Posts Tagged ‘Food’

I thought I was getting away with an easy job for my friends’ double birthday party.  After all, one of the other requests was to fashion an edible shrimp necklace. All I had to do was make a melon ball salad. I had an ice cream scooper and another round tool, surely one of those would work. Nope. Pro tip: if you’re tasked with making melon ball salad for a birthday party, get a melon baller and watch a Youtube video before the day of the event. Failed attempt at […]

Besides humans, what else takes nine months to grow? The answer – garlic. In late October I planted garlic for the first time with guidance from my neighbor Diane. We’re both members of the Beach 91st Street Community Garden and that’s where I planted my first crop. In April, I saw sprouts and I’ve been anticipating and monitoring ever since. I planted the hardneck variety. Unlike most vegetables, garlic’s season is the opposite – plant in the fall, harvest in the summer. Garlic needs a long period of cold winter […]

Last Saturday I went to McDonald’s to get shamrock shakes for my friend Dave’s party. He’s never had one! But when I arrived, at first they didn’t know what I was talking about and then they said the machine was broken! Can you believe that?? On Rockaway St. Patrick’s Day… it’s ludicrous! I ranted my frustrations on Facebook and Mark Healey responded, reminding me that Mara’s Ice Cream Parlor (the former Uncle Louie G’s) has them! After watching the parade shenanigans and visiting family uptown, I headed back, stopping at […]

I’ve been hiding a dirty little secret for the past few months. Now I’m coming clean: I stopped eating meat. It’s been an internal struggle for the better part of the last year, weighing my feelings about the ethical treatment of animals and environmental responsibility against my cultural upbringing. I grew up with animals. A lot of animals. At the height of it, our family cohabitated with nine different species – our dog Cutie, several hamsters (they had babies), two gerbils, two rabbits, one guinea pig, two birds, two turtles, […]

I had such a pleasant experience last Friday food shopping. I’m guessing most people think of it as a chore, but people who are devoted cooks may feel the way I do – food shopping is fun! I take my time, exploring each aisle, looking for the sales, taste testing produce*, sizing up the tomatoes. I go to both Key Food (87-15 Rockaway Beach Blvd) and Stop & Shop Arverne (70-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd). There are attributes I like about both stores. For instance, Key Food has the best produce […]

Located on 385 Beach 45th St. in Far Rockaway, the Edgemere Farm is a market garden for new and experienced farmers. Many local business such as Goody’s, Uma’s and Claudette’s have plots here, growing their produce locally. I’ve been hearing great things about the dinner nights at the Edgemere Farm. We ordered tickets and finally visited last Thursday. The first thing I said after walking in was “Why is this the first time I’ve come all summer?” We checked in and found a table. They go fast, so come early. To save […]

Photo via Last Dragon Pizza Facebook Since reading on DNAinfo about the underground pizzeria Last Dragon, we’ve been dying to try it out. Last Dragon Pizza is the creation of Nicole Russell, 41, a super-fan of the cult classic film who slings her pies like blue arrows at her home in Arverne. A few weeks ago Susanne and I made arrangements to pre-order for a Wednesday night pick-up. After much back and forth, we agreed to order The Glo!!!  It would be smart to try the “nuts and bolts” pizza first, we thought.  The Glo!!! is […]

It’s a hit! I’ve been experimenting with dips the past few weeks, in particular a spinach-artichoke. This rendition includes an extra sharp provolone which gives it the “punch” I was looking for. I like using BelGioioso, it’s a quality cheese and it’s reasonably priced  (9 oz. for $6). If you have a food processor this recipe is a quickie (I’ve been obsessed with mine lately). The garlic, onion, tomato and artichokes can be chopped all at once! Add the mixture prepared in the food processor to the spinach, cheese, mayo and […]

My idol is Ina Garten and one of her favorite meals to make for her husband Jeffrey is roast chicken. I decided to try it out and modified it a bit to my own tastes. Ina uses fennel and I absolutely hate fennel, its really the only food I wont eat. Ingredients 1lb red potatoes halved 1lb carrots (2in pieces) 1 large onion chopped 5lb Roasting Chicken 3/4 oz Rosemary (about 8 sprigs) 2 tbsps butter (at room temperature) 1 head of garlic halved 1 lemon halved Directions Preheat the […]

My next door neighbor recommended I shop for Fiver at Bushwick Pet Superette. I’m a regular now. Customer service is top-notch. Every time I walk in, I’m asked if I need a hand with anything. I’ve never waited on a long line and most times there are free samples at the counter for your pet! There’s always a few people hanging around chatting about their furry friends – it’s a friendly, animaly-loving vibe. There’s a wide range of healthy choice dog / cat foods and products, not the regular run-of-the-mill: […]