All in one night!
Michael and I went to Ferrara's last night to buy Easter bread.
Afterwards we ate dinner at La Paella: Manchego cheese with apples; shrimp in garlic; pork chop with peppers and potatoes; grilled calamari. 1/2 carafe of red sangria. Place is small but quaint. Service is good, attentive but no rushing, red sangria is really good (lots of fruit) and the grilled calamari was some of the best I've ever had.
After that, we went to Ray's Candy Store for beignets. They were amazing!
Then on to Top Hops (http://tophops.com/) where Michael loves their beer selection. Cool place to drink there and take out in bottles or growlers.
Next on to Astoria to Euro Market (http://www.yelp.com/biz/euro-market-astoria) where they have a great beer selection too. I also shopped for a while and got French Feta, Hungarian salami, Greek spanikopita, bread and spoon sweets (sour cherry) to put over their homemade Greek yogurt. This is a great store with a wide selection of products from out of the country. It smells like smoked meat when you walk in and the guys that work there are really nice and helpful.
Tonight it's Greek treats for dinner!
Happy Easter and Happy Passover!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Spring, Will it Ever Show Up?
Has this winter been sooooo long or is it me? I can't get the chill out of my bones and I am longing for warm sunshine!
Easter is this Sunday and we always go to Glenn and Eileen's. Such a special treat to celebrate and share delicious food with our close friends (Framily). Glenn makes lamb soaked in garlic on the grill and the smell is amazing. Tonight, as is our annual ritual, Michael and I will go to Ferrara's (http://www.ferraracafe.com/home.php) to pick up Easter Bread for Sunday. Afterwards, we have a reservation at La Paella (http://www.lapaellanyc.com/) on East 9th Street. Review to follow :)
Recently I've had Tom Yom soup from Asian Bowl on Queens Boulevard twice. I ask them to add tofu and they do and it's pretty good. The vegetable spring roll was so small it was cute, but not worthwhile. Their Pad Thai wasn't too great either, but I am willing to try other things.
Michael and I were at Cronin and Phelan last week. I usually order their Shepherd's pie, but changed to roasted turkey dinner instead. It was yummy. A bit salty (but I like that) and the gravy had the right color, consistency and flavor!
We've been to Oktoberfest on Yellowstone also. Went with junior high school friends to hear a band called Jagged Edge (good and fun) and had dinner too. Pastrami Reuben, Caesar salad..just what you'd expect. Fine for what and where it is.
A few weeks ago I was at the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side and afterwards we ate at Congee Village (http://www.congeevillagerestaurants.com/restaurant-village.php). It is a staple New York Chinese restaurant that I've never been to before (odd, I know). I've passed it often and somehow thought it was Vietnamese (not that it matters). Anyway, got there at just the right time, huge line when we left. Food was good, place is decorated in Chinese kitsch and servers are average.
And lastly, but certainly most importantly, announcing our new grandson CLAYTON:
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Dirty Pierre's
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Shrimp Quesadilla
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Goat Cheese Salad
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Grilled Chicken Sandwich
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Tito's Vodka with Cranberry and Extra Lime
Mitch, the bartender is great! We had Margaritas, Vodka and juice, Vodka and seltzer. Quite a buzz was going on for all of us and the food was good, as usual. Service too. Really nice Friday night with Jill, Lenny, Steve and Sue. Thanks guys!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Please Sign the Petition
http://www.change.org/petitions/kraft-stop-using-dangerous-food-dyes-in-our-mac-cheese
Hi there, this is Vani Hari from Food Babe and Lisa Leake from 100 Days of Real Food. We recently discovered that several American products are using harmful additives that are not used – and in some cases banned – in other countries. One of those products is an iconic staple that almost every American, us included, has had at one time or another: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the US contains the artificial food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These unnecessary – yet potentially harmful - dyes are not in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in other countries, including the UK, because they were removed due to consumer outcry. Kraft reformulated their product for the UK, but not for their fellow American citizens.
It’s time we demand the same here in the US!
Note: Yellow 5 (labeled asTartrazine) is also used in these products in Canada, and we're sure they don't want to have it in their food either!
That's why we are petitioning Kraft to remove all dangerous artificial food dyes from their line of macaroni and cheese.
Here are the reasons we are asking Kraft to remove Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 from their Macaroni and Cheese.
Artificial food dyes...
- Are man-made in a lab with chemicals derived from petroleum (a crude oil product, which also happens to be used in gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, and tar).
- Require a warning label in other countries outside the US.
- Have been banned in countries like Norway and Austria (and are being phased out in the UK).
- Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are contaminated with known carcinogens (a.k.a. an agent directly involved in causing cancer).
- Cause an increase in hyperactivity in children.
- Have a negative impact on children’s ability to learn.
- Have been linked to long-term health problems such as asthma, skin rashes, and migraines.
- Add absolutely no nutritional value to the foods we are eating and are solely used for aesthetic purposes only.
To prove this last point we personally tested both the US and UK versions of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and found virtually no difference in color or taste (see the video above).
We both grew up eating this product, Lisa used to feed it to her kids, and it’s available at almost every grocery store across the country.
Our kids deserve the same safer version that our friends get overseas!
Kraft Foods is the largest food company headquartered in the United States. If Kraft changes their Macaroni and Cheese, we know this could inspire other food companies across the US to finally eliminate dangerous artificial food dyes once and for all.
Join us now and sign this petition. Together we can make a difference.
Hi there, this is Vani Hari from Food Babe and Lisa Leake from 100 Days of Real Food. We recently discovered that several American products are using harmful additives that are not used – and in some cases banned – in other countries. One of those products is an iconic staple that almost every American, us included, has had at one time or another: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the US contains the artificial food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These unnecessary – yet potentially harmful - dyes are not in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in other countries, including the UK, because they were removed due to consumer outcry. Kraft reformulated their product for the UK, but not for their fellow American citizens.
It’s time we demand the same here in the US!
Note: Yellow 5 (labeled asTartrazine) is also used in these products in Canada, and we're sure they don't want to have it in their food either!
That's why we are petitioning Kraft to remove all dangerous artificial food dyes from their line of macaroni and cheese.
Here are the reasons we are asking Kraft to remove Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 from their Macaroni and Cheese.
Artificial food dyes...
- Are man-made in a lab with chemicals derived from petroleum (a crude oil product, which also happens to be used in gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, and tar).
- Require a warning label in other countries outside the US.
- Have been banned in countries like Norway and Austria (and are being phased out in the UK).
- Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are contaminated with known carcinogens (a.k.a. an agent directly involved in causing cancer).
- Cause an increase in hyperactivity in children.
- Have a negative impact on children’s ability to learn.
- Have been linked to long-term health problems such as asthma, skin rashes, and migraines.
- Add absolutely no nutritional value to the foods we are eating and are solely used for aesthetic purposes only.
To prove this last point we personally tested both the US and UK versions of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and found virtually no difference in color or taste (see the video above).
We both grew up eating this product, Lisa used to feed it to her kids, and it’s available at almost every grocery store across the country.
Our kids deserve the same safer version that our friends get overseas!
Kraft Foods is the largest food company headquartered in the United States. If Kraft changes their Macaroni and Cheese, we know this could inspire other food companies across the US to finally eliminate dangerous artificial food dyes once and for all.
Join us now and sign this petition. Together we can make a difference.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Dinner out
Yes, I cook often, and Yes, we go out to dinner often (lunch and breakfast less frequently).
Recently we have been out to dinner with Jill and Lenny at Ovelia (http://www.ovelia-ny.com/) in Astoria. We had: Grilled octopus (which was so good the last two times) and not so good this time. Village salad (standard Greek with feta, tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers). Hummus with pita (quite good). Jill had grilled shrimp, Michael had a lamb burger, I had crab stuffed shrimp and Lenny had Fillet of sole. Dessert was pumpkin galaktoboureko (way yummy) and Greek yogurt with sour cherries, also great. Greek Shiraz and cocktails were good too. Service was so-so, Erica no longer works there. Would I go back. Nope. Too many Greel places to choose from to settle for not-so-good-anymore. But the company was terrific!
Michael and I took out from Fontana (http://www.fontanagyros.com/) for gyros and souvlaki. The best place for both.
I also went to Jack and Nellie's again (http://www.yelp.com/biz/jack-and-nellies-forest-hills)
with Jennie and Barbara for Jennie's birthday dinner. It was as good as it has been. Yes, I would go back. We had: Hummus and pita; artichoke dip and crostini; brie and prosciutto sandwich; cheese board with goat, cow and sheep milk cheeses; Cote de Narbonne wine; apple tart and coffee. Both the company and the food were great! Jill met us for dessert! We walked home, each with a small airline size bottle of Amaretto, swigging all the way. i thought it was a good treat for Jennie's birthday. Drinking in the street-open container-good thing we didn't get stopped :)
Michael and I went to Dani's the other night. Stracciatella soup, small salad, eggplant parm and chicken with broccoli, peppers and onions. What more could we want?
Sunday we went to Paulie Gee's (http://www.pauliegee.com/home.php) with Joe and Denise. It was as good as last time. Eden salad, Hellboy, Regina and Greenpointer pizzas. A few beers there and a few at Brouwerij Lane (http://brouwerijlane.com/) and it was a fun evening.
This week's at home menu is: Shrimp with chorizo and sun dried tomatoes along with Greek salad; Double cut pork chops with vinegar peppers and broccolini; chicken cutlets with wedge salad and blue cheese and spaghetti with garlic and oil. That's all folks!
Recently we have been out to dinner with Jill and Lenny at Ovelia (http://www.ovelia-ny.com/) in Astoria. We had: Grilled octopus (which was so good the last two times) and not so good this time. Village salad (standard Greek with feta, tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers). Hummus with pita (quite good). Jill had grilled shrimp, Michael had a lamb burger, I had crab stuffed shrimp and Lenny had Fillet of sole. Dessert was pumpkin galaktoboureko (way yummy) and Greek yogurt with sour cherries, also great. Greek Shiraz and cocktails were good too. Service was so-so, Erica no longer works there. Would I go back. Nope. Too many Greel places to choose from to settle for not-so-good-anymore. But the company was terrific!
Michael and I took out from Fontana (http://www.fontanagyros.com/) for gyros and souvlaki. The best place for both.
I also went to Jack and Nellie's again (http://www.yelp.com/biz/jack-and-nellies-forest-hills)
with Jennie and Barbara for Jennie's birthday dinner. It was as good as it has been. Yes, I would go back. We had: Hummus and pita; artichoke dip and crostini; brie and prosciutto sandwich; cheese board with goat, cow and sheep milk cheeses; Cote de Narbonne wine; apple tart and coffee. Both the company and the food were great! Jill met us for dessert! We walked home, each with a small airline size bottle of Amaretto, swigging all the way. i thought it was a good treat for Jennie's birthday. Drinking in the street-open container-good thing we didn't get stopped :)
Michael and I went to Dani's the other night. Stracciatella soup, small salad, eggplant parm and chicken with broccoli, peppers and onions. What more could we want?
Sunday we went to Paulie Gee's (http://www.pauliegee.com/home.php) with Joe and Denise. It was as good as last time. Eden salad, Hellboy, Regina and Greenpointer pizzas. A few beers there and a few at Brouwerij Lane (http://brouwerijlane.com/) and it was a fun evening.
This week's at home menu is: Shrimp with chorizo and sun dried tomatoes along with Greek salad; Double cut pork chops with vinegar peppers and broccolini; chicken cutlets with wedge salad and blue cheese and spaghetti with garlic and oil. That's all folks!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Home Cooking Photos
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