Category Archives: celebrations

Ladurée’s new “saveurs de Noël” macaron

03 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by in bakeries, bucket list, celebrations, French, fruit, macarons, New York, snacks, sweets, wagashi

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You won’t find the new saveurs de Noël macaron listed on the menu yet but if you ask nicely enough the staff at Ladurée NYC might be able to find some in the basement!

It is my new favorite macaron! The “Christmas flavors” are chocolate, candied clementine peel, cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla. The person who helped me at Ladurée today said it was “chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and calamansi” but I double checked in the holiday collection guide and it confirmed the first description (no calamansi). This delicious macaron is very rich, much like a brownie.

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Here is a shot of two “Christmas flavors” macarons, two chestnut, one blood orange with ginger, and a hazelnut guimauve.

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The new Christmas box, inspired by famous Indiennes of the 16th century.

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New Ladurée Macaron Holiday Flavors!

01 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by in bakeries, bucket list, celebrations, French, macarons, New York, snacks, sweets, wagashi

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Ladurée New York is now selling chestnut macarons! The mysterious “Christmas flavors” macaron should be available next week, according to the gal I talked to on the phone from the boutique this morning. What could these Christmas saveurs be? Gingerbread? Mistletoe? Reindeer droppings?

Screen Shot 2012-12-01 at 11.00.53 AMHere is a screenshot of the saveurs de Noël macaron from the Ladurée website.

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Atera NYC

23 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by in allium, American, bucket list, celebrations, foraging, macarons, New York, seafood

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lobster roll (on a toasted marshmallow)

 

I recently had the most amazing dinner of my life at Atera. The $165 tasting menu included almost 30 different items. Here are some photos of my favorites.

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“razor clams” – mini air baguette painted with squid ink and filled with clam ice cream and sorrel

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tomato ice with sea urchin

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lichen chip

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lichen chip with aioli and malt sauce

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beer macaron with sturgeon roe

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sprouted grain ice cream

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peekytoe crab with artichokes petals in herb broth

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young vegetables with pastrami cured seared duck hearts

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tomato with milk ice cream

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rosewater ice rose

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open kitchen with chef Lightner

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edible black walnut shell

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lamb tartare with burnt crisp

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“ramen” – squid strip noodles and dissolvable seasoning packet

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pine nut wafers

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salsify “churro”

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beet ember

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barbeque sweetbreads

Strawberry Marjoram Ice Cream and Choco Torte

03 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in celebrations, fruit, sweets

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For my grandparents’ 60th anniversary I made a brownie-torte with chocolate ganache and strawberries. The ganache was just heavy cream, bittersweet chocolate and butter melted in a bain-marie. It was kind of amazing.

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The strawberry marjoram ice cream was also a success! I love the astringent brightness that the marjoram imparted. It may have been the camphor or pinene found in its oils.

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It was the chocolatiest dessert I had ever tasted in my life and I just had another slice for breakfast because it was that good!

Bull Penis and Turkey Testicles at Kenka

13 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in allium, celebrations, Japanese, New York, snacks

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Kenka in the East Village has a special menu featuring raw tuna bones, bull penis, turkey testicles, a “cheap” okonomiyaki, and many other wonderful things. We ordered the bull penis and turkey testicles last night to celebrate a special homecoming.

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We also got the deep fried garlic off the regular menu. It came with a delicious dipping sauce that reminded me of something I used to eat as a child at my grandma’s house. It was only $3.50!

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My favorite was the turkey testicles. They had a wonderful flavor and texture. The first thing I thought of was a White Hot Snappy Griller, a pork hotdog that is sold in upstate New York. The testicles weren’t chewy or tough — they were tender and had a nice outer casing to them that broke easily between my teeth. I wish I had gotten a take out order of them for breakfast this morning!

Valentine’s Day Flashback

09 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by in American, celebrations, meat, New York, Queens, seafood

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This year I got to spend Valentine’s Day with two people that I love very much. I am sitting on a train to Tarrytown kind of daydreaming and I found myself thinking about the meal we had that night. I boiled some lobsters, grilled some skirt steaks that were marinated in a red curry sauce, grated a fresh som tam, and mashed potatoes with coconut milk. I want to make another special meal for these two. Do you have any ideas?