2007 – Page 3 – Not Eating Out in New York

17 Nov 2007

Which is The Ugliest Gourmet?

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Events, My Events | 24

Judgment is upon us for The Ugliest Gourmet! Let’s have a big round of imaginary applause for everyone who bravely cooked, photographed and blogged about all the treats below. This home-cooking event was devised to prove that, despite the visual ostentation that professional cooks strive for, great food doesn’t always look so great. So for once, the pressure of beauty is off — and in fact, turned on its head. What will these bloggers have the freedom to cook up … Read More

15 Nov 2007

Parmesan-Pureed Broccoli

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Recipes, Sides & Salads, vegetarian | 7

Submissions close for the first-ever Ugliest Gourmet blogging contest in about ten minutes, and I scramble to bring you this humble entry. I contemplated plenty of visually off-putting dishes in the past weeks, but in the end, this simple vegetable side seemed to be the most to-the-point: Butter, broccoli and Parmiggiano-Reggiano — what’s not to love? Oh yeah, that gross green muck that it turns out looking like.

15 Nov 2007

My Grub on the ‘Street

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Ruminations | 5

You know that change is in the air when The New York Times‘ restaurant critic claims that the latest bauble of legendary restaurant family Cipriani’s gourmet empire “exists to affirm its patrons’ ability to throw away money” on the same day that eating-out bible New York Magazine‘s hourly restaurant blog covers a home cooking contest using only bodega ingredients. If you catch my long-winded drift, that waft I smell might be something along the lines of, oh… not eating out. … Read More

13 Nov 2007

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Candied Orange Peel and Mint

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Recipes, Sides & Salads, vegan, vegetarian | 12

Don’t be swayed by the length of this rather unwieldy-sounding recipe’s name; the latter two ingredients, candied orange peels and fresh mint, are almost inessential to the sparkling culinary gemstone that is roasted beets and fresh orange slices. “Wow” hardly nips at the issue I’m talking about here. Okay, so it’s only food — two foods to be precise. But sometimes, all’s it takes, as they say, is two to tango.

9 Nov 2007

The Bodega Challenge

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Cook-Offs, NYC Events, Recipes | 12

As I’ve probably admitted more than once on this blog, in times of need, I turn the corner of my block and walk into “my” neighborhood bodega. Here I can score milk, limes, boxes of pasta, snacks, and more often than I’d like, pints of ice cream. Plus, the friendly Korean couple who own it treat me like a neighbor, and will let me get away with a few bucks if I’m short, since they know I’ll be back. Have … Read More

8 Nov 2007

1 Week Before Ugliest Gourmet

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Events | 3

It’s almost here. In little over one week, this blog will become a virtual showcase of the most horrendous cooked creations ever known to have tasted good. Just imagine all the re-learning these cooks are doing for it – making a go of mashing things once again, chopping with reckless disregard for uniformity, focusing their lenses on not the appetizing crust but instead on the slimy grease that was formed in the process. Can you hardly wait? Thanks to all … Read More

6 Nov 2007

The Chowder Surfer in the Rye: Cooking with Ben Sargent

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Profiles | 11

It’s November and the end of the warm water surf season, that is, to New York-based surfers like Ben Sargent. To the rest of us average human omnivores with tastebuds that signal richness, warmth, nostalgia and most of all deliciousness, however, it is most certainly the beginning of chowder season. Fortunately for us, Brooklyn’s own Chowder Surfer is here to share both of these high seasons all year ’round. Ben Sargent, self-taught chef, former proprietor of New York’s surf bar … Read More

3 Nov 2007

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Recipes, Soups & Stews, vegetarian | 28

This is going to sound terrible. But until today, I had been prejudiced towards vegetables based on color. I adored deep colors. I bought produce according to my preconceived notion of their superiority alone. And when I passed the lowly, pale white cauliflower, I turned up my nose without giving it any further thought and went, ‘peh.’ And reached for a more becoming candidate in the Brassicaceae oleracea family, like Brussels sprouts. I was a vegetable bigot.

31 Oct 2007

WNYC’s Crowdsourcing Map

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Ruminations | 5

Also on the topic of food shopping, I couldn’t help but share this brilliant project devised by public radio’s The Brian Lehrer Show (is anything they do not brilliant?). Introduced this month, the “crowdsourcing” project forgoes statistical evidence and cuts right to the vox populi in discerning the costs of basic supermarket items in the New York City. This is a land of diversity in many ways. But prices for a single quart of milk? You’re talking differences of dollars. … Read More

30 Oct 2007

Watching the Markets: Grand Central

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Markets | 12

sweet dolci spreads at Bella Cucina Last Tuesday, I was inspired. I don’t mean that I had rushed home with a fresh purchase of groceries and a spontaneous, must-make-tonight, dish idea. Or that I was struck with an urge to expound upon any national cuisine, penny-pinching technique, or environmental cause. No: I had just roamed the gourmet, European-style food hall in Grand Central Terminal, and the beauty of it was still sinking in. I was in food shopper’s bliss.

Yearly Archives: 2007