Life is too Short to Eat Cheap Chocolate
May 21, 2012
Here’s a little post from Donna D on desserts!
I don’t consider anything to be dessert unless it is chocolate and am usually happiest when I am consuming it. I don’t waste precious calories on any type of chocolate. For starters “white chocolate” is an insult to the chocolate family and should seriously be renamed and second of all I really can’t stomach generic mass produced chocolates. At the end of the day, life is too short to eat cheap chocolate. If you share my proclivities, you should be stopping by Mast Brothers Chocolate in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Their chocolate is orgasmic. My favorite is their Maine Sea Salt which is the perfect balance of salty and sweet. If for some reason [which I really could never understand] you don’t care for chocolate, visiting their factory is an experience in itself. You get to see the entire chocolate making process from bean to package. Speaking of package; I am in love with their packaging and design. I seriously couldn’t get enough of this place and can you believe that I just happened to stumble upon it?
Mast Brother Chocolate Factory
Samples of Chocolate
Mast Brothers Double-Chocolate Cookie
Mast Brothers Baker
Bags of Cacao Beans & San Martin Chocolate Samples
Truffles
Chocolate Making Machinery
Mast Brothers Double-Chocolate Cookie & Truffles
Mast Brothers Assorted Chocolate Bars
Macroons
Pasta & Shrimp
May 15, 2012
Pasta dishes are always great solutions for dinner parties, they’re quick and easy to throw together for a crowd-satisfying meal. Last time I was in Syracuse we served up this fettucini dish with shrimp scampi, eggplant, portobello mushrooms and a garlic butter sauce. Another fun dish I photographed was this side of rice and broccoli.
Fettucini and shrimp scampi
Pasta and portobello mushrooms
Rice and broccoli
Pasta and cheese bread
Ingredients
The Restaurant at Elderberry Pond
May 11, 2012
Not too long ago my parents and I spent an afternoon in Skaneateles, a favorite small town of mine, situated in the Finger Lakes region. There are plenty of great spots for dining on the lake, or stopping through the nearby vineyards, but a few miles into farmland and you land yourself at the quiet Elderberry Pond for a relaxing afternoon lunch in the country. A certified organic farm, the fresh seasonable fruits, vegetables and pasture raised meats are right aside the restaurant with a delicious menu showcasing their homegrown fare.
Happy Friday! x
Grilled organic chicken sandwich served on a fresh bun with swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms and rosemary mayonnaise
Freshly cut certified organic spinach, free range eggs and fresh garden herbs prepared in a savory quiche style and served in a freshly baked tart shell
Vegetable Soup
Crab cakes served on a bed of greens prepared with tropical blue crab and served with chipotle mayonnaise
Salad
Skaneateles Lake
Say Cheese
May 9, 2012
New food surprises are constantly popping up around the Upper West Side, and my latest favorite is Say Cheese, another one of those farm-to-table concept places I love so much. Stopping by this take-out stand to do a little taste test one afternoon, we tried three of their gourmet grilled cheeses including the candied bacon/gruyere, the parmesan/swiss/truffle and the swiss/gruyere/apple compote. All perfect combos for a killer sandwich. For dessert, they were kind enough to bring out a toasted marshmallow and nutella, and lastly, we couldn’t leave without trying the snow cone flavor of the day: organic strawberry with balsamic glaze. Run by the catering company, Scoozi Events, I was a huge fan of their decor, feeling like I was just transported to a family-owned country stand on a farm, far from the middle of Manhattan.
Candied Bacon Grilled Cheese
Rosemary Lemonade
Marshmallow & Nutella
Truffle Oil Grilled Cheese
Strawberry Snow Cone
Best of Portland, ME
May 5, 2012
If only given one night out in Portland, my top suggestion would be to spend it at Fore Street Restaurant in the city’s Old Port District by the waterfront. Although I went sans camera that Friday night, I still had to give it a shout out. Situated along a cobblestone street by the water, it’s a warehouse chic loft space that follows the farm-to-table concept with an open kitchen. Certainly worth stopping by. Saturday morning we popped into Local Sprouts Cafe for breakfast. Known for their local and organic food that comes fresh from farmers and fisherman around the state, it’s more than just a cafe, but rather a center for Portland’s creative community. Paired up with Bomb Diggity Bakery, I was able to enjoy an amazing egg and goat cheese sandwich with some english muffins for the road. Lastly, we couldn’t leave Portland without grabbing some handcrafted micro roasted coffee from Coffee by Design. In the mood for a smoothie instead? Check out Maine Squeeze!
Harbor Fish Market
Harbor Fish Market
Triple mango, coconut with yogurt, honey, orange juice and soy smoothie
Local Sprouts Cafe English Muffins
Local cage-free egg sandwich with housemade pesto, goat cheese and tomato
Local sprouts cafe
Vanilla Latte from Coffee by Design
Donna D Goes to SmorgasBurg
May 1, 2012
While I ventured Upstate for the weekend, Donna D stayed local, and spent her Saturday taste-testing Williamsburg. Check out her great shots!
Every Saturday on the Williamsburg waterfront between North 6th and North 7th St., from 11am to 6pm, Smorgasburg brings together food entrepreneurs and established purveyors from New York City and across the region selling both packaged and prepared foods, fresh produce, and other food-related stands. The market is open rain or shine, and man-oh-man, did I get my eat on this past weekend. As you can see from all the photos, I sampled a lot of food. I think I managed to hit up 50 vendors. Some of my favorites were the Lime-in-the-Coconut candy bars from Liddabit Sweets, the S’morgasm from S’more Bakery, braised Pork Belly with sliced cucumber, pickled jalapeno, scallions and hoisin from Bite Size Kitchen, and a shot of Vichyssoise soup from Sea Bean Goods [they are a micro-soupery which I’m dying to try their soup subscription]. If you don’t already know, I have an obsession with carbonated water – so obviously Brooklyn Soda Works‘ Apple Ginger Soda was a major hit to my taste buds. I also picked up some of Grady’s Cold Brew which is a New Orleans–style coffee concentrate and the best staple for a girl that doesn’t have a coffee maker.
Barnacle Billy’s
April 29, 2012
Sipping a Barnacle Billy’s lemonade was a flashback to my childhood summer holidays to Maine. A casual port-side hotspot to get your fresh lobster rolls and sit out admiring the fishermen charm of Perkin’s Cove, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon. Not into seafood? The burgers are a simple but tasty alternate. To burn off the calories, Marginal Way– a scenic trail along the rocky coast– is a great post lunch activity.
Lobster Roll
Lobster Roll & Marginal Way
Lobster
Burger
Fresh lemonade
White Barn Inn
April 25, 2012
Nestled in the quaint New England coastal town of Kennebunkport, White Barn Inn was one of my first stops through southern Maine last week, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. An intimate, classic inn setting, I was welcomed with open arms into the kitchen of Grand Chef, Jonathan Cartwright, to taste his Forbes Five Star menu. Feasting on more than my stomach could take, it was too delicious to leave the plate anything but clean. The various courses included an appetizer of Pan Roast New England Quail Breast and Foie Gras with a Basket of Smoked Leg Confit and Forest Mushroom Risotto. Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream with Crisp Fig Fitter as an intermezzo and Local Salmon Filet in a Parma Ham “Jacket” with Bacon Wrapped Scallop, Spaghetti Squash and Maple Dijon Mustard Sauce for the main course. Although it didn’t stop there, as I had to try Cartwright’s specialty smoked lobster dish and finished off with a multitude of desserts. The entire inn was more than welcoming, and certainly a must-stay for anyone traveling to the Pine Tree State. I hope to return very soon, next time booking an extra day to take advantage of their luxurious spa treatments!
A walk along Kennebunkport's rocky coastline and White Barn Inn
Smoked lobster
An extra dish from the chef
Lounge area
Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream with Crisp Fig Fitter
Inn interior
Pan Roast New England Quail Breast and Foie Gras with a Basket of Smoked Leg Confit and Forest Mushroom Risotto
Local Salmon Filet in a Parma Ham "Jacket"
Bacon wrapped scallop
Salmon
Front Porch at May's Annex
Grand Chef, Jonathan Cartwright's signature smoked lobster dish
Grand Marnier souffle with chocolate sauce
Grand Marnier souffle with chocolate sauce and sorbet
Espresso
Front porch
Maine blueberry sorbet
Breakfast Quiche
Fresh bread
Muffins
Fresh berries
Breakfast meat selection
Greetings from Kennebunkport
April 22, 2012
A little sneak peak at this weekend. More to come soon!
Weekend in Maine
Perfect for a Picnic
April 19, 2012
When I was back in Syracuse browsing through Wegmans, I discovered a combo for the perfect snack. Their fresh apple cider bread, with actual pieces of baked apple throughout, is amazing enough eating it alone. But topped off with brie and a nut/raisin spread made it complete. Easy enough to pack in your picnic basket the next time you’re looking for an outdoor snack.
I’m off to Maine for a few days to shoot those beautiful New England coastal towns and delicious local seafood fare. Be back next week! x
Apple Cider Bread
Brie and nuts spread
Apple Cider bread with brie and nut spread
a camera in the kitchen 