MangiaMore: red VELVET brownies

RER 2.16.15

Red Velvet Brownies—what could be more perfect for a Valentine’s Day sweet?! The deep red, moist, chewy, chocolaty insides and creamy, tangy sweet, thick layer of cream cheese frosting are the sultry melodies that lovebirds and sweethearts sing on Valentine’s Day. The colors are lovely creating a striking contrast of snow white and velvety red and a warmth emerges, delicate and decadent. And the flavors are redolent of the luscious southern cake, intoxicating like a love potion. Delicious.

RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

 JAR 2.15.15

It was almost too easy to put these gems together, making this recipe from The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie particularly dangerous. All it takes is a good bit of butter, bitter cocoa, a smattering of red food coloring, flour, sugar and a flick of a whisk, and a pretty red batter comes together in an instant. The cream cheese frosting is an added bonus, really taking the red brownies to the next level, to red velvet dreams. We put flaked coconut on half of the brownies (the boy loves coconut!!), which added textures and another

 RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

 RER 2.15.15

See what I mean? Dangerous…

RER

2.16.15

 RER 2.16.15

MangiaMore: ZUCCHINI bread

RER 7.17.14

There’s nothing like seasonal summer produce, so alive that you don’t want the days to get shorter. Farmers’ markets are rainbows of grown goodies; favorite summer fruits like tangy strawberries, royal colored blueberries, and pretty plump peaches or warm weather vegetables like sweet corn, deep red beets, and mysterious eggplants. Each long to be consumed in any way, shape or form.

RER 7.16.14

RER 7.17.14

For us, summer means loaf after loaf of homemade zucchini bread. Once zucchini starts popping up at stores, it’s game on. We might have a legit problem; we can’t get enough of that subtly sweet, textured moist bread. Using this recipe, we make our zucchini bread like how we make our blondies— we toss in whatever deliciousness our hearts desire. 

RER 7.16.14

RER 7.17.14

I’ve made consecutive loaves, and I am planning to whip up more (though these are hopefully headed for the freezer.) Zucchini bread is wonderful all year round. A hint of cinnamon and nutmeg add warmth for the colder seasons, while the freshness of the green zucchini and coconut feel like sunlight. Tangy dried cranberries and meaty walnuts add unexpected turns in texture and taste. Just so much yum!

RER 7.16.14

 RER 7.16.14

I want to try a sweeter variety, like a cake dense with craisins and white chocolate chips, topped with a savory sweet cream cheese frosting. Or play up zucchini’s affinity for chocolate and stud the cake with chocolate chips and fleshy nuts. Maybe this week…

RER 7.16.14

RER 7.16.14

RER 7.16.14

How do you use fresh summer produce? A blueberry pie or strawberry shortcake perhaps? A pretty salad? Corn chowder, even? Time is running out for these seasonal goods, and I want to taste the rainbow. 

RER

7.16.14

RER 7.17.14

re. CAP: Taste of Tribeca FAVES

RER 5.17.14

With so many delicious offerings from all ends of the spectrum—eats to sweets, meats to seafood, elegant to down and dirty— you would think it would be hard to choose favorites. Despite the difficulty, somehow, I managed to pick my top bites at this year’s Taste of Tribeca. 

RER 5.17.14

RER 5.17.14

Sarabeth Tribeca’s offered the attendees the most perfect little sandwich, a bite of summertime and seafood. Those delightful crabcake sliders were my favorite down and dirty selection. Crabcakes and a sweet fluffy bun are classic, especially with these mini sandwiches from Sarabeth Tribeca’s. The crabcake was hearty, fresh and meaty, not weighed down with fillers and nonsense. Even the sweetness of the bun brought out the natural sweetness of the crab of the cakes. Bun sticking to the roof of my mouth was definitely the cherry on top, speaking to a job well done.

RER 5.17.14

RER 5.17.14

Scanning through the program, and seeing foie gras sushi, I knew I had to try it. And let me tell you, I am so glad I sampled the offering from Daruma- Ya.  We watched them sear up the plump pieces of foie gras, and so when we got our plate, the foie gras was still warm, melding with the sweet sticky rice. My first bite was uncertain, unprepared for the texture. But then the decadent deliciousness set in, and I was overcome with fatty meaty flavors, countered by the chewy brightness of the sticky rice. The combination was so unexpected and intriguing, but the flavors and the textures are what won me over. But really, who could turn down foie gras?

RER 5.17.14

The chef surprise presented by Golden Restaurant, Bouley, was a showstopper, a crowd pleaser that definitely had more than a few guests running back for more, using another precious taste on their tasting card.  Bouley gave guests a stunning two-parter, a little bit of savory and a little bit of sweet. The two did not necessarily work together in terms of flavors, but the balance of the rich decadence of the savory bite and the refreshing nature of the sweet taste created cohesiveness. The crunchy kuzu chip balanced the smooth creamy thick whipped potato and cheese topping, while the truffle added dynamic luxury. The sweetness of the cooling parfait was layered with fruity cherry and raspberry flavors and adult moments of white chocolate and amaretto—a combination of heavy in light resulting in success.

RER 5.17.14

There was also a wide array of delicious desserts, but the big fat whoopie pies from Tribeca Treats most definitely caught my eye. Sure there were cupcakes of all different colors and flavors at their table, but those dark round pies were recommended. They were chocolaty and delicious, fluffy and satisfying. Chocolate chips melted through the chocolate cookies and the vanilla cream sandwiched in between offered sweet relief and balance. Somehow this childhood favorite felt fresh and new while recalling memories of times passed.

See more about the Taste of Tribeca benefit on their website or in my recap up on Miss A. And to taste more of Tribeca through photos check out my photo op from last week!

RER

5.17.14

RER 5.17.14