Vibrant India

We first wrote about Chitra Agrawal when we discovered her Brooklyn Delhi products. Since then she’s been up to a lot more than just jarring delicious pickled things from India. Her latest edition to your Indian food education comes in book form with Vibrant India. South Indian cooking is not the Indian dishes that commonly pop to mind for us Americans. Having a South Indian mother-in-law has schooled me on these flavorful and light regional tastes. Chitra draws from her mother’s cooking bringing Bangalore all the way to Brooklyn where she adds her own twists to these vegetarian classics. I’ve often proclaimed, “I could go full vegetarian.” after eating at my in-laws for a weekend. As a pretty serious carnivore, that says a lot about her book and the deliciousness potential. Point is, there’s something for everyone in this book. Vegan, vegetarians, paleo or carnivore the flavors and simplicity will swoon you. We promise.

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yakitori recipes from Chicken on Charcoal

Culture | Books

Chicken on Charcoal is your quick Tokyo trip

The world’s most popular meat sizzling on a skewer over a smokey high end charcoal fire. Yes and YES. We’ll take our chicken yakitorized any day. Originally popularized in the 1950’s after Americans introduced broiler chickens to Japan, (Leave it to us to blow up portions and popularize the American food dream) this street food was initially shamed because the smell and act of cooking meat was shunned in much of Japanese culture. Thankfully the tasty sticks proliferated and once popular enough on Tokyo corners they moved into restaurant setting and spread beyond Japan. Our first encounter with the delicious, and often obscure, chicken parts was at, now shuttered, Yakitori Torys, a semi-secret second floor spot off a random street in Hell’s Kitchen. The second feasting came shortly after on a quick 48 hrs pitstop in Tokyo. This provided us the authentic experience we craved after our NYC introduction. A decade later chicken on sticks have become much more popular and prevalent. When we saw Yardbird Chicken on Charcoal published by chef Matt Abergel we jumped on it. Having never been to his famed Hong Kong spot YardBird, we brought the restaurant to us through his award winning recipes. This bird bible is packed with easy moves to grill all summer long. Quick recipes, many with that weird stuff we mentioned before, make for goodness on any page. Chicken hearts, butts you name it, Matt cooks beak to tail. He explains more here. Most of you won’t be on your way to Hong Kong anytime soon so turn your backyard or balcony into a 1950’s Tokyo street stall for a night with the help of Matt and his cookbook. It’s as close to international travel as you’ve been in months. Enjoy the trip. And, if you jump to Yardbird’s site you can grab one of these awesome souvenir shirt.

Culture | Family

9 Awesome Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Dad’s are tricky people. you never know if your going to get a life lesson, a lazy afternoon sharing a beer or an informal reprimanding about saving in your 401k. Regardless, we wouldn’t be here without them and celebrating them next Sunday is not only appropriate but critical. The right gift could defer some of those tougher talks for a few months. Here’s our favorite nine round up for 2016. Sfoglini Pasta of the Month $75 | Dad Bod T-Shirt $23 | Silicon Grip Grill Gloves $20 | Big Apple Barbecue Block Party FREE | House Beer $8 | Dude Sweet $8 | Detroit Denim Apron $115 | Bourbon Maple Syrup $16 | Po’ Man Charcoal Grill $115

Culture | Video

Good Humor X RZA Ice Cream Truck Jingle

Good Humor and RZA ice cream truck jingle just dropped with the goal of ending the racist roots the current song subliminally drives into our brains. Here in Queens, this oppression is monotonous most afternoons. The song is derived from “Turkey in the Straw”, an old mistral song. If that doesn’t mean much to you take a listen to this NYTimes podcast. Now that you understand why that connection is horrific, watch and listen to the new tune here. Leave it to a Staten Island rapper and a 100 year old ice cream company to bring some equality-based joy into our lives amidst one of the darkest times in our country’s history. I always said, “You can count on ice cream to always bring a smile.” I never thought it would simultaneously help deconstruct generations of systemic racism. If you are so moved by this to obtain a music box of your own to perhaps gift your local ice cream truck proprietor, Nicholes Electronics specializes in pre-programmed, looping, music boxes for just such an application.

Culture | Books

New Orleans: The Underground Guide

Books seem useless these days. The content on the other hand is invaluable. Sometimes great content can’t be found with a Google search and New Orleans: The Underground Guide is one such unicorn. Packed with hidden gems, secret places and local flavor, Michael Patrick Welch outlines the food but takes it much farther. With music and art at its core this guide book will keep you far from the French Quarter disaster and get you deep into places that you’ll remember for a lifetime.

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