GASTRONORMOUS

I was 20 minutes early (me! early!) meeting the Hubs in Park Slope recently, so I took that opportunity to stop into The Chocolate Room, which I had longingly passed so many times before without stopping in.

I knew I just wanted a hot chocolate, but I happy to see a selection of different types. I could choose between milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or spicy-chile dark chocolate. I must admit that I prefer milk chocolate. I think it tastes better; I just enjoy it more. I once read an interview with the head pastry chef at Momofoku Milk Bar, which is on the cutting edge of dessert fare (which is a ridiculous statement), and she said she preferred milk chocolate too, which perhaps why I feel emboldened enough to admit my preference here, subjecting myself to the ire of people who are “serious” about chocolate. In any case, I digress. After some waiter-annoyingly lengthy deliberation, I ended up choosing the spicy dark chocolate, because I decided my love of chile overrides my preference for milk chocolate. Whipped cream, marshmallow? Why, yes please! Oh. I have to choose one. Whipped cream.

An adorable little amuse bouche arrived on my table before my chocolate did. It was a perfect little cube of cake. It didn’t taste very good. It wasn’t bad, just sort of nondescript. So much so that I have no recollection of what it was except that it wasn’t chocolate. I am not going to complain about a freebie, but I always question the wisdom of giving free samples of something totally mediocre. Like those poor kids they make stand outside the chain cafes, handing out little samples of really sad muffins. A silver tray doesn’t make it taste good, and it certainly doesn’t make me want to pay actual money for a full sized version of the snack. I digress again.

Luckily, the chocolate arrived quickly, taking the heavy load of the widespread lack of good business planning off my mind. I was surprised to see how small the cup of chocolate was. I was expecting a big, steaming mug to wrap my  hands around, and this was a dainty little cup of the type one must grasp using only the index finger and thumb–pinky up! (It was bigger than an espresso cup, smaller than a coffee cup. I suppose it was a true chocolate cup.) But it turns out I probably wouldn’t have been able to finish a larger mug anyway as it was so rich, not that I wouldn’t have wanted to! It was really delicious. Luscious, thick, sweet, and with just the precisely right kick of spice at the end of each sip. The whipped cream cut the sweetness the perfect amount and added a softer creamy component to complement the sharpness of the rest of the flavors. (It was a little overwhipped, but I assume that was on purpose, so it would hold up to chocolate better?)

I would definitely return for hot chocolate again, and wouldn’t balk a ordering a cake or other confection either, though I might stick to the chocolate options.

Chocolate Room
86 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-783-2900

Last Thanksgiving, I was truly enjoying my new baby as we were just getting past the why-is-she-crying-all-the-time-gah! stage. I was counting down the days (with no small amount of sadness) until my return to work. Looking forward to our first holiday as a family, we went to Trader Joes and bought a Tofurky because we had never had one and thought it would be funny (and it was). I made a green bean casserole with hand-fried shallots for topping and homemade, from scratch, cream-of-mushroom soup as a base (to make amends for the Tofurky). I again appreciated the simplicity of making delicious homemade cranberry sauce and wondered why anyone ever bought it in a can. I insisted on getting up early to watch the parade (on tv) for the first time ever, just because it was our first Thanksgiving as a family, and even though I knew the baby wouldn’t remember it.

But I missed this column by Maira Kalman in the New York Times. Maybe if I hadn’t, I would have skipped Trader Joes and the Tofurky. Even though it was funny.

[photo via Wikipedia]

Yes, loads of oil, butter, and salt, it turns out, are the keys to tasty eating.

You know when you watch a cooking show and the host just sautees some stuff and then throws in some pasta and a few ladles-full of pasta water and they have this really delicious looking dish. But then you try something similar at home and you end up with a bowl full of bland sogg? I found out recently that lots of olive oil, butter, and salt are the antidotes to pasty pasta. Oh, and a mountain of Parmesan doesn’t hurt either.

Twice recently I have made a variation on this pasta dish, and both times it was really incredibly delicious. As with many of my “recipes,” what follows are really just general guidelines; please play with proportions to suit your taste, this recipe is hard to mess up. Just be sure to use more salt and fat you are probably comfortable with if you want it to taste really spectacular!

Firstly, you need to pretty heavily salt the pasta water. The water should be salty, not merely salted. Use whatever type of pasta you’d like. The first time I made it I used spinach rotini, the second time I used whole wheat linguini. You can also use various different types of vegetables, but ones that cook relatively quickly probably work best (think green and leafy/flowery). The first time I used broccolini (or, broccoli: the good parts), which I sliced into long, thin pieces. The second time I used Brussels sprouts, which I sliced into c. 1/8-inch disks lengthwise (ie, on the axis of the stem).

Due to all the fat in this recipe, you probably shouldn’t eat it too often, but considering how easy to make and tasty it is, you might want to!

Pasta with Garlicky Green-leafies in an Oil and Butter Sauce

pasta
as many cloves of garlic as you want, sliced very thin
veggie of choice (I suggest broccoli, broccolini, brussels sprouts)
salt, pepper
a few sprinkles of dried/powdered sage
red pepper flakes, if you want them
butter!
Parmesan or Romano cheese, shredded (with a microplane if you have one)

While your salty water is heating, do all your cleaning, chopping, and prep (including putting your sautee pan on the stove). When you put your pasta in the water, work quickly:  Heat up a good amount, at least two tablespoons, of olive oil in a sautee pan over high heat. Add your veggie of choice, along with some thinly sliced garlic (don’t add the garlic first, it will burn). Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, then turn the heat down to medium. Add some salt, pepper, sage, and hot pepper flakes if you want ‘em. Cook for a few more minutes.

The pasta should be almost done now. Ignore package cooking instructions. Cook until almost al dente (if you cook according to package instructions, the pasta will be over-done). Add pasta to the veggies, along with a couple of big pats of butter and a couple of ladles of pasta water. Cook until butter is melted and a thick-ish sauce is formed. By this time the pasta will be perfectly chewy and tender. Turn off the heat and dump in a bunch of cheese. I mention a microplane grater above because when you grate Parmesan with one, you create this luscious salty cloud of cheese that just melts immediately upon hitting the soft pasta. Toss and enjoy!

And, seriously, you will enjoy.