Poetry Tuesday: I don't get it.

Your face is so nice but your nice isn't nicest
What's magic, who's longing, where's heart-smash and heavy breaths?



You're sitting there crisply, you don't move, won't move me
You're quiet, I do think; I don't think you're thinking



Your words slip out pretty but not quite full-flavor
Your hands might be empty, my hands glance away



I crunch your small whispers; they crumble like old age
What's filling you, darling, and where did it go?


Happy Macaron Day, everyone.  Do you love them? Because I like them, but if you love them...what exactly do you see in them?

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Air France Nibbles

Dan brought some of his in-flight snacks home after a recent trip through Paris (destination: Beirut) on Air France.  I tried them.  I liked them!

My favorite of the two was Traou Mad de Pont-Aven Mini-Gaufres -- waffled rounds with a "paprika/spice mix flavor." They're just barely spicy, with a rich, complex taste.

Traou Mad de Pont-Aven Apericrepes are small bits flavored with comte cheese and walnut. They were almost sweet in an intriguing way.

Both are savory, crispy, and altogether appealing.  I'd happily eat more than my fair share of either one.

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For God's Sake, Don't Toast Them!

While I definitely encourage the words "frosted" and "organic" to come together on as many products' packages as possible, Nature's Path Organic Frosted Toaster Pastries are not quite perfect as a supposedly "healthier" alternative to Pop-Tarts.

The filling in the Nature's Path version is far, far superior in flavor to the classic cherry Pop-Tart (my favorite P-T flavor).  There just isn't enough inside the NP for it to become gooey when toasted. And the icing on the outside is more a glaze than a true frosting. So eat them raw, and you should enjoy the tart cherry pomegranate flavor inside. Raw, they rule.

But toast them at your own peril!

I have always preferred to have my Pop-Tarts raw, too, but it's actually more wrong to toast Nature's Path Toaster Pastries. They burn too easily, and become hard and extra-crunchy. Toasting them in my office toaster oven left them tasting something like a cardboard graham cracker and completely overwhelmed the fruit inside.

So, for me, it's eat -- but do not heat.  I repeat: do not heat.

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From the Vaults: Eating Egypt: Day 7: Our last day in Cairo

I've been meaning to get this post up for about a year and a half!  It's the final day's food highlights from our trip to Egypt.  And it's nothing so complicated that it should have taken this long.

1. We bought an nut-topped ice cream from a shop down the street from our hotel...


2. We had a great mango smoothie from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in Zamalek, where we bought our wireless card...









We walked around the tentmakers' market and actually didn't see any other tourists there. That was a nice change of pace after the overcrowded Khan el-Khalili market. We even paid a local college student (who, though he didn't ask for money, probably wished to make a few bucks and practice his English) a little money to be our guide. I was suspicious of his sales pitch, which started as soon as we got out of our cab, but it actually turned out to be a great way to spend the afternoon. Dan got to take some pictures inside one of the mosques while I (a woman, and not allowed to enter through the front of the building) sat outside and watched passing children peek at me surreptitiously. We both saw a lot of amazing architecture.

3. On the street, as we walked, a fruit vendor handed me a banana.  Our guide said, as I tried to refuse it, "Oh no, it is a gift! You'll insult him if you don't take it." So I took it home and ate it in our hotel room.  It looked like a banana -- that's it. But it tasted better than U.S. supermarket bananas. The fruit in Egypt really is superb.




4. Our final dinner was served that evening, on the veranda of a fancy hotel on Zamalek, overlooking the Nile. There, we saw a local soccer star and enjoyed amazing food. I'll have to check my notes to see if I have the name of this hotel written down. I'll update here if I do. Once again, I could have made a meal of the appetizers alone. I really just wanted bowls and bowls of the garlic spread. The night grew dark as our little grill flamed. Everything was perfect.

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Day seven at last! My recounting of our trip to Egypt is now, sadly, complete.  Thanks to Adam and Omar, our thoughtful and well-connected hosts, we had an incredible time. Truly, I'd say we didn't eat a bad meal while there -- and we suffered no gastrointestinal distress (no small feat for some international destinations)!

Ah, Cairo. I will always dream of your baby eggplants, garlic dips, and tangerine juice. I hope to return someday.

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Rad Radishes

(photo by Dan)

This plate of goodness (made by Dan) should have been included in my CSA 2011 coverage, but (as you may know) that coverage was cut short. I just ran across the photo again and was reminded to share it with you, in anticipation of the radishes I hope will cross all our paths in 2012.

It's just soft butter + grated radish + salt + pepper, spread on crusty bread.  Do it!

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A delicious knock-off could be a victimless crime...

Anybody else remember those "Designer Imposter" fragrances on sale all over the place in the 80s?

It's a tenuous connection, but I couldn't help but think of them after eating what's pictured above. This is a snack of which I'd like to create an imposter.

I also couldn't help but think of David Lynch's Blue Velvet. Don't they sort of look like severed ears?



I really do think I (or anyone) could make these at home. They're chocolate covered dried banana chips with a layer of peanut butter inside. The best ones are thick enough to be crunchy, but thin enough to sort of melt away as you chew them. I'll let you know if I try to DIY these guys.  "If you like Confectious, You'll Love Our Chocolate Severed Ears!" (slogan needs work).

Or, you know, I may just stay lazy and buy some more at Whole Foods.

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I can't even.

Got this in my email inbox.  It's a joke, right? In the style of The Yes Men? Otherwise, where would I begin? 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Three Strikes, You’re In!
McDonald's and the New York Police Department Launch Joint Initiative
New York, New York (March 6, 2012) - McDonald's and the New York Police Department are launching "Three Strikes, You're In!," a bold new program that rewards New Yorkers for their patience with the NYPD's "Stop and Frisk" policy.
With "Three Strikes, You're In!," individuals who are stopped and released three times without charge are eligible for one Happy Meal™ at participating McDonald's stores. To receive their Happy Meal™, customers must record each stopping officer's badge number, as well as the the time and location of the stop, on a voucher obtainable at these stores.
"This is just one way McDonald’s gives back to the communities we’re a part of," said Mark Ramos, a McDonald's spokesperson. "We're proud to provide copious, satisfying, affordable food in areas that other chains don't dare operate. With 'Three Strikes, You’re In!' we're showing we also recognize these communities' safety and civil liberties problems."
"'Stop and Frisk' gets dozens of guns off the streets each year, makes respectable citizens feel secure, and lets would-be criminals know that we're watching them," said New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. "It generates some resentment in these low-income communities, since most of those stopped are innocent, but with the help of McDonald's, we’re showing we understand. We can't afford to change 'Stop and Frisk,' but we're happy to compensate those who are stopped in the course of keeping the City safe."
"Three Strikes, You're In!" is a project of McDonald's 365Black.com, which celebrates African American culture and achievements all year round. To download your own "Three Strikes, You're In!" vouchers, please visit www.threestrikesyourein.org. Non-citizens and those with criminal records are ineligible.

Poetry Tuesday: How I love her

Were she a mealtime, it's breakfast she'd be:
Cinnamon puff, doughnut-tasting curves,
Brown butter lingering on lips, one
Tall glass of milk, a smooth-skinned good egg,
A sharp shot of grapefruit, pulp in.
 
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Birthday Bites

You may have noticed that I'm fond of the edible birthday. It's true. I hardly need gifts anymore. Just feed me.

This year's birthday was another good excuse for eating with friends. I was surprised (truly surprised) by a birthday brunch of some favorites from Pies 'n' Thighs -- chicken and waffles, chicken biscuits, and a doughnut "cake." What you see above are the delicious, delicious remains of that party. Thanks, friends!




Because I didn't have time to bake myself a cake to share with family and friends, Dan brought home "cookie pies" from The Blue Stove. One was chocolate chip, one chocolate crinkle, and one snickerdoodle.  Happy Birthday to me! We shared two after dinner and had one with breakfast the next morning. Frankly, I liked them better than traditional whoopie pies, though they had a little too much cream filling (event for my taste) in their middles.

My favorite almost-four-year-old also helped her mom bake me a "proper" birthday cake the next night.  It was lemony and rich (not pictured). We all enjoyed large pieces with whipped cream. I probably need the recipe.



Finally, on a whim, I bought myself a package of these limited edition Birthday Cake Oreos. Don't you hate it when the store is out of classic Double Stuf? It leads me to all sorts of wild experimentation. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Oreos (their 100th birthday is TODAY!), but I really didn't like the Birthday Cake flavor much. I have a sweet tooth, but MAN, are they ever sweet. And Dan was out of the country during the week that followed my birthday, so I was forced to eat them all myself. Total Oreo-filling-plus-weird-sprinkle-pieces overload. But I managed. I nearly always do.
 
I miss you, Double Stuf!! You're my true birthday wish. Be back in stock soon!

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Quesadilla of the Day

Urban Rustic
236 N 12th St 
between Driggs Ave & Union Ave)
(718) 388-9444 
 www.urbanrusticnyc.com        


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Let Them Eat (Fish and) Cake

Bon Chovie fried, fresh anchovies.  Eat the head or twist it off -- it's up to you!


Ridiculously good pumpkin cake with hot fudge sauce and bourbon whipped cream -- the perfect cake to eat outdoors on a frosty autumn afternoon.

Months and months ago, we made our last sojourn to Smorgasburg, the seasonal (outdoor) Brooklyn Flea food market that is for neighborhood "foodie" fare what a farmer's market is for fresh fruits and vegetables.  Shortly after this trip, it closed for the winter.

I haven't come anywhere close to trying at least one thing from each vendor, but I look forward to continuing this quest in the spring. Smorgasburg reopens April 7th.

See past Smorgasburg/Brooklyn Flea posts here and here.

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I was right!

I have mentioned several (too many?) times on this site that I suspected 3 Musketeers makers had dumbed-down the bar's chocolate somehow in order to make it lower fat.  The color has seemed off for years, and I swear the flavor hasn't been up to par either.

Now! The Universe may have heard my lament, because I discovered this beauty waiting for me at my local pharmacy a few weeks ago.  It's a 3 Musketeers Bar that proclaims, "Now Richer Chocolate Taste" on the wrapper.  And it delivers!  See above; to these eyes it even looks prettier than it used to.



Some prayers are answered in easily identified ways.  This is one of those stories.
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In case you're not a weekly visitor to chain doughnut shops...

I just wanted you to know that around Valentine's Day (and my birthday, by proxy) the Boston Creme Doughnuts at Dunkin' Donuts became heart-shaped.  Now, sadly, they're back to round.  I checked Wednesday morning.

#eatingforjournalisticpurposes
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Gasp!

Can it be? Too MUCH caramel? In one candy bar? I never thought I'd see the day.



Milky Way Simply Caramel has upset the balance of my sweet and salty cravings. Quick! Bring me potato chips!

This is one candy bar that would benefit from being packaged in two smaller bites (unlike Peanut Butter Snickers, which comes in two pieces but in a way that seems chintzy and unnecessary).

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From the Vaults: Doughnut Teaser

I keep eating doughnuts.  Here are a few.




Doughnuts by Pies 'n' Thighs, via Gimme Coffee





Doughnuts by Dough, via Gimme Coffee

Now that Gimme has switched over to doughnuts from "Dough" in Bushwick, I have to say I like the change.  Pictured above are a blood orange doughnut (anybody else reading Tyra Banks' Modelland? If so, you'll know why I am nuts over blood orange anything), a mixed-berry doughnut, and a chocolate chip and sea salt scone.  I found them superior in flavor to the dense and sometimes greasy Pies 'n' Thighs doughnuts.  I'll still eat PnT's flavors, especially lemon poppyseed, but I'm more often in the mood for a "Dough" frosted glazed.

p.s. Pies 'n' Thighs doughnuts are good if you're looking for the "window to weight gain" pictured below:



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