Showing the love

Well, only one more day in the kitchen here in new york.....kind of crazy but so excited to leave for Italy next friday.

This past week has been a great week. Actually it really began last sunday when i was lucky enough to have one of my best friends come and visit. It was an excellent day with lunch in the park, wondering through the museum of natural history, shopping a little bit, and ending with some coffee and crossword puzzels. Learning about the temperature of lakes and when the earth might slip into another ice age. It was a picture perfect day and i think she should come to italy next to visit ;)

Then i got to spend the next couple days with my mom. She was in town again for work, so that means eating out at some great restaurants. Monday night was Becco. One of the great Italian restaurants in the city in midtown owned by Lidia Bastianich. The same owners of Del Posto and Esca. It was a happening place and packed but we snagged a place at the bar and had a great meal. Their signature three pastas are excellent and the veal parm was excellent and big enough for at least two to share. Plus they have an entire list of bottles of wine that are $25, you won't find a better deal in the city. On tuesday we went to The Mark by Jean George at the Mark Hotel on the upper east side. Very good food, they make a great grapefruit gimlet, however, it is definitely the place where all the yuppities of the upper east side come to eat. Old money, cigars, jewelry that costs more than my life, and now within the last decade botox and tanning beds galore. Oh, and these people were all at least 65 years or older. There were only two other tables that i could see younger people at. It was pretty entertaining to people watch, so if you like to people watch i definitely suggest it.

As for the kitchen this week, it has been all about executing, timing, and presentation of dishes. On tuesday we were given a menu with four different items: Antipasti, Primo, Secondo, and Dolce. On tuesday i made the antipasti and secondo and then on wednesday made the primo and dolce. Thursday and friday were the same but with a new menu. It was pretty fun and we made some tasty stuff. Spaghetti with clams and oysters and a presecco zambione, spinach and ricotta tortelloni with a tomato and olive sauce, red mullett with asparagus, fava bean, strawberry panzenella sprinkled with lavender bread crumbs, buttermilk panna cotta with cherry compote and pistachio crisps....that was tuesday and wednesday.....thursday and friday as follows: tuna tartar with pickled onions, avacado sauce, and black olive wafers, risotto with pea shoots, roasted tomatoes, and pan seared salmon with balsamic reduction, duck braised in burgandy with poached figs and marsala/burgandy reduction sauce, and finally a ricotta/mascarpone, rhubarb/strawberry compote tart with ginger strawberry sauce and almond ice cream.

Yes, quite the week. Now, all that is left is the final theory and practical on monday. Then Italy next friday! Can't wait!