October 2011
3 posts
3 tags
The three Flying Monkey treats you must try
My fellow market goers,
I stand in line with you, week in and week out, as you decide what to buy at the Flying Monkey. I know, the Pumpple is one of Reading Terminal Market’s celebrity dishes, what with being on the Today Show and all. The cupcakes are as cute as a button. However, you’re really leaving some great options at the counter. So, as a favor to you, I’m here to...
2 tags
Ginger Pineapple Salad
Around this time of year, when the farmer’s markets have only had apples and pears for weeks, I remember that there’s nothing else coming to those markets until next May. For me, it’s a short step from that realization to the winter produce blues.
Luckily, my friend Cybèle introduced me to a simple, delicious pineapple salad. OK, “salad” is a bit of a stretch...
2 tags
Tea Talk and popping bubbles
Bubble tea, also known as boba tea, once referred only to tea with dark, chewy tapioca balls in it. It’s delicious, and how the trend got started. But tapioca balls are tricky little buggers. They have a very short shelf life once cooked … like 4 to 5 hours. They get softer the longer they sit in liquid. So, if your bubble tea purveyor doesn’t have high turnover, end of...
August 2011
1 post
2 tags
Spread Bagelry
At long last, Spread Bagelry is open, and the unbageled masses are washing up on their doorstep.
A fire shortly after their original opening closed their doors, the unchanging website and silent Twitter account mocking those of us who hadn’t been quick enough to try them in the first go round. But, be warned — if you want to try these bagels, you still need to be quick. I got two...
April 2011
1 post
3 tags
Turkey Grandmère
In general, the definition of an easy dinner is one that can be thrown together in 30 minutes or less. With a newborn, though, it became clear that might not be true for a while. Newborns are notorious for not understanding requests to “just hang on a second”, and they’re even less interested in whether or not your food is ready. It only took a week to realize some of my go-to...
January 2011
1 post
3 tags
Monkey Bread, the traditional holiday treat
Some things you cook for your own enjoyment. Most things, though, are meant to be shared. So, a squeal of delight when I mention making something is usually enough to guarantee that it gets made. Everyone, you can thank Jane for the monkey bread!
I am boggled by the number of people I’ve talked to who have never heard of or eaten monkey bread. If you have not had the good fortune to...
November 2010
1 post
3 tags
Stocking up: Preggie prep & gnocchi
The baby is almost here, and I wanted to be prepared. Diapers? Baby clothes? No! I’m talking about food. While I’m sure my favorite Chinatown eateries will be seeing plenty of baby-fatigue-driven business in the coming months, I also wanted to make sure our freezer was fully stocked. Behold, the frozen fruits of my third trimester nesting!
I made:
chicken curry
butternut...
October 2010
1 post
2 tags
Cherry peach jam
I am a devoted reader of Food in Jars, but I cannot tell a lie. My early jam attempts did not come out that well. It scared me off committing more fruit. I just kept thinking, “But it’s so yummy to eat. What if I ruin it?”
There’s nothing like watching a confident cook do his or her thing to inspire me, though! So, after Niki invited me over to assist with her...
September 2010
3 posts
2 tags
Greensgrow CSA Weeks 15 and 17
Week 15
Plums (Yellow Plums on Thursday, Fortuna on Saturday) - Lancaster County, PA and Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Watermelon - Lancaster County, PA
Spinach-Graiff Farms, Newfield, NJ
Cucumbers- Lancaster County, PA
Beets- Flaim Farms, Vineland, NJ
Organic Sweet Potatoes- Shady Brook Organics, Lancaster County, PA
Sweet Frying Peppers- Lancaster County, PA
Amish Swiss Cheese -...
2 tags
Celebrate the fall harvest outdoors!
Summer is over, and the heat is breaking. What better way to celebrate than by getting outside?
(photo courtesy of Weaver’s Way)
Fair Food Farmstand and the Weaver’s Way Co-op are partnering on Sunday, September 19th, for the 5th annual Urban Farm Bike Tour. They’re doing two rides this year — a 14 mile basic ride, and a 28 mile ride “for experienced...
2 tags
Barbuzzo
As soon as you walk into Barbuzzo, the smell of the wood-burning oven fills your nose. This has to be one of the most delightful, welcoming smells on earth, and immediately had me thinking happy thoughts about the 6th venture in Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s takeover of 13th Street.
We started with olives and pig popcorn. The olives were a just right starter — a small enough...
August 2010
5 posts
3 tags
Spring/Summer Wrap-up, Part 2
Check out the Spring/Summer Restaurant Wrap-up, part 1 for my 10 second reviews on Adsum, Koo Zee Doo, Paesano’s, and more!
Hardena: You really can’t beat a place that serves up a mountain of food for $6. They also had a fish curry that I absolutely gobbled up, and I am not typically a fish fan. Follow your instincts on what looks good, or let the guy guide you. Or bring a...
2 tags
Greensgrow Week 13
This week’s share contained:
Niagara White Grapes - Linvilla Orchards, Media, PA
Watermelon - Lancaster County, PA
Heirloom Tomatoes - Reineer Family Farms, Lancaster, PA
Red Bell Peppers - Lancaster County, PA
Collard Greens - Flaim Farms, Vineland, PA
Golden Zucchini - Landisdale Farms, Jonestown, PA
Organic Beets - Lancaster Farm Fresh, Lancaster County, PA
Hot and Sweet Peppers...
3 tags
Spring/Summer restaurant wrap-up
I cannot tell a lie. Being pregnant has definitely reduced the number of places I write full-on reviews for. But I do leave the house, more often than you might guess from the posts of late. Here are some 10-second reviews of spots I’ve hit this spring and summer.
Adsum: Their foie gras poutine sparked a heated debate over which was the superior over-the-top fry dish, that or Village...
2 tags
Greensgrow CSA Week 11
Nectarines - Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Cantaloupe - Lancaster County, PA
Zucchini - Lancaster County, PA
Spinach - Graiff Farms, Newfield, PA
Kale - Flaim Farms, Vineland, PA
Heirloom Tomatoes - Rineer Family Farms, Lancaster, PA
Cabbage - Lancaster County, PA
Red, White and Blue Potatoes - Lancaster Farm Fresh, Lancaster, PA
Fresh Basil (and it’s purple!)
Fresh...
2 tags
The Politics of the Plate
Like many of you who have an interest in food, I read lots of food blogs. I love seeing different people’s takes on local restaurants, different dishes, things to try. But my favorite food blog nowadays isn’t about the how-tos, it’s about the whys. Barry Estabrook’s Politics of the Plate is, in short, about the ethics of what we eat.
Estabrook was a contributing editor...
July 2010
5 posts
2 tags
Greensgrow CSA Week 9
When does the summer share hit its stride? When I have a big bowl of stone fruits constantly on my counter!
Shiro Plums - Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
White Freestone Peaches - Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Tomatoes - Linvilla Orchards, Media PA
Cucumbers - Lancaster County
Eggplant - Viereck Farms, Swedesboro, NJ
Basil - Flaim Farms, Vineland, PA
Yellow Onions - Lancaster...
2 tags
Zavino Pizza and Wine Bar
I lived on 13th Street for 5 years, so I feel a warmth in my heart every time another great neighborhood spot opens. I may not live there anymore, but it still feels like my own. Zavino is a far cry from the greasy tables of Mama Angelina’s and the 13th St. Pizza counter of my day.
The menu has 4 sections: veggies, seasonal specials, meats and cheeses, and pizza. It being the height...
2 tags
Cowboy Cake
After poaching apricots last week, I confess. I was turned around on apricots. Though I’m still not a fan of eating them straight out of hand, they were quite delightfully tart and juicy when cooked. So, when the week 7 basket had more apricots, I was actually pretty excited.
Rewind to last summer. I made peach upside-down cake, then promptly remade it with apples instead. The peach...
2 tags
Greensgrow CSA Week 7
Oh yum! Oh heaven! Look at this beautiful array, with nary a kale leaf or beet in sight!
Apricots - Eden Garden Farm, Lancaster, PA
Peaches - Fifer Orchards, Wyoming, DE
Blueberries - Columbia Farms, Hamilton, NJ
Zucchini - Flaim Farms, Vineland, NJ
Tomatoes (from a selection of 5 choices)
I swapped my golden beets for those lovely looking carrots!
Corn on the Cob - Lancaster...
2 tags
Poached Apricots
One of my favorite things about being a CSA member is the freedom to experiment. When I get something in the basket that is not a particular favorite of mine, I think, “Well, at least I don’t have to worry about how it turns out!” If the dish is delicious, great. If it’s terrible, well, I didn’t like it that much to start with! (See: roasting peppers, watermelon...
June 2010
3 posts
2 tags
Greensgrow CSA Week 5
Update: Erik from Greensgrow gave me a call, and let me know that they had not “run out” of blueberries — he made an executive decision to substitute the apricots, because they have a much shorter growing season (and said he would email about substitutions in the future.) Also, the spring mix was not the last box, just needed to get restocked from the back. Thanks for the...
3 tags
Salad days
Every cook has their bête noire - the item, against all logic and rational decisions, you just can’t convince yourself to make. I do the lion’s share of cooking in my house, but when Bryan and I first started dating, I started the campaign to make his official cooking duty “salad dresser”.
He is a voracious salad eater. Me, not so much. His toppings of choice: raw...
2 tags
Greensgrow CSA Week 3
This week’s basket contains:
Strawberries - Lancaster County, PA
Sugar Snap Peas - Lancaster County, PA
Cremini Mushrooms - Bo-Ka Specialties
Green Beans - Lancaster County, PA
Yellow Squash- Viereck Farms, Woolwich, NJ
Choice of Kale or Swiss Chard - Greensgrow Farm
Spring Onions - Lancaster County, PA
Carrots- Flaim Farms, Vineland, NJ
Cheese -A choice from a variety of...
3 tags
Frög Burger at the Franklin Institute
I am not a sucker for the over-the-top burger, generally. But it’s like the folks at Frög Burger peeked into my secret heart of hearts, and devised the over-the-top burger guaranteed to melt me into a puddle of joy.
The LOVE Burger is a burger with grilled cheeses for a bun. A patty in TWO grilled cheeses! How has this not already swept the country? How has an abomination like...
May 2010
5 posts
2 tags
Greensgrow CSA Week 1: back in action!
Lettuce Mix - Greensgrow Farm
Strawberries - Fifer Orchards, Wyoming, DE
Kale - Autumn Blend Organics, Lancaster, PA
Asparagus - Fifer Orchards, Wyoming, DE
Scallions - Jacob Youder, Dover, DE
Zucchini - Viereck Farms, Woolwich, NJ
Radishes - Jacob Youder, Dover, DE
Cheese - A choice from a variety of cheeses from Shellbark Hollow Farm, West Chester, PA
Dairy Option - CHOOSE ONE: 1...
2 tags
Bobby's Burger Palace
Initial reviews of Bobby’s Burger Palace had not been so good, so I had more or less ruled it out (who wants to trek out to West Philly to wait a long time for a meh burger?) But one of my co-workers told me he really liked it, and it’s open late, so I swung by one night at 10:30 to give it a shot.
I promptly found myself there TWICE more in the following two weeks. Were the...
2 tags
Strawberry shortcakes
It is time. Today. Go get yourself at least one pint of local strawberries. Don’t go to Superfresh. Go to a farmer’s market. Go to Reading Terminal Market and hit up the Amish or Fair Food. Yes, they cost more. If there is one form of produce worth the outlay to get fresh and local, it is berries. They do not ripen after picking, but they are fragile (read: do not ship well...
2 tags
Garlic yogurt
There are two kinds of people in this world: people who love garlic, and … um, actually, maybe there is only one kind of people in this case. If you think that everything could be improved with the addition of a little (or a lot) of garlic, then this is the recipe for you.
Savory flavors may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think yogurt, but try not to think of this in...
April 2010
4 posts
4 tags
In praise of wedding cupcakes
Hey, folks, I’m back! Super tan (ok, not really), super rested, and married! Before I jump back in to our regularly scheduled posts, now complete with stand mixer (ooey gooey butter cake, prepare to fall before me), I wanted to share one of the smarter choices, besides the groom of course, I thought I made for the wedding. It’s cupcakes.
I know that cupcakes are a wedding...
2 tags
Lemon Granita
Do you like to eat ice? Not water ice, or ice cream, just pure ice? I love to, and, believe it or not, it’s because I was anemic during my pregnancy. I didn’t feel anemic, but a friend pointed out that the new ice-eating habit I had picked up was a side effect of my anemia. I could and would consume two or three cups of ice in a few hours. I ate it as a snack and as a dessert...
3 tags
Winter Wrap-up, Part 2
Check out the Wrap-up Part 1 for Percy Street Barbecue, Ladder 15 and more!
Lacroix: I love their brunch, absolutely love it. The next time you have a special occasion, treat yourself to it. It is the best $55 you will spend on a meal this year. Their lunch is pretty good. I was not wowed by their dinner. This could be because they are very fish-centric, and Bryan is a fishophobe.
Silk...
3 tags
Winter Restaurant Wrap-Up
As a rule, I don’t blog dates I go on with Bryan. I’m busy taking pictures and thinking about what I might write, and it seems less like a date and more like … well, let’s just say I don’t do it. But we go out once a week, so that’s a lot of restaurants that I would tell you about in real life, but don’t get mentioned on the blog. So, let’s have a...
March 2010
6 posts
3 tags
Candied Lemon Slices
Candied fruit always struck me as such an old-timey candy that I had actually never eaten any. Since many candies now elicit the “ugh, too sweet!” reaction from me, I decided to give it a shot. All you need is a lemon or two, sugar and water, right?
Okay, that’s not entirely true. You also need a really sharp knife and a heavy-bottomed skillet. A dull knife will avoid your...
5 tags
My Morning Coffee
Vietnamese coffee is simply the best: strong, dark coffee softened by sweetened condensed milk. It’s a unique flavor and the softest possible landing in the morning.
Making it couldn’t be easier. You’ll need ground coffee, sweetened condensed milk, and a Vietnamese coffee maker. The makers can be had for under $4 from any of the Vietnamese markets down on Washington...
2 tags
I'm a guest blogger for First Person Arts!
First Person Arts’ Edible World event for the spring features author Suzan Colón sharing stories about the intersection of food and family. In the run up, they are doing a series of blog posts featuring Philadelphians sharing their own stories of food and family — and the series kicks off with yours truly! Head over to their blog to check out the post, and find out why the...
3 tags
The White Lady of Auckland
The roving, tweeting food truck may have hit the Philly food scene in 2009, but the stationary food truck has been part of our culinary tradition for time immemorial. So when I turned a corner in Auckland, New Zealand and came upon the White Lady in all her glory, it just seemed required that I stop and eat.
That’s right, for more than 60 years (22,514 nights if you can’t read...
2 tags
It's CSA signup time!
Talk about signs of spring…. CSA enrollment season is upon us! Open signup for the Greensgrow CSA begins today.
If you followed last year’s CSA on my blog, there have been a couple of significant changes:
Meat has been eliminated. No more oyster share :(
The weekly “dairy” choice of eggs, butter, milk or yogurt has been changed to eggs, butter, yogurt, seitan or...
3 tags
Caramels ... by the pound!
I confess… I have a thing for caramels. And I also have a thing for packages. Like, I’m obsessed with knowing when things I order will arrive, and I track them endlessly. So, when an unexpected package arrived, I was delighted. When it was filled with caramels and marshmallows, I swooned. Jenn, you rock.
Deidre Wood is not is Philadelphia, but she is in the Etsy-verse, and you...
February 2010
6 posts
4 tags
Tongue
The enormous cow’s tongues at my nearby Vietnamese market (16th and Washington) have an inexorable pull on me. I recently bought and cured one. It’s a pretty easy process, a good warm-up if you plan on corning beef for St. Patrick’s Day.
The only special ingredient is so-called “pink salt”, a mixture of table salt and sodium nitrite. You don’t even need...
4 tags
Delancey Street Bagels
Regional specialties can be so cruel. How can New York have at least 3 reasonable bagel options per block, yet Philly is such a bagel wasteland?
Here are the places I know of that sell bagels in Center City: South Street Philly Bagels (which I always thought was just called Hot Bagels), Manhattan Bagels and Breugger’s Bagels. There’s also the Bagel Factory on Walnut Steet, but...
3 tags
Dulce de leche, can to pan
If you would like to draw me to a recipe, here is the phrase that pays: “It only has one ingredient!” (In my world, salt is not an ingredient. It is a fact of life.) It takes almost no prompting to get me to whip up a batch of butter. So, the idea of boiling a can and getting out a tasty treat had immediate, obvious appeal to me.
Traditional dulce de leche requires you to spend...
2 tags
Hello, and Consommé
Hi! I’m Michael. I’m friends with Helen and company, and I’m excited to be share some of my cooking with you fine people.
This is my kitchen; it’s in Philadelphia. (I mean, so am I.)
I love to cook: saute, steam, fry, bake, cure, smoke, brew, whatever. (You can see evidence of most of those in this picture, actually.) I like to make things myself, to a fault.
But enough about me. ...
3 tags
Mmmm, mushroom soup!
I grew up a vegetable hater. Mushrooms were my first love of the vegetable world. (Fungus world… whatever. They were not a meat, fruit, grain, starch or fat, and you find them in salads. Thus, they are vegetables.) Why? Because mushrooms have the delightful property of taking on a lot of the flavor of their environment.
So, for my Saturday snowday, I made a pot of stock, and then,...
2 tags
Philly Cupcake
After a particularly ill-fated trip to Betty’s Speakeasy last October, where the only cupcakes on offer included stout, chipotle and zucchini, I wrote my own personal rules for
How to Be a Good Cupcake Purveyor
Have chocolate-chocolate and vanilla-vanilla, every day.
Cupcakes are all about the cake-to-frosting ratio. Don’t screw it up.
Don’t refrigerate. It makes your...
January 2010
5 posts
2 tags
I've been otherwise engaged.
I know I’ve been a bit blogging delinquent for the last few weeks. I hope you can forgive me; I’ve been otherwise engaged… literally! And since there’s nothing my sweetie and I like better than a good challenge, we’ve set the date less than 3 months away. So, that’s been eating most of my time. (Argh, engagement clearly brings out my inner punster.)
Which...
2 tags
Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwiches
For many years, I denied myself bánh mi, because I have a simple rule regarding changes to a dish.
If you want one thing changed, that’s ok; if you want more than one thing changed, order something else.
In addition to the meat, shredded carrots, jalapeño and paté, banh mi is served with two of my traditional food enemies, cilantro and cucumber. Yes, I know you love them and think they...
3 tags
Stocking up: chocolate chip cookies!
Come winter, stocking homemade cookie dough in your freezer is a game-changer for folks with a sweet tooth. Those times when you were craving something sweet, but the thought of schlepping down to Wawa was giving you frostbite? In the past! A hot, fresh chocolate chip cookie straight out of the oven is basically the best thing you can ask for on a cold wintry night.
There’s just one...
2 tags
Aloe vera bubble tea
I have a well-known fondness for bubble tea. When I first discovered it on a trip to Singapore many years ago, I was drinking multiple teas a day, and there was a brief, brave moment when my sister and I considered opening a bubble tea business. So, when I arrived in Australia, Jane said we had to go to EasyWay and get a passion fruit bubble tea with aloe, which had been recommended to her by...
4 tags
Resolutions for 2010
Happy New Year, my dears! It’s resolution time, and a great many resolutions have to do with food. I’m taking the advice of two of my favorite bloggers, and making sure my resolutions are concrete — things that can be clearly separated into done or not done.
I have a generic resolution to eat local. To transform that into concrete plans, I will: join a CSA, shop at Fair...