This is a continuation from my Parisian vacation that took place in late May 2010.
Menu on the window
Monsieur Jacques Genin, how I have read so many good things about you. I have read you have ruined people after they ate your made-to-order millefeuilles and your exquisite caramels. Oh, the temptation…and I cannot resist delectable sweets. I made a pre-dinner (yet to be reviewed) stop during the late afternoon after extensive shopping with HC.
After lamenting from the losses of Pastry Chef Pichet Ong’s P*Ong and Batch that was located in West Village, I have never felt happier when I read that he’s opening again in the East Village, named Spot.
Menu
I have been to both P*Ong (review here but I’m warning you the photos aren’t that great back then) and Batch (went there twice – here’s the photos I went a few weeks before it closed) and it is a hybrid of the former two places. The minimalist interior and plated desserts reminds me of P*Ong while the baked goods and the use of edible glitter reminds me of Batch.
Around the beginning of November, my mom told me one morning that she wanted me to bake desserts for Thanksgiving. This wasn’t news to me since I’ve been baking desserts for my family over a decade. She requested a cheesecake (again, nothing new) and she wanted to indulge herself with a key lime pie. I rolled my eyes and said, “Sure. Just get me some ingredients that we don’t have in the house. I have the chocolate for the cheesecake.” She replied, “Chocolate? For the cheesecake?” I said, “Yes, I want to change things up. I’m tired of making the same [raspberry] cheesecake I’ve been doing for the past several years.”
I still had the bittersweet chocolate baking bar and the cocoa powder from Scharffen Berger (from the previous event they’ve invited me a few months ago) so I should be set. Thing was, I wasn’t planning on making the cookie crust from scratch since my mom kept harassing me multiple times not to waste time by baking – a blatant oxymoron (How can anyone expect desserts made from scratch NOT take time?).
The weekend prior to Thanksgiving, my parents went to their local supermarkets and told me that after visiting three different stores, they don’t carry chocolate wafer cookies. Obviously, I have no choice but to make the cookie crust from scratch now…
My dad, being a sweetheart, offered his help to get his hands dirty for the cookie crust, kneading and mixing the dried ingredients of flour, cocoa powder (admittedly, I used a combination of Valhrona and Scharffen Berger), sugar, baking soda, salt and lots of butter, until it becomes a large blob of cocoa scented dough. Then I sealed it up in plastic wrap, place it in the fridge until Wednesday evening when I have to bake everything off so it can be consumed on Thanksgiving.
Making the TKO cookie dough and the dough blobs
On Thanksgiving eve, I had to roll out the cookie dough into sheets (it’s from the TKO cookie recipe found within the Essence of Chocolate book) and bake it off until it’s hardened and dry but not burnt.
[Note: I'm splitting one night of fooding into two parts. You'll find out where it is on the next post or if you've already checked out my Flickr photostream a while ago, you know it regardless.]
Last Monday I’ve planned to celebrate Helen’s birthday early. It’s warm enough and hell, it’s been a while since I’ve seen anyone besides my co-workers and family. I don’t have issues with either parties but it’s nice to see friends whom you love, no? Also the fact that I’ve planned to have brunch with Robyn the weekend of Helen’s actual birthday, so I’d rather commemorate her 24 years of existence on this planet early, rather than late, with the things she loves: desserts, ramen, and booze.
I might as well give ya the recipes for the cake and the profiteroles from the previous post since I know I’m killing you with the food porn. As for an actual fooding post, please wait a day or two…
I apologize for two reasons on this post: 1. I’m preposterously late posting this up. (It’s been nearly two weeks. TWO WEEKS?!) and 2. Some of my photos suck that I’m borrowing a few of Robyn‘s photos for the sake of saving you some of my dreadfully blurry photos. This post is continuing on the evening after the “amuse-bouche” at P*Ong (as Ariel called it) and moving on to the real dinner at Alta. So, here we go…
I’ve coordinated this dinner just because Jessica’s back in town for the weekend and Robyn told to me that she never tried tapas before. Since I’ve been to Alta last June and had a fairly good experience and that it’s a great for groups, I started rounding up people who can come and reserved a table for 9 people. But as the evening rolled in, it went down to 7 due to last minute happenings. Robyn, Jessica, Ariel, Doug, Patrick, and Helen were the lucky ones who were able to join in on the tapas feast.
As most of you who are familiar with my blog, I tend to eat…well. Ok, more than well I eat freakin’ extravagant. Like any normal human being, I need a break from all this luxurious, fatty foods and need some simple yet tasty grub that isn’t from my kitchen (just because I feel lazy from cooking my own food).
Since I made an old promise to one of my friends, Julie that we would drink Mud’s coffee (nearly a year ago) and I have time during the morning before an afternoon concert, we set the date and meet up late morning. With Ariel of course. When isn’t he in the picture?
I’ve heard that Mud‘s coffee is strong and dark like “mud.” Since I do like my coffee strong, and I do drink espresso straight (and yes, no sugar), I had somewhat of a high expectation of getting a good cup o’ joe.
Last Wednesday, when most of my finals were pretty much finished, I had breakfast Bouchon Bakery for the very last time. Yes. It’s time for me to give up the days where the photogenic (albeit a tad pricey) pastries are my usual go-to since I’m graduating. What I ended up commemorating this place were their wonderful bacon and cheddar chive scone and a cream cheese, orange marmalade danish.
Ever since the party, Kathy have been urging me that I MUST go to Pinisi. She mentions it frequently on her blog and as much as I love that girl, I had the odd feeling that she went through hypnosis to actually to be that enamored with a bakery. I mean, I love bakeries but I don’t really have a favorite. The main reason why I go to Bouchon Bakery (and write a TON about it) is because it’s tasty; the food’s pretty; and it’s the biggest reason of all: it’s the closest thing to my campus besides Whole Foods. Yeah, I’m lazy…
Anyways, I finally went to Pinisi and find out what the heck she’s raving about.
Note: This event was taken place last Saturday…I know it’s late but I was actually waiting for a few of Robyn’s photos (which I will credit and link to when it occurs) since I had relatively little photos of the party-goers since I was busy playing hostess of sorts toward the second leg of the party.
Edit (11/17/07) : I NO longer need people for my other upcoming party…but thanks for a few of you who have responded!
I threw myself a birthday party…a day later. Since I have to take care of family and school stuff that I can’t go out and party for a good portion of the day on the day of my actual birthday. Anyways, I’ve invited 8 friends (Adam, Ariel, Doug, Jessica, Julie, Kathy, Kim, and Robyn) for a large get-together and do what I (or we) do best, eating! We all met at the Highline since it’s been suggested by a few Chowhounders that their food is pretty good and it can accommodate large groups.
Since I was the first to arrive, I sat down in one of the large communal style tables toward the back of the restaurant on the ground floor. The decor isn’t what I was expecting after viewing their website. But at least it’s not terribly distracting and there’s no music blaring in this place that I won’t be suffering from laryngitis at the end of the lunch.
Anyways, as my guests slowly arrive, we greeted each other and eventually talk about food since it’s about 1:30 PM, and we’re starving.
