to all you hard workers out there…happy Labor Day!

DESIR – better than Moulin Rouge

Before Moulin Rouge, before Folies Bergere, there was DESIR, the jewel of Paris. DESIR is the new theatrical circus experience which takes you backstage at the greatest nightclub the world has ever seen. A meeting place for showgirls and soldiers, bejeweled courtesans and maharajahs, DESIR is a carnival world devoted to the pursuit of beauty, clever seductions and breathtaking displays of acrobatic wonder. It is a sparkling merry-go-round where your last love affair is merely an entree to your next encounter.

 

MM and I went to see this show last night at SouthStreet Seaport with two of our friends, and it was amazing. The performers would have given any gymnast olympian a run for their gold, the music was seductive and enticing, the drinks were fantastic and kept coming…it was a show I didn’t want to end.

 

We also had dinner prior to the show at the restaurant, Squid & Martini, inside Spiegelworld. The food was ok, but the view of the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge made up for it. Our waitress was Corey from the most recent season of “Hell’s Kitchen.” She was nice, but wasn’t interested in giving me her resume to pass on to a few bigtime chefs I know. Strange. I guess she’s happier working as a waitress with her bartender husband…

rules of renovating in a coop

Being that this is my first renovation (in a coop of all places) and I am learning sooo much along the way, I’ve decided to pass along my newfound wisdom.

10 Rules of Renovating in a Coop:

1. hire a contractor who has worked in the building before or who is recommended through the coop management company – if you know others who they have worked for, they are more trustworthy

2. clarify any plumbing or electrical work and request information for his professional contacts

3. make a fireproof contractor contract that will save you in any possible circumstance (see example here: http://www.ilrg.com/forms/contrctr.html)

4. copy and submit contractor’s license, insurance, scope of work, along with any other professionals you may have hired (plumber, electrician, etc.) to the management company and keep copies for yourself

5. pay in increments (we chose 30% prior to work and then slowly pay as big jobs are completed)

6. buy your own materials whenever possible (hence the Ikea posting)

7. notify management of times when you need water shut-off (they will post a notice for other tenants)

8. notify neighbors of work being done – possible noise and dust

9. require contractor to keep common areas clean

10. stay and sleep somewhere else!!!

rocket = arugula

I previously posted about Bresaola and one of the usual compliments of Bresaola is rocket. I also eat rocket when I’m eating Bresaola, but I have never called it that. Hearing the word thrown around in culinary circles made me curious, so I looked it up.

Rocket = arugula

It is used as a leaf vegetable, which looks like a longer leaved and open lettuce. It is rich in vitamin C and potassium. It has been grown in the Mediterranean area since Roman times, and was considered an aphrodisiac. Before the 1990s it was usually collected in the wild and was not cultivated on a large scale or researched scientifically. In addition to the leaves, the flowers (often used in salads as an edible garnish), young seed pods and mature seeds are all edible. It is now cultivated in various places, especially in Veneto, Italy, but is available throughout the world.

It has a rich, peppery taste, and is exceptionally strongly flavoured for a leafy green. It is generally used in salads but also cooked as a vegetable with pastas or meats. In Italy, it is often used in pizzas, added just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it can wilt in the heat. It is sometimes used as an ingredient in pesto, either in addition to basil or as a (non-traditional) substitute.

On the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples, a digestive called rucolino is made from the plant, a drink often enjoyed in small quantities following a meal. The liquor is a local specialty enjoyed in the same way as a limoncello or grappa and has a sweet peppery taste that washes down easily.

Bresaola – the other red meat

Last night, MM and I decided to go a little lighter for dinner. For us, that usually means a variety of salads and antipasto – always including Bressaola. Most Americans I know aren’t familiar with Bresaola, so I decided to give a brief description:

Bresaola is an air-dried, salted beef that has been aged until it becomes hard and a dark red. It is made from eye of round and is lean and tender with a sweet, musty smell. It originated in Valtellina, a valley in the Alps of northern Italy’s Lombardy region. The word comes from the diminutive of Italian bresada, meaning to braise.

Usually served as an antipasto, bresaola is sliced paper thin and served at room temperature or slightly chilled. It is most commonly eaten on its own, but MM and I choose to drizzle it with olive oil. Some add lemon juice or aceto balsamico, and serve it with rocket (rucola, arugula) salad, cracked black pepper and freshly shaved Parmesan cheese.

In NYC, you can find Bresaola in Citerella, Gourmet Garage, and Whole Foods.

penne con prosciutto e asparagi

I’ve already mentioned that my little brother, W, was visiting MM and I this week. He is quite the charming young man, and I tend to believe that my Italian fiance has had nothing but a positive effect on him. Last year, MM began to instruct W on the ways to charm the ladies – one major trick: cook for them. W began to hang out with MM and me in the kitchen to watch our methods and learn some recipes – sometimes, all it takes is the mention of the ladies. My mom wasn’t complaining, to say the least.

Since then, W has been pulling out the stops! He charmed a nice young woman in DC this summer while they were both interning, and he sealed the deal by cooking her Penne con Prosciutto e Asparagi. He cooked the same pasta for MM and I last night – he included roasted chicken, but MM and I would have done with out the “pollo.” I highly recommend trying it for yourself (with or without the chicken):

Ingredients:

1 box De Cecco penne

1 bundle of asparagus

1 package of prosciutto (about 1/2lb)

1/2 cup olive oil (not extra virgin)

2 cloves garlic

1 cup Ricotta

roasted chicken (optional)

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. When it boils, add pasta and cook as indicated on box.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and let simmer until you can smell the garlic – do not burn. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and toss to coat evenly. Let cook until asparagus just starts to get browned on the edges, about 3 minutes.

Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to the asparagus mixture, stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate browned bits. Drain pasta and add to sauce pan. Add ricotta and stir to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve immediately.

lil bro

W, my little brother who is actually 6’10”, is visiting me and MM in NYC. He goes to GWU, and this next year is his senior year. It’s hilarious to hear his impression of NYC as the epicenter of “beautiful women.” He can’t walk down the street without noting that “the hottest woman he has ever seen” just walked by. Apparently, DC doesn’t offer the same eye candy who also dress ten times better than the average “hill intern.”

 

Maybe its the job opportunities, maybe its the shopping, or maybe its the fact that the most successful and challenging men seem to inhabit NYC…whatever it is, it has created a jungle of hotness that is overwhelming for the average male American predator. My brother on the other hand, is too good for all of the women I know. I’m hoping he’ll find one in Europe at my wedding…

first renovation nightmare

Friday evening, MM, my best friend (MOH – for maid of honor), and I were on the train on our way to the Hamptons to meet MOH’s bf. We were all trying to wind down after a long week, long day, and even longer trial of getting on the train and transferring at Jamaica. Finally, we thought we could breath…wrong.

The man who manages work within my coop, called and said that he had been receiving calls about leaking and flooding in the C line apartments. I live in 5C, so all of the C apartments below me were apparently experiencing rain even though it was a gorgeous evening.

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Panic-stricken, MM and I called our contractor to find out what was going on. To our knowledge, the pipes hadn’t been touched yet, and we certainly didn’t think he was causing unknown leaking and flooding beneath us. We didn’t have time to stop by my apartment after work, so we were relying on our contractor to keep everything smooth over the weekend.

In the end, we’re still dealing with the drama of the damage downstairs, but our contractor claims it was not our problem. We have new pipes which opened the flow and was too much for the apartments downstairs which have old pipes and need to be replaced. He is going to have to deal with fixing their damage.

Stay posted…I’m sure there is more to come…

grillin and chillin

MM and I just drove back from the Hamptons this morning at 4am with our friends. They have determined that driving back on Monday morning is so much better than shortening Sunday and getting stuck in traffic. Being on my 4th cup of coffee, I’m not so sure I agree – I’ll decide tomorrow.

On Saturday night, we decided to have a grill party at home, and MM and I volunteered to create everything outside of the burgers and meat. One of the biggest hits was the white bean bruschetta! This is a typical hors d’oeuvre in Italy, but a new version of bruschetta for most Americans. If you want to surprise people with an easy yet impressive twist to something they’re familiar with, definitely follow this recipe:

White Bean Bruschetta:(serves 2-4 as an appetizer)

1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed

1 4.4 oz can tuna (in olve oil)

1/2 of a small red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

fresh basil chopped

about 3 tbs olive oil, plus enough for drizzling on bread

2 tbs red wine vinegar

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 thin baguette, sliced into 1/2 to 1 inch thick rounds

Directions: Toss beans and tuna, breaking up fish. Press with fork to break up white beans, but not too much. Add red onions and rosemary, then season with salt and pepper. Toss, then let stand. Mix red wine vinegar, olive oil, red pepper, garlic and salt and pepper in a small bowl – this creates a vinaigrette. Pour over bean mixture, stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Rub bread with garlic clove. Bake on a sheet pan in a 350 oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.Top toasts with bean mixture, garnish with basil and serve.

Cassandra’s Dream

MM and I watched Cassandra’s Dream last night – movie by Woody Allen. It always fascinates me how you can tell a Woody Allen movie as soon as the actors’ begin to talk. A Woody Allen script is always very honest and real with real reactions and reaction times. For instance, in one scene, Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor are outside on a balcony plotting their murder and a train goes by. Colin and Ewan acknowledge the train as anyone would in real life, but continue to try to speak over the noise. In most movies, they would cut and wait for the train to pass to get clear dialogue.

Although I’m sure the movie, in its entirety, is very good, I fell asleep on MM’s lap. I’ll have to ask him what he thought about the ending tonight – he has to watch a movie from the beginning to the end – always.