The Road Less Eaten

This morning was wonderful. One of those morning that unfolds with effortless decision making, timeless scheduling and non-strenuous motion only a lazy Sunday can produce. I have been living in Greenpoint for the better part of 5 years now and the restaurant scene is just now hitting it’s stride. I should quantify that, but will not waste your time with that in this post. This post is simple. It is easy. It is about something fun, yummy and frivolous.

Franklin St. has long been ignored when…

Cured in Seattle

I never expected to find great salami in Seattle. But, I am a big Batali fan and I figured he had to learn from somewhere. Salumi is an Italian cured meat shop in the heart of Seattle’s Pioneer Square run by Armandino Batali, Mario’s father. Armandino had a full career at Boeing as a process control engineer but after he retired…

Evil Breakfast

It was more like brunch but still way too early for cookies. When they are fresh baked and topped with a coarse sea salt, I think anytime is cookie time. The General Greene, in Fort Greene Brooklyn, does the best warm chocolate chip cookies this side of Mom’s house. Nine cookies for four people at 1pm on a Sunday is an understatement if called indulgent. It is down right evil. This morning we were bad (place grin and villainous laugh here)

The General Greene
229 Dekalb Ave
(between Adelphi St & Clermont Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 222-1510

Best Wings in Brooklyn

This past Saturday I was invited to the Red Star Bar to taste and chat with some of the best wing and wing makers Brooklyn has to offer. The Best Wings in Brooklyn Competition featured 14 of the tastiest chicken wing recipes Kings county has to offer. I was lucky enough to sneak in an hour before the general public to get a “first dib” look, and taste, at the poultry positions for each team. Before I get too deep into this post, reveal the competitors and my favorites, I think I should qualify my background in wing tasting. To be clear, I was not a judge, nor was I asked to be one. But, I did taste, so I will share my picks with you. First, some history.

I went to college in Albany New York. Not quite Buffalo but high enough up there to know a good wing when it hits my tongue. BTW-If you are in Albany and you are looking for the best wing ever, head to Ralph’s on Madison Ave. Of course it would have to be 1994 for you to actually visit since Ralph’s doesn’t exist anymore. Before I digress just know the criteria that makes Ralph’s the best of the best for me. First, they always used big, meaty wings. Second, hot and spicy with one level of hotness. The sauce was standard. A bit of Frank’s Red Hot and some butter was all they used. Simple and clean. There was not breading on the wings. There was just crazy hot oil that crisped up the skin so your teeth felt the crunch as your lips and tongue worked the meat off the bone. Third, cheap. This doesn’t apply to the Brooklyn competition but, 5 bucks would get me 30 wings and a pitcher of Kilian’s. Ahh, the days. OK. Now I digress.

Since I am not a true Rochester/Buffalo resident I also have a particular penchant for a non-traditional wing. A good BBQ wing, a nice jerk spice wing or a South Asian glazed wing all have a place in my heart, and stomach, to be a winner. Dinosaur BBQ for example kicks some serious ass. So, as I started to peruse the contestants my eyes, ears and taste buds were open to “new” style wings as much as they were ready for a good traditional hot wing.

Let’s get to the contestants…

Biriyani Redemption

There has been something bothering me for a long time now. Months to be exact. I have been around the world eating. I have ate in the dirtiest, weirdest, darkest, hottest, slowest, fastest, spiciest, freshest, coldest, strangest places I could find. I have ate on the street everywhere. Everywhere except, India. India frightened me. To be more accurate my friends, the locals and the restaurant proprietors all warned me of the horrible sickness I would suffer with just a nibble of the street food I so desperately craved.

I left India having NOT touched one morsel from a cart, stall or street peddler. The defeat sat dormant in me for a month after returning home. I thought I had forgotten about my disappointment when one day that defeat roared back to life. I felt it suddenly coursing through my body the same way I was told the gastro-intestinal hell raising bacteria would if I did not heed the words of the, presumably, smarter. It grew stronger, itchier and madder each day. It attacked my brain, my nervous system and my appetite, flooding my body with tasty thoughts of goodness reaped only from a hot street cart down a dusty ally.

I couldn’t take it any more. I had to do something. I was not heading back to India anytime soon so, I did the next best thing for a shot of redemption. The above video was my shot to stifle and kill this now uncontrollable feeling inside me that I MISSED something wonderful.

Want to make this yourself? Make the jump to see the a How-To-Video and recipe.

RECAP-REEL TASTY: Goodfellas

photo credit: Kun Kim

We never say goodbye, just see ya next time. Saturday was our last dinner on the deck for the season. As expected we threwdown some hardcore southern Italian tasty. Thanks to Brooklyn Based, we had some great new guests turn up and break bread with us…

RECAP-REEL TASTY: STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

photo credit: Kun Kim

Last Saturday the REEL TASTY deck turned black and white and became extra spicy. It had been on Aimee’s brain for a while to get a Creole/Cajun meal on the table. She had spent some time this year down in NOLA and was itching to recreate some of her favorite dishes for friends. As it turns out choosing the movie was the tough part. As we scoured the archives looking for NOLA inspired movies, few of them leaped out at us. Of those none felt appropriate for following JAWS (our last movie choice).Then we came upon this gem. A classic. One of the rare works in which a play translates so well to the screen that it is rewarded with highest honors in both artistic disciplines. A Street Car Named Desire, although a pretty heavy drama, sets a mood that can’t help pull you deep into the era and the environment. Now all I had to do was brush up on Creole/Cajun recipes. I used to be deep into the style but as I started my rue I realized I have not cooked it in years.

For those who are first time readers, Reel Tasty is…

EGGzacally

I took some time the other morning to have a business/personal breakfast with my friend Jeff. Jeff has been a long time Billyburg resident and a comrade in food talk. Earlier in the week Jeff introduced me to Ben over at Rooftop Farms where he volunteers on Thursdays.

We decided to meet in the Burg at…

TABLE FULL – REEL TASTY BROOKLYN: JAWS

Get on our list for upcoming dinners dinners@forkingtasty.com

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Saturday, August 15th at 7:00pm
Our fourth summer dinner on the deck.
Here’s the skinny on the fat.

Starts: 7pm (cocktails and appetizers)
Ends: 11pm (really, when the film is over)
Donation: $40 (make a reservation below)
Movie: Jaws

Menu

Once again, Aimee and I have not finalized it yet. We promise a summer menu that will remind you of summers by the beach as a little kid. Killer shark not included, unless of course we make it into a ceviche. We will update it as soon as we have the details.

Reservations

Reservations are required. Space is limited to 16 people. When booking please make sure to change the quantity field to the number of people in your party. In the note section let us know if there are any food restrictions anyone in your party has. Your movie ticket is your pay pal receipt, when you arrive please just let us know your name so we can keep track of you.

TABLE FULL

IF IT RAINS: If it rains dinner is still on. Although we will not have the giant outdoor screen, we will move the festivities inside and continue with the feast and the film.

More on Reel Tasty:

Reel Tasty Brooklyn is an expansion of the dinner’s we hosted on my back deck in Greenpoint last summer. This summer, we are adding a twist to the delicious food and great company. As the name implies, we will be screening a movie during the meal. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of time pre-entree to mingle, catchup and meet some new friends. Once the sun goes down we will role the film in all its two story high glory. This is an experiment, so we are not sure how much silence or chatting will go on. That’s for you to decide.

As for the cooking, I have some help this year. My friend Aimee has jumped at the chance to cook for all of you and has not wasted anytime creating some delicious menu items. Aimee’s passion for food goes way back. You can check out her culinary exploits here. She has already taught me a thing or two about how to spice up a recipe and tone down a dessert. Trust me you are going to love Aimee and her cooking as much as I do. We hope you will come out and enjoy yourselves with us this summer. See you on the deck.

You can check out pics from our last dinner here.

If you can’t make this dinner but want us to send you an invite to the next one send us an email at dinners@forkingtasty.com and we will put you on out special list.

RECAP-Reel Tasty Brooklyn: Airplane

photo credit: Kun Kim

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WOW. The third REEL TASTY dinner was last Saturday and we had a great turn out. A few familiar faces graced the table for a second time but the rest were all fresh, hungry peeps. It was touch and go moments before guests started to arrive as an evil cloud loomed over the deck poking its cumulonimbus fingers at us threatening the worst. Thankfully brother wind blew our foe north and the night began without a problem.

As always, we want to thank all our guests for making the evening super special. Aside from the joy we get out of playing around in the kitchen with knives and fresh ingredients, having a great mix of old and new friends breaking bread together is the reason we put on these evenings .

Let me jump back for the first time readers…