Falafel and Dogs

If the title of that post doesn't lure you in with smiles on your faces, then I hate to break this to you but you might not be my target audience ;-) I kid, I kid. But really, what more could you want?

Last week I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to take the train up to NYC with some friends to catch Next to Normal. It's an excellent cast preforming a Pulitzer award winning play. Again, what more could you want? Throw in some falafel and I was in Heaven! We got to the City kind of late and didn't have long until our show started. One of the friends that I was with, Andrew, said he had a good idea for dinner since we were pressed for time. He knew of this vegetarian take out place with a "funky salad bar". Since he knew I was all about that stuff, he suggested we drop in and grab some take out.

He ended up taking me to Maoz which was right on the way to Times Square from Penn Station. It would not have been more convenient...or good! I've been in a bit of a falafel depression since we got back from our amazing experience in Paris. I hate to sound like one of those people but the bar was set so darn high that I was having a difficult time finding a decent falafel that satisfied the itch back home. I've been to several places in Princeton and nothing has really done it for me (otherwise I would have written about it!). I have a fever and the cure is Maoz.

Back in the early 90's, Maoz opened in the Netherlands. Their mission is a quick, quality meal and they definitely deliver. About eight years ago, the first U.S. location opened in Philadelphia. There are five in New York City and, as I was glad to know, we also have one in New Brunswick. I'd heard about it before from a friend and we even passed it back earlier this year when Chris took me to see Porgy and Bess. The colors and set up are fresh and eye catching so it was hard to miss. When Andrew suggested it, I was excited to finally have the chance to check it out.

They have several different combo options that range from a full on falafel sammich with fries and juice to a salad or just some of their Belgian fries and a juice. You have your choice of fresh iced tea, lemonade or some incredible orange juice that is pressed to order. You have to pay a dollar more for it but trust me, it's totally worth it. You can also upgrade to sweet potato fries. Both fry options are great but if you like your sweet potatoes, these are killer.

Another shining star at Maoz is their salad bar. If you buy a falafel sandwich, you can hit the salad bar and load up with toppings. They have incredible options such a red cabbage, fresh sauces, seasoned couscous and, my favorite, pickled baby eggplants.

I couldn't stop thinking these little guys! I am sure Chris was sick of hearing me rant and rave about Maoz so when I suggested it on Sunday, he agreed to make a detour to New Brunswick on our way out to Silver Forge Farm. I was thrilled! It was everything I remembered it to be and I was glad to see that he enjoyed it as well. For the both of us to get our sandwiches, orange juice upgrades and fries of our choice cost us a little less than $20. The food was fresh and absolutely delicious. I'll tell you what, this particular stretch of George Street in downtown New Brunswick is a force to be reckoned with! Makedas, Chipotle, Maoz and a bunch of other great places are all within a few blocks of eachother. TKO!

We had to hurry over to Manalapan afterwards. We agreed to farm sit for our friends Shannon and Eliezer so we got here ASAP yesterday evening to dispense some dinner to the masses. We had a long list of animals waiting to be fed so we went down the line and tossed some hay to the sheep, feed to the chickens, scraps for the pig and such.... More on that as the week unfolds.

My dog Chowder and his girlfriend Ripley.

Our main charge while we are here is Ripley. Silver Forge lost an important member of the family earlier this month when their golden retriever, Harrison, died of cancer. He went peacefully in his sleep and he's definitely missed around here. Ripley, their St. Bernard, has been especially sad so they were worried about her emotional state if they left her alone while they went on their family trip to Cape Cod. We were excited to step up to the plate when they asked us to spend the next few days here at their farm with her. She has a bad leg so it wouldn't have been possible for her to come to our place and have to go up and down the stairs a lot. Plus, our place is a bit small for such a big girl! Chowder has been keeping after her and making sure she isn't too lonely. As the time has passed, she's grown more accustomed to having us here with her which has been nice. The two of them go in the back yard while we feed the rest of the Silver Forge crew.

They're already close but they were both a bit shaken up at first. Ripley with her family leaving and Chowder with being away from home for the next few days. Today, they've both been better. They seem to be reasonably considerate of one another which has been nice to see. It's definitely been an adjustment not having Harrison around. His dog buddies miss him. Chris and I do as well.

Rest in peace, Harri.

Maoz Vegetarian

385 George Street

New Brunswick, NJ

08901

Times Square

558 7th Ave

at 40th St

New York City

248 South Street

or

1115 Walnut St

Philadelphia, PA

Old School NYC

While we were in the City two weeks ago we decided to go with a light dinner since brunch was a big affair (as it should be). We also had tickets to La Cage Aux Folles (OMG! AMAZING!) and didn't want to risk being late by going to another hot spot to eat.

We decided to offset trendy with classic. Other than hitting up a hot dog stand, a knish from Yonah Schimmel is the cheapest meal you can get while still enjoying an authentic New York City experience. Knishes are like small hand pies. A biscuit like crust that is wrapped around potatoes with or without other things mixed in. They have a great selection of fillings that they combine with the potatoes (mushrooms, spinach, etc) and you have the option of adding cheese to any of them. They have other Jewish specialties such as latkes and borscht which is served cold inside of a clear plastic drink cup. Borscht is one of those things I desperately want to like. I ordered it the first time I went here but was totally put off by the temperature. If you enjoy that sort of thing, this stuff struck me as serious business! It had a good flavor and I did manage to make it halfway through the glass before I called it.

It's easy to get carried away when looking at their menu. A knish doesn't sound like much and it's difficult to believe you'll get full anywhere in NYC for less than four bucks. Lane wanted to order two but the waitress told him to start with one. He and Brooke each got a potato knish and I went with the red cabbage. One thing I love about Lane is that he was conscious of the fact that I enjoy photographing food and waited to eat until I was done without me even having to ask! That's a good friend!

If you don't think this will fill you up, you can make it a combo with slaw and (delicious) pickles. If you're still hungry, you can try one of their dessert knishes. They have chocolate and cherry/cheese which was what we went with.

The bill for all three of us to eat dinner was $21 and some change which is a serious bargain! Those things held us over through our show, while we walked through Times Square and then for our train ride back to New Jersey.

Do you want a delish knish without the trip to New York City? Neither do I but sometimes it's not always possible to get to the City. I don't know if there's an app for that but there is a relevant post! My first visit to Yonah Shimmel inspired me to learn to make them and I posted the recipe! They're time consuming but very much worth the effort!

Yonah Schimmel's Knishes Bakery

137 E Houston St

New York, NY 10002

212-477-2858

Ultimate Brunch Warrior

I feel like I have a bit of catching up to do. The past few months have been spent with many rerun dinners but that's not to say that I haven't been to a few great places. We went to New England in May for the weekend and I have some fun stuff to share from that trip. My recent visitors from Huntsville, Brooke and Lane, were a good excuse to step out and enjoy a sampling of what the tri state area has to offer. As you saw earlier, we went to Philly. The following day, we went to New York City for more magic.

I don't have to remind faithful readers of how much I love Sunday brunch. I am sure that there is a sea of amazing options in the City but we went to a place that I've been previously (about a year and a half ago). Ever since then, I've raved countless times about it to anyone that will listen to me. I was delighted to learn that the owner is writing a book due out in the fall (just in time for my birthday!).

I am talking about Prune.

I'd heard from a reliable source that this place was awesome so when I met up with another old friend from high school that was in the NYC for a few days, I suggested it to her and she was open to trying it out. The place, of course, is small and a crowd that made for some excellent people watching was constantly gathered around and waiting for a table. If I'd started a "Young Folks" whistle along, I bet everyone would have joined in. We waited almost two hours for a spot that day and it was worth every second. We just spent the time catching up and chilling out.

We were much luckier two weeks ago when I went with Brooke and Lane. We got up early that morning to go into the city and arrived in East Village right around ten which is when they open the doors for brunch. No reservations taken (for all other meals, they will reserve you a spot) so the early bird gets the table. We stood in a small line and hoped for the best. Every seat is precious so if a member of your party is not present, you will not be seated. The three of us weren't waiting for anyone else and we practically fist bumped each other when the hostess invited us in and gave us immediate seating!

I ordered the exact same thing that I enjoyed a year and a half ago.

Spicy stewed chickpeas with preserved lemon, butter crumbed poached eggs and flatbread. It's one of the few completely vegetarian options on the menu but it's a jolly good one.

All of us ordered eggs and we also splurged on a pancake to share because I didn't want to miss out! It's quite an experience! It is made from a combination of flour and cornmeal and baked in a skillet (Yeah baby!). They serve it with warm berries and powdered sugar. It is, by far, one of the more unique pancakes I've ever had. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Don't skip the drinks here. I don't usually get juice when I'm out for breakfasty foods but the Prune Juice is an amazing blend of flavors that I am sure will compliment anything on their fabulous menu. Go for it!

I know I should branch out for my next brunch in the City but it's difficult not to plot another meal here. If I lived in New York City, I'd be a regular!

Prune

54 East 1st St

New York, NY 10003

212-677-6221

Upcycling

After Molly's birthday party, I had a considerable amount of mashed potatoes leftover.  I decided to give them new life as knishes.  This is a fairly recent addition to my rotation of recipes and I've only made them a few times.  Half of the work had already been done since I didn't have to cook the potatoes.  It can still be pretty time consuming work.  I'm sure it's much easier if you have a bigger kitchen!

I have limited counter space and since I'm somewhat of a foodie, I have LOTS of ingredients and gadgets so it's a constant struggle to maintain order.  I don't always win but at least I can function in there so I don't sweat it.  

The first time I had a knish was not long ago.  I'd never heard of it until I started learning more about New York City.  It was cold and blustery in the lower east side in December of 2007.  The day was grey and drizzly but nothing that kept me from wandering around.  Chris was playing guitar with a friend who lives right across the water from the city so I was on my own.  It was the first time I'd ever gone to NYC by myself.  It was early afternoon and since I hadn't had lunch yet, I started looking around on Houston.  I remembered seeing all of these hole in the wall places while passing through on previous visits and one in particular had caught my eye because of the delectable looking things they had in their window.  I went in and the place was tiny and run down but it was still inviting.  A knish looks like a giant biscuit with some sort of filling, usually potatoes along with another veggie or meat and cheese.  There were so many different kinds at this place that they looked like they could revolt at any given moment and take over the tiny restaurant.  After some making some difficult decisions as to which one to try, I placed my order.  I don't remember what the adorable purse made of dough contained anymore but I'll never forget how good it was.  It conquered my chills and eased me into a carb fueled rhapsody.  I recalled similar incarnations of bread and potatoes that I'd experienced in the past.  This combination of familiar southern delights felt so right.

I thought about that knish for months.  It didn't seem like it would be rocket science to put one together.  I had a gift card from Barnes&Noble and I had been eyeing one cookbook in particular to splurge on.  When I saw that there was a recipe for potato and leek knishes, it was an instant sale.  The knishes that you see in the picture below didn't follow the recipe exactly.  I didn't have any of the flour that I normally use on hand so this was a multigrain baking mix.  I prefer the taste and texture that comes from whole wheat pastry flour.  I also skipped out on the tofu.  I would advise you to go with the book.  It has never let me down and although the resulting knish is a healthier version of what I had in the city, it is still fantastic.  They also make excellent leftovers!

Veggie Knish (from The Hippy Gourmet's Quick and Simple Cookbook for Heathy Eating)

2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

1 pinch of salt

1 cup of Spectrum or Earth Balance spread

1 cup of ice water (I usually just stick a cup of water in the freezer and let it chill)

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.  I use my hands to mix in the margarine until the flour takes on a crumby texture.  Slowly mix in the water.  Roll into a smooth ball and cut into 8 slices, like you would a pie.  Place them on a plate, cover it with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge while you complete the next few steps.

2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced.

Slice and steam potatoes for 15 minutes or until fork tender.  I leave the skins on mine but it's a personal preference.   I usually can't be bothered with peeling. 

1 Tbsp of olive oil

2 leeks (white part only)

1 clove of chopped garlic

salt + pepper to taste 

1 14-16 oz block of tofu (use firm or extra firm, not silken)

Juice from 1 lemon

A small amount of soymilk (1/4-1/2 cup)

Saute leeks and garlic in the olive oil for about five minutes.  Add the potatoes, the tofu (it helps to drain it in advance) and the lemon juice.  Mash everything together.  If you need to, use the soymilk for even consistency.  I cannot recall ever having to do this part.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly grease a baking sheet.  Leaving the plastic on your dough, flatten each piece with a rolling pin.  Remove the plastic and fill the center of the dough with a scoop of the filling then fold up the bottom and the top.  Pinch it to seal.  After you finish forming all of your knishes, place them in the oven and bake until they are golden brown and slightly cracked on the surface.  

You're welcome.

Chocolate Rain

Yesterday my friend Shannon and I went to New York City to hit up the BUST Spring Fling Craftacular. We went to the craft fair that BUST threw back in December and we had a blast so we made it a point to put this on our calendars. For lack of a better word, it was a bust. Not for lack of cool stuff but the venue was so small that it was impossible to browse and explore without feeling like you were in an overcrowded fish bowl. I still managed to drop a wad of cash, I just did it quickly and left! We did have a great time walking around and shopping in Brooklyn so it wasn't a wasted trip by any means!

We made our way into Manhattan and did a bit more exploring. I thought it was going to rain but the weather really held off and it felt so pleasant. There was an unseasonable chill in the air but it was nothing a little sweater didn't ease up. We went to a vintage store, came across a guerilla knitting project, got our girls some treats from a cool toy store and then made our way to the final destination....

Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man. (2nd Ave/9th St)

We had a game plan when we went in and in order to fully prepare ourselves, we skipped lunch. We were ready to throw down.

This is the fondue trio. I actually explored the menu online last week because I knew it was not going to be an easy choice to make without a little prep. I had narrowed it down to this and one or two other things. We got some lovely toffee sauce that tasted like the Promised Land. For the other two, we had a choice of white, milk or dark chocolate. We eliminated the white because neither of us care for it. It came with fruit, banana bread and marshmallows for dipping. We also asked for some graham crackers because what was the point of marshmallows and our own grill?

We didn't stop there. I had a delectable cappuccino and Shannon had a hot chocolate along with a butter croissant...

To say that I had high expectations would be putting it lightly. This place had seriously been built up by my friends. Shannon should do a commercial for them! They delivered the TKO and I was in an absolute state of bliss. I cannot see how anyone could leave Max Brenner without feeling like a cat that swallowed a chocolate covered canary.

I'll be back.