Cravings: Craving

Cheese

by Celia Cheng
May 27th, 2008

SAXELBY CHEESEMONGERS
Essex Street Market
120 Essex St
@ Delancey St
$$

Anne Saxelby’s selection of American farmstead cheeses in her Essex Street Market shop is just lovely. With a focus on cheeses produced in Northeastern states, Saxelby Cheesemongers really showcases the high quality of cheeses being produced in the U.S. Taste the fresh seasonal cheeses, as well as the aged gems; they’re all delicious. Hard or creamy, cow’s milk or goat’s, I want to try them all.

Posted in American , Cheese , LES

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Pan-Fried Bean Curd w/ Soy Sauce

by Celia Cheng
April 28th, 2008

CONGEE BOWERY
207 Bowery
(Rivington & Spring St)
212-766-2828
$

Oftentimes the poetic names of Chinese dishes are lost in translation. For example, “Pan-fried bean curd with soy sauce” definitely doesn’t do justice to one of Congee Village’s (and sister restaurant Congee Bowery’s) signature dishes. The tofu is slightly pan fried to create an exterior texture that holds while the inside remains soft like pudding. It comes on a bed of the vegetable of your choice — the snow pea leaf is always a safe bet. A little pan-fried tofu with sautéed snow pea leaf in a rich soy sauce broth goes perfectly with a bowl of white rice. This is prime comfort food that hits the spot.

Posted in Chinese , LES , Tofu , Vegetables

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Mochi Ice Cream

by Celia Cheng
November 15th, 2007

BUBBIES
Bierkraft
191 5th Ave
(5th & 6th Ave)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-230-7600
$

Also sold at Whole Foods stores in New York

GourmetFoodMall.com

I grew up eating Bubbies ice cream in Honolulu (on University Avenue, next to Varsity Theater) and I always loved it. And it seems that mainlanders feel the same way as Bubbies has made its way across the Pacific Ocean, selling products to top restaurants and markets throughout the mainland. Their mochi ice cream has become rather ubiquitous in gourmet food stores in the City. Mochi ice cream, a modern Japanese desset, is an ice-cream-filled rice cake. I’m currently hooked on the guava. It’s light, delicate and flavorful, and the pink mochi skin is soft, thin and chewy. Even when extremely frozen, I can’t help but eagerly pop them in my mouth. Never too hard to bite into, they are a treat I don’t tire of.

Posted in Dessert , Japanese , LES , Park Slope , Sweets , UES , Union Square , UWS

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Butterfly Roll

by Celia Cheng
November 27th, 2006

DOUGHNUT PLANT
379 Grand St
(Norfolk & Essex St)
212-505-3700
$

It’s called a butterfly roll because this pastry is shaped like a butterfly, with four rolls of dough, laced with some type of brown savory paste. (Imagine four flatter cinnamon buns rolled to form the shape of a butterfly.) It’s a secret recipe, so I’m not sure exactly what it is that makes up all this goodness but since I love savory pastries, this one immediately resonated with me. Besides, it has to compete with all the rest of the sweets and doughnuts coming out of the Plant, so it’s gotta be good!

Posted in American , Bread , LES

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