I love tea. LOVE tea. If you love tea the way I do, you know that the steeping loose tea too long makes it bitter, and the temperature of the water can significantly change the taste. (Think of the subtleties of wine, coffee or chocolate--same thing!) I have my eye on this machine, but I am going to file it away for a day when I can justify spending $250 on another kitchen appliance...
The Breville One-Touch Tea Maker
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Trader Joe's!
Trader Joe's just opened in our neighborhood, and we couldn't be more excited! We shopped there frequently while living in Boston, and it's always nice to be greeted by friendly people in Manhattan. :-) That being said, I've found the items there are hit-or-miss. There are a few things we purchase everytime we go, and others that we tried once and will never buy again. In order to save you the same pain, below is our list (we'll keep adding to it as we try new things!):
All items are Trader Joe's brand!
Cheese & Dairy:
2% Greek Style Yogurt- it's ok. We both prefer Fage, but it's fine in a pinch. Heard a rumor that their yogurt comes from Stoneyfield Farms.
Mango Smoothie- not really dairy, but in the same case. Also not bad--we prefer "Naked," but good for the price.
Refrigerated Items:
Masala Lentil Dip- Delicious. Bought it on Priya's recommendation--she described it perfectly--"tastes exactly how you would expect it to taste." Yum.
Mediterranean Hummus- I'm a big fan. Lots of flavor. Delicious.
Frozen Food:
Garlic and Tandoori Naan- Fantastic. Love them, especially the garlic. Will stick to Whole Foods when using naan as flatbread, as I love grilling them, but these ones are great for tastes-like-indian-restaurant naan.
Vegetable Masala Burgers- Our go-to veggie burgers. Delicious! We also use them in place of falafal balls to make indian-style pita sandwiches.
Paneer Tikka Masala (comes with spinach rice)- Great for what it is--a frozen indian lunch entree. Tastes like very mediocre indian restaurant food, but for $3, I don't care. Not a huge fan of the rice--I heat up a naan and use that instead.
Chicken Tikka Masala (comes with cumin rice)- Ash preferred this to the above, I preferred the Paneer. Sauces taste about the same--only a few pieces of chicken. Definintely would buy it again.
Chicken Vindaloo Rice Bowl- Pass. Won't buy it again. Not too much flavor (vindaloo is supposed to be spicy!), and the rice was kind of mushy. Blah.
Vegetable Penang Curry- Better than I expected! For the price, not bad at all. Small, so probably not enough for a meal, and there was definitely oil floating on the top which could turn some people off. Wouldn't buy it consistenly, but not too bad.
Thai-Style Vegetable Gyozas- Better than I expected. I've had horrible experiences with frozen gyozas, but these are not bad. Just wish I could find a good dipping sauce for them. For how cheap they are, it's hard to be disappointed.
Frozen Spinach Artichoke Dip- (Priya)- This is a rec from Swati and it is delicious! As Swati recommended - heat it up in a bowl and then chop a tomato and stir it in - great way to serve a quick appetizer.
Garlic Pizza Dough- (Priya)- was a bit scared to try this as I don't like it when garlic overpowers a dish - but this was delish!
Vegetable Birds Nests- (Priya)- Asian side dish that literally look like birds nests and come with a soy dipping sauce. Not amazing - but a good side dish if you're making Asian and need something else.
Pantry Items:
Clover Blossom Honey- Good. I'm not a honey expert, so it tastes fine to me!
Almond Biscotti- (Rahul)- sooooooooooo good. :-)
Wasabi Peas- (Rahul)- he recommends them!
Fresh/ Baked Goods:
- Focaccia and Ciabatta rolls are fine, but I find they spoil faster than most bread. I think they don't use preservatives, which is probably why. I will still stick to Whole Foods, Fairway and Zabar's for bread, though.
Drinks:
Root Beer- (Rahul)- Amazing. (Rahul, I love root beer, so I'm so excited I'm going to go to the store tomorrow to buy it!) :-)
Corona Light Copy (I can't remember what it's called)- It was $6.50 for a 6 pack, and looked just like Corona Light. I didn't drink it, but everyone said it tasted just like Corona Light, so a great imitation product.
Desserts:
Mini Mint Mouthfuls- (Priya)- delicious little ice cream treat. The only problem is you feel like you could eat 4 in one sitting (and sometimes do :-/)
Not Sure What Category...
White Pizza dough and sauce- (Rahul)- recommended!
If you have any thoughts on Trader Joe's items, let me know! I'll try to move comments up into the post so we gather an overall list. :-)
(Thanks for your recs Rahul and Priya!)
All items are Trader Joe's brand!
Cheese & Dairy:
2% Greek Style Yogurt- it's ok. We both prefer Fage, but it's fine in a pinch. Heard a rumor that their yogurt comes from Stoneyfield Farms.
Mango Smoothie- not really dairy, but in the same case. Also not bad--we prefer "Naked," but good for the price.
Refrigerated Items:
Masala Lentil Dip- Delicious. Bought it on Priya's recommendation--she described it perfectly--"tastes exactly how you would expect it to taste." Yum.
Mediterranean Hummus- I'm a big fan. Lots of flavor. Delicious.
Frozen Food:
Garlic and Tandoori Naan- Fantastic. Love them, especially the garlic. Will stick to Whole Foods when using naan as flatbread, as I love grilling them, but these ones are great for tastes-like-indian-restaurant naan.
Vegetable Masala Burgers- Our go-to veggie burgers. Delicious! We also use them in place of falafal balls to make indian-style pita sandwiches.
Paneer Tikka Masala (comes with spinach rice)- Great for what it is--a frozen indian lunch entree. Tastes like very mediocre indian restaurant food, but for $3, I don't care. Not a huge fan of the rice--I heat up a naan and use that instead.
Chicken Tikka Masala (comes with cumin rice)- Ash preferred this to the above, I preferred the Paneer. Sauces taste about the same--only a few pieces of chicken. Definintely would buy it again.
Chicken Vindaloo Rice Bowl- Pass. Won't buy it again. Not too much flavor (vindaloo is supposed to be spicy!), and the rice was kind of mushy. Blah.
Vegetable Penang Curry- Better than I expected! For the price, not bad at all. Small, so probably not enough for a meal, and there was definitely oil floating on the top which could turn some people off. Wouldn't buy it consistenly, but not too bad.
Thai-Style Vegetable Gyozas- Better than I expected. I've had horrible experiences with frozen gyozas, but these are not bad. Just wish I could find a good dipping sauce for them. For how cheap they are, it's hard to be disappointed.
Frozen Spinach Artichoke Dip- (Priya)- This is a rec from Swati and it is delicious! As Swati recommended - heat it up in a bowl and then chop a tomato and stir it in - great way to serve a quick appetizer.
Garlic Pizza Dough- (Priya)- was a bit scared to try this as I don't like it when garlic overpowers a dish - but this was delish!
Vegetable Birds Nests- (Priya)- Asian side dish that literally look like birds nests and come with a soy dipping sauce. Not amazing - but a good side dish if you're making Asian and need something else.
Pantry Items:
Clover Blossom Honey- Good. I'm not a honey expert, so it tastes fine to me!
Almond Biscotti- (Rahul)- sooooooooooo good. :-)
Wasabi Peas- (Rahul)- he recommends them!
Fresh/ Baked Goods:
- Focaccia and Ciabatta rolls are fine, but I find they spoil faster than most bread. I think they don't use preservatives, which is probably why. I will still stick to Whole Foods, Fairway and Zabar's for bread, though.
Drinks:
Root Beer- (Rahul)- Amazing. (Rahul, I love root beer, so I'm so excited I'm going to go to the store tomorrow to buy it!) :-)
Corona Light Copy (I can't remember what it's called)- It was $6.50 for a 6 pack, and looked just like Corona Light. I didn't drink it, but everyone said it tasted just like Corona Light, so a great imitation product.
Desserts:
Mini Mint Mouthfuls- (Priya)- delicious little ice cream treat. The only problem is you feel like you could eat 4 in one sitting (and sometimes do :-/)
Not Sure What Category...
White Pizza dough and sauce- (Rahul)- recommended!
If you have any thoughts on Trader Joe's items, let me know! I'll try to move comments up into the post so we gather an overall list. :-)
(Thanks for your recs Rahul and Priya!)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Zagat Time!
It's that time again! Take a few moments and vote for your favorite NYC restaurants for the 2011-2012 Zagat NYC Restaurant Guide. If you do, you can choose to receive the guide for free, or you can take a 90-day free online subscription to zagat.com.
Click and choose the NYC Restaurants Survey: Zagat Voting
Click and choose the NYC Restaurants Survey: Zagat Voting
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Talenti Gelato & Sorbet
First things first--I know I haven't posted for an obscene amount of time. I debated closing this blog, but then decided it against it.
Instead of closing it, I think I'll post on it every now and then, and open it up to others who would like to throw in their two cents. (If anyone wants to write, just email me!) For now, ever since moving back to NYC, Ash and I discovered gelato that has single-handedly added inches to our waistline--
Talenti Gelato and Sorbet is absolutely delicious! Obviously, some flavors are better than others, but the Double Dark Chocolate might be one of my favorite gelato flavors ever. It's not cheap (we typically pay between $5-6 for a pint), but it's worth it. Also, they come in hard plastic screw-top containers, so once the gelato is finished, I've found lots of good uses for the containers. (They currently house cardamom and bay leaves in my cabinet.)
I don't like my gelato very sweet, so most of their flavors are too sweet for me. That being said, I LOVE the double dark chocolate, and highly recommend everyone try it if you like dark chocolate.
Here are the flavors we've tried so far:
Double Dark Chocolate: Amazing. Get this one first.
Roman Raspberry: Tastes just like sweetened fresh raspberries. I wish it wasn't so sweet, but still delicious.
Caribbean Coconut: Also too sweet for me, but Ash loves this one.
Caramel Cookie Crunch: Super sweet. We're going to try using this one up in milkshakes--I think they would taste amazing.
I'm keeping my eyes open for the Mediterranean Mint--haven't seen it yet, but am dying to try it.
You can find them at Whole Foods--we also buy them at a small market next to our building called "Jubilee."
Don't blame me if you're now craving gelato...
Instead of closing it, I think I'll post on it every now and then, and open it up to others who would like to throw in their two cents. (If anyone wants to write, just email me!) For now, ever since moving back to NYC, Ash and I discovered gelato that has single-handedly added inches to our waistline--
Talenti Gelato and Sorbet is absolutely delicious! Obviously, some flavors are better than others, but the Double Dark Chocolate might be one of my favorite gelato flavors ever. It's not cheap (we typically pay between $5-6 for a pint), but it's worth it. Also, they come in hard plastic screw-top containers, so once the gelato is finished, I've found lots of good uses for the containers. (They currently house cardamom and bay leaves in my cabinet.)
I don't like my gelato very sweet, so most of their flavors are too sweet for me. That being said, I LOVE the double dark chocolate, and highly recommend everyone try it if you like dark chocolate.
Here are the flavors we've tried so far:
Double Dark Chocolate: Amazing. Get this one first.
Roman Raspberry: Tastes just like sweetened fresh raspberries. I wish it wasn't so sweet, but still delicious.
Caribbean Coconut: Also too sweet for me, but Ash loves this one.
Caramel Cookie Crunch: Super sweet. We're going to try using this one up in milkshakes--I think they would taste amazing.
I'm keeping my eyes open for the Mediterranean Mint--haven't seen it yet, but am dying to try it.
You can find them at Whole Foods--we also buy them at a small market next to our building called "Jubilee."
Don't blame me if you're now craving gelato...
Friday, March 5, 2010
Splitting the Blog
Lately I've found that my blog has become a jumble of everything--food, television, family, etc. So, I've made the decision to split this into two blogs--this one will remain "Cravings," and will focus on food. Recipes I like, restaurants I have strong feeling about, grocery items you have to try, etc.
The new one, that I haven't yet thought of a name for (suggestions, please!), will have everything else. Television rants, family stories, essentially everything that is not food related. Since this one will contain pictures and be much more personal, it will not be an open blog that will show up on search engines, so you'll have to know the address to view it. I've removed the link to my older blog (Priya & Vinny's wedding) from my profile (though the blog still exists), and the new one won't show up either. However, if you need the address for the former one, just let me know, and I'll send it to you. Once I publish the new blog, you'll also be able to reach it from there.
The reason behind the split? There are a LOT of people visiting this blog. I love it. I think people search for a restaurant on google, and my blog often comes up in the search results. (The number of people being directed from Google's search engine to this site is significant.) Though I am more than happy to share all my thoughts on food, there are some things I am less willing to share with people I don't know.
That being said, it only makes sense to split the blog. The posts that are not food related will slowly be deleted from Cravings, but will move onto the new blog.
I'll keep you posted!
The new one, that I haven't yet thought of a name for (suggestions, please!), will have everything else. Television rants, family stories, essentially everything that is not food related. Since this one will contain pictures and be much more personal, it will not be an open blog that will show up on search engines, so you'll have to know the address to view it. I've removed the link to my older blog (Priya & Vinny's wedding) from my profile (though the blog still exists), and the new one won't show up either. However, if you need the address for the former one, just let me know, and I'll send it to you. Once I publish the new blog, you'll also be able to reach it from there.
The reason behind the split? There are a LOT of people visiting this blog. I love it. I think people search for a restaurant on google, and my blog often comes up in the search results. (The number of people being directed from Google's search engine to this site is significant.) Though I am more than happy to share all my thoughts on food, there are some things I am less willing to share with people I don't know.
That being said, it only makes sense to split the blog. The posts that are not food related will slowly be deleted from Cravings, but will move onto the new blog.
I'll keep you posted!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Coconut Macaroons
This recipe is fantastic, and SUPER easy. Plus, if you have some chocolate lying around, once they cool, they are extra delicious if you dip them in chocolate. (I dip half of the macaroon in melted dark chocolate and let it harden.) Yum!
Coconut Macaroons Recipe from AllRecipes
Coconut Macaroons Recipe from AllRecipes
Monday, February 22, 2010
What we ate in Vegas
We got back from Vegas about a week ago, after spending five days relaxing at the Bellagio. (We only intended to spend four, but our flight cancelation gave us a bonus day.) We don't really gamble--we eat and shop. And pull chairs up to our window and watch the Bellagio fountains outside.
But more importantly, here's where we ate:
Monday night: Cabo Wabo Cantina at Planet Holleywood --I think this might be new, as Ash and I don't recall seeing it during our last trip in July. We just wanted a place for a late-night snack, so nachos totally hit the spot. It was pretty good, and if you sit outside, you can actually see bits of the Bellagio fountain show.
Tuesday morning: Bellagio Buffet--since we book through AmEx, we get free breakfast coupons, and always use them at the buffet. It's fantastic. (I think it's $16/person or so otherwise.) Fresh fruit, made-to-order eggs, any breakfast meat you can think of, muffins, pancakes, waffles, croissants, bagels with every topping possible... We always went around 10:30--perfect as the turn for lunch happens around 11. The food is fantastic.
Tuesday night: Roy's Las Vegas-- we took a cab to Roy's, as it's off the strip, and were as thrilled as we were in Arizona. They have amazing seafood (which Ash enjoys), and the Vegas happy hour special is $5 cocktails and rolls. So, we went half an hour before our reservation, ordered appetizers and drinks at the bar, and then ate when our table was ready. A wonderful meal, and about a $10 cab ride from the Bellagio.
Note: We asked our cab driver for the most popular restaurant, and he said it's called "Firefly." It's tapas, and it's about a $15 cab ride off the strip. We didn't head there this time, but perhaps next time.
Tuesday late-night: Jean Philippe Patisserie (Hands down, our favorite dessert place in Vegas. Probably our favorite dessert place anywhere. It is half the reason we stay in the Bellagio--he's also opened up a second location in the new Aria hotel next door. The coolest part? He actually bakes stuff there. I've seen him come out of the kitchen in his chef outfit--I was totally starstruck.)
Wednesday morning: Bellagio Buffet
Wednesday night: We had tickets to the Lion King, so we just grabbed food from a food court. Not exciting, I know.
Wednesday late-night: Jean Philippe Patisserie (notice a pattern?)
Thursday morning: Bellagio Buffet
Thursday night: Wynn Buffet--we'd heard a great deal about the Wynn dinner buffet, so we finally decided to venture out. It's the same price you'd pay for a meal at a nice restaurant (we paid $80 for both of us), so we were skeptical. However, it was fantastic. They keep very small amounts out, and constantly have cooks working in front of you so the food is always fresh. From what I can remember--sushi station, pasta station, salad station, ceviche station (yes, they had 6 kinds), malaysian station, indian station, mediterranean station, etc. When I say "station," I don't mean a typical buffet station of sorts. There were small plates that probably only held enough food for four or five people, and they were constantly being replenished. For the pasta station, they had a bolognese, pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce, an alfredo with chicken, tortellini, two other dishes with seafood, and then a chef to customize or make you whatever you'd like if you were a vegetarian or wanted something different. The indian station had tandoor ahi, chana masala and fresh baked naan. (Ash said the ahi was very good.) The penang curry in the malaysian station was fantastic. The huge draw seemed to be the Alaskan King Crab legs. Finally, they had a dessert ROOM. It had a full case of gelato (probably about 14 flavors), a crepe station, and about 15 different kinds of dessert. It. was. amazing. (Though pass on the crepes--Jean Philippe puts them to shame.) I would definitely go back--I'll just be hungrier next time.
Friday morning: Jean Philippe Patisserie
Friday evening: La Salsa Cantina at Planet Hollywood--we wanted something fast and not too expensive before our flight, it's your typical mexican restaurant, not pricey and worth the money.
Friday before our red-eye flight: Jean Philippe Patisserie
So, we really only ventured about for dinner, but that's what we intended. We tend to stay at the Bellagio because the breakfast/ lunch buffet is fantastic, and Jean Philippe is at our constant disposal. We don't go to Vegas to gamble--we go to eat. :-)
If you do go to Jean Philippe--I dream about the coconut gelato. I don't even like coconut, but it's fantastic. Ash got me hooked. The new green tea ice cream is also quite amazing. As for chocolate--the chocolate crepe can't be beat, and both the chocolate mousse and chocolate muffin (it should be called chocolate cake in the shape of a muffin) are fantastic. They have a dark chocolate mousse called "Intense" that is probably the best I've ever had. It comes with a salted biscuit and sits on top of a thin butter cookie wafer. Yum.
We both came back heavier than we left. But it was soooo worth it. :-)
But more importantly, here's where we ate:
Monday night: Cabo Wabo Cantina at Planet Holleywood --I think this might be new, as Ash and I don't recall seeing it during our last trip in July. We just wanted a place for a late-night snack, so nachos totally hit the spot. It was pretty good, and if you sit outside, you can actually see bits of the Bellagio fountain show.
Tuesday morning: Bellagio Buffet--since we book through AmEx, we get free breakfast coupons, and always use them at the buffet. It's fantastic. (I think it's $16/person or so otherwise.) Fresh fruit, made-to-order eggs, any breakfast meat you can think of, muffins, pancakes, waffles, croissants, bagels with every topping possible... We always went around 10:30--perfect as the turn for lunch happens around 11. The food is fantastic.
Tuesday night: Roy's Las Vegas-- we took a cab to Roy's, as it's off the strip, and were as thrilled as we were in Arizona. They have amazing seafood (which Ash enjoys), and the Vegas happy hour special is $5 cocktails and rolls. So, we went half an hour before our reservation, ordered appetizers and drinks at the bar, and then ate when our table was ready. A wonderful meal, and about a $10 cab ride from the Bellagio.
Note: We asked our cab driver for the most popular restaurant, and he said it's called "Firefly." It's tapas, and it's about a $15 cab ride off the strip. We didn't head there this time, but perhaps next time.
Tuesday late-night: Jean Philippe Patisserie (Hands down, our favorite dessert place in Vegas. Probably our favorite dessert place anywhere. It is half the reason we stay in the Bellagio--he's also opened up a second location in the new Aria hotel next door. The coolest part? He actually bakes stuff there. I've seen him come out of the kitchen in his chef outfit--I was totally starstruck.)
Wednesday morning: Bellagio Buffet
Wednesday night: We had tickets to the Lion King, so we just grabbed food from a food court. Not exciting, I know.
Wednesday late-night: Jean Philippe Patisserie (notice a pattern?)
Thursday morning: Bellagio Buffet
Thursday night: Wynn Buffet--we'd heard a great deal about the Wynn dinner buffet, so we finally decided to venture out. It's the same price you'd pay for a meal at a nice restaurant (we paid $80 for both of us), so we were skeptical. However, it was fantastic. They keep very small amounts out, and constantly have cooks working in front of you so the food is always fresh. From what I can remember--sushi station, pasta station, salad station, ceviche station (yes, they had 6 kinds), malaysian station, indian station, mediterranean station, etc. When I say "station," I don't mean a typical buffet station of sorts. There were small plates that probably only held enough food for four or five people, and they were constantly being replenished. For the pasta station, they had a bolognese, pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce, an alfredo with chicken, tortellini, two other dishes with seafood, and then a chef to customize or make you whatever you'd like if you were a vegetarian or wanted something different. The indian station had tandoor ahi, chana masala and fresh baked naan. (Ash said the ahi was very good.) The penang curry in the malaysian station was fantastic. The huge draw seemed to be the Alaskan King Crab legs. Finally, they had a dessert ROOM. It had a full case of gelato (probably about 14 flavors), a crepe station, and about 15 different kinds of dessert. It. was. amazing. (Though pass on the crepes--Jean Philippe puts them to shame.) I would definitely go back--I'll just be hungrier next time.
Friday morning: Jean Philippe Patisserie
Friday evening: La Salsa Cantina at Planet Hollywood--we wanted something fast and not too expensive before our flight, it's your typical mexican restaurant, not pricey and worth the money.
Friday before our red-eye flight: Jean Philippe Patisserie
So, we really only ventured about for dinner, but that's what we intended. We tend to stay at the Bellagio because the breakfast/ lunch buffet is fantastic, and Jean Philippe is at our constant disposal. We don't go to Vegas to gamble--we go to eat. :-)
If you do go to Jean Philippe--I dream about the coconut gelato. I don't even like coconut, but it's fantastic. Ash got me hooked. The new green tea ice cream is also quite amazing. As for chocolate--the chocolate crepe can't be beat, and both the chocolate mousse and chocolate muffin (it should be called chocolate cake in the shape of a muffin) are fantastic. They have a dark chocolate mousse called "Intense" that is probably the best I've ever had. It comes with a salted biscuit and sits on top of a thin butter cookie wafer. Yum.
We both came back heavier than we left. But it was soooo worth it. :-)
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