10.31.2013

pre. HEAT: HALLOWEEN cupcake wars 2013


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Happy Halloween my foodie friends! So, yesterday was filled with tricks and treats, and three different kinds of cupcakes for foodie venture's annual Halloween Cupcake Wars. Check out a sneak peek of all the ghoulishly tasty treats in the competition. There was some shredding of apples, popping of popcorn and burning of sugar, and a lot of tasting of delicious batter(s). Can you guess what kinds of cupcakes were in the running?
 
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Happy Halloween again and be safe and stay tuned for the full coverage on the Halloween Cupcake Wars!
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10.31.13
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10.28.2013

not just nourishment: PUMPKIN play


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This weekend, we did a little non-traditional pumpkin picking. I would have put pumpkin picking in quotes, but I decided to use the describer, “non-traditional” instead. We did not trek to a pumpkin patch and wander in the chilly temperatures until we found ones we liked, rather, we hit a few grocery stores and a gardening center. At 14th Street Garden Center, we found exactly what we were looking for: some smedium sized pumpkins to play around with.
 
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Play we did. We set out to carve our pumpkins (though I'm sure my boyfriend would have rather eaten them), which meant making a little bit of a mess and getting a little bit dirty. Scooping out the insides was probably the most trying part, but also perhaps the most fun.
 
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Other than eating our roasted pumpkin seeds. After a thorough rinsing, grabbing of the orange pulpy strings, and straining as much water as possible, we tossed the large seeds in some olive oil and spread them on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Salt, a little cayenne, and they were ready to go. We threw the pan in the oven at 325 degrees, and left them in for 25ish minutes, while we carved our pumpkins.
 
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We both didn't do anything complicated or particularly aesthetically pleasing, but we had fun. And the pumpkin seeds were absolutely delicious with our hot apple cider and recorded television. It really was the perfect fall day.
 
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Stay tuned for the Halloween Cupcake Wars! foodie ventures really does want to hear from you. We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves, but more treats are always welcomed! Check out what else is happening on facebook, twitter, instagram and tumblr. There is always something fresh and exciting.  Thanks for the support!
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10.25.2013

photo op: WHITMAN & BLOOM Liquor Company


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Monday was the opening celebration for another cool spot in Manhattan. Whitman & Bloom Liquor Company, in the Kip’s Bay area, is bringing something a little different to the neighborhood with their curated craft beer and wine selection, timeless cocktails, delicious rustic new American bites and trendy anachronistic décor. The bar and eatery honors literature, literature lovers and its culture with shelves lined with antique books, a lower level speakeasy, and a generally cozy atmosphere, “a literary retreat.” And the food is absolutely amazing, deriving its intense flavors from seasonal locally sourced ingredients, from cauliflower to fish. Check out more in my article up on Miss A.
 
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Ronan Conlon Eldad Shem-Tov                                                           RER 10.21.13
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Can’t wait to go back and try out some more of their tasty eats and drinks!
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10.23.2013

pre. HEAT: HALLOWEEN cupcake wars


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foodie ventures desperately needs your help! Halloween is creeping up on us super fast, like any spooky ghost would. That means, Halloween Cupcake Wars is around the corner and it is coming fast! Do you remember the eerie creations from last year: candy corn cupcakes, sweet and salty frosting with spicy pumpkin cake; dead velvet, dark dark red red velvet cake, with undead grey cream cheese frosting; and graveyard cupcakes, with super moist white cake with a bloody pudding center, and a decorated top. 

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 How can you top that? foodie ventures wants your cupcake contender recommendations and recipes. Any scarily delicious cupcake ideas that you have been brewing and want to see? Share, and maybe they will make the cut! The more creative and deadly, the better! Bring 'em on!
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10.23.13
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10.15.2013

photo op: BIRTHDAY weekend


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This past weekend was my birthday, and there is no better way to celebrate to enjoy some seriously good food and fun company. Not only was it my birthday, but we were celebrating a few birthdays to make it a big blow out, with multiple cakes, multiple meals and multiple wishes. Next weekend will be another collective birthday bash. Check out some of the goodies I had this weekend! 
 
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Also. Cupcake Wars Halloween Edition is just around the corner. What cupcake contender ideas do you have? Share, and maybe they will make the cut! The more creative and deadly, the better! Don't forget to like foodie ventures on facebook, and follow on tumblr, instagram and twitter! Thanks for checking it out!
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10.11.2013

back to BASICS: ABC Kitchen


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Walking into ABC Kitchen was like stumbling into enchanted woods, dusted with white snow and pretty fairy lights. Or wandering into the refined interior of a farmhouse with white details, exposed bulbs and comfortable armchairs. They were washed over with rustic moments, modern elegance, and white. The space created a blurry white afterimage, fuzzy from satiety and fond moments.

They managed to sneak for an early dinner that Sunday, sans reservation but full of hope. Wishes were granted, white seats were taken at a white table, and farm fresh menus were studied. Dizzy with excitement and forgetting the time constraint, they ordered with big eyes.
 
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The housemade ricotta and fig market table starter was a dream, served with slightly charred grilled bread to bring mouths back to reality. The dense ricotta and syrupy fig compote felt like dessert, smooth and creamy, where the dark bread and drizzle of olive oil reintroduced the savory. Even the white of the cheese and the distressed brown of the figs echoed the decor.
 
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However, the crab toast with lemon aioli spoke to a different kind of sweetness. The crab was so fresh that it hardly tasted like crab, but just sweet and juicy meat, doused in a delicate but present acidic charm. The lumps were garlicky and bright as well, absorbed by thick dark toast.
 
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Even the raw diver scallops brought alive the beauty of fresh and organic elements, mimicking some of the tastes in the crab toast; the seafood, the citrus, the pleasure. The tart lemon and spicy chilies danced in the appetizer, and each thin slice of scallop induced new feelings.
 
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The squash blossom pizza was salty and tangy, bready and light. The cheese countered the acidic grape tomatoes, and the whole-wheat crust added balance. But the pretty farm-to-table blossoms were decorative and delicate, last of their season.
 
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Many of the mains featured fish, but the suckling pig entrée tempted with in season tiny white turnips and a sweet and spicy bacon marmalade. The dish was too rich and heavy in comparison. Even though the dark green leaves were left on the root vegetables, the dish lacked that light fresh appeal. Turnips have a heaviness, a starchy creaminess that perpetuated the decadence of the fatty pork. The bacon marmalade’s heat proved useful to cut the fat, but the gummy chunks of bacon were too large and superfluous.
 
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Dessert continued the downhill with the almond cake with poached pears that brought the meal to a standstill. The cake was light and crunchy with little sweet crystals that recall marzipan, but it was dry and the poached pears felt less fresh. The tangy housemade yogurt broke up the odd monotony, but was too savory for the limp dessert. The cinnamon and the pears were inharmonious, an unexpected clash when most of the meal was well orchestrated.
 
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The freshness that ABC Kitchen is known for sang in every dish, resonating in their mouths and minds. The drinks also felt clean like the very last light of summer and the new beginnings of fall. But fall was creeping into the menu, highlighting the newly available ingredients. The squash blossoms were vanishing, and concord grapes replaced by cherries and strawberries. The menu morphs as Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten focuses on the organic here-and-now at ABC Kitchen, only using relevant produce and seasonal gifts.

NOTE: Since this meal, the menu has changed. Some items are the same, while others have different produce elements, like the ricotta market table item, the pizza and the almond cake dessert.
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