Professional Kitchen Space for Rent in Chelesa

Commercial Kitchen Space for Rent

AW Kitchen located on West 19th Street in the heart of Chelsea a couple blocks from Chelsea Market, Western Beef, and Rozzo & Sons Fish Market. You can have your ingredients delivered directly to the kitchen. It has a large freight elevator and has 24/7 access. The kitchen is divided so you have your own area to work and to store your product. It even comes with a dishwasher.  All you have to do is clean up after yourself, sanitize your area and the dishwasher will mop the floors and take out the garbage at the end!

Great if you work through the middle of the night
A Caterer who needs a larger space for larger parties
A baker who needs space to decorate
A Chef from out of town preparing for a special event
Experimenting with a new product

For More information send an email to AWKitchen at Gmail dot com
Let them know what dates you would like to reserve the space and
Set up an appointment to come in, see the space and talk about your needs.

Rome, Cheti, Miglianico, Avelino, Naples, & Ischia Italy

It's been a while since I started this blog on our whirlwind trip to Italy. Bit here it is...

Of course it would have been great to have had more time to explore each place.  But each day was filled to the brim with amazing visual sites and more food & wine than my stomach could accommodate (literally I was stuffed to the brim)!!! I had a wonderful time and I look forward to the next time I can go back.

Next time in Rome, I would like to take a tour and see the Vatican and some sites not on the typical tourist trail. But there's so much more to see and eat and drink in Italy, next time I want to explore both further south and north!

Our first stop in Rome after checking into the B&B was to get some Roman pizza at Forno Campo de' Fiori (These blog photos show inside the bakery) both the margarita and the zucchini flower were delicious. The address is on a piazza but your hotel will be able to guide you there. Our second stop was to get Roman pizza at Roscioli Bakery they also have a restaurant, Salumeria Roscioli but we didn't have time to eat here. The artichoke pizza with sausage was great, as were all the other breads and sweets we ate!



The best food we had on this trip was on Ischia.  A beautiful volcanic island filled with vineyards, lemon & orange trees, warm springs beautiful ocean views.

It's important to do your research when traveling.  Sometimes you have to just learn on your own.  When in Rome be prepared to walk a lot.  Ask questions about the buses at your hotel and know which ones you can take as well as the trams.  This is the best way to get around. Unlike in NY you can enter buses and trams through all the doors not just the front.  It's not necessary to buy tickets in advance as you can purchase tickets right on the tram or bus. During rush hours the buses get very busy and you can be squished in like sardines so you might not even get a chance to buy or punch your tickets but don't worry. And just like when in a city like NY beware of pick pockets and watch your handbags and pockets. There are plenty of stories of mopeds going by grabbing wallets and pocketbooks of unsuspecting travelers.

From Rome we took the train to Chieti on our way to Miglianico.  We stopped in Chieti because it was the only place we could get a rental car from Hertz. Considering it was Easter time, it's possible to get last minute hotels and cars even if you go a little out of the way. The Hertz rental in Chieti is very small, so the agent had to drive us to the local airport (a 15 minute drive) to get a car. It wasn't in the best of shape but it did the job.  From there we took a round about drive to Miglianico, first driving up the mountain into the town of Chieti, where we stopped at a tourist agency to ask for directions to Miglianico. (Luckily the owner knew how to give good directions).  Seems like everyone in Italy loves to draw maps.  No one knows how to give really good directions and no one seems to know how to get anywhere except where they know.  The road signs in Italy aren't always clear but sometimes taking the long way can give you incredible views of the countryside.

For two days we stayed at Campoletizia an agriturismo in Miglianico which is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy.  The train ride from Rome through the middle of the country to the Easter seaboard was magnificent.  Snow capped mountain peaks all around, valleys and towns and castles nestled into the hillsides along with windmills dotted along the countryside, the train darts in and out of tunnels in the mountainside.  The views are breathtaking and spectacular and worth the ride which is only 3 1/2 hours. It's great because it allows you to relax and view the countryside without worrying about the driving.

The agriturismo is relaxed and easy going. They make their own salumi and serve red wine (you can drink endlessly) made from grapes grown on the property.  Eggs come from their own chickens and they make their own jams, yogurt, bread, cakes etc.  The best thing was the pork liver sausage & the fresh fava beans & this syrup they make from the wine must they pour over yogurt in the morning.  They sell what they make (hoping they have any left over).

From Abruzzo, we drove to Avellino a town in Campania.  It's about an hours drive from Naples. (From the map it appears to be south east but the map says it's north east ~ what do I know, my sense of direction is awful). While there we visited two winerys.   In this area they grow Fiano, Greco, and Falanghina grapes.

We had a great time in Avellino..... visiting 2 small artisanal vineyards Guido Marsella and Vadiaperti. Guido Marsella is a sweet man with a warm and soothing voice. He doesn't speak enough english to have a conversation so we were lucky enough that his wife was around to translate for us. In addition to running a winery he also owns a restaurant high on the hillside, where he arranged for us to taste his wines along with a 5 course lunch.  Teeheehee, I was finished after the first course, I didn't realize there was more to come!!!!! After lunch Guido was kind enough to let us follow him to Vadiapert the vineyard of  Raffaele Troisi. I don't think we would have been able to find it driving on the back roads by ourselves!  Raffaele has a magnificent view of the surrounding area. Yes that's a

The next day we drove to Naples and stayed at the Excelsior Hotel an expensive luxury hotel overlooking the Bay of Naples. It's a great location!  You can walk just about everywhere.  One of the best things about walking around the center of Naples, is even though to get there you walk up the hill.... it's all downhill on the way back to the hotel! When in Naples it helps to know the local customs.  I must say even staying in a luxury hotel we weren't given the best information.  When the hotel calls a taxi for you, the meter has already been running.  So depending on how long.... the meter can start at 2 euros or 10 euros. A 3 euro taxi costs us 9 euros because the taxi started at 6 euros.  It's good to know what you're getting into before going.  We wanted to get to the restaurant before it closed so we took the taxi.  The hotel told us it would be a 20 minute taxi ride, it was 5 minutes (possibly they meant it was a 20 minute walk).  Anyway it was a lovely walk back to the hotel.  The point to going to Naples was for the pizza. And it was good and it was worth going. 

After pizza at Di Matteo, we walked around and found Da Michele. The atmosphere is so different but the prices in both are insane. 4 euro for a pie that would cost $20 in the USA.  I don't have a photo of the Da Michele pizza because the battery in my camera died but I preferred different things about each, they were both good.

The following afternoon we took the ferry to Ischia.  The best way to travel on Ischia is by bus.  There are taxis but it can cost you a small fortune to take a taxi half way around the island.  The problem with that is first they don't take credit cards and not all the bank atms will give you money. So make sure you have enough cash before you land on the island.  Aside from that it's just beautiful, not many American tourists but most everyone speaks a little English. The bus is only 1 eruo and they seem to run every 10 minutes or 30 minutes at night.
 
The best meal we had this trip was on Ischia at il Melograno. The food is simple, fresh, well prepared, thoughtfully put together and delicious. After opting for the chefs tasting menu we choose 2 bottles of wine. The chef's amuse was succulent  raw ruby shrimp with melon served over delicate aromatic basmati rice with a passion blood orange sauce. And it went from there... Raw tuna with parsley & white fish with carrots and  an aromatic lemon olive oil sauce. (The citrus grown on the island is the best I've ever eaten). Raw white shrimp salad with young fennel and a delicate vinaigrette. Artichoke lasagne with an amazing mozzarella. Incredibly fresh Pea & Asparagus ravioli in a fresh pea sauce. Baby Lamb with Spring Vegetables. Since it was Easter... They were serving Lamb and a traditional Easter Dessert.

The food is spectacular and the wine is perfectly selected to go with the food. Make sure you get here... and tell them Laurie & Owen, friends of Guisseppi Bonjorno sent you and you'll get the royal treatment.

 

The perfect meal to end a whirl wind vacation in Italy!

Have Fun & Enjoy

Traif

The word Traif or Trefy means food that is NOT in accordance with Jewish dietary kosher laws. Now, when I first heard what it means I thought this is just weird and maybe even rude, but that's not for me to judge. It's just a play on words.... they serve pork!

Turns out the chef/co-owner Jason Marcus has a blog & loves food  and I sort of quote here from his blog " Traif is a restaurant that celebrates the foods that I love most, which just so happens to be the foods that I am not supposed to eat. At Traif, we will feature pork and shellfish. Do you like bacon in everything,"

Well I do and my family background is Jewish and Italian and I was not raised with any food restrictions (thank goodness)!

Traif is located in South Williamsburg right near the JM & Z trains, a short walk away. The staff is friendly, helpful, accommodating and easy going. The space is fun and if you can get a seat at the bar you can watch them cook and plate all the food because that's the kitchen right there in front of you (well ok sort of off to the side).  Three guys working very well together in a close space pump out a lot of food. The place was hopping the crowd young and hip with a few others mixed in and it's a bit loud but not terrible.

The food is far from perfect but I would recommend it and I will go back.  What I enjoyed most was the interesting combination of ingredients and that there's bacon in a lot of the dishes including dessert!  Yes we had doughnuts with bacon and they were a great end to the meal. Not too sweet and fried to order.

TRAIF
229 South 4th Street
New York, NY 11211

(347) 844-9578

Open Daily from 6pm -2am

J, M, Z Trains to Marcy Ave

Love Gelato

I Love Gelato !

Love Gelato Company
West Village
167 Seventh Avenue South,
New York, NY 10014
+1 212.929.2870
info@lovegelatocompany.com

The texture is sublime, the flavor is great. I think it is the best Gelato in New York City!

Easy to get to take the 1 train to 14th Street and walk south or to Christopher Street and walk north on the East side of 7th Avenue, don't worry you'll find it!

Have fun and enjoy!

Pizza Recipe

For my bread I've been using Jim Lahey's no knead bread.  His no knead pizza dough is also great and what makes it so easy is that you put the ingredients together the night before and that's it.  And 18 hours later home after work you turn on the oven and you're making pizza! Yes, it's that simple.

Photo: Plain dough with Celtic Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Black Pepper and Grana Padano

I've been working on a dough made with a starter, my uncles 35 year old starter.  Call it a Biga, a French Poolish, or a  Sourdough Starter they are all Pre-ferment also known as 'mother dough'. They're all slightly different and you can read more about them by clicking on the links, but they all require time to ferment, which can be 30 minutes to 3 days.  It's this fermenting process that gives the final product it's unique taste and flavor ~ it's all based on chemistry to activate and increase the enzymes.  It's all about the process of getting back to basics. The way all bread products used to be made before the development of "additives" which speed up the enzyme process enabling companies to make more in a shorter period of time. (Unfortunately most of the additives are harmful to humans in some way) Which is why we're getting back to basics and doing things the "old fashioned" way and still saving you time and money!!!  Hahahaha I sound like an advertisement.  Well maybe this should be the ad for my "Uncles Starter"  You too can own a piece of my sourdough!  Please contact me for shipping details.... ediblethymes@gmail.com

Photo: Buffalo mozzarella, fennel sausage, Swiss chard, extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper.

I've spent a lot of time researching and experimenting with different proportions for my pizza dough.  And I'll tell you it doesn't always come out right.  That's why when O & I make pizza for 4 or 5 I make enough dough for 10.  Luckily you can buy 5 pounds of flour anywhere from $1.39 to $4.99 making it between $0.29 and $1.00 a pound.

Keep in mind the past 2 years have taught me a lot.  The most important thing I've learned is that the dough is always different and it's alive.  I find it very easy to make dough in the summer but my apartment is very cold in the winter and it can take up to 8 hours for my dough to come to room temperature.  Sometimes it's very disappointing.  So it's important that you know and love your dough, have patience with it keep it cool or warm as needed and don't forget about the humidity.

Lets start with my goal.  To make a dough equal to or better than that now being made by Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana fame, now on 11th Street and Howard in San Francisco. Actually I'd really love to meet Anthony and make my pizza for him in his oven.

Photo:  Caramelized onions, green olives, sweet fennel sausage and no cheese!!

New York has so many pizza places claiming to be the best.  Everyone from Patsy's & Lombardi's to Keste & Motorino. including the top 10 Pizzas from 2009 so I don't leave anyone out.  I've had pizza at Keste, Motorino, Patsy's and at Una Pizza (before they moved to San Francisco). I'm now at the point that unless I'm with a group eating pizza I don't need to go out for pizza anymore.  I make the best pizza I've ever eaten, and I'm making it at home!  Of course it helps to buy great ingredients like mozzarella, grana, and ricotta from Dipaolo's at 200 Grand Street and the best sweet fennel sausage from Faiccos Pork Products  next to Murray's on Bleecker street. though the sweet sausage at Eataly on 23rd & Fifth is quite good and I recommend a trip there.

So to get started first you must have some sourdough starter. Then you must feed it by following the directions and letting it sit until the foamy bubbles come to the top.  This can take anywhere from a few hours in the hot weather to over night in the cooler months.

Then you must have a recipe. The recipe I'm about to give you requires you to have a pizza peel and a pizza stone (and your ingredients of course).  Get the best stone you can and if you can't find one you like put some unglazed terracotta tiles in a sheet pan). Place the stone on the floor of your oven (hopefully the heat is coming from the bottom and it's not electric).  Don't be discouraged if you have an electric oven. I have made this dough in several different locations, different ovens, different seasons and with children who didn't follow the instructions to the letter. Every time it is different but it's also been great fun and better than 99% of the pizza out there. (I'm not modest when it comes to my pizza!)

I am using the following recipe with some variations depending on the ambient temperature. I take out my scale (Oh Yes, You Must Have a Scale one that registers both grams as well as ounces), and put the mixing bowl on it then tare it out. (that is to zero it). I prefer a digital scale but use what you have. 

I want to post this now so keep in mind I may be making some adjustments to the procedure.  Sometimes reading what you've written several times isn't enough and over time you find things that need correcting.  So if you notice anything or have any questions, please, email me or call!

Combine the ingredients in a stand mixer bowl and mix until the flour is all wet. Let the dough sit for 20 minutes. and then in the mixer mix "knead" the dough for 6-8 minutes.  At this point you may notice your dough is a little too wet or too dry.  Too dry is obvious the dough will not pick up all the flour and you might need to add a little water an extra tablespoon at a time.  Too wet it doesn't hold together so add some extra flour. You will have to make the decision as to how much and experiment as to the right consistency. (If you don't have a stand mixer then choose a different recipe, one that contains yeast)


The Basic Recipe
250 ml cool to room temperature water
14 grams of sourdough starter (it's easier to use grams when using small amounts)
400 grams of all purpose or bread flour
2 teaspoons sea salt.

Once the dough has been kneaded cover it with plastic and put it in the refrigerator for 3 days.  Yes you heard me right 3 days.  On the morning of the third day, this would also be the day you're going to make pizza for dinner. Take the dough out and divide it into 3 pieces shaping each one into a nice ball. You can use some flour if you need.  Then sprinkle some flour down place the dough on the flour and cover with plastic or place in a covered plastic container.

If it's summer and very warm out put the dough back into the fridge and remove it about 4 hours before you're going to cook it.  If its winter and very cold in your apartment you can take the dough out as late as noon.  This is all assuming you're going to be making the first pizza around 7pm.

Heat your oven to 550 degrees or the highest temperature it will go up to for 1 hour before your dough is ready.  Have all your ingredients near by and cheese cut to size.

Using your hands just like you've seen the pizza guys start to stretch your dough.You can use extra flour but try only to add what you need.  Be gentle with your dough it might be very soft and tear when you stretch it or it might toughen and spring back.  If it's tough just let it rest for a moment until it's pliable again.

Sprinkle some flour on your pizza peel (so you can slide it into your oven onto your pizza stone). Leave it alone for about 2 minutes then check it.  Turn it if you can and let it cook until the toppings bubble and the sides and top start to brown.  This might take anywhere from 3-5 minutes, just don't let it burn.

You may notice the top of the dough doesn't get much color.  This is related to the temperature and a home oven.  I have on occasion gotten more color on top and you can experiment by moving the pizza off the stone etc.  But the only way to truly get color on the top is to have a pizza oven that can get up to over 800 degrees F and that's not happening in your GE home oven.  Don't let that bother you, the pizza will taste amazing just the same.

Yes you too can make the best pizza you ever had at home!

Have Fun & Enjoy!