il laboratorio del gelato on FreshDirect!

Yay!  So I've been meaning to write about this, but a while back FreshDirect (my savior for groceries!) started carrying il Labortorio del gelato!  Super exciting - no more having to go all the way down to the LES and enduring those lines...

Now it comes every Sunday morning with my groceries - all packed up and delivered to my door.  It's like Christmas every Sunday.

They don't carry a ton of flavors, but I expect that will change over time and seasonally.  One of my favorites is the Thai Chili Chocolate.  Delish.

It's not cheap, $9.99 for 20oz container, or 2 for $18 right now.

One note - which is odd to me, on their website you can order a giftpack of 4 20 oz containers for $60 + $10 shipping = $70.  On FreshDirect, you can get 2 for $18, or 4 for $36 - with free delivery with the delivery pass.  AND you can only buy 1 if you want.  Sure they don't have all the flavors, but that sounds like a good deal to me!

Fake em Bake em Fresh Direct Chocolate Chip Cookies from Fresh Direct

So I recently discovered the best way to fake Martha Stewarte - Fresh Direct's secret weapon!  Ready to back chocolate chip cookie dough!  Comes in puck sized pieces - 24 for $8.99.  Defrost as many cookies as you want to back for about 45 minutes and then back for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Voila!  Best Chocolate Chip Cookies ever!  Shhhh....We'll just keep it between us!

Fresh Direct Chocolate Chip Cookie Ready to Bake

Jeffreys Grocery - The Perfect Neighborhood Spot...

...It's places like Jeffreys Grocery that make me wish again and again that I lived in the West Village!  I stopped by with my friend Yue to have lunch yesterday at this brand new grocery/bar/luncheonette (they serve dinner too!).  Her friend Jim was bartending, so we decided to pay him a visit and keep him company on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

From the people who brought you Joseph Leonard, the shop is pretty small - seating for maybe around 20?  We nabbed two perfect seats at the bar and got down to business.  First up - the drinks.  The Red Fox and The Waverly Weekender - too classic sweet, but not too sweet drinks.  Perfect for brunch.  For beer lovers - definitely try out their draft (fyi you can also take a growler home of your draft of choice if you so desire!)  A good way to be the most popular Sunday Football house guest!

For lunch we went with the Curry Chicken Salad sandwich and the Pear and arugula salad.  Delicious- both were light and flavorful - not your garden variety salad and sandwich spot.  If you so desire, there is an extensive raw bar as well as cheese and charcuterie options.  Next time I will definitely do a sampling of that...

Keep in mind, this is a part grocery, part bar, part restaurant.  Meaning the menu is pretty small - mostly cold salads and sandwiches with only a couple of hot dishes.  All about quality, not quantity - how every good restaurant should be...

For dessert we were treated to a huge slice of Red Velvet cake with fresh berries in whipped cream - YUM.  Beware, this is meant for 2 - it is huge!  Perfectly moist with cream cheese frosting....this is how red velvet is supposed to be.  Not overly sweet either.

Our other dessert was off the menu, but will hopefully be added soon!  A delicious toasty Olive Oil infused bundt cake.  Yumm....olive oil cake definitely seems to be the dessert du jour these days. Finally, a dessert that's good for you!  :)

As a perfect complement - don't forget to get the coffee - It's Stumptown!!! And there really is a difference between good coffee and bad coffee - it goes down much smoother with none of that acidic aftertaste.

Jeffreys Grocery

172 Waverly Place (at 9th)

(646) 398-7630

Shake Shack B Line - Concretes/Custards Galore - but NO SHAKES

So now that I live very close to Madison Square Park, I've been trying to take advantage of my proximity to Shake Shack!  Unfortunately I haven't been too successful, as during the summertime the line NEVER seems to cease.

Your best bet for a burger may be near closing time....

However - I have discovered the merits of the B Line.  The often ignored line.  The line that isn't a line.  Fastest way to a delicious dessert anywhere!  Custards, concretes, you name it!  Just no shakes...

The custard is somewhat described as a blend of premium ice cream (hard) + soft serve. Put them together and you get a perfectly rich thick and creamy dessert that proves that the sum of to things is often better than the parts.

I usually just go for a sundae - part vanilla, part chocolate with nuts on top!  But you could also make your own blend with a variety of mix-ins (cookie dough, toffee, shortbread cookies....etc) or choose from any of the special blends.  I kinda think of it as a fancy upscale version of the old McDonald's McFlurrys or Dairy Queen Blizzards.

Or if you are feeling more daring - you often can't beat the concrete special of the day....

Gives you an excuse (or me an excuse) to pick up dessert here everyday of the week!

Yummmm.....

Baked By Melissa - Just the right bite!

For Valentine's day my boyfriend got me a box of 25 cupcakes from Baked by Melissa.  25?!?!?  Sounds like a lot - but it seems to be just the right amount and way to sample the many flavors Baked by Melissa offers.  Plus - I forgot....they are just bite sized!

After going through a phase of cupcake burnout, I thought there could be no other way to make a cupcake.  I guess I was wrong!  Just shrink them to bite size and charge $1 buck each!

Perfectly moist and can be eaten in one fell swoop...these are the perfect answer to the late night munchies.  Or late afternoon munchies...  or an on the go breakfast run!  Basically good anytime of the day!

My favorite flavors are the red velvet, peanut butter cup and cinnamon!  Don't forget the tie-dye!

And to keep them moist, store in the freezer.  Defrost for 5 minutes and they are just like new!

Baked by Melissa
Union Square
7 East 14th St.

Soho
529 Broadway

Sweets making classes this Sunday - Perfect for a rainy weekend

This Sunday is Pastryscoop.com's fall conference!  Sign up to learn how to make delicious truffles or scones and macaroons! 

Other workshops include "Innovative Cupcakes" with Kyotofu and "Breakfast pastries" with Locanda Verde.

Great way to spend an otherwise dreary rainy and cold Sunday!!!

Workshops are $60 each, plus a $5 registration fee. 

2009 Vendy Awards Competition this Saturday!

This Saturday at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens will be the 2009 Vendy Awards Competition.  Come out to support your favorite food trucks from around the city!!

The Vendy Awards are considered “the Oscars” of the street food world.  Organized by the Street Vendor Project, a non profit organization that advocates for vendors, The Vendys feature 5 nominated vendors in a street food cook-off. 

Finalists are:

• Biryani Cart
• The King of Falafel - Fares “Freddy” Zeidaies
• Rickshaw Dumpling - Kenny Lao
• Jamaican Dutchy - O’Neill Reid
• Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck- Fernando & Jolanda Martinez

 Dessert Finalists:

• Wafle & Dinges
• Big Gay Ice Cream Truck
• Cupcake Stop
  

Individual tickets are $80 until day-of, $100 at the door, $150 Table Service (limited availability) and include food from all the vendors. For more information, visit http://streetvendor.org/vendys

Judges pick the winners, but attendees get to vote for their favorites - with the winners receiving the much desired “People’s Choice Award”.  Proceeds from the event go to benefit the Street Vendor Project.

Queens Museum of Art
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
(718) 592-9700

Black Hound - Yummy Cakes for the everyday....

I love Black Hound's cakes.  Especially the mini cakes.  I mean for $7 bucks give or take, you can take home a delicious, beautiful little cake that is perfect for celebrating any night of the week.

Not just birthdays or special events.  At their price point, I think it's a perfect treat whenever you need a pick me up or are just feeling that sweet tooth.

I mean even an ice cream sundae costs $7.50 from Van Leeuwen.  Why not trade that in once in a while for a professionally done cake?

I must admit I've only tried the "Busy Bee Cake" and the "Strawberry and Cream."   I love the Busy Bee cake - mostly cuz it has chocolate, almond cake! and marzipan!  Delicious.

Almond cake and marzipan?  Hard not the like.  Plus it's just so cute.  One mini cake is plenty enough for 2, a taste for 4....

Last week I tried the Strawberry and Cream cake.  A delicious version of a strawberry shortcake, but with white chocolate buttercream and marzipan flowers.  Gotta love the marzipan....

The strawberries were fresh and sweet - not soggy, a drawback of many strawberry shortcakes...Think of it as a refined version of the classic.


I only wish Black Hound would put some chairs and small tables and make it into a little cafe.  I'd go there every night :)

Black Hound
170 2nd Ave (#B) (Between 10th and 11th)
212-979-9505

Sugar Sweet Sunshine - $1.50 cupcakes a steal in NYC

I finally made it down to Sugar Sweet Sunshine in the Lower East Side last week.

Being that I love cupcakes (except vegan ones), it's surprising that I had never been there before.  I know a lot of people are SSS devotees so I had to give it a go!

The first thing that shocked me was the price.  $1.50!!!

Wow, I mean given the escalating cupcake prices around town ever since Magnolia blew up post Sex and the City, it's a wonder why Sugar Sweet Sunshine charges so little.

They surely could get away with $2.00.  That would still be over a $1.00 less than those of Magnolia or Butter Lane!

I went with the "owner's favorite"  - "Black and white...just right" which was a chocolate cupcake and vanilla frosting.  Yum!  It was certainly delicious, but I am the first to admit that it's not hard to make a yummy cupcake.

And maybe I should have gone with some of the more intricate flavors like the "Sassy Red Velvet" - with chocolate almond buttercream or the pistachio or pumpkin varieties, because to be honest - mine did take exactly like the kind you can make home out of a box.

But, at $1.50 that's okay.  Cuz if I was gonna make it at home, I'd have to buy the box, and the eggs, and heat the oven, and then eat all 2 dozen of them...

And I'm just not going to do that.  So I'll happily pay $1.50 for one at Sugar Sweet Sunshine.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine
126 Rivington (between Norfolk and Essex)
212-995-1960

Ack! Forgot it's National Waffle Day!

Free Dinges (aka toppings) on your waffles all day/night at the Wafels & Dinges Truck.  Think they are at 62nd and Broadway near the movie theater tonight via @waffletruck.

Happy National Waffle Day!

50% off cupcakes at Butter Lane

Today's Groupon of the day is 50% off cupcakes at Butter Lane.  $8 buys you 6 cupcakes at Butter Lane.

The fine print - limit of 3 coupons per person/ 1 per visit. Expires 2/12/2010 - just in time for Valentines Day!

• Choose between American and French buttercream; exotic flavors, cupcake staples, and unexpected icings
  
• Baked with real vanilla beans, pure cocoa, fresh fruit, and local, organic dairy

Butter Lane serves up my favorite cupcakes in the city.  The cake is moist. the icings are all natural and super unique.

Mix and match the flavors - my go to is a classic french vanilla buttercream and chocolate cake and the maple walnut icing on vanilla.

The deal is on - I bought mine, hurry up and buy yours too!

Butter Lane
123 E. 7th St. (Between Ave. A and 1st Ave.)
212-677-2880

Jacques Torres Ice Cream in Dumbo - Ice Cream Sandwiches!

The much hyped Jacques Torres Ice Cream Parlor in Dumbo is worth the trip across the river.  Especially for the chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.

Comes with three different choices of ice cream filling - vanilla, peanut butter or chocolate - the sandwich is huge!  Definitely shareable for two, or frankly even three people, it is chocolately heaven.

The cookies are a bit hard - I mean they are somewhat frozen so what do you expect...but they are filled with chocolate chunks and make for a very nice and cool refreshing treat on a hot summer afternoon.  I don't know why more places don't serve cookie sandwiches - they are a great memory back to my childhood.

I went with the chocolate ice cream filling - rich and creamy and deliciously chocolatey.  Ask the counter to slice it for you as I can only imagine how hard it would be to eat whole.  Kind of like biting into a big burger and having all the insides spill out.  Except in this case it is the wonderful ice cream that would be exploding.

If you want to go with a regular scoop - Jacques Torres offers a changing roster of flavors including several kinds of chocolate - wicked chocolate (think Mexican chocolate but with a spicier kick at the end), chocolate raspberry and their classic chocolate chip cookie dough. Yummmm......

Jacques Torres
62 Water Street (Between Main and Dock)
Brooklyn, NY
212-414-2462
M-Sat 1pm - 8pm
Sun - 1pm - 6pm

Backlash hits Food Trucks in NYC - No more Dessert Truck?

Recent backlash has hit the food truck scene as some people don't like the mobile vendors trolling outside apartments, shops and offices...

As confirmation - one of the early entries into the mobile gourmet scene, Dessert Truck has shut down!

While they will still cater private events, their omnipresent food truck in St. Marks will be no more.

Seems as though the city has denied their request for a new permit! Sad....

Read more at http://www.desserttruck.com

Yummy Deals - 8 cent cupcakes for first 488 at Buttercup on 8/9/09

Courtesy of my dear friend Jillian - here is a great tip for all the cupcake lovers out there.  And I know there are many of you!

From 8coupons.com, on Sunday 8/9/09 - the first 488 people at Buttercup Bake Shop on the Upper West Side will be able to buy a cupcake for 8 cents.

If you are the lucky 488th person - you get 8 cent cupcakes for a whole year!!

Get your coupon here!

Thanks for the tip Dr. J!

Buttercup Bake Shop
141 West 72nd (between Amsterdam and Columbus)
212-787-3800

Sweet Revenge - A bake shop with an edge

Given all of the recent press I have been hearing about the West Village's Sweet Revenge, my expectations for their treats was pretty high.

A slightly rock'n'roll type of sweet and savory cafe, their specialties are cupcake and beer pairings.

Somewhat the antithesis of good ole fashioned Magnolia...

On a recent trip I stopped in to grab one of their artisan cupcakes.

After asking what the favorites were - I was told Crimson & Cream - a raspberry red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, and Bird of Paradise - a lime cake with a mango buttercream.

I think because I liked the name so much I went with the Birds of Paradise.

I took it to go - and I really appreciate this - they had little plastic containers for each cupcake.

No mess no fuss like what usually happens to the cupcakes I take out from other shops in flimsy bags or paper boxes...

The cake was nice and moist - with a taste and texture more like pound cake with lime zest.

The frosting was thick and rich - with a little more tang than I'm used to.  Super sweet and tangy, the cupcake, while delicious did require something with more base to offset it.

A large glass of milk would do it...or better yet, maybe that's why they pair beer with cupcakes!  It actually makes sense!

Sweet Revenge
62 Carmine St. (Between Bedford and 7th Ave)
212-242-2240

Stogo - Gourmet Organic Dairy Free Ice Cream?

Located on what I now like to call Ice Cream Corner - 10th and 2nd Ave - home to Dessert Club Chikalicious and its Vanilla Bean Sundae, 16 Handles self serve yogurt land and the new Van Leeuwen Ice Cream truck - Stogo is a wholesome opti thaon for the dairy challenged or vegan inclined.

Now I was very skeptical about the idea of "dairy free ice cream."  I mean my first thought was it was like eating low-fat mayo, non-fat mozzarella, or light cream cheese, all of which are on my no go list.

Made with organic dairy-free ingredients, no refined sugars, no animal products, no preservatives and no artificial flavorings - how could it taste good?

Well, I guess it's basically like your average soy ice cream or lactose free variety you can get at the grocery store.

But with more exotic flavors like coconut chocolate, pomegranate chocolate chip and salted caramel pecan.

At $4.25 for a small (only 1 flavor allowed!) - it's pretty pricey.  But given its oh so special ingredients, you get what you pay for.

As for taste - definitely less creamy and less sweet than regular ice cream.  But pretty good nonetheless.  A great option for vegans.

For the rest of us, I'd still go with Van Leeuwen's ultra luxe, rich and creamy variety around the corner.

Stogo
159 2nd Ave (at 10th St)
212-677-2301

Dessert Club Chikalicious - 3 chocolate chip cookes for $1.95

So this is just a pet peeve of a post. 

Last night I wanted to try the chocolate chip cookies at Dessert Club Chikalicious since I had heard a lot of wonderful things about them and time and time again they've been sold out.

Anyhow - I decided to order 2 cookies, not looking at the menu at first.  After handing me 2 cookies - I was told "$1.95 please."

No problem.  Didn't seem too unreasonable.  Until I looked down at the menu and saw this:

1 cookie = $1.00
3 cookies = $1.95

So I asked, "Oh!  It's 3 for $1.95 right?  Can I have a third cookie?"

Response, "You told me 2 cookies, I give you 2 cookies.  If you say 3 I give you 3."

Okay......

Now why would I want 2 cookies for $1.95, if I can get 3 cookies for $1.95?  Kind of like when Starbucks had their $1.95 iced coffee deal which was the price for either a tall or a grande.  Did anyone order the tall @ $1.95??

Aside from the peculiar and somewhat abrasive service, the cookie was delicious.  Kind of like Mrs. Fields, but better.  Rich and chocolatey from start to finish.  And I ate all 3 cookies.

Dessert Club Chikalicious
204 East 10th St. (Between 2nd and 1st Ave)
212-475-0929

DBGB - Not sure if it lives up to the hype

Last night I went down to DBGB for dinner.

After hearing the over extensive coverage on Eater and Grub Street, I figured DBGB was one of the new spots I had to try.

I went to DBGB harboring a pretty neutral opinion of Daniel Boulud.

Now I have never gone to Daniel or Cafe Boulud - but then again I've never really had the itching desire to.

I have however been to Bar Boulud on the upper west side and didn't care for it that much.  Too expensive for what you get - and a bit too pretentious...I don't really get it. 

Anyhow - seeing as DBGB is Boulud's try at downtown low-key bar fare, I thought I would give it a try.  The decor is very "downtown" - I want to say it's a rich man's The Smith.  With a downtown vibe, I'm not quite sure why they insist on having a very uptown host - seemingly quite pretentious.  First turnoff of the night.

We started off with the chop chop salad.  I loved this salad.  It was delightfully light - a perfect summer salad of romaine, cucumbers shaved carrots, avocado, and watermelon.

I saw the watermelon as a replacement for tomatoes - and it's this genius that makes this a DBGB salad and not an ordinary chop salad.

Slightly Asian inspired with a crisp sesame and ginger dressing - this salad is just about perfect.  If I go again - I'm just ordering that salad + the lobster.

Next I tried the DBGB dog - your pretty basic beef weiner dog with the added bonus of sautéed onion, mustard and relish.  I would say the caramelized onions were the best part of this very ordinary hot dog.

At $7 bucks, it's not super expensive, but frankly I didn't taste any difference from your Costco variety.  The extra $6 bucks is for the mustard, onions and relish.  First disappointment of the night.

Second, I tried The Frenchie -  a burger topped with grilled pork belly, arugula, tomato-onion compote & morbier cheese on a peppered brioche bun with cornichon, mustard & fries.

$17 bucks for a burger of this size is pretty steep - but I was really hoping for some magic with that grilled pork belly.

After this try I am yet again convinced that the best rendition of pork belly in the city belongs to Momofuku's pork buns.  Pork belly should melt in your mouth.  DBGB's didn't.

More like thick bacon, topped on the burger - the whole combination was surprisingly dry.  When compared to the likes of Shake Shack, Corner Bistro and even The Smith...this burger came up pretty short as I resorted to the ultimate sin of dipping it into ketchup!  One should never have to dip a burger in ketchup.

As for the fries- they were pretty good, but a bit salty.  And nothing ever can beat the fries at Balthazar.

Finally for dessert I had to try one of the sundaes.  I went with the coffee caramel sundae which was fabulous!

While I was disappointed with the DBGB Dog and The Frenchie, I would definitely come back for dessert.

The sundae was huge - definitely enough for two people to share.  My favorite part was all the toppings - candied pecans, brownie bits and chocolate cookies.

Topped with a heavy dose of whipped cream and hot fudge - this sundae was to die for.

All in all - I'm glad I tried DBGB, but the highlights for me were really the beginning and the end with a very forgettable middle.  The chop chop salad and the sundae were worthy of a second trip.

That being said, I would probably wait till the hype dies down and waits go under 2 hrs.  If you go on the early side - grab a seat at the bar for their bar bites menu - good enough for now.  Plus DBGB has an extensive selection of draft beers to try.

DBGB Kitchen & Bar
299 Bowery between Houston and 1st Ave.
212-933-5300

Pinkberry July Deal - $1 off flavors

Just went to Pinkberry today to get my fix of their new passionfruit yogurt.  Unfortunately their passionfruit machine was broken so I got pomegranate.

On the plus side I was delightedly surprised that the flavors which usually cost $1.00 more are now the same price as original - for the month of July.

Although I think it might end up getting extended.  Cross your fingers!

A small with toppings still runs you $4.82 including tax.  But that's better than $5.82 right?

Yummy@Home Cream Cheese Flan

Last week I wrote about my wonderful dinner in Los Angeles and mentioned a recipe for a caramel cream cheese flan.  At the time I only had one I got from the Food Network, but now I have the real recipe from my friend Luis - one of the most awesome home chefs I know!

Follow this recipe if you want to taste the most delicious flan - rich and creamy with a texture similar to cheesecake, but the sweetness of caramel...

Caramel:

• Melt two cups of sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat.  
• Stir regularly until the sugar turns into a brown liquid.  
• Pour immediately into a small baking dish.  
• Coat the entire bottom of the dish before the caramel hardens.
  

Flan Mixture

• 1 can evap milk (I use fat free)
• 1/2 can of Sweetened Condensed milk (depending on your palate, you can use more)
• 5 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 block of cream cheese
  

Blend everything together until you have a consistent liquid.  Pour into the baking dish.  Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 1 hour in a water bath @ 350 degrees.

Let the flan come to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours before serving.  Flip the flan onto a serving dish and... tada!  Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Luis Lou