29 May 2012 Galvaude – Poutine’s Fancy Cousin

Galvaude – Poutine’s Fancy Cousin

May 29, 2012 By

When I visit my hometown in Quebec, I try to make it a point to visit my local casse-croûte – a cross between a diner and a fast food restaurant.  In our town, that place is call Buffet St-Martin.

During my stay home a couple weeks ago, I opted to forego my usual standard, poutine, for its fancy cousin, the galvaude.  For those unfamiliar with poutine, it’s a dish of French fries, topped with squeaky cheddar cheese curds then smothered in brown gravy.  Is there a more perfect food?  Perhaps only if this dish was enhanced with white meat chicken and small peas!  That’s a galvaude.

I urge you to try one if you visit Quebec – it’s comfort food at its best.

Cheers,

Veronique

 

Filed Under: Canadian, Culinary Travel Tales Tagged With: , , ,
28 May 2012 Smorgasburg – Brooklyn Foodie Paradise

Smorgasburg – Brooklyn Foodie Paradise

May 28, 2012 By

When my friends from Florida come to visit me in New Jersey, I always try to arrange a foodie girls’ day in Manhattan.  The idea is to cocktail at one place, appetizer at another, eat an entrée elsewhere and finish with dessert someplace new.  All done, if possible, in different neighborhoods.

Saturday, I instead opted to venture to Brooklyn to the place ‘everyone’ is talking about, at least in my foodie circle: Smorgasburg – a weekly market featuring hand-crafted foods on the Williamsburg waterfront.  Every Saturday between North 6th and North 7th St., the East River transforms into a festive gathering of food entrepreneurs and successful purveyors offering packaged and prepared foods, fresh produce and other food-related goods.  Smorgasburg typically features over 100 vendors and is open rain or shine during the non-Winter months.

As I entered the 44,000 square feet space, the aromas of the various food stands greeted me and prompted me to start sampling.  Since this was my first visit, I decided to walk around the food labyrinth to get a feel for what was being offered.  The tantalizing options are overwhelming.  Fried whole anchovies from Bon Chovie?  The Montreal-style smoked meat sandwich of famed Mile End?  A three-cheese grilled cheese from Milk Truck?  A perfect porkie sandwich from Porchetta?  I finally selected the sesame noodles with hot brown meat sauce (pork braised for four hours in hoisin) from Shorty Tang & Sons, the crispy pork belly on steam buns from Bite Size Kitchen, a miniature Canadian maple butter tart from Cutie Pies and a tiny maple and bacon cupcake from Kumquat Cupcakery.  I washed everything down with a fantastic slushy concoction from Kelvin Natural Slush Co.  I just couldn’t fit in the lobster roll from Red Hook Lobster Pound that I’d been eyeing since arriving – next time!

People appear to make a day out of going to Smorgasburg.  There were families picnicking in the grassy area near to river and folks enjoying a walk around the space with their dogs.  Veterans of the event are helpful to newbies and food vendors are clearly proud of showing off their craft.

The place has an energizing buzz about it that is contagious to both vendors and consumers and I urge you to get out there during the season to experience a super smorgasbord in Williamsburg.

Smorgasburg
27 N. 6th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Cheers,

Veronique

 

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
10 May 2012 May is Riesling Month in the Finger Lakes

May is Riesling Month in the Finger Lakes

May 10, 2012 By

Photo Courtesy of Finger Lakes Wine Country

Being a fan of Riesling, I’m excited about May being Riesling Month.  Being a huge fan of Finger Lakes Rieslings…read article.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
9 March 2012 Fun in the Sun in Mexico

Fun in the Sun in Mexico

March 9, 2012 By

This past week, I was fortunate enough to vacation at Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita in Riviera Maya, Mexico.  The resort provided exactly what I was looking for: a serene environment, upscale spa and healthy, delicious food.

The resort only features 90 luxury suites, ensuring every guest is offered an unbelievable amount of attention.  The staff is what really demonstrates why this 5-star resort is the only one in Riviera Maya to garner the prestigious AAA 5-diamond designation.  Guests are addressed by name through the property and the staff genuinely appears to care about the complete satisfaction of the folks they look after.

Shrimp & Scallops in Curry Sauce

Now on to the food and drinks.  No cruise ship-style buffets with ravenous overeaters here.  The food is carefully prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients that although healthy, feel indulgent.  From fresh fruits in-suite to ripe berries for breakfast to refreshing sorbets for desserts, fruit and produce are carefully selected for the guests’ enjoyment.  The fish is pristine and the meats are top notch.  The cocktails are strong yet delicious and prepared using freshly-squeezed or muddled fruit and premium brand liquor.

Considering Cancun airport is easily accessible from most cities in the USA, a long weekend at Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita is feasible, even for the busiest of people.

View my photo album on my Facebook page.

Cheers,

Veronique

 

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Finger Lakes for Wine Lovers

March 1, 2012 By

Photo Credit: Heron Hill Winery

I’m a huge fan of the Finger Lakes and its outstanding wines.  Here is an article of mine on traveling to the Finger Lakes and which wineries to visit along the way published by Jersey Bites.

Cheers,

Veronique

 

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
18 January 2012 Out with the New, In with the Old

Out with the New, In with the Old

January 18, 2012 By

Me on my 3rd birthday

Today, I turn 40 years-old.  I come to this milestone with satisfaction, both personally and professionally.  To keep this post food and wine-focused, I’ll reminisce about some birthday traditions and memorable birthday meals I’ve cherished over the years.

When I was growing up in Quebec, my mom would often make my sister and me crepes for our birthday breakfasts.  The first crepe would have our first initial “stamped” into it with her spatula and we thought that was awesome.  When I got a little older, my special birthday dinner became a stuffed beef tenderloin with peppery sauce and mashed potatoes.  It’s still no doubt a favorite of mine, when fixed by mom.  Another birthday tradition when I was little, was to have my grandma make me a birthday chocolate cream pie.  Yea, no cake, always this mile-high pie that I often still crave.

Now that I live in the New York metro area with no family around to help celebrate, my guy always plans a special night out in Manhattan.  The restaurant is always kept a secret with me getting clues every few days as to the location or perhaps chef, as the big night gets closer.  What fun!!  Over the years, we’ve dined at Daniel, Bouley, Nobu and others that are foodie favorites.

This year, my girlfriends from Florida flew up to help celebrate the big 4-0 with me and some of my friends.  We I say that “we” celebrated, I mean that the two of them celebrated the fact that I’m no longer in my 30s and have FINALLY joined them in the 40s.  As we always do when they come visit, we had a foodie weekend with tons of diet-unfriendly grub.  I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.  Did you see the chocolate cream pie they made me that I posted a few days ago!??

I look forward to what’s to come in this new decade.  Onwards and upwards!

Veronique

 

 

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things Tagged With:
12 December 2011 Locanda Verde – Bene for Brunch

Locanda Verde – Bene for Brunch

December 12, 2011 By

Shaved Porchetta Sandwich

I am an avid fan of Locanda Verde and its sublime food attentively prepared by Food and Wine Best New Chef award winner, Andrew Carmellini.  I have written about Locanda Verde in the past, but on a recent visit, I brunched and it is worth noting what a super job the staff does with this meal.

For me, a key component of brunch is a good cocktail.  I typically go for a spicy Bloody Mary and Locanda Verde does not disappoint with its fiery Bloody Mary Della Casa ($13) served with Italian hot peppers and Mortadella.

Our party began its meal with the Pastry Misty Del Giorno ($14), a basket of delectable pastries: cranberry muffins, olive oil coffee cake and apple breakfast pie.  I would not skip this starter expertly prepared by pastry chef Karen DeMasco; it is delicious with the dark roasted coffee served at this establishment.

Scampi and Grits

Some can’t miss brunch entrées are the soft scrambled farm egg crostino with leek, mushrooms and speck ($17) – the bread used to make the crostino might be the best I have had in New York City and the contrast of soft-cooked eggs over the crunchy bread is amazing.  The “Scampi and Grits” ($20) with organic polenta, tomato, sausage and coddled eggs is a winner – the polenta is creamy, the shrimp is cooked with the flavorful sausage and the soft-cooked eggs  create a yolky ‘sauce’ that helps marry all the flavors together.  Another stellar option, and perhaps one of the best sandwiches in town, is the shaved Porcetta sandwich ($16) with grilled onions and Provolone – the meat is juicy and cooked perfectly and the Provolone is especially sharp and a tremendous asset to this succulent sandwich.

Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10AM until 3PM.  Making the trek down to Tribeca is a small price to pay to be rewarded by fabulous food, a trendy, sexy space and a helpful staff.

377 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10013

212-925-3797

Cheers,

Veronique

 

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
9 December 2011 Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink – Upscale Comforting Food in Miami

Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink – Upscale Comforting Food in Miami

December 9, 2011 By

Pork Belly

Michael’s Genuine, in Miami’s up-and-coming Design District, is a foodie’s paradise dressed down as a casual neighborhood bistro.  Chef Michael Schwartz excels at what should be three basic restaurant concepts: the space, the staff, the food and wine.

The bistro, opened in 2007, can accommodate up to 100 diners both indoors in a comfortable dining room and outdoors in a bustling courtyard area.  The ambiance is relaxed, even with a roomful of some of Miami’s most beautiful people.

The staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the menu and its ingredients.  There is a palpable excitement amid the crew about the product being offered that is akin to being a kid in a candy store.

The food…is absolutely amazing.  Chef Schwartz masters New American cuisine and many of the ingredients used or served are housemade.  The pork belly over kimchee is succulent.  The short rib Panini is rich and delectable.  The beet, heirloom tomato and blue cheese salad is ultra-fresh and perfectly dressed.  A special of the day, the croque-madame sandwich is prepared with house-cured ham is comforting and completely old school perfect.  The restaurant’s wood fire oven also works miracles on the ultra-fresh fish sourced by Chef Schwartz and his team.

Croque-Madame

The wine list is eclectic, interesting and offers great value.  There are over twenty wines by the glass ranging from Austrian Gruner Veltliner to Krug Grande Cuvée and Piedmonte Barbera.  The list is smartly designed to be unintimidating to all fans of the grape.  The Chardonnays are categorized into ‘unoaked’, ‘light oak to moderate’ and ‘moderate to heavy oak’ and varietals are divided by region making it straight-forward to select the right wine for the occasion or dish.

Chef Michael Schwartz hits it out of the ballpark with this venue by offering unpretentious food in a casual atmosphere.  A must-try dining experience when in Miami.

130 N. 40th Street

Miami, FL 33137

305-573-5550

www.michaelsgenuine.com

Hours of operation:

Lunch: Monday – Friday 11:30AM – 3PM

Brunch: Sunday 11AM – 2:30PM

Dinner: Sunday 5:30PM – 10PM; Monday – Thursday 5:30PM – 11PM; Friday – Saturday 5:30PM – midnight

Happy hour: Monday – Friday 4:30PM – 6:30PM

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,
8 December 2011 12 Days of Christmas Coastal Food Tours Getaway Giveaway Contest

12 Days of Christmas Coastal Food Tours Getaway Giveaway Contest

December 8, 2011 By

The holiday season is in full swing and families across the country are planning their perfect holiday meals, tastiest treats or most delectable hors d’oeuvres.

Starting December 5, the Virginia Beach CVB is looking for creative, original recipes with its “12 Days of Christmas” Coastal Food Tours Getaway Giveaway Contest, a virtual cooking competition that will earn the winner a three-day, two-night stay in Virginia Beach for two people, with the chance to experience the new Coastal Food Tours program.

Now through December 16, visitors to the Virginia Beach Facebook page can submit a favorite recipe based on one of the days in the holiday classic, “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

In addition to free transportation and accommodations during their three-day, two-night stay, the winner and a guest will receive complimentary tickets to the Boardwalk Food Tour in Virginia Beach, the Granby Street Food Tour and complimentary tickets to other attractions, including the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. Estimated value of the package is $2,000.

How to enter:

  1. Become a fan of the Virginia Beach Facebook page.
  2. Email your original recipe name, ingredients and cooking method, along with full contact information including name, email address and phone number to 12daysofchristmas@visitvirginiabeach.com.

Good luck if you enter!

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , ,
2 December 2011 Pilsener Haus & Biergarten for New Year’s Eve

Pilsener Haus & Biergarten for New Year’s Eve

December 2, 2011 By

For my NY/NJ friends who don’t have New Year’s Eve plans yet, I saw this fun way to bring in 2012 that I thought I’d share.

Celebrate 2012 at Hoboken’s first biergarten, an old world experience welcoming the New Year.

Doors open at 8pm – $100 per guest includes:

  • Open Bar from 9pm-1am – Premium imported and American craft beers
  • Abundant Platters from the Grill – Weisswurst, Bratwurst, Kielbasa & More
  • Famous Oversized Bavarian Soft Pretzels – Midnight Toast of Champagne or Beer
  • After midnight, Chef Thomas Ferlesch will serve a kettle of Hungarian Beef Goulash to ward off that New Year’s Day hangover
  • Live DJ All Night Long

 

Pilsener Haus & Biergarten

1422 Grand Street

201.683.5465

Prost!

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , ,
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