FOOD FINDS FOR FLAVOR AND FUN

Man CAN live by bread alone when you buy Dave’s Killer Bread.   First let me say that I never buy bread as I thought it waste of calories and its use is so that you don’t slap the cream cheese and jelly on the palm of your hand and lick it off.  The problem is now that I have sampled Dave’s Killer Bread I keep seeking out whatever I can make a sandwich of.  Why?

It’s bread with boom! Dave, a former rock star introduced what is now the best-selling organic bread in the US.  No kidding.  Most breads are pretty boring when it comes to both taste and texture.  Then there are the artificial preservatives, fructose corn syrup and dough fillers. 

What have they got? Let’s start with the 21 whole grains and seeds.  Here are the ingredients. Organic whole wheat (organic whole wheat flour, organic cracked whole wheat), water, 21 Whole Grains and Seeds Mix (organic whole flax seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic ground whole flax seeds, organic un-hulled brown sesame seeds, organic rolled oats, organic triticale, organic pumpkin seeds, organic un-hulled black sesame seeds, organic rolled spelt, organic millet, organic rolled barley, organic rolled rye, organic blue cornmeal, organic brown rice flour, organic yellow cornmeal, organic quinoa, organic rolled KAMUT® Khorasan wheat, organic amaranth flour, organic rolled whole wheat, organic buckwheat flour, organic sorghum flour, organic poppy seeds), organic dried cane syrup (sugar), organic wheat gluten, organic oat fiber, organic molasses, sea salt, organic cultured whole wheat, yeast.  

Now you have an idea of what to expect and NOT expect.  I have found that the breads with seeds are not annoying to my mouth or my tummy.  Here are those: Good Seed; Blues Bread (that uses blue cornmeal); Power Seed (using fruit juices instead of sugar); Seeded Honey Wheat; Rockin Rye (with caraway seeds, of course); Sprouted Wheat; and Spelt.  This is a loaf that you would not want to toss the ends, especially with all of the seeds and grains that they contain. I, who never eats “ends” did so and go glad I did! 

You can always opt for Whole Wheat or even a plain old White Bread called White Done Right with 10 g of whole grains.  Now that would be perfect for a Grilled Cheese, French Toast or a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich (I prefer cream cheese and jelly and a fried egg).  I’m also thinking a corned beef sandwich on the rye with cole slaw. 

There are so many sandwich ideas that you can come up with just to be healthy.  Think sushi rolls using the white bread totally flattened and filled…smoked salmon, cream cheese and scallions.  How about shrimp, avocado, cucumber and mayo?  Add the crunch using breads with the seeds. 

It just so happens that Fairway Market has their line of bread. Maybe not all of them.  I hear that the store in Douglaston has some. 

If you have been following articles and blog, you know how passionate I am about Fairytale Brownies.  I have even “carved” and decorated them for the upcoming Easter Holiday.  I then realized how soft they were and molded pieces into an egg shape as if you were having a chocolate Easter egg.  The absolute joy of having these brownies came to be even more joyous when I came across the perfect milk. 

The company is called Ronnybrook Farms, where the milk is not homogenized.  If you recall getting a bottle of milk delivered with the cream at the top, this is even better.  You really have to shake it up as there is more than just a thin layer of cream.  That’s the whole milk.  They have with less fat and a whole line of other products, like ice cream with 18% butter fat (just don’t eat a lot at one time if you’re concerned), butter (one is called  Cinnamon Toast), crème fraiche, and yogurt….both the kind you spoon out and ones that you drink down (I loved the strawberry one….real strawberries).  

I was checking out Fresh Direct and saw that they had their products.  I will write about Fresh Direct at another time to compare them with Peapod.  One plus for Fresh Direct is that you can go to their plant in Long Island City and pick up your order although in neither case can you pick out what you want relying on whoever does the picking and packaging.  

PUMPKIN CARVING IN MANHATTAN

BRING OUT THE SCARY AND THE FUNNY IN HALLOWEEN AT THE PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST

 IN FAIRWAY CAFÉ & STEAKHOUSE ON OCTOBER 14, 2014 FROM 3:30 TO 5 PM FOR ALL AGES!

Fairway Market is having a pumpkin carving contest on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 from 3:30 to 5 pm in the Café on the second floor of the Upper West Side store (2127 Broadway at W. 74^th Street).  The event is for kids (8 to 18) and adults and participants will be using safety knives provided by Fairway. There will be two winners in each age category – one for funniest, another for scariest pumpkin. All participants will receive a slice of Fairway’s pumpkin pie, and all winners will receive a whole pumpkin pie along with a $50 Fairway gift card. Carvers can sign up in the café. Call (212) 994-9555 for more information.

WHAT:          Pumpkin Carving Contest for Kids (8 to 18) and Adults

WHEN:          Tuesday, October 14^th  

            3: 30 - 5 pm

WHERE:       Fairway Café & Steakhouse

                        2127 Broadway (at 74th St) 
                        New York, NY 10023

                        (212) 994-9555

FOREIGN AFFAIR AT FAIRWAY

It is no surprise that I shop at Fairway Market in Douglaston.  I have trouble keeping up with either their new items or ones that they have their own label on.

I watch a lot of the food show competitions as well as ones like Mystery Diner.  Recipes do not spark my interest.  The food and cuisines do.  Fairway certainly has a tremendous amount of ingredients and imported products from Italy.  I was looking to expand my own cooking with other cuisines as I explored the aisles.

Suddenly, I see a huge display regarding Asian fare of mostly Chinese and Japanese products of sauces, rice, nori (seaweed), rice wrappers, various jars of pickled ginger and more.  Into my basket they go.  I'm thinking Vietnamese summer rolls and get the rice wrappers and dipping sauce.  The rice wrappers can be used as a great bread substitute in making a sandwich.

Create my own maki rolls with other than raw fish.  Nori, sushi rice, pickled ginger, wasabi.  I come up with the protein and make sure I get cucumber.   Cooked and frozen shrimp works well for both the maki rolls and summer rolls.

I saw a new brand of the frozen shrimp with no chemicals and snatched a two-pounder.

There were some other products on a stand next to the sushi counter as well.  Kimchi was near the dairy aisle. 

A large display of sausages from around the world were situated across from the deli counter.   I would have tried a few if it weren't that I'm not in love with garlic.  They did have, however, these pretzel rolls for the sausage.   I decided to get chopped sirloin and shape them for burgers.  Sprinkle some Ponzu sauce and ginger on top.

Although there are many kosher items very little are from Israel.  Rather than make falafels from scratch, I opted for a frozen product that had the tahini sauce inside the falafel.  It was pretty good for frozen. 

An excuse for chocolate is it be imported from Belgium.   Fairway has their own brand and I saw a brand called Vosges that had a chocolate bar containing rooibus (from South Africa) and cherries.

While I was obtaining the chopped sirloin, I came across some new products.  One was duck confit and the other was smoked duck breast.  Duck confit is basically the use of the duck legs.  Neither had to be cooked.  Hmmm....slice it up and use it for a maki roll.  A sausage made from lamb looked tempting.  I need to bring a magnifying glass with me when I shop.  The fine print listed the garlic and something peppery.  

Seafood counter had two "foreign" fish.  One was turbot from Iceland and the other was perch from Africa.  I asked about whether the fish could be frozen.  I asked if arrived frozen.  I asked the wrong person.   I cut it up, portioned it out and froze.  It wasn't until I looked at the photo that I took when I noticed that the perch read that it was frozen and thawed.  Refreezing go me tossing it out and the perch had a definite "fishy" odor.  Question someone who knows and not one who simply does a task.

I also picked out a few items that had imported products from England, Ireland and India.  I bought one called "Korma", which I will try with some Naan bread...also sold here.   

Got a few tapenades, as well as the makings for guacamole.

Having gotten the Soda Stream machine, I have been drinking plain seltzer with a twist of lime.  Next time I have to get some Ubet chocolate syrup to make the perfect egg cream and check out some cookies from Carla Hall. 

IT IS FINALLY BBQ SEASON

Winter is finally gone...I think.  The spring season is heavily celebrated on Memorial Day Weekend with people going outdoors and cooking up a BBQ.  I looked in my Fairway Market weekly flyer for sales and went off to Douglaston to prepare.

I caught the attention of Stephen Fosdick, the General Manager to ask what they had to help me prepare.



First thing was to search for some of the important items such as what I needed for the grill.  It looks like Fairway Market has their own set of BBQ tools.

Next thing is the paper plate, plastic cups, non-stick aluminum foil (on sale), recycle garbage bags for the plastic cups, cans, etc. and freezer bags for the leftovers as well as portioning out the meats to freeze.

I figured that I'll most likely sweat doing all the work as well as needing a bottle of Aleve for the pain that I experience going up and down the stairs to my back yard.

Since Fairway has a bakery, why not grab a bag of the pretzel buns for sliders.   They have a pretty delicious ground sirloin on sale for $3.99 a pound.

Of course there are the condiments.  Fairway doesn't have their own brand of ketchup but I like an organic brand called Woodstock.  Fairway does have their own brand of Dijon mustard....really good...and potent!   Then there are several varieties of marinades.  I thought I'd try the Thai Chili mango

Being that it is the weekend, samples lurk about the store. Guacamole near the deli, tilapia at the seafood area, and both Korean style chicken thighs and kettle chips near the butcher area.

 

I also stopped by the cheeses to check out a  Jersey Cooperstown that I saw in the flyer...that was the sale feature.  I thought it would make a great topping for a cheeseburger.  That and a Manchango.

I personally don't care for their guacamole only because it's a bit too spicy for me.  I got the fixings.  Haas avocados, Vidalia onions, vine tomatoes, lime and cilantro.

While I'm over in the produce area, I see the ready made trays of fruit.

I certainly took advantage of the lobsters that were on sale.  I bought two that were already steamed and two that were alive. I could break the cooked ones into parts and freeze.

Trying out a few kabobs and doing my own marinading.   Got one of chicken and another of pork.  I did get one marinaded beef.  A package of  Murray's chicken wings, too.  Gotta have chicken wings and ribs, too.  Got a rack of babyback. You never know if the day you plan to have friends over for the BBQ turns to rain, so I'm prepared for indoors as well.   My NuWave oven and NuWave Precision Induction Cooktop should handle it all.

You gotta have refreshments.  Sodastream may be the source for drinks.  The machine carbonates water using a reusable CO2 cartridge that makes lots of bottles of carbonated water.   Bottles are made of plastic and one comes with the Sodastream "Source", which contains that machine, cartridge, bottle and samples of flavors to add.  They have a variety of "syrups" made with sugar that tastes exactly as they label it such as Cola.  You can also add some fresh lemon or lime if you don't want anything that is artificial.   One of the syrups is called Cosmopolitan.   Add to the carbonated water or vodka.  Once you have a bottle of carbonated water (using tap water, if you want), you can make separate drinks with that one bottle and then carbonate another bottle for other drinks.  Certainly saves on buying soda and dealing with the cost of each bottle that adds on the deposit money.  www.sodastream.com

A FAIR DAY FOR FAIRWAY

Got wind of an event going on at Fairway Market.  Funny Food Art.  Bill Wurtzel, author of the book, took over half the Douglaston store’s café area and brought in various items of food to give us the opportunity to express art using food.  My goal was to choose food that I thought would work well on my own. Manager Chris Lobenhofer was on and to assist me. with where I could get all the items.

Sunday is a demo and tasting day.  Annie was just setting up the tasting areas that featured Fairway products.  I began with the produce area buying strawberries, bananas, avocados, cilantro, a blood orange and some combination of fresh greens.  What else would do?  Eyes. What to use for eyes.  Dried cranberries and cherries.  Slithered almonds for teeth or even eyebrows.  Saw a few fruit and vegetables washes.  Trying one for the first time. 

Over at the deli area, there is a tasting for Fairway’s guacamole and salsa.  Oh yeah…Cinco de Mayo.  Lox pieces are colorful and can easily be carved.  Might as well get Ben’s Creamcheese to go with it.  Hmmm…make a spread.  Mother’s Day is this weekend.   Thoughts also go to a fancy brunch.  Serve your mom “artistically”.   

I’m now at the cheese area to try a few.  Decided to stick with P’tit Basque and Manchego.  I see a bag of Fairway green pasta that looks like rabbit ears.   That will do.  Fairway’s whipped cream, hazelnut spread and Dijon mustard. Have to get mayo too.

Here at the bakery I view a display ad for tres leches cake.  Cinco de Mayo.  It certainly looks good turning out to be quite light and fluffy.   Serve a piece with food art around it.  Create a stick figure of yourself with an arm stretched out.     

Another tasting.  This time is was Fairway’s pistachio crusted salmon.   A nearby display had not only this salmon but a few salmon burgers.  Great brunch option.  Got a package of tomato and basil, one of teriyaki and a package of spinach and feta. 

Moving to the sushi counter I find that the company who makes the sushi came up with their own Ramen Noodle bowl.  He tells me to simply add boiling hot water, stir and eat.  Follow up: tasted okay…better than the instant but heavens knows what additives and preservatives are in it.  Not worth the price of $8.99.  

Tasting of an Italian pork sausage.  Okay, but not my thing.

There is another company also doing a sausage tasting of various chicken sausages.  There was one with mango in it.  That’s more my food fancy.  I did go over to the butcher.   Since I got salmon burgers I thought that “mom” should have the option of having beef or chicken.  Chicken with veggies, beef with bacon and cheese…nothing to add.   Fairway bakery has pretzel buns.  Small enough to make sliders…beef, chicken, salmon….

Another display to push Fairway’s fresh mozzarella that included small yellow Campari tomatoes, pesto sauce and an already made mozzarella, tomato and basil package.   A Fairway tapenade was another perfect companion for the fresh mozzarella.   I then see another display of Vinny’s fresh herbs.  Great for art!  

Now I have to think about a few other things like paper towels to clean up my mess-o-art.  Ice cream nearby. Hmmmm…..new ice cream called High Road.  One is branded as Fairway to Heaven…coffee with crumbs and a hint of cinnamon.   Another one just labeled with High Road is a gelato with ricotta and something.  Heck, I’ll try them both.   Follow up.  Tastes fine and great for those who are into having “stuff” in their ice cream.   

Another tasting going on the pharmacy area of a powdered green good-for-you thing.  Mixed with apple juice it tasted fine.  Mixed with water it tasted like green tea.  I’ll play guinea pig on this one.

Now, if you’re going to do a tasting geared to me, it might well be bars of chocolate.   I’ve been meaning to taste Fairway’s brand.   Got various bars and will follow up on this.  This one I tasted was certainly good.  I have a feeling that the dark mint brownie will tweak my taste buds. 

Got Milk?  Must get. Eggs too are another great thing to make use of with slices of hard boiled egg.  

Conclusion for a Mother’s Day meal.  Go a little bit fancy and a lot on art.  

Now I'm hooked on the art....here are some more creations.