Set duck lunch at Momofuku Ssam Bar.

My first week in New York City was a steady diet of riding the train, scouring Craigslist, and viewing apartments. In between, I ate and went to museums. Just like I was on vacation. Don’t tell my wallet. And although I’m here now, living in New York, my hunger and excitement wanted me to eat like time was limited. I gave in. My pants grew tighter. And as expected, I got a great taste for all the wonderful food adventures that lie ahead of me.

Pastrami-cured salmon and scallion cream cheese on pumpernickel at Russ & Daughters.

I made an effort to try a few places that would be more ideal to visit during a weekday: Momofuku Ssam Bar, Russ & Daughters, Saltie, the Doughnut Plant. All worth their salty and sugary calories. I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed my duck lunch. I’m of the mind that David Chang & Co are kind of overexposed and too hyped up. Although a hefty $20 for the two-course set, I left very very happy. The doughnuts? Pure bliss. I am not a doughnut person, but I am now a Doughnut Plant person. I think that having both cake and yeast varieties during a visit is the only way to go. Double your pleasure, double your fun.

Before settling into my own place, I’ve been staying in Williamsburg. The rumours are all true: it’s more hipster than you could ever imagine, and the food (and drink) is some of the best in the boroughs. After returning for a few more visits, I still think that Roberta’s is the best pizza I’ve ever had. I can’t get enough. Just like in Vancouver, hipsters like their coffee. So far, I’ve tried both Blue Bottle and Toby’s Estate. Both are spaces that make you want to linger and sip all day, and both provide you with very high quality joe.

I can't take any more top knots!

The Scuttlebutt at Saltie.

Blueberry pancakes with maple butter at Clinton Street Baking Co.

And on a Sunday with no apartments to see and nothing but time, I decided to brave the wait for a tiny window seat at Clinton Street Baking Co. and finally try their much-discussed pancakes. I went with the classic blueberry and added a side of sugar-cured bacon. The wow factor is the maple butter sauce. On their own, the stack is fine, but it’s the sauce that makes them legendary. And the legend leads to lines. Big ones. But it’s New York, so I just filled the hour-long gap with a $9 manicure.

Tres leches and peanut butter and banana cream doughnuts from the Doughnut Plant.

So, this was just the beginning. And with the smallest apartment kitchen I’ve ever had in my future, the cooking chronicles of Cream might be few and far between. But I’ll still be eating (out) lots. And my camera phone is much improved.

Suggestions?

Today’s Special: Roast turkey on a roll, Torrisi Italian Specialties
Ah, New York. It’s my favourite place to be. And although I missed out on a traditional Thanksgiving meal, it’s my favourite place to be during my favourite long weekend. Anything you might have heard about autumn in New York is true, but add that a July-like heat wave is possible. I could hardly believe my luck.
To offset my lack of a proper turkey and fixings meal, I made sure to still have some gobbler while in the Big Apple. First, I went for Henry Public‘s amazing turkey leg sandwich and then, to the roast turkey at Torrisi Italian Specialties. Substituting their fresh ricotta for the mayo, it was hard to believe at first that a white roll, with lettuce, tomato and “spicy sauce” atop herb-roasted breast meat would yield one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. But on second thought, it wasn’t. There was something magical about that sauce. And the meat itself… it doesn’t happen very often where I stop to think about how delicious the herbs are on a piece of meat. Who cares that it was breast meat? It was juicy and flavourful and perfect for Thanksgiving weekend. Worth the hype. Worth the wait.

I must mention again that it was like 25 above, and I ate it on a park bench. I heart NY.

Torrisi Italian Specialties
Mulberry & Prince, New York City

Remember when I tried to make the Momofuku compost cookie?

Well, I just found out that the actual recipe has been posted.  On Regis and Kelly’s website of all places.  And there’s quite an interesting secret step involving the eggs.

Happy baking if you try them.

Momofuku Compost Cookie
c/o Live with Regis and Kelly

The Momofuku Compost Cookie

I finally got around to trying my hand at recreating the Compost Cookie experience.
Verdict:  failure.  But, not because my cookies were icky.  They just did not taste like the original.  But given that I have a small apartment oven, made up my own recipe and am not a pastry chef of great provenance, I done just fine.

I wanted to keep my first attempt simple.  No crumbs or grounds.  (I also know too many non-coffee drinkers.)  Butterscotch chips can be hard to come by, so I added peanuts.  Next time, I would add more of everything.  I had about two cups of add-ins, but I easily could have increased that to three.  Another “aw, shucks” moment came when I bit down on decidedly uncrisp potato chips and pretzels.  I have no clue how the ones in the original stay so crispy!

In any case, what follows is one of my favourite drop cookie batters—note the lack of white sugar.  To ensure I always get chewy cookies, I underbake by just under a minute.  Freezing is fine.  I actually love cookies just out of the freezer.  After a defrost of about ten minutes, I am in cold dough heaven…
(Remnants of my childhood eating English Bay batter out of the fridge.)

My Compost Cookie

2/3 cup melted butter
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons hot water
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups add-ins (such as chocolate, nuts, pretzels, potato chips)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and hot water until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture until blended.
Stir in add-ins. Drop onto ungreased/parchment cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 1 minute, then move to wire rack.

The seeking out of specific spots happened more often during the day when I was wandering alone.  And this seeking out was about two things:  sandwiches and ice cream.  I’ve been craving these a lot lately (or always) and being in New York meant that I could easily find some delicious options.  I find great pleasure in a good sandwich.  Nice bread, fresh fillings, the right amount of chew, two-fisted without being insurmountable.  It’s surprising to me how hard getting these attributes can be at times.  Not in New York, however. In addition to Bread and Snack for some yummy sandwiches, I made a trip to the Hampton Chutney Co. in Soho for what essentially is a South Indian sandwich:  the dosa.  Since being introduced to Hampton Chutney a few years ago, it’s become a place I must make my way to when in New York.  Although nowhere near authentic in terms of fillings, the crepes themselves are as crispy and chewy as they should be and the accompanying chutneys always fresh.

Fontina & grilled veg at Bread

Seasonal dosa with mint and pumpkin chutneys

I have no problem admitting that I’m a big fan of Tasti-D-Lite.  I never say no to soft-serve treats and because I grew up in the 80s around all things sugar-free, my palate is completely immune to chemical aftertastes.  That being said, I had none this journey because I had my sights set on more exciting options.

At the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, I had my first try of frozen custard.  It’s correctly described as the meeting of soft serve and hard ice cream:  the give of hard ice cream with the texture of soft serve.  I loved my cone of that day’s flavour, salted caramel.

Another soft-serve adventure was to Milk Bar, of the Momofuku clan.  Essentially the clan’s dessert outpost, the Milk Bar has quite a following for its cakes and pies, delicious cookies (the Compost variety I tried were crazy good), and inventive soft-serve flavours.  On offer were sweet and salty cucumber, watermelon, horchata, and cereal milk—and guessing what flavour of cereal it is that day is part of the fun.  I sampled what I’m sure was Corn Pops.  I think my afternoon treat of horchata soft serve was one of the highlights of my trip.  Especially as it complemented my walk around the East Village on a warm, fall day.

Gelato is a form of frozen milk I can never say no to.  So, knowing that I would be on the Upper West Side one afternoon, I made my way to Grom, a chain from Italy.  Creamier than most gelato I’ve tried, I was happy with my cone of vanilla and seasonal cinnamon.

After a turn at the Atlantic Antic, I got my first scoops of gelato from my most favourite gelateria—Il Laboratorio del Gelato—at One Girl in Brooklyn.  Ricotta and caramel.  Later that week, I celebrated/bemoaned my last day in New York by heading to their Lower East Side shop to partake in fresh mint, rum raisin, and malt.  There is never enough.

And there is never enough time in New York.

The unmarked door, secret Lower East Side address, and impossible reservation, was made possible for two lovely ladies and I to indulge in on my last visit to the glorious city, thanks to a dear friend with a London M&H membership. With the top secret address in hand, we rang the buzzer, were greeted by the understated but decidedly prohibition era vintage chic hostess, and were ushered through the velvet curtain into the tiny speak easy-esque dimly lit room, to our seats at the bar, with the sounds of Billy Holiday humming in the background.

With a small, but precisely planned bar, filled with containers of fresh berries, mint leaves, fruit purees, blocks of ice waiting to be chipped at for each and every drink, and of course honey, we placed our orders. Menu free, it was a question of liquor and flavour preference. No place for fruity libations, and a good chance for instant cringing at the mention of vodka, I went straight to my standby….gin. The next ingredient request will come as no surprise…cucumber. As I watched the bartender, who quickly “hmft-ed!” at the name mixologist, make my “Lower East Side Gimlet” with the vigour of a gymnast to get that perfect froth, I was smitten with that cocktail before it hit my lips. Perfect. Simple.

With house rules such as, ”Gentlemen will not introduce themselves to ladies. Ladies, feel free to start a conversation or ask the bartender to introduce you. If a man you don’t know speaks to you, please lift your chin slightly and ignore him.”, this is a place I could spend my weekends. But since Manhattan is a little more than a hop, skip, and a jump, I am relegated to recreating the perfect gimlet chez moi. Getting closer…..

2 ounces of  Gin….Bombay Sapphire is my favorite
1 ounce of simple syrup (to make ss heat 1 cup of sugar in 1 cup of water on the stove top until dissolved and cool)
1 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
2 slices of fresh cucumber
torn fresh mint

Place ingredients into cocktail shaker, muddle cucumber and mint using wooden spoon or pestle, add ice cubes and shake vigorously to create a froth. Serve immediately in a lovely chilled cocktail or martini glass and garnish with cucumber. But on some Blossom Dearie, dim the lights, and turn off the ringer.