Hiroko Shimbo and Chikara Sono's De Gustibus Cooking Class

Welcome foodies! Less than a week ago, I experienced a Japanese Kaiseki meal, thanks to the culinary duo of Hiroko Shimbo and Chikara Sono. Hiroko -- who shares a striking resemblance in appearance and in spunky personality to Edna Mode from Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles -- is a cookbook author whose most recent book is Hiroko's American Kitchen. Chef Sono works at Michelin starred restaurant Kyo Ya.
So what exactly is a Japanese Kaiseki meal? Best compared to a tasting menu, it is a meal with a series of small portions. Traditionally, it is prepared in the order of an appetizer, a sushi roll, a soup, a grilled fish, a simmered dish, a dish with rice, and a dessert. For the purpose of this cooking class, the meal was shortened to a meal of a sushi roll, a grilled fish, a simmered dish, a dish with rice, and a dessert.

The sushi course was made by Chef Sono. He prepared Salt Cured Tasmanian Salmon Trout Sushi in a Bamboo Leaf (Tasumania Samon no Sasamaki-zushi). The star of this dish was the unique and exotic rice in the sushi. It was seasoned with a vinegar mixture, pickled ginger, white sesame seeds, and shiso leaves. To bring this dish to the next level, he wrapped the sushi up in a banana leaf -- a perfectly packaged present for the taste buds.

Next, chef Sono cooked a Miso Marinated Black Cod (Gindara no Saikyo-yaki). It was garnished with sauteed mushrooms and celery, a mountain berry, and chestnuts boiled in a simple syrup. The chestnuts provided a spectacular nutty nuance to this earthy dish.

The simmered course was prepared by Hiroko Shimbo. Her delicious Sake Braised Short Ribs with Winter Vegetables included cipollini onions, prunes, swiss chard, and fried sweet potatoes that were cut into the shapes of autumn leaves.

For the rice course, Hiroko also prepared Chorizo and Shrimp rice. For such an easy recipe, the dish was remarkably complex and sophisticated.  

For dessert, Chef Sono demonstrated how to make a Sesame Paste-Milk Kuzu Jelly with Strawberry Sauce (Mineoka Tofu no Ichigo Sosu). It was an interesting dessert, for the pudding itself was not too sweet, but it was offset by a pool simple syrup and an outstanding strawberry sauce. On the very top was a sake cream that added a refreshing punch to the dessert.

Hiroko Shimbo and Chikara Sono taught a wonderful De Gustibus Cooking Class. Both of them created an awesome meal, using each plate as a canvas for their culinary and artistic expression. 

Find more mouthwatering pictures on Foodie Finders NYC's Facebook and Twitter pages and be sure to leave a comment if you want any of these great recipes.

-Mike

De Gustibus Cooking Class with Gabrielle Hamilton

Hello foodies! It is always a joy to be at De Gustibus Cooking School. Each culinary adventure is unique, but one constant from all classes is wonderful feeling of being immersed by true food lovers. Every chef brings a wealth of knowledge and their own perspective on food. Gabrielle Hamilton of Prune brought her witty, down to earth personality to garnish her worldly preparation of food.

Gabrielle's menu was stunning, inspired by a few distinct regions that she has visited in her many travels.The amuse bouche was called Bagna Cauda. This preparation included oil and anchovies simmered with raw garlic added at the very end, to give the amuse bouche a sharp punch. Bathing in this oil was red cabbage, whole scallions, radish and endive. The Bagna Cauda was a great way to start this "Pruney" meal, as Gabrielle would say.

The next dish is among the best things things I have ever eaten. Black Fideos Sopa with Sepia and Sepia Ink. The Fideos Sopa was a beautiful balance of smokey and tangy flavors. This Spanish dish included fideos noodles in a smoked tomato mixture, topped with an aioli. Next to it was tender sepia (cuttlefish) in its own ink.The fideos noodles come in a variety of sizes. For this dish, Gabrielle used the smallest available option, #1. Other chefs and recipes say that if you cannot find these noodles, broken up vermicelli pasta is a suitable substitute. Gabrielle disagrees and feels that you should not replace the fideos noodles because there is a big difference between the fideos noodles and the broken up makeshift noodles.In making the sauce, she smoked the tomatoes. Being indoors with no smoker, she made her own smoker by putting wood chips in a pot and then covered it with foil. Next she placed her whole peeled tomato inside followed by the lid. This is such a great option for those who have no other way to smoke their foods.

The following course was The Warm Greek Salad. This dish was a step above a typical Greek salad. The dressing was blended feta cheese with a little water and oil. Mixed with the dressing was gently warmed green pepper rings, cucumbers, onions and tomatoes.

The main course was Pigeon with a Parsley Vinaigrette. This delicious pigeon was served along side of the roasted mixed onions and charred okra with onion butter. These veggies were awesome thanks to the onion butter. Prepared with ease, Gabrielle boiled the layers of red onion in water creating onion water, then added butter and reduced it. Yum!

As if the meal could not get better, Gabrielle Hamilton made Breton Cake. This slice of heaven was crunchy on top with a fluffy, moist inside. It was a long process of folding layers of sugar in this buttery dough. The love in between each layer was complimented with a subtle sweetness. I now know what I will be making for the holidays.

Gabrielle taught an amazing class and now I can't wait for my first visit to Prune soon!

Moreover, among the many interesting topics Gabrielle touched upon was food T.V. It was asked why she does not appear on television more often and she explained that she does not like the impact of these shows. Many people do not know difference between the job of a celebrity chef entertaining on television and the job of a restaurant chef cooking in a hot kitchen with horrible hours. There is a new food generation rising that will be will be very distinct from the former with new goals of being celebrity chefs. Do you agree? Is food TV sending the food industry into the wrong direction or is it sparking more food lovers with new potential and innovation? Voice your opinion in the poll on the right side bar of this page and tell us more in the comment section below this post. Vote now before the poll closes on December 14th!

For more pictures check out Foodie Finders NYC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

-Mike

November 2012 Calendar Update

Hello foodies. I hope to my readers all is well and I wish all those who have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy the very best of luck.

In other news, I have added some new events to the Foodie Finders NYC calendar. These events include book signings being held by many different food famed figures such as Ina Garten, Tyler Florence, Jacques Pepin, Lidia Bastianich, and Tom Coloicchio. Also there are some delicious cooking classes taking place at Eataly's new La Scuola Grande. Some notable guest instructors are Sandra Lotti from The Toscana Saporita Cooking School, Mona Talbott from The Rome Sustainable Food Project, and Adam Roberts from The Amateur Gourmet.

As the Chocolate Show is just a day away, New Yorkers may be able to smell the cocoa wafting through the streets. 150 participants will be saturating the event space with chocolates and pastry delights from around the globe. This year is the 15th anniversary of the New York Chocolate Show and it shall not disappoint. Besides sampling chocolate, there are also cooking demonstrations and book signings taking place. The schedule includes some exciting pastry stars, such as Cooking Channel's Unique Sweets personalty, Paulette Goto, Top Chef Just Desserts head judge, Johnny Iuzzini, and Host of the internet series Cooking in Manhattan, Serena Palumbo. To buy tickets to The 15th Annual New York Chocolate click here.

Whether your weekend involves stuffing your face with chocolate or not, bon appetit!

-Mike

NYC Restaurant Review - The National

Welcome foodies! I had a spectacular meal at Geoffrey Zakarian's restaurant The National. Read about my experience below.

The National      557 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022

(Dinner - Summer Restaurant Week 2012)

First impressions are always crucial. The National showed its simple, rustic and vibrant character with a delicious bread basket of olive bread, white bread, and bread with oats. For the first course, the Shrimp Salad was cooked perfectly and seasoned with a lot of flavor. The grilled peaches that accompanied the shrimp was the star of this appetizer. In addition, the Gazpacho with avocado and croutons was refreshing and flavorful. For the main course, the Roast Chicken had an amazing crispy skin that rested in an herbaceous barley risotto. The Grilled Branzino was a great dish with a tasty corn chowder. The Ricotta Cheesecake for dessert was amazing with a unique balsamic ice cream that beautifully paired with the cheesecake and figs. The Yogurt Panna Cotta was scrumptious, as was the passion fruit sauce that it sat in. As a bonus to my meal, I had the opportunity to meet the very gracious and friendly Geoffrey Zakarian. I had a wonderful meal at The National that I hope to repeat soon.

Shrimp Salad

Grilled Branzino

Yogurt Panna Cotta

Ricotta Cheesecake

I really enjoyed my meal at The National. It was such an honor to meet Geoffrey Zakarian. Come check out Foodie Finders NYC on Facebook and Twitter for more food pictures from The National and other great restaurants.

-Mike

NYC Restaurant Review - The Harrison

Hello foodies! A few days ago I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Harrison during New York City Restaurant Week.

The Harrison      355 Greenwich St. & Harrison St.  New York, NY 10013

(Dinner - Summer Restaurant Week 2012)

At The Harrison, everything is done right. The Chilled Corn Soup was a fresh and flavorful dish with a pleasant smokiness courtesy of the smoked trout. The Crispy Pork Belly was a surprisingly cold dish that was absolutely unique. The scrumptious pork belly was served with pieces of watermelon and cilantro. For the second course, the Almond Crusted Bluefish was a buttery masterpiece. The perfectly cooked fish sat on top of an amazing leek puree and string beans. In addition, The Pulled Pork was great with crumbly and yummy cornbread and corn and black bean salad. Lastly, The Sunday Sauce was a beautiful dish of pasta, sausage, and creamy mascarpone that rounded everything out. Both dessert selections were scrumptious. The Chocolate Tart with caramel and maldon sea salt was made even better by the sweetness that counteracted the tartness of the crème fraiche. The Peach Melba was an awesome interpretation of a classic. This almond semi freddo was accompanied by peaches and raspberries. Overall, the service was very inviting, which always adds to the experience, making my meal at The Harrison incredible.

Chilled Corn Soup

Sunday Sauce

Peach Melba

The Harrison is one restaurant among many restaurants participating in the 20th anniversary of NYC Summer Restaurant Week. Take advantage of Restaurant Week until August 10. For more information on NYC Restaurant Week go here. Also The Harrison is participating in Restaurant Week for lunch as well, offering their full menu. For more pictures go to Foodie Finders NYC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

-Mike

NYC Summer Restaurant Week 2012

Hi foodies! NYC Summer Restaurant Week is starting July 16 and running through August 10. A  limited amount of restaurants in New York City will be offering a three course pre fixe menu for dinner and some menus for lunch. The price of the lunch pre fixe is $24.07 and the price of the dinner pre fixe is $35.00. For a list of the participating restaurants go the NYC Restaurant Week page.

-Mike

Chihuahua Querida: Press Party at Casa Mezcal

Hi foodies! Yesterday was the press party for Chihuahua Querida. This whole week Zarela Martinez is educating people on the beautiful culture of Chihuahua, Mexico. This week is also being sponsored by The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, the Mexico Tourism Board, and Food is Art. At the bottom of this post the schedule of events are included.

The press party to kick off Chihuahua Querida was hosted by the Mexico Tourism Board. Zarela did a presentation of her life in Chihuahua entitled, "How I Learned to Cook, Break Horses and Cut Cattle.” She showed some wonderful photos of her childhood that captured the raw wonders of Chihuahua. Zarela's message is to get the word out that Chihuahua is not only beautiful, but also safe.

During Zarela's presentation she spoke about how she would complain to her mother about her name. Her mothers reply was that Zarela was unique and will look great in shining lights. Zarela said that somehow she must have known something about what Zarela has become today. This touching moment truley shows the deep connection Zarela has toward the food she makes and the family she comes from.

As a side note, RAEchel Running, is a freelance photographer, who showed a presentation of some amazing pictures of Chihuahua, brought the essence of this beautiful state to everyone. RAEchel told how she is constantly traveling around Mexico, alone, and never has run into danger, nor has she felt unsafe. In addition, performance artist Narciso Martinez as Pancho Villa was in character and taking pictures with the crowd.

Narciso Martinez and Zarela Martinez

The food was prepared by Julian Medina of Toloache, who is a good friend of Zarela. He served some delicious appetizers including a Pork and Corn Empanadas, Burritos with Brussels Sprouts and Poblano Rajas, Chorizo Sopes, and Carne Asada Tacos.

The Pork and Corn Empanada was a flavorful small bite.

The Burrito with Brussels Sprouts, Poblano Rajas and an Avocado Sauce was fresh and vibrant.

The Chorizo Sopes were amazing. The smokey chorizo went great with the creamy queso fresco.

The Carne Asada Tacos were in a scrumptious marinade and were wrapped in a delicate and tasty corn tortilla.

Chihuahua is rich in food and culture and Zarela Martinez is the right person to get the message out there. Here are the upcoming events:

Sunday June 3rd, 2012 - starts at 12pm - Zarela will be teaching a class on how to use and prepare a pig from head to feet at  Jimmy’s 43. She will teach how to make chorizo, carnitas, carne adobada, tamales, manteca, pickled pig feet and cueritos. A reservation is required. The price of the class is $65.00 plus tax and must be paid through Paypal or by calling 212-644-1646. A light lunch and a beverage is included.

Monday June 4th, 2012 - 6pm to 9pm -At Casa Mezcal, the Mexico Tourism Board hosts an invite-only press kick-off event with food by Julian Medina of Toloache. Zarela will give a presentation on “How I Learned to Cook, Break Horses and Cut Cattle,” featuring photographs of her life on the ranch and stories from her culinary autobiography, “Food from my Heart,” which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Invite only.

Tuesday June 5th, 2012 - 6pm to 8pm - In celebration of Pancho Villa’s 132nd birthday there will be performance artist Narciso Martinez as Pancho Villa along with photographer Raechel Running will also give a presentation of her magnificent photographs of Chihuahua at Casa Mezcal. Appetizers and drinks will be served for a price of admission of $25.

Wednesday June 6, 2012 - 6pm to 9pm - At Casa Mezcal with owner Ignacio Carballido, there will be a comparison of mezcal and sotol, a native Chihuahua spirit made from the Dasylirion wheeleri plant. The food will be prepared by Cafe Frida.

Thursday June 7, 2012 - 11am to 3pm - A full lineup of Chihuahua food and presentations at Centrico Restaurant. Anthropologist Elsa Rodriguez Garcia will speak about the ruins of Paquime and other important Chihuahua discoveries. Zarela’s son Aaron Sanchez of TV’s “Chopped” fame will be serving authentic Chihuahua chuck wagon-style food and agua fresca (a non-alcoholic hibiscus flower drink). Ron Bridgemon will discuss tourism in Chihuahua. Conservationist Carmela Wallace will introduce master pottery maker Diego Valles. And Dave Hensleigh will speak about the famed Raramuri runners and the Copper Canyon.The presentations and food  are free, but reservations must be made through Danielle Kim at Danielle@jigsawmgt.com or 571-334-6058.

Friday June 8, 2012 - 10am to 4pm - Diego Valles, master potter of Mata Ortiz, will be giving an all-day class. He will speak about his technique and his art will be on display at Greenwich Pottery House.

Saturday June 9, 2012 - 11am to 2pm - Zarela Martinez will teach all her favorite recipes she learned from her mother, including albondigas, carne con chile colorado, flour tortillas, frijoles charros and calabacitas at Suenos.

I truly have fell in love with Chihuahua and look forward to these events coming up! For more pictures of the press party at Casa Mezcal go to the Foodie Finders NYC Facebook page.

-Mike

Coming Up-The Seed: A Vegan Experience

Welcome foodies! On June 16 and 17 a very exciting event is coming soon called The Seed: A Vegan Experience. Below is the details.

The Seed: A Vegan Experience – Two Full Days of Vegan Immersion in SoHo

See…Eat…Hear…Shop…FEEL VEGAN. Explore veganism, and be amazed! The Seed invites the vegan-curious, vegan-skeptical, and vegan choir to explore what veganism has to offer.

Date: June 16 & 17

Where: 82 Mercer, SoHo

Get Tickets: http://theseedexperience.com/purchase-tickets/

The Seed will be a fully immersed vegan experience with something for everyone:

- 80+ Vendors

- 17 Leading Experts Presenting, Including World Champions

- Food Samplings From Top NYC Vegan Restaurants

- 7 Cooking & Other Demonstrations

- 3 Movie Screenings with Film Directors Q&A

- Workshops

- Amazing Raffle Prizes

- And Much More!

For more details and event schedule please visit: http://theseedexperience.com 

 -Mike

Shopikon London App

Welcome foodies! Shopikon is releasing a new London version of their shopping app. To kick it off food bloggers have been asked to get conversation started about the restaurant scene in London. I have not yet been to London, but one restaurant I really want to visit is Pied à Terre. The menu makes my mouth water with some of my favorite ingredients. Of the 7 course tasting menu, one stand out item that I am dying to try is the Salad of Cornish Crab with Crab Mayonnaise, Nasturium Leaves (similar to a water cress), Chilli and Cucumber. It sounds so fresh and flavorful. In addition, I would love to taste the Slow Cooked Veal Rump with Globe Artichoke Purée, Braised Celery and Lemongrass Jus. My mouth waters at the thought of that slow roasting veal and braised celery. To end my meal, I would order the Tart of Earl Grey Tea with Milk and Vanilla Gel, Bergamont Ice Cream, and Candied Orange. This dessert sounds so interesting with flavors like orange and earl grey tea that I love. I hope to enjoy this upscale dining experience soon. Pied à Terre is going to be my first stop when I get to London. On the Shopikon London app there are many great reviews of other restaurants and shops. Whether you are dreaming of going to a specific London shop or restaurant because of its celebrity status, its incredible looking menu, or its name recognition, share this experience with others by leaving a comment here on Foodie Finders NYC or on the Foodie Finders NYC Facebook page.

-Mike

Coming Up - Zarela Martinez Cooking Class at Suenos

Hi foodies! On June 9th Zarela Martinez will be doing a cooking class at Sue Torres's restaurant, Suenos. From 11am to 2pm, Zarela will be teaching about the food and culture of Chihuahua. Don't miss out on this golden opportunity! For more information and to sign up click here.

-Mike

Wellness in the Schools Annual Benefit

Hi foodies! Tuesday, May 22nd, was the Wellness in the Schools Annual Benefit. It was a wonderful event with amazing food and people for a great cause.

Wellness in the Schools is bringing healthy food, environmental awareness and encouraging more activity in school. They provide this for New York City public schools and have now expanded to Kentucky with Florida on their radar as a future project. WITS, created in 2005, is now servicing twenty five schools with their three programs, Cook for Kids, Green for Kids, and Coach for Kids.

The benefit was a blast with a silent auction, a live auction and great food from 26 amazing restaurants. One highlight of the night was the Shrimp Ceviche from Josh Capon of B&B and Lure. It came with a great avocado mousse and I could have just drank the liquid on the bottom all night. Josh became involved with WITS because it hit home. His daughter started school and the lunches were not acceptable. If you did not decide to pack a lunch, the alternative was not good. He said it was time to "rock the boat".

Sue Torres of Sueños, returning for her second year at this event, served a delicious Cochinita Pibil Taco.   The pork was very tasty and the hand-crafted tortilla was like no other. Together it was a spectacular dish. Sue also served chips and a homemade salsa as a vegetarian option. Sue Torres is a pleasure to talk to and her food is out of this world.

The cookies at Levain Bakery were amazing. They are monstrous size cookies that come in four different flavors. Levain Bakery serves Chocolate Chip Walnut, Oatmeal Raisin, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. These cookies are some of the best I have ever had, and my favorite is the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.

At Candle 79, they prepared a plantain chip with an avocado mousse, chipotle sauce and tempeh bacon. Tempeh is a soy product that is cake-like and commonly found in Indonesia. This smokey product acted as a replacement to bacon. The dish was delicious.

Dessert was being made over at Craft's booth with the executive pastry chef Meredith Tomason. She presented a Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta along with cucumber and watercress. It was refreshing and reminded me of the Summer days quickly approaching.

Bill Telepan of Telepan was serving great raw oysters with a cucumber mignonette. Telepan also served a Strawberry Granita Parfait with almonds, verbena cream, and prosecco. This was a beautiful and fresh dessert. Bill is the Executive Chef of Wellness in the Schools and said that he got involved in 2008 with the idea of having volunteers improve the food in schools. The first days that he started helping schools, they set up three programs of salad bar day, vegetarian chili day, and sandwich day. They began hiring employees when there was inconsistency in volunteers skills of being able to cook and having great personalities. They brought the program from three schools to eight schools and by the end of 2011 they were working hard in twenty five schools. Now WITS has just undertaken a huge project of expanding their program to the entire state of Florida.

Guacamole and chips were being served over at AG Kitchen from chef Alex Garcia. AG Kitchen is Alex's new restaurant that will be opening soon. 

Harold Moore, the chef and owner of Commerce Restaurant, prepared a vegetable fricassée with black truffle and a poached egg. The dish was very rich and flavorful. 

A great sausage and peppers sandwich was being served from Marco Canora's Hearth. Yum!

Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern was a pleasure to meet. Gramercy Tavern served Chicken Mortadella with an asparagus salad on a Thai cracker. This was a delicious bite. 

Wellness in the Schools is an amazing organization that just continues to achieve. For more information on this charity click here.

For more pictures on this event go to the Foodie Finders NYC Facebook page. More restaurant reviews and food events in New York City are soon to come.

-Mike