The Most Spectacular Day Cooking With Zarela Martinez!

Hi foodies! Last week I had the most amazing food experience any fellow foodie could ever ask for! Mexican food god, Zarela Martinez, invited me into her home and we cooked all day. Here is what happened.

I walked in to her beautiful home which had a nice kitchen. Although I was a complete stranger to her, she immediately gave me a kiss and a hug hello and warmly welcomed me into her house. Before I get started with my story, I bet you are wondering how Zarela invited me over and how we came into contact with each other. What happened was I just emailed her and spoke to her about my love of food and she replied that she would love to cook with me sometime on a Sunday which is when she test recipes. We emailed a few times back and forth and I ended up in one of the best Mexican chefs kitchen (If you didn't know, just recently closed her restaurant, Zarela's). It is amazing how nice she was just to invite me into her home like that, which really goes to show you that anything can happen. Anyway, when I settled in, she went to get me a chefs jacket. She gave me one of her jackets from her former restaurant, Zarela's. I was so excited to start cooking. She gave me a bunch of tips and we cooked a ton of food.  Here is pretty much what we made.

1. Chorizo (Check out this recipe! http://www.zarela.com/2011/chorizo-norteno/ )
2. Pineapple Salad w/ olive oil, red wine vinegar, red onions, and cilantro
3. Pozole
4. Escabeche w/ cauliflower, turnips, carrots, jicama, jalapeno, white onion, and garlic
5. Zarela's famous rice w/ sauteed poblanos and white onions, sour cream, queso fresco, and cilantro (Check out this recipe! http://www.zarela.com/2010/creamy-rice-casserole )
6. Chicharones w/ tomatillos sauce
7. Chicharones w/ tomato, avocado, and onion
8. Brisket fried in vegetable oil 

Everything we made was incredible. While I was at Zarela's I picked up a lot of useful tips. Here are a few.

• Always cook with kosher salt
• Cook everything in stock to enrich flavor
• Put a wet  towel under a cutting board to prevent the board from moving
• Always measure cilantro dry because it retains a lot of water
• Always cut with a sharp knife

Zarela is the most amazing person. She is such a pleasure to be around and really lives life to the fullest. If you read her blog, which is incredible and really interesting, you might of seen her entry on guavas. She told me they are the little jewels of the city and that she thought you can only get these in Mexico. She said it brought her back to her childhood and she wanted me to have one. The guava she gave me was beautiful. It was sweet and had an interesting flavor. I am so grateful she gave me one.

She also let me keep the chefs jacket that I wore all day.This is an experience that I will never forget. I really hope she opens a restaurant in New York City again so you can all try her spectacular food but you can of course get recipes from her website and any three of her cookbooks which are Zarela's Veracruz, The Food And Life Of Oaxaca, and Food From My Heart. Also if you want to check out Zarela's blog check out this link, http://www.zarela.com/2011/seven-basic-rules-for-cooking-mexican-food. It was the most incredible day with Zarela and I am so glad to be able to share it with you all. To anyone out there who has a passion for something, for example if you are a foodie, your start could be an email away. Check back for a few restaurant reviews and food event updates in New York City and Long Island.   

-Mike 

NYC Restaurant Review - Esca

Hello foodies! Yesterday I went to Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's, Esca. The meal was incredible.  As always this review will be added to the restaurant review page.

Esca                    402 West 43rd Street,  New York, NY 10036

(Dinner)

Esca is amazing. The seafood is so fresh and everything is done right. To start off they serve these olives soaking in delicious olive oil. The bread they serve is a good white bread and a delicious focaccia bread. I loved dunking the focaccia bread in the oil that the olives were siting in. Now for appetizers, the best dish, in my opinion, was the Polipo which was grilled octopus with giant corona beans and preserved sorrento lemon. I loved the octopus itself and the corona beans were so good with the octopus. My second favorite dish was the Calamari which was grilled squid with rucola (like arugula), radish and chianti wine vinaigrette. the dish was well put together and very fresh. My least favorite dish was the Vongole which was baked local little neck clams with La Quercia prosciutto and cherry bomb peppers. I didn't dislike this dish but the whole dish just wasn't anything special. For entrees I liked every dish we got although my number one favorite was the Spaghetti Neri which was house made squid ink spaghetti with cuttlefish, green chilies, and scallion. The squid ink spaghetti was incredible and the cuttlefish and the green chilies were such a spectacular combination. The Spaghetti Neri was a super stand out and the other dishes, in my opinion were equally delicious but couldn't compare to the Spaghetti Neri. One of those dishes was the Gnocchi di Ricotta which was old chatham sheep's milk ricotta gnocchi, tomato and bufala mozzarella. The gnocchi were like little pillows and they were immensely flavorful. Another great dish was the Spaghetti with a one pound lobster, chilies and mint. It was  really good and the lobster was delicious.  The last great dish was the Maccheroni alla Chittara which was house made guitar cut spaghetti with sea urchin and crabmeat. The sea urchin melted right into the pasta and the dish was incredible. Moving onto desserts everything was good but nothing stood out. My favorite dessert was the pineapple upside down cake. It also had coconut in the cake which added great flavor and texture. Another dish I liked was the Budino di Pana which was house made bread pudding with Coach farms goat milk ricotta gelato and rum toffee sauce. One more dish that was good was the Affogato di Caffe which was carmel gelato drowned in espresso. The whole dish was beautiful to the eye and to the mouth. We also got one more dish which I didn't like that much which was the Cannoli which was salted Gianduja ricotta with chili hazelnuts and chocolate sauce. The dish just wasn't amazing to me. My only complaint of the whole restaurant is they are not very accommodating to making any change to a dish. One of us wanted to change her dish to fit her dietary needs and they wouldn't accommodate at all. Overall I really liked Esca.

• Great food, especially the seafood (which was almost the whole menu) 
• Simple and elegant decor
• Decent service
• Not accommodating to the changing of any dish

So that is my review of Esca. Check back soon for more restaurant reviews. Bon Apetit! -Mike

NYC Restaurant Review - Mesa Grill

Hello foodies! A few day ago, I went to Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill for lunch. I had a spectacular meal and I am dying to share my review with you.

Mesa Grill                        102 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

(Lunch)
Unique? Absolutely. Quality? A+. Taste? Unimaginable. Mesa Grill is a really great restaurant. To start off I want to discuss the bread. I love the cornbread. It was so different and so delicious. Moving to the appetizers, I couldn't pick a favorite. I guess I will just tell you about them in alphabetical order. Starting with the Blue Corn Pancake. So good and so flavorful. The blue corn pancake was filled with incredible barbecued duck and had a habenero chile star anise sauce. The next dish was the Sweet Potato Soup. It is one of my favorite soups ever which had smoked chiles, maple crema, and marcona almonds. The texture and taste was really good (also I had to mention, at all of Bobby Flay's restaurants I have been to in the past, he never fails to make an incredible soup). And the last appetizer we got was the Pan Seared Squid with new mexico chile, toasted garlic, tangerine and watercress. It is so scrumptious. It was very refreshing and definitely had bold flavors. In my opinion pan seared squid is way better than fried squid. So now heading to the entree's, my favorite dish was the Grilled Swordfish Club with bacon, avocado, tomato, arugula, chipoltle aioli, and southwestern fries. Everything worked really well together and the fish was cooked great. Another dish that was delicious was the Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash with a poached egg and green hollandaise sauce. The taste was incredible. I love how Bobby Flay put an awesome twist on your classic Eggs Benedict. The other dish we had which I thought was good was the Mesa Burger with double cheddar cheese, grilled vidalia onions and horseradish mustard on a house roll with southwestern fries. Really good and full of flavor. For dessert we got this incredible Pear Buttermilk Upside Down Cake drenched with a decadent butterscotch sauce and a spiced ice cream. The dish had such an immense flavor. Another dish we got was an Apple and Grape Pot Pie with caramel ice cream. Simple and delicious. The last dish we got was Mexican Chocolate Pudding with a gingersnap crumble. It was very good but didn't compare to the other dishes. I unquestionably recommend Mesa Grill. Everything was delicious.

• Good Service
• Bold and bright decor
• Great food
• Recommend:

1. Blue Corn Pancake
2. Sweet Potato Soup
3. Pan Seared Squid
4.  Grilled Swordfish Club
5. Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash
6. Mesa Burger
7. Pear Buttermilk Upside Down Cake
8. Apple and Grape Pot Pie

So I hope you liked my review of Mesa Grill. I also just made a minor addition to the Restaurant Review page. I  wrote in parenthesis what meal I was reviewing. Hope you like it. Remember to check back for restaurant reviews and food events in New York City and Long Island. Bon Apetit!

-Mike

Update #3 for March - July 2011 Event Calendar

Welcome foodies! I have more events to add to the March - July 2011 foodie event calendar. I am so excited to share these with you. Hope you enjoy!

New York, NY – Flatiron           (Eataly – 200 5^th Ave.)

Watch and meet restauranteur and T.V host, Mario Batali

The menu in which Mario will be preparing has not yet been announced

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

4/ 13/ 2011
Starts at – 12:00 – 1:30 P.M

Demo Price: $350

Contact: 212-229-2560

 To sign up click here:

http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=948834

New York, NY – Flatiron           (Eataly – 200 5^th Ave.)

Watch and meet the Executive Chef at Manzo, Michael Toscano

Michael will prepare:

1.      Salame Fresco with Salsa Verde

2.      Gnocchi with Spicy Tomato Sauce & Fresh Ricotta

3.      Ribeye with Potatoes, Brodo & Gorgonzola

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

4/ 25/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 8:00 P.M

Demo Price: $125

Contact: 212-229-2560

 To sign up click here:

http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=948378

New York, NY – Flatiron           (Eataly – 200 5^th Ave.)

Watch and meet lecturer and food writer, Francine Segan

The menu in which Francine will be preparing has not yet been announced

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

4/ 26/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 8:00 P.M

Demo Price: $125

Contact: 212-229-2560

 To sign up click here: http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=948821

New York, NY – Flatiron           (Eataly – 200 5^th Ave.)

Watch and meet lecturer and food writer, Francine Segan

Francine will prepare:

1.      Mostarda & Honey with Salumi & Formaggi Misti

2.      Insalata di Mare con Farro (Barley & Seafood Salad)

3.      Torta Ricciolina & Ricotta Condita

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

6/ 14/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 8:00 P.M

Demo Price: $125

Contact: 212-229-2560

 To sign up click here:

http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=948826

New York, NY – Flatiron           (Eataly – 200 5^th Ave.)

Watch and meet the Executive Chef at Manzo, Michael Toscano

Michael will prepare:

1. Crispy Sweetbreads with Funghi Trifolati
2. Pappardelle with Spicy Tomato Sauce & Ricotta
3. Seared Scallops with Guanciale, Braised Leeks and a Quail Egg

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

6/ 20/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 8:00 P.M

Demo Price: $125

Contact: 212-229-2560

 To sign up click here:

http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=948379

So those are all the events I have for today! Check back soon for more food events in New York City and Long Island. Bon Apetit!

-Mike 

Update #2 for March - July 2011 Event Calendar

Hi foodies! I have a few updates for the calendar and I just wanted to add them. Hope you enjoy!

New York, NY            (The Culinary Loft-515 Broadway, Suite 5A)

 Watch and meet previous owner of recently closed Zarela’s, Zarela Martinez

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

4/ 11/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 9:30 P.M

Demo Price: $135

To sign up call: 212-431-7425

For more information:

http://www.culinaryloft.com/workshop-pop.php?id=46

New York, NY            (The Culinary Loft-515 Broadway, Suite 5A)

Watch and meet season one cheftestant of Top Chef, Dave Martin

Cooking Demo

Date & Time:

4/ 25/ 2011
Starts at – 6:30 – 9:00 P.M

Demo Price: $85

To sign up call: 212-431-7425

For more information:

http://www.culinaryloft.com/workshop-pop.php?id=43

And that is all for today but check back soon because I have a bunch of events coming up since Eataly's spring La Scuola calendar just came out. Also just to let you know Restaurant Week is over and the Restaurant Week page is down  now. Bon Apetit!

-Mike

NYC Restaurant Review - The Darby

Welcome back foodies! Last night I had a spectacular meal at Alex Guarnaschelli's restaurant, The Darby. The whole place had such a genius conception. Read on to hear about my experience.

The Darby             246 West 14th St., New York, NY 10011

The Darby is more than just a restaurant, it is a food experience. The whole feel takes you to a different place. The band, who was really good, played music in the background to compliment every bite of food. To start off, the bread was spectacular. They serve probably the best brioche you will ever have. It also comes with a peppercorn butter that is out of this world. Anyway, we ordered two appetizers to share and both did not disappoint. The veal bacon was incredible. It had some homemade mustard that just added another delicious depth of flavor to the dish. The other dish we ordered was the soup of the day and the soup for that day was a sunchoke (Sunchoke- also known as a Jerusalem artichoke; is a vegetable grown underground that is a similar cross between a potato, water chestnut, and a rutabaga; is not grown in Jerusalem and is not a type of artichoke) soup that was outrageous. Moving to entrees my favorite dish was the homemade ricotta ravioli's. Everything about it was so good. Another dish I liked was the flattened chicken breast that came on a bed of broccoli rabe and with some mustard on top. The chicken was moist and everything went together. My third favorite dish was the salmon with was cooked really well and came with delicious sunchokes and an acidic lemon type sauce that tied the whole dish together. My least favorite dish was the branzino which was cooked well but the whole dish just didn't do it for me. We also order a few sides that were very good. In my opinion, the best was the potatoes that were hollowed out before being cooked. It was crispy and the flavors were incredible. Another side dish that I enjoyed was the beats. The beats were just really refreshing and very tasty. My third favorite side was the onion rings. They were really good. My least favorite is the only side dish I wouldn't order again which is the three cheese macaroni. It just was heavy and was just okay.  For dessert everything was very good but nothing stood out during dessert. My favorite was the apple brown betty. It had that warm feeling. My second favorite would be the Baked Alaska. My third favorite was the cake of the day. When the Foodie Finders NYC crew and I went, the cake of the day was a white chocolate cake with pistachio and raspberry jam. My least favorite would be the sundae. It was just typical although it did come with some cool toppings like homemade marshmallows, toasted almonds, great whip cream and a few more. The server we got was great and very friendly. Everything was just incredible. Definitely recommend to give this place a try.

• Amazing service
• Decor was nice
• Food was really good
• A little pricey but worth it

So that is my review of The Darby. Check back for more reviews of great restaurants in New York City and Long Island. Bon Apetit!

-Mike

De Gustibus Was Amazing. Anne Burrell Was Even Better!

Hi foodies! Yesterday I had an incredible day. I went to Anne Burrell's cooking class at De Gustibus and it was so fun. This was my first time at De Gustibus and I enjoyed the whole experience. The way it works is on the day of the class they allow you to come five and a half hours earlier to put your name on a list (You can only sign up if you already have your tickets in advance). Yesterday, the class with chef Anne started at 5: 30 P.M so at 12:00 P.M ( I went a little before 12:00 because if you get there at noon you will wait on a line) they opened the doors and everyone on line signed there name. When they begin to let people in at 5:15, the order in which you signed is the order you enter the class to pick your seat. I was fortunate to be number 3 on the list out of about 85 people. I sat front row, center. Other people preferred sitting second row center or even third row center because each angles offers a different experience. There are great advantages if you have the luxury of signing in early.

Anyway let's talk about Anne Burrell. First of all she's hilarious. She should have a show with her cooking and interacting with a live audience. She has a lot of knowledge, obviously you would know if you watch her show. She goes to the basics on how to cut an onion and how to hold your knife. She knows how to teach. So, as she cooked the smalll courses came out but the thing you were eating was not what she was making. She told us flat out she is going to go out out of order. The first thing we ate were two little starters. One was a Truffled Deviled Egg which were incredible! I am a huge truffle fan and they are just too good for words. The other starter was the Crostini of Chicken Liver Pate with Balsamic Onions which I thought was incredible and the pate is so easy to make. The next course that came out was the Butter Lettuce Salad with Crispy Prosciutto, Oyster Mushroom Chips, Cabrales and Pears which was very good. My favorite part were the mushroom chips. They added another great texture and taste to the dish. The course that followed was the Braised Cabbage Stuffed with Pork. I loved it especially since there was a drop of chicken liver in there which added this unbelievable texture to the dish. And for dessert Anne made an Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. First of all the cake was incredible and the cream cheese icing just added to it. Everything was so good.

The whole class was so fun. Anne is so entertaining and the great stories were endless. Some things that came up was that Anne in coming out with her first cookbook! It is called Cook Like A Rockstar. That book is coming out October 4, 2011. Also, I loved she had all these different rants on ingredients. One rant was on salt. If you have ever seen Anne on T.V you know she loves salt. Salt simply enhances the flavor of food and that is what she went on about. I will tell you the truth her food is amazing and that is because of the salt. Also if you have ever seen Anne's show Secrets of a Restaurant Chef she cooks with oil and with her big fat finishing oil. Her oil is just what she cooks with which doesn't have to be a really expensive high quality oil. Her big fat finishing oil is her more high quality oil for finishing off pastas and other things like that. She also said the biggest rip off with oil is light oil because oil is fat so you can't reduce fat from fat. What makes it light is that the oil has less flavor which is not what you want. Another thing Anne talked about was how she doesn't have a restaurant. She spoke about how she wants to open a restaurant really bad but right now her television career is really taking off. If she opened a restaurant now she couldn't tape and do all the things she does now on T.V. She said she would have to take off a year from the T.V business to open a restaurant and get it going. Then when she comes back this same opportunity might not be there so she said don't expect a restaurant opening soon but she plans to open one day. For now she is just riding the wave. I learned so much from this class with Anne Burrell and I hope she comes back soon to De Gustibus. I loved this whole experience so much.
I also just want to tell everyone De Gustibus is so much fun and I really recommend for anyone to try out one of these classes especially if you are a foodie. It is such a fun environment and a great way to meet food icons.

For more great photos of this cooking class and mouthwatering food come check out Foodie Finders NYC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Check back for more great things on everything food and the people who make it in NYC and Long Island. Bon Apetit!

-Mike