Just one of the many things I love about living on the East Coast…the beauty of the light in between thunderstorms.
Summer returned to New York City this week. Yesterday, the mercury topped 82 degrees, which is unheard of for mid-October. New Yorkers are soaking up the “July in October” weather, walking around in summer clothing and eating lunch in the parks.
Even though the weather is unusually warm, it’s wonderful to see apartment buildings and shops adorned with autumn decor. Even corner bodegas decorate with pumpkins and and scarecrows. This is one of the things that I love about New York City!
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
I love growing my own vegetables, but I just don’t have the time and energy to grow everything. For me, Sunday is the perfect farm stand day. I love looking over and choosing from what has been grown locally. Besides supporting local farmers the fruit and vegetables always taste so much better than mass produced store bought produce. My advice is to savor the end of the summer season and go out to your local farm stand before it’s too late.
I had a bowlful of organic peaches ripening fast and a lime rolling around in the refrigerator and wondered how this combination would taste together. This morning was the first time that I tried it on toast and I am surprised at how delicious it is. I think that I’ll try making more over the weekend.
One of the things that I love about New York City is the abundance of interesting signs. I love this sign that describes spring so well.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
This afternoon I was down in the west village and stopped into Citarella Gourmet Market on 6th Avenue. The place was packed to the gefilte fish with midday shoppers who seemed to be mostly shopping for tomorrow evening’s Passover dinner. I was surprised to see that they were selling prepared Seder Plates complete with hard-boiled egg, lamb shank bone, haroseth, horseradish, parsley, and watercress. Just goes to show that I learn a lot when I leave my apartment and go on little adventures in the city.
I needed ingredients for a dinner that I’m making for Friday evening and am fortunate enough to live near Grand Central Station, which is where the beautiful Grand Central Market is located. I don’t go there often enough, but when I do go I’m always happy to see what’s available. I never go, however, before 3pm as it’s typically packed with the lunch crowd and tourists before then.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Black Garlic
Black Garlic has been around for quite awhile and is an ingredient that chefs have been using across the country. Think of it as “sweet meets savory.” Black garlic is made when heads of garlic are aged under very specialized conditions until the cloves turn black and have a sticky date-like texture. The taste is delicious and unique with a sweet and earthy umami flavor that intensifies nearly any dish you’re creating.
Garlic bulbs are kept for weeks at low temperatures in a humid environment. The enzymes that give fresh garlic its sharpness break down. These conditions also facilitate the Maillard reaction, the chemical process that produces wild new flavor compounds responsible for the deep taste of seared meat and fried onions.
Black garlic’s flavor is described as tasting like aged balsamic, prunes, licorice, molasses, caramel, and tamarind. Use the cloves as you would roasted garlic. Purée with olive oil for a dense and sweet flavor all its own that compliments steaks, chicken, fish and seafood. Smear the paste on crostini or incorporate it into dressings. Use in a braise to intensify the umami-rich flavor of spare ribs. Add to soups, risotto, noodle and rice dishes, and cheese dips. Black garlic also pairs well with blue cheese.
Black garlic also comes in a dehydrated powder that is considered an umami pixie dust. Just sprinkle a bit of it on anything that begs for depth and earthiness.
Most likely you won’t find black garlic at your local neighborhood market, but some Whole Foods will carry it. I’m lucky enough to get mine at Kalustyan’s in New York City. You can certainly get it online at Amazon or other specialty online food sources.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
This is the kind of stuff one sees walking home from the gym on April Fools Day.
One of the colorful things about New York City is that there are food carts on nearly every corner.
