Fresh from the garden

This year Michael and I are growing our first garden. We've definetly had our share of problems,but we are now starting to enjoy our produce. Tomatoes, cucumber, and the end of greens are coming in and making me love the reasons to come up with things to use them in. One my favorite sandwiches is tuna. I love tuna, it's like a poor mans version of what a lobster or crab roll can offer on a day to day basis. I like it one of two ways either with olive oil, olives, peppers or with mayo egg celery or fennel and shallots. This particular day I had a hankering for the creamier version. I topped it with some fresh garden greens and our first tomatoes. I couldn't even wait to take a bite!

Birthday Feast

So in honor of my birthday and the last year of my twenties I had a gathering with all my friends. It was the first time many had been over to are new digs and the first time they had seen the splendor of our backyard. I made a buffet of Mexican fare it took me all day to prepare said meal, but was worth it in the end. Here's what was made.

Corn, Pobalano and Cheese Tamales
Chicken Tinga
Steak Tortas
Smoked Pork Shoulder Tacos
Mini Hambuerguesas
Elote
Tongue(Langue) Tacos
Watermelon/Cantelope
Salsa (fresh from the garden)
Guacamole
Margaritas

Roughly 30 people showed up and I think I made too much food. No I know I made too much food because I packaged it up and gave it away. By far the favorite was the tongue and the tamales!

Asia Dog

The Brooklyn Flea has proven itself as my food heaven this year. Give me the Red Hook ball field vendors without the commute to Red Hook, pizza from a wood fired oven, my favorite McClure pickles, Salvatore ricotta... and on and on. It's drastically better then the selection it gave last year of only one major vendor "Choice" which I secretly hate, but more on that later. Recently I tried "Asia Dog" a classic hot dog and burger joint with (what will be obviously stated) an Asian twist. So let me go ahead and say it... good idea not that great in flavor. It needs a lot of work. The strengths are the toppings but the weaknesses are in the basics. Instead of a hot dog which seems lack luster I would use a sausage,and I would put a lot more love into those bulgogi burgers which needed a lot more flavor. The bun is the most crucial element in this hot dog or burger equation. The bun they use is the standard white bun you buy in the store. Problem is they end up getting soggy before you even take a bite. Please Please Please do me a favor and spend the extra 20 cents and get a good bun. Brioche, potato, or something of that nature. Grill it, put my meat in it and dish it out. Asia dog you got a good idea going on I'm just not quite sold!

Zucchini Blossoms

I think that if you like food and if you live in New York, you eventually start to get your thrills on getting the first of something that won't last that long. Or it might just be human nature, either way I was at the farmers market this weekend and picked up a box of zucchini blossoms and on Sunday morning made a lunch snack. I stuffed them with the classic ricotta,egg,thyme mixture, but I would suggest a funky goats cheese. I found a recipe that had a batter mixture of seltzer and flour, so I used that. It worked perfectly because you weren't absorbed with the flavor of batter, but it still made the flower crispy. It was super easy and a delicious Sunday treat.