Italian Food : Porchetta

When it comes to Italian food, I can never refuse a tasty salty pork product. What would one do without a good pancetta or guanciale for pasta carbonara? Or a Tuscan-style grilled pork chop with garlic and rosemary. And let’s not forget proscuitto and all of the other salumi that marry perfectly with cheese and glass of wine. Pork = good.

One of my favorites, which hails from Italy, happens to be Porchetta, pronounced por-ket-ah. It’s a type of pork roast, where a suckling pig is “cleaned out” and stuffed with garlic, salt, pepper, and a blend of herbs and spices like rosemary, fennel or sage, depending on the cook and the recipe. And did I mention SALT? Yeah, it’s heavy on the salt.

The lil’ piggy is then wrapped back up and roasted, likely with the head on, until the skin (or cracklin’) is a deep bronze color and so crispy you’ll need to be careful not to break a tooth – though it would be worth it. The inside is perfectly moist and juicy.

In Italy you’ll find porchetta all over the country, in butcher shops, but mostly served out of a truck, on bread as Italian street food. Porchetta originated in the Lazio region, in central Italy and in fact the town of Ariccia pays homage to Porchetta in the form of a food festival, or sagra every September.

I miss the porchetta in Italy.

But as luck would have it, I didn’t have to miss it very long because there is a spot in New York City aptly named Porchetta. And I’ll give you one guess as to what they serve.

Yeah, I know. Too easy. And very clever name, don’t you think? I mean, you immediately know you won’t find chinese food on the menu.

After reading that the chef/owner is known for her rustic Italian cuisine and trained in Tuscany to learn how to make an authentic Porchetta, I was hopeful. I skipped joyfully, drooling the whole way, to the tiny little store front in the east village which has five stools at a countertop and a bench outside. Not fine dining – classy street food.

Porchettaoffers up sandwiches or plates, with tasty Italian-inspired sides like roasted rosemary potatoes, greens with garlic and Tuscan beans.

My $10 sandwich was very tasty, though a tad drier than I prefer, but it did rival some of the best in Italy. If you are dreaming of good Porchetta and can’t make it to Italy, give Porchetta a try. You’ll be very glad you did.

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Porchetta
110 East 7th Street
New York City
212-777-2151

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Ladurée comes to New York City

Laduree New York storefront

One of my favorite sweet treats is the delicate French macaron, and I’ve drooled extensively over macarons in Paris. There is no doubt that if you want the best macarons in Paris, one name comes to mind more than any other. That name is Ladurée.

If I had my druthers, I’d rather be devouring the best French macarons in Paris, but if the girl can’t get to Paris, then Paris has to come to the girl, right? Well, closer to the girl anyway.

So, just imagine my giddy excitement when I found out that Ladurée had opened up its first boutique in the United States, and it just happened to be in New York City.

My visit to Ladurée New York started out by strolling up Madison Avenue, near Central Park in a very chic part of town, the Upper East Side. Thought it certainly isn’t Paris, the architecture and ornate detailing gracing the facades in the neighborhood definitely sets a similar tone. Ladurée New York chose their address well.

I was greeted by the same window displays and storefront, which showcase their sophisticated, signature packaging.

Laduree New York City

Both inside and out are painted with that perfectly blended combination of French-green and Robin-egg-blue that seems oh so hard to replicate.

Laduree New York

On offer are about 15 of the same French macaron flavors available in Paris, like pistachio, cassis, orange blossoms, coffee, chocolate, and my personal favorite – caramel-beurre- salé , salted butter caramel. Chocolates, confections, teas and candles from their home fragrance collection line the shelves, all of which make perfect gifts.

Ladurée NY macarons

I indulged in two macarons – a pistachio and a salted-butter caramel – and am delighted to report that the flavor, consistency and quality is the same as I remember from Paris. At $2.70 a pop, they aren’t cheap – but totally worth every penny!

Ladurée New York

So, if you can’t get to Paris, but New York City is a option, you can savor all of the same delicious flavors of French macarons, with the same elegant packaging, and the same lovely atmosphere and decor found in the Paris boutiques, sans the salon experience.

Ladurée
864 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021
Subway : Hunter College

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Lunch at Otto in NYC

About six weeks ago, I attended a two-day travel blogging conference in New York City, called TBEX. Far be it from me to not scout out the area’s good eats before I go. I was over the moon the find out that Mario Batali’s Otto, was located only about a block away from the venue. I excitedly put it on ‘the list’.

Incidentally, Otto {pronounced oh-toh} is the Italian word for the number ‘eight‘. And Otto happens to be located on 8th Street, in New York City. Clever. The menu is all in Italian, with English translations, which always scores extra points in my book.

On the first day of the conference, I blew off the free lunch in order to sample Batali’s less expensive, casual, enoteca/pizzeria which as the name suggests serves up pizza, pasta and wine bar food, all at great New York City prices.

Three of us eagerly sat a table. And sat. And sat. And waited. And waited. Forty minutes later, with our allotted lunch time ticking away, and after several failed attempts to flag down wait staff to take our order, sadly, we departed. Hungry and disappointed.

Though my excitement had waned, and Otto had certainly done me wrong, I decided to give them another try the following day at lunch. And I am so glad that I did!

A handful of us dined on individual pizzas and pasta dishes.

The lunch menu offered about a half-dozen pasta choices, all priced at $9. Pizza options, including classics like Margherita and Pepperoni, as well as more inventive pies, all used fresh Italian ingredients and ranged from $7 – $14.

Another option was the $13 Pizza del giorno – a pizza special that changes daily. There were also plenty of cheeses and side dishes to choose from if you were more interested in sampling little noshes, rather than chowing down on a full meal.

The moment I saw Pasta Carbonara on the menu, I didn’t have to look any further. It’s my all time favorite Italian pasta – when it’s done right.

And I’m happy to report that it was.

Lots of ooohhs, mmmms and aaahhhs emanated from the table that afternoon. The wait staff was pleasant, accommodating and efficient. We had no problem getting a table, ordering or waiting for food. And no problem devouring our flavorful dishes either.

The wine list was extensive, but certainly not cheap. My generous pour of by-the-glass Barbera, which equaled a large glass and a half, was a reasonable $13.

We were assured by many that had dined at Otto before, that our first-visit-debacle must have been an unfortunate fluke. And based on the results of my second visit, I am inclined to agree.

Though my first visit left me disappointed and almost angry, I am very glad I persevered and decided to give Otto another try. Had I not, I would have been even more disappointed knowing that I missed enjoying a rich and creamy Carbonara, just steps away from my home-away-from-home for two days.

I never would have forgiven myself or Mario ‘orange-crocs‘ Batali. But luckily, I don’t have to worry about forgiveness. In fact, thanks to Otto, the only thing I am consumed with now is hatching a scheme to get back there, and deciding which authentic Italian food and wine combo I’ll choose next time.

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Otto
One Fifth Avenue
New York City, NY 10003
212.995.9559

Travel Tip Tuesday – Travel Bloggers’ Best NYC Tips

I have been a bit absent on the blog of late. Not intentionally of course. Part of this is due to my recent nuptials and also because my trusty MacBook cord fried, making it difficult at best to get computer access.

I was also preparing for a travel conference called TBEX, that I attended this past weekend in New York City.

Over 200 travel writers, travel bloggers and travel industry experts gathered for some fun and some good old fashion travel learnin’.

And while most of what I learned will be very helpful to me , I know you could care less about podcasting this and SEO that. Nor would you be really interested in my thoughts on them. There are far more interesting blogs on those topics!

However, I really wanted to find a very direct way to make my NYC trip beneficial to my readers. And I think I’ve found just the thing! I decided to reach out to some of these fine, knowledgable, travel folks that I mingled with, to get their insight, advice and travel tips for the New York City area. I figured, who better than a bunch of in-the-know travel bloggers to offer up advice after spending some time in the Big Apple?

First, I’d like to share five of my own travel tips, and then we’ll add the tips from the others.

1. For cheap eats, NYC has some of the best street food and food trucks around. One that saved me from hunger this weekend was the Halal Food Cart on Madison and 28th in the Flatiron District. Their falafel platter with yellow rice, iceberg salad and falafel swimming in white sauce was filling, delicious and only Five. Damned. Dollars. For New York City – it’s a downright bargain!

2. If you are looking for a good NYC guide, I really like the Not For Tourists series. It’s portable, and offers subway maps, info on food, drugstores, supermarkets, shopping, hotels, nightlife, bars and coffee houses categorized by sections of the city.

3. For finding hotel deals and discounts on concerts, attractions and theater tickets, sign up for Travelzoo’s Newsletter. It’s how I found an affordable rate on my otherwise expensive hotel.

4. Even if you aren’t traveling by train, I implore you to include a visit to Grand Central Terminal on your itinerary. This magnificent, historic building is an architectural marvel with beautiful Beaux-Arts decor. Astronomy buffs should remember to look skyward to admire the celestial scene, complete with constellations, on the pretty aqua-colored ceiling. Among the bustling crowds, you’ll find many restaurants, chic cocktail lounges, a gourmet food market, bakeries and over 65 fantastic shops.

5. Speaking of Grand Central, just steps away from the station is a ladies only, bargain hot-spot for Chinese massage, called Lilly & Raul. Don’t expect a spa at the Ritz, but it’s clean, basic and a perfect way to rejuvenate after sight-seeing around the city. Relaxing hour-long massages are only $40!

And now onto my friendly travel bloggers’ travel tips. You’ll find the tips set up with their name, and links to their websites and Twitter handles. And remember, if you do happen to pop by and comment on their sites or blogs, or happen to follow along on Twitter…please don’t be afraid to say howdy and mention how you found them!

—

Evelyn Hannon | Journeywoman | @journeywoman

Idlewild Books, located at 12 W. 19th Street near Fifth Avenue, is a beautiful independent shop near Union Square, specializing in travel and international literature, it carries fiction and non-fiction from all parts of the world, including new and classic works in translation, travel guides, books about politics and culture, graphic lit, language-learning books, maps and more.
Quite by accident I came across Kinokuniya Bookstore (1073 Avenue of the Americas) located across from Bryant Park. This Japanese shop is called a bookstore but it is much more than that. It has three floors crammed to the hilt with Japanese merchandise — funky T-shirts, magazines, games, stationery, gift wrap, toys and yes, books. The atmosphere is gentle, perfect for browsing. Best of all I loved the small 3rd floor cafe serving Japanese treats.

Pamela McNaughton | Spunky Girl Monologues | @spunkygirllogue

Looking for great food in NYC? Try Momofuku Ssam Bar on 2nd Ave between 13th & 12th Sts. Steamed Buns are the best. Supple. Busy place. Great food.

Marianne Grisham | Enchanted Travel | @enchantedtravel

You can find the best veggie pizza at Ray’s, located at 5th Avenue and 12th Street. Try the eggplant, roasted red pepper, spinach and more!

Christine Cantera | Miss Expatria | @MissExpatria

Ess-A-Bagels are HUGE & delish – their whitefish salad is divine – and they FedEx anywhere in the world.

Mara Gorman | The Mother of all Trips | @motherofalltrip

Avoid trying to catch a cab between 3 and 5 in the afternoon, especially on the weekend. That’s when cabbies change shifts and you’ll see taxi after taxi pass you by in a mocking procession with their “off duty” lights on.
The Empire State Building is totally worth it, even if it’s touristy, even if there’s a line. You can beat the crowds by showing up on a weekday right at opening time (8 a.m.). They are open 365 days a year, so you truly can pick when you go.

Donna Hull | My Itchy Travel Feet | @DonnaLHull

Take time to walk the side streets in Greenwich Village. Stop at the Community Garden behind the library to sit by the water garden.

Laurie DePrete | Scene by Laurie | @ScenebyLaurie

The Staten Island Ferry, which runs from lower Manhattan to Staten Island, is a great way to get on the water for a tour of the NY skyline including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Governor’s Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, downtown Manhattan and Wall Street’s skyscrapers. And it’s free! In Manhattan, catch the ferry from Whitehall and Water Streets, at the water’s edge; nearest Subways are J or Z to Broad Street; 1 or 9 to South Ferry; 4 or 5 to Bowling Green

Andrew Hayes | Sharing Travel Experiences | @andrewghayes

It seems cheesy, but in fact the best free thing to do in my book when visiting New York is to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. The architecture is iconic, but walk it and see it from a new perspective. It’s a busy walkway, and once you get to Brooklyn you will have access to the riverfront and area for bars, restaurants, and great Manhattan views. Then just jump on the subway to catch a ride back home. What’s not to like?

Kelly Goodman | Travellious | @kag2u

Pack bandaids and put them in your day bag. You’re going to end up walking more than you expected, and you’re definitely going to get blisters. I don’t care what kind of shoes you have, it’s gonna happen.

Lanora Mueller | Writing Travel | @WritingTravel

Head out to multi-ethnic Flushing, Queens, near La Guardia Airport, for delicious, affordable Asian food of all kinds. At the Chinese restaurant I visited, dim sum dumplings to die for (you can skip the chicken feet) were less than $2.00 per steamer holding three or four pieces. If I hadn’t been so eager to sample as many different flavors as possible, I could have walked out at lunchtime for less than $10.00. Patience with limited English-speaking servers required, plus the specials are only in Chinese, so you’ll have to ask for translation.

*If you go: East Manor, 4645 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing (Queens), NY (718) 888-8998

Barbara Weibel | Cultural Travel with Hole in the Donut | @holeinthedonut

Most vacationers equate NYC with theater, shopping, museums, and visits to iconic tourist destinations, but few mention New York and beaches in the same breath. Yet in 2009 two new water taxi beaches opened at South Street Seaport and Governors Island, joining the original water taxi beach in Long Island City, Queens. South Street Beach offers the most spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge and East River, an 18,000 square foot indoor/outdoor beer garden and a nine-hole miniature golf course, making it one of the best places to take the family for a fun-filled day.

Governor’s Island Beach, reached via a free ferry, is the city’s premier waterfront spot for great music all summer long and has one of the best views of the skyline of lower Manhattan. All three have nice sand beaches, but swimming is not allowed. The beaches are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with South Street Seaport beach staying open weekends through December, where heaters keep visitors warm.

A big thank you to my colleagues for their participation! Have any fab NYC travel tips that you are just dying to share? Leave them in the comments!

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And don’t forget to check out Cherrye’s Travel Tips today.

Tour del Gelato: GROM

By now you should know how I feel about gelato.

If you don't, well, it is love. No, it is beyond love. It borders on obsession.

But, if you are going to be obsessed about something, you might as well make it gelato.

Ms. Adventures in Italy, who hosts the Tour del Gelato, encourages people to review their favorite gelaterias for all the world to see.

I figured I would join in on the fun!

You see, once you have been to Italy and experienced the real thing, it is really hard to settle for anything less.

And even harder to find anything resembling authentic Italian gelato.

So, when I realized we'd be headed to New York City , I was over the moon about visiting Grom.

Grom is a real Italian gelato company, that opened it's doors in Turin, Italy in 2003. They quickly established a reputation for high-quality, all natural gelato. Classic Italian flavors made with fresh organic ingredients, in season, grown on their own farms in the best areas of Italy.

Many more locations sprouted throughout Italy and in 2007, much to my excitement, a New York City store was added to the list.

New York City now has two. My visit was to the location on Bleecker and Carmine in Greenwich Village.

Normally, there would be a line snaked around the building, but since we visited on a weekday, we lucked out. No lines to speak of.

This sign greeted us upon entering. It is a good thing there was no line. Making a selection with this many choices was going to be a time consuming chore.

Nocciola, Fragola, Pesca, Pistacchio and Melone. Some of my classic favorites.

But then Caffé Espresso and Cioccolato Extranoir were staring me right in the face.

Decisions, decisions.

And lookie here…

I am a huge fan of the salt and caramel combination. This just made the choice much harder.

And since this gelato is not exactly cheap, the choice is an all important one.

The glass counter that typically displays the gelato selections like a rainbow of colors is strangely absent from Grom, much to my chagrin.

Instead, more of a modern, streamlined counter is acheived with the use of shiny stainless steel lids hiding the flavors below.

Maybe this keeps the gelato fresher, colder or germ free. Who knows?

We watched others delight in their selections, trying to guess which flavors they were ordering, sneaking peeks under the lids as they were raised, all the while staring intently at the menu, hemming and hawing, trying to choose.

We finally decided to split a large coppetta (cup) for $6.75. In Italy, I remember that you could squeeze as many flavors into a large as you desired. This weighed heavily into our decision to share a large, thinking we would taste an abundance of different flavors.

But, then the Grom server snaps me back to the reality that this is the U.S. and a large cup would only allow us three flavors.

Three measly flavors? Can you believe it?

Somewhat disappointed, we ordered Yogurt, Fragola and the flavor of the month, Caramel.

We grabbed a seat on a bright blue banquette in the area lined with mouth-watering photos of the gelato ingredients and quickly made short work of our gelato.

All of my disappointment quickly subsided as soon as the cold custard hit my lips and the flavors burst forth in my mouth.

All three flavors were delicious. It should come as no surprise though that my favorite would be the Caramel. That is not to say that others weren't great. The Fragola was very ripe and sweet and the Yogurt has just the right amount of tang.

You could really taste the quality of the ingredients.

So even though the location, the lack of obvious gelato display, the exorbitant cost and the three flavor rule were a stark reminder that we were far from Italy; the creamy, pure, natural taste and texture of the gelato transported me in an instant to the country I so love.

And I would have it no other way.

Grom- Bleecker

233 Bleeker at Carmine

Greenwich Village

New York City

212.206.1738

Grom- Broadway

2165 Broadway

Upper West Side

New York City

212.362.1837

NYC…What is it about you?

You’re big. You’re loud. You’re tough.

Some of you might remember those lyrics. They are from a song from the Broadway play, Annie. They hold a special place in my heart.

Annie was the first Broadway play I ever saw, and I was lucky enough to play a part in our high school’s production of Annie as a teenager.

My first trip down to NYC to see Annie convinced me that I wanted to live there when I grew up. People rushing everywhere, giant buildings, deliciously creative store windows, lots of shopping, hustle and bustle.

What is not to love?

It looked so exciting. Everybody always in a hurry to get somewhere. I wanted to be a part of it.

As I got older, I realized that I am a county girl at heart and am happy living close enough to NYC that I can visit anytime I want. And being that New York City Hotels are no bargain, maybe it’s a good thing that I live so close.

The excitement is only a train ride away.

Our day trip on my birthday did not disappoint.

We arrived at Grand Central Station. I made a bee-line for O&Co. Tasted some goodies, including two of the most delicious and grassy Tuscan olive oils and purchased basil oil and green olive tapenade.

Then it was off to the Central Market. I must tell you, this food market located within Grand Central terminal, has the most wonderful quality produce. I stood in awe.

We gathered picnic fare like cheese from the King of all cheese shops, Murray’s, lobster puffs at Pescatore Seafood, a baguette from Zaro’s, white donut peaches and raspberry plums from Greenwich Produce and a little treat from Li-Lac Chocolates.

From here we hopped the subway to Spring Street and exited up the stairs into the bright sunshine with no plan to speak of.

We wandered around SoHo and shopped at some of my favorites. Sur la Table, Lush, Sabon, Kate’s Paperie, Mango, Zara and of course, Sephora.

What girl’s trip would not be complete without a Sephora visit?

Shopping bags in tow and stomachs growling, we strolled over to Washington Square Park, grabbed our bench and dove right into our most delicious picnic lunch.

You may ask why we picked this park? Here, let me show you…

Look familiar? It is a replica of the Arc du Triomphe.

Always looking for signs of Europe.

Unfortunately, they are replacing the sidewalk here, so the area is fenced off. This is the closest I could get.

After lunch, while walking along the park perimeter, I spotted this lovely facade.

Upon closer inspection, the plaque told me it was Eleanor Roosevelt’s home.

Look at the delicious doorway. Just lovely.

And another facade. In honor of our upcoming Moroccan dinner, I thought seeing this was a good sign.

Those colorful mosaic tiles really stood out from the red brick.

Those ornate sconces and detail on the awning completed the look.

Next stop was gelato at Grom. I will have a review on this in an upcoming post, but I can tell you, it was downright scrumptious.

We strolled toward the East Village in order to get to dinner and we passed some other tempting restaurants.

Oh, if we didn’t have reservations already.

We stopped often to window shop at boutiques like this. This was a great store and I just loved this retro vintage window display. The church in the background was just as grand.

We were approached many times on the street by people either asking directions or in one instance, looked a bit lost ourselves, a gentleman actually offered to help us.

And people say New Yorker’s are rude. I beg to differ!!

Another observation revolves around change. New York is a living, breathing, changing being.

The cafe that once graced your favorite corner, is now an empty space, windows boarded up or whited out. That boutique relocated and a new florist now occupies it’s spot. Businesses come and go, only the best and most well-established carve out their niche and are able to withstand the ever-changing New York market.

We completed the evening with our dinner at Zerza. Our Morrocan meal was just fabulous. The spices, the flavors and the mint tea. All were wonderful.

I would certainly recommend this place for the food. The service is a bit brisk, so don’t go for a leisurely meal, visit for the flavorfully spicy food at a great price. Our dinner, with appetizers, main dish, drinks and mint tea to finish it off was under $80. For two. In NYC. That is a steal!

We were exhausted when we arrived home, after 11pm. But such is life when you spend the day in the big city!

And it goes without saying that we can’t wait to go back and see what the Big Apple holds for us the next time!