Quote of the week:
"Let your creativity run wild whether it's on paper or canvas." ~ Vesta Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar Menu
No Sugar Added
I stared at the cursive font which said, “Homemade Apple Butter, No Sugar Added,” and thought it might as well say, “Heartbreak in a Jar, No Love Needed.” Oh, I know it sounds melodramatic, but when else are we afforded the luxury of a such drama?
The apple butter was a gift from Amish country presented by Lost Artist on a chilly morning in early December while we walked through Red Hook. Unfortunately, about two hours later, after we scoured IKEA for new pillows, ironing boards and potential dark room sinks, Lost Artist delivered the dreaded “this-relationship-isn’t-right-for-me” speech.
Believe it or not, that was not the first time I received a parting gift from a confused boyfriend. It makes one feel like a losing contestant on the relationship game show. Thanks so much for playing. For being such a good sport, you get to take home a lovely silver bracelet from Mexico... or whatever.
So, there I was last week with the jar of apple butter. I could not bear the idea of slowly consuming it throughout the next few months. Every opening of the jar, every inhale of apple and clove, every bite would bring me back to a cold bench on the pier behind IKEA. I couldn’t throw it out; that would be a flagrant waste of food. Donation was not an option because the local food banks don’t accept glass jars. I pondered giving it to a friend, but why present someone else with a symbol of my heartbreak and ask them to consume it instead?
As I was considering the apple butter’s fate, my eyes glazed over. When they came back into focus, I was looking at my Rodale’s Basic Natural Food’s Cookbook. It’s been a long time, I thought, since I’ve made cookies. Aha! I would make “Apple Sauce Yummies” and use the apple butter as a substitute. The taste would be embedded in the cookie and surrounded by other flavors. The heartbreak would be diffused in the dough and eventually baked right out of the cookies.
The Rodale’s cookbook is a great resource, particularly for those in search of desserts made with natural sweeteners. For years, I had to abide to a diet devoid of white sugar. I don’t believe in artificial sweeteners. I’m skeptical about anything that fabricated. I was allowed a very limited amount of honey or maple syrup, but only occasionally since the sugar content in those sweeteners is still high.
At some point, I discovered agave syrup, which has a low value on the glycemic index, and can be used in baking or to sweeten liquids like coffee and lemonade. The glycemic index measures how foods or ingredients affect blood glucose or blood sugar levels. Although I no longer need to avoid white sugar completely, I acquired a preference for desserts that are not crazy sweet. Agave syrup can easily be used in any recipe that calls for a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
Unfortunately though, Rodale’s doesn’t include any recipes with chocolate. I adapted the applesauce cookie recipe to include dark chocolate and a few other ingredients such as chopped dried apricots, pecans or walnuts and teff, the world’s smallest grain and a staple in Ethiopian cuisine. I also reduced the amount of butter, and occasionally I’ll throw in some yogurt. (My modified version of the recipe is below.)
If you have any interest in cutting down your sugar intake, another great resource is Get the Sugar Out by Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S. This book discusses natural and not-so-natural sweeteners and provides recipes and practical steps for reducing the amount of sugar consumed on a daily basis.
I made the cookie dough last Sunday, baked one batch and froze another two. I shared the first batch with co-workers. I was a little nervous because I recently watched Like Water for Chocolate. The movie’s heroine Tita is a cook whose food becomes infused with her emotions. She prepares a wedding feast while suffering from a broken heart, and when the guests eat, they first begin to cry and then eventually vomit profusely.
I observed my co-workers to see if there would be any adverse reactions to my apple butter cookies. Everyone seemed fine--no crying, sadness or anger. I can only surmise that either my heart is healing or the 375-degree oven really did cook out the heartbreak.
Wednesday night following yoga class, I met up with V. and her friend S. at Barrio Chino on Broome just east of Orchard. In keeping with the name, red Chinese lanterns hang from the ceiling, but the menu is comprised of Mexican food.
I squeezed through the crowded, noisy space to join V. and S. on the side of the bar in the far corner. I ordered a jalapeno lime margarita, which was so fantastic, I had to order another. For dinner, I tried the cactus and black bean tacos. I failed to realize before ordering that these tacos are served cold. My order was not only cold, it tasted like both the cactus and the cheese had been taken out of the freezer and not allowed to thaw completely before serving. I recommend avoiding this dish. I heard from my companions that the enchiladas are quite good, and that the grapefruit habanero margaritas are extremely spicy.
Within minutes of leaving the restaurant, the night became one of those “oh-let’s-just-have-one-more-drink” adventures. We wandered over to The Whiskey Ward on Essex where I had one Basil Hayden, one of my favorite bourbons. I should have gone home straight after, but V. and S. were good company and fine enablers. We went to meet more friends at Bua on St. Marks Place between 1st and Avenue A. There I had a Jameson’s, during the enjoyment of which I realized my fingers just slipped off the ledge of reasonable thinking which would normally prevent one from drinking so much on a school night. I made it home by 1:45 a.m. It was only four drinks, but Thursday was a very rough day. I was so hungover I had to drink white wine at my holiday office party that night. I almost never drink white.
Speaking of whiskey, 9 people responded to the poll last week with 44% preferring whiskey and 11% brandy in a Manhattan. A surprising 33% of you can’t drink the hard stuff, and one responder isn’t familiar with a Manhattan. The classic version contains whiskey, vermouth, bitters and a cherry, though apparently the original 19th-century recipe did not include cherries. Find out more by reading The Real Manhattan, a New York Times article from 2007 which includes a recipe.
Friday night, I had dinner with friends whom with I used to work at the American Museum of Natural History. We had quite a bit of fun as office mates back in the day. We met at Grand Sichuan on 24th Street and 9th Avenue. My friend R. ordered the tasty #198 which was a spicy fried tofu. I had #107, the garlic string beans. I would order either again, and friend K. seemed happy with the chicken and asparagus.
Although it wasn’t a culinary adventure, I went to P.S.1 in Queens on Saturday to see a poetry reading and performance connected to NeoHooDoo: Art for a Forgotten Faith, which is on exhibit until January 26th. (I had a decaf in the P.S.1 cafe to justify writing about the trip in this blog. I think it was Nescafe.) As with any collective show there were some interesting and some not-so-interesting pieces.
I enjoyed Radcliffe Bailey's Storm at Sea, José Bedia’s Las Cosas que me Arrastran (The Things That Drag Me Along) and some of the photos by Adrian Piper. I'm not an artist, though, so take the grain of salt that comes with the opinion. The performance could have been really intriguing, however, the numerous friends of performers and P.S. 1 staff crawling all over the space and taking photos with flash (from 20 feet away) really detracted from anything happening on stage.
The Leandro Erlich Swimming Pool installation is super fun though the water and plexiglass need to be cleaned. Swimming Pool is on display until April 1 and worth a trip to Queens. Bring friends so you can take a picture of each other from above and below (though technically I don't think this is allowed). If you come to see it, we can have brunch, which by the way, I am reclaiming while I type these letters.
I’m sitting in Vesta, a somewhat new restaurant only blocks from my apartment on 30th Avenue in Astoria. The decaf coffee is great, which is a rare experience. I ordered the l’Italiano, a decadent dish of poached eggs served on crunchy Italian bread toast with ricotta cheese and spicy soppresatta.
Until recently I didn’t realize that ricotta could be delicious creamy part of a meal, complimenting fresh bread, sun dried tomatoes, soppresotta or prosciutto, olives and pesto. In my mind, ricotta was the somewhat bland white stuff that was found in plastic containers next to the cottage cheese and commonly used in lasagna where it is usally overwhelmed by tomato sauce. Surprisingly, the cheese also works well with poached eggs.
The home fries which accompanied the eggs are well flavored and include those tasty crunchy bits from the bottom of the pan that I love so much. The entire meal is quite wonderful though very rich. As an added bonus, the l’Italiano is only $6.95.
Vesta also has a great selection of wine, friendly staff and wi-fi. The description on the menu is “Inspired by Italy, the local green market and a commitment to a menu without boundaries.” I am quite happy they are just down the street.
Well, that is enough for one week. I’m working on making the entries shorter, but there is so much eating and drinking in one week it’s tough! Stay tuned! The world of random dating comes back into play this upcoming week. Since there are drinks involved, you will surely hear about it!
Cookie Recipe (Adapted Applesauce Yummies from Rodale’s Basic Natural Foods Cookbook)
1 3/4 cups sifted whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup teff
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce or one jar unsweetened apple butter
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 stick of butter, softened
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract (optional)
A large handful of chopped dark (70% or darker) dark chocolate or throw in some semisweet chocolate chips
A handful of chopped dried apricots
A large handful of pecans or walnuts (or other nut of your choice)
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare baking sheet.
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda and powder and cinnamon together. Stir in teff.
In a medium bowl, mix the oats and applesauce or apple butter.
In another medium bowl, beat together the honey and butter, then mix in the egg. Combine the butter mixture with the oats. Stir in vanilla. Add to flour.
Fold in the the chocolate, apricots and nuts.
Drop large spoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until tops and edges begin to brown.
Cool on racks.
Note: You can freeze some of the batter in logs for use later.
"Let your creativity run wild whether it's on paper or canvas." ~ Vesta Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar Menu
No Sugar Added
I stared at the cursive font which said, “Homemade Apple Butter, No Sugar Added,” and thought it might as well say, “Heartbreak in a Jar, No Love Needed.” Oh, I know it sounds melodramatic, but when else are we afforded the luxury of a such drama?
The apple butter was a gift from Amish country presented by Lost Artist on a chilly morning in early December while we walked through Red Hook. Unfortunately, about two hours later, after we scoured IKEA for new pillows, ironing boards and potential dark room sinks, Lost Artist delivered the dreaded “this-relationship-isn’t-right-for-me” speech.
Believe it or not, that was not the first time I received a parting gift from a confused boyfriend. It makes one feel like a losing contestant on the relationship game show. Thanks so much for playing. For being such a good sport, you get to take home a lovely silver bracelet from Mexico... or whatever.
So, there I was last week with the jar of apple butter. I could not bear the idea of slowly consuming it throughout the next few months. Every opening of the jar, every inhale of apple and clove, every bite would bring me back to a cold bench on the pier behind IKEA. I couldn’t throw it out; that would be a flagrant waste of food. Donation was not an option because the local food banks don’t accept glass jars. I pondered giving it to a friend, but why present someone else with a symbol of my heartbreak and ask them to consume it instead?
As I was considering the apple butter’s fate, my eyes glazed over. When they came back into focus, I was looking at my Rodale’s Basic Natural Food’s Cookbook. It’s been a long time, I thought, since I’ve made cookies. Aha! I would make “Apple Sauce Yummies” and use the apple butter as a substitute. The taste would be embedded in the cookie and surrounded by other flavors. The heartbreak would be diffused in the dough and eventually baked right out of the cookies.
The Rodale’s cookbook is a great resource, particularly for those in search of desserts made with natural sweeteners. For years, I had to abide to a diet devoid of white sugar. I don’t believe in artificial sweeteners. I’m skeptical about anything that fabricated. I was allowed a very limited amount of honey or maple syrup, but only occasionally since the sugar content in those sweeteners is still high.
At some point, I discovered agave syrup, which has a low value on the glycemic index, and can be used in baking or to sweeten liquids like coffee and lemonade. The glycemic index measures how foods or ingredients affect blood glucose or blood sugar levels. Although I no longer need to avoid white sugar completely, I acquired a preference for desserts that are not crazy sweet. Agave syrup can easily be used in any recipe that calls for a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
Unfortunately though, Rodale’s doesn’t include any recipes with chocolate. I adapted the applesauce cookie recipe to include dark chocolate and a few other ingredients such as chopped dried apricots, pecans or walnuts and teff, the world’s smallest grain and a staple in Ethiopian cuisine. I also reduced the amount of butter, and occasionally I’ll throw in some yogurt. (My modified version of the recipe is below.)
If you have any interest in cutting down your sugar intake, another great resource is Get the Sugar Out by Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S. This book discusses natural and not-so-natural sweeteners and provides recipes and practical steps for reducing the amount of sugar consumed on a daily basis.
I made the cookie dough last Sunday, baked one batch and froze another two. I shared the first batch with co-workers. I was a little nervous because I recently watched Like Water for Chocolate. The movie’s heroine Tita is a cook whose food becomes infused with her emotions. She prepares a wedding feast while suffering from a broken heart, and when the guests eat, they first begin to cry and then eventually vomit profusely.
I observed my co-workers to see if there would be any adverse reactions to my apple butter cookies. Everyone seemed fine--no crying, sadness or anger. I can only surmise that either my heart is healing or the 375-degree oven really did cook out the heartbreak.
Wednesday night following yoga class, I met up with V. and her friend S. at Barrio Chino on Broome just east of Orchard. In keeping with the name, red Chinese lanterns hang from the ceiling, but the menu is comprised of Mexican food.
I squeezed through the crowded, noisy space to join V. and S. on the side of the bar in the far corner. I ordered a jalapeno lime margarita, which was so fantastic, I had to order another. For dinner, I tried the cactus and black bean tacos. I failed to realize before ordering that these tacos are served cold. My order was not only cold, it tasted like both the cactus and the cheese had been taken out of the freezer and not allowed to thaw completely before serving. I recommend avoiding this dish. I heard from my companions that the enchiladas are quite good, and that the grapefruit habanero margaritas are extremely spicy.
Within minutes of leaving the restaurant, the night became one of those “oh-let’s-just-have-one-more-drink” adventures. We wandered over to The Whiskey Ward on Essex where I had one Basil Hayden, one of my favorite bourbons. I should have gone home straight after, but V. and S. were good company and fine enablers. We went to meet more friends at Bua on St. Marks Place between 1st and Avenue A. There I had a Jameson’s, during the enjoyment of which I realized my fingers just slipped off the ledge of reasonable thinking which would normally prevent one from drinking so much on a school night. I made it home by 1:45 a.m. It was only four drinks, but Thursday was a very rough day. I was so hungover I had to drink white wine at my holiday office party that night. I almost never drink white.
Speaking of whiskey, 9 people responded to the poll last week with 44% preferring whiskey and 11% brandy in a Manhattan. A surprising 33% of you can’t drink the hard stuff, and one responder isn’t familiar with a Manhattan. The classic version contains whiskey, vermouth, bitters and a cherry, though apparently the original 19th-century recipe did not include cherries. Find out more by reading The Real Manhattan, a New York Times article from 2007 which includes a recipe.
Friday night, I had dinner with friends whom with I used to work at the American Museum of Natural History. We had quite a bit of fun as office mates back in the day. We met at Grand Sichuan on 24th Street and 9th Avenue. My friend R. ordered the tasty #198 which was a spicy fried tofu. I had #107, the garlic string beans. I would order either again, and friend K. seemed happy with the chicken and asparagus.
Although it wasn’t a culinary adventure, I went to P.S.1 in Queens on Saturday to see a poetry reading and performance connected to NeoHooDoo: Art for a Forgotten Faith, which is on exhibit until January 26th. (I had a decaf in the P.S.1 cafe to justify writing about the trip in this blog. I think it was Nescafe.) As with any collective show there were some interesting and some not-so-interesting pieces.
I enjoyed Radcliffe Bailey's Storm at Sea, José Bedia’s Las Cosas que me Arrastran (The Things That Drag Me Along) and some of the photos by Adrian Piper. I'm not an artist, though, so take the grain of salt that comes with the opinion. The performance could have been really intriguing, however, the numerous friends of performers and P.S. 1 staff crawling all over the space and taking photos with flash (from 20 feet away) really detracted from anything happening on stage.
The Leandro Erlich Swimming Pool installation is super fun though the water and plexiglass need to be cleaned. Swimming Pool is on display until April 1 and worth a trip to Queens. Bring friends so you can take a picture of each other from above and below (though technically I don't think this is allowed). If you come to see it, we can have brunch, which by the way, I am reclaiming while I type these letters.
I’m sitting in Vesta, a somewhat new restaurant only blocks from my apartment on 30th Avenue in Astoria. The decaf coffee is great, which is a rare experience. I ordered the l’Italiano, a decadent dish of poached eggs served on crunchy Italian bread toast with ricotta cheese and spicy soppresatta.
Until recently I didn’t realize that ricotta could be delicious creamy part of a meal, complimenting fresh bread, sun dried tomatoes, soppresotta or prosciutto, olives and pesto. In my mind, ricotta was the somewhat bland white stuff that was found in plastic containers next to the cottage cheese and commonly used in lasagna where it is usally overwhelmed by tomato sauce. Surprisingly, the cheese also works well with poached eggs.
The home fries which accompanied the eggs are well flavored and include those tasty crunchy bits from the bottom of the pan that I love so much. The entire meal is quite wonderful though very rich. As an added bonus, the l’Italiano is only $6.95.
Vesta also has a great selection of wine, friendly staff and wi-fi. The description on the menu is “Inspired by Italy, the local green market and a commitment to a menu without boundaries.” I am quite happy they are just down the street.
Well, that is enough for one week. I’m working on making the entries shorter, but there is so much eating and drinking in one week it’s tough! Stay tuned! The world of random dating comes back into play this upcoming week. Since there are drinks involved, you will surely hear about it!
Cookie Recipe (Adapted Applesauce Yummies from Rodale’s Basic Natural Foods Cookbook)
1 3/4 cups sifted whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup teff
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce or one jar unsweetened apple butter
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 stick of butter, softened
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract (optional)
A large handful of chopped dark (70% or darker) dark chocolate or throw in some semisweet chocolate chips
A handful of chopped dried apricots
A large handful of pecans or walnuts (or other nut of your choice)
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare baking sheet.
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda and powder and cinnamon together. Stir in teff.
In a medium bowl, mix the oats and applesauce or apple butter.
In another medium bowl, beat together the honey and butter, then mix in the egg. Combine the butter mixture with the oats. Stir in vanilla. Add to flour.
Fold in the the chocolate, apricots and nuts.
Drop large spoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until tops and edges begin to brown.
Cool on racks.
Note: You can freeze some of the batter in logs for use later.
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