TASTE OF NEW YORK for Food Bank Event

I attended the big food event at Toshi Hotel at the Flatiron District for Taste of New York.  There were lines of people and about 15-20 restaurants participated in this event.

It was a good place to raise money for the food pantry and a way for restaurants to be recognized to promote themselves.

My favorite was Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse who served quail legs with spicy sauce over some salad. And my next favorite was the chicken meatballs from Dinner on Ludlow.


Roasted barbecued quail legs from Vic & Anthony

Quail legs are small so I went back about 3 times - they were spicy and very flavorful.  I like it so much, it inspired me to buy quails to cook for dinner that night.

Here's a video of how they served my favorite chicken meatballs from Dinner on Ludlow.  The spicy delectable meatballs was served in cups of minced or shredded Brussels sprouts and apples and scallion salad with tangy dressing.  It's a very good mixture.  The chicken meatballs had an Asian flavor twist to it.

Below, is Fox 5 Newscaster Ernie Ansastis emceeied the event.

The event started at 1PM till 5PM at the Toshi Hotel..  They served food in the bar restaurant area on the ground floor, the second floor, and the penthouse.

To the right, the presentation of food from Marco Polo Ristorante was the most attractive in this event.  Their craw fish stuffed dumpling or pasta was so delicious with pure craw fish flavor served with a decadent sauce.  I plan to go to their restaurant some day.  What I sampled was outstanding!

Pescatore surprised me with a panacotta with tomato sauce and pesto which made for an interesting amuse bouche or first course.  You definitely know you're eating a Southern Italian dish.

From Brother Jimmy's BBQ, they served us BBQ sliders

And at Benares, an Indian restaurant from TriBeCa, as shown above; they served us a delicious lamb stew served on top of basmati rice. And in cups, we had a yogurt based sampling of another Indian dish.

There was live music and more food to eat such as lobster rolls from The Sea Fire Grill in midtown and Roast Pork or Porchetta with sauce from IL Tesoro Ristorante - all for a good cause.

I suddenly got a call from my Customer and 'had to rush to an Open House.  I guess, it was about time anyway.  We were getting full and a few more munchies would have been harder to shed of the next day.

Dinner on Ludlow

New York, NY 10002
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
(212) 228-0909

http://www.thedl-nyc.com

 

Vic & Antony's Steakhouse

233 Park Ave S  Manhattan, NY 10003
(212) 220-9200

http://www.vicandanthonys.com/

 

Belgian Beer Cafe

220 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001

1-212-575-2337

http://www.madisonsquarepark.nyc.belgianbeercafe.us/

 

Marco Polo

345 Court St  Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 852-5015

www.marcopoloristorante.com

 

Benares

240 W 56th Street, New York, NY

1-212-397-0707

http://www.benaresnyc.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/dinner-on-ludlow-new-york#hrid:zX-DqVDxL1ryW1YjD7gqzw

FOODYHOLIC'S Choice: CHRISTMAS PARTY 2011

FOODYHOLIC'S Choice: CHRISTMAS PARTY 2011: The Holiday Season is always the busiest time of the year for everyone especially for me. It's work, party, play, and planning for the Chri...

BACON JAM - My Version

There are many variations to the recipe for Bacon Jam.  After trying a couple of them, I've decided to make my own.  My version has a little bit of Southwestern and Southern style mixed together.  This is a good spread for either an appetizer on slices of baguettes or spread on toast with egg on top, or spread on a good bread with melted cheese.

What is Bacon Jam?  It's not a jam with bacon.  It's a meat spread with bacon as its main ingredient.  I decided to use the bacon that's natural without preservatives like sodium nitrite which is carcinogenic.

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 lbs of bacon
1/2 sweet onion or red onion
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 TB light brown sugar
3/4 tsp all spice
2-4 chipotles en adobo sauce plus 3 tsps of the sauce
1-1/2 c brewed coffee
1/3 c cider vinegar
2 tsp ancho chile powder
1TB ground Mexican hot chocolate
1/4 c brandy
4 TB Maple syrup
black pepper to taste
Yields: 2-3 cups

In a large pot (I used a large wok), cook the bacon before it becomes crisp.  Remove and cut it up in 1 inch squares.

Drain the fat leaving about 2 TB in the pan.  Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.  Then add the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer in low heat for 2 hours, adding 1/4 c of water before it evaporates (about every 15 minutes).

This is the consistency you would like to achieve in 2 hours.

Put it in a food processor in pulse mode to achieve the consistency you see pictured.

You're now ready to serve or pack it up in a jar to store.

My family likes it on good toasted bread with an egg on top or melted cheese.
You can also serve it like a tapanade for hors d' oeuvres.

WITH THE HOLIDAYS AROUND THE CORNER
IT MAKES A GOOD BRUNCH, LUNCH, APPETIZER AND A HOME MADE GIFT!

http://skilletstreetfood.foodzie.com/skillet-bacon-jam.html

In Good Taste - A Benefit for CITY HARVEST

Now serving New York City for more than 25 years, City Harvest is the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women, and children.

IN GOOD TASTE - was the most recent event of City Harvest -Saks Fifth Avenue
and New York magazine which presented an unforgettable night of fashion and food to benefit City Harvest.

Tastings from some fabulous restaurants: 10 Downing Food & Wine, ABC Kitchen, Armani/Ristorante, Asellina, Avra Estiatorio, BLT Steak, Café SFA, Da Silvano, Eatalian Style, FULTON, Gordon Ramsay at The London, Gusto, The Hurricane Club, L’Artusi, Limani, Pan American, Park Avenue Spring, Philippe Chow, Sant Ambroeus and Serafina.

Presented by Fashion of the Vine Project by the Italian Trade Commission,
100% of proceeds benefited City Harvest and
Each ticket included a the same value for a Saks Fifth Avenue Gift Card to shop that evening only *
Here were some of the delectable treats we had for the night:

Chef Roberto Deiaco of Capesante Scottate sauteed scallops over thousand layer potatoes which was so tender with shaved fresh truffles on top.

 

Chef Markus Glocker from MAZE - the restaurant in The London Hotel at 151 W 54th Street and a Gordon Ramsay inspiration, served us the above pictured dish.  Olive oil-poached salmon with edemame, wasabi and lime.

BELOW: Park Avenue Spring on 61st Street and Park Avenue was so creative in presenting their coned food.  They took some tree barks with holes in it to hold the cones.  The cones were so light and crisp. 

 

Above: Beef cones with blue cheese and truffled honey with pickled beets

 

Above: Peekytoe crab cones with avocado and raspberry

BELOW:  Saks' Cafe Chef John Milito served us this sliced filet herb crusted of beef which was delicious! This restaurant is located inside the Saks Fifth Avenue store right on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Street in New York City.

LEFT: Where the event in Saks Fifth Avenue took place.

FULTON - Chef Jeremy Culver of Fulton Restaurant, prepared this sea salt
Hamachi with caviar and gin pickles.  Fulton is part of Citarella
and is located at 205 E 75th Street. I've been to his restaurant for lunch
where he had prepared blow fish.  The texture was more like chicken.

The sea salt cured Hamachi from Fulton

Above, from Bouchon were fresh French macrons.  I had one of each and enjoyed the peanut butter, caramel and the lemon poppyseed best.  Bouchon in NYC is located at 10 Columbus Circle inside the Time Warner Bldg. They also have a branch in Las Vegas inside The Venetian.  There they have brunch, lunch and dinner.

BELOW:  From Sant Ambroeus were a mignon of desserts including their signature cookies.  Sant Ambroeus have 2 stores in Manhattan: 1000 Madison Avenue and 259 W 4th Street in the West Village.  They also have a branch in South Hampton, Long Island.  (All of which I've been too) In the West Village, they serve brunch, light lunch, and gelatos.

Several great restaurants of the city participated in this event.  Above represented some of the delectable treats of the evening.  It was a good feeling to help the cause and at the same time enjoy a feast. While Saks provided us a gift card to shop!  It was a triple whammy night!