Dean and Deluca

When you hear of gourmet food shopping - one of the first names that comes to mind - really should be Dean & Deluca. The epitome of gourmet excellence is found here. The great thing is that you really don't have to be in NYC anymore to enjoy this experience. As not only do they have their flagship store on Broadway and Prince, and a few others dotted throughout the city, but they now have stores in Napa, CA, Kansas, North Carolina, Washington DC, Japan and Taiwan.

From the freshest veggies, best meats and seafood, to some of the hardest to find cuisine and culinary items, this is one of the best there is. Make sure and visit DEAN & DELUCA - Purveyors of Fine Food, Wine and Kitchenware and you will find pretty much anything that you are looking for. But remember excellence doesn't come cheap.

Does anyone out there have some Dean and Deluca experiences they would like to share?

Coffee - Beans or Grind?

If you are looking for a great pot of Joe, how do you buy your beans? Do you go to your local grocer, pick up your favorite can of Folgers, Maxwell House, or __________ ground coffee of your liking? If the answer of this question is no, then you are on the right track. However, even if you a) go to the bulk bean dispenser on the coffee aisle, and b) grind it there to bring home, this isn't doing you any justice either.

For the first part, you never know how long those beans have been sitting on the shelf, and secondly - if you dont use the entire lb or bag quickly - the grinds will become old and stale.

I would recommend that your first purchase isn't a brand or type of roast, but actually this purchase should be in the housewares section of your local department store. Your first purchase should be a Coffee Grinder. Not one of those funky pots that you put the beans in and it grinds and brews all at the same time. I haven't found anyone that hasn't had issues with these breaking down. Remember with electronics, the more bells and whistles, the higher the chance of it breaking. The grinder doesnt have to be that expensive - just the regular grinder will do. If your want to spend the money- then a burr grinder is the way to go, as it has a more consistent grind. But don't fool yourself - its not needed.

After you have the grinder - find a coffee pot that works well. The cheap drips aren't a good fit for making good coffee. But you don't have to spend $300 for a pot either. A good basic Krups or mid-lever pot at Target, or other retailers works just find. Just remember that a good pot of coffee starts with a 1:1 ratio of tbls of ground coffee per cup of water. Here are a few Coffee Products that might be a good fit.

Lastly the beans, whether your love Starbucks, or any local coffee house brew, you normally can buy their coffee in whole bean form. Open your horizons there are so many types, Indonesian, Brazilian, Sumatran, French Roast, Italian Roast, and not to mention the various flavors and blends. Just experiment and find the coffee you like. I always have a few bags of various types in my cupboard to satisfy my ever changing palate. If you aren't sure of what type of coffees you might like and don't want to research where the best coffees are sold in your area, finding a Coffee Home Delivery Service that sends samplers is the way to go.

So get grinding and brew yourself a great cup of Joe!

A Great Glass of Vino

For those that like the grapes, finding great bottle of vino for those special meals, important events, or just a glass to wind down in the evening is a never ending task. If your not a sommelier, or subscribe to any of the popular wine magazines, how do you find a good bottle. Well, one way is to find a local wine/liquor store that is well stocked and has a experienced, knowledgable staff that can help you find the right bottle for the right food/occasion. In my travels around the U.S., I have found a few.....The Wine Cellar in Red Bank, NJ, Chambers Street Wines in NYC, Several H.E.B / Central Markets in the Austin, TX area...to name a few. Finding that right go-to guy is very important to find a good bottle of wine. In my various searches I have found a few good ones, here they are (hope you enjoy):

Reds:
La Braccesca 2001 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - Italian Red Wine
Castello di Querceto 2001 Chianti Classico Riserva - Sangiovese Red Wine

Whites:
Lucien Albrecht 2005 Reserve Riesling - White Wine
Lungarotti 2004 Pinot Grigio - Pinot Gris/Grigio White Wine

Other:
Graham's 20 Year Old Tawny Port - Dessert Wine

Eating out for less

As a person who has recently added the 4th member of our family - our 2nd girl was born on March 5th - I understand the expense of eating out, especially being a resident of New York City. However, we have always looked for great deals, whether it be happy hour deals, weekend specials, or restaurants that give you great values and large portions, we always do our due diligence. My research has taken me to Restaurant.com, which is an online purveyor of gift certificates to thousands of restaurants nationwide, many of which are less than 50% off (for example many $25 restaurant gift certificates can be purchased for $10. So I would recommend this website and Restaurant.com Dining Certificates, they could save you hundreds of dollars at chain restaurants, local bistros, or even the small local hole in the wall favorites. So do yourself a favor, and locate a restaurant close to you and save on dinner tonight!

I bet you can find some great restaurants at fabulous savings and take your family out on the town.

Tea and Sympathy

As I continue on the Anglophile topic, our journey takes us right next door to A Salt and Battery, to Tea and Sympathy. This wonderful little British restaurant & store located at 110 Greenwich in Greenwich Village is the right place for anyone who is looking to purchase almost anything British in nature (especially food or beverage related). The restaurant is complete with all the English favorites, such as bangers and mash, welsh rarebit, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and much more. The food, for those of us that love British fare, is fantastic, and makes you think you are sitting in a restaurant in the UK. Even if you cannot go tot he restaurant and have an upcoming office party, or event, Tea and Sympathy does cater as well. Its been written up in the US with rave reviews in the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveller & the New Yorker, and even has great press across the pond in British Elle, The Sunday Mirror, the Independent.

After your meal, visit the attached store, where you can buy English Teapots, a wide range of teas (like Typhoo & PG Tips), and a wide range of groceries, like clotted cream, varied beans and british foodstuffs, and a wide range of candies (like fruit gums, wine gums, and Cadbury chocolates (from the UK not US).

Whether you want to stop in and eat or shop, or take advantage of the free local deliveries that are available between the West Side Highway and 5th Avenue, and from Canal St to 33rd Street, try Tea and Sympathy to fill your British Cravings.

A Salt and Battery

Anglophiles take notice, whether you are a Brit in the US, or just love England, this restaurant is for you, and it will make you think you are London.

A Salt and Battery is a fish and chip shop in Greenwich Village in NYC (located on 112 Greenwich Ave, between 12th & 13th St). When you walk into this little restaurant - the first thing you notice is the selection that you have. On top of the other menu items - they offer 6 different types of fish to choose from:

Halibut / TilapiaHaddock
Sole
Code
Whiting
Pollock

The fish is fantastic - fresh and tasty....and all of their items are fried in veggie oil.

They also offer traditional british sides, like mushy peas, pickled onions, potato dabs, and even offer british drinks, like Irn-Bru, Tango, Tizer, and Lucozade.

So come in, enjoy Capital Radio on Sirius playing in the background, and enjoy the best fish and chips in NYC.

Paula Deen - Healthy Cooking

Those are two phrases that really shouldnt go together. Of those of you that are regulars of Food Network, you are familiar with Paula Deen and her two sons and their various cooking and food shows that are on the network. Well, most of you that have watched Paula's show realizes that her recipes are not very health friendly. I was watching Paula's Home Cooking on Thursday 3/8 called Barbecue Fest and this one took the cake. It wasnt really the Cornbread recipe that had whole milk or buttermilk, or even the donuts that she made by deep frying premade store-bought biscuits, it was her Cheese on the Cob recipe that made my stomach twirl. She started this recipe by slathering corn on the cob with Mayonnaise...yes thats right...she spread mayonnaise on these corn on the cob before adding spices and parmesan cheese. Then after she cooked the ears, she then added butter to it. Talk about heart attack on a plate....whew! This sure isn't on your diet plan! Althought I must admit - even though Mrs. Deen isn't considered healthy fare, it is sure good. You should try one of the recipes that Paula Deen has compiled in her cookbook, or on her show.

Petite Abeille

Another favorite in New York City, is Petite Abeille, a small belgian bistro with 4 locations. I have only been to the Tribeca and the West Village location but would assume that all 4 have similar quality.

The decor is quite friendly - with it taken homage to its namesake "Little Bee" which was a very popular childrens book in Belgium in the 70's. The interiors of their restaurants are all decorated with images of Tintin and other popular Belgian cartoon and comic book characters.

The menu starts off in a beer lover's fantasy, with over 40+ belgian beers (mostly in bottle) ranging from Lambics, Abbey Ales, Trappistes, Amber Ales, and Strong Golden Ales. If you would prefer a glass of wine - they have a decent wine list as well. Just check out the chalk board on the wall to see exactly what they have.

From Breakfast to Dinner - with lunch and brunch in between, Petite Abeille has a wide range of Waffles, Omelettes, Sandwiches, Croques, Moules, Steak & Frites, and Salads to chose from. They do have a kids menu for those who dine with their children. The pricing is reasonable and portions are nice sized. They also have daily specials between Monday and Thursday and are :

Monday: 1/2 off all Belgian beers from Noon to Close
Tuesday: 1/2 off all bottle of wine
Wednesday: $19.95 for all you can eat Moules/Mussells and One Stella
Thursday: $19.95 Lobster Night.

So stop in and try Petite Abeille, as they can be found in New York City at the following locations:
#1 - 401 E 20th @ 1st Ave
#2 - 466 Hudson btw Grove and Barrow Sts
#3 - 44 W 17th Street btw 5th and 6th Sts
#4 - 134 W Broadway btw Duane and Thomas Sts

Peep Soho

This is one of the best, trendy and quirky restaurants in Soho in NYC. This Thai restaurant is a local favorite for great food and a kitschy bathroom. For the amount and quality of food, this is a true lunchtime value.

For $7 or $8 bucks, you get a Lunch entree, which are various chicken, beef, tofu, or shrimp dishes made in various ways, including Pad Thai, Green Curry, Massaman, and Ginger. With this lunch you get a free complimentary starter, that are quite intriguing, such as Semolina fritters with a coriander and curry sauce, Leek Spring rolls, with a carrot juice vinaigrette, and others

The star of the show however is the bathroom, which is correctly tied to the name. For those who have never been - who go into the bathroom, are surprised by a one way window in which you can see the entire restaurant....but the restaurant cannot see you (OR CAN THEY???)

Take a lunch break at Peep for a great lunch and a good value. Peep Soho is located at 177 Spring Street - just east of 6th Avenue,.

Artisanal Abbaye De Belloc

For those who enjoy great cheese, this one is a necessity. This cheese is made by Artisanal Premium Cheeses which if you look at their cheese lineup, looks as if it was pulled from The Cheese Shop skit made popular by Monty Python, of course they actually have the cheese in stock!

This cheese which is made by Benedictine Monks at the abbey Notre-Dame De Belloc (between this cheese and the beer they produce, these hooded bald dudes sure know their stuff), is not cheap as it costs about $22.00-$25.00 a pound. Abbaye De Belloc, made with sheep's milk (the red-nosed Manech ewes) , has a very mild flavor, and a slightly grainy texture, and in my opinion is one of the most flavorful cheeses out there. It would go well with Zinfindels, and its nutty characteristics would go great with some of the top Belgian beers (i.e. St. Bernardus Abt 8, or Trappiste Rochefort).

If you live in the New York City area, you can get it from FreshDirect, or you can buy it from their website if you live outside the area (if your local gourmet grocery doesn't carry their wares).

Eating in St. Barths

As the winter in New York winds down - it got me thinking about one of my favorite locales, St. Barthelemy (St Barths) in the French West Indies. This was one of the most relaxing places to be (in the off season), and as a foodie it was out of this world!

From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, all we did was enjoy the food, the drink, and the people in our little paradise. Considering that this island is thought to be pretentious and one of the most ritzy islands in the caribbean, I have to admit that it was very friendly and down to earth during the middle of their slow season.

Although we enjoyed restaurants of all levels from the small little "hole in the walls" to the top restaurants on the island, the one that truly stood out was Pipiri Palace, a little quaint restaurant located in the middle in Gustavia. The food was outstanding, as I had a seared Tuna Steak, and my wife enjoyed a Filet Mignon with a crust of apples and gorgonzola cheese. On top of the food, the service was excellent! On top of the complimentary small bottle of Vanilla Rhum, that almost every restaurants offers at the end of the meal, we were given several other bottles during the hour after our meal that we sat talking with another couple that was in the restaurant.

On top of this restaurant, there were a slew of other great places that had either great food, to have a drink, or both. From Le Select, Bacardi Cafe, Andy's Hideaway, (to name a few) the choices were amazing. To compliment the restaurants, one can visit the local supermarket Match Supermarche across from the airstrip. Since the island gets the bulk of their food and goods from a daily delivery from France, walking into the supermarket gives you the sense that you are in Paris, with great cheeses, wines, meats, and much more. There is no doubt, no matter what you are in the mood to eat or drink, one can truly satisfy their culinary needs on this wonderful island.

Innis & Gunn

For those of you that love great beer, I have found one for you! Innis & Gunn, an oak aged beer from Edinburgh, Scotland, is an award winning beer that should not be missed. (Especially if you also like Scotch!)

I found this gem by accident at the Riverside Market on Pearl Street in Downtown NYC and have only found it at a few stores in the city (Its $4.50 a bottle price tag wasn't a deterrant, but you can find them at other places in the city for $2.50). This beer is actually aged in oak barrels that one would normally use to age whiskey. Because of this, the finish has hints of oak and has a similarity to a fine scotch. This honey colored brew has a very pronounced vanilla edge, with hints of citrus and the lingering oaky finish, which is somewhat sweet. Because of this complex taste, it makes a great compliment to steak, sausages, pork loin, curries, and desserts, like Creme Brulee.

This beer goes through a 77 day process, in which it resides in the oak barrels for 30 days. The flavor is unmistakeable and is one of the best, unique beers on the market. For those of you that scoff at Bud Light, Coors, or Miller, this beer should be on your must drink lists. Unfortunately, its distributor, Phoenix Beverages Inc, from Long Island City, NY only stocks in the NYC area.

All in all, if you know someone in the NYC area, or are visiting, make it a point to locate a bottle (or 2) of Innis and Gunn and you will surely enjoy!

Financier Patisserie

Obviously being a foodie in New York City has its benefits (to say the least), but sometimes trying to find a great cup of coffee (not a good quick morning cup, but a GOOD cup of coffee) is tough to do. Whether it is the natural ending of a great meal, to warm you up on a cold winter day, or a pick me up in the morning after a long night, a great cup of coffee is almost heavenly. In the world of the trendy cup of bitter Starbucks brew, when you find that place to get a good cup you savor it (no pun intended).

Nestled between 5 Starbucks in Lower Manhattan, Financier Patisserie is THE place to find that great cup of coffee. They start by brewing one of the best Italian brands around, Illy, which creates a wonderfully strong (but NOT bitter) cup of Joe. This little quaint storefront located on the cobblestoned Stone Street is a great place to grab a cup of coffee, but its also known for its pastries. Daily made madeleines, brioches, filled macaroons, cakes, torts, and Italian & French Pastries that are just out of this world.

So if you live in New York City, or are visiting on business or pleasure, come and taste for yourself. With two locations in Lower Manhattan, one on Stone Street, just off of Beaver Street, and one on William Street, between Cedar and Liberty Sts (across from the Chase Building), they are close to the sites and convenient to get to. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.