ben61820's Profile
Damascus- Not Just a Bakery Anymore
damascus has probably the best halvah. they make it right there, in house. sahadi's is good, too, of course (as is the place across the street) but something about damascus' just keeps me hooked. its also nice to see them hack a piece for you fresh off the big ol' block. old-worldy and nice.
Cheap, Everyday Eats in Carroll Gardens
yeah, jessies is FINALLY open. i mean, i been waiting for them forever. good for them. hope they do well. imo, their aesthetic is bit...off. it looks kind of amazon cafe, no? havent eaten there yet.
Green Mountain Coffee: large selection
in brooklyn, right on smith street, there is a new organic market (very small, like a bodega) at bergen i think. they have brewed green mountain coffee all the time, but they also have a decent (not ten to fifteen though) selection of beans.
Recent Beer Discoveries?
i just started LOVING gulden draak. its a belgian triple but its dark! wierd, right?its brewed by the vansteinberg brewery who also do piraat. the draak, like the piraat, is a wholesome 10.5% ABV, but its so darn good. a big ass beer altogether, but wonderful to savor. highly recommended. pretty darn sweet, tho:)
One Girl Cookies off Smith St - What a scam!
have to agree with this posting, too. 5 for two scoops of homemade stuff is not bad at all. im NOT saying that the misposting of their prices is OK, just that even at five bux, it aint bad.
One Girl Cookies off Smith St - What a scam!
have to say i agree - they should def honor what is listed. when bars leave special pricing signs out too long, they usually honor whats on them.
Cheap, Everyday Eats in Carroll Gardens
definately hit EM, the thai joint right next to Po. their weekday lunch special is only 7 bux and awesome. i eat it many times a week. also, even if you venture off of the lunch special menu, everything is a really good value. some of the nicest help in town, too.
Brownie Muffins!
oooo, im totally looking for a good whole wheat flour-brownie recipe! care to share?
Jill's- next to Miriam, Cobble Hill
i stopped in to try something as ive been into raw foods, etc for quite a while. first off, theyre all very nice people that work there. that being said, this place needs some work. they just have to advertise themselves, sell themselves a bit more. i mean, 9 out of 10 people walking court street dont care at all about raw vs. cooked foods etc. especiialy not with the wonderful miriam next door. i had only thing: carrot halva. its only one little thing so i dont want to say its representational but i didnt care too much for it - and im into this kind of thing...uhoh, i know. all the best to them tho, ill keep going back and trying little by little cuz im sure they some tasties in there (the chocolate tart just looks delicious....may be tomorrow).
Po is open for business
man, i'd love to try this place...cant wait! i think imma hit it tonight...weekday - should be nice.
Eating Potatoes Raw
cured potatoes? never heard of that. i am an avid fan of all things cured, fermented, and/or pickled though so please let us know what you are referring to.
What do you do with a cocoa pod?
im glad a lot of posters are commenting on the fermentation process, as this is of utmost import. as with many many delicious things that have existed/been practiced by humans for a long time, fermentation is the key to making it delicious and healthy.
Anything New in Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens?
i would second the hibino rec. place rox and all the workers are just so nice and trying so hard.
good brunch in Carroll Gardens ?
banania cafe??? where is that? i walk it everyday and ive never seen this place. real north near atlantic or something?
Nut-crusted pork tenderloin
i would say to leave the nuts a bit chunky. also, try it with a flattened out filet rather than the whole roast. this way you can pan fry it and itll be done in no time. this, i think, would go a far way in preserving the nut flavor.
as a note, i do this now with coconut flour. bobs red mill has it available as well as other specialty websites. order some or pick it up at the local health food store. stuff is terrific. delicious, savory, sweet, and extremely good for you. packed with fiber. seriously. even the little wee bit that i use in the dredging process before frying goes a far way in adding a couple valuable grams of fiber. regularity is the key to happiness, remember. also, the stuff is great for muffins. will post recipe if wanted. peace.
Dark chocolate w/nuts
hmm, well, i used to work in the pastry deptmt of a large restaurant and my boss and her soux chef did temper some of our choc every day. it always came out great. i never got to actually do it at the workplace. i did it in school, tho. its not too easy to do at home. you have to be pretty precise with the temperatures (like, within 2-4 degrees i think...).
as a kid tho, we did take the easter choc and melt it in the mike and through in rice crispies and then put in the fridge/freezer and eat it. i remember it tasting great! who knows.
where's the coffee?
i dont know...i think starbux coffee is actually quite good. their beans especially. their brew at the shop itself is very subject to who is brewing it, like anything. sometimes i get really stellar brews and other times its just that burnt sbux flavor. kind of lame. they have great quality beans i think tho. really. now, that being said, i pretty much think FAIRTRADE coffee and JIMS coffee have better roasted beans but...
yerba mate brewing tips
ive been using loose leaves in my own little bags. i do it all at home. i have been boiling water and letting it cool to 90 deg celsius. then pouring right on the dry leaves. steep steep steep and drink. its nice. tastes just like well-done japanese green tea. not bitter at all.
Help me make my own Halvah
hey, ive been on a pretty hardcore halvah kick of late - i live in an area with a pretty large number of middle eastern pastry shops and groceries. however, i am a baker and just realized that i should be making my own. i found some recipes online using egg whites, corn syrup, some even using flour! now, maybe its my misunderstanding (and i do indeed realize that there are numerous different national versions of halvah) but i thought it was pretty much just ground up sesame seeds and sugar. now, if i can find recipes using an alternative sweetener like honey, agave syrup, molasses, etc id be more than happy but im not really willing to use corn syrup or anything artificial. thanks!
Halva on Atlantic ave
yeah yeah, oriental pastry and grocery is the "other" place across from damascus bakery that i was trying to remember. theirs is some of the best i think actually. but realize that they carry two different kinds: locally made and imported. they both of those types in all your default flavors like chocolate, pistachio, etc. despite my preponderence to go local with as much as i can, their imported is way way better. both the local and imported are only 3.95/lb. pretty good. i have to try the sahadi's one next time. they do NOT make it there just to be clear, tho.
Corn Tortillas In Brooklyn
i found the place that makes them right at the spot in brooklyn. 42nd street and 3rd ave. right onthe corner, cant miss it. it says on the outside "torillera panderilla"
Cheese - the best cheese experience you ever had
ahhh, darn you! i love the humboldt fog somethin dangerous. eating about a quarter pound of that would be one of my fonder memories.
Halva on Atlantic ave
i tried the house-made halvah from Damascus Bakery (next to Sahadi's) which is 6.95/lb and then the imported halvah available across the street at the pastry/nut/fruit etc store. its only 3.95/lb there. i thought both were excellent. the imported stuff had a flavor consisting of more fat and oil. this is a good thing, dont get me wrong. im talking it had the flavor of ground nuts - that unctuousness you usually get from peanut butter, etc. the housemade damascus had a decidedly more crumbly texture, too. was still great, tho, dont get me wrong.
neither is better or worse, just little different. anyone have recommendations or opinions? thanks a lot.
i really, really love halvah.
any RECENT reviews of Sapodilla (Smith)?
i have never been there but am actually really interested. a while back i tried Cafe Dore on smith for the jerk flavors and was pretty much let down. fine enough food - wasnt terrible. but small portions, lame atmosphere and just not really, really good food let us all down. then i found out about Sapodilla also featuring lots of jerk and wanna go.
buying tempeh
wow, making tempeh yourself, eh? now THIS has intrigued me. i have made lots of things at home: kefir, yogurt, bread of all types, etc, but never tempeh.
got a line on some good info? let us know.
This is my summer of canned beer
the double chocolate in cans is nowhere near as good as the bottled version, just so you know.
Brown Rice
very good recommendation. i have long been a brown rice-eater but i DID start out with the sticky kind since it just seemed to be more palatable. loved it. good texture. ive since branched out and pretty much like them all but its a wonderful gateway food:)
yerba mate brewing tips
i bought and tried yerba mate for the first time yesterday. good stuff. tastes JUST like traditional japanese green tea. amazing. i poured the hot-not-boiling water over the leaves when the water cooled to exactly 70 degrees C. i checked. hehe. turned out great. wondering if that temp is indeed the best in all your opinions. thanks.
PARK SLOPE FOOD CO-OP: what's good this week? (redux)
hmmm, has anyone noticed that the ORGANIC RED BELL PEPPERS have been shite lately? they just havent been firm at all. theyre all soft and not peek at all. not complaining (i LOVE being a member of the coop), just thought id see what you all feel.
well, i dont think theyre exactly new to the Coop, but yesterday i tried the RAW REVOLUTION bars for the first time. i had the chocolate coconut flavor - awesome. really good flavor. it is a raw bar, so theres no nice crunch texture, but it does have tremendous flavor. the main ingredient is cashew (it does NOT say if its sprouted/soaked or not which kind of irks me but...)
