La Boutique de la Truffe

To celebrate special occasions, we've been fortunate to dine at restaurants like Per Se and The French Laundry and hope to one day be able to save enough in order to check out Alinea, Daniel, Le Bernardin, and Masa.

So when we received a package from the woman who ships truffles (the mushroom-type, not the chocolate) to all of these restaurants, we were ecstatic!  Since 2003, Manhattan-based Celine Labaune has been importing truffles for chefs like Thomas Keller.  She has now launched La Boutique de la Truffe which features products that easily enabled us to make a 5 star dinner at home.

 

We received the Truffle Honey ($19) - once we opened it, we were hit with a rich, truffle fragrance.  We decided to pair it with a salty meat and earthy cheese.  We sliced a baguette, grilled it with olive oil, and topped it with blue brie cheese, a thin slice of speck (prosciutto), and drizzled the Truffle Honey on top.  

 

We only needed a little bit of the honey as it was full of flavor.  The truffle adds a nice dimension and complexity to the honey.  Since we have so much left over, we will likely use the La Boutique de la Truffe Truffle Honey to baste pork or chicken or to drizzle it over ice cream or fruit.

We also received a jar of La Tartufata ($27) or White Truffle Cream.  We decided to mix it with some pasta water, oil, and cream to make a rich pasta sauce.  This went well with the fresh egg pasta we bought at Raffetto's in the West Village.

 

Lighted a candle, poured ourselves a glass of wine, and enjoyed an almost-instant haute cuisine dinner chez us.

La Boutique de la Truffe products are available online as well as at the following local gourmet stores:
Grace's Marketplace
Raffetto's
Get Fresh Table and Market
Marlow and Daughters

Around the World with Cheese!

There's nothing like a wedge of cheese, some charcuterie, and (lots of) red wine to make us feel that all is well in the world.  

This is probably why, when we walk about and come across a cheese shop, we inevitably sample to our hearts' content and always leave with a few new cheeses to share at home.

Here is our ode to the cheeses and cheese shops we've recently enjoyed!

Whenever we're in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we make sure to stop off at Bedford Cheese Shop.  The shop is charming and despite the large variety, is never over-whelming.  Perhaps it's because the staff as always been friendly and easy-going in offering samples and suggestions.

 

We came away with these 3 cheeses.  The Ossau-Iraty (also known as Istara) is a creamy, nutty French sheep's milk cheese.  The Zamorano is a hard sheep's milk cheese from Spain.  It's a sharper, nuttier, and richer cheese versus Manchego.  For dessert, we had the Lemon Baked Ricotta, which is a religious experience in itself!  If you like lemon and airy cheesecake, this cheese is for you!

 

We've posted a few times about Despana, a Spanish stores that features a large selection of authentic Spanish food and drink products.

We chose two Spanish sheep's milk cheeses.  The Roncal (left) was nutty and chewy and fairly similar to the Manchego, our usual sheep's milk cheese selection.

When we visit Toronto, we make sure to stop off at A Taste of Quebec.  This Quebecois cheese shop shares it space with an art gallery, making the area itself a fun and interesting destination.

Le 1608 is from Laiterie Charlevoix in Quebec, Canada.  What's interesting about this cheese is that is uses milk from Champlain cows, whose ancestors were brought over from France in 1608 (also when Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City). This was a very stinky cheese (some would call it "earthy", others would say "barnyard") with a nutty taste.

 

We loved the dramatic black rind on Le Chevre Noir.  It's another Quebecois goat's milk cheese made by Fromagerie Tournevent.  This was definitely different as this was cheddar-like in style versus the usual crumbly or creamy goat cheeses.  It was buttery, with a touch of caramel sweetness and a very long finish.  It would go well with a light, fruity or country-style wine...and we thought it would also go well with espresso.

A Taste of Quebec is located at The Distillery District, building 32 (off Distillery Lane) in Toronto, Canada.

Bedford Cheese Shop is located at 229 Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Despana is located at 408 Broome St. (btwn Lafayette and Cleveland Pl) in NYC.

Batali and Co's EATALY Part I - The Market

Grocery store, bakery, restaurant, take-out counter, pizzeria, and more...it's no wonder that we spent countless hours wandering about this place! Eataly is the brainchild of Mario Batali and Joe and Lidia Bastianich.  It's a huge space, nearly 50,000 sq ft, and has been crowded with locals and tourists since its opening last Tuesday.  This post is the first of three posts dedicated to Eataly (there's a lot to cover!).  In this post, we'll show you the grocery store face of Eataly (Part 2 will cover "dining in Eataly" with the final part showcasing our purchases from Eataly).

Our first impression of Eataly is that though it is big, it feels crowded as the dining areas and grocery areas intertwine.  It was difficult to navigate around and overwhelming to find the various sections.  At times, we would walk through seating areas with people dining to get to different grocery areas.

The shopping carts were sleek and they could fit a shopping basket on top and on the bottom.  Prices for groceries varied from fair to expensive. 

The produce area carried a variety of items from regular tomatoes on the vine ($2/lb) to more unusual fruits like gooseberries ($4/pkg) and kiwano fruit ($6 ea).  There were also tons of mushroom varieties (like we saw in San Fran).

One of the unique features of Eataly is the 'Vegetable Butcher.'  When we visited, they were breaking down artichokes and preparing beets so that people can take them home to cook right away.  The vegetable butchers told us that they will prepare anything in the produce area for us to take home. 

Throughout the afternoon, the bread was disappearing fast.  By around 3pm that afternoon, the display case had various empty slots as lots of people were getting bread to go with their cured meats and cheeses.

The fresh pastas looked good, but it seemed much more expensive than the fresh pasta we get from Raffetto's in the West Village.

We loved seeing all of the fresh seafood and fish - especially the Wild Gulf shrimp.  Everyone who walked by seemed amazed by the assortment - or at least curious about the ugly monkfish staring at them.  Eataly is supposed to have fish brought in daily from West Coast and Europe along with pristine locally sourced product.

The cheeses were tempting, especially the housemade mozzarella (made daily).  We ended up getting burrata cheeses ($9.80 ea) that were imported from Italy.

The Piedmontese beef are local beef from cow breeds that originated in the Piedmont region in Italy.  They're leaner, more muscular, and higher in protein.  The selection included Piedmontese NY strip ($19.80/lb) and Piedmontese fillet ($29.80/lb).  On the cooked meat side, people were lining up for picnic items like Prosciutto di Parma ($23.90/lb, $26.80/lb), Coppa Dolce ($24.80/lb), and Sopressata ($24.80/lb).

The beverage areas had numerous Italian sodas, imported water, and beers. It's the biggest selection of Italian craft beers we've seen in NYC; however, the beers are on the pricey side (and even more marked up in the restaurants).  My husband liked seeing craft brands in addition to the common Moretti beers.  Alongside the bottles from Birrificio Montegioco and  Birra del Borgo, there were numerous bottles of Dogfish Head beers.  

Later this fall, Eataly is planning to open a rooftop brewery that is a collaboration between Dogfish Head from Delaware and the Italian craft brewers Birrificio le Baladin and Birra del Borgo (unfortunately it appears Russian River Brewing will not be part of it as first reported earlier this year).  We also heard that Eataly would also have housemade sausages on hand when the rooftop opens.  It sounds like Eataly's going to be even more crowded!

 

The wine store next door that includes the Bastianich family wines and those in the portfolio of a co-developer of Eataly that includes the Fontanafredda and Borgogno labels.

Unlike most grocery stores though, you can purchase and immediately dine on food and drink like charcuterie and Italian soda pop.  Our next post will feature the take-out and various restaurant options we experienced within Eataly.

Overall, the grocery store areas had a good assortment of dry pastas (even the Barilla dry pasta is from Italy, not from the US like the boxes found in Fairway), anchovies, cheeses, and cured meats.  The prices varied and the crowds and layout made shopping difficult.  Speaking with an employee, it sounds like we'd have to get there at 10AM when the grocery store opens in order to beat the crowds.  From lunchtime to 11pm close, it's currently a zoo.

Eataly is located at 200 5th Ave (btwn 23rd and 24th Sts) in NYC.

Casellula Cheese and Wine Cafe in NYC

There's nothing like a good wine bar to brighten up our weekend!  With friends and family in the city, we ventured over to Hell's Kitchen to check out Casellula Cheese and Wine Cafe.  It's a small, cozy space with an exposed brick wall.  Though this popular spot does not take reservations, we were able to grab a couple of tables and squeeze our party of 6 in for an early dinner.

Bottoms up! Our group covered the spectrum of wines by choosing red, white, rose, and even mead (honey wine).  My hubby and his BIL opted for Oregon's McKinlay Pinot Noir (2008, $14), a fruitier style of Pinot.  Given the summery weather, I went straight for the crisp Substance Pinot Gris (2009, $12) from Washington State.  My SILs stayed local, opting for the light and refreshing Wolfer Estate Rose (2009, $9) from Long Island.  And finally, our friend went international with his sweet Lurgashall mead ($9) from the U.K.

And with wine must come cheese!  The Petit Burrata cheese ($10) with oven-dried tomato toast and pistachio cream was milky and delightful.  The Spanish White Anchovy Filets ($8) with fennel and pickled shallots lent a flavorful, savory bite.  The Ricotta Crostini ($6) with orange blossom honey, hazelnuts, and lemon was sweet and airy (like biting into spring).  We also shared a plate of Marcelli Ricotta Scorza Nera (paired with a marmalade), Taleggio Ca de Ambros (paired with an olive tapenade), and Blue di Bufala (paired with a honey) (3 cheeses = $18). 

The large meat plate ($22 for 8 meats) was a great choice for our group of 6.  We got to try chistorras, smoked goose breast, bresaola, chorizo traditionale, heritage Berkshire ham, Genoa salami, mortadella, and speck.

All of the meats were tasty, but I especially loved the Chistorras (or Spanish pork sausages).  With its crispy casing and the side of mustard and gerkins, I enjoyed this elevated version of hot dogs!

Casellula Cheese and Wine Cafe is located at 401 W 52nd St (btwn 9th and 10th Aves) in NYC.

Brasserie 8 1/2 dinner hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Board

Being fans of cheese (and having just returned from the Midwest), we were so excited to be invited by the Wisconsin Cheese Board to a dinner held at Brasserie 8 1/2 in NYC. They were in town for the Fancy Food Show and had arranged for Executive Chef Julian Alonzo to create an elaborate 9-course meal.  So we sat down for an elegant 4 hour+ meal and enjoyed the company of our friendly hosts and other attending food writers.

The amuse bouche was beautiful.  From left to right, we had the Maine Diver Sea Scallop Ceviche with Armando Manni Olive Oil "Per Mi Figlio", Croque Madame Featuring Wisconsin Crescenza Stracchino, and the Hearts of Palm with Asparagus Ice Cream and Vanilla Fleur de Sel.

1st Course:  Large cubes of Heirloom Tomatoes were wrapped with delicate Mediterranean Dorade and served with Watermelon Salad.

On top, Tomato Consommé was added to create a fresh first course.

2nd Course:  Japanese Yellowtail and Avocado Roulade with sliced Radish, Sea Beans, Passion Fruit, and a Yuzu-sweetened seaweed crisp. 

3rd Course:  Brioche Crusted Arctic Char with "Parmesan Noodles," Basil, and Patty Pan Squash.  The Parmesan noodles were made with (and tasted more like) agar.  They were surprisingly not salty, but interesting.

4th Course:  Crispy Zucchini Blossom Flower stuffed with Lobster, English Pea Puree, and Shaved Asparagus.  I love stuffed squash blossoms, and having it filled with lobster elevated this dish. 

5th Course:  Soft Boiled Upstate Farm Hen's Egg with Morel Mushrooms, morel mushroom broth foam, and Ham.  We've enjoyed incarnations of this dish at Telepan, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and at home, so it was no surprise that we loved the egg yolk mixed with morel mushrooms.  The ham made this dish more savory than others, but it was still a successful dish.

6th Course:  Ahi Tuna Wrapped in Lardo with Haricot Verts Puree and Chanterelle Mushrooms.  My hubby and I both enjoyed this dish - he's a big fan of lardo (Italian cured pork fat) and I love ahi tuna and yellow chanterelle mushrooms. 

7th Course:  Roasted Vermont Quail and Hudson Valley duck Foie Gras with Pickled Rhubarb and Pea Sprouts.  This rich dish was our favorite of the night as we enjoyed a very generous portion of foie gras.

8th Course:  Wisconsin Artisanal Cheese Plate.  Given that the Wisconsin Cheese Board was sponsoring this dinner, we were eagerly anticipating this course.
1. Raspberry BellaVitano:  The cheese's name comes from it being soaked in raspberry ale versus it tasting like fruit.  This cheese was more savory, with a Parmesan flavor and creamy texture.
2. Les Freres:  This creamy washed-rind cheese is made in 2-lb wheels and cave aged to give it a distinctively earthy, fruity flavor.
3. 10-Year old Cheddar:  My hubby loved this extra sharp cheddar because of its deep flavor and creamy texture.
4. Marieke's Foenugreek Gouda:  I loved this cheese which curiously reminded me of maple walnut fudge.  The foenugreek seeds give the nutty, maple-like flavor to this creamy Goua.
5. Moody Blue:  We both loved this creamy blue cheese.  It's smoked over fruit wood which gives it the smoky flavor with hints of nuts and coffee that we enjoyed.
6. Dunbarton Blue:  Though it was a close call, my hubby ended up calling this cheese his favorite of the night.  Made of fresh raw milk, it was the stronger of the two blues.

Dessert course:  I thoroughly enjoyed the Frozen banana pudding with white chocolate swirl.  Maybe it was because it reminded me of how my parents used to put bananas in the freezer for my brother and me to enjoy as kids. 

Mignardise:  Fruit jelly, White chocolate truffle, and little cream puffs or profiteroles.  A wonderful ending to a delicious meal.

Brasserie 8 1/2 is located at 9 W 57th St (btwn 5th and 6th Aves) in NYC.
Many of these cheeses are available in NYC at Murray's Cheese Shop and Whole Foods.  We'll definitely keep an eye out for them!

Cheesy Tastes of the Midwest: Mac n' Cheese Pizza and Jucy Lucy

Other than Chicago, we haven't had the opportunity to check out the food scene in the Midwest...until now.  With my recent trips out to Madison, WI and then meeting up with my husband in Minneapolis, MN (for a wedding), I indulged in a couple popular Midwestern comfort foods.

The first thing I heard when I arrived at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison was a cow mooing (honest!). It was a toy cow that had tipped over in one of the airport stores (where these shirts were being sold).

When in Wisconsin, I had to eat some cheese! So I looked online and found local pizzeria Ian's Pizza and ordered their top-selling pizza:  the Mac n' Cheese pizza ($10, 12 inch). 

It was carb-tastic.  There's something oddly comforting about mixing mac n' cheese and pizza.  I think it's also best enjoyed with a cold pint of beer and friends to share this heavy dish.  I made it through almost 75% of the pizza before collapsing into a satisfying food coma.

Ian's Pizza has various locations.  I ordered my pizza from the State Street location at 115 State St. in Madison, WI.

Next stop was Minneapolis, MN (loved this piece of art from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden) where my hubby and I stayed for a few days (more posts to come!)

On the top of my "To Eats" list was a Jucy Lucy - Minnesota's cheeseburger.  There are two places that lay claim to originating the Jucy Lucy:  5-8 Club and Matt's Bar.  We could only go to one, so we decided to go to Matt's Bar (in honor of our friend Matt who was getting married that weekend).  

We got to Matt's Bar and found a crowded hole-in-the wall space.  Luckily we only had to wait a few minutes for a table.

My hubby ordered a cold Summit EPA ($3.95, pint) and we shared a fairly large basket of French Fries ($3.25, half order).

And finally we got our Jucy Lucy ($5.15) with onions.  A Jucy Lucy is a hamburger with American cheese cooked inside the patty.  According to the restaurant, the Jucy Lucy was created in 1954 when a customer ordered two patties with cheese in between them.  When he bit into the sandwich, he exclaimed,"That's one Jucy Lucy!"

When you bite into the burger, hot melted cheese spills out.  It was so addictive. 

The patty itself wasn't overcooked and the cheese is tasted even on the last bite.

Matt's Bar is located at 3500 Cedar Ave S in Minneapolis, MN.