Foodtrainers Favorite NYC places…and my anniversary

Fifteen years ago today it was raining. Perhaps you remember “El Niño”?  My brother in law carried me across the lawn in a garbage bag. Don’t freak out, he was making sure my wedding gown didn’t get dirty (and it didn’t) going from the house where we got ready in to the car. That's how awful it was out. On any other day, this self-confessed control freak would’ve been inconsolable but I wasn’t. The weather wasn’t ideal but getting married was.

Marc and I didn’t rush into marriage and had time to iron out important details. In one conversation he asked “how long do you think you’ll want to stay in the city before moving out?” I couldn’t fathom that this person I had so much in common with would ask such a thing. I said “we’re not leaving the city” and I’m pretty sure he thought I’d change my mind but he is still golf-obsessed and what can I say?
 I love NY.

A reader asked for ideas for an upcoming NYC business trip. Here are my suggestions:

Top 10 restaurants for various reasons:

ABC Kitchen- I insist on sharing whenever I'm at ABC, there are too many good things to try. My favorites are the Brussels sprouts in the winter and the  Roasted Carrot Salad. Marc's brother's girlfriend took the photos hanging in the dining room (you may recognize them from the Footrainers office)

Rouge Tomate I am not on the Upper East Side often but will make a trip for RT. If the Sorrel Soup is on the menu, it's delicious. Their interesting juices and salads with curry vinaigrette are other highlights.

Green Square Tavern- this farm to table gem is owned by our friends Gigi and John Marsh. All ingredients well sourced and prepared with love and care. Try the Kale, Shrimp and Rhubard salad.

Mermaid Inn - from the decor to the menu, everything here is right. There are 2 locations, we love the UWS restaurant. In season, the crabs are a fun dinner (a little messy) but the Calamari with Feta appetizer has my heart.

Pure Food and Wine - I've mentioned before that I'm not a sweet person, right? Well I lied. Aside the the spectacular outdoor seating and a menu that makes me contemplate being a raw, vegan I dream about the chocolate mint sundae, dream.

Gran Electrica - you may recall my Halloween cocktail was the Gran Electrica grapefruit, jalapeno margarita. While the cocktails and food are fantastic, sitting outside with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge is spectacular too.

Balthazar- always great for brunch or dinner. The Spring St Soho location is perfect and the raw bar selections are top notch. 

Tipsy Parson - if it's possible the TP menu is Southern and healthy-ish. The decor is a lot of fun (weirdly like the bathrooms too). Favorites are the Dandelion Salad but you also may want to try the spoon bread (corn, mushrooms, artichokes-insane).

Green Table in Chelsea Market always makes me happy, especially for lunch or brunch. My current order is the egg/asparagus bake thing. Go for brunch and walk the High Line afterward to work it off.

Hu Kitchen- is a gluten free paradise, try the organic vanilla chia pudding with berries and coconut crème or  quinoa veg. egg bowl . To give you an idea of taking ingredients seriously here are the milks offered with coffee:

Organic dairy and non-dairy milks available: organic coconut milk, housemade almond milk, organic grass-fed skim and whole milk. Nice.

There are also so many juice places depending on neighborhood, Organic Avenue and Juice Press are my favorites.

The sights…

Reservoir- my #1 NYC spot, I find it instantly calming. Depending on where you exit you can hit 2 of my favorite museums Natural History or the Guggenheim.

I love Lincoln Center especially in the summer.

Grand Central Station-even if you're not taking a train is a fantastic building, there's a market and of course the  Oyster Bar.

Ellis Island –I went with my son's class on a field trip last year. It was my first time and it was very moving. I take NYC for granted but you can't when you go here.

Union Square Greenmarket- M, W, F, Sat. Aside from the incredible variety of offerings, you just may run into some of the chefs from the restaurants above.

Tonight we’re heading to Blue Hill,  I’ve always wanted to go, and as of now the forecast calls for rain…of course.

What are your favorite NYC places? Or places you've always wanted to go? 

Post Sandy Mexican Halloween

Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, thank you

Every year we have a few families over for Halloween. The challenge when you host the same holiday annually is to find new ways to keep things fun. Maybe some people wouldn’t feel that way but I extend my type-A-ness to hosting. Trust me, I wish I was  the laid back, wing it hostess but that’s not in the cards. And there was no way we were going to let scary Sandy dampen our plans, in fact one friend emailed at 10am asking if it was too early to come over. After all...

I recall having more candy before Sandy and my 8 year old really likes these

First item on the agenda is the candy. There is no way to boycott candy giving. There will be no money, toys or inedible items handed out from our house. Instead, I try to seek out better candy. I was excited to learn of Unreal Candy. Unreal  “unjunks” candy and uses no corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, no artificial dyes and contains no GMOs. You can find unreal at Target and Kroger.

What's "way better" than a bag of these chips? Um 2.

Two of our friends are guac-masters. When they offered to bring guacamole for our festivities I thought a whole Mexican theme would work. And if you have guac you need chips Way Better sprouted chips in Sweet Chili are my #1.

We called these Spicy Scary and Autumn Margaritas

And if there’s going to be guac and chips, you need margaritas. My all time favorite margarita is from a restaurant called Gran Electrica. Gran Electrica was nice enough to share this piece of perfection with me and I have the pleasure of passing it on to you.

Margarita de Toronja Picante (in our house aka Spicy/Scary Margarita)

1 ½oz Habanero-infused Blanco Tequila (we use Pueblo Viejo)

½oz    Combier (or Triple Sec of choice)                                        

1oz     Fresh Lime juice                                                

1oz     Fresh Grapefruit Juice

½oz    Jalapeno syrup

Rim a rocks glass with Grapefruit Salt (we make this in house - but regular salt would do)

Shake vigorously and strain over ice into rocks glass                                                          

Garnish with a Grapefruit slice

*note we used Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila and Morris Kitchen Ginger Syrup and lime garnish

When my time comes, can I put in the request to be laid to rest on a bed of kale?

And if a nutritionist is going to have a margarita and guacamole, there has to be greeens (and this nutritionist has to be in the office at 8am) so I snuck in a Kale/Butternut/Pepita salad. This recipe from Jenna at Rosaberry and has become a family favorite. There were also mini corn empanadas from Empanada Mama and I had spicy tuna on rice crackers (I know sort of Japanese but I made it Mexican with my friend cilantro).

We had a little family Batman theme

What, you don't know who I am?

I was so happy that our friends rallied with the city still a mess. And the fact that Maniac Pumpkin and Empanada Mama didn’t disappoint was amazing. New Yorkers make things happen.

How did you spend Halloween? What type of hostess are you- obsessive or relaxed? Did you give out candy? Think I should consider green hair?