A Life of Spice

Three things I love about New York

I was in NYC last week for meetings with my editors and I have to say I love NYC. Not to be cliched but the city has such vibrancy and such energy and I truly never know what I will find around the corner. The trip started on a funny note. I always take the Acela into NYC from DC. Well, i arrived at the train station at around 5:30 am for my six am train. As I sat down to sip my coffee and await the boarding announcement, I glanced over at the gate for the NYC train. Just above the gate, a touch to the left, was a banner that said simply - CIVILIZATION. I had to smile. I do love NYC.

So my three things for this trip are -- 

On this trip, i visited TriBeCa and ended up staying at the (almost) brand new Duane Street Hotel. It is a small (45 rooms) luxury hotel that is very chic and classy. I just loved my room - i felt as though I were staying in at a friend's well-appointed loft. Tastefully decorated, my room had comfy, snuggly bed, very contemporary slate bathrooms and expansive windows. A strange thing happened when I took a shower in the bathroom- either I was really tired and hallucinating or the the bathroom smelled like the earth does after rains - earthy and wonderful  I arrived late at night and could not take advantage of their restaurant which is closed for dinner so I wandered around the neighborhood and found a place I instantly liked.

Around the corner from the hotel, I found a mostly empty street but my cabbie had given me a tip earlier to walk a block to a place called the Pakistani Tea House (176 Church St between Duane and Reade Sts). (Incidentally, he was swearing on the phone in Hindi and telling his friend on the other end not to swear because an Indian who spoke Hindi was seated in his cab). Accompanied by a dear friend, I entered the tiny little restaurant and was immediately hungry after smelling the aroma of warm tandoori naan, spicy lamb curry and spinach. Yum. For less than ten bucks, I got a full meal (warmed in the microwave) of lightly spiced curries and tandoor-fresh naans that tasted  simply delightful.

I decided to take a different mode of transportation while in the city this time (in addition to cabs and the subway). I tried the man-drawn rickshaws. These guys are fast and zip around the traffic with no fear - I tell you, I must have heard people around us shout out the *F* word in atleast ten different accents! The tourists in buses all waved to me as if I were some sort of a showpiece. I did not realize until later how expensive they were.

Finally, my third love of this trip. i discovered, quite by accident, a place called "Crazy Bananas"  that serves fat-free frozen yogurt with unsual flavors - I had the pomegranate raspberry yogurt topped with lychees, mangoes and golden raspberries. Fantastic!

Brew Pops!

Frank Morales's fabulous Brew Pops are a great way to beat the summer heat and now, they are legal in Virginia! While the story with the legal issue is a long and interesting one, the best news of the day is that these delightful pops are on the menu and available starting June 21st!

Priced at $5 a pop, the icy treats, subject to beer availability, come in seven flavors: Framboise, Cherry Kriek, Peche, Cassis, Banana, Plum and the new and improved Chocolate Stout.

Rustico is located across the street from Buzz at 827 Slaters Lane in the Potomac Plaza in Alexandria, VA. For more information, please visit the website at www.rusticorestaurant.com or call 703-224-5051.

Foods to cool you down!

Kim O'Donnel interviewed several area food writers, myself inlcuded, on how to cool down with cool foods! Read it to chill down!

Honoring the late William Corey

One of my favorite photograhers, William Corey, just passed away. His brilliant pictures of Japanese gardens have been my inspiration on many days. The pictures capture the spirit of the gardens like I have never seen before. He leaves behind an amazing and rich legacy that I know will continue to inspire, amaze and captivate generations forever.

For more on his amazing work, click here.

The New Superfruits, Prevention (India edition) June 2008

Give the apples and bananas a rest and round out your repertoire with these humble, anti-oxidant-packed picks.

Though people are eating more fruit these days more than half are the old standbys: bananas, apples and oranges.

Yes, they're good for you-but you're missing out. "Different fruits provide an array of disease-fighting vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants," says Joy Bauer, RD, author of Joy Bauer's Food Cures

Read more here

Spice up your chicken

CHEF GARG LEAVES INDEBLEU - We revisit an old recipe of his here at " Life Of Spice."

Chef Vikram Garg is no longer with Indebleu but I thought I would share some of his recipes. He tells me that he sometimes gets new recipes in his dreams!

“Yes,” admits the charming 34 year-old, Executive chef at IndeBlue (one of DC newest restaurants), “the exact combinations will come to me in my dreams and I will know exactly how to execute a perfect dish.” His friends, sipping wine around his kitchenette, laughingly agree.

Today, for an informal gathering, Chef Garg has invented a brand new recipe for roasted chicken. “I love to invent new tastes and try different combinations,” he says, “and this one just seemed to come together perfectly. Chicken is what I often refer to a ‘neutral flavored meat.’  This means that the meat takes the flavors of the herbs and spices very well.” New flavors, new tastes are his forte at his day job – where he is responsible for creating a new cuisine that marries contemporary French cuisine with the exotic flavors of Indian spices.

As the guests chat, he readies the oven to its highest heat, 550 F.

“This will ensure that the chicken cooks well and quickly,” he notes. The chicken has been marinating already for about 3 hours. He is very particular about his choice of chicken “It is worth paying a little more for fresh free-range, corn-fed, or organic chicken.  These chickens tend to be a bit more tender and succulent as the bird has a chance to roam around and build up more muscle.”

He skewers it skillfully and places it in the oven. A few minutes later, it starts to brown on top and he pulls it out. “It’s done,” he declares, “any more cooking and the chicken will dry out. Now it needs a final touch, and this is the secret to keeping it moist.” He bastes it gently with warmed butter.

The succulent chicken can be served in many ways explains the chef – atop a salad of greens; rolled in a warm tortilla with greens and sliced pears or even as is. Just remember to drizzle the cilantro pesto over it to bring out the cacophony of flavors. He meticulously rolls his chicken into a warm tortilla as his guests follow suit. And the verdict is unanimous, another dream recipe succeeds.

The chef names the dish, “Goat cheese marinated roasted chicken with cilantro pesto.” His guests christen it “Chef Garg’s 4 alarm chicken,” – not for the heat of the recipe but for the extra-hot oven that repeatedly set off the apartment’s fire-alarm during lunch!

Goat cheese marinated chicken breast with cilantro pesto

Chicken marination

2 lbs chicken breast/thigh boneless skinless

1cup plain yogurt (preferably whole milk)

5oz. goat cheese

1 tablespoon ginger minced

2 sprig rosemary, minced

¼ teaspoon red chili flakes (or to taste)

Salt and crushed black pepper to taste

¼ cup canola oil

¼ warm butter for basting

1.      Cut chicken into 1 inch broad strips and set aside.

2.      In a bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and mix really well so that you don’t have any lumps.

3.      Add the chicken to the marinade. Mix well and refrigerate, covered, for at least 3 hours.

4.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

5.      Place the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan. Discard any remaining marinade. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.  (Alternatively you can skewer the chicken and grill it). Cooking time will vary depending on the cut of meat used.

6.      Brown under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.

7.      Baste as needed with the melted butter.

8.      Serve hot with cilantro pesto.

For cilantro pesto

1 cup cilantro leaves

15 pine nuts

1/8 cup            olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled

Salt to taste

2 black peppercorns, crushed

2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Blend all ingredients to a smooth paste.