Duck with Fig Sauce by Chef Pierre Landet

Last weekend, we attended the taste of France which was held at Pier 54 in New York City.

Although it started past 30 minutes later, it was an enjoyable moment to feel transplanted to France for the afternoon.

The official currency was Marianes.  One had to buy Marianes (tickets) which had a dollar value for each Marianes which was equivalent to 2.  A little bit challenging to calculate to buy food and beverage with.  It would have been simpler to just equate each Marianes to $1.

We went for the food experience and was delighted to have done so.  Chefs from restaurants, some of whom traveled from afar participated in this weekend event.

Besides the food, there were cooking demonstrations.  Here's one of the cooking demonstration we watched:

Above is Chef Pierre Landet, a native of Toulouse, France who has served at several Michelin Star restaurants such as Taillevent in Paris; where I've dined.  He is knowledgeable in both French traditional and modern cooking.  He currently has a restaurant in the north part of New York City called Le Marina near the Hudson River.  He has earned the title Maitre Cusinier de France.

He used duck breast which he scored and seasoned with salt, sugar and pepper.  Then he placed it in a hot frying pan with skin down to cook for about 10 minutes.  Then he turned the duck over to cook another 7-10 minutes.

Please click below to follow his recipe for the duck with fig sauce:

The sponsor for the cooking demonstration was D'Artagnan, purveyor of French food.
While the duck is cooking, he cuts the figs, which is currently in season, into halves.  Please click below to follow the recipe.

He removed the duck breast and put it aside while he made the sauce.

Ingredients for the sauce:
Figs, sugar, armagnac, butter, stock, demi-glaze (or demi-glace)

First he puts sugar in the frying pan on medium high heat.  When it starts to caramelize, he added the figs.  Then he added the armagnac.  Let it evaporate a little bit then added the demi-glaze and stock.
He covered the pan to cook the figs for about 5-10 minutes.
When done, he added lots of butter till it became slightly thick in consistency.

Then he cut up the duck breast before adding the sauce:

Please click below to watch him plate the duck breast.

This is typical French cooking.  As for myself, I have made duck breast using a similar recipe with dried cherries instead which I soak in wine or brandy for about 20 minutes before adding it in the sauce.

http://letasteoffrance.com/08/pierre-landet-la-marina-new-york/
La Marina

348 Dyckman St
Manhattan, NY 10034 (on the Hudson)

Tel. 212 567 6300
info@lamarinaNYC.com

UNION SQUARE CHRISTMAS MARKET

Every year, a large area of Union Square on 14th Street transposes into a festive Christmas market.  There are many little kiosks under the red and white striped chain of tents that sell many specialized goods from small vendors.  You will find a variety of things from neckties, jewelry, sweaters, arts and craft, and even food.  Yes, food!  As a foodie, I will cover the stores that specialize in foods that I tasted and saw at Union Square.

Imagine the picture above long enough to form a semi-half a circle in 4 rows of stores.
You are viewing only a quarter portion of the semi-half circle formation.

Robicelli's on the left, is one of the participants of the Christmas Market in Union Square.  They do distribute their cupcakes in other select stores.  Their cupcakes are delicious and moist because they are not made in mass production but by hand.  The cupcakes I bought this time was their creme bruleer and the chocolate cupcake with merlot.  Both were very moist and delicious.  Highly recommended! The creme brulee had caramelized crunch sugar on top of the frosting.

There are cookies for sale.



Still my favorite:  Wafels & Dinges is here again!
Below:  I ordered the liege wafel.  Liege wafel has caramelized sugar at the edges
and you can choose your topping.  I chose the dark rich chocolate.  Mmmmm!

Above:  The various waffles they have

This tea place was here last year too.  They used to have a shop at the Limelight building on 20th Street and Sixth Avenue.

  They carry reasonably priced glass tea pots and tea cups and of course various teas including the kind that blooms like a flower in your teapot.  This is best served in one of the see-through glass tea pots they sell.








www.momofuku.com
They make awesome cookies.  I like the one they call garbage cookies.



Above:  Samples of the meatballs they prepare at Mighty Balls



PRETZEL shop!  A variety of choice.

Even coffee shops!

The Yoyo Dog sells dog cookies! I have to include dog food in this blog.  It's food!

Dogie treats from Yoyo Dog

Some of the vendors, both food and goods are also found at Bryant Park Christmas Holiday Market.  Most of the food vendors are not at Bryant Park nor at Central Park corner 59th Street.

unionsquarenyc.org/park/seasonal/295

http://nymag.com/guides/holidays/holidayshopping/

FASHION NIGHT OUT - New York City

Every year, New York City celebrates Fashion Night Out and Fashion Week.  It's when Fashionistas come to New York.  The stores have various ways they celebrate Fashion Night Out.

Many offer wine and even champagne when you step into their shops.  One of the designer stores had a stage outside for the Radio City Rockets of the Radio City perform.  There were also models at Rockefeller Center like the one below.

Above is one of the models at the Rockefeller Center

What Fashion Night Out would be complete without some food.  At Henri Bendel's they dedicated their 3rd floor to food available at Hester Street Market - a Saturday destination in Spring through October in the Lower East Side of Manhattan where one discovers new food purveyors starting up their business.  I was getting hungry so I was glad they had food on this floor even if I had to buy it.  I got myself a meatball slider with Jalapeno onion sauce and strawberry lemonade.

Left to Right:  Elia Mell who authored her new book "New York Fashion Week" signed her copies with famous model.

Designer Jason Wu holding his limited -edition Fashion's Night Out doll to Bergdorf Goodman, which he signed.

Whoopy Goldberg was guest at Bergdorf's Men's Store and plus a host more of other famous designers at Bergdorf's where designers paraded with their dogs.

For more on Fashion Night Out September 2011:
http://fashionsnightout.com/

BASTILLE DAY - in NYC

Today, I attended the Bastille Day celebration on 60th street between Fifth Avenue and Park.  There were more people this year it seems than there were last year.  There were more vendors serving my favorite grilled Merquez sausages.

Each year, Bastille Day on 60th is celebrated commemorating the historic friendship between France and the United States through France's celebration of their own independence on July 14, 1789.

Here are some live videos and photos I took of the event:
The first one was sponsored by Le Souk in Greenwich Village, a Moroccan-French restaurant.

The above video may help you create your own Merquez sausage buns next time.  They heated up the baguettes on the grill, then cut them into portions.  They sliced it and spread both sides of the bun with harrisa.  Place some Romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes and drizzle a spicy mayo combination on it.  But the secret is the light but crisp baguette and whatever they put in that mayonnaise.  It was delicious!

They had balloon people that created hats and figures for kids.  Watch this guy make a dog a a pole where the dog could actually slide.

What's Bastille Day without Crepes!  These were the most reasonably priced crepes and therefore had the longest line.  I had the peach and strawberries.

My favorite canelle -

A canelé is a small French pastry with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust. The dessert, which is in the shape of small, striated cylinder approximately two inches in height, is a specialty of the Bordeaux region of France but can often be found in Parisian patisseries as well. Made from egg, sugar, milk and flour flavored with rum and vanilla, the custard batter is baked in a mold, giving the canelé a caramelized crust and custard-like inside.

Regular size canele.  But they had mini ones which I bought.  It came in chocolate, pistachio, rose water and plain.

There was grilled steak sandwiches with what looked like sauce Bearnaise - but they said it had no egg.  They called it tarragon sauce.  (It might just as well be sauce Bearnaise)

It was a fun afternoon.  There was entertainment and raffle booths for a trip to Paris and lots of French food! They also had a lot pastries from Payard and macarrons from Macarron Cafe.  They charged $15 for wine tastings.