Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market

The Smith

The Smith is one of my favorite restaurants. The drink menu is almost as much fun to read as it is to pick out the cocktail of the night. This cucumber and lime tequila was so fresh and light- I will be recreating it at my holiday party. Who cares if it's a summer drink?

On to the food... Whatever the mood is, The Smith seems to have a dish for it. They have anything from huge, fresh salads to big rich gnocchi as well as sweet potato fries or onion rings as a side. Very few dishes are over $20 which makes this place ideal for girls night out when we are not looking to break the bank.

The atmosphere is young and lively. The bar is always packed and there is rarely an empty table. To top off the night- there is a photo booth downstairs to take some black and white pics of everyone crammed into the tiny booth!

Green Dinner

My lil green machine dinner. Brussel sprouts from the farmer's market, broccoli, shallots, capers, white wine, white truffle olive oil and red pepper flakes.

Dumplings

C&L Dumpling House in Chinatown on Christie street is the hidden gem of the week. Before departing on Lucky Star to Boston, I grabbed a bowl of noodle dumpling soup for $3!! Talk about a good deal- I could have shared it with three friends. I also tried a sesame pancake for a whole 75 cents. So yum. So going back. I love you Chinatown.

Kitchen Staples

A friend asked me the other day what my "staples" were in the kitchen. I loved the question and have decided to work on a list of my staples and reasons for why.

1. Extra Virgin Oil Olive: No doubt the number one. A good EVOO is probably the most useful and most used ingredient in my kitchen. Great flavor and good for you. My other favorite ingredient would go under this category, White Truffle infused olive oil. I add this to pastas, salad dressing, veggies and even eggs. It has a very strong but delicate flavor that adds .

2. Sea Salt: I prefer to regular table salt for its flavor, coarseness and lower level of processing.

3. Spinach: Healthy green that is not only great alone but delicious cooked with just EVOO and garlic. Easy to add as a nutritious side to pretty much anything.

4. Arugula: Nothing like its peppery sharp taste for a salad or in pasta. One of my favorites is arugula pesto.

5. Rice: This feels like a silly staple but I cook with rice for so many dinners and desserts. Long grain brown rice and jasmine and my favorites. It is the perfect base for any flavor addition weather it's spicy, savory or sweet.

6. Quinoa: This would be the healthier alternative to rice but its nutty flavor makes it better on its own. Perfect for a side dish with a little olive oil and a veggie.

7. Limes/Lemons: I think these guys are so underrated in the kitchen. The acidity brings out the flavor in almost everything. I use the juice or zest of one or the other daily.

8. Honey/Agave: I keep in my pantry not only for my tea but as alternatives to white sugar.

9. Eggs: Brown eggs from the farmer's market are really the best. For baking or cooking alone the fresher the egg, the bester the product tastes. no question.

10. Red pepper flakes or dried peppers: I love spicy.

I will add to this list as I think of anything else important!!

11. Garlic: how could I forget!! This should share the #1 place. Huge staple.

12. Fresh pasta: For the little bit more that it costs, I think that fresh pasta makes the biggest difference.

Amorina's

The best pizza is in Brooklyn. I said it.

This is by far my favorite neighborhood pizza place. It is a tiny restaurant with the freshest ingredients that you can smell even before you go inside. With an amazing selection of brick oven pizza and homemade pastas, you really can't go wrong. The olive oil that comes out with fresh bread is good enough to drink. My only complain would be the desserts- my suggestion would be to fill up on the arugula, tomato, ricotta and olive pizzas and forget about the sweets.

After watching the cute young waiters hand-toss the dough and throw back a beer while doing so, my mouth is watering for more than one reason. ;)

Now go get some.

Tom's Restaurant

Oh Tom's....where do I begin?

This wonderfully ancient and classic restaurant in Brooklyn was just what I needed for a cold and rainy weekday brunch. Walking through the front door you feel as though you have entered a Montana diner circa 1967. The darling staff and decorations, which both have most likely been around for a century, make you feel like you are dining in a place from the past. It has everything you could possibly imagine eating for breakfast on the menu including ten different kinds of french toast and every egg/bacon combination you can think of. Even better, nothing is more than $9. If you are interested in a true indulgence of the past, try a classic egg creme- I somehow managed to get one for free! Needless to say I was impressed by the place- can't wait to go back for some more home cookin.

Sweet Potato Pasta