Restaurants

Green Strawberries Do you know where your green strawberries are? As an ingredient of the moment, they’ve been gathering speed for a while. First, René Redzepi of Copenhagen’s much-renowned Noma pointed out the subtle difference in color and flavor between a very green-white “unripe unripe” and a desirably ivory-green “perfectly unripe” strawberry as he spoon-fed host David Chang from a plate of still-quivering sea scallops and sliced green strawberries puddled in emerald-green fresh pea juice on PBS’s In the Mind of a Chef. Earlier this month, Thomas Keller’s minions were pickling them to add to butter-poached lobster with beet puree, curry, and pink peppercorn yogurt at The French Laundry, while at New York City’s Per Se, they decorated a palate-whetter of Champagne granite, turnip panna cotta, hibiscus-rhubarb glaze, and lime ravigote. A few weeks ago at Duende, Oakland’s hot-ticket tapas and paella spot, the kitchen was curing lamb shoulder from Barinaga Ranch jamon-style, then slicing it thinly to serve with pickled green strawberries and tender green almonds. At Rich Table in Hayes Valley, green strawberries are paired with brandade and a scallop chip on the “Bites” menu, perfect with a glass of white sangria garnished with, you guessed it, pickled strawberries. Even the mensches at Wise Sons Deli are getting in on the trend; on a recent visit, we spied one of the cooks pickling a tubful to add to the cucumbers, carrots, fennel and onions on their house-made pickle plate. And leafing through my copy of Mourad: New Moroccan, from Aziza chef Mourad Lahlou, I found a simple recipe for quick-brined green strawberries, pickled in a basic brine of cider vinegar, sugar, and salt, plus a sprig of thyme. On the Fermenters Club blog, they’re fermenting their berries, letting the berries soften in a week-long brine with just a hint of vinegar, with bay leaves, allspice berries, and orange peel for flavoring. But what do they taste like? Acidic, of course, since even when perfectly unripe, they’re still purposefully a week or two away from full-flavored, ruby-red sweetness. Think more kiwi than strawberry, with a texture like underripe honeydew melon and cucumber. So where can you find them? In your backyard, of course, if you’ve got a strawberry patch going, or at any u-pick farm. But if you’re saving all your berries for shortcake, you can pick up pints of green berries from Poli Yerena, owner and farmer of Yerena Farms. Yerena grows her organic berries down near Watsonville, and sells green berries by the box or flat to interested chefs and home cooks alike, alongside their deliciously sweet and fragrant ripe berries. They sell at many farmers’ markets around the Bay Area; check their website to find the market nearest you. Yerena suggests bringing out the cucumber-like quality of the green berries in a fresh salsa, using a mixture of sliced green berries and ripe mango, with red onion, cilantro, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper–delicious over grilled fish or as a base for ceviche. Quick Pickled Green Strawberries Play around with the flavorings as you wish. Lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves? Star anise and fresh ginger root? Just make sure to let the brine cool before you add it to the berries, as you want them to stay firm rather than mushy. Pickled Green Strawberries Ingredients 1 pint green strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered 1 cup water 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar 3 TB granulated sugar 2 1/2 tsp salt 1 fresh tarragon sprig, 1 leafy fennel frond, or 1 fresh bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 long spiral of fresh lime, lemon, or orange peel Preparation Combine water, vinegar, sugar, salt, tarragon, spices, and rind in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Remove from heat and

Green strawberries are trending. Stephanie Rosenbaum shares two recipes using this ingredient of the moment: Quick Pickled Green Strawberries and Green Strawberry and Mango Salsa. Read the rest of the story on Bay Area Bites

1. NC BBQ pilgrimage2. The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), dir. Cianfrance3. Kurt Vile, Wakin on a Pretty Daze (Matador)4. Turner country hams, bacon, and ham sandwiches, Fulks Run, VA + Wade's Mill cornmeal & grits, Raphine, VA5. The Central Park Five (2012), dir. Burns, Burns, and McMahon6. earthen oven building class, Yestermorrow Design/Build School, Waitsfield, VT7. real VA & NC peanuts8. Tabloid (2010), dir. Morris9. v/a, Delta Swamp Rock, vol. 2 (Soul Jazz)10. Asheville, NC + Black Mountain, NCaj

I have to say that I was really impressed with Thalassa. It’s a Greek restaurant that’s in a building that’s owned by a shipping company and has been there for the last I don’t know however many years. It seems like if you own the building, you’re going to have a better possibility of being able to manage a restaurant at the bottom of it, but the food here speaks for itself. To the left, Chef Raphael Abrahante is perfects the seafood display. This guy really knows his fish. I feel like this guy is going to make a name for himself, but I can’t find a lot of articles about his food just yet. There will be more soon, trust me. Onto the food: Bakalao It looks pretty, but I think it needs to be eaten when it’s hot. I had photographed all of the appetizers before I got to try it and the cooling off did something to the texture. I can’t comment on this one in one way or another, only to say that it needs to be eaten hot. Horiatiki Or as I like to call it, the fancypants Greek Salad. I think I ate the whole thing. I might have skipped the flower. Look at how GD gorgeous that thing is. Katifi Wrapped Scallops Maine Sea Scallops wrapped in Kataifi filo with sheep’s milk butter and a Kalamata balsamic reduction. These things are a must order when you dine here. They are DECADENT, so beware. These are easily someone’s main course. A refined fried scallop dish if I’ve ever tasted one. Tartare Trio Three tartares of Royal Dorado, Tuna, and Lavraki respectively. My favorite was the classic tuna and avocado. Hard to go wrong with this light fare after you’ve punished yourself with those scallops (we advise splitting the scallops with two friends). Soft-Shell Crab and Fiddleheads This one is not on the menu right now, but I just wanted to say DAMN! FIDDLEHEADS! If you haven’t had yourself some fiddleheads at this point in time this season, go find yourself some and cook the heck out of those badass mothers. You’ll LOVE them. Also, soft-shell crab? Definitely my favorite type of crab. If it’s on the menu, this is what I am ordering. Very springy. Octopus Susan was telling me a story about how all of the Greek restaurants used to have a washing machine in the kitchen. The washing machine would tenderize the octopus. Now, these washing machines have been removed from the great kitchens because they are “unsanitary.” I mean, I am guessing they are not made for this type of stuff, so they have the potential to be unsanitary, but I basically side with the chef on this one, especially in a restaurant of this caliber. These octopi were hand-massaged. They are plenty tender and you get an absolute mammoth portion of it. Not cheap, but if you like octopus, this really is an exceptional dish. Panna Cotta This one is available in the $38 prix-fixe. When I think Greece, I don’t typically think Panna Cotta, but I was happy with this one. Panna Cotta it is one of my favorite things to photograph. I’m not sure I did this one justice. Baklava I don’t think you could see it, but the honey was absolutely sparkling in the sunset. Sparkling honey is not necessarily a mark of good baklava, but they nailed it. If you are a high-end Greek restaurant, you need to nail the baklava. An ex-girlfriend of mine went to Greece on a trip and came back complaining about the bland food. I’ve been to a lot of Greek restaurants in the past and I’ve never been super excited about the cuisine. After Thalassa, I am. Editor’s note: This meal was provided to the writer compliments of the restaurant Thalassa179 Franlkin StreetNew York, NY 10013(212) 941-7661

While chef Govind Armstrong is busy this Memorial Day in the kitchen of his 2 1/2-month-old restaurant Willie Jane on Abbot Kinney in Venice, scores of Angelenos will be firing up the grill. To ...

Eater scanned through all 1307 NYC restaurants on OpenTable with reservations for two still available for tonight. Here's the best of the bunch. Get 'em while they're hot: · Rubirosa (9:30) · Lafayette (7:45) · Bill's Food & Drink (7:00, 7:45) · Mas (la grillade) (7:30, 8:15) · Barraca (7:00, 7:15) · Feast (7:15, 9:15) · Wong (7:30, 9:00) · Hearth (7:00, 7:30) · Blue Hill (8:30) · Aldea (9:00, 9:30) · Dovetail (7:15, 8:00) · L'Apicio (7:00) · Il Buco Alimentari (6:30) · Tocqueville (9:00) · Betony (7:00, 7:30) · Bar Boulud (7:00, 7:45) · Boukies (7:45, 8:00) · WD~50 (7:00) · Manon (7:00, 8:00) · The Marrow (6:30) · Union Square Cafe (8:45) · Brushstroke (7:00, 8:15) · Marc Forgione (9:45) · Kin Shop (7:00, 9:00) · Amali (7:30, 8:30) · OpenTable [Official Site]

Daniel Vaughn is a self-proclaimed "BBQ Snob" and "The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue" his first book, documents and celebrates the traditions and deliciousness that is Texas Barbecue.  Not only is "Prophets" Daniel's first book, it is also the first book published by Anthony Bourdain's imprint.  It is an amazing début for both. This is not a cookbook.  There are a few recipes at the back of the book that will give backyard pitmasters a chance to recreate smoked meat favorites from some of the best pitmasters in Texas, but don't even begin to think of this book as a cookbook. The word "bible" is highly overused in the BBQ/Grilling publishing world, there have been several so-called "bibles" published but none can even be considered a bible after the publication of Daniel Vaughn's book. Whether it's the genesis of a Texas BBQ pitmaster or the revelation of how Aaron Franklin cooks his world-famous brisket this book is a testament to both the old and new of barbecue in Texas. Daniel "BBQ Snob" Vaughn is an expert on Texas barbecue. He is the author and editor of the respected blog Full Custom Gospel BBQ and BBQ editor at Texas Monthly. A trained architect, he lives in Dallas with his wife and children. "Prophets of Smoked Meat" brought back some memories I had long ago forgotten. My love of BBQ started in Texas.  I still remember my trip to Luckenbach, during the Waylon, Willie and the Boys heyday of the 70's  when I tasted a perfectly smoked brisket for the first time.  It's a memory that has kept me searching for that taste through much of my adult life. If the legend of the BBQ Grail isn't a myth, it surely is a Texas Brisket. I remember the flavor like it was yesterday. I remember how the freshly smoked and sliced brisket seemed to just melt on my tongue. But the over the past 35 years, or so, I had forgotten about the spirit of Texas barbecue.  "Prophets of Smoked Meat" gave me a ride down memory lane that I am so appreciative for. It reminded me that Texas barbecue, especially brisket, is an attitude.  It's a way of life.  It's something that can't just be repeated anywhere.  There are lots and lots of Texas Barbecue joints outside of Texas, but I doubt they are able to recreate the entire Texas barbecue experience no matter how hard they try.  Texas barbecue isn't just smoked meat, it's the culture that makes it what it is. proph·et: noun \prä-f?t\an effective or leading spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group If we define scripture as a body of writings considered sacred and authoritative then The Prophets of Smoked Meat is, without a doubt, scripture on Texas barbecue. I was pretty sure no book would be able to do Texas barbecue justice as well as Robb Walsh did in Legends of Texas Barbecue or Wyatt McSpadden's artistic Texas BBQ.  But Daniel Vaughn has written a book that captures every nuance that is barbecue in Texas. I think it's safe to say that after visiting over 500 Texas BBQ establishments no single person knows more about Texas BBQ than the "BBQ Snob." The book kicks off with a map of 202 BBQ restaurants.  The map legend allows you see not only where the joints are located but the type of wood used.  As one would expect the most popular wood is Mesquite with oak varieties a close second. Even though brisket might be  king in Texas there are four different techniques for achieving smoked perfection. "Hill Country" is known for a more "hot and fast" approach.  Heavily salted brisket cooked over direct heat from mesquite charcoal. "East Texas" style is closer to traditional southern BBQ. More often chopped than sliced and drenched in a sweet sauce. "South Texas" style is best known for barbecoa or whole cow heads smoked until the meat is falling off the bone.  You'll find ribs and brisket too. "Central Texas" is known for brisket.  Low and slow with just salt and pepper.  Don't see sauce on the table?  Don't ask for it because sa

Owner John McDonald responds to the buzz surrounding the possible closure of his treasured Lure Fishbar with a very matter-of-fact evaluation of the local real estate scene: "All neighborhoods change with time. I still think it's one of the best areas, despite the fact that some local favorites have not survived. It's business—it's the market—in this case, we want the opportunity to pay market rent based on comps/deals. If we cannot match it, that is the way the market works. And while losing Lure would be a very undesirable outcome, we would have to accept it, having been given a fair shot." [Curbed NY]

Guest post, recipe and photos by Brenda (@mightyvanilla) Banana Shake with Hazelnut & Chocolate Puree Recipe With the success of the Almond Puree from the Caramelized Fennel, Almond & Orange Confit Salad recipe, I wanted to try the same technique using one of my favourite nuts: hazelnuts. To make things more interesting and experimental, I decided to add chocolate and cocoa for a homemade version of Nutella. The technique for the hazelnut and chocolate puree is essentially the same as for the almond puree. When I was making the hazelnut version, I stirred some chopped dark chocolate into the warm simmered hazelnuts just before the mixture was blended. In hindsight, I should have waited until after the nuts were pureed to add the chocolate because the chocolate made the mixture thicker and more difficult to blend. I had also guesstimated the amount of chocolate to add and found that the flavour of the chocolate in the puree was not as intense as I wanted so I added in some cocoa at the very end. Chocolate is made up of cocoa, cocoa butter and sugar so using it in the puree adds richness and flavour, whereas using pure cocoa primarily adds flavour. If you’re after a more intense chocolate flavour, then I would recommend only using cocoa. I plan on making this again but next time I’ll make just the hazelnut puree first and stir in melted chocolate or cocoa by hand at the very end. (Practical experimentation is one of the best ways to learn in the kitchen, as is constantly tasting and adjusting along the way.) I told Mijune about the hazelnut & chocolate puree and she gave me an idea about trying it in a frozen banana shake. The original recipe, National Almond Day Almond Shake, uses almond butter and soy milk but I adapted it to use the hazelnut chocolate puree and regular cow’s milk. For garnishing the shake, I borrowed an idea from the Ya Mon cocktail by David Wolowidnyk at West Restaurant + Bar and garnished the shake with brûléed banana slices. (The Ya Mon is essentially a boozy version of a banana and tropical smoothie and it’s one of my favourite cocktails.) For the banana shake, it’s essential that the bananas are frozen because they give the shake a thick and creamy texture while still keeping it healthy and light. The hazelnut & chocolate puree plus a bit of cinnamon and vanilla rounds the flavours out and complements the bananas nicely. Hazelnut & Chocolate Puree Makes  about 1 ½ cups of puree Ingredients 3/4 cup (130g) whole hazelnuts, roasted and skinned 1/2 tsp salt 650 mL milk 2 Tbsp sugar 40g dark chocolate (60% or higher, roughly chopped) or 2-3 Tbsp cocoa (sifted) Additional milk as needed for blending Banana Shake Makes 2 servings Ingredients 2 cups milk (can substitute almond or soy milk) 2 large ripe bananas, sliced into quarters and frozen solid 2 Tbsp Hazelnut & Chocolate Puree 1/2 cup ice (3-4 cubes) 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp vanilla Additional cinnamon for garnishing (optional) Brûléed Banana Garnish (optional) Ingredients Several slices of ripe banana, cut into 1/2” thickness Granulated sugar (about 1/8 – 1/4 tsp per banana slice) Notes for success Keep an eye on the heat when simmering the hazelnuts for the puree. Milk can burn easily as the liquid level drops. The hazelnut & chocolate puree makes a lot but the leftovers keep very well and is delicious spread on toast or stirred into yogurt. The frozen bananas gives the shakes a smooth creamy texture. The bananas can be cut and frozen the night before you want to make the shake. Frozen bananas are great to keep on hand for making shakes and other blended drinks. Simply freeze quartered bananas in a single layer on a lined cookie sheet and store in a freezer bag or vacuum seal them into pre-portioned serving sizes. When brûléeing the banana slices, use a low flame and keep it moving over the sugar. The sugar will bubble vigorously at first so allow the initial bubbling to subside before applying more heat. The more sugar you use, the thicker t

St. Cece's Pub is slowly inching towards full-time lunch service. We're now up to Thursday through Saturday 11am-5pm! [St. Cece's FB]Mae's is now serving Bloody Mary's and mimosas! [Mae's FB]But Bella Piatti is not. Birmingham says, "This aggression will not stand" to new owners of Bella Piatti, currently seeking a liquor license transfer but denied due to their own operational history of MLCC violations. [Downtown Publications]Michigan's growing spirits industry is helping boost craft culture culture. Or vice versa. Or both. We're dealing with a chicken/egg kind of situation here. [Michigan Radio]More expansion news for Atwater Brewery. [Model D]In case you missed it:~Here is your Movement guide to restaurants and bars within walking distance of Hart Plaza. [EID]~Another post-pop-up success story: Always Brewing Detroit will open permanently in their previous winter pop-up location in Grandmont Rosedale later this month. [Model D]~"Meat tastes like murder, and murder tastes f@#%ing good" - so says Denis Leary, and so says this week's feature in Metromode. [Metromode]Prediction: gas station food will be the new food trucks. As in, an offshoot variety of restaurant previously dismissed based on the nature of its location/identity (roach coaches, GAS STATION FOOD) now being embraced by "#foodies" as the new adventurous culinary frontier. Won't this be fun. Maybe there could even be a #tweetup. !!!! #gasstationfoodies [Detroit News]This one blows my mind. A collection of "food trucks" under one roof that are not in fact mobile can just go ahead and be called a food court, what with "truck" sort of being the operative word there. At some point, things stop being trucks. Is this meta? I don't even know. [Berkley Patch]Sweet Potato Sensations has been in business since 1987 on Detroit's Northwest side. Read about this second-generation family-owned business in Urban Innovation Exchange. [UIX]August 13 is confirmed as opening day of Michigan's first The Cheesecake Factory. Let's start planning! [Crain's]Guess which city has one of the best baseball stadiums for craft beer??? (Hint: IT'S IN THE NAME OF THIS FACEBOOK BLOG.) [Daily Meal]IS SYLVIA RECTOR SLAGGING ON BACONFEST?????? Eh, can't actually say I disagree with her. Good story on Zingerman's Camp Bacon. [Freep]SkyBar and Lounge (the ground floor portion) is remodeled and reopened, debuting their new Alpha stage in partnership with WDET. [Deadline / SkyBar FB]Looks like the Oxford Inn will not go through with the country-western changes originally planned (and also looks like those plans were never quite as dramatic as it sounded). [Royal Oak Patch]The Avenue of Fashion is getting some buzz this week ... among the many things happening here is a new neighborhood-focused Detroit SOUP. [Crain's]And here is an excellent, thoughtfully-written story about what's happening at the Avenue of Fashion now, what's in store for the near future, and how this might be Detroit's next corridor to see major investment. [Model D]Midtown's Whole Foods Market Detroit is a development plan 15 years in the making. [Freep]And now, a history lesson from Curbed Detroit. We all know and love Eastern Market Corporation - but did you know there was once a Western Market? True story. We plowed it over for a highway. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! [Curbed]Many, many Michigan chefs were included in the 2013 Best Chefs America list including James from The Root Restaurant and Bar, Dave from Supino Pizzeria, Christian from Brizola, Paul from Cuisine, Brian from Forest Grill, Chris from The Rattlesnake, Luciano from Bacco Ristorante, Andy from Michael Symon's Roast - Detroit, Eve from Frita Batidos, Brandon from Grange Kitchen and Bar, Alex from Zingerman's Roadhouse, and soooooo many more. Congratulations to all of them! [Best Chefs America]In other examples of national recognition for a Michigan chef ... sooooooo the chef at Vellum in Ann Arbor was nominated for Eater