Shave Ice and Rock Candy

by Emily

Goodness, do I love New York City! We just had such a good weekend. First, how neat is this rock candy instillation at Union Square?

Second, we hung out in the epically cool Industry City,

and went to the American Fields pop up market,

where they gave us (multiple!)(free!!) delicious rosemary maple bourbon sours,

as well as a sample of Unicorn Kisses seltzer.

I haven’t actually tasted it yet, but I’ve been trying to get my hands on some for a year so this was pretty damn exciting. <– and it wasn’t even out on the samples table but I asked the Polar guy about it and he brought me one from a special hidden stash!

Five favorite foodie things this weekend…

{1} a new snack

Crispy okra from Trader Joe’s.

{2} a new favorite in bubble tea

Pa Tea might be our new favorite tea spot.

We had brown sugar milk tea with pudding aaaaand baby boba.

{3} breakfast at Brooklyn Kolache

Pimento cheese and sweet cheese and blueberry.

Plus a latte from Brooklyn Roasting Company.

{4} lunch at Pig Bleeker

Complimentary cornbread madelines.

A Yolanda Winston – vodka, curacao, vanilla, and Wolfer cider.

Duck lasagne!!

And roasted brussel sprouts with pickled mustard seeds that were the best vegetable I’ve ever been served.

S’mores in a jar.

{5} dinner at Little Tong

We loved this noodle shop. Everything felt intentional and the dishes were all gorgeous – I wish the light had been better for pictures so I could come closer to capturing the beauty.

Chinese broccoli salad with citrus soy and smoked egg yolk.

Spiced duck fat fried purple potatoes with cheese curds.

Grandma Chicken Mixian – noodles, chicken broth, chicken confit, tea egg, pickles, flowers, fermented chili, and black sesame garlic oil, and chili oil on top.

And then we walked across the street and cooled down our mouths with a guava snow cone with condensed milk. Yes, on the coldest day of the year so far.

I love NYC.

10Nov2017

Pumpkin’s Still In Season

by Emily

This post includes three more days of vacation (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday); I eased back into the work-week after my trip. It’s supposed to be in the 20’s in NYC later today so now I kind of wish I was away on vacation again!

Highlights from the week…

Coffee!

Pumpkin spice my grandma brought me from Winans.

Pumpkin smoothie with Greek yogurt, maple syrup, cow’s milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

BBQ at Salt and Bone.

I got a ridiculous but tasty Percocet with aged rum, coco lopez, citrus.

And had turkey breast – 3 hour smoked with a butter sauce – cole slaw, and a few bites of Adam’s potato salad.

Thai food in Sunnyside. Fried tofu.

And drunken noodles that actually had enough veggies for my tastes.

One of our favorite winter traditions is visiting Winter Village at Bryant Park for a thick hot chocolate.

Gooey walnut chocolate chip cookie from Chip in Astoria.

Buckeye straight from Ohio.

We tried something fun from Minamoto Kitchoan – Sakura Gomora, sweet bean and mochi wrapped in a cherry blossom pancake.

Packed lunch – strawberry and rosehip kefir cup with a cupcake crumbled in! Plus a snap dragon apple.

I brought in chocolate cupcakes (from a mix!) with homemade cream cheese frosting and Amy Sedaris sprinkles for a coworker’s birthday.

Yogurt with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice Cheerios and Frosted Mini Wheats.

Roasted fall salad – quinoa / shredded brussel sprouts / leeks / turkey bacon / sweet and spicy pecans / gold raisins / and oven-fried sage.

One of the co-founders of CHUT UP reached out to my about sampling their new line of condiments and I happily accepted, so those were featured in dinners for the rest of the week. All three flavors are made with minimal processing and no added sugars (and they’re tasty!).

I made a veggie-packed version of chana masala with the addition of celery and orange and yellow bell pepper.

Topped with apple and caramelized onion chutney.

And a dinner for dipping with blue cheese dressing and beet ketchup.

Roasted broccoli and a root veggie mix from Trader Joe’s (carrots, beets, parsnips, and sweet potato).

Baked chicken tenders crusted in panko after an overnight marinate in peri peri hot sauce, minced ginger, lemon, and brown sugar.

6Nov2017

Columbus Travels

by Emily

My weekend adventures in Ohio were absolutely fantastic! My cousin had a gorgeous wedding and it was beyond fabulous to get to spend time with my family.

I got into town two nights ahead of the wedding and had the opportunity to explore Columbus a bit, including Easton, North Market, and German Village.

Culinary highlights…

Flowers and Bread – Iced latte with local milk and a chocolate-stuffed roll with housemade apple butter.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream – Boozy eggnog and Black Cat espresso.

Related: I had my first eggnog iced latte of the season on this trip and it made me blissfully happy.

Roosevelt Coffeehouse – Vietnamese iced coffee.

The Roost at North Market – I had a giant burrito with scrambled egg, housemade chicken sausage, cheese, black bean salsa, and sour cream. Plus tons of Franks.

Wolf’s Ridge Brewery – I had a a flight of three fun beers, Clear Sky Loops a cream ale with orange, lime, and vanilla / Gose brewed with freshly ground coriander and gourmet sea salt / Pi made with spices and local pumpkins.

The arugula salad with blue cheese, saison poached pear, dried cranberries, marcona almonds, and honey peppercorn dressing.

And the sweet corn gnocchi with arugula coulis, crispy bread, roasted garlic, and roasted acorn and butternut squash.

2Nov2017

David S Pumpkins Pizza

by Emily

Last weekend was great and this upcoming weekend is going to be great, which makes for a weird posting schedule but a happy life.

Life Stuff {3 highlights}:

{1} In a few hours I am heading to the airport and to Columbus, Ohio. One of my cousins is getting married this weekend and I get to spend time with my family — including my mom (who I haven’t seen since before the hurricanes)!

{2} Last Saturday Adam and I took full advantage of the weather and walked through Central Park from top to bottom. We watched a man feed the ducks, went gaga for the flowers, and ate Nuts for Nuts while watching an interpretive dance street performance. It was the perfect New York day!

{3} Last Sunday we took a friend who is newish to the city from Buffalo on a fall-in-love-with-Brooklyn Williamsburg tour. Highlights included Sunday in Brooklyn, Sweet Chick, Brooklyn Brewery, and several hours drinking from the Halloween menu and playing games at Barcade.

Important Note – Adam and I beat the high score on Golly Ghosts!

Foods Stuff {5 highlights}:

{coffee}

Iced lattes from my two current favorite coffee spots: Birch,

and Black Brick.

{ice cream}

16 Handles‘ spooky cookie and salted cookie dough yogurt with sprinkles, cake bites, and an animal cracker.

Ample Hills‘ new circus flavor made with popcorn toffee and red sugar-toasted peanuts.

{New York beers}

In addition to Brooklyn Brewery, we also checked out LIC Beer Project. My choice was a fantastic guava passion fruit Berliner weisse.

{Halloween-themed eats}

(David S)Pumpkin pizza – TJ’s frozen crust / pumpkin puree with nutmeg, allspice, and pepper / shredded mozzarella / turkey summer sausage.

With a Southern Tier Warlock.

{dinner at Miss Ada}

We are newly obsessed with this Mediterranean spot in Fort Greene. The outdoor area is gorgeous, the plates are gorgeous, the plating is gorgeous… Adam and I had a fabulous after-work dinner date.

Baba ganoush with za’atar eggplant chips and ginger aioli and the best pita bread I’ve ever eaten.

Za’atar crusted salmon with labne, charred shallots, and Japanese eggplant.

23Oct2017

Last Week I…

by Emily

Last week I loved: Webster!

Adam and I can’t believe how handsome he is and we text each other pictures of him constantly but they’re on my phone so they usually don’t make it to the blog.

Last week I watched: Rick and Morty. We’re almost through the 3rd season and it has been fantastic. I think season 2 was the best so far though. I also have been re-rewatching The Office because I’m obsessed. It’s so funny and I love when shows have characters (Jim and Pam) just adore each other with minimal drama. The Micheal Scott seasons are perfectly cringe-inducing – I have really bad secondhand embarrassment anyways and I can barely watch most of his scenes.

Last week I ate: More samples from the healthy brand showcase.

Setton Farms is America’s 2nd largest pistachio producer and their stuff is delicious. We’ve been enjoying chocolate-covered pistachios along with the perfectly salted nut blend.

I also liked the pineapple flavored raisins from Amazing Fruit.

Last week I pumpkined: Four new items! See more below.

Last week I drank: Key lime La Croix. The newest flavor is delicious, and currently my favorite fizzy water.

Last week I listened to: “Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B on repeat. It’s super catchy and a lot of her word-play is very clever. I’ve also been listening to a ton of Betty Who.

Other food highlights…

This week’s coffee combo.

Pumpkin tres leches bubble tea from Teapsy in Astoria.

Pumpkin and salted maple pecan frozen yogurt with peanut butter, marshmallow cream, Oreos, and mochi.

I made a fancied-up version of my Spinach and Artichoke Egg Pie. I precooked the veggies with olive oil, onion, anchovies, and tons of garlic. Plus I substituted cottage cheese because I like it better than ricotta.

No carbohydrate component to that meal so we had potato chips and pumpkin beers, woo-hoo!

We tried pizza from a new place – Frantoni’s. Adam and I shared four things so we could try a lot of the menu. The eggplant slice was my favorite but the buffalo chicken was good too.

I made bagel and lox nachos! Everything bagel chips // TJ’s four cheese blend // hot smoked salmon // green onions // and cream cheese sauce with ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar.

Plus roasted brussel sprouts on the side.

I made buffalo chicken chili. Tons of sauteed onion, green onion, carrots, and celery // tomato paste and crushed tomatoes // salt, pepper, celery seed, and smoked paprika // shredded chicken breast // black beans // cream cheese.

Have a great week!

16Oct2017

White Gummi Slushie

by Emily

I worked the weekend (and had two weekdays off) so my schedule has been a bit out of whack. It is still basically summer temperatures here so we haven’t moved on to hot chocolate and soups but we have been loving the crap out of Pumpkin Month. Here were some highlights from the past 7 days…

Weekly coffee combo – Black Hand and chocolate milk.

This pumpkin spice kefir is super tasty.

Pumpkin Noosa with a TJ’s pumpkin cereal bar and a SweeTango apple.

TJ’s pumpkin yogurt with pumpkin spice Cheerios and Frosted Mini Wheats and a Starkrimson pear.

Key lime skyr with pomegranate and Heritage Flakes.

Adam and I got a midweek lunch at Sweet to Lick vegan cafe and we are completely in love. We had a terrific hero with bulgogi style setain, gochujang mayo, and pickled vegetables.

Plus the best chocolate chip cookies ever sandwiched around Oreo cream filling!

Detroit Friends potato chips (expo sample). These are some of the very best kettle chips we’ve ever tasted and their company is totally fantastic too – some of the potatoes are grown in a vacant lot in Detroit’s Hope District.

Orange slice candies. There’s a vitamin commercial where a woman squeezes an orange slice shaped gummy and it made Adam and I both immediately want to run out to the drugstore.

Campfire S’mores ice cream.

White gummi slushie from 7-11. We are obsessed, these are so good. I’m not sure what the actual flavor is (pineapple? or maybe white grape?) but they are juicy and delicious.

All-you-can-eat sushi buffet at Mizumi. We love it there, everything is super fresh and expertly prepared. I didn’t snap all of my plates but the highlights included crab cakes, inari, and seaweed salad.

Roasted squash and tuna quinoa cakes with cocktail sauce.

Veggie bowls. Shredded cabbage tossed in this sauce / roasted edamame / marinated hard-boiled eggs (marinated in gochujang, brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar).

Mexican food at Oak House in Floral Park.

I had a Mezcal mojito.

And veggie fajitas with carrots, onions, squash, peppers, and mushrooms. They had chipotle Cholula at the table and we doused everything with it.

Plus Adam and I split vanilla flan and tres leches cake for dessert.

Have a great week!

9Oct2017

Weekend Update: Chilaquiles Edition

by Emily

Our Saturday and Sunday plans mirrored each other and my weekend days ended up following a template:

maple iced latte in Brooklyn // brunch at a Chris Santos restaurant in the Lower East Side with chilaquiles // ice cream for dessert // walk across a bridge // a veggie-forward homemade dinner {x2}

Iced nonfat latte with four shots of espressso and maple at Otha’s.

Iced nonfat Maple Shay with extra espresso at Brooklyn Roasting Co.

Brunch at Beauty and Essex. Vanilla doughnuts stuffed with raspberry jam to start.

I ordered a cocktail with tequila, honey, and smoked blackberries. It was good but Adam’s neon green Emerald Gimlet stole the show – Belvedere vodka, basil, lemon nectar, and fresh lime.

BaE is tapas style so we ordered three savory dishes to share. Crab egg foo young with shiitake mushrooms.

Chilaquiles with and pulled chicken, sunny side up egg, cotija cheese, and pickled red onion.

And braised chicken meatballs with sheep milk ricotta, wild mushroom, and truffle.

Brunch at Stanton Social. This is another sharing-encouraged spot so again we picked three plates to split. Fried chicken on blue corn waffles with corn pudding, fresno chile, and maple syrup.

Housemade naan with lamb bacon, zaatear spiced labneh, and pickled tomato. It was totally swoonworthy.

Chilaquiles with hand pulled chicken, sunny-side up egg, and feta. We preferred the Stanton Social chilaquiles to Beauty and Essex.

I also had a delicious Vietnamese coffee cocktail with Finlandia, Kahlua, cold brew coffee, and chocolate bitters.

Fueled across the Williamsburg Bridge with a doughnut ice cream sandwich at Stax. We had bourbon cornflake ice cream with Frosted Flakes and condensed milk on top.

Fueled across the Manhattan Bridge with Ice & Vice. Red (hibiscus, rose, Swedish Fish fluff) and Opium Den (white sesame, toasted poppy seed, lemon bread crouton) in a Froot Loops cone. The red ice cream was our favorite thing we ate all weekend.

I made an updated version of my Cheesy Eggplant Bake with meat sauce. For the sauce I cooked ground turkey breast and onion in olive oil with garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne with tomato paste and crushed tomatoes.

Quinoa bowls for Sunday dinner. Tri-color quinoa topped with smoked trout, lemon pepper Swiss chard, and butter sautéed chanterelles.

^^^

2Oct2017

Pecan Beer And Maple Sausage

by Emily

Adam and I both worked all weekend but on the plus side we had Friday off together first. And we have days off that line up this upcoming week too, woo-hoo!

Highlights from the (working for the) weekend…

On Friday, I blogged my last post from Loosie’s Cafe.

That’s a cortado. I also had an iced soy latte and a chocolate croissant while I typed.

For my homemade coffee I was back on the Wicked Joe train.

The cafeteria offerings are pretty sparse over the weekend, but I did pull together this tasty plate of macaroni and cheese and vegetable medley.

And I packed the last of my Apple Month goodies for snacking – TJ’s fruit bar and dried apple rings plus TJ’s cheese bites and an instant coffee package.

My outside of work snacks were all dessert based. These crunchy cookie Reese’s cups are our very favorite American-made candy.

We finally made it to Sundays in Brooklyn‘s coffee/dessert window.

Dairy-free dark chocolate soft serve with sugar crisps and toasted marshmallow. <– swoon

After work dinners were quick but delicious. And prep flew by with my weekend sip-while-you-work cooking cocktail hour. I made a spritzer with calamansi juice, Goldshlager, and club soda.

Abita’s pecan ale is super sweet and nutty.

We made fish sticks from scratch.

Salmon was on sale, so that’s what I bought, and it worked perfectly. Breaded in panko and baked, then dipped in cocktail sauce.

With broccoli on the side.

Another night we had breakfast bowls.

There was labne hiding on the bottom / topped with roasted tomatoes and sauteed onions with sumac and olive oil / roasted delicata squash / a fried egg / and maple chicken sausages.

P.S. Pumpkin Month started yesterday! I can’t wait to share my stash in Friday’s post.

Eating Chalk

Tag Archives: booze

Shave Ice and Rock Candy

Pumpkin’s Still In Season

Columbus Travels

David S Pumpkins Pizza

Last Week I…

White Gummi Slushie

Weekend Update: Chilaquiles Edition

Pecan Beer And Maple Sausage