Winter Warmth Recipe

Hello friends and foodies!

We’re sorry that we haven’t been providing you with epic meal-based battles for December. Our very own Snax is currently going through senior year finals season, so I’m sure everyone out there can understand how stupidly busy/stressed/masochistic he’s feeling right now.

In lieu of a battle, I wanted to share with everyone an awesome recipe for Vietnamese curry that I made yesterday. It turned out even better than I expected, so I’m very excited for everyone to try it at home and tell me what you think.

This recipe is vegan, packed full of veggies, and you can easily buy organic/non-GMO ingredients for the ultimate healthy indulgence.

*note* All portions are suggestions. I’m a firm believer that measurements do not matter in cooking, so add as much or as little of each ingredient as you like. Substitute at will – all that matters is that you enjoy!

Vietnamese-Style Curry

Ingredients:

• One medium onion, diced
• Two bell peppers of whatever color you prefer, diced
• Half of a globe eggplant, cubed
• Two carrots, sliced
• One long hot pepper, sliced
• One lb. silken tofu, cubed
• Four cloves garlic, minced
• One inch ginger root, minced
• Two stalks of lemongrass, cut into one inch pieces
• One can coconut milk
• One can vegetable broth
• One or two cans water – depending on preference
• Two sweet potatoes, cubed (can substitute regular potatoes)
• Half pound green beans, cut into one inch pieces
• A handful of snap peas
• Salt and pepper
• Curry powder, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper
• Sriracha (or favorite hot sauce)
• Hoisin (or fish or oyster sauce)
• Warning: I like my food spicy! Adapt my seasonings to your particular palette.

Directions:

Sauté chopped onion, eggplant, bell peppers, carrots and hot pepper in sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables start to get soft. Add in tofu, minced ginger root, garlic, lemongrass and seasonings. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the curry becomes fragrant.

Add in the vegetable broth, coconut milk and water. Taste and add in Sriracha and hoisin at your discretion until you’re satisfied with the taste. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add in the cubed sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes (for normal potatoes, about 30-40 minutes). When there is about 8 minutes left of cooking time, add in green beans. At 3 minutes left, stir in snap peas.

Serve with brown or sticky rice on the side and enjoy!

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That’s it! This recipe is really so easy – the hard part is chopping everything up. It’s well worth the effort, though. My roommates loved it (and I did, too).

I also appreciate how adaptable this recipe is. Take out whatever ingredients you don’t like and substitute in your favorites like mushroom or zucchini. It could easily be made with meat (just add in at an earlier point than the tofu as tofu doesn’t need to cook) or use less liquid to make less of a soup. Whatever you want, make it happen.

Another benefit is that this recipe yields a million bowls. So despite the high amount of ingredients, you’ll be able to eat it for at least 3 days, even if sharing with one or two other people.

This was the perfect dinner on a cold December night. I hope you find it as comforting as I did.

-Legs

  

Thanksgiving Face Off

A turkey butter sculpture set the mood this year

Legs:

Those who know me know that I love to cook. I find that using food as a creative outlet is extremely therapeutic, and sharing my creations with someone who truly enjoys them is so rewarding.

This year I nearly begged my parents to host Thanksgiving, with the understanding that I would be responsible for (almost) everything. Last year my dad was the chef de cuisine and I his sous chef; I felt confident that this was my year to rise to the top tier and bless my family with a beautiful meal.

Fourteen of us gathered in my parents’ New Jersey home on Thanksgiving Thursday. I prepared an extensive menu with the old standbys, new additions and twists on Thanksgiving classics. The best part is that every single thing was made by me or my dad. Nothing came from a can, bag or industrial processing line. This meal was the definition of home cooking.

A cornucopia of thanks!

The Menu

• Salad: Spinach and radicchio with pear, brie and pecans. Dressing made from orange juice, honey, balsamic and dijon.
• Soup: Butternut squash, sweet potato and carrot. Homemade cinnamon apple chips to garnish.
• Turkey: (Prepared by dad, a turkey master) Salt brined in lemon and fresh oregano, cooked with lemon, celery and onions in the cavity.
• Gravy: (Also dad) Lemon and oregano to match the brine. Nice punch of acid with a white wine lurking in the background.
• Stuffing: (Dad’s famous recipe – don’t mess with it) Sausage, apples, walnuts, celery and onions go into this beautiful bake. This is not Stove Top.
• Mash: (Last chance for Dad to shine) A thing of legend which relatives demand. The trick? White pepper.
• Cranberry Sauce: Cranapple sauce to be precise. Lemon zest and Grand Marnier to spruce things up a bit.
• Green beans: Baked with bacon and onions. Sauce made from bacon drippings, apple cider vinegar and sugar. Game changer.
• Pumpkin cheesecake: With a gingersnap and pecan crust and topped with salted caramel. The most decadent, luxurious thing I’ve eaten all year.

Beautiful as this feast was, all good things must come to an end. November is finished and it’s time to eat to the death to declare a winner this month. Find out how we repurposed the best meal of the year and turn it into a punishment:

  

Eurasian Fusion

The Battleground

Aux Epices, Chinatown, New York

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The Contenders

Vegetable Curry vs. Peanut Noodle Big Bowl

Legs:

A cornucopia of vegetables bathing in a lovely pool of spicy coconut red curry. Living the lux life, one curry at a time.

This adorable walk-in-closet-sized Manhattan eatery is truly unique. Run by a French/Malaysian husband and wife duo, this may be in the only place in New York where one can order both escargot and satay tofu. Eager to try this (affordably priced) culinary mishmash, I couldn’t wait to see what was in store.

Everything on the menu looked awesome. Seriously, everything. But I’m a sucker for curries, and I’m a big sucker for coconut curries. Top it off with the promise of a multitude of vegetables and you’ve got me hooked.

These veggies were just wonderful. Broccoli, carrots, red peppers, cabbage, zucchini, a HUGE hunk of eggplant… All were cooked beautifully and not stewed to death, which is a hard task to pull off when it comes to curries. They also absorbed that fragrant coconut bath they were lounging in, enabling me to get a sweet and spicy punch with every bite.

When requesting extra spice, our knowledgeable server actually brought out two different types of hot sauce for Snax and me: a different one to compliment each dish. Mine was tangy with a big whiff of umami and a lovely kick that was just what my curry needed. Very good recommendation; it really brought my dish up to the next level.

Unfortunately, I could only order one thing. But I will most definitely be back to explore more of their menu offerings.

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Snax:

Peanut sauce and noodle big bowl with tofu, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and pineapple garnished with a lime wedge. Large wooden spoon added for tossing/whimsy.

 

I sincerely had no idea what we were getting into as we escaped the cold and rushed into Aux Epices. It’s one thing to call your establishment a fusion of culinary styles, but you can’t tell where the balance lies until you’ve actually sampled the food. Malaysian-French sounded a bit risky until I opened up the menu and began drooling with reckless abandon.

By the time we got to Aux Epices I had worked up quite the appetite. I was tempted to go for the ratatouille, but when I saw the section listed as “Big Bowls” there’s no point in wasting another moment.

The peanut noodle big bowl is fundamentally sound and full of delightful flair. The peanut sauce is everything you would expect and then some. It’s rich, creamy, and chock full of nutty goodness. The sauce alone performs magnificently but is further elevated by the pineapple’s sweetness. Never overcompensating, like that one coworker who is all smiles and doesn’t know when to let a conversation die, the pineapple’s profile meshes well beneath the sauce and provides a smooth transition from noodle to salad. The extra punch of lime juice gave just the right amount of tang to wake the noodles and keep the lettuce, cucumber, and red onions interesting.

There were just three pieces of tofu in the entirety of the big bowl. They were cooked well but faded in the background as the other elements came to light; good but nothing special.

An overall successful dish from an impressive little bistro. From one fusion to another, you’re one of the best Aux Epices.

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And the winner is… another tie?!

✓Protein ✓Sauce ✓Sides/Veggies ✓Presentation

Both dishes were wonderful in competing ways. Although Snax’s sauce was ultimately superior, his hilarious little salad stood no chance against Legs’ vegetable bouquet. And while Legs’ was more visually enticing, her complete lack of protein left an entire category to be desired.

Stay tuned next week for a Thanksgiving-themed food battle. We need to eat to the death and settle the November score.

November wins:

Legs: 1 – Snax: 1

 

Where the Wild Things Are

The Battleground

Bareburger, 366 West 46th Street, New York City

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The Contenders

Southern Elk Burger vs. Roadhouse Wild Boar Burger

Ready to be more jealous than you’ve ever been before? Fried green tomato with whole grain maple horseradish mustard top off pepperjack cheese, applewood-smoked thick-cut bacon and an ELK PATTY. Yeah, you’re jealous.

 

Legs:

Choosing from the incredible selection at Bareburger was difficult to say the least. I went in knowing I wanted an elk patty, and from there experienced mental agony as I longed for every burger option and could only choose one. Since my favorite burger style is western (fried onions, pepperjack, bacon, BBQ sauce), I decided to try Bareburger’s take on it, although they placed it a little closer to the equator than I’m used to. Southern Elk Burger, here I come!

Commence flavor explosion. Let’s start with the elk burger itself. Super juicy (read: actually dripping juice), bright red, tender and full of wonderful, amazing, gamey flavor. It tasted like I took a bite out of a living elk that had quickly grilled itself for my dining pleasure. And oh, what a pleasure it was. This game-changing patty was seriously enhanced by all of its condiment friends.

Everything on this burger was necessary, and everything on this burger was delicious. Thick-cut applewood smoked bacon was so thick I literally mistook an escaped piece for a french fry. This bacon stepped it up a notch and all other types of bacon should be ashamed of themselves for not living up to thick-cut’s exacting standards. Fried onions and bacon pair SO well together, and this was no exception. The caramelization of the onions and the smokey saltiness of the bacon is a classic combination that no man can come between.

My whole grain bun was garnished with two things:

1. Fried green tomato
2. Whole grain maple horseradish mustard

I cannot even begin to convey how astounding these two flavors are together. The tart, almost vinegary flavor of a fried green tomato needs this exact sauce to complete it and make it whole. Whole grain mustard is a long-time favorite of mine. Put in horseradish to make it even tangier? I’m intrigued. Add in maple to balance out the sourness you’ve just concocted? Completely sold. This was the single greatest bun-condiment-tomato combination I’ve ever had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into.

I’m ruined for other burgers.

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Roadhouse boar burger decorated with pepper jack cheese, turkey bacon, hass avocado, sweet apple grilled onions, red piquanté peppers, and smoked paprika mayo. Served with a side of meerkat. Not really. That would be awful.

Snax:

I was confident of two things as we were sat in the quirky space that is Bareburger. One, my life was now a little brighter as I stared up at the painted wooden bear head over our table. Two, I would not be leaving this establishment without an exotic burger in my belly.

Choosing from just one of Bareburger’s signature styles was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever faced on a menu. Every style has its own unique charm that beckons burger enthusiasts with a wink and a smile. After carefully reviewing my suitors I selected the Roadhouse with wild boar and began life anew.

The first bite had me peeling back layer after layer of bold flavor. Creamy, sweet, smoky, and even the slightest hint of spicy came stampeding out of this magnificent burger. All of the toppings flowed flawlessly from one to the next and came as close to the edge of being too busy without falling off. Pairing smoked paprika mayo with pepper jack cheese was a particularly inspired choice. Without the added flair to the mayo and cheese this burger could have become dangerously creamy, much like my River Grill experience. In fact, there was even more creaminess on the horizon as a slice of hass avocado joined the flavor bonanza.

Every topping on this burger was a winner from the get go, but the sweet apple grilled onions, turkey bacon (substitution), and red piquanté peppers brought out the best in my boar. The duality of sweet and savory in the onions and peppers helped contrast the boar’s slight char and welcomed tinge of gaminess. As a secondary protein, the turkey bacon worked as a gateway from topping to boar with the kind of humility you would expect from the perfect sidekick.

The boar itself was like pork’s far cooler cousin from out of town. It carried a char much like a beef patty but had a distinguishable flavor all its own. A bit gamey at times, but if you order a wild boar burger not expecting gaminess, then you should just keep quiet while the adults talk about burgers.

I really don’t see how this burger can be topped.

 

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And the winner is… a tie?

✗Protein ✗Sauce ✗Sides/Veggies ✗Presentation

You might think this is a cop out, but you weren’t there. Both of our burgers were astounding. Like, game-changing, life-altering, head-over-heels fantastic works of burger art. Both proteins: succulent. Both sauces: legitimately incredible. Both veggies: lovely. Both presentations: well I mean they’re just burgers.

It’s a wash. How can you choose a favorite child? How can you choose a favorite Bareburger?

November wins:

Legs: 1 – Snax: 1

 

A Chinese Bistro?

The Battleground

A & J Bistro, East Hanover, New Jersey

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The Contenders

Hong Shao Niu Ro Mian vs. Dan Dan Mian

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup vs. Noodles in Hot Spicy Sesame Sauce

Tender, tender beef. Handmade wide noodles. Flavorful spicy broth. Bok choy. Fairy dust.

Legs:

A & J Bistro. What a place. Although the name would lead you to believe it’s French, actually they specialize in some of the best, most honest Chinese food I’ve ever had. Don’t get me wrong, I love lo mein, but General Tso never darkens the doorstep of A&J. At a place where the Chinese guests outnumber everyone else by at least 20 to 1, you know you’ve hit gold.

Except for our century egg, I’ve never had anything here I didn’t like. If ordering a noodle dish, they’ll ask you if you want wide or thin noodles. The answer is wide. Always. Their wide noodles are handmade, misshapen and absolutely mouthwatering. The thin? From a machine (can you blame them?)

Their beef is so tender. Like, cut-in-half-with-your-chopsticks tender. It also acts as a wonderful vessel for the lovely sauce it’s been simmering in. Packed full of flavor, this bovine knows what’s what.

But back to the sauce, which is more of a spicy vinegar oil than anything else. Maybe that sounds weird, but trust me, it works. It’s a thin sauce that’s a beautiful dark reddish brown and carries all the depth of flavor that hue would inspire. Just the right amount of acid, a subtle hint of sweet and a punch of umami all come together with a spicy finish. Of course, I went ahead and added more of my own rice vinegar, soy sauce and spoonfuls of A & J’s amazing chili oil, because you can never go wrong with (much) more chili.

The bok choy was an add-on and totally worth it. Gotta have my green. Steamed to a lovely shade and refreshingly crisp, I honestly believe it completes the dish.

Final note: A & J is so cheap. Like, every time I get the bill I’m astounded by how little the wide array of food has cost (you have to get some of their small plates to share – amazing). They are cash only, though, so come prepared.

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Homemade wide noodles with sesame sauce and a stylish bok choy beret.

Snax:

Prior to meeting Legs I had never had authentic Chinese cuisine. The furthest I got was General Tso’s, pork fried rice, and eggrolls. As I am a functioning human being, eggrolls still hold a place in my heart, but the rest went by the wayside a long time ago. Now with a newfound sense of self-preservation and a love for A & J Bistro I never have to call Ming-Feng ever again.

My first steps into life after Tso lead me straight to dan dan mian. A & J’s handmade wide noodles left me with a sense of wonder as I entered the new frontier speeding passed towers of takeaway containers overflowing with lo mein. These noodles are nice and soft, devoid of grease, and gently carry a flavor rather than inducing the headaches I was so accustomed to when in range of its fast food cousin. Toto, we’re not in Grand Sichuan anymore.

I have never felt greater empathy for the seed/nut allergic masses than when slurping down noodle after sesame sauce covered noodle at A & J. Get your EpiPens out boys and girls. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. This lovely sesame sauce topped with peanuts delivers a creamy, rounded out nuttiness that delights with every bite. Never overwhelming in thickness and always exits the palette and just the right time, this sauce is a true professional. Adding chili oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar gives the sesame a little more complexity, but it’s not essential to its resounding success.

Some protein would be nice and a lot more bok choy, which doesn’t come standard, but this modest little meal is the perfect introduction to the ill-informed. More Chinese please!

 

 

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And the winner is… Legs!

✓Protein ✓Sauce ✗Sides/Veggies ✓Presentation

Snax didn’t even have protein. Chump. His sauce though… wow. He actually ordered what I wanted to get, but out of benevolence I allowed him to dine upon my (formerly) favorite dish. Looks like it pays to be kind.

 

November wins:

Legs: 1 – Snax: 1

 

Healthy Revival

The Battleground

ReViVer, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC

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The Contenders

Loco Moco vs. Mahi Curry

Loco Moco = an over easy egg sitting on a “chicken burger” served on a bed of brown rice and sauteed veggies, all topped off with a tomatillo sauce. Sounds too good to be true?

Legs:

While visiting ReViVer, which specializes in healthy fast food, I just couldn’t say no to something named Loco Moco. ReViVer offers nutritionally balanced food with quick service at fast food prices – and who doesn’t love a fried egg?

If only reality lived up to expectation. This was not a bad meal by any means. It was fine. Just fine. The chicken burger truly was a burger. The ground and then reformed patty just felt far too mushy, ruining its lovely balance of smoky seasonings. This came as somewhat of a nasty shock as I had been expecting a chicken breast, but I guess the fault there lies with me.

What I was hoping would be the epic climax to a roller coaster of a meal also left me wanting more. My over easy egg just wasn’t runny enough for my taste. It was more of a solid than a beautiful, creamy yolk. Combine that with the under-seasoned tomatillo sauce smothering everything and choking the meal’s life away, and the nail is in the coffin.

My rice and veg were great. Simply delicious. Perhaps because they weren’t trying as hard as their fancy neighbors. Brown rice, black beans, spinach and roasted tomatoes. Honest, hearty, down to earth.

Tofu, fennel, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, cannellini beans, radish, and red quinoa, tossed with orange miso dressing. Topped with toasted almonds and just the right amount of “oh my God.”

Good thing we got the most delicious salad on the planet for a starter.

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A huge slab of mahi-mahi served as a vessel for the coconut curry sauce I’ve been waiting for my whole life. Served with some pretty stellar vegetables to cheer the stoniest of hearts.

Snax:

When I went out on a limb and ordered fish at a fast food joint, I was numb with anticipation. Would I be rewarded for my risk and pull in higher earnings? Or would it explode in my face and further my losing streak?

Both. The answer is both.

On one hand, my meal was a Southeast Asian delight. My coconut red curry sauce is hard to play down. It tasted like a coconut got married to curry and served party-in-my-mouth for the reception. All of the guests were satisfied, most of all me.

On the other hand, the fish was “meh.” Any flavor the mahi-mahi originally had was completely overwhelmed by that beautiful, albeit powerful, curry sauce. The fish was basically just a hunk of protein sitting on veggies.

But oh, what veggies they were. Roasted zucchini, butternut squash and carrots provided the perfect amount of sweetness to the coconut curry marriage sauce. They complimented each other and were cooked very nicely. Spinach and broccoli came back in from the savory side of life to balance out all the flavors and make sure my taste buds got the full one-two. Brown basmati rice on the bottom of everything acted as a sponge to ensure that not a single drop of sauce got wasted.

This dish also came with a completely superfluous avocado salsa verde. I’m not sure why it was there and I barely remember eating it. Completely overwhelmed by the other great flavors going on.

Turns out you can have great fast food that’s healthy, but you still shouldn’t order the fish.

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And the winner is… Snax!

✓Protein ✓Sauce ✓Sides/Veggies ✓Presentation

This one was kind of a no-brainer. Legs’ sauce had no flavor and mine was packed full of it. Legs’ veggies were good too, but my zucchini and butternut squash really brought this win home. She gets protein because I ate a flavorless slab of fish while her chicken mush actually had seasoning. But overall, I’m definitely the champion this time around.

November wins:

Legs: 0 – Snax: 1

 

Banished to Siberia

A few months ago, Snax and I took a trip to Coney Island with some friends. For those unaware, there’s a huge Russian population over there, so we seized the opportunity to view their grocery store delicacies. Always ones for something new to try, we were appalled and intrigued when we stumbled across a cold, jiggling tray of aspic. We passed on it that beautiful summer day, but it’s been on Snax’s mind ever since.

He insisted – yes, insisted – on using it for his punishment this month. I’m rather fond of him, so I tried to talk him out of eating meat jello, but he would not be persuaded.

Where does one find aspic?

I’m so glad you asked. We had to hunt this down, seriously. Snax located Emporium International Foods about 30 minutes south of where he lives, and we went there blindly assuming they would carry this delicious Russian favorite. Despite having an exact address, we drove past it twice, due to the building be dominated by Just, the attached restaurant. When we did finally locate and walk into the Emporium, oh what a treat. It. Smelled. Incredible. That heavenly aroma wafting through our sensory receptors was due to the most amazing bakery display I’ve ever seen. A significant amount of the pastries and breads seemed to be made in-house, as well as a huge selection of cold meats and salads to take home. Sausages, cheeses, canned foods, dried foods, you name it. The food here is fit for the Kremlin.

  

Photo credit: www.emporiumfoods.com

We finally located the object of our trip and bought a few snacks for the ride home. Flaky, yummy, meat-and-potato-filled pastry goodness.

Without any further ado… Snax’s October punishment. I’m so glad it’s not me.

  

Down by the River

The Battleground

River Grille, Chatham, New Jersey

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The Contenders

Garlic and Herb P.E.I. Mussels vs. Blackened Cajun Catfish Sandwich

Mussels from the Isle of Prince Edward, bathing luxuriously in a broth fit for kings.

Legs:

I’ve spent more time (and money) at River Grille than I care to admit. Lots of evenings after work are spent with my friends who work there and the bartenders who have become my friends. Dive bars have always held a special place in my heart, and the hilarious, kindly collection of townies who gather here are sure to provide you with a fun time.

For all the time I’ve killed on their bar stools, my culinary adventures never really went past the wings, fries and onion rings (all of which are awesome). I’d heard tales of their award-winning mac and cheese, and my friends who work there won’t shut up about the mussels.

So mussels it is.

My favorite seafood buddies, mussels are just little nuggets of yummy joy. These ones came immersed in the most gorgeous white wine, lemon garlic sauce to ever be paired with seafood. Seriously, this broth needs to be made into a soup so I can shamelessly spoon it up. It’s that good.

The mussels themselves were good. Not a single bit of sand present. Not one. They were, however, rather fishy at times. About half were absolutely pristine, but the other half were just… ocean. Luckily I had my trusty garlic bread lifesaver to reel the mussels back into safety. Cheesy, buttery, garlicy, soft with a crispy crust… perfect. As an added bonus, it allowed me to eat more sauce!

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“Blackened” Cajun catfish with lettuce, tomato, Cajun mayo, and provolone cheese. Served with fries at the top of their class.

Snax:

Walking into River Grille as an irregular with Legs always feels like being invited into a friendly yet secretive club. It’s a little loud and a little pricey considering the atmosphere, but I was still eager to try what this Zagat rated tavern had to offer.

I adore Cajun seasoning, so when my catfish arrived I was more than excited to dig in. That first brilliant bite brought all of the usual suspects in for questioning: paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, and the infamous outlaw cayenne. I didn’t get any char flavor despite its claim to be blackened, but the seasoning was lovely. Unfortunately the show was over after just a few bites as catfish and his posse were run out of town by Cajun mayo and provolone. What’s worse? The mayo wasn’t very Cajun inspired at all. Over dressing and an unnecessary cheese component turned what could have been a great sandwich into average pub fare.

Although the sandwich proved to be standard, the fries were anything but. Perfectly crisp, just the right amount of chew, and never oily, these guys make some of the best beer-battered fries around. If only I had some serious Cajun mayo on the side to dip these golden gods into. You can’t always get what you want.

I’m happy with my experience at River but this may be the end of the line for yours truly.

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And the winner is… Legs!

✗Protein ✓Sauce ✓Sides/Veggies ✓Presentation

Presentation is kind of a given when you have an entire bowl stacked with seafood goodness versus a sandwich. And my sauce… I’ll be dreaming about it for ages. Mind blowing. Seriously, it needs to be made into a soup.

I’ve demolished Snax these past weeks and am officially the winner of September and October! Tune in next week to see him shovel something nasty into his mouth as punishment.

September/October wins:

Legs: 4 – Snax: 1

 

Haitian Sensation

The Battleground

First Republic, Elizabeth, New Jersey

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The Contenders

Beef Tasso vs. Chicken Piké

Beef Tasso served with a pillow of black rice and all the plantains your heart could desire. A full ramekin of pikliz was the real diva on the plate. Scrum-diddily-umptious!

Legs:

First Republic is a cute little place that knows exactly who it is. Unafraid to stand out from the crowd and be different, diners here are sure to have a great time. Whether you’re just stopping in to have a drink and chat with the world’s friendliest bartender, Dani, or you’re coming in for their Sunday salsa lessons, First Republic is your stop for a great Caribbean lounge.

My beef tasso was almost everything it claimed to be. These large, well-seasoned beef hunks were a pleasure to behold. The seasoning was not-quite-smoky, not-quite-spicy, not-quite-salty and all-around delicious. My only complaint is that the beef was a tad overdone and tough. But I like my steak rare, so perhaps other diners won’t be as let down.

Black rice. Wow. I’d never heard of it before and I don’t think my life will ever be the same again. Dani described it as rice cooked with mushrooms, but the mushrooms get taken out before the final product is complete. So the rice drinks up all that lovely, earthy flavor and color but retains its integrity as a grain. Although I’m not a huge fan of mushrooms, Dani seemed so excited about it that I decided to give it a whirl – I’m so so so glad I did.

The black rice came out soft and fluffy, like a down pillow fresh from a plumping. There was no distinct mushroom flavor, rather the rice had a lovely nuttiness to it with subtle undertones of earth. The smell wafting towards my eager nose was heavenly, eclipsed only by that incredible, unique flavor. It’s no wonder why the Haitians save this miraculous side for special occasions.

Amazing as that black rice was, the crème de la crème was the pikliz. This is, in my opinion, the greatest condiment on the planet. Cole slaw’s mature, spicy, sophisticated older cousin, pikliz is shredded and pickled veggies with not a hint of mayo and a whole overload of flavor. It paired well with literally everything on my plate. Everything. And it’s actually spicy!

I’ll be back.

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Chicken Piké, served in a spicy boat of Haitian marinade alongside mixed veggies and fried plantains. All aboard!

Snax:

Celebrating my birthday at the National Apple Harvest Festival was a blast, but Legs insisted that a birthday dinner was in order at an arena of my choosing. I was feeling a bit Caribbean and decided to try something I haven’t experienced in ages; the joy of Haitian food.

Growing up I had a best friend, Nate, who was Haitian and still remember the smell of his mother’s cooking filling the house. Call it nostalgia or inexperience, but Nate’s mom made one of the best spicy wings I’ve ever eaten. Naturally when I saw chicken piké on the menu I had to go for it and try to recreate my first taste of Haiti.

The results? A resounding success. This chicken piké was everything I hoped it would be. It had the smoky sweetness that I expect from the Caribbean with a kick that lands squarely on the pleasure centers of the brain. The one-two combo of fall off the bone chicken and a commanding sauce had me KO’d from the start.

The chicken’s tag team partners mixed vegetables and sweet plantains kept the hits coming. Sautéed red peppers, onions, carrots, and broccoli had just the right amount of crunch to complement the perfectly tender chicken. Like all great fried plantains these were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. More importantly both sides carried the piké’s spiciness just a little longer. Every bite of this meal was a pleasure.

How could this meal get any better? With surprise tickets to the Book of Mormon from Legs, of course! I’m too overcome by joy to even care if Legs beats me this round.

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And the winner is… Snax!

✓Protein ✓Sauce ✓Sides/Veggies ✗Presentation

The streak is over! My succulent chicken and breathtaking sauce were just too much for Legs’ beef to overcome. In fact, she kept coming back to my plate for sauce throughout the meal! This win finally puts me on the board and gives me an opportunity to tie. I can only hope to put together a streak of my own.

Once this month is out someone will face punishment and every month thereafter. Stay tuned!

September/October wins:

Legs: 3 – Snax: 1

   

Adams Apples

In honor of Snax’s 25th birthday, we headed to the National Apple Harvest Festival in Adams County, PA for a beautiful autumn day full of food and fun. There were plenty of craft vendors and live entertainers throughout the day, and all the festival food you could eat. And eat we did.

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An onion blooming around spicy Texas sauce. Yee-haw!

As a rule, Snax and I try not eat junk food. But when we first walked into the fair and were greeted by a Blooming Onion sign, we threw caution to the wind and dove into junk head first. The spicy, creamy Texas sauce was an amazing dunking complement to those crispy onion petals. The whole thing was very well seasoned, if somewhat undercooked. As we continued to eat the breading started to fall off in glumps. (By the way, this was the only stand at the fair selling veggies: deep fried broccoli to be exact.)

glump (n): A clump of something that is also gloppy.

I spilled a glump of chili on my new white shirt!

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PUMPKIN funnel cake with cinnamon sugar angel kisses.

Once we had the bloomin’ down the hatch, we threw caution to the wind. While listening to a great old-school country band play on the Cider Barrel stage, we espied a Pumpkin Funnel Cake cart. Why yes, don’t mind if we do.

Who doesn’t love pumpkin? Who doesn’t love funnel cake? Why the two haven’t been paired together before is beyond me. These wormy cakes of majesty came with choice of topping: cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or glaze. Pretty sure the cinnamon sugar topping was the most amazing decision I’ve made since giving Snax a chance. Tastes like pumpkin pie, eats like funnel cake, feels like a hug by grandma.

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Adams County: America’s premier orchard location. Photo cred: www.rlorchard.com

To let all that fried food digest, we hopped a bus to take a free tour of the Adams County orchards. Rolling hills with orchards heavy with fruit abounded and it was absolutely idyllic. We were blessed with perfect autumn weather: cool and crisp but still with nice warmth. Riding around on a bus with the windows down and taking in nature was an incredible break from the festivities.

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Pit beef. Look at all that smoke. Need I say more? Pit beef.

But back to the food. The line for the pit beef sandwiches was HUGE. So we obviously figured we had to try it out. Look at it smoking and bar-b-queing away. Go on, look at it. It’s actually better than you’re thinking. The beef was thinly sliced and placed on a bun which we promptly topped with BBQ sauce. Seriously delicious stuff, that.

The best bite of the day, however, goes to the apple sausage adorned with apple butter. No photo, unfortunately. It was a bit too… phallic… to be photogenic. Sweet and savory combined in perfect harmony in this tender, tender stick of meat. An added bonus? All proceeds go to the Pennsylvania Keystone Chapter of the MS Society. You can eat an incredible little meal while supporting a good cause.

We definitely had an amazing time at the Apple Harvest Fest.

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A note from Snax:

Venison jerky, enjoyed Lady and the Tramp style.

I don’t really do much to celebrate my birthday other than the usual cake and inviting some friends over, but Legs wasn’t having it. I got to chow down on outstanding food, take in some great music, enjoy the beautiful vistas of Adams County, and spend the day wondering how I could be so lucky.

Seriously, who comes up with a road trip to this little slice of paradise for a birthday? Only the best.

You too can visit the festival for their last weekend on October 11th and 12th. You won’t have as good of a time as I had but you can try.

P.S. I got piglet kisses at the petting zoo!!
( I lured him with hay. No shame.)