GASTRONORMOUS

According to Eater, the next season of Top Chef will take place in Las Vegas. Can’t you just see a $4-all-you-can-eat-casino-buffet challenge?

Apricot Beignets with White Chocolate Apricot Sauce. No other words are needed, are they? [from Food Mayhem]

Is it possible the Manhattan ramps season is earlier than the Brooklyn one? I posted about my experience cooking with ramps in late May last year, but ramps’ short season as apparently already begun at the Union Square farmers market (and in a good looking pasta at Franny’s), as reported by the Amateur Gourmet.

The Food Section features an article about another Spring alum: green garlic. Yum!

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo: Grilled Tomatillo Salsa [over at Serious Eats]. Grilling the NOT-tomatoes is an intriguing twist on a classic Mexican condiment. I might just have to break out the (stove-top) grill to try it!

On our second day up in the Hudson River Valley, we spent the day up in Hyde Park, where the homes of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt are located. After that culturally-enriching day (and a predictably forgettable quick lunch from the visitors center cafe), we headed over to nearby Poughkeepsie for dinner.

Guided by Internet recommendations, we ended up at The Artist’s Palate, located on an area of Main Street that is clearly going through a renewal process.  The restaurant serves “seasonal” food that transcends regionalism. I usually don’t like menus on which one can find ravioli and stir-fry, but if it is done well, then why quibble with that? The space itself is simple and stylish, with soaring ceilings, white-tableclothed tables, an old wooden bar at the front, and contemporary art (all for sale) on the walls.  We were seated almost immediately, which was a good thing as we were starving.

After ordering we were served a basket of various breads and a homemade “pesto” spread made with tomato rather than basil as a base ingredient. It was garlicky and delicious. We shared the deep-fried tofu as an appetizer. It was unlike any other incarnation of this dish I have had, the tofu being lightly battered and deep-fried, a technique that caused the outside to be crispy, but the tofu itself to be greaseless. I wish more asian restaurants would serve deep-fried tofu this way–it was really tasty.

For entrees, we had the penne pomodoro, which was good, but not great. There is really nothing more to report on the basic pasta. The tortilla-crusted scallops, on the other hand were a standout. The scallops were rolled in flaked tortilla and fried until perfectly cooked (this preparation sounds like a white-trashification of scallops, but I swear, it was elegant) and served with a truly delicious, perfectly seasoned and dressed, black bean and avocado salad. The only complaint was that three small (diver-, not sea-) scallops was a bit ungenerous for the price (~$20). We also had a very seasonal side of sauteed ramps, served with a half of lemon, which was unusual. They were simply prepared, as ramps should be, so their oniony-garlicky-earthy flavor shined through.

This was a good meal, though perhaps a tiny bit over-priced. Also, it would be nice to have some vegetarian choices that equal the inventiveness of some of their meaty options. Still, it was nice to see creative cuisine in such a sleepy corner of New York. It was no Beso, not even close, but if ever you are searching for better-than-average food in the Poughkeepsie area, then I would definitely recommend The Artist’s Palate.

The Artist’s Palate
307 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
845-483-8074

Hello people. You might have been wondering why I haven’t been posting much of late. I do apologize. There are many reasons: I lost momentum being away for the holidays, got really busy with work, and lost the thingy that downloads pictures from my camera’s mini-disc to the computer. But the number one reason is: I am pregnant! The Hubs and I are very excited about it (can’t speak for the pooch, who currently enjoys being the center of our worlds). The downside as far as this blog is concerned is, or shall I say, was, that for a good three months I had absolutely no interest in eating food, let alone writing about it. Just thinking about most food made me want to collapse on the divan like a good Gothic romance heroine. But I am feeling much better these days. I must say that the trip to the Ethiopian restaurant was a real test of my fortitude (gustatorial as well as mental), one that I passed with flying colors. So, now, no excuses!

Ruhlman sure does make it look easy. One really simple-looking vanilla sauce that can be made into pastry cream, ice cream, or creme brulee! I might just pour the sauce into a shot glass and drink it straight up. (Unfortunately, he gives directions for the sauce only, not the other preparations–though the how to turn this into ice cream is pretty straightforward, assuming you have an ice-cream maker.)

Speaking of Ruhlman, Serious Eats pointed me to his new cookbook called Ratio, which gives the proper ratios for proper doughs, sauces, etc. (including sausages?). This looks like the perfect book for someone like me, who has a hard time resisting the urge to tweak recipes. Said tweaking sometimes results in recipe implosion, but having a book like this just might help me from fouling things up to the point of inedibility.

Speaking of buns in the oven, Smitten Kitchen has both literal and figural buns in her oven. She is preganant too. Plus, she made some awesome-looking cinnamon buns. The recipe calls for a stand mixer, which I don’t have (would that I had the room for one!). I know people made cinnamon buns before the invention of the Kitchen Aid. Any advice on a more rustic method?

I love broccoli rabe. We usually blanch it, then sautee it in a little olive oil, add a splash of balsamic, a few dashes of red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. It is a really simple, healthy, and delicious side dish. Mark Bittman’s Minimalist column this week features my favored greens, in a pasta dish with crispy garlic and bread crumbs. Looks like a must-try week night meal to me.

No, “upstate” is not a euphemism for crazy; I actually traveled upstate, to the beautiful Hudson River Valley over the weekend. I had asked Mother Nature to give us warm weather and spring flowers, but she declined my request, giving us barren trees and cold rain instead. Still, we had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed our long drives through this pretty country.

After arriving at our B&B in Cornwall, NY on Friday evening, we ignored our host’s local suggestions for dinner (old-school with uninteresting menus, all) and instead opted for a 15-minute drive to the charming-sounding hamlet of Newburgh, to a newly opened restaurant called The Wherehouse [sic], which we had seen advertised in a local magazine. Actually, Newburgh is neither a hamlet nor charming. It is a sort of shabby little town that seems a bit down on it luck. But there has been a concerted effort at reviving the historic downtown area there, and part of that revival is the opening of the Wherehouse. We were surprised to find the restaurant was almost directly across the street from George Washington’s headquarters during the Revolutionary War! (Ok, GW had a lot of HQs, but this was the main one.) We hesitated when we saw only one couple eating there, but, well, there weren’t many other options nearby, so we just went for it.

The interior is beautiful: a large room with wood-paneled walls and a gorgeous old wood bar lining one wall look as if they must have been restored original amenities. The restaurant has no liquor license, I assume because it just opened two months ago. The restaurant advertises their cuisine as “cosmic comfort food,” and indeed, the menu was sort of all over the place, which worried me. Fried stuff, BBQ, salads (all variation on the Ceasar), and Indian (!?) food.  The waiter was gregarious, but not in an over-the-top, annoying way. He boasted that the BBQ was really good, the meat smoked right here in their basement. Gulp. Basement-smoked meats, huh? How could we resist? The hubs ordered a Caesar salad to start and BBQ pork sandwich, and I ordered samosas (yep!) and an Indian-ish chick pea dish.

The salad was huge. The flavor was good, but the greens were a but heavily dressed, and the croutons were not fresh. The samosas were surprisingly tasty! Perfectly seasoned and perfectly fried. The thick tamarind sauce they were served with was yummy, too. The waiter came by and offered to wrap up our starters to go, which I thought was funny. When we said no, he gave us a theatrically dejected, hound-dog face. We began to wonder if he was an amateur actor (or perhaps a Revolutionary War reenactor?).

The chick pea stew was less of a success than the samosas, unfortunately. A sour/tart flavor predominated, without any savory/salty or sweet to balance it out. I added a couple spoonfuls of the tamarind sauce, which helped a bit. The chick peas were served over brown rice with a side of ciabatta with a pesto schmear. Weird, yes, but I wasn’t complaining. The bread was good. Also quite good was the pulled pork sandwich. It was juicy enough to drip sauce all over the place, but not so juicy as to soggify the bread. It was very flavorful, though perhaps lacking a bit in strong BBQ sauce flavor. But overall, tender and tasty. I guess shouldn’t have knocked basement smoking. It came with a side of coleslaw, which at most places was is a throwaway, but here really fresh and delicious.

I was prepared to refuse dessert, but the Hubs couldn’t resist the cheesecake kebabs. Yes, kebabs. I wasn’t as enthusiastic. I am not a huge fan of cheesecake in general, and I didn’t see how putting it on a stick would make it any more pleasurable for me.  Well, what appeared before us was a shock and surprise. The dish consisted of two skewers of deep-fried cheesecake cubes resting in a bed of caramel-drizzled whipped cream. They were like cheesecake doughnuts! Crazy! If you like cheesecake and love doughnuts, this is the dessert for you. I happen not to be a huge fan of either (I don’t dislike either, but I’d rather spend the calories on a scoop of good ice cream), so the dessert was just ok for me. But the Hubs was very pleased. As an aside, the waiter seemed just as surprised by what the kebabs consisted of as we were. It was pretty funny. He said nobody had ordered them before so he didn’t know what they were (that isn’t an excuse is it? I think he must’ve been new to waiting, the first commandment of which is “know thy menu.”)

Overall the restaurant was pretty good. I would give them the benefit of the doubt as they are new. I think their menu could use more non-meat options, the waitstaff needs a bit more training, and a liquor license would help, too. But if you love meat and don’t demand a Jim Beam on the rocks with your BBQ, then the Wherehouse is a good place to stop when you are in the area.

P.S. Sorry for the blurry picture. It was taken with the Hub’s cell phone; my camera died moments after arriving upstate, so there will be no pictures for any of the trip.

Next: A delightful meal in Poughkeepsie (seriously).

The Wherehouse
119 Liberty Street
Newburgh, NY 12550
(845) 561-7240

We had been meaning to try Bati for some time. In fact, we actually went there one evening a month ago, but our growling stomachs couldn’t handle the hour long wait for a table. We were actually heartened by that experience, because we assumed that meant the place was good, plus we are happy to locally owned businesses do well. We went again last week, on the earlyish side to increase our chances of getting a table, and we were happy to see precisely one table for two ready and waiting for us.

The dining room is sparely, but tastefully, decorated. The space is warm and homey–all dark wood and candlelight. I couldn’t help but notice the great windows that are hinged so that they can be completely opened–this will be great when the weather turns nice.

We decided to order a combination plate, as this, as at most Ethiopian restaurants, is the best deal. For $15 you can sample four dishes that cost $11-12 as an entree on its own. When the waitress came around I ordered a combination plate for two. We deferred to the kitchen as to which of the dishes to give us. I thought it was strange she didn’t offer beverages, but then I realized that, as of now anyway, Bati is B.Y.O.B. So, water it was for us!

The large plate came out quickly, with Butischa (chick peas), Missir Wett (lentils), Gomen (collard greens), and Fasolia (a green bean-carrot dish), all atop a large disc of spongy/tangy injera (with another piece of injera folded on the side). Both the chick peas and lentils were mashed and flavored with berbere, but also with enough distinct spices so that they didn’t taste identical. The chick peas tasted a bit burnt, but I don’t know if that is just how the dish supposed to taste, or if the bottom of the pot actually scorched. That was my least favorite dish. Everything else was great. The lentils were richly spiced and a little bit spicy. The collard greens were perfectly cooked–not at all bitter. The carrots and green beans were also well cooked–not mushy as they often are in a dish like this. All were well seasoned, bright, and flavorful. I did take a photo of our plate, but it was so dark it didn’t turn out well. But, anyone who has eaten Ethiopian knows, delicious as it is, it just isn’t the most photogenic of foods (picture piles of mush on a purpley-tan flatbread. See?), so I hope you will forgive me.

My only complaint (besides the burnt-tasting chick peas) at the time was that it really didn’t seem like a lot of food. I kept remarking, that, gee, this really didn’t seem like much for two people. Of course, by the time we scarfed down all the filling injera we were sated well enough, but still, I thought there should have been more of the good stuff on top of it.

When we got the bill, the Hubs opened up the leatherette envelope, his eyes widened, and he chuckled. “What?” I asked. No words being necessary, he flipped the bill around. The total bill was $15!! It seemed like too little food because it was a serving for one! Casting my mind back to the ordering process, I realized my semantic error. I should have ordered “two combination plates” rather than “a combination plate for two!” Of course! The waitress was incredibly pleasant to us, considering how miserly she must have thought we were!! I imagine also that if I had ordered two combination plates, we would have recieved eight dishes, which would have been welcome.

I will definitely go back to Bati again, though I may script my order before hand to make sure I get it right!

Bati
747 Fulton Street
Brooklyn 11217

[photo via A Fork in the Road]