This week marked Webster’s thirteenth Buyday! We celebrated with a walk at Edgewood Oak Brush Plains Preserve.
Plus smashburgers from Paper Plate. The dog and I shared a double 🙂
The human family members also enjoyed some fries.
Also we checked out Kismet Coffee and had a honey vanilla latte. They were out of skim milk and the pistachio milk was surprisingly pleasant.
Snacks this week were most bougie/international candies. The last of my Bon Bon stash.
Blueberry and sour passionfruit gummies (both 9.5/10’s!).
Colombian guava caramel candies.
My parents sent me this hibiscus sugar for my birthday so I tried it in some fun drinks.
Like a smoothie with frozen blueberries, vanilla protein powder, and water.
And in cold foam on an iced matcha.
One of my favorite dinner combinations is cole slaw with baked chicken. This bowl was Bang Bang inspired! Cabbage slaw with plain skyr, sweet chili sauce, honey, rice vinegar, Sriracha, mayo, and dijon mustard and baked chicken that was marinated in skyr, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and sweet chili sauce.
Turkey Laab. Paired with roasted zucchini and a mix of brown rice and roasted riced cauliflower.
Leftover cauliflower/rice with marinated kale (basically this recipe) and cheesy scrambled eggs.
Tofu – baked shredded super firm tofu that I tossed in a skillet with Trader Joe’s yuzu green tea jelly, gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame oil / sauteed baby bok choy with ginger and sesame seeds / radish cakes from the 99 Ranch freezer section.
We are on our second round of Wild Twist apples and I can say that they are my newest favorite.
I didn’t mean to do another birthday cake theme week but somehow it happened. Exhibit A – Oat Haus granola butter.
Eaten with plain skyr with plucot, blueberries, and cereal (Heritage Flakes and cinnamon Frosted Flakes).
Exhibit B – edible glitter (for cold foams) / Sprinkle’s cupcake cups / Barebell protein bar.
I hated the bar – both taste and texture were off-putting, nothing like their other flavors – but how gorgeous is this candy?!?
These berry (blackberry!) fruit gels are lovely.
Snack hour – honey mustard pretzel crackers (didn’t live up to expectations) with crab dip.
This week’s dinner theme was comfort food/Americana. Starting with “Polk Special,” aka a dish my husband’s family made growing up. Meat patties (I did ground turkey with panade, egg, urfa pepper, and smoked paprika) baked in condensed tomato soup and served on mashed potatoes (I followed this recipe but browned my butter). Plus roasted zucchini.
Leftover mashed potatoes and zucchini topped with egg tofu and sauteed mushrooms in a homemade chicken gravy.
Trader Joe’s frozen turkey corndogs (plus mustards for dipping). With green beans – steamed then sauteed with German mustard, yellow mustard, Sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar.
Disco fries! Trader Joe’s frozen waffle fries / tons of shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar / garlicy baked chicken / gravy. Plus roasted purple cauliflower.
This was easily one of our best weekends! I say that every weekend I get to spend with Adam, but still! We got to eat a thousand tasty things and admire a thousand beautiful things in Long Island, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. And our fridge is full of the most exciting leftovers! Highlights…
Amano Cafe Rocket Fuel, cold brew with maple and oat milk.
Strawberry smoothie. Frozen strawberries and cherries with water and vanilla protein powder. You can’t tell that those gummies were strawberry cake-shaped but I had a whole theme going.
Something & Nothing seltzer’s new flavor – pineapple and pink grapefruit – was a hit
This Hubba Bubba/Skittles min gum is an 11/10 and I recommend purchasing it. And it’s sugar-free!
Postcard Bakery 100% lived up to the hype. We had raspberry mochi donuts (best donut of my life), a lemon roll, and a sesame chocolate chip cookie.
Sea Cliff shave ice. We got cola and butter pecan with vanilla ice cream (they have the best, chewy ice cream) and mochi.
Thick ice cream. They were out of the chocolate cola flavor (so they will be seeing me again) but we did get to try buttered cherry pie.
We visited the Deep Roots farmers’ market (which is lovely and right on the water in Garvey’s Point) and had several treats. Jerk chicken empanadas.
S’mores cookie.
Homemade garlic bread chicken sandwiches. These were insane. Ciabatta baked with a mixture of butter, garlic, sugar, smoked paprika, gochugaru, and mozzarella cheese / baked chicken marinated in yogurt, lemon, and tons of garlic. Plus roasted broccoli.
And split a bowl with jerk chicken, sweet plantains, macaroni salad, grilled zucchini, spicy corn, coleslaw, cilantro aioli, and white rice.
Noreetuh. The lighting at this cute/cozy Hawaiian spot was abysmal but I am going to share my unattractive photos because the food was so great. They were doing a pre-fix menu for Restaurant Week so I got to try a ton of stuff. Bigeye tuna poke with macadamia nuts. Plus an amaretto Colada with dark rum, pineapple, and coconut. I also had an unphotographed Mai Tai – best I’ve ever tasted – with dark rum, pineapple, apricot brandy, and orgeat syrup.
Garlic butter shrimp bowl with pineapple, chili, macaroni salad, and steamed rice.
Sundae with chocolate haupia, graham crackers, almonds, Hawaiian black salt, and coconut ice cream.
Super Bueno. These were some of the very best cocktails we’ve ever tasted (and we tried most of the menu!). Salted Plum and Tamarind Milk Punch – charanda, ayuuk, salted plum & tamarind, lojana tea, and milk + Roasted Corn Sour – corn whiskey, reposado tequila, roasted corn, guajillo, lemon, and egg white.
Vodka Y Soda – vodka, guava, pasilla, and soda. This is hands-down my favorite drink I’ve ever tasted.
We got nachos as an afterthought and they ended up being the best nachos I’ve ever bought. With mushroom carnitas, poblano, pickled jalapeño, red onion, crema, Mexican cheese blend, cilantro, and mole negro. Now we need to go back again for a full meal!
Win Son. This was my favorite meal of the year (Adam chooses Noreetuh). Plant Daddy cocktail – cilantro-mint tequila, matcha, lemon, simple syrup, and egg white. I also had an unphotographed Breakfast of Champions with almond milk, roasted black sesame, El Dorado 5 year rum, rum cream, and toasted coconut.
Pea shoots with yun hai bean paste, sesame, and fried garlic.
Fried eggplant with black vinegar, labne, and spiced cashews.
Beef roll with garlic-ginger cucumbers and tons of herbs.
Sesame noodles with roasted oyster mushrooms, snow pea leaves, and peanuts.
Wavy noodles with lamb and fermented bean sauce.
Sundae with fried sweet dough, golden sesame ice cream, and red rice condensed milk plus we added butter fried peanuts and cilantro and made it a 15/10.
It was a fun week! Monday my parents were still in town and we took the day off to do Manhattan things with them. P.S. NY readers – we went to Lido Kosher Deli for their last dinner and the food was so good I got too excited to take a photo; you should go immediately.
Wednesday was my birthday and Adam and I took a long walk and got a giant ice cream (with BYOB sprinkles!). Plus I started my day with my free birthday Starbucks (with BYOB sprinkles).
Thursday we went to a bachelorette party and I had a margarita and discovered that the Trader Joe’s watermelon cucumber juice is the best mixer on the planet.
Friday we had reservations at Silver Apricot and did more fun Manhattan stuff. P.S. NY readers – they make some of the best Chinese food in the city and unfortunately are closing on August 11th so get a reservation ASAP.
Some highlights from the week included…
Joe Coffee yuzu elderflower coffee spritzer. The whole family thought this was delicious.
Donut Pub marble cruller. Stopping here after Strand book store is a great date.
Glace by Noglu‘s Rockefeller Center truck has the same menu as their storefront with half of the line. Classic s’mores – frozen hot chocolate, marshmallow hallo, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle.
Indoor s’mores bowl. I broiled marshmallows and chocolate chips on top of Heritage Flakes. Served with plain skry.
You know I had a cache of birthday cake snacks. Premier Protein protein shake (7/10), Made Good granola bar (9/10), Pop Art kettle corn (9/10), Sprinkles cupcake cups (11/10).
Chimango chili pineapple wedges have a wonderfully satisfying balance of savory-sweet and a great chewy texture.
This Wild Twist apple was Adam’s and my new favorite variety; crisp, juicy, and sweet.
All the leftovers. This bowl was pasta and harissa chicken from Sonder, pasta and garlicy greens from Rolos, and evoo and cheese from home.
My favorite sheet-pan hash. Roasted purple sweet potatoes and baby bok choy with smoked sockeye salmon and smoked salmon candy. Plus a sauce – plain Greek yogurt, mayo, Sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar – and furikake.
Spinach and artichoke gnocchi bake. This dip-lasagna-gnocchi abomination made a great casserole. Baked Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi; shredded chicken breast; spinach and artichoke sauteed with evoo, garlic, gochugaru, and salt and pepper; ricotta cheese, plain skyr, lemon juice, nutmeg, eggs, and extra-sharp cheddar; baked with mozzarella on top.
Silver Apricot. We shared and loved a ton of dishes. Adam had a great orange wine and I got an apricot spritzer.
Deviled tea eggs with pickled mustard seeds, chili-garlic aioli.
Crispy turnip cakes with scallion chili crisp, pickled radish, and garlic crunch.
Grilled summer squash with cashew chili crisp, cultured cashew cream, and coriander / rice rolls with celtuce, kohlrabi, and hoisin sauce / grilled hen of the woods mushrooms, pickled wood ear mushrooms, and salted egg yolk.
Mille-feuille with caramel / ridiculously good sesame panna cotta with grape granita.
My parents are here visiting for the weekend and we had a wonderful time! We got to explore Kingston, Ridgewood, and had a perfect visit to Untermyer Gardens.
Some of our best stops included…
Orwashers. Adam and I split an everything bagel with fried egg, cheddar, and beef bacon.
Plus a tahini coffee slushie.
Evil Twin. Their beers are always great but my favorite thing this visit was the frozen cola old fasioned.
Salty Lunch Lady is definitely my current favorite NYC restaurant. We had a peanut butter banana cream pie and an Elton Mess that blew everyone’s minds. Plus Adam and I shared a sandwich on the best seeded bread with smashed chicken meatball, feta, and smoked paprika mayo.
Kingston Bread. I had an iced latte with roasted corn syrup and a marbled black and white cookie.
Peanut butter iced latte! I shook warm espresso in the last of a jar of peanut butter. Plus brown sugar and skim milk.
Yogurt bowls. Plain skyr with plucot, passionfruit, and chocolate cookie granola.
Skyr, plucot, blackberries, Fix and Fogg super crunchy peanut butter, and Love Crunch espresso vanilla cream granola.
PB&J with whole wheat bread and blueberry jam.
I didn’t eat anything red-white-and-blue this week but we did enjoy some fair-inspired foods. Dirt Cake ice cream. P.S. I put mini Jr Mints on this and the combination was delightful
Cotton candy.
An easy dinner. Trader Joe’s frozen nuggets + roasted broccoli and cauliflower + homemade Greek yogurt honey mustard sauce.
BBQ plate. Baked chicken breast that I tossed in Stubbs bbq sauce and chili crisp / roasted zucchini / esquites – fresh corn off the cob sauteed with green onion, fresno chili, and cojita cheese, tossed with mayo, Greek yogurt, lime juice, and smoked paprika, gochugaru.
Hash. Roasted purple sweet potato and brussels sprouts / sauteed yellow onion, orange bell pepper, and poblano pepper / cojita cheese / Seemore chili verde chicken sausage / fried egg.
Fourth of July. Chicken sausage on a brioche bun with mustard and ketchup / fresh watermelon / homemade cole slaw (shredded cabbage with Greek yogurt, mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, and celery seed).
I had a free drink at Starbucks so I took a chance on a Neapolitan-style cold brew and it ended up working out. Vanilla cold foam, mocha sauce, and raspberry popping boba. It was a bit too sweet but I thought the fruity boba paired nicely with coffee (the baristas were horrified).
Buzz’d Coffee‘s monthly special was a cake batter iced latte so of course I drove over.
I made brownies for a work party so of course I put one on a yogurt bowl. With plain skyr, plucot, and blueberries. P.S. My brownies always get rave reviews and they are just the Baker’s recipe using salted butter and adding a Tbsp of espresso powder and a cup of chocolate chips.
A more traditional yogurt bowl – pb&j. Plain skyr, fruit, peanut butter, and Chia Smash concord grape jam.
Lavash wrap with yellow mustard, bread and butter pickles, cheese, and leftover turkey meatballs.
Lunch at Honey’s Bistro, a cute spot in Glen Head. I had the “Eat a Jerk Don’t Be One” bowl and it was super satisfying and delicious. Jerk chicken, sweet plantains, mac salad, grilled zucchini, spicy corn, coleslaw, cilantro aioli, and white rice. P.S. The menu is rife with puns (Harissa Explains it All bowl!!).
Also a guava bomboloni.
And a coconut brown sugar cold foam cold brew.
This peanutty noodle bowl frozen meal from Trader Joe’s was edible but not enjoyable and I wouldn’t recommend it nor buy it again.
This dinner was simple but a total hit. Homemade coleslaw (shredded cabbage, Greek yogurt, mayo, Dijon mustard, rice vinegar, sugar, and celery seed) topped with buffalo chicken (baked chicken tossed in a skillet with butter, Franks, and ranch seasoning).
Waffle bacon egg and cheese, aka WBEC, aka the best meal of the weekend. Whole Foods buttermilk protein waffles as bread with sliced Kerrygold Dubliner cheese, soft-scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and maple Sriracha sauce (with mayo and Dijon mustard). Plus roasted broccoli.
We spent the second half of our vacation back home and had a fabulous time! The past four days were spent cuddling with the dog, catching up on errands, checking out new spots in Brooklyn, running on the Long Beach boardwalk, and spending a perfect day in Hudson.
Some highlights include…
Hudson Roasters. They have my favorite espresso in New York.
Blue Bottle. Vanilla Nola Cola. Also our favorite seltzer – Something & Nothing.
Mel the Bakery. We got a fantastic pistachio and almond twice-baked croissant (plus a chocolate chip cookie).
Bread and Butter. We got a key lime pie soft serve (a swirl of key lime and graham cracker).
And an insanely good ube roll.
Huckleberry gummy bears we brought home from Colorado.
Cafe Mutton. My “excessive garnish” Bloody Mary came with a lamb chop!
Plus we had an omelet with trout roe, creme fraiche, and potato chips and the best buttered toast of my life (and chicken congee).
Lido Kosher Deli. Love a deli with pickles! Plus pretty great cole slaw.
We had an outstanding brisket sandwich on a knish (and a bagel loaded with lox).
Hidden Gem Cafe. We shared a Knockout – shredded beef, caramelized onion, Swiss cheese, Hidden sauce, and hashbrowns on a garlic roll (also a smoked turkey with tomato, spinach, cheddar, and bbq Dijon on ciabatta bread).
Kitty’s. Toki Kollins – Suntory Toki whisky, yuzu juice, club soda, sea salt, and thyme.
Romaneso with green chickpea, puntarelle, broken parsley bay oil, and limequat young coconut sauce.
Spring lamb sugo with treccione, Kinderhook lamb shoulder, fennel, green garlic, and shaved Pecorino Romano.
Rotisserie chicken with roasted Yukons and sunchokes, citrus, date, and charred spring onion relish.
Salted devil’s food cake.
Miso butter bean dip with roasted broccoli, baby carrots, and Trader Joe’s chicken samosas.
Egg salad (shredded hard-boiled eggs / sauteed white onion, orange bell pepper, poblano pepper, and garlic / Greek yogurt, Dijon, mayo, rice vinegar, mustard powder, smoked paprika, celery seed, and salt and pepper) / baby zucchini sauteed with a tahini harissa honey sauce / chicken chips and 7-11 garlic bread chips.
Eating Chalk 