, then thicken with mayo and use it as dip for chips, veggies, FRIES, like a seafood aoili.
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lunch: taking advantage of my mid-week vacation day
Le Bernardin for lunch. the prix fix lunch is a bargain if you don't feel like forking out over $200 for a meal. Details can be found here: http://www.spooninandforkin.com/2009/01/20/le-bernardin-3-michelin-star-restaurant/
your favorite diner foods
Grilled cheese with sausage is my favorite breakfast. I add hot sauce to it too. And I got more than one weird looking ordering it..
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your favorite diner foods
That sounds like the poutine I just posted =). Fries with gravy are underappreciated.
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your favorite diner foods
Fries with gravy, only see it on diner menus. I love the Canadian poutine (fries with gravy and aged cheddar), better than a chili cheese dog.
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Healthy foods you crave
oh sashimi and the raw bar like oysters and lobsters are great, I'll gladly skip the rice on sushi.
I also love grilled hamachi kama. (collar of a yellowtail)
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Healthy foods you crave
oh sashimi and the raw bar like oysters and lobsters are great, I'll gladly skip the rice on sushi.
I also love grilled hamachi kama. (collar of a yellowtail)
Healthy foods you crave
Spinach salad with pears, pistachios, and lemon mustard dressing when the weather isn't freezing cold. So today I'll be craving any tomato-based soups instead, mexican tortilla, tomato cheddar etc..... soups are easy to be healthy if you stay away from cream.
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How to eat dinner on Valentine's Day?
That area will have highly priced menus for that day. A place that I love that isn't in the obvious range of nice places is Baker Street Bistro in Marina right above the palace of fine arts, perfect for a stroll beforehand. It's french fare done with care. It's cozy and quaint, great prices.
The first time I was there, I witnessed smoke coming from the kitchen, a fire truck pulled up, firemen walked in, everyone clapped and continued eating. Nothing was on fire but no one cared. That is customer loyalty.
http://spooninandforkin.com
Is it possible to cook deliciously without salt, sweeteners, soy, milk products, eggs, non-fish animal protein, alcohol, caffeine and wheat?
oops forgot to mention if you let the soup steep overnight to absorb the flavor, let it come to a boil before turning off the heat. then cover. =)
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Is it possible to cook deliciously without salt, sweeteners, soy, milk products, eggs, non-fish animal protein, alcohol, caffeine and wheat?
why not use roasted vegetables such as eggplant or zucchini to dip the hummus in? Healthier.
Is it possible to cook deliciously without salt, sweeteners, soy, milk products, eggs, non-fish animal protein, alcohol, caffeine and wheat?
Most gourmet sections in a market has seafood stock now such as Trader Joe's or Wholefoods. If you cant' find it, you can use veggie stock and add store bought clam juice. Clam juice is already salted so don't add any salt if you do and do not add the whole bottle.
Is it possible to cook deliciously without salt, sweeteners, soy, milk products, eggs, non-fish animal protein, alcohol, caffeine and wheat?
Sure.
Provencal Fish Soup Recipe:
Use equal amounts of vegetables of your choice, any combination of leek, onion, carrot, celery, are some of my personal choice. Dice everything and saute till soft in olive oil (butter doesn't make it better in this rare case.) Then add seafood stock(or veggie) to cover the veggies and then triple the amount in a pot. Add canned tomatoes (twice the amt as any one vegetable) and simmer for at least 20 mins. Then add the fish, this is really your choice, any fish with a med fat content or higher will be great, like salmon, bass, tilapia, snapper etc. Some scallops are wonderful. Don't add the fish till you're ready to serve so they don't dry out and become flaky. The fish will cook in about 3 mins. If you want to splurge, add saffron as that is the traditional way, otherwise, salt and pepper is good. Sprinkle some parsley or chives on top when serving. Enjoy!
Seafood stock is important to get a seafood flavor. Or after you add the fish, turn off heat, let it sit overnight so the soup will absorb the flavor without drying the fish.
Are there any authentic French patisseries in the city?
Everyone knows about Payard, so I'll mention Financier, 3 locations in the Wall St area. it's a Laduree copycat. There is a post on it at http://spooninandforkin.com, or Lady M in the Upper East. Financier is much better than both.
http://spoonandforkin.com
Great fondue??
Melting Pot is very romantic if you can get out to Hoboken, otherwise, Artisinal is the best i the city. Too bad they closed DIP, that had a nice ambience with so so food. Swizz Manhatta isn't romantic, but cozy.
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Restaurant recommendations please
For lunch/brunch, Sarabeth's is wonderful, best breafast foods after Barney Greengrass. If you are in the mood for casual BBQ, Brother Jimmy's.
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