More Work To Be Done...

I'm trying my best to eat my way through the vendors at Smorgasburg, the local Saturday "flea market" for food. Here are some highlights of my trips there this summer:


Doughnut holes from Dough


Landhaus maple bacon on a stick


Landhaus BLT


Brooklyn Soda Works blackberry-mint artisanal soda


Nana’s (made by Cecile Dyer of Pies ’n’ Thighs) frozen banana with nuts and sea salt

Okay, so I haven't really made a dent.  Smorgasburg closes for the winter on November 20th, so there's still time for me to visit a few more times. Have you been there? What do you recommend I try?

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Oh, yeah. And I drank one of these.

Yeah, so, I had a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's in March.  They can be hard to find in NYC, but I found it at the joint just around the corner from my house.

It wasn't bad, BUT it was clearly just a vanilla shake with some sort of colored flavoring mix stirred into it.  I could tell because it hadn't been stirred very well, so it was white and streaky at the bottom. I guess the woman who prepared my shake doesn't consider herself an artisan.  Or something.

Also, the whipped cream on top? Complete overkill.

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Birthday Fish-a-ma-jig

My sister's birthday was a few weeks ago, and it was in her honor that I had a McDonalds Filet-O-Fish sandwich for dinner that day.  Above is the photo I sent her to prove it.

You might remember my sister, Cali, from her guest post about her law school food storage habits.  It's worth reading.  Eventually, I wrote its sister post (zing!) about my own fridge-full of food.

Anyway, Cali and I both have a taste for the sandwich above, which she and a friend call the "fish-a-ma-jig."  I eat one as a guilty pleasure every month or two, but only enjoy it if it's JUST out of the fryer.  Even then, if it's not eaten quickly, the last corner bite tastes sort of dreary and cold, so I don't linger. My favorite part?  Oozing tartar sauce.  I know this will gross some of you out, but I strive for honesty in these posts. And I like sauces.

Happy Birthday, Cali!  Here's to another year of occasional fish-a-ma-jigs.  My wish for you is that this next year will also find you living with a fully stocked fridge (she graduated from law school, folks! AND got a job!).  It's good to share this guilty pleasure with you.

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Deluxe-ify My Love.

For the second time in my life (and the past year), I have visited a "real" Chick-fil-A. Both times have been in Pennsylvania, as the only C-f-A in New York State is an "express" with limited selections (just original sandwich, nuggets, and fries).

My in-laws, who are not particularly fond of fast food restaurants, agreed to lunch with me at a standalone Pittsburgh Chick-fil-A during our visit. I was overjoyed. Should I be embarassed that I found myself chanting "Chick-fil-A, Chick-fil-A, Chick-fil-A!" in the parking lot while clapping my hands? Granted, I chanted this quietly, but I did chant.

I chose a Deluxe sandwich (like the original, but with the addition of fresh-tasting lettuce and tomato) with Buffalo and Chick-fil-A sauce, a slice of lemon meringue pie (topped with 'Nilla Wafers), and an Arnold Palmer (half lemonade, half iced tea).

It's still my favorite fast food chicken sandwich; that's for sure. The bun seemed especially buttery, as if to greet me. The chicken was moist and the lettuce crisp. The pie's meringue was light and its filling sweet. My beverage suited perfectly.

As a bonus, Dan and his parents seemed to enjoy their meals, too. This was their very first C-f-A experience and I was happy to hear them speak positively of it later. Dan even went back for a second sandwich, so I think he's in my corner. Frankly, I would have accepted "tolerable" as a reaction. I just don't want my family and my best friend in fast food to be in a fight.