Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Lobster Roll That Makes Itself

It's been pretty gorgeous here in NYC, and we're getting all kinds of excited for Summer.  Which, in our brains, means Lobster Rolls!  We're going to go ahead and deem it Lobster Roll season with the unseasonably warm weather we've been getting.  (cheers of joy!!)

And with that, we bring you this charming stop-animation short of a lobster roll making itself, made by the folks over at Luke's Lobster. 

Luke's Lobster: The Roll That Makes Itself from Luke's Lobster on Vimeo.



xxG

Lady Liberty & Liquid Gold

We here at Gastronomista HQ are lovers of the whiskey.  Yes, it's true, and we are not afraid of saying it.

So we went to an auction.  A whiskey auction.  An whiskey auction hosted on Liberty Island and hosted by Glenfiddich. It was fabulous.  (Ok ok ok, it was for charity - SHFT Initatives, founded by Adrian Grenier to promote sustainability issues through the intersection of commerce, art & design, and communication).

Lady Crush

We came, we bid, we lost.

But there were winners that night.  A lucky lady who won a dinner with the ever handsome Mr. Grenier, and an extremely lucky gentleman who won the even more handsome bottle of 55 year old Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve.  There are only 11 bottles on the planet, and considered to be the world's most valuable single malt.   And how much did this bottle of liquid gold auction for, you ask?  $94,000.  A small trifle, we say.

Adrian Grenier, The Lady with the Gavel, Rachel Orkin-Ramey, and Whisky Collector Mahesh Patel

That's a Good Lookin' Table

Meat Pies!

Us ladies of  more conservative budgets stuck to the party fare - lamb sandwiches, meat pies, and of course, Glenfiddich (we'll stick to the 18 year, thank you very much).  After all, a way to a woman's heart is always meat pie and scotch.



xxG

Saturday, March 10, 2012

A Taste of Japan - Japan Week

This last week was Japan Week, an event around the city that raised money for the Japan Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief efforts - but more importantly was an excellent excuse to drink Yamazaki and eat some amazing Japanese food.


We were invited to the kick off gala at Grand Central Station (one of the most incredible buildings in New York, if we might say so ourselves).  The fête was held in the station's Vanderbilt Hall, which was filled with red lanterns, ice sculptures, and cherry blossoms.  There were representatives from all of the best Japanese restaurants in town and other dining powerhouses as well; Daniel, Bond Street, David Bouley’s Brushstroke, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public, Joël Robuchon’s Kibo, Kyoya, Sakagura, Hakata Tonton, Hibino, Ronin, Restaurant Nippon and Soba Nippon.

We, of course, started at the scotch table.  We've been fans of Japanese scotch for a while now - so we started off the evening with a flight of Hibiki, Hakushu, and Yamazaki 12 year and 18 year.  It's a special event when we get to enjoy an 18 year, and this one we did.  Smoky, woody, smooth, yet a little bit spicy.  Heaven. 


We then toured the tables, tasting one of each offering.  Each table had a unique dish that highlighted each respective chef.  Tuna cheeks, Imo Mochi of Urchin, Wasabi cured Fluke - this was anything but the expected.

A few of our favorites:

Grilled Sake Lee Marinated Scallops by Chef Hirohisa Hayashi of Hibino

Simmered Tuna Toro Cheeks by Chef Yoshi Takeda of Ronin Bar & Grill

Crab and Glass Noodle Rice with Sansho Pepper by Chef Koji Hagihara of Hakata Tonton

Kombu Cured Fuke Sushi & Imo-Mochi with Sea Urchin by Chef Shikara Sono of Kyo Ya




Hakuto Jelly

With our bellies full, but still thirsty, we made our way to the bar.  This evenings cocktails incorporated Green Tea into each of them, providing a simple yet powerful base to build a cocktail upon.  We found both cocktails to be very unique and sophisticated, sweet, savory, with just enough kick.   

The delicious Green Kmono by Esteban Ordonez


Green Kimono
By Esteban Ordonez

2 oz Iichiko Shochu
3/4 oz Nashi Pear Puree
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
Tip of bar spoon of Matcha Tea
3 drops of Kabosu juice
Garnish with a Nashi Square
Served in a coupe glass

Yamazaki 12 Year old & Pomelo by Gen Yamamoto


Yamazaki 12 Year Old & Pomelo
By Gen Yamamoto
(adapted from drink at Brushstroke)

1 oz Yamazaki 12 Year Old
2 ½ oz Pomelo Juice
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Pomelo Confiture
1 oz Sen-Cha green tea
Kudzu
Garnish with Roasted Sen-Cha

Cook sugar with green tea to make a green tea simple syrup. Mix with kudzu powder and confiture and place in bottom of glass. Mix remaining ingredients except for roasted Sen-Cha and pour on top of green tea mixture. Top with roasted Sen-Cha.

Kanpai!


Some photos by Gabi Porter, provided by Hanna Lee Communications.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Mad Men Hostess Giveaway - CLOSED

Let's face it. One of the worst television news bits we encountered since the end of the Sopranos was the moment Mad Men was sent on hiatus. The reality of having to wait for Don Draper, dry martinis, and Joan and Betty's immaculate up-dos to re-enter our cinematic lives was far too long.

Although the glorious news that the wait's almost over (Season 5 airs March 25th on AMC!), our impatient (and insatiable) selves can barely hold over for a glimpse of Don nibbling on Oysters Rockefeller at Grand Central Oyster Bar, Roger Sterling guzzling down a proper Sidecar at PJ Clarke's, or the sight of Betty shaking things up with a Tom Collins at bridge night until then.




That's where the Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook comes in. Authors Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin carefully scanned and selected some of the paramount recipes from the haute ad-men era, including cocktails recipes like the 21 Club Bloody Mary, the essential Martini, a Blue Hawaii, to appetizers for canapés, entree recipes for dinner (think chicken Kiev or pan seared rib eye), and even dessert classics, like pineapple upside down cake.


The Essential Martini
Photo by The Algonquin Hotel


The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook isn't simply recipes, but a historical account and Mad Men episode guide that pairs scenes from each season with every recipe, breaking down the when, where, and who that were eating and drinking these retro hits.


Old Fashioned - Always Classic - Always Delicious
Photo by Nina Gallant

With the impending airdate for season 5 quickly approaching, make sure to enter this Mad Men Unofficial Cookbook Hostess Giveaway to brush up on your Mad Men trivia and hone your craft on the perfect martini, just in case Don Draper knocks at your door.





: : : THE GIVEAWAY : : :


Drink like Don Draper

The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook: Inside the Kitchens, Bars, and Restaurants of Mad Men





: : HOW TO ENTER : : :


1. Leave a comment on the post answering: your favorite Madmen cocktail or 60's recipe.

2. Tweet #MadMenHostessGiveaway @xxGastronomista

3. *Extra entry* “follow” @xxGastronomista and/or “like” us on Facebook.

The contest closes in one week (12 pm EST). Winner will be selected on Monday, March 12th, and will be emailed that day.

Mark your calendars: Mad Men's 2-hour premiere airs Sunday, March 25th on AMC.


Good luck, and many thanks to The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook authors, Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin!


Here's a little something to get your Mad Men season started off right, with a recipe from the Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook:


The 21 Club Bloody - A Necessity
Photo by The 21 Club


Recipe for '21' Traditional Bloody Mary

1 1/2 ounces vodka
2 ounces tomato juice, chilled
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of celery salt
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and pour into a chilled
cocktail glass.

Yield: 1 drink. Don Draper not included.

xx Miss Helen Hollyman
www.ulookhungry.com

Friday, March 2, 2012

The Mighty Doughnut - Emily Eveleth

It's no new news that we really like doughnuts.  What's not to like?  There's something so optimistic about doughnuts - pillowy clouds filled with jams and creams, sprinkled with crystalline sugar and crunchy jimmies, fragile yet so easy to greedily devour.  Guaranteed bliss for anyone who partakes.



What's better than a warm doughnut?  How about a doughnut bigger than you, mere human? Oozing, glistening in the light, opening itself, tempting you to reach out and taste it's sweet-sweet filling.

That's what we bring you today, dear readers.  Artist, Emily Eveleth paints just that - enormous doughnuts - but they are so much more than just paintings of doughnuts.



While doughnuts are a common everyday object, Eveleth's treatment of them brings them to life, giving them personality, and making them human in so many ways.  These doughnuts have personalities and emotions - some are heroic, some defeated, some are confident, some are lonely, some flirtatious, but all of them beautiful and magnificent. 




We find ourselves feeling for these doughy characters.  Wanting to befriend them, comfort them, listen to their stories, and understand how they came to be.




 














Mighty, lonely, and poised - these doughnuts are more than kitsch americana - these doughnuts are us. Somehow they speak to the human condition - because maybe we too are filled with jams and creams, sprinkled with crystalline sugar, fragile, yet so easy to greedily devour.


Want more?  Check out Emily Eveleth's website.

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