The one with Chocolate by the Blad Man

I was taken to an infamous chocolate shop / restaurant last night, just south of Union Square Park: the one & only, Max Brenner. Here chocolate is not something simply to eat, but to encompass you. Their website justly states is below by saying "Chocolate is not just about the taste".  Entering the store the smell of warm chocolate teases & excited you, everything is dark & the color scheme screams tints of chocolate, caramel & cream. There are stacks of chocolate bars, pipes along the ceiling (Willy Wonka Style) carrying chocolate, & waiters gracefully delivering art-work in the medium of chocolate to every table. NO, you do not simply eat chocolate here, you experience it!

 

"Chocolate by the Bald Man" As they say :) 

We started out with respective chocolate drinks, a Truffle Granita, served in an Alice in Wonderland "Drink ME" Mug

And...a Mexican Spiced Hot Chocolate in a HUG MUG (!!!) 

We  then ordered the "S'mores Concoction" & had no idea what delightful confections we were in for! A gridded tray was brought out to us complete with a petri dish of caramelized bananas, a beaker of caramel, 1 assembled S'more, & a jar bursting with whipped cream & promising of chocolate. What we found was the jar was filled with chocolate pudding, layered with marshmallow fluff, with hidden pieces of graham crackers & then topped with light & creamy whipped cream. Decadent doesn't do this desert justice!  It was honestly too much for us to finish together (we made the mistake of going out to dinner 1st) but we were happily looking forward to the Chocolate Food Coma which should follow!

I've only just found out that Max Brenner also does Chocolate Cocktails & Brunch....it's a dangerous combination, but I can't wait to report back on exactly how fabulous it is! 

Until next time, I'll be dreaming in Chocolate!

Very fun little pencil case / bill box. It reads "Money for Life, Chocolate for the Soul"

The one with Orange Blossom Cupcakes

Today, I decided to make cupcakes for a charming man who has been commanding quite a bit of time in my life. Cake is one of my favorite things in this world; being so, cupcakes likewise bring me great joy.  My favorite vanilla cake batter recipe calls for 4 egg-whites whipped into hard peaks, as of late, I have become a bit of an expert with getting those beautifully shiny peaks as shown below. 

The batter comes out light & very fluffy because it's a mixture of 3 main components: the egg meringue, a sugar-butter mixture, & a dry mixture. I filled cupcake tins (I always loved the look of silver tins around cupcakes. Weird?) 2/3 full & popped into the oven for 30 minutes: slow baking also leads to fluffiness :)

I also decided to add some Orange Blossom Water to the batter to add a hint of delicate flavor to the cakes. When they came out of the oven I couldn't help myself, I had to try one!!

It is imperative to proper cupcake-making that the cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting.

I decided to go with a simple chocolate frosting in order to compliment the Orange Blossom. Here's the link for the Frosting Recipe. Since blueberries are in season, they made the perfect little garnish.

Cupcake to go?!?

I had originally made all the cupcakes the same -- which is my usual style, but while playing with the last of the frosting, I stated putting these little "kisses" as I called them (resemble Hersey Kisses) around the edges of one cupcake. I continued & soon enough had a cupcake full of Kisses for my man. Might be silly, but it made me smile!

So tempting, can't wait to get into these!

The one with double-chocolate-fudge cookies

These are some of my favorite cookies to make... they're tasty & look fun! Essentially, what we're working with is a chocolate cookie dough, with chocolate chips, rolled into balls, covered in confectionery sugar, & baked into crackley perfection! 

They come out of the oven hot,

 falling apart, dangerously fudgey & chewey.

 Within my circle, we've come to call them Chocolate Crackle Cookies, but I originally got the recipe from Nestle's baking website, where they're called "Firecracker Fudge Cookies". Once you make these cookies once, you'll want to again, they're so simple & delicious!

First, you're going to melt 1c chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli semi-sweet, but of course Nestle wants you to use Nestle....) I use a double-boiler to melt the chocolate so  you don't risk burning or otherwise negatively impacting the chocolate. Stir that together until homogenous & set aside to cool.....go back to it every few minutes just to keep it smooth & consistent. Sift together 1 1/2 c flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, & 1/2 tsp kosher salt.  In a separate bowl cream together 6 tbs butter & 1c sugar. Once light & fluffy, mix in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, followed by 2 eggs (1 at a time).  1st mix the cooled chocolate into the butter mixture, then slowly add the flour mixture. Finally, mix in an additional 1c chocolate chips: let the dough cool for at least 1 hour before rolling into 1-inch balls. Once all the dough is rolled out, use about 1/2c confectionery sugar to completely cover each piece of dough. Place well spaced on a cookie tray (I usually line with parchment paper) & bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool.... or not....& ENJOY!

The one with Moose.....the chocolate kind

 So this is actually about Mousse, the desert, I am just irrevocably amused by homonyms! :)

 This evening, my wonderful boyfriend has offered to cook dinner for me: what a treat! To take some of the stress of decision making off his plate, I offered to make dessert. Since I didn't know what he was making, I decided to go with the indulgent but light classic, chocolate mousse. Amazingly, with how I pride myself as a self-made baker, I have yet to  make Mousse. I did a bit of research via FoodNetwork (my kitchen-inspiring obsession) & based my recipe off of a Bobby Flay recipe. Generally his recipes tend to be too over-thought for me, I fancy myself more akin to Alton Brown's simplicity, but I found this recipe effective & without his normal flare.

I started by melting 1/2 a bag of Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips in a mock-double-boiler using two porcelain bowls & some hot water. Once that was smooth I set it aside to cool to room temperature (continuing to stir every few minutes to keep consistent).  In a separate bowl, I began hand whisking (I'm old fashioned & possibly a glutton for punishment given the soreness of my one shoulder now! lol) 3 egg-whites. After about 3 minutes I got this beautiful foamy consistency, but after much more whisking & a few teaspoons of sugar, I got the gorgeous shiny peaks of properly consistent egg whites ready to bring airy life into any meringue,  macaroon, or in this case: mousse. 

 

 With the eggs & chocolate ready, I placed the entire contents of a small container of heavy cream into a bowl set over another bowl of ice (we'll call this the inverse double-boiler).  It only took about 3-5 minutes of whisking to get soft light peaks from the cream. Mousse you see, is primarily about the balancing of parts. In this recipe, it was three parts (trinities of course representing perfection).

I first folded the melted chocolate into the egg whites, & then folded the cream into that. I got a beautifully consistent & lusciously light chocolate mousse. I'm afraid I don't have any pictures of once it had set & was served. I did pair it with some marinated fruit. I sliced fresh strawberries into a bowl, added fresh blackberries, 1/3 c amaretto, & 1/2 a fresh orange squeezed over. I allowed this to sit & come together overnight. After dinner, which was astoundingly delicious, I spooned several generous ounces of Mousse into a small bowl, & topped it with the berries (I did not use the juice as I thought it would be too thin & compromise the mousse).  As I said, I have no pictures of this, & that's simply because it went too fast for me to get any - while I want to work to perfect this recipe, I can say it was certainly a hit!  

Life is more & more about the simple things, I'm glad to say, Mousse is one of them! :)

The one with Brownies

Cake is my FAVORITE thing to eat in the world: second to that, is brownies. The brownie recipe I've been using since childhood is now muscle memory, they come out of the oven warm, ooey-gooey, fudgey deliciousness. There is nothing better on any day of the year than a warm or cool brownie paired with a cold glass of milk (or Hot Coco if it's winter).

One of my biggest problems is getting all the batter into the pan -- it's so tasty!! I'm also convinced it tastes better off a wooden spoon.... just me?

 Fudge-y Brownies:                                            4 eggs, mix together with 1c sugar & 1c brown sugar. Add 1 1/2tsp vanilla & mix together. Melt 1 1/2 sticks butter & set aside to cool. In seperate bowl, sift together 1/2c flour, 2 tsp salt, & 1 1/4c cocoa powder. Alternatively, add the butter & cocoa mixtures to the egg-sugar mixture until homogeneous. Butter & flour a 9x9 brownie pan, add batter & cook at 300 for 48 minutes. 48 May sounds like an arbitrary number, but trust me, they'll be perfection! 

 And Voila! Regardless of the day I'm facing or  my mood, this little piece of heaven will bring a smile to my face every time! Doesn't that look irresistible?!?

I love these super-intense chocolate fudge brownies as they are; however, some of my favorite variations are as follows:
1/2c dried blueberries
1/2c slivered almonds
1 1/2 tsp orange-blossom extract
1/3c Disaronno liquor
1/3c Kahula liquor (Better than Disaronnno in brownies)
Diced Candied Ginger
Crushed candy-canes (around Christmas)
1tsp Cinnamon, raisins & pecans
1pkg instant coffee (tastes like a mocha)
cocoa nibs
1/2c toffee bits
Candied orange peel

On their own or with a little something extra, these are TASTY!! Divertirsi! :)

The one with Death & Co.

Tonight, I was taken to a bar with one of the most consistently authentic & intensive atmospheres which I've ever seen. Death & Co. in the East Village is a destination to be experienced!

Death & Co. does not take reservations. When they open at 6pm, a sharply dressed doorman will walk out & take parties on a 1st come 1st served basis. If they do not have accommodation for you, he will take your name & mobile number, & call you once a table is open. Once you enter the assuming & dark door you're transported into another era. This is an atmosphere which is controlled & intense. There are no windows within, deep mahogany ceilings reflect from the mirrors behind the bar. The entire place is steeped in shadows as lighting is low with only one small oil candle on each table & 3 small chandeliers over secluded table spaces. The seating is likewise low & all gives to an air of seclusion & mystery. The Bartenders wear 3 piece suits or suspenders over a sharp button-down & tie while the waitresses all wear black dresses, black stockings, their hair pulled back with daring red lipstick donned.    

Jazz & folk music play with the sounds of Ratata & Goyte softly lingering in the air to the same decibel of the shakers which the Bartenders wield. Looking around I found myself forgetting exactly when or where I was, I contemplated several times whether I had been transported to a 1920's speakeasy rather than a NYC bar.

We had several drinks, but one was by far my favorite: The Joker's Wild. It was like no drink I had ever had! It's pictured above & is a combination of a dry anise-flavored liqueur (Pacharan) as well as vanilla syrup, lemon juice, & absinthe, topped with an egg-white & seltzer froth. I was skeptical, but it is addictive-ly good -- as is how simply being in Death & Co.! 

I was likewise amused by the quotes used within their menu, such as my favorite below. If there's one thing which Death & Co. is good at doing besides their drinks, it's providing a flawless experience. I can't wait to go back! 

The one on Easter

One of my favorite things about holidays (besides spending time with my family & celebrating gratitude) is Brunch! As of the last few years, my siblings & I have taken to making mimosas an integral part of our holiday Brunch traditions. This year, I enjoyed them with fresh squeezed orange juice & homemade beignets. I found a delectable recipe for ricotta beignets which were light, fluffy & a perfectly sweet treat for Easter.

After generously powdering the beignets with confectionery sugar, I paired them with a side of Nutella & Raspberry jam. Yum.

By the time they were gone I was ready to take a mid-morning sugar-induced-nap & was fully satisfied. Buona Pasqua everyone!

The one with new French Toast

Today, as I went to eat my breakfast, I was faced with the challenge of under-ripe Bosc pears. I was so dismayed because all I wanted was their sugar-textured sweetness; yet alas, they were green & hard. In a moment of improvisational brilliance, I decided to finely slice them & throw then into a pan with a tbs of butter. As their flesh slowly broke down & became more familiar, I added a generous tbs of dark brown sugar & allowed them to continue to cook down. Looking around my kitchen for an accompany, I spotted some day-old bread & quickly whipped up an amaretto French Toast base. I also found some slivered almonds & stirred them in with the pears. Six slices of baguette quickly turned into six fluffy slices of French Toast. I overlapped three slices & spooned on a generous portion of what had become a caramelized pear & almond syrup -- then I repeated the process. :)

The still slightly structured pears contrasted perfectly against the fluffy French Toast & caramelized almonds. From having cooked down it provided a perfect ratio of syrupy sweetness to doughy toast. A fully satisfying & indulgent breakfast!

The one with Buttery-Limoncello Cookies

I was struck today with a baking idea (dangerous ones those are), to make a light butter cookie...& then to use a Limoncello cream filling to make delightful cookie sandwiches.

Well.....ideas are rarely as easy execute as they are to come by. The first batch of cookies I made were to crisp: they wouldn't facilitate biting into if a filling were between them. I tweaked the recipe & baking conditions slightly & was able to get more of a chewy cookie. Check numero uno.

Next was for the filling. This proved to be a frustrating as well as sugar-over-loading test. The first heavy-cream based which chocolate ganache proved to be too soupy due to the vast differences between white & semi-sweet chocolate. The second was thicker, but still held no form similar to the cream texture which I had envisioned. Finally I stumbled across the idea of ditching my vision of a cookie sandwich & instead decided to try a Limoncello glaze. BINGO! It set well & rang true to the taste of Limoncello. IN my first batch I simply drizzled the glaze on; however, I didn't think the Limoncello taste translated strong enough. On a secondary attempt, I dipped them & found utter spring heaven via cookie format.

Lesson of the day? If at first you don't succeed......try something else! Lol & then enjoy the sweet victors of your efforts :)

The one where I'm back on track

Today has been a exhilarating & energizing day -- & it was only a lazy Sunday! :) I started by saying in bed (with a short interim to make breakfast & return to eat it) until 2PM. My sleep deprived self appreciated this rest immensely. Once 2PM struck, I had promised myself I would be productive. I got up, got dressed & ran into Hoboken, for my 1st day at the new gym I signed up for. I've always been an avid supporter & believer in the positive impact working out properly has on your life; but today has really confirmed all of my suspicions.

The burn of feeling my muscles work within me made me feel so ALIVE! I was energized & refreshed, I felt like I could scale mountains! I can't wait to go back tomorrow!

To top off the excellent mood I was in, I decided to make a tasty-healthy meal after I got back from my 2-hour-gym-rendezvous.

I started with a very simple kale salad, with slivered almonds, extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Next time I think I'll add dried cranberries! The crunchy earthiness of kale is so tasty!

Directly after enjoying my kale salad, I remembered my idea of searing kale with olive oil & garlic over brown rice... Next time! I instead made cous cous! I love the versatility of this fluffy little grain. I decided to pair it with a touch of extra fruity olive oil & Hibachi-style zucchini & onions. The only thing I was left wanting was a touch more of a protein presence, but Cous cous does provide a good portion. My dinner was tasty & satisfying.... I'm planning on tea later with a movie -- I have no doubt that it will be a comforting end to an uplifting day! :)

I'm looking forward to continuing my gym & healthy-cooking habits in order to get back into V-mode! Andiamo!

The one where we SNACK

My younger brother, my "Buddy" visited me this weekend, & we had a blast trolling around the city. On his last day here, we spent several hours snacking our way through mid-town, down-town, & Hoboken --- Such a brilliant idea!

Starting at the Rockerfeller Center Concourse, we grabbed some Starbucks for the chilly afternoon we were facing. I enjoyed my normal tall-skim-latte, & convinced my brother to try a "Nutella". This is one of Starbucks "off-the-menu" items, which is essentially a Mocha with a pump of Hazelnut, tastes exactly like a spoonful of Nutella -- Trust me! :)

Naturally after our tummies were warm with steamed milk, and considering our proximity....we stopped by Grom for some desert before dinner. Their flavor of the month for March is "Cioccolato alla arancia" Dark Chocolate gelato with candied orange peel -- suited my taste-buds perfectly! I paired mine with Pistachio, & my brother tried the Crema-di-Grom a creamy classic!

After having desert, Dinner seemed only natural. We were checking out some shops in Greenwich village when we wandered down MacDougal street, & stumbled upon my new fav-Indian street-food hot spot. This tiny little hole-in-the-wall restaurant could double as an Ikea advertisement, they got seriously inventive with "Space-saving solutions". It has a wonderfully chill vibe, & astoundingly flavorful food! It's called Thelewala & they serve up some fantastic little Nizami Rolls! We each tried a chicken wrap, which was wildly tender, packed with bright flavors, & a fulfilling snack size. I was also thrilled to read that they only use farm-raised hormone-free chicken (Evocative of my own food theory). They lasted us all the way back to Hoboken.

Whereupon we stumbled into the TACO TRUCK -- said in an entirely glutenous voice! :) I begin salivating at the mention of this food-truck-gone-restaurant. All of the food is fresh & all-organic-natural ingredients (likewise with free-range-hormone-free-meats) authentic Mexican! We both tried the Barbacoa de Costilla Tacos, which were smokey, spicy, & scintillating in their ability to make me want more than two! Lol We finished off the evening of snack-age with "Plantanos Fritos", fried plantaines which were mildly sweet & thereby a perfect end to a drawn-out dinner.

So, while Coffee, Gelato, Indian, & Mexican may not intrinsically make an apparent menu, as snacks, they paired beautifully within my tummy. I don't know why I haven't done this more often, but you can be sure I'll be making a habit of it now!