Greg's Vodka Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced or minced
1/2 cup vodka 1 (28 oz) can whole plum tomatoes chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 pinch salt
1 pinch white pepper

PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr
READY IN 1 Hr 20 Min
YIELD 5 servings


DIRECTIONS
In a skillet over medium heat, saute onion in butter until golden brown and soft. Pour in vodka and let cook for 10 minutes. Mix in tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and cook for another 30 minutes.

Biscotti - from Aunt Pearl

My aunt sent me this recipe. I haven't tried it but she has and only warns to temper the anisette level to your taste. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2 cubes butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/3 c anisette liqueur
3 T anise seeds
3 t baking powder
4 c flour
2 c whole almonds

METHOD

Preheat ovent to 350. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and the eggs; add the vanilla, liqueur, anise seed and baking powder. Add the flour and mix well. Add the almonds. Place a sheet of wax paper in a pyrex baking dish, place the dough, patting it down. Cover the wax paper and chill for a few hours or as long as overnight. On a floured surface, cut the dough into four equal parts. Roll the dough by hand into logs as long as your cookie sheet. Place two logs per cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or longer if needed (will vary by oven). They should be golden brown. Remove and let cool for 20 min. Cut the cookies diagonally about 1" in width. Place cookies back on to the cookie sheet, bottom side down. Space them out on the cookie sheet and bake another 12 minutes. Let cool. Yields 5 doz. Keeps well in cookie jars/tins or ziplocks.

Chef André - Chez André January 2007

Golden Brown & Declicious (GBD)

Here's a short clip of Chef Dré in action.

Chocolate Soufflé

The dessert portion from "Dinner for Six"at Chez André prepared by Greg & Merry with a little help from Lucy & Ming.

Cream of Celeriac and Leek Soup

Plating by Merry

I don't think any of us had ever prepared celeriac before. Just the day before if Dre had told me he had celeriac in his fridge, I would have told him to fumigate. But as soup was one my team's responsibilities, Celeriac and I became familiar enough for me to call him dinner.

Herb Roasted Cornish Game Hen

Port Wine Reduction Sauce

Here's the main course of the evening plated over the Potatoes Dauphinois, sided with the Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and finished with the Port Wine Reduction Sauce. Yummy! I couldn't believe we actually made everything ourselves.

Cornish Game Hens with Herbs

GBD (Golden Brown & Delicious)

Here's a great shot of the birds after they've been prepared and are ready for heat. I love this shot. It reminds me of something out of one of my cookbooks.

Chez André "Dinner for Six" Class Menu

This is the first menu from Chef André. We were all very excited about the choices. The class size was an intimate six people and Chef Dré divided us into three, two-person teams each team with assigned cooking tasks to complete. Chef Dré would then work with each group individually to get them started on each task and giving a demo of the method where necessary. Many times we would all gather around while Chef Dré would give a demonstration on a particular technique and give extra information like how a technique could be used for other dishes.

Chez André

Private cooking classes in Park Slope

Some people go for walks when they want to clear their mind, while others read, meditate or exercise. I feel a calming in the kitchen after a busy day at work. And I look forward to making a tasty meal and sharing with family and friends. But I have been cooking for so long, I now aspire to preparing restaurant quality meals when we entertain or when I want to create a special evening at home. So, when one of my best friends mentioned that he wanted to start giving cooking classes, my wife and I signed up to be part of his "test" group while he designed and molded his classes.

Enter Chef André

As many of you already know André, you might remember he was an accomplished and hard working NYC actor for many years before he further revealed his talents and creativity in the culinary arts. André has recently begun giving private cooking classes and I had the privilege of attending his first class, Dinner for Six. The class was a huge success! The food turned out wonderful and everyone had a blast. In fact, word has already spread to other friends who then joined in for André’s second class, Seafood Techniques.

Geido Restaurant: G’s NYC Favorites – #1

(718) 638-8866 ● 331 Flatbush Ave (above 7th Ave) ● Brooklyn ● NY ● 11217
Directions: Brooklyn bound B or Q on weekdays or Q anytime to 7th Ave; or 2/3 to GrandArmy Plaza or Bergen.

I am always searching for the perfect Sushi restaurant. As I’m originally from California, many people assume that’s where I acquired my love for raw fish, which is not entirely accurate. Although my first taste of raw Shiro Maguro (or Albacore) was in California it was not in a restaurant. We prepared it the day my dad came back from a three day fishing trip while the Albacore were running and I found the experience somewhat strange. Then when I was in high school I went to my first sushi restaurant and also had a friend who would prepare California rolls for picnics (thanks Rona!). But I didn’t become an avid sushi lover until I began working in midtown NYC back in 1998. For dinner we would order Japanese at least once per week. Of course I began by just ordering “training sushi” (California rolls, unagi, shrimp tempura [READ: “cooked”] and so on. But after I started ordering the raw stuff and got a taste for the texture and the flavor (which eventually included ordering beer and sake when out with two of my best fiends and fellow sushi lovers PT & Erica), I became hooked. In more than a few periods of my life since then my sushi habit probably surpassed a more than heavy heroine addiction (in dollar value only of course). So what about Geido?

Park Slope’s restaurant market is as fierce as it gets outside of Manhattan with restaurants failing all the time. But a few like Geido have become fixtures in the neighborhood and have cultivated loyal if not devout followings. Geido is a sushi style Japanese restaurant in Brooklyn disguised as a taco bar in Laguna Beach. The décor is rugged, loud and yet somehow muted and tasteful with lots of interesting or at least expressive graffiti on most of the walls. The wait staff is most often friendly, attentive while usually busy as hell. But what really makes this place “cook” is Osamu itamae: this guy knows how to cut sushi. I highly recommend the sashimi as well as the rolls and for the experienced, ordering omakase will never fail to mesmerize. Now, usually I find a large menu means the restaurant can’t do any one thing well. This is certainly not the rule at Geido with an expansive menu and specials board including many hot and traditional Japanese menu items; there are too many favorites for me to list. The sake menu is not huge but still offers many yummy selections including Soju. And the prices are a bit lower than what you might expect for a dinner of this quality. But what really brought my attention to this restaurant during my first visit back in 2003 was the sushi rice. When I was a novice but avid sushi lover and living in Laguna Beach, I would go out with some of my more experienced sushi loving friends and they would always talk about the rice. They would have discussions about it and critique it as one of the most important areas of sushi. For me it was all about the fish. Growing up a fisherman’s son gave me a keen nose for fish. I could tell what was frozen and if so for how long or rather if it had been frozen for too long. Before flash-freezing changed the fishing industry (a.k.a. Frozen at Sea or F.A.S.) I would never order fish from a restaurant or buy from a regular grocery store. This is how I became known among my friends for being able to pick good sushi restaurants. I was focused on the fish but the subtlety of the rice eluded me. Geido is the first sushi restaurant whose rice really made me take notice. The texture and the flavor of the rice are absolutely perfect. Be prepared to wait if you go during peak hours. Geido is also closed on Mondays and does not open for lunch.

Brooklyn Restaurant Review: Scottadito Osteria Toscana

788 Union St (Between 6th Ave & 7th Ave)
Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215-1307
(718) 636-4800

The food at Scottadito’s Tuscan style Italian cuisine brought to us by owners Paolo Nozzoli and Michele Di Bari is supposed to be too good to wait for it to cool, as implied by the restaurant’s name meaning “finger blistering” in Italian. This gem of Brooklyn’s popular Park Slope neighborhood is known for Organic ingredients, homemade pastas and a romantic and comfortable atmosphere all delivered with care by the knowledgeable and friendly wait staff. The menu is not cluttered but has an interesting range of pasta selections, a few of which are homemade. The entrées (ranging from $12-$22) boast several chicken dishes as well as salmon, rack of lamb and pork tenderloin.

Service was appropriate and as we strategically went on an slow night, we practically had the place to ourselves. The wine selection was good with quaffable house selections available by the glass. I had the pork tenderloin which was stuffed with prosciutto, fontina cheese, and spinach with apple reduction and served with mashed potatoes and eggplant caponata. The combination was perfect. Each slice of tenderloin was a treat and paired nicely with the smooth potatoes and tasty eggplant. It’s interesting that this review came up after my recent Pesto posting. Or maybe my pasta order was influenced by the Pesto posting I’d recently written. In any case, the Pesto I had was the only disappointment of the evening. And it was pretty disappointing. I could only tolerate a couple bites and had to return the entire plate. Lucky for me my entrée was so filling. We didn’t even have room to sample the desserts. Based on the overall experience my entrée and the dishes my wife ordered, we are certainly planning to re-visit this handy neighborhood restaurant.

North Fork Long Island Wineries

I first began visiting the vineyard’s of Long Island’s North Fork in 1999. Since then almost a dozen wineries have joined this growing region. The distance from the city makes it a perfect day trip destination. Here are some notes I’ve taken during my trips since then:


PALMER Cute bar with lots of character and space for tasting; Great Riesling; Picnic potential outide; Home feel with great backyard covered deck and lawn table area w/umbrellas. BBQ and spread in backyard on deck; Tasting is not free ($4?) but well is worth it due to healthy pours and personalized flights (you get to create your own flight); Indoor/outdoor seating. Good first stop for tasting and lunch.


MACARI Stars for the wine and for the lovely bar and deck (I'm a big fan of decks); Very large and modern bar with lots of natural wood and great lighting. Inner patio is an even larger covered deck with looks and feel more like a restaurant. Reminds me of some wineries in Napa. Awesome Merlots, Chardonnay, and dessert wine. Picnic potential just okay.

PELLEGRINI Very nice layout; Tasting very cool, 1-2 complimentary servings plus choice of $2 and $6 flights. Wines ok. Nice but limited patio seating in back by vines. Self tour (cool); live music (sometimes); wedding/private party potential; Layout, self-tour and tasting actually worth ^½ star more (I left the star ratings off this posting).

PECONIC Charming and cozy bar; outdoor tables very nice; Lovely sweet wines, good for others and ok overall. The stars are for the charm. The extra ^½ is for the tasting: 3-4 Complimentary tastings plus two $6 flights to choose from.

PINDAR Stars for the atmosphere, spacious rectangular "island" bar and extra friendly tasting. Wine tasting (lots of choices!) is mostly free with only $4 fee for tasting reserves and is good towards purchase of any Reserve. Wines are okay to good. Backyard covered deck has tons of room for sipping and enjoying views of the vines. Big cat (Hodgeson), possibly the biggest cat I'd ever seen, passed away in 2005 :(

BEDELL Very sheik and cool looking bar/tasting room; though still homey and personal; Tasting is $5 (but when we purchased our wine, they didn’t charge us for the tasting); Friendly staff; Wines good. Very nice raspberry dessert wine.

PUGLIESE Top choice for last stop/picnic area. Very sweet pond with grassy areas for sitting under the sun or the large weeping Willow tree; very cute frogs and frolicking turtles fill the waters; Very cool vine covered seating and tables also near pond. "Champagne" tastings available; Any four wines are free to taste. Full glasses can be purchased for outdoor sipping and enjoying the grounds.

Basic Pesto Sauce

Every since Lucy (& Danny) prepared fresh Pesto for me out of their kitchen when they were cooking for a party, I had a taste for Pesto. But it wasn’t until I was in college when my brother introduced me to Milano Ristorante where I truly began my love-affair with Pesto. And since then I’ve had friends and family call me for my recipe since they knew I’d also taught myself how to prepare this delightful sauce. Here’s a basic Pesto sauce I’ve been using for many years.


Basic Pesto Sauce:
1/2 c fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 c fresh basil leaves freshly picked w/out stems
1/2 c melted butter
1-2 cloves fresh garlic
1 T pine nuts
3/4 c olive oil
1/2 t lime juice
Pasta: angel hair/capellini/vermicelli or gnocchi are my favorites with this sauce.

Using a blender or food processor begin with Parmesan cheese adding basil and melted butter, followed by garlic, pine nuts, lime juice and finally the olive oil. Allow each ingredient to blend smoothly with the preceding ones before adding the next, then let stand 1 hour.

River Cafe: A Rave Review

I consider it good karma to begin Foodie World with a rave review of a very New York restaurant, River Café. It’s one of those restaurants everyone seems to have heard of and being located in Brooklyn Heights on the promenade, many have also seen it as well. River Café has been called, “one of the great restaurants of the world” and has been named one of five best restaurants in New York, by Gault Millau, one of the most influential French restaurant guides. But so much acclaim and raised expectations can often lead to a very large disappointment. Not so with River Café. Owner, Michael O’Keefe has endured all the praise and with Executive Chef, Brad Steelman, presented us with a fantastic experience from beginning to end.

The beginning of this magical evening began outside the restaurant in their lovely garden. We had arrived about 20 minutes early for our 9:30 pm reservation and decided to take a look around the grounds. The garden, in the middle of January, had a serene if not petrified appeal with icicle shadows given off by the Christmas style year round lighting. In 40° weather, we didn’t expect our excursion to last more than five or so minutes. But as soon as we arrived in the center of the garden, we were treated to the sweetest welcome. A tiny white kitty approached us as if she had been waiting for us and proceeded to purr and prance around us, as if she sensed how fond my wife and I are of animals, especially cute and friendly ones. As we returned her nuzzling advances and vacillated towards the restaurant, she seemed to understand our pangs of hunger and began leading us down the path to the café entrance. The doorman surprisingly seemed to open the door for her as well as us as he carefully welcomed us all in. She was apparently at home on the grounds and looks to be allowed in the rather large and ornate vestibule where we mistook the coat check person for the hostess.

For me to say from the moment we arrived we received the utmost courtesy and service would be an understatement, especially considering our initial feline greeting. We checked in with the maître d', requesting a window table and settled in at the bar in front of a view of Manhattan worthy of a romantic NY movie scene. The bar staff was professional, yet personable, the way people who serve drinks should be and the drinks were made with expert care. Despite our reservation we expected the 45 minute wait since that is exactly what the maître d' estimated when we had asked for the window side table. And when our table was ready, it was worth every extra minute. The waiter had to be the highlight of the evening. He seemed to take extra special care of us, as if we were old friends who had made time to visit him during his busy day at work.

The food was absolutely perfect: The Wild Rock Lobster was delightful. My wife had the Black Sea Bass and the tastes she offered me left me wanting more, despite the wonderful dish that lay in front of me. As I was torn between two of the many seafood dishes (Chef Steelman prepares a French-inspired seafood menu), the plentiful and appealing non-seafood dishes seemed to demand my attention. So, I requested a recommendation from the waiter, who I’d so quickly come to trust and he did not disappoint. The Prime Aged Sirloin Steak (served charcoal grilled with truffled creamed spinach, pink peppercorn and marrow basted russet potatoes) was one of the tastiest Sirloin steaks I’ve ever had.

My only disappointment of the evening was the Riesling, which was a bit syrupy for my taste, but was well within the range of expectations for this Varietal. And after deciding my main course, the Cabernet Sauvignon I ordered more than made up for it.

One of the last tables left at closing, we were never rushed and the only time we had to really look for service, was when we were finally ready to request our bill. As we collected our coats the doorman inquired our need for and then hailed us a cab.