Happy First Day of Autumn

Happy Happy Autumn Everyone!

NY is wonderful in the fall, if you manage to notice the leaves turning in the city it's remarkable. But today was a day of Indian Summer on the last official day of summer. I wonder if we'll have any more before it gets cold before the snows come.

Hopefully I'll get it together and post some pics and more about the food and wine I've been eating and drinking and thinking about.

I didn't get too far with the bitters. I guess the timing wasn't right when I made them but I have been thinking cocktails. The Negroni is still my top favorite but an oldie the Gimlet has been brought to my attention so that's rolling around the noggin right now.

I took today to so some spring/ fall cleaning. Some painting, rug cleaning, floor washing, stocking up on some much needed vitamins just a day to myself. Now I'm going to read myself to sleep.

I'm trying to catch up and store away some energy for the coming season. Looks like it's going to be a busy one! And I still need that massage I keep promising myself!

Enjoy the days, make sure to notice the little bit of nature around us! Hope to see you all soon!

Have Fun & Enjoy!

Love,

Laurie

Maison Kayser Boulangerie

Last week O called and insisted we meet at a new bakery, opened by a famous French pastry chef. It's a french pastry shop, on the Upper East side. So I met O to have a look--and a taste--at...Maison Kayser

Earlier today I’d received an email from Tasting Table about Maison Kayser and since they’ve already said it, I don't have to!

           "…The Upper East Side has gotten exactly what it needs: a very good bakery!"

I'd read about Maison Kayser on Eater so I was eager to visit. If my experience is any indication, this place is going to do very well. 

I took the 6 train to 77th Street, walked down 3rd Ave and I couldn't miss it. It was the only place with people milling about on the sidewalk, and there was O, faithfully standing outside, patiently waiting for me.

My first impression was resoundingly positive: all the pastries looked fresh and tempting. Okay, it's not all perfect! Not all the pastries are labeled so you have to ask what each one is if you don't recognize them. Part of the display has fake breads in it, but so what? The real breads are located further back. One great thing was the line that moved very quickly, the woman who helped us seemed to know most of what we asked and was friendly and helpful (even when we went back the second time)! During the time we were there fresh pastries came out and some breakfast items were replaced with new afternoon desserts. They weren't labeled so I'm not sure what they were.

After surveying the case we ordered a mille feuille pastry with praline filling, a chocolate chip cookie, a pistachio brioche, a plain croissant, a chocolate cream filled croissant pastry thing and the moistest muffin-like thing ever, a madeline that's more like a shallow muffin though not a muffin top ~ All for under $20!. Then staying true to our eating style (teeheehee!), we stepped outside, opened the bag and started pulling the croissant apart. It was very good, not quite Pierre Hermes from Paris but you can't go wrong here! Then a bite of the pistachio brioche which at the time was my least of the lot, but later in the day on my way home on the train.... it proved to be just what I needed and I'd go back for more. Continuing to taste, we each had a bite of this and a bite of that before heading down to Cafe Grumpy on 20th Street for some iced tea and a cappuccino.

I didn't take any photos of the food but it really wasn't necessary. If you live on the Upper East side you're going to go and check it out, if not, check it out when you're in the neighborhood…hey, maybe it’s worth a pilgrimage? The pastries look French because, well, that's what they are. They're not locavore, organic, or gluten free (though please don't quote me on that as you never know what they’ll introduce) but they are delicious and the best part is that they aren't too sweet. Hallelujah!!! And if you didn't already know it, they also have  a cafe that's destined to become a to “go-to” brunch spot! Now of course if you want amazing cream filled pastries on the Upper East side you're going to go to Lady M but they're way over on 78th just off Madison!!!!

So go get yourself some pastries!!!!

Have Fun & Enjoy!

Maison Kayser Boulangerie

1294 3rd Ave 74th St
New York, NY 10021

(212) 744-3100

http://www.maison-kayser-usa.com/

Wood FIred Oven

C's wood fired oven was fired up for the first time this season  the second weekend of May. Naturally it was also the first wood fired pizza of the season. Let's just say I'm still making amazing dough! Honestly it's really one of the only things I make that I truly have an ego about.

It's not just the toppings which are the best available in New York City. Well okay that's my opinion as well as all the people who have eaten my pizza. It's not just about using good ingredients for the topping but as you know if you've been reading my pizza blogs it's all about the dough!

So, I've been modifying the dough as I get to know my sourdough starter. When the weather is cold and damp I add a pinch of dry yeast to the dough (approx 6 cups of flour) and this seems to balance it out. I haven't figured out quite why this works when it's cold and damp but not necessary when it's hot outside. Anyway, I've been making the dough much wetter than before. This seems to be a good idea as it makes the dough more like what I'm looking for. The flavor is great, the color better the texture soft yet crispy.

 Fennel Sausage Pizza!








Once the oven gets going the pizza's are quick to bake, about a minute and a half. That requires that the oven temperature is up to 900 degrees F. While the oven is heating up it can be used to cook other things like shortribs or vegetables. When the pizzas are all cooked that's the time to cook dessert! Hahaha even after stuffing ourselves with more dough than we thought would fit in our stomachs there's always that tiny bit of room left for some sweets!

I really wish you could all have this experience of the pizza coming out of the wood fired oven. There's really nothing like it. There's only a few places where you can truly get pizza made in a wood fired oven. The rising of the dough and the changes it goes through to finally become edible always amazes me. It's incredible how a small addition of rye or corn or whole wheat can change the flavor of the dough. It's the same with different types of starters as well. As you feed your starter it becomes your own picking up the wild yeasts in your kitchen as well as from the flour you feed it.

I hope you will get a chance to eat my pizza some time.
In the mean time Have Fun & Enjoy!

Mast Brothers Chocolate

Mast Brothers is making chocolate right here in Brooklyn!
It's not the most refined or the smoothest chocolate I've ever eaten. But I must say it's the tastiest chocolate I've ever eaten and it's made right here in New York City. This makes me so proud.

It's not the best ~ hahahaha I keep saying what it's not good for but it's so flavorful and I love it. Okay so back what I was saying...~ for coating truffles but it's perfect for the inside of the truffles. It's also fabulous for hot chocolate. You won't find a chocolate better suited to making the most flavorful hot chocolate you've ever eaten (Hot Chocolate Recipe) The brothers at Mast yes, they are really brothers, are making about a dozen or so chocolates from beans from around the world. They have two different beans from the Dominican Republic and they made two different chocolates from it.

Their chocolate changes like the seasons and the weather. It's all dependent on the cocoa beans they get and where they're grown. Each crop is different which is why this chocolate is so amazing. It's always changing and the brothers are always striving to make it better.

Go Out to Mast Brothers.....
111 N 3rd St  Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718) 388-2625

Have Fun & Enjoy

Craft NYC

I was invited to have dinner at Craft recently and I welcomed the opportunity. I'd never been so I was excited! The dining room is cool and the tables and seating generous enough for larger guests. But before I continue with the rest I want to say that I don't like to make bad judgments on only one visit but this restaurant has been around a while and it's reputation doesn't stand.

So, here goes....First we ordered a white wine, a 2005 Gewurztraminer, very tasty by the way.  The sommelier proceeded to decant and vigorously swirl the wine all the while sniffing it. In general white wines are not decanted.  Let me first say ("No one orders a Gerwurztraminer without knowing what it is".) So I asked the sommelier why he decanted the wine, his response was that this wine has off smells and he didn't want us to be put off (well ok I guess). 

But lets just say this is an odd procedure and red wines are not vigorously swirled in decanters so why practically shake a white? Needless to say the wine was great with the food. Next we ordered a red which I didn't photograph but by then the light faded and I didn't want o use the flash on my camera. Next we ordered a red which should have been decanted while we were drinking the first bottle. The sommelier brings the decanted bottle to the table along with broken cork my companions didn't notice. (The Sommelier should have said something). The wine was corked and he should have known this. Of course we mentioned it and he immediately took the wine away note: he did not taste the wine or smell it until our meal almost ended upon which he agreed the wine was corked. He then opened and brought another bottle to the table which we just accepted though this was also strange since it was not a wine we chose. But at this point we were already over this restaurant.

The food was ok, nothing really special considering the prices but I wouldn't recommend going here or spending the money. It's unlikely I will return unless someone picking up the tab insists. I'd choose ABC Kitchen Gramercy Tavern  Eleven Madison any other on Lexington Ave or any number of Indian restaurants in the area.

Alright if you hadn't noticed by this time I was already bored. Though I am very grateful to have been invited to dine with my companions and finally graced the inside of this restaurant.

First an amuse of Mackrel~ the best of what was to come.

A beet salad, lovely but served too cold and the beets tasted boiled and refrigerated.

An artichoke salad was just nice. Let me say everything looked good it just wasn't as special as I had expected. A copper pot of short ribs also nice, I guess what I'm saying is that the food was good but nothing special. It didn't knock my socks off and certainly didn't justify the price. So, if someone is taking you out and you want them to spend money for no reason then go here.

Craft NYC

43 East 19th Street
New York
(212) 780-0880

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have Fun & Enjoy!