tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41778237927396887072024-03-13T08:08:58.081-07:00Hackknife Northeast"The idea is to eat well and not die from it - for the simple reason that that would be the end of your eating" - Jim Harrison (1937-2016)Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.comBlogger449125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-2369641979409038162018-04-19T07:02:00.000-07:002018-04-19T07:02:11.249-07:00Cabane A Sucre - Au Pied de Cochon (Mirabel, Quebec)The Hackknives recently constructed a 4-day sojourn to Montreal around a single hard-to-secure dinner reservation. No, it wasn't Joe Beef (although that was another stop on our trip's grand culinary tour), but Chef Martin Picard's take on the traditional Quebecois sugar shack at Au Pied de Cochon. Tickets for the 2018 shack (which is open during maple syrup harvest season, usually about 6 weeks in early spring) went on sale in December and I was fortunate enough to snag us 4 seats on a Thursday evening during the kinder's Spring Break. Montreal is less than a 7-hour drive from the Chuckwagon, so we loaded up the family truckster and off we went to indulge in all things French-Canadian.<br />
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For those of you uninitiated, this is what a typical sugar shack meal (heavy on starches, protein, and maple syrup, the rationale being that farm workers tapping maple trees need hearty sustenance) looks like:<br />
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There are several varieties of meat (often pig - in this case, smoked ham, pork rinds, and a tourtiere, or meat pie, filled with the leftover pig parts), baked beans, a puffy omelet, a token vegetable or two (beets and roasted potatoes), and a maple-based dessert (potato donut with maple cream here). Yes, vegans will recoil in horror at the sight of such a plate.<br />
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This year, Chef Picard was inspired by a recent visit to Morocco to craft a sugar shack menu with Mediterranean and North African influences.<br />
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The Cabane a Sucre for Au Pied de Cochon is located about 45 minutes outside Montreal in the rolling countryside of southern Quebec. Apple orchards and vineyards dot the landscape. When we arrived for our 5:30pm reservation, the place had just opened and was relatively sedate. By the time we left around 8pm, people were everywhere and the muddy parking lot was overflowing.</div>
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The vibe is raucous and the cabin is crowded with communal tables (not much room to spread out) and diners ready to strap on the proverbial feedbag. Chef Picard is well-known (as are many French-Canadian restaurateurs) for a philosophy of, shall we say, dining excess, and the courses that followed did not disappoint. Our little group of 4 had much difficulty consuming all that was brought to our table; fortunately, servers brought a tall stack of to-go containers before any food arrived and we were happy to enjoy the leftovers for several days (even going so far as to bring some of them back across the border - I think that's legal, non?).</div>
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Joconde (Almond Sponge) Cake with Maple Butter Frosting and Filled with Layers of Chicken Liver/Foie Gras Mousse, Walnuts, Marzipan, and Citrus Jelly, Topped with a White Chocolate and Gelatin "Orange"</div>
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Inside of Cake</div>
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Puffy Omelet with Squid Ink Puff Pastry, Potatoes, Eggplants, and Braised Bacon</div>
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Maple Smoked Salmon "Keftas" (Moroccan Meatballs) with a Pork Glaze Stew of Mushrooms, Peas, and Maple Caramelized Onion</div>
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Pork-Stuffed Calamari with Maple Sweet and Sour Sauce and Calamari Heads Chermoula</div>
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Milk-Fed Piglet Stuffed with Pate and Cranberries, Walnut, and Pistachios, Doused with Maple/White Wine Jelly and a Maple/Dijon Mustard Sauce</div>
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Beef Shank Tanjia (Similar to a Tagine) with Sweet Ras El Hanout, Maple Syrup, Dates, Pineapple Ham, and Maraschino Cherries</div>
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Maple Loubia Stew with Beans, Cumin, Cilantro, Tomatoes, and Cumin-Glazed Carrots</div>
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Salted Pork Tanjia with Salted Candied Lemon, Saffron, Cumin, Coriander, and Olive Oil</div>
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Maple Taffy with Mint "Snow" Granita, Fried Briouates (Puff Pasty) Filled with Marzipan, Orange Blossom Water, and Maple Cream Fudge, Soft Date Ice Cream on Maple Yogurt, Queen Elizabeth (Date Nut) Cake, and Date-Tiles, and Caramelized Milk Pastry Sheets with Apricot Jelly, Dried Apricots, Mint Cream, and Maple Cream</div>
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Baghir Pancakes with Orange Bavaroise, Candied Oranges, and Suzette Sauce</div>
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Pancakes Flambes! </div>
Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-84605999041365040312018-02-18T14:06:00.000-08:002018-02-18T14:06:14.237-08:00DanielThis past Friday night, Mrs. Hackknife and I crossed another restaurant off our long NYC to-do list, this time dining at the Michelin-starred <a href="https://www.danielnyc.com/">Daniel</a>, Chef Daniel Boulud's flagship on E. 65th Street. We had a wonderful meal in an elegant, yet generally-relaxed environment and greatly look forward to our next visit (although the rarefied prices ensure that we'll probably only be coming here for very special occasions).<br />
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Citrus Cured Fluke, Fennel Emulsion, Pickled Buddha Hand Lemon, Kumquat, Blood Orange Reduction, Tarragon Oil</div>
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Scharbauer Ranch Beef Cheek "Mosaic", Foie Gras, Mustard Seed Gelee, Confit Carrots, Horseradish Creme Fraiche, Pickled Hon Shimeji, Walnut Pistou</div>
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Peconic Petit Gris Snails Fricassee, Black Garlic, Wasabi, Parsnip, Kasha Buttermilk Biscuit</div>
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Black Truffle Dusted John Dory, Cauliflower, White Barley, Crosnes, Truffle Gremolata</div>
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Duo of Squab - Roasted Breast with Lentil Ragout and Stuffed Legs with Caramelized Turnips, Foie Gras Sauce</div>
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Cacao Nib and Benne Seed Crusted Venison, Red Cabbage, Anson Mills Grits, Rose Hips, Wild New Jersey Cranberries, "Sauce Grand Veneur"</div>
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Tahitensis Vanilla Infused Tropical Fruits, Guava Cream-Passion Fruit Seeds, "Baie des Moines" Sable</div>
Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-76745669519206141242017-11-06T08:43:00.000-08:002017-11-06T08:43:07.579-08:00Iceland Eats - Lowbrow EditionClearly, Mrs. H. and I had little trouble finding good upscale grub on our Iceland journey; however, the majority of our consumption was closer to the low end of the dining spectrum, which was just as satisfying (if not pleasantly quirky at times). I have many scattershot musings on the foodstuffs of the casual Icelander that I will attempt to now share with you.<br />
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After stepping off our redeye from JFK into the bright Icelandic morning, our guide Fridrik was kind enough to suggest that we stop at a nearby coffee shop for a quick snack. This place was in a strip mall and resembled a basic Starbucks, but they had tasty (and messy) sweets to offer, like this saetabraudslengja, which loosely translates to "sweet throw bread" (my apologies to any Iceland natives reading this as I butcher your proud language). It provided the perfect jolt of frosting and sugar to start our long day of sightseeing.<br />
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Good desserts are apparently a prerequisite to surviving long stretches of Arctic gloom - most dining places we visited in Iceland had them. We ended our evening hotel meal in Djupivogur (the one with the unusual seafood pizza) on a high note with a sneak trip up the street to a fast food emporium with a small dessert case featuring a sort-of cheesecake and pie hybrid (top item) and a nice rhubarb-berry crisp.<br />
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I have to give credit to Paris-based pastry chef and author David Lebovitz for his very comprehensive (and very helpful) posting on <a href="https://www.davidlebovitz.com/reykjavik-bakeries-iceland/">prominent Reykjavik bakeries</a> such as <a href="https://www.bernhoftsbakari.is/">Bernhoftsbakari</a>, which has been slinging out dough in various forms since 1834. <br />
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The bakery's serbakad vinarbraud (lower left in the photo below) is a custard-filled sweet bread with a smidgeon of chocolate and vanilla icing that left us weak-kneed.<br />
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Another Lebovitz entry was <a href="https://www.sandholt.is/">Sandholt</a>, located on the main tourist drag a few blocks from our Reykjavik hotel. We had a little trouble making our selections here due to confusing signage, but the apple tartlet and chocolate hazelnut fudge brownie we chose were beyond excellent.<br />
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In general, the natives have quite a sweet tooth, especially for licorice (Atlas Obscura has a good article <a href="http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/iceland-licorice">here</a> about Iceland's predilection for licorice). It's not difficult to go into any gas station (<a href="https://www.n1.is/en">N1</a> is by far the most prevalent chain, standing in as grocery store and de facto community center for some of the more remote locales) and find licorice in multiple forms, such as covered in chocolate and paired with marzipan.<br />
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You can also get the chocolate/marzipan combo without licorice. Mrs. H. enjoyed most of the Icelandic candy we sampled, but I'm more of a purist (I missed my dark chocolate with nuts).<br />
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Ice cream bars are also very popular. One night after dinner, the missus and I set out to discover the most obscure-sounding ice cream confections in the gift shop next to our hotel. She selected a bar "with Daim" (which turned out to be toffee pieces), while my ice cream contained "salmiak", giving it a flavor that was, well, interesting, if not a bit on the spicy side. Our guide later told me that salmiak is like white pepper, and further investigation yielded that it's actually a combination of licorice with ammonium chloride, an oddball melding of salt and astringency favored by some in Scandinavian countries (the flames on the package should have given me a clue).<br />
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I found the local orange soda (Appelsin) to be much more pleasant.<br />
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With such unspoiled natural resources and vast amounts of glacial water, one would think that Iceland would produce some good beverages (especially of the alcoholic variety), and you'd be correct.<br />
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Visitors to Iceland's largest glacier (Vatnajokull) can indulge in a beer (made by Olvisholt Brewery) brewed from its slushy snowmelt infused with Arctic herbs such as thyme. Another tasty brew is Einstok's Pale Ale, which is more widely distributed (in fact, I'm pretty sure you can find it in the States if you're persistent enough). Amazingly, beer was outlawed here from 1915 until 1989, so it's encouraging to see the development of a fine brewing industry in these parts.<br />
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One thing that surpasses the average Icelander's love of beer is his/her love of dried fish snacks. The fish is usually cod (but can be others) and can be found in retails outlets everywhere, as ubiquitous as potato chips.<br />
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The texture of these snacks is a little tougher than I was expecting (more chewy than crunchy), similar to chicharrones (dried pork skin commonly eaten in Hispanic cultures), for example. The locals sometimes slather butter on the strips to help make them a bit more palatable, but that didn't do much for me.<br />
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Perhaps the tastiest snack we encountered on our trip was served in one of the most remote regions, the eastern highlands, where harsh weather conditions create hardships nearly year-round for anyone brave enough to establish a settlement there. This particular small farm was operated by the same family for a hundred years and was located several miles from the nearest paved road.<br />
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The family living here now runs the farm as a museum, coffee shop, and tourist attraction, serving plates of little pancakes (just like the sign says) served with clotted cream and a delectable rhubarb jam.<br />
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Slightly larger, but no less remote, is the nearby town (and I use the term loosely in this case) of Modrudalur, which has a church, a few houses, and a small restaurant with what may very well be the world's highest lunch prices.<br />
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This bowl of Iceland moss soup (which did actually have some moss in it) was about $20, giving us a tab of close to $50 when we added a second bowl of soup (vegetable, if I remember correctly) and one bottle of Kaldi beer.<br />
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Soup is a common lunch item in Iceland and is usually much more budget-friendly. This bowl of Icelandic meat soup (featuring tender chunks of mutton) at a different cafe was delicious and is the most popular of the country's soup varieties.<br />
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With the booming tourist trade, food trucks (both mobile and fixed) are beginning to pop up at some of the attractions. This one featured local langoustine (lobster) chopped up, tossed with some blackening spices (such as pepper), grilled hot to order, and served on a roll with a slathering of remoulade, a nice departure from the cold New England-style lobster roll we're more used to in America.<br />
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As an island with a dearth of native fauna, seafood is an acceptable meal any time of day, including breakfast. Like most places in northern Europe, pickled herring (in many different sauces) and smoked salmon graces many a plate in the early morning, along with a slab of dark bread for good measure.<br />
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Icelanders both young and old are fond of a daily shot of cod liver oil for its reputed health properties. At first, I thought this was alcohol until our guide set me straight. No hotel breakfast buffet is complete without it.<br />
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Using wood (and sometimes sheep dung) smoke to preserve meat and fish is still a traditional food preparation technique in rural areas of the country. This farm sells trout and lamb fillets that are smoked in huts onsite, then vacuum sealed to preserve freshness. Mrs. Hackknife and I purchased some of each and transported it with us all the way to Reykjavik, where we enjoyed it in our hotel room one Friday evening. The smoky flavor was quite robust and almost overpowering (I had to tightly package up the remnants in a plastic bag so as not to stink up the place).<br />
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Our dinner in Akureyri (Iceland's second largest city) was a little less pungent, but no less tasty as we opted for a fast casual meal at the town's favorite chippy shack.<br />
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I can't say for sure what type of fish was being fried up that night (I'm guessing cod) - no matter as it was the equal of any I've had in the British Isles, plus the fries and cole slaw were also top shelf.<br />
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Akureyri was also where we noticed our first Icelandic hot dog stand (prior to this, we were seeing wieners mostly just at N1 stations). The Scandinavian countries (especially Denmark and Iceland) have a real affinity for hot dogs, some of which are served with unusual toppings. The alleged regional specialty of this "pylsuvagninn" (or "hot dog wagon") was a dog with four sauces (remoulade, cocktail sauce, brown mustard, and ketchup), raw onions, and cooked sweet red cabbage.<br />
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This combo sounded like a huge mess on a bun (although being a native Chicagoan, I know something about dragging a dog through the garden), but the ingredients worked wonderfully together and provided a great digestive aid for my fish and chips (along with an antacid a little later on).<br />
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Of course, no trip to Iceland would be complete without a visit to its most famous hot dog stand, Baejarins Beztu Pylsur (or "The Town's Best Sausages") in Reykjavik, with a staff of 2 (that's about all there's room for in that tiny hut) cranking out what many connoisseurs consider to be one of the planet's best hot dogs since the 1930s.<br />
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The line is usually long (I'm told they sell over 1,000 dogs a day at peak times), but moves quickly as the menu choices are few (hot dogs and soda). The fully loaded lamb, pork, and beef wieners here are topped with ketchup, remoulade, a very distinct sweet brown mustard (which I would have brought home had I been able to procure some), and onion two ways (raw and crispy fried). I wouldn't go so far as to say that this was the best hot dog I've ever had, but it definitely makes the top 10 and I can see how one might become addicted.<br />
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If all this talk of fried fish and hot dogs makes you yearn for more traditional Icelandic fare, you have to stop in at <a href="http://loki.is/">Cafe Loki</a> (all the guidebooks and David Lebovitz agree), located up the hill in Reykjavik across the square from the country's most famous church, Hallgrimskirkja.<br />
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If you eat in the upstairs dining room, you'll be greeted by a giant
mural depicting fantastical scenes from Iceland's literary sagas (not unlike a
Dungeons & Dragons fever dream).<br />
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Medieval psychedelia aside, customers can order combination plates of some of Iceland's iconic dishes. I opted for Plate #1, with mashed fish and smoked trout (both on rye bread), sheep-head jelly (maybe my most favorite dish of all) atop a kick-ass flatbread, creamy bean salad, and mashed turnip.<br />
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Mrs. H. took things one step further and ordered Plate #2, also with smoked trout and mashed fish, plus smoked lamb on flatbread, dried fish, and a few cubes of fermented shark, a delicacy that used to be eaten by the older generation of Icelanders, but is now sold mostly to tourists with adventurous palates. Our server warned us against smelling the shark meat before popping it into our mouths - obviously, I did so anyway (it reeked of ammonia) and I can't say I really enjoyed the flavor too much.<br />
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The cafe's famous rye bread ice cream with rhubarb syrup and whipped cream went down significantly easier. I'll pass on the shark in favor of a pint of this next time out...<br />
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<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-62629706803250622602017-09-28T07:35:00.003-07:002017-09-28T07:35:43.996-07:00Iceland Eats - Highbrow EditionThe Chuckwagon has been undergoing major renovations this summer, some portions of which have required the Hackknives to vacate the premises from time to time. This sporadic disruption has managed to essentially put my blog on hiatus until now - the kinder are back in school and construction is winding down a bit to the point where I can actually consider the possibility of posting. This is a good thing since I've been jonesing to document the victuals that Mrs. H. and I encountered on our recent weeklong journey to Iceland, a wonderful and quirky place with lots of delicious things to eat. As with past lengthy trips, I've decided to divide up my thoughts into separate entries; in this case, highbrow and lowbrow are my two designations and we'll be starting upscale today.<br />
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Iceland has become a magnet for tourism in the last five years, especially for Americans living in the Northeast like ourselves as the flight from New York City to Reykjavik is a mere 5 1/2 hours (the same flight time to California). We took the red eye over from JFK and met up with our guide, Fridrik, who immediately whisked us away to the countryside on the southern coast for a full day of sightseeing, where we eventually ended up exhausted and starving in the charming seaside village of Vik for dinner at the Puffin Hotel.<br />
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Although Reykjavik is a major metropolitan area, life in Iceland outside of the city is still largely agrarian and there are sheep almost everywhere you go; needless to say, lamb ends up on a lot of restaurant menus. The cafe at the Puffin offers a very tasty smoked lamb loin appetizer, served here with a dill cream sauce and brown bread (also an Icelandic staple). <br />
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They also put together a mean chocolate meringue dessert that helped to take the edge off of a long day of touring waterfalls and headlands.<br />
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A day later, we found ourselves spending the night in another picturesque fishing village (since the country's interior is rugged and desolate, most settlements of any size are near the ocean), this time in Djupivogur at the historic Hotel Framtid (towards the background in the picture below).<br />
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The hotel restaurant features a dish I'd never seen before: a goose breast carpaccio, which made a succulent pair with berry jam, greens, and more brown bread.<br />
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There was also a very unique pizza (we found pizza to be a very popular menu item around the country) that took advantage of the local seafood bounty, namely tuna, mussels, shrimp, blue cheese, onion, and tomato. This combination of toppings was, well, interesting, but I'm not sure we'd make that selection next time.<br />
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Night #3 brought us to one of Iceland's most famous waterfalls (and there are many), Godafoss, and our hotel, the Fossholl Guesthouse, which was located a mere 500 yards from the falls.<br />
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My evening entree this time around was a very nice pan-roasted Arctic char with dill potatoes in the hotel restaurant, a very Scandinavian meal.<br />
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Our itinerary next led us to the country's northern interior around the Lake Myvatn region, where evidence of past and current volcanic activity in the form of lava fields, craters, and hot springs is ubiquitous.<br />
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The rich volcanic soil makes this a natural place for agriculture and especially a farm-to-table restaurant. The cafe at the wonderful <a href="https://www.vogafjosfarmresort.is/en/restaurant">Vogafjos</a> guesthouse has been constructed very near the livestock shed (the cows would be taking table orders if they were any closer).<br />
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Many of the dishes on the menu are created from ingredients sourced onsite. The massive sampler platter included homegrown kale with cheese cubes, mozzarella and tomatoes, smoked lamb, smoked Arctic char and trout, homemade brown bread (baked in a geyser, a traditional method in these parts), and berry preserves.<br />
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We also split a chicken, rice, and vegetable crepe, which was also ample and delicious.<br />
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The cafe's warm chocolate and walnut torte was likely the best traditional (not overall....that would be at Dill, see below) dessert we had on the trip.<br />
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After 5 days of touring the Icelandic countryside, it seemed prudent to end our journey with some time in the capitol city of Reykjavik, which gave us a a chance to experience some of the island's more sophisticated dining culture. On our first of three nights there, we wandered a few blocks down from our hotel to <a href="http://oldiceland.is/">Old Iceland Restaurant</a>. I was fearful that this place might be a tourist trap, but I was wrong. Below is my filet of cod, plated atop herb and garlic mashed potatoes, with root vegetables (including carrots and parsnips) and a wonderful champagne sauce.<br />
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Mrs. Hackknife's selection was even better, the restaurant's signature dish of local lamb cooked two ways (filet and shredded shoulder meat), with artichokes, potatoes, beetroot, and carrots, all doused in a demiglace that I wanted to bathe in. We also couldn't pass on the signature dessert, the Icelandic affogato (not pictured), which featured ristretto (a variation on espresso) with vanilla ice cream and local birch liqueur (we found a bottle of this at the airport duty-free to bring home).<br />
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I was extremely excited for our second dinner in Reykjavik. <a href="http://dillrestaurant.is/en/">Dill</a> is Iceland's most ambitious and modern restaurant, created by Chef Gunnar Karl Gislason in the spirit of New Nordic cuisine (similar to Noma in Copenhagen) using many ingredients that are indigenous to the island. Dill is also the only Michelin-starred establishment in Iceland, an honor that is well-deserved in my opinion.<br />
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Although cozy (the restaurant is in an old stable), the cooks at Dill make the most of the small open kitchen that anchors the dining room. Most of the prep work and dishwashing takes place downstairs as we watched harried servers periodically disappearing and re-emerging from a side door throughout our 7-course tasting menu (which was fantastic, by the way). <br />
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Amuse bouche of Caviar on Ash Chip, Mussels on Dried Salt Cod, and Smoked Roe on Dried Kelp</div>
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Amuse bouche of Root Vegetables - Swede (Rutabaga), Carrot, Celery, and Parsley</div>
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Ocean Perch, Pickled Vegetables, and Celeriac</div>
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Smoked Haddock, Mashed Potatoes, and Skyr (Icelandic Yogurt)</div>
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Cod Chin, Rutabaga, and Sea Truffle</div>
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Malted Barley under a mound of Dried and Grated Wolf Fish</div>
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Beef Brisket with Angelica Herb and Fried Sunchoke Chips</div>
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Whipped Brown Cheese, Beet Sorbet, Meringue, and Tarragon Powder</div>
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Dry Sponge Cake, Whey Ice Cream, and Rhubarb</div>
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Clearly, Chef Gunnar and his staff at Dill are proving that, given the proper skills and inspiration, a harsh environment and short growing season are no impediments to a world-class dining experience.Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-44179128216256845122017-08-05T04:47:00.002-07:002017-08-05T04:47:21.169-07:00Milwaukee EatsEven though I spent the bulk of my childhood a mere 90 minutes away in suburban Chicago, I never really found the opportunity (apart from the odd visit to the Wisconsin State Fair) to sample many of the gastronomic treasures that make the Milwaukee region of southeast Wisconsin unique. On our latest trip back to the Midwest, however, I had an extra solo day with which I could tick off a number of the items on my hit list, so I headed up I-94 and had a long day of pleasurable (if not excessive) consumption.<br />
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<b>Kringle - Racine, WI</b><br />
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My first stop was prior to 9 am, so it made sense to begin my jour de gluttony with a breakfast item. Racine is home to the kringle, a glazed pastry with roots in Denmark not unlike coffee cake. These flaky wonders are common enough in these parts to be found in grocery stores, but the best are made by traditional Danish bakeries like <a href="https://bendtsensbakery.com/">Bendtsen's</a>, which has been cranking out sweet ovals of doughy love since 1934.<br />
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I didn't actually eat a whole kringle like you see above (this was the "French toast" version, filled with nuts and maple that made it back to my mom's house and, when we could consume no more, ended up at my in-laws), but just a single glorious slice of pecan at the counter in the store - after all, it's a marathon, not a sprint.<br />
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<b>Hoppel Poppel - Milwaukee, WI</b><br />
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Although I'm told it can be found at diners throughout the Midwest, the kitchen sink dish hoppel poppel seems to be concentrated in and around Milwaukee, probably due to the presence of a large German population (the dish allegedly originated in Germany as a way of using up leftovers). <a href="http://www.benjisdeliandrestaurant.com/">Benji's</a><b> </b>kosher deli on the north side of town (near the UW-Milwaukee campus) serves a great version with cheddar cheese, green peppers, and onions in their "super<b>"</b> version (I had them hold the mushrooms) to go with the hash browns, scrambled eggs, and fried cubed salami that is the base. Thank goodness the menu listed a half order, which was still amply sized (you can see it below).<br />
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<b>Butterburgers - Milwaukee, WI</b><br />
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In my opinion, Culver's is the best fast food burger chain out there largely because they make a great butterburger, which is simply a standard burger served on a bun that's been toasted and spread with butter. If you're a butterburger fan, you owe it to yourself to make a pilgrimage to one of the originators of this burger style: <a href="http://www.sollysgrille.com/">Solly's Grille</a>, which has been serving them up since 1936 and is also conveniently located on the north side of Milwaukee just a couple of miles from Benji's.<br />
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Yes, there will be butter</div>
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I highly recommend the deluxe burger, sporting lettuce, tomato, and mayo to go with the grilled onions, american cheese, and ground sirloin that come standard on the glorious buttered bun. If the thought of all this butter makes your cardiologist recoil in agony, you can request it without (or light, which is what I did).<br />
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<b>German Cuisine - Milwaukee, WI</b><br />
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Of course, German food is not unique to Milwaukee, but this is the place where you can still find the most old-school German restaurants. One of them (Karl Ratzsch) recently gave up the ghost after over a century in operation, so I figured I'd better high-tail it over to a German establishment as part of my sojourn. <a href="http://madersrestaurant.com/">Mader's</a> originally opened in 1902 and has occupied the same spot on Old Third World Street since 1910.<br />
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Usually these historic ethnic restaurants will have kitschy decor (check, two floor's worth, to be precise) and mediocre food, however, Mader's grub was quite good, including the pretzel bread that first arrives at your table, the liver dumpling soup, the schnitzel sandwich (a terrific combo of wiener schnitzel, tomato jam, Boursin cheese, and fried pickles), and the warm potato salad studded with bacon fat.<br />
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<b>Frozen Custard - Milwaukee, WI</b><br />
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By this point, I wasn't broken, but was starting to bow a little, so I thought it best to pause the savory delights for a bit and switch over to sweet. Milwaukee has a number of legendary frozen custard establishments, one of which is Leon's on the city's southwest side.<br />
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Leon's has been around since 1942 and I can see why - its basic chocolate and vanilla combo custard is smooth and refreshing, especially on a hot July afternoon.<br />
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<b>Wisconsin Tavern Pizza - Milwaukee, WI</b><br />
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I had one last savory stop in me before starting to make the long drive back towards Chicago. I'm not sure how many would consider Milwaukee to have its own pizza style, but <a href="http://firstwefeast.com/eat/2015/01/bucket-list-pizza/">First We Feast does</a>, highlighting a particular saloon that's been making great thin crust since 1954. <a href="http://www.zaffirospizza.com/">Zaffiro's</a> original location is a small tavern and restaurant just north of downtown. My sources tell me they parbake their dough before adding toppings and baking it a second time, yielding a crust that's almost cracker-thin. I'd never heard of this style, but have had many similar thin crust pizzas at casual joints throughout Lake County, Illinois (which borders Wisconsin) and even a few in Wisconsin proper, so I wanted to give it a go.<br />
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I had to take a whole small sausage pie to go since Zaffiro's doesn't sell by the slice (poor me). The pizza sitting in my passenger seat smelled delicious, but I could only bring myself to nibble on a single corner slice (alarm bells were going off in my tummy) before transporting the rest of it home to my grateful family, who had no qualms about devouring the rest.<br />
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<b>Apple Pie in a Bag - Mukwonago, WI</b><br />
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I had one last stop to make prior to ending my day of dining excess - I had promised my sister that I'd bring back some of the planet's best apple pies (at least that's how they're advertised) for my soon-to-be 2-year old nephew's birthday party that weekend. The pies in question are made by a place called <a href="http://www.elegantfarmer.com/">Elegant Farmer</a>, located in the cornfields about 30 minutes southwest of Milwaukee.<br />
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The Elegant Farmer people have a whole market of country goodies available in their retail barn, from jams to cheese curds (which I had to bring home) to produce, plus the famous pies, which are baked in a paper bag to help contain all those tasty fruit juices that ooze out during cooking. I was a little skeptical, but purchased two pies (one regular apple, one caramel apple) and transported them back south with me.<br />
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While they're no Hoosier Mama, I have to admit that the paper bag thing really works, as the Elegant Farmer pies (especially the caramel apple one) were a hit at the party even after a couple days of refrigerator aging.Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-37571437234775575162017-07-17T13:51:00.001-07:002017-07-17T13:51:23.747-07:00Oriole - Chicago, ILWhile on a recent family trip to Chicago, Mrs. Hackknife and I had what was our best meal of 2017 so far at two Michelin-starred <a href="http://www.oriolechicago.com/">Oriole</a>, a newer establishment (opened in 2016) that's an exciting addition to the national fine dining scene. Chef Noah Sandoval and his tight crew are turning out incredible cuisine in a spare and elegant space on a scruffy backstreet in the city's River North neighborhood (661 W. Walnut Street). Patrons have to pass through a freight elevator (which is transformed every evening into a tiny hostess lounge before resuming its day job after closing) to enter the restaurant, giving it something of a speakeasy feel.<br />
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Both food and service were exemplary, so much so that I'm bending my recent rule of avoiding blow-by-blow tasting menu descriptions just for this posting. Sommelier Aaron McManus presented wonderful drink pairings for the Japanese-inflected meal that included not only French and Italian wines, but also sake and even a sweet Norman cider. I'm lacking photos of two courses that I liked just as much as the others: an ethereal bone broth (normally I scoff at that description as most broths are bone-based; however, I wasn't scoffing when I tasted it) studded with Vietnamese coriander, cinnamon, and lemongrass and a petite croissant stuffed with a powerhouse combo of Spring Brook Farm Ashbrook cheese and rosemary apple butter (I didn't think it was possible to amp the flavor of an already-rich croissant, but here we are). If you're considering a visit to Oriole for dinner, I urge you to book now before reservation backlogs reach Alinea-type levels...<br />
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Puffed Beef Tendon with Wagyu Beef Tartare and XO Sauce</div>
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Beausoleil Oyster with Mangalica Consomme, Finger Lime, and Borage +</div>
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Almond Crisp Topped with Mangalica Ham, Black Walnut, Egg Yolk, and Quince</div>
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Oba King Salmon with Smoked Roe, Spring Onion, and Fresh Herbs</div>
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Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Hudson Canyon Scallop with Dried Wild Blueberry and Oxalis</div>
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Capellini with Australian Winter Truffle, Rye Berry, and Yeast</div>
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Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef and Bearnaise Sauce with Charred Little Gem Lettuce, Furikake Seasoning, and Sesame Leaf</div>
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Gianduja Chocolate Gelato with Marscapone, Preserved Cherries, and Sakura Tea</div>
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Mignardises of Strawberry, Milk & Cookies, and Fernet Branca</div>
<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-88307597310457129502017-07-12T14:53:00.003-07:002017-07-12T14:53:51.804-07:00Bonchon ChickenNow that I'm residing in an area with a substantial amount of Revolutionary War history, I'm doing my best to make the rounds and visit all of the local historical sites, including Federal Hall, which is down on Wall Street in the old part of Manhattan. Fortunately, Eater's Robert Sietsma was kind enough to point out that good fried chicken is nearby, so I popped in after my Federal Hall tour for a bit of lunch.<br />
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<a href="https://bonchon.com/">Bonchon Chicken</a> is a South Korean-chain that specializes in Korean fried chicken wings. The lower Manhattan restaurant (at 104 John Street) is a small food counter that's literally in the back of a bar (of course, there's a strong bond between alcohol and chicken wings).<br />
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I made the mistake of ordering tenders, which were a little dry; however, the fried coating was terrific. If you're not a fan of spice, stick with the soy garlic in lieu of spicy - I ordered half of each and found the spicy tenders to be close to incendiary. The kimchi coleslaw I picked for my side was just as hot, but was strangely appealing in a way that the bird wasn't (probably due to the cooling effect of the dairy in the dish). I'll remember the chicken, but it's the coleslaw that I'm still craving...Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-79024103994119935832017-06-22T15:48:00.002-07:002017-06-22T15:48:27.062-07:00Rawley's Drive-In - Fairfield, CTIf you read a lot of foodie press like I do, you come to realize fairly quickly that Connecticut is a serious hot dog state (along with pizza and steamed cheeseburgers, however, those are areas to be addressed another day). The regional style typically involves either grilling a wiener that's been split down the middle lengthwise (a la Walter's or Hubba, both in my neck of the woods) or deep frying it intact prior to finishing on the grill. Rawley's Drive-In (1886 Post Road in Fairfield, CT, no website) subscribes to the latter methodology and has been well-known for its take on the humble tube steak since sometime in the 1940s - they show up on many of the national best-of lists and are adored by our friends at <a href="https://roadfood.com/restaurants/rawleys/">Roadfood</a>, but it was their appearance as the Connecticut representative on First We Feast's <a href="http://firstwefeast.com/features/the-best-hot-dog-from-every-state/">Best Hot Dog from Every State</a> in April 2017 that finally spurred me to make the 35-minute drive from the Chuck Wagon for a sampling.<br />
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The business was purchased in 2002 by the owner of the neighboring Dairy Queen, but apparently little has changed (regarding both the building's appearance and the food) during its lifespan. Fearful of a large Friday lunchtime crowd, I was pleasantly surprised to enter an empty parking lot at 11:30 and pretty much had the place to myself.<br />
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The ambiance is casual to the extreme, exactly the type of place that's known to produce terrific cuisine. I went with the one Works Dog (topped with mustard, sauerkraut, relish, and bacon bits, which used to look like lardons in other photos - maybe they've been scaling back) and one Hot Chihuahua Dog (topped with mustard, onions, and hot relish), along with an order of hand-cut fries.<br />
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This grub certainly looked the part and was, in fact, very good, but I was just a wee bit underwhelmed. Maybe I'm just too conditioned to see the garden-in-a-bun Chicago style dog as the Platonic ideal - I can't see making Rawley's a target destination; however, should the family and I be passing through town at some point, I'd happily return for another wiener or two...<br />
<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-29284623095574209682017-06-06T06:23:00.000-07:002017-06-06T06:23:10.122-07:00Sandwiches of Westchester County - Roast Turkey/Cheddar/Bacon FlatbreadOne thing I've discovered while nosing through Westchester County's various delicatessens and eateries over the past year is that there are a plethora of shops here with encyclopedic sandwich menus, offering combinations of meats, toppings, and breads that would require eons for the casual diner (that would be me) to try them all (sigh). <a href="http://www.meltsandwich.com/">Melt Sandwich Shop</a> in White Plains (277 Mamaroneck Avenue) is such a place.<br />
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Fortunately, I have my trusty Westchester Magazine to help guide me; otherwise, my head would be constantly spinning with the embarrassment of choices available. In this case, my guide told me to order fresh roasted turkey off the meat board, then combine it with the bacon/cheddar topping option (featuring tomatoes, chipotle remoulade, smoked bacon, and cheddar cheese) and serve it all on a flatbread.<br />
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I had arrived during the lunch rush, so approximately 10 minutes passed before my sandwich creation arrived on my table, but it was worth the wait. This combo of ingredients was clearly a winner, warm and zesty and just a bit sloppy (not egregiously so). My next visit might see me order the slow-roasted lamb BBQ style on a hoagie roll or maybe grilled salmon mango style on a kaiser roll or possibly top round aged beef....Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-22741144441638378312017-05-26T08:03:00.002-07:002017-05-26T08:03:24.064-07:00Brier Hill Pizza - Youngstown, OHThe Hackknife clan recently traveled back to my dad's hometown near Youngstown, OH for yet another cousin wedding (this one likely to be the last for quite some time - they're all hitched now). I always enjoy having the opportunity to visit with my extended Italian family and, of course, sample Italian-American goodies I don't always encounter elsewhere. On this trip, much to my astonishment, I came across a pizza style I hadn't seen explicitly defined before (that's not entirely true - First We Feast mentions it in an <a href="http://firstwefeast.com/features/pizza-style-taxonomy/">August 2016 article on American pizza taxonomy</a>, but the picture associated with it isn't correct) called Brier Hill, named after an historic enclave of Youngstown where many Italian families settled to work in the now-shuttered coal mines and steel mills. According to my sources, this pizza style has roots in the Basilicata region of southern Italy and includes a thick layer of tomato sauce (similar, if not identical to, the sauce or "gravy" used on pasta) atop an olive oil pan crust, along with green peppers and grated romano cheese (usually Pecorino romano) in place of shredded mozzarella. The concept appears to have been born from the ingenuity of thrifty immigrants, who had ready access to tomatoes and peppers from their backyard gardens and, needing a break from frequent spaghetti dinners, leftover pasta sauce.<br />
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Conveniently enough for me, one of the prominent local purveyors of this pizza style <a href="http://wedgewoodpizza.com/">(Wedgewood Pizza</a>) happened to have a location just down the street from our hotel in Howland, so I was able to pop in to grab a 12" Brier Hill for lunch before the wedding.<br />
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My first impression of this dish is that it's not all that dissimilar from some of the pizzas that my grandmother and great-grandmother used to make for us when we were visiting from Chicago. Although the ancestors on my dad's side came from a different region of Italy and (likely as a result) settled in another Italian neighborhood of Youngstown apart from Brier Hill, they no doubt had similar customs and sensibilities when it came to food (and probably interacted with a lot of Basilicatans as well), so it's no surprise that all of the Mahoning Valley Italian nanas made pizza pie like this. The Wedgewood version doesn't skimp on the sauce (it's pretty robust with oregano and other spices), which is applied in a thick layer, sprinkled with chopped green peppers and grated cheese, and then baked in a large gas oven (they had 6 ovens at the Howland location - apparently, the locals love pizza). I can't say that Brier Hill style is my favorite (I missed my mozzarella), but the nostalgia value alone is enough to bring me back someday.<br />
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If you've been to Youngstown lately, you'll note that much of it (including Brier Hill - we inadvertently passed through while driving around town) is significantly diminished from its heyday in the early/mid-20th Century, but one of the local Catholic parishes (St. Anthony) still churns out Brier Hill pizzas <a href="http://www.stanthonybrierhill.org/briar-hill-pizza/">every Friday</a> to help raise funds for the church.<br />
<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-45635187997544628632017-05-16T10:31:00.000-07:002017-05-16T10:31:32.048-07:00Philadelphia Eats (Royal Farms/John's Roast Pork/Donkey's Place)Between now living in an area where a significant chunk of American colonial history went down and my time volunteering at the nearby Jay Heritage Center, I am officially a history junkie (and also leaning towards archaeology as a hobby - anyone have a spare metal detector to lend?). So when I first got wind that a new museum (the Museum of the American Revolution) was opening in Philadelphia (a mere 2 hour and 15 minute drive from the Chuck Wagon), I had to check it out on behalf of the Jay Center. Sadly, our famous local Founding Father John Jay receives merely a scant mention in one museum exhibit that details the Federalist Papers, but I managed to console myself by sampling some of the more well-known local Philly grub (namely cheesesteaks). <br />
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Up first, though, was an appetizer of Southern fried chicken. What?!?, you say, Philadelphia is most definitely not part of the South, and you'd be 100% correct on that. If you'll indulge me momentarily, I'll explain. Back in March, Garden and Gun Magazine came out with its <a href="http:///">state-by-state list to bucket list fried chicken in the South</a>, and I was so enthralled, I made a pledge to proceed directly to my nearest former Confederacy state (in this case, Maryland, which technically was a border state not affiliated with either side in the Civil War) as expeditiously as possible to get some G&G highlighted chicken. As it turns out, the convenience store franchise that is one representative of Maryland on the list (<a href="https://www.royalfarms.com/">Royal Farms</a>) has its northernmost location near Philadelphia just south of the airport among some industrial parks along the Delaware. The beautiful thing is that you can pull into this Royal Farms at nearly any time of day (10 am, for example) and obtain some bangin'-good fried chicken, the likes of which have no business coming from what's essentially a large gas station.<br />
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This gigantic breast (and I don't even normally gravitate towards white meat) was juicy, hot, perfectly breaded, and not a greasy mess - if you go, skip the potato wedges and roll (which were mediocre at best) that come with the combo meal and stick with the bird.<br />
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One can't come to Philadelphia and not get a cheesesteak, but my sources tell me that the famous local purveyors Pat's and Geno's (which are catty-corner from each other) are mainly for the tourists and there are other cheesesteak slingers worth seeking out instead; for example, <a href="http://www.johnsroastpork.com/">John's Roast Pork</a> in South Philly.<br />
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The good folks at John's have been in business since 1930 and, although they're most known for their roast pork sandwich (hence the name), they offer one of the better cheesesteaks in town. The line moves fast and you'd be well advised to know what you want before getting up front (there's a touch of Soup Nazi going on here); however, you'll have a plus-size hoagie filled with beefy goodness in your paws in no time (what you see below is only half).<br />
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The cooks at John's chop up the beef slices and grilled onions into a pile of small bits before placing on the Italian roll with cheese - I went with the sharp provolone, which I found to be a tad skunky. Still, this was a fine snack after a mid-morning breakfast of fried chicken and I'm intrigued enough to return sometime for the famous roast pork.<br />
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After a few hours at the museum, I had one more stop before heading back to New York. Anthony Bourdain swears by the cheesesteaks coming out of a dive bar called <a href="http://donkeysnj.com/">Donkey's Place</a> in the down-on-its-luck metropolis of Camden, New Jersey (across the river from Philly); in fact, M. Bourdain liked Donkey's so much that he <a href="https://explorepartsunknown.com/new-jersey/donkeys-place/">featured them</a> in a 2016 episode of Parts Unknown, giving the depressed neighborhood a much needed infusion of business and positive attention.<br />
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I can now tell you from my own experience that if you look up the definition of "dive bar" in a dictionary, you should see a picture of Donkey's on the page. Packed with day drinkers at 3 pm on a Thursday, Donkey's (named after the original owner Leon Lucas and his boxing moniker) has been around since the 1940s and is a mecca for cheesesteak, eschewing the chopped beef and onion format like that at John's in lieu of grilled piles of sliced beef topped with white cheddar and a mound of caramelized onions cooked off somewhere in the back kitchen (I watched a server dump out a large white bucket of them on the grill). They use a poppyseed-studded kaiser roll (baked at Del Buono's Bakery in Haddon Heights, NJ) here that I decided I much prefer to the usual hoagie roll.<br />
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Donkey's cheesesteak pretty much put to shame just about every other version I'd ever had (granted, I've not had many), with the mythical whole being clearly greater than the sum of its parts. There are little bottles and pots of homemade pepper oil at every table to drizzle on your sandwich for some added kick and the fries aren't bad, either (were they dusted with Old Bay seasoning?), but you need to get your ass (er, donkey) over here pronto for the cheesesteak and a cold draft...Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-17523961179330980452017-05-08T13:29:00.000-07:002017-05-08T13:29:14.131-07:00United Nations of Grub - Algeria (Bar Omar)I recently reached the last of the initial 3 "relatively easy" countries on my United Nations of Grub list; that is, Algeria (the next group of 3 - Andorra, Angola, and Antigua and Barbuda - will be somewhat challenging). Although there are not a ton of straight-up Algerian restaurants in the metro area (many places categorized as "Moroccan" or "Mediterranean" offer cuisine that shares a lot in common with that of Algeria), there is an offshoot of a famous French-Algerian eatery in Paris called Chez Omar that opened in Brooklyn last year. <a href="http://chez-omar.com/">Bar Omar</a> (188 Grand Street) offers nearly everything that the 40-odd year old Parisian original does (minus perhaps the haughty server attitude), including the renowned couscous recipe that Chef Eric tells me is very labor-intensive and likely found nowhere else in the five boroughs. According to the chef, Omar Guerda (Chez Omar's founder) himself traveled to America to teach him his techniques and dishes before he opened this sister location.<br />
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What you see above is one possible way to enjoy that terrific couscous - a silver platter of the light, fluffy stuff arrives at the table with a large bowl of 7-vegetable bouillon (including potatoes, onions, celery, and carrots) and the protein of your choice (in this case, housemade merguez lamb and beef sausages), along with some potent harissa paste for spice and a bowl so you can create your own blend of the various ingredients. On a cool and cloudy April day, this hearty stew is sheer bliss.<br />
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Desserts are nothing to sneeze at, either. Chef Eric and his crew turn out a sublime date and rosewater tartine, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with honey.Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-70986278471385300462017-05-01T10:27:00.000-07:002017-05-01T10:27:03.989-07:00Sea View Snack Bar/Oyster Club - Mystic, CTIf you live in the Northeast and you're seeking a family-friendly venue for a long weekend, we recently discovered that Mystic, Connecticut is not a bad place to visit. Mystic is an old whaling town that has become a popular haven for summer vacationers; however, show up in April right before the tourist season begins and you'll find it to be refreshingly crowd-free for the most part. The town's main attraction is the historic seaport, a collection of old ships and buildings that were assembled in one location to simulate a 19th-Century New England port village - on paper, the concept sounds a bit hokey, but it's actually very impressive if you happen to have any interest in old American maritime culture (for example, the world's last wooden whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan, has been fully restored and docked at the seaport for exploring).<br />
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Of course, fans of 1980s pop culture are also familiar with a certain pizza parlor that provided the name to a romcom flick featuring Julia Roberts (we tried the pizza and, by the way, it's better than you might expect for a tourist trap).<br />
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When traveling to the Long Island Sound shore, one is never far from a stellar seafood shack - Mystic's crown jewel of this category is the <a href="http://www.seaviewsnackbar.com/">Sea View Snack Bar</a>, serving up the ocean's bounty next to the Mystic River (conveniently located within a short walk of the seaport) since 1976.<br />
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Although there are better places to get a lobster roll (it was mediocre), the whole clam (or clam belly) roll on a toasted bun is an item you can't miss. The fried clam strips and cole slaw were also quite tasty.<br />
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For an upscale meal, <a href="http://www.oysterclubct.com/">Oyster Club</a> (just off the main drag near downtown Mystic) is a great farm-to-table (or, as they call it, farm/sea-to-table) restaurant that I'd heard of even before we booked our trip.<br />
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In addition to a bevy of local oysters on offer, brunch patrons can order inventive dishes such as "farrancini" (Sicilian rice balls made with farro in place of risotto) with white anchovies/pesto and a killer marzipan brioche french toast. OC has been heralded as one of the best restaurants in New England and I have no qualms with that lofty distinction - if we drive fast enough, Mrs. Hackknife and I might even be able to pull off an evening meal here from the Chuck Wagon and back...<br />
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Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-73999094038986615292017-04-24T12:50:00.003-07:002017-04-24T12:50:37.209-07:00Sandwiches of Westchester County - The Pow! BurgerThe kids and I made a recent discovery - <a href="http://www.pow-burger.com/">Pow! Burger</a> in nearby New Rochelle (211 Main St. for those of you scoring at home) has one of Westchester County's better burgers (as well as a healthy dose of Superhero comics love).<br />
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We've made two visits and the original Pow! burger (featuring red onion, lettuce, American cheese, and a 5-ounce patty) has not disappointed me either time. If you want a fried snack to accompany your burger, I would recommend the haystack onion rings (tossed in buttermilk and flour, according to the menu) over the house's fries, which I found to be mediocre.<br />
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Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-53290258112053177792017-04-11T14:47:00.002-07:002017-04-11T14:47:37.844-07:00Bronx Little Italy (Arthur Avenue)I recently went on a tour (Mom was visiting from Chicago and she tagged along, too) of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, home to what's widely considered the last authentic Little Italy neighborhood in New York City (yeah, Mulberry Street in Manhattan is still around, but it's a fragment of its former self, having been largely consumed by Chinatown and gentrification). Alexandra Maruri (the founder and lead tour guide of <a href="http://www.bronxhistoricaltours.com/">Bronx Historical Tours</a> was a terrific host and a wealth of information about NYC's forgotten borough, a much-maligned area that's in the process of revitalizing. She is doing everything she can to spread the word about the positive attributes of the Bronx and clearly has a lot of pride in her home borough.<br />
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Arthur Avenue is located just a few short blocks from the Metro-North train stop at Fordham University. Now that I know where it is, I can easily return via car or public transportation (a mere 30-minute trip from the Chuckwagon). After seeing the vast dining options available to the Italian food enthusiast, I'll need many, many visits to try it all.<br />
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<a href="http://www.borgattis.com/">Borgatti's</a> Pasta Shop, churning out noodles since 1935</div>
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Owner Chris Borgatti (son of the founder) was kind enough to give us his family story </div>
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<a href="https://www.teitelbros.com/">Teitel Bros.</a> Italian Grocery - Since 1915</div>
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The famous "sausage chandelier" at Calabria Pork Store (they make a mean Italian combo sandwich)</div>
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I brought home a traditional Italian loaf and a raisin/fennel bread from Madonia Bakery (sadly, they were out of the coveted cicola, or pork lard, bread)</div>
Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-43288026233323593082017-04-07T08:38:00.000-07:002017-04-07T08:38:03.775-07:00United Nations of Grub - Albania (Dukagjini Burek)Country #2 of my world grub tour is Albania. In the process of conducting a little background research, I discovered that many Albanian immigrants to the United States eventually settled in the same neighborhoods as Italians (such as Bronx's Little Italy around Arthur Avenue, the subject of my next post), both as a consequence of geography (the two countries are separated only by a narrow swatch of the Adriatic Sea) and the fact that the most famous Albanian (Mother Teresa) was Roman Catholic (as are most Italians). Even more interesting, at least in New York City, we have a lot of Albanians <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/03/nyregion/the-albanian-connection-as-italians-move-up-a-new-group-does-the-pizza-and-pasta.html">running Italian restaurants formerly owned by Italians</a> without missing a beat. So it was with this in mind when I came across what appears to be one of the best purveyors of Albanian-style burek in what was once a prominent Italian area in the Bronx.<br />
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Dukagjini Burek (758 Lydig Avenue) is located in a small storefront not too far from the Bronx Zoo and has just a few tables for customers wishing to eat in (most of their business is takeout). Burek is a dish commonly found throughout the Balkans and former Ottoman Empire and takes on many forms. In the Albanian version, sheets of phyllo dough are rolled out and then filled with a number of different ingredients (such as a salty, feta-like curd cheese, spinach, or ground beef/onions). The burek at Dukagjini is placed in round pans and baked in a gas oven, then sold either whole or by the slice (not unlike pizza). The older lady working behind the counter was pulling freshly-baked bureks out of the oven at a breakneck pace to keep up with lunchtime demand (she had a helper in back prepping the raw dough).<br />
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Since it was a Friday during Lent, I opted for meatless and ordered one slice of spinach and one slice of cheese (my slight preference was for the cheese-stuffed burek, but they were both good, not to mention amply-sized, a quarter of the whole pie each). Many of the regular customers (who appeared to be mostly Albanian blue collar workers) enjoyed a plain white yogurt drink along with their burek (my initial thought was that it was for dipping, but I saw no one do this), which is something I'll have to try on my next visit out (along with the meat slice)...Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-21485774658688695992017-03-28T07:51:00.000-07:002017-03-28T07:51:02.197-07:00Sandwiches of Westchester County - The Craving<a href="http://cosmoandalexdeli.com/">Cosmo & Alex Pisano Bros.</a> is our local (i.e., in Mamaroneck at 252 Mamaroneck Avenue) traditional Italian deli that's been slinging sausages and baking pizzas for over 50 years. Although I wouldn't know any better, even the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/nyregion/29qbitewe.html">New York Times</a> has commented about how the current proprietors (the Colalillo Family, who also run the bakery next door) offer a number of products at C&A that are more commonly encountered in the markets of Rome - it just all looks cool to me.<br />
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The deli has a thriving takeout business at lunchtime, including hot food and delicious sandwiches, which is my focus in this posting. C&A's Italian Combo made the 2016 list of Westchester County Magazine's best sandwiches, however, I found that variety to be a little off-putting (some of the meats on mine, like the prosciutto and capicola were on the fatty, chewy side), not to mention inconsistent with my new, doctor-recommended low-fat diet. Lately, I've been opting for the Craving instead, a wonderful blend of grilled eggplant, roasted red peppers, broccoli rabe (the unofficial vegetable of our Italian community here), and fresh sliced mozzarella, all served on a long Italian roll (or wedge, as they refer to it here in Westchester).<br />
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<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-62005981127739048052017-03-22T08:44:00.000-07:002017-03-22T08:44:35.041-07:00Hubba - Port Chester, NYI think I may have found my new favorite chili dog. Having now tried this dish in a number of locales throughout the country (becoming something of an accidental connoisseur along the way), I have to say that the chili dogs on order at Hubba's in nearby downtown Port Chester (24 N. Main St.) may actually surpass the rest (and even best Mamaroneck's darling hot dog palace, Walter's, IMHO). The place sure has the right ambiance and backstory: originally called Texas Chili (or Texas Quick Lunch - my sources differ on this) and open possibly as far back as the 1940s, it became Pat's Hubba Hubba in 1989 when Greenwich, CT diner owner Pat Carta wanted to expanded his business into another area location, then just Hubba upon takeover by current proprietor Carlos Magan. Pat Carta passed away in 2009 and his original Hubba Hubba diner closed in 2016, but this Hubba continues onward. And just like our friends Coney Island Texas Lunch in Scranton, PA, it has even spawned a nearby competitor clone claiming to be superior (that would be Texas Chili up the street - I'll eventually have to conduct a mano-a-mano tasting).<br />
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There's little question that Hubba is probably the narrowest restaurant I've ever had the pleasure of dining in. An NBA player with a wide wingspan might actually be able to touch both walls (snagging a souvenir dollar bill or two in the process). It's not crowded at 11:30am on a typical weekday; however, I'm told the overnight hours are when the real action occurs as the club crowd and hungry high schoolers filter in for their late-night fix.<br />
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The menu (written on paper plates pasted above the counter) consists of almost-infinite permutations of hot dogs, burgers, and fries, all centered on a large vat of beanless chili simmering at the front of the store. I opted for a chili dog both with and without cheese - the cheese-less version has raw chopped onions. In keeping with the local Northeast style of hot dog, the weiner is split down the middle before grilling, then served open-face atop a toasted bun. I found the chili (which is ground beef-based - no word on if any of the cattle innards made their way into the pot) to be a bit on the aggressive side, but a perfect foil for the hot dog and toppings (and I wouldn't bother with cheese next time - it didn't add much). After a pair of these beauties and a medium order of fries (which were also quite good), I was a very happy camper...Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-78166056728312616712017-03-21T08:34:00.002-07:002017-03-21T08:34:43.252-07:00United Nations of Grub - Afghanistan (Kabul Kabab House)Having been duly inspired by another blog I discovered shortly before moving to New York (in which the writer is attempting to try cuisine from as many different countries represented in the NYC metro area as possible - <a href="http://www.unitednationsoffood.com/">United Nations of Food</a>), today I am beginning a new segment on this blog called United Nations of Grub. My goal is to take UNF's country list and periodically seek out a restaurant that's serving the representative dishes of each one. This will likely require me to travel into the city more often, but it's probably not a bad thing for me to have more excuses to leave the suburbs.<br />
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I intend to go through the list in alphabetically order - first up is Afghanistan, a country often vilified in these parts lately. As you might expect, Afghani food closely hews to the cuisines of other Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries; that is, lots of seasoned rice and grilled meats (usually in kebab form). Fortunately, I was able to track down a good Afghani restaurant in Queens, located oddly enough on the same stretch of Main Street in Flushing where you'll find a very large Chinese population and a Chinatown that rivals any I've seen in the US (that's a post for another day). Afghanistan does share a short border with China, so I suppose it's not so far-fetched; anyway, I digress.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kabulkababhouse.com/">Kabul Kabab House</a> (42-51 Main St. in Flushing....gosh, these NYC addresses are hard to get used to) appears to have been recently remodeled. There's a grill area up front for takeout and walk-up business, plus a small dining room with about 10 tables in the back. The place was largely empty at lunchtime on the random Tuesday I dined there.<br />
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Mantoo are dumplings that are commonly found in Central Asian restaurants - the Afghan variety served here are steamed and features a stuffing of ground beef and onions. The sauce that's been ladled atop the mantoo (called seer moss) is yogurt-based and normally contains mint, lemon juice, and garlic. A smattering of carrots, peas, and a few dabs of tomato sauce finish off the dish, which was quite good and among the lighter versions of dumpling I can remember having.<br />
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Barg, or marinated grilled steak, is one of the house's specialties. The marinade typically contains saffron, olive oil, onions, and garlic (although they keep it close to the vest at KKH, simply referring to it as "special herbs and spices"). I opted for brown rice with my meat (something called green rice is available, alas, only on weekends), which also came with raw onions and stewed tomatoes. I tried a couple of sauces that were in bowls on the table and found them to be pretty aggressive heat-wise. My server commented that next time I come in, I should request that the barg be cooked to medium instead of medium-well; regardless, the meat was very tender and tasty.Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-31718113799762664892017-03-10T06:52:00.000-08:002017-03-10T06:52:10.760-08:00Sandwiches of Westchester County - PorchettaPort Chester is an old shipbuilding town on the Byram River that's now become something of a retail hub for this part of Westchester County (our nearest Costco and movie theaters are there) and home to a growing population of Latin Americans (judging from the mom-and-pop restaurants, these immigrants are primarily from Central and South America). The Latino joints represent a distinct group of dining destinations awaiting discovery (for example, we've eaten at a decent Peruvian place there thus far), but there are many other food options as well, including Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's venture <a href="http://tarrymarket.com/">Tarry Market</a>, a mini-Eataly located on the main drag at 179 N. Main Street. Patrons of Tarry Market can buy a wide array of meats, cheeses, breads, and desserts, as well as a number of to-go meals like the porchetta sandwich featured in Westchester Magazine.<br />
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Porchetta is a simple dish that's difficult to execute well. In order to make it, a pig is deboned, then fileted with the skin kept on, stuffed with forcemeat/herbs, rolled, and roasted on a spit until the skin is crispy. Tarry Market fills its pork roast with spicy sausage and rosemary, placing the finished meat on a fresh Italian roll with salt and a drizzling of olive oil - that's it. I found this version to be a little on the rich side (some of the meat on my roll was excessively fatty), but very tasty and worth the 15-minute drive from the Chuckwagon...Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-24505740928686102162017-03-06T06:45:00.000-08:002017-03-06T06:45:24.733-08:00Goody Goody Burgers - Tampa, FLWhen the Gonzmart family of Tampa (founders of the historic Columbia restaurant) announced in 2014 that they would be reviving the old-fashioned Goody Goody Diner (open from 1925-2005 and best known for its burgers/breakfasts/butterscotch pie), famous food enthusiasts like myself were excited at the chance to experience a unique local culinary tradition. Unfortunately, what I didn't know at the time was that we'd be ending our Florida residency exactly 2 weeks before the highly-anticipated grand re-opening; thus, I had to wait until our first return trip to the Bay Area to finally visit.<br />
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The last <a href="http://goodygoodyburgers.com/">Goody Goody</a> location (there were 4 of them in the chain's history) was at 1119 N. Florida Ave. in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. The reincarnated restaurant is in trendier Hyde Park (1601 W. Swann Avenue) closer to downtown Tampa. The Gonzmarts purchased all of the original recipes from the old owners and, according to many diners, they have been largely successful in duplicating the beloved flavors of the house's POX burger (which includes pickles, chopped raw onions, and the secret sauce) and butterscotch pie.<br />
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All hail the case of butterscotch pies!</div>
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POX burger and fries. The secret sauce is a thick tomato-based concoction (my nearest comp would be Sloppy Joe sauce, but not as spicy) that gets slathered on to the meat. I preferred the onion rings to the fries.</div>
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You can choose chocolate, banana cream, or coconut cream, but the butterscotch pie is the real deal (and I'm not usually even a fan of butterscotch). The browned meringue on top is its signature.</div>
<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-27586214110481684822017-02-28T06:24:00.000-08:002017-02-28T06:24:02.524-08:00Blue Hill at Stone BarnsAfter several aborted attempts (heck, I've even tried to sign on as a volunteer there with no luck), Mrs. Hackknife and I were finally able to dine recently at the much-heralded <a href="http://www.bluehillfarm.com/dine/stone-barns">Blue Hill at Stone Barns</a>, one of America's top restaurants located a mere 30 minutes from the Chuck Wagon in Pocantico Hills. Chef Dan Barber and his crew moved into the non-profit Stone Barns Center (itself repurposed from an old working dairy farm owned by the Rockefeller Family into an agricultural research facility) in 2004 and have been a worldwide leader in farm-to-table cuisine and sustainability initiatives ever since.<br />
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Speaking of farm-to-table, you can't get any fresher than what's on the plates at Blue Hill - our vegetable-heavy Grazing/Pecking/Rooting tasting menu (reflecting the bounty of the current season) largely consisted of produce harvested straight from the greenhouses and fields a short walk from the dining room. As is befitting of a restaurant integrated into a farm complex and its surrounding nature, stately wood beams and hanging plants dominate the space (which was a little dark for picture taking, I might add - forgive the sketchy photos). All told, the wonderful experience struck me as a combination of Noma and Eleven Madison Park, with a dash of Alinea thrown in.<br />
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Assorted Fresh Radishes and Field Greens</div>
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Kale Chips (the stand of sticks was not edible)</div>
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Badger Flame Beet Pizza</div>
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Picnic platter featuring housemade bread and various goose parts, including Blue Hill's "failed goose liver" spread, made from the chef's attempt at sourcing cruelty-free foie gras</div>
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Our course in the old dairy shed, now used to grow mushrooms and microgreens</div>
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(it was a little chilly - it's New York in February, after all)</div>
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Creamy Mushroom Soup</div>
<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-55574118749373394382017-02-01T07:59:00.000-08:002017-02-01T07:59:15.656-08:00Next (French Laundry Menu) - Chicago, ILOur original plan for New Year's Eve was to dine at Naha, which is a Chicago institution that I've never had the pleasure to experience; by sheer luck, a few extra tickets were released for the current menu at Next (focusing on some of the most famous dishes of French Laundry around the time period 1996-1997) on that evening and, at the behest of my beloved, we ponied up the fee to go there instead.<br />
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Next founder Grant Achatz worked at French Laundry under iconic American chef Thomas Keller for several years and his time there greatly influenced his philosophies in the kitchen and dining room. Even to this day, tables at French Laundry (which is located in Napa and is currently undergoing a major renovation) are notoriously difficult to secure. Mrs. H. and I plan to visit the original someday, but this will likely be the closest we can get for the foreseeable future.<br />
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As is always the case with Next, the food, drinks, and service were impeccable. My only regret is that I was afflicted with a nasty case of heartburn (courtesy of Jolibee, I suspect - see my last posting) during our meal that was significantly exacerbated by some of the indulgent plates we were served (for example, the lobster and foie gras dish was dynamite, but couldn't have been better designed to induce gastrointestinal distress).<br />
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Cornet of Salmon Tartare and Red Onion Creme Fraiche</div>
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Gulf Shrimp and Avocado Salsa</div>
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Blinis with Bottarga and Dehydrated Pepper Sprinkles</div>
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Barbecued Eel with Sesame Seeds and Yuzu</div>
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Black Truffle Custard with Chive Potato Chip</div>
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The famous "Oysters and Pearls" </div>
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Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Golden Osetra Caviar</div>
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The plating for this dish was somewhat elaborate...</div>
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Hawaiian Hearts of Palm with Medjool Date Vinaigrette, Cilantro Infused Oil, and Frisee</div>
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Pompano "Amandine" with Orzo, Pole Beans, and Preserved Meyer Lemon</div>
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Five-Spiced Lobster with Port-Poached Figs and Moulard Duck Foie Gras</div>
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Storey Farms Chicken with Red Pepper Reduction, Confit Biyaldi, and Fines Herbs</div>
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"Pot au Feu"</div>
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Beef Short Rib with Root Vegetables and Sauteed Bone Marrow</div>
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Chaource Cheese with Bartlett Pears, Clove, and Lolla Rossa Lettuce</div>
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Northern Spy Apple Sorbet with Honeycrisp Butter Lattice, Cranberry, and Barley</div>
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Another signature dish "Coffee and Donuts"</div>
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Cappuccino Semifreddo with Cinnamon-Sugar Donuts</div>
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Chocolate Truffle Mignardises</div>
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Assorted Mignardises (had to take these home - too full)</div>
<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-90238661907524928312017-01-27T06:21:00.001-08:002017-01-27T06:22:51.521-08:00Jolibee - Skokie, ILI first heard of Filipino fast food chain <a href="http://www.jollibeeusa.com/">Jolibee</a> on an episode of Parts Unknown in 2013 when Anthony Bourdain (who called their famous spaghetti dish "deranged, yet strangely alluring") visited one of the US locations in Los Angeles with Chef Roy Choi. The chain (which has 36 locations here now, including one in Queens) has developed a loyal cult following in the States among expat Filipinos, first-generation Filipino-Americans, and a few curious gringos willing to expand their fast food comfort zones beyond simple burgers and pizza. Luckily for us, a Jolibee location recently opened in suburban Chicago at 3534 W. Touhy in Skokie not far from our home-away-from-home over the holidays in the city, so Mrs. Hackknife and I agreed to meet up there with my brother-in-law (an aficionado of all things fast food) to check it out.<br />
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All hail our new overlord the happy Bee mascot</div>
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Diners can conveniently order the chain's two most well-known offerings, the fried chicken and the spaghetti, as part of a combo meal. The chicken (called "Chickenjoy" on the menu) isn't particularly distinctive in any way, other than it's definitely now on my short list of best fast-food fried chicken, all crispy and juicy and tender as advertised. On the surface, the spaghetti (which includes noodles, slices of ham and hot dogs, shredded cheddar cheese, and a slighty-sweetened tomato sauce) sounds a bit disgusting, but the components actually work together in a stoner food-kind of way. I can definitely see the allure. The combo meal comes with a side of gravy (I didn't use it) and choice of drink (I selected pineapple juice).<br />
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Jolibee is also known for its Filipino desserts, including halo halo (not the best we've had - the old Filipino Fest in Tampa spoiled us forever) and pearl coolers (you're looking at the ube, or purple yam, below), but the best of the bunch is the peach-mango fried pie that puts to shame anything McDonald's was doing, even back in the 70s when their fryers were still powered with beef tallow.<br />
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Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177823792739688707.post-43347999577573475672017-01-19T08:10:00.003-08:002017-01-19T08:10:52.265-08:00Fat Rice (Revisited) - Chicago, ILAnytime Mrs. H. and I want Macanese food, we know we can find it just around the corner from our Xmas holiday rental condo in Chicago at <a href="http://www.eatfatrice.com/">Fat Rice</a> (2957 W. Diversey Avenue). This year we stopped in for brunch and also checked out a few goodies (such as the Portuguese egg custard tart and the savory Macau rice crisp with nori, sesame, fish sauce caramel, and pig floss) at their new bakery next door.<br />
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Curry vegetable samosas with tamarind mustard seed chutney</div>
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Boiled pork and ginger dumplings</div>
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Minchi (meat and potato hash) croquettes</div>
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Bone-in pork chop sandwich with spicy mustard and crab chips</div>
<br />Hackknifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582557283200902234noreply@blogger.com0