Review :: Bakeri

We even like saying the word more knowing there is an I on the end. New to the scene, this unassuming shop, Bakeri, sits nestled on Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg. Bikes and dogs sat parked out front and the window welcomed us with a fall still-life. Inside, the artistic touches continue—each more beautiful than the last. A vintage display case, bowls, rolling pins, robust loaves of bread all perfectly placed. The garden out back has an espresso drinker today, cozy in chilly fall air with her book and mug. Each element is so perfectly done, words will ruin its sweetness and perfect charm. Instead, we encourage you to stop in for a lunch of soup and hearty sandwich, or for one of their delicious sweets—which they’ll wrap in brown wax paper with perfect twists at each end. We left with Lavender shortbread and a brownie—sweetest way to end a long work day.

Weekend Guide :: 01.29.10

This Sunday Jean-Luc Le Dû, of Le Dû’s Wines on Washington Street, is hosting a luncheon at Bouley with Burgundy vineyards serving their wines. Enjoy delicious food and wine and meet the producers. Sunday January 31^st at 163 Duane Street (Hudson Street), Lunch is from noon to 4 and costs $195 (212) 924-6999.

The Noble Rot, a roving wine tasting and lesson group, is holding their latest event this Sunday from 7 to 9pm at NY Vintners in Tribeca. They describe the events as wine and friends focused. You might be exploring a specific grape, varietal, or region always grounded in the history. Look forward to theatrics, friendly banter, and full pours. To sign up email info@thenoblerot.com, tastings usually cost about $30.

You can’t beat the hot chocolate at City Bakery. We’d venture to say it would even be good in the summer, but at this height of winter get excited about a month long Hot Chocolate Festival. Check out this calendar to find out what hot chocolate to expect each day this month. The first ? Lemon hot chocolate… We’re lining up Sunday ! 3 W 18^th Street, All. Month. Long.

The always anticipated “ Food Experiments” at the Bell House in Gowanus is bringing the Taco Experiment to you this Sunday. Same drill as always—you can test other’s tacos, or you can enter your own for a chance at two tickets to anywhere in Mexico. YUM. To enter visit the site!

Tay Tea :: Persian Rose

Winter is about to remind us its January and this weekend, curling up with a cup of this—Tay Tea might be just the thing. Uncapping the jar of “Persian Rose” is as much of an experience as drinking it. The delicious smell is not to be believed. And how cute are Nini’s other names : “Marry me again” or “A Day in Provence” ? Each is a sight too—vibrant rose petals, currants, or cornflower. A full sensory experience we might say. And Nini’s love of tea is articulated perfectly. She says, “What inspires me is the simple truth that tea, like love, has no boundaries. It is available everywhere and within the reach of everyone. It is simple and pure. All you need is hot water and the patience to linger a few moments while the tea leaves dance. And much like love, tea is layered and complex. It is sophisticated and mysterious. The more I dig into the deep culture of tea, I seem to never get to the bottom of it.”

Ace Hotel Review, Part 2:: Stumptown

Also in the Ace hotel is a great midtown pit stop or hang out for a hot drink: Stumptown. Stop for a gourmet cup of coffee, or as with The Breslin, your dose of all things hipster. This light filled storefront has busy bee workers in bow ties and glasses filling espresso shots and steaming milk. We love the white, cream and brown palette and the grandness of the coffee bar. Grab a latte on your walk by or stop and enjoy it in their awesome lobby with their mismatched furniture, board games, library desks with hard-at-work apple laptops, and the best finishing touch : a gargantuan American Flag as the backdrop. Oh, and another bonus, Stumptown is camera friendly.

Intern Needed

INTERNS NEEDED

Position Description :
Opportunity to work behind the scenes on collaborative events. Meet and work alongside varied chefs and designers in the event/entertaining industry. Applicant should be an enthusiastic hard worker who is interested in facilitating these relationships and coordinating for events. Internship will be 2 days a week with flexibility, but including weekend hours during events. Some tasks might include event production, prop sourcing, DIY projects, online research, and assisting at Photo shoots. Internship is unpaid but you will eat well!

Applicant must be :
- Comfortable working in a kitchen with food
- Knowledgeable about current food trends, design and event publications and blogs
- Outgoing and personable, able to engage strangers and facilitate social events
- Creatively minded – Enthusiastic about design elements and able to make tasteful decisions
- Highly organized and computer proficient

*Applicants especially desired with interest/education in any of the following: culinary arts, photography, graphic design, floral design, and PR.

please email a cover letter and resume to info@sunday-suppers.com

If You Build It, They Will Come :: The Breslin

Without sounding snooty, we think it’s fair to say that any side street lining Broadway from about 25th to 34th is somewhat of a taste wasteland. Bordered top and bottom by Madison Square Park and the Garment district, there isn’t much here except perfume and Hanes T-shirt shops—a sort of final frontier for Manhattan. Enter stage West (20 W 29th Street) : The Breslin in The Ace Hotel. We walked through the label-less door, hidden behind endless pumpkins and cabbage plants, and found ourselves in a pretty cool bar. Black painted wood, mirrors and taxidermy made us feel like we’d walked out of the wasteland and into…well…Hipster Brooklyn. How this demographic finds themselves in this oasis everyday we’re not sure. But we like it—a refreshing view of hipsters when we’re used to them in their usual haunts. What wasn’t so refreshing was their photography policy. Just a few snaps and we were reprimanded for taking out a camera. We tried reason, but got nowhere. So where these pictures could have continued into a beautiful lunch, we were cut off. We had to go about our way, grumbling tummies and all, since we were there to review. It’s a tough job keeping up the too cool for school attitude, but somebody’s got to do it !

Granola :: How To + Recipe

To complete of breakfast gift (from this series) were little pillows of granola. Granola is such a hearty and tasty breakfast, and couldn’t be easier to make. We packaged it in simple cellophane bags available at many stationary and craft stores. And as a sweet last detail we hugged these little guys with a piece of twine. Here is the basic recipe we used, you can always add in extras like other nuts, dried fruit or coconut :

Homemade Granola
Serves 4-6

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
3/4 cup honey
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

Directions

Heat oven to 320 degrees.
Place the butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the butter is melted. Place the oats and nuts in a large bowl, pour over 1/2 the butter mixture and toss well to combine. Spread evenly over the base of a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Stir, pour the remaining half of your butter mixture over the granola and bake for a further 5−10 minutes or until crisp and golden. Allow to cool and stir through additional items like raisins cranberries, pumpkin seeds or pistachios. Store in an airtight container.

Weekend Guide :: 12.22.10

The Savoy, a longtime locavore favorite and pioneer, is serving up a warm winter lunch – cassoulet style. Saturday from 12:30 to 3:30 you can taste seven different French bean stews, slow cooked, all for $65. Visit them in Soho at 70 Prince Street to warm up your soul and fill your belly. Reservation is required ! So call ahead : 212.219.8570.

Come taste some pies (or show of yours) at the 3rd annual BK Farmyards Pie contest. For just five dollars you can taste numerous pies alongside famous foodie judges and contribute to a worthy cause. This Saturday – 5:30 at K&M Bar at 225 N 8th Street in Brooklyn. A perfect dessert course to your 7 cassoulets !

Edible Manhattan wants you to join them for a cocktail party this Monday from 6 to 9pm, at Almond (12 E 22nd Street). “Good Spirits” will present 7 different meals by 7 different chefs with 7 different drink pairings. All you have to do is eat, drink, and tell them your favorite (for only $40).

Locanda Verde (337 Greenwich Street), a recent Tribeca favorite, is hosting a black truffle dinner this Monday January 25th. For just $49.95 savor 3 courses of amazing truffle goodness. Make your reservation now : 212.925.3797

* And don't forget -- restaurant week starts this coming Monday. Take some time this weekend to decide what to treat yourself to !

Recipe:: Honey Fromage Blanc

In case you do decide to make fromage blanc at your next even here is the recipe. And just FYI—this also serves beautifully as a dessert at a dinner party with berries ! Recipe courtesy of the Ina Garten.

32 ounces fromage blanc
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup good honey
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
Vanilla seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Stir the fromage blanc, cream, honey, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and vanilla seeds together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

We the filled the bottoms of clean jars with honey (your favorite will do), and covered it with the fromage blanc. Refrigerate until event.

Cheese Buffet:: A Keepsake

Last but not least in our cream and white event story is our gift table. We knew we wanted something unique from our display but still a continuation of sorts. What comes after dessert cheese? Breakfast cheese ! Here, we made a Honey Fromage Blanc (adapted from Ina Garten), and layered it in small jars with honey. We also added a pouch of granola to complete the meal. This gift was easy to assemble, inexpensive, thoughtful, and displays adorably. The idea could be adjusted even without a cheese theme into a yogurt and granola.




All Photos + Styling by Karen Mordechai
Styling Assistant: Lizzy Sall
Signage and Calligraphy by Maybelle Imasa-stukuls

Cheese, In depth

When educating ourselves on the cheeses we learned about appropriate pairings. Here is a little lesson for all of you :

(clockwise starting at the top left )

Cremeux de Bourgogne : This is a French pasteurized cow’s milk cheese from the Burgundy region of France. It is a triple cream, soft, sweet and buttery. The dessert-like and fluffy nature encourages a complimenting sweet. In true dessert form we paired it with milk chocolate. Sinfully good.

Fleur du Maquis : This grayish block comes from a Corsican ewe and is raw. Small holes are dug in this cheese to be filled with different seasoning—in this case, Rosemary. The interior here is cake-like and mild, with a hint of cream. Its smoothness beckons the buttery nuttiness of walnut. We love this pairing but feel that maybe a sweet drizzle of something will prevent your mouth from feeling dry.

Persille du Malzieu : This beautiful bleu is from raw ewe’s milk, found on the perimeter of where Roquefort is found. It is spicy and earthy—this one stands alone.

Ossau Iraty-Vieille : This cheese from Pyrenees based sheep sits in caves for 10 to 12 months where it crystallizes and matures. Both sweet and nutty, this buttery cheese pairs perfectly with our sweet yellow clover honey and our quince paste—we put both out for the diner to choose !

Gabietou : Gabietou is fun to say and beautiful looking. It is also a combination of cow and sheep milk, raised in the Pyrenees. Slightly firm, slightly sharp, deep in flavor and brine washed, we like it with our crisp pear round.

Bon apetite !

Cheese Table :: Part 2, the individual plates

In our search for all things cheese we came across these delicate little porcelain boards. We loved the idea of taking a huge artistic display, and breaking it down into little tastings for each guest. We plated a painter’s palette to be served as a unique course during the meal. With this, the table becomes part of the décor of your wedding and the board part of your meal. Maybelle also created an illustrated menu to inform guests. Next week we will go into further detail about the cheeses,how we chose them and a perfect take home favor to go along. Till then...happy weekend.






All Photos + Styling by Karen Mordechai
Styling Assistant: Lizzy Sall
Flowers by Rountree Flowers

Sunday Suppers:: Martha Stewart Feature

Sunday Suppers was graciously asked to guest blog for Martha Stewart’s wedding blog : The Bride’s Guide with Darcy Miller. For our post we decided to create a dessert cheese table—very much in the French fashion—using a rustic chic look for décor, staying within the given color palate of cream and white. Cheese, in its blocks and wheels, is such a beautiful thing. We also love this because it is very attainable for every bride—DIY brides to high end wedding planner events can mold this idea to fit their budget. We sought out cheese that created visual variety for the display, and variety in taste for the serving. We also searched for pairings that really highlighted and complimented their cheese. Once our cheeses were selected (more on that later) we had a great time arranging a beautiful buffet table. We used delicate pairings like french baguette, honey, and pear, to add colors and shapes. We also enlisted the incredibly talented Maybelle Imasa-stukuls to create signage for our cheeses. These beautiful French names and gorgeous wheels deserved nothing but the best for their labeling.

* In the coming days we will walk you through the step by step process of choosing the cheeses and pairings for this table, along with a table setting and an individual cheese plate we designed for each guest. We're also offering design services such as favors and tablescapes for weddings and events. For more information or to signup for mailing list updates email: info@sunday-suppers.com












All Photos + Styling by Karen Mordechai
Styling Assistant: Lizzy Sall

Midday Meal :: Ricotta + Pickled Fig

This one is so simple and so mouthwateringly good it’s sinful. Not much (or any) cooking is required here either. You take one slice of crusty baguette, slather some thick sweet ricotta on (we love Salvatore – made here in Brooklyn—definitely the richest we’ve tasted to date) and top it with a pickled fig. A what you ask ? Yup, a pickled fig, sweet and balsamic, with that unique fig texture. We used Boat Street pickled figs here which you can buy locally at Murray’s Cheese or Marlow and Daughters .

Winter Dinner :: Favors + Thank You

As a thank you to our Guests we created a Favor table near the door. We displayed recipe cards in a vintage dish rack and hung a cute "Thanks" banner from the ceiling. This was so easy to do, we printed a typewriter font on index cards and attached them to a nice wide ribbon. Upon leaving, guest were given a jar of our kumquat marmalade and a stack of recipe cards to test their new skills at home. We'd like to thank everyone for coming and a huge thanks to the adorable and awesome Jewels of Ny ! We will be posting some new classes soon and we have an exciting project to tell you guys about this week, so stay tuned :)

Weekend Guide :: 01.08.10

It's going to be a chilly nyc weekend, so indoor markets may be the way to go...here's an update on a few bk markets.

The Brooklyn Flea will move into a new winter indoor space on Jan. 9 in the Williamsburg Savings Bank building at 1 Hanson Place in Fort Greene. It will be open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., through March 28. After that it will go back to to its two outdoor locations.

The seasonal outdoor Community Market on Fifth Avenue and Fourth Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn (which sells produce and locally made foods), will open an indoor location in the Makers Market, an arts and crafts market at 232 Third Street, Gowanus, Brooklyn. It will operate every Sunday until the spring: from 11-5pm.

Not sure what to do/where to dine this weekend? Eater just put out their top 38 restaurants for 2010. It’s a great roundup including some classics, a few newbies, and we even spotted some of our local faves including frankies, diner and robertas.

And for dessert, stop in for a cupcake at Baked by Melissa. She just opened a new location in Union Square. Her bite-sized morsels are so delish, and in such a sweet size (comparable to a half dollar coin) we're convinced they are calorie free. 7 East 14th Street, 212-255-5526

Winter Dinner :: Vanilla Pudding with Candied Kumquats

For Vanilla Pudding
1 1/3 cup sugar
10 tablespoons cornstarch
8 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
4 whole vanilla beans or 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

For Candied Kumquats
8 cups fresh kumquats, about 2 lbs.
2 cup water
4 cups plus 4 tablespoons sugar

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a heavy medium saucepan, then whisk in milk, cream and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently, then boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Divide among glasses and chill, uncovered, until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours. Thinly slice kumquats crosswise with a sharp knife, discarding seeds. Bring water and 2 cups sugar to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then simmer syrup, uncovered, 8-10 minutes. Stir in kumquats and simmer gently 15-20 minutes. Let stand at room temperature. Spoon over puddings

Recipe Courtesy of The Jewels of NY for Sunday Suppers

Winter Dinner :: Spice Rubbed Lamb Chops with Grape-Almond Port Sauce and Harvest Root Vegetables

Spice Rubbed Lamb Chops with Grape-Almond Port Sauce and Harvest Root Vegetables
Serves 4-6 (2 chops per person)

For Lamb
10 3/4–inch–thick lamb rib chops or 30 1 1/4–inch–thick lamb loin chops
1/3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 tablespoons orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper




Position a rack 4-5 inches from the broiler and preheat broiler. In a small bowl combine cinnamon, orange zest and cumin; stir well. Rub spice mixture over both sides of chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange lamb chops over a lightly oiled broiler pan. Broil, turning halfway through cooking, until the chops are nicely browned on both sides. 6 min. total for medium-rare, 8 min. total for medium.




For Harvest Vegetables
(serves 4-6)
1/3 pounds carrots, cut into 2 inch length
1/3 pounds parsnips, cut into 2 inch length
1/3 pounds rutabagas, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
1/3 pounds shallots, halved
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig salt and pepper

Preheat oven 425. In a large bowl, toss the root vegetables with oil, thyme, rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Divide between 2-3 large, sturdy rimmed baking sheets. Cover with foil and roast for 25-30 minutes, shifting the pans once. Remove the foil and roast for 10 minutes longer until golden brown and tender.

Port Sauce

1/2 large shallots, minced
1/3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup ruby port wine
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cups pitted halved seedless red grapes
1/4 cup whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped

In a medium sauce pan over moderate heat, melt butter and saute shallots until translucent. Pour in the port wine, orange juice and zest. Boil until reduced by half, about 15-20 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl and return to heat. Add in grapes and boil until grapes just start to breakdown; stir in almonds. Set aside and keep warm.

Recipes Courtesy of The Jewels of NY for Sunday Suppers