Fruits and Vegetables

Go Green at Sabor a Mexico Taqueria

No, not eco. Green sauce, folks.

Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Crowned World's Hottest Pepper

Lauri Rantala/FlickrThe Bhut Jolokia, whose status as the king of hot peppers has just been challenged​The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion has been named the hottest pepper on the planet by New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute, according to the Associated Press.

Juice Cleansing: WTF Is It?

BluePrintCleanseBut is it tastier than vodka?​ Maybe because it's full-on bikini season, it seems like everyone is doing a juice cleanse. But what does a juice cleanse really do? And why not simply eat a bunch of carrots rather than carrot juice? Are juice cleanses just socially acceptable ... More >>

OMFG Ghostface Killah Has a Namesake Beer!

WikipediaWord.​Donald Trump has his own vodka, but the best celebrity booze hybrid most certainly is the new Ghost Face Killah spicy beer!

A Voce's Missy Robbins, Part Two: Travel, Summer Eating, and her Biggest Kitchen Mistake

A Voce's Missy Robbins​Yesterday, we brought you part one of this interview with A Voce's Missy Robbins--the chef talked about the practical ways she manages two kitchens at once, cooking for the Obamas, and why she doesn't think of herself as a female chef. Here, in the second half of the in ... More >>

Red and White Currants From Locust Grove Farm

​Red and white currants are only in season for a short time, and right now you can find the berries at Locust Grove Farm's Greenmarket stand.

Our 10 Best Things to Eat at Locavorish Outdoor Markets

The Bent Spoon sells its superlative scoops at the New Amsterdam Market. Where did it land on our list?​ Street fairs may suck, and the Greenpoint Food Market may have closed in the face of threats from the killjoys at the health department, but the summer months are rife with plenty of other ... More >>

Ryan Skeen Takes His Twitter Fingers to Harlem

5 & Diamond is the peripatetic chef's latest outpost

Vegan Delights of NYC: Aphlekotos Kale at the Whole Foods Salad Bar

Despite the attempts of our blogging software to convince you otherwise, this is actually a fairly attractive salad.​Salad bars tend to get a bad rap, and while it's often deserved, there are some notably happy exceptions. Such is the case of the Whole Foods Bowery's salad bar, which has recen ... More >>

Battle of the Dishes: Vegan Burritos From Papacitos and Bliss Café

A cross-section of Papacitos' burrito.​Sometimes, Battle of the Dishes don't go as planned. Especially when food trucks with unpredictable hours and pre-recorded phone messages are involved. The original mission: compare the relative virtues of seitan tacos from the Endless Summer Taco Truck a ... More >>

Fatty 'Cue Begins Brunch Service

Sarah DiGregorioFatty 'Cue's pork spare ribs: still just for dinner.​Beginning this Saturday, Fatty 'Cue will make its fancy, tasty grease available to an early-afternoon crowd. They'll be serving their new brunch menu Saturday and Sunday between noon and 4 p.m. In addition to plenty of booze, ... More >>

Make Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban's Mixed Wild Spring Greens From Seasonal

Seasonal's Mixed Wild Spring Green Salad.​As spring morphs into summer, the mania over fresh, local produce is about to relax a little. For a few brief months, we'll get comfortable with our good, not mealy tomatoes and sweet berries until the cold returns and, with it, the shock of rather bar ... More >>

Veggie Tales: How the Pret-a-Manger Options Stack Up

The onion knows its place in Arora Creations' Vegetable Korma. Photo by Victoria Bekiempis​Like their meaty relatives, vegetarian-friendly TV dinners and pre-made meals can be as tasteless as they are convenient. Often overloaded with salt and sameness, many are too mushy (and mysterious) to e ... More >>

America's 5 Greatest Foodie Presidents

​President Obama doesn't make the list--the word is still out--though he seems to be showing promising enthusiasm for this peach. (credit: Democratic National Committee) It's too early to predict whether Barack Obama is going to be one of our greatest foodie presidents, though the signs are g ... More >>

Blu Restaurant Offers Up House-Infused Grappas

Nicholas GillInfused grappas come to Chelsea.​The stretch of 28th Street just west of Sixth Avenue is not an area where one expects to find the kind of artisanal, housemade offerings that are now de rigueur in so many downtown and Brooklyn restaurants. Yet Roberto Bellissimo, the chef of Blu r ... More >>

At Pulino, Keith McNally Hits Skid Row

SRO hotels meet standing-room-only restaurant

Pakistani Yam Kabobs and Kachoris at Tamarind Tribeca

​Newcomer Tamarind Tribeca is distinguished by a menu full of regional specialties, some of them relatively obscure. It would be as though an American restaurant offered Indiana pork tenderloin sandwiches, shrimp gumbo, chicken and dumplings, lobster rolls, poutine, and Texas barbecue. You'd t ... More >>

Oil Slick Hits Brooklyn Veggies at Bay Ridge's Casa Calamari

Plus, meatballs you can throw a slider with

At Paulie Gee's, Crust Never Sleeps

The pleasures of the pie at a new Greenpoint pizzeria

Sweet Spice & Honey Amatullah Lewis Bakes Some Great Grains

Amatullah LewisYami Yami bread: A delightful blend of herbs, yam, butternut squash, and beet.​Amatullah Lewis had been climbing the career ladder as an HR professional until, like many, she got laid off during the recent recession. "I was having that little pity party, 'Woe is me,'" she recall ... More >>

Where Am I Eating? Yemen Cafe

Fassolia​Once again, you guys have proved far too well-informed to be fooled by the likes of us! The mystery dish we showed you yesterday is fassolia, a delicious dish of white beans cooked with tomatoes, onions, and in this case, egg. We ate it at the venerable Yemen Cafe at 176 Atlantic Aven ... More >>

Rhubarb, Asparagus, and Strawberries Now Available at the Union Square Greenmarket

Gudlyf/FlickrRhubarb rising.​To hell with ramps: if you want more proof that spring is gathering steam, then take heart in the fact that as of this weekend, rhubarb and asparagus are now available at the Union Square Greenmarket. And this morning, strawberries also appeared, albeit very briefl ... More >>

The So-Called Eggplant Parm at No. 7 Sub

​The eggplant parm sub--which contains to actual eggplant--is a miracle of flavor and texture. Step into No. 7 Sub--spawned by a very well-regarded bistro in Ft. Greene--and find a shallow corridor in front of a large kitchen, where some amazing experimental sandwich making is occuring.

Drastic Drop in Strawberry Prices Expected: Prepare to Get Busy

ananova.com​Blog Yum Sugar reports that strawberry prices are expected to drop dramatically within the next week, from a national average of $3.49 per pound to a just $1.25 per pound. The combined crop picked last week was apparently 80 million pounds, and that mass of juicy red fruit is expec ... More >>

For Passover, Some Gefilte Fish, Out of the Jar and Into the Steamer

Smoked whitefish gefilte fish. Not filthy fish.​ On the Passover Seder table, there are few foods more reviled than gefilte fish. Burdened with the nickname "filthy fish" and typically sourced from glass jars where it's suspended in a viscous, gelatinous sludge, it's been likened to SPAM, ca ... More >>

Make Mama's Cornbread and Pork Stuffing for Brunch

Mama's Cornbread and Pork Stuffing​Mama's Food Shop has long been known for its exceptional (and exceptionally priced) fried chicken, roasted pork shoulder, and bacon-wrapped meatloaf, all served alongside such generous sides as mac 'n' cheese, braised kale, and sweet potatoes with molasses. L ... More >>

Spring Guide: A Tongue-Torching Tour of Town

The Barrel, New 'European Tapas' From Panya Owners

Octopus with potatoes, and, purportedly, paprika​Panya, the East Village Japanese bakery and eatery, peddles tasty to-go bento boxes, onigiri, Japanese set breakfasts, and noodle bowls. So when the owners opened The Barrel, a pan-European tapas and sandwich joint next door, we gave it the bene ... More >>

Noruz and the Feasts of Iranian New Year

Jennifer MartineAsh-e-reshteh​ Long after most of us are done with the holiday season, in Iran they're busy celebrating the New Year, Persian-style. Around the spring equinox, March 20 this year, marks Noruz (also spelled Norooz or Now-Ruz) and the time to cleanse body, mind, and property of l ... More >>

A Catalog of Travertine's Dishes

Travertine looks like the sort of place that cares more about its DJ than its chef. The female servers have been made to dress like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Unch-unch-unch booms the music. "May I say a few words about the menu," says the waiter, without really asking, and proceeds to up-sell w ... More >>

Mutant Citrus Invades Gourmet Garage

​Hidden among the pink grapefruit and key limes, this strange-looking bird. Gourmet Garage has always specialized in weird citrus. It was there that I first spotted the "hand of Buddha" orange, which is all orange skin and scraggly extrusions, a source of zest, but no sort of hand-fruit. But ... More >>

Vegetarian Delights of NYC: Roasted Carrots at Porchetta

Porchetta's roasted carrots: get them while you can.​ Porchetta, with its pig-centric menu, pig-centric name, and pig-centric display case, wouldn't seem to remotely qualify as a vegetarian paradise. And that's because it's not, as anyone who's stared down its lustrous hunks of stuffed, roast ... More >>

Park Slope's Stone Park Cafe: Revisit

Grilled pork chop with pickled mustard seed demi glace, rosti potatoes, and chard​ Stone Park Cafe opened in September of 2004 and was named Time Out's best new restaurant in 2005. Frank Bruni reviewed the restaurant in March of the same year, giving it two stars and declaring that Stone Park ... More >>

Joseph Leonard's James McDuffee Shares his Recipe for Pan-roasted Chicken Breast with Baby Carrots, Turnips, and Mashed Potatoes

You've heard a lot about Joseph Leonard. Now, listen to the recipe for its pan-roasted chicken.​ For a small, quaint West Village restaurant, Joseph Leonard has had a difficult time staying out of the press since it opened last summer. Even after the opening buzz died down, it made headlines f ... More >>

The Organ Meat Society Convenes at Northeast Taste Chinese Food

Have some bunghole for your tongue hole

Make Fattoush Salad from New East Village Lebanese, Balade

Marina Oliphant for The AgeFattoush​Roland Semaan and Youssef Said met in Beirut when they were both about six years old. Their mothers came from the same village: "We are like brothers," Semaan says. Eventually, their paths diverged--Semaan came to New York and worked for B.R. Guest restauran ... More >>

Enjoy the Fish Stomach at Best Fuzhou Restaurant

A Lower East Side Fujianese also kindly peels your goose feet

Pot Roasting a Lamb Neck From the Greenmarket's Uphill Farms

Lamb pot roast with carrots and polenta​ Ruth Reichl posited that lamb neck will be the pork belly of 2010, and indeed, it's turning up on menus with increasing frequency, including cooked alla cacciatora at Danny Meyer's new Maialino. It may be having its moment, but it's one of those humble ... More >>

Pepsi Shuns Super Bowl XLIV; Padma Lakshmi Among People's 'Most Intriguing'

​Only 91 contaminants of the 60,000 chemicals used in the U.S. are regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, which means that a number communities' drinking water may be legal, but laced with cancer-causing agents. [NY Times] The White House vegetable garden has been planted for the winter wi ... More >>

Winter CSA Shares Offer Less Variety, But More Help to Farmers

Suemedha SoodWinter: Root vegetables as far as the eye can see.​ It's 28 degrees, the middle of December. Not exactly prime farming conditions. But Norwich Meadows Farm in upstate New York has no choice but to continue operations. Farmer Zaid Kurdieh says he can't shut down for winter becaus ... More >>

Recipe: Make Antonio Prontelli's Venison Stew With Chestnuts and Dried Apricots & Mascarpone Polenta

Chef Antonio Prontelli gets his game on.​Seems like everyone is getting into game these days. It's wild, lean, and full of flavor. But cooking it isn't exactly a no-brainer -- the risk of ending up with a tough hunk of meat is high. Chef Antonio Prontelli of Rock Center Cafe avoids this proble ... More >>

Top Chef: "Tender or Not, That Motherfu*ker is Headed to the Table"

Bravo​ Finally, it's the beginning of the end. After a long, existentially arduous slog, The Top Chef gravy train pulled into Napa last night, new haircuts and hubris in tow. Jen opted for a blow-out; Kevin opted for longer locks that, combined with his turtle neck, made him look like an earne ... More >>

Vegetarian Delights of NYC--Bhel Puri From Midtown's Indus Express

A salad bar kind of chaat​​ Most Indian chaats are meant to be eaten as snacks--hearty ones, but snacks to be sure. Chaat can be almost anything that's adorned with aromatic chaat masala (spice mixture), but it should have a mixture of flavors and textures--cool yogurt, spicy and sweet c ... More >>

Recipe: Make David Suarez's Panzanella de Calabaza con Hongos (Chopped Bread Salad with Pumpkin and Mushrooms)

​Halloween may have come and gone, but that doesn't mean it's time to start hanging Christmas decoration just yet. The Pan de Muerto is a traditional Day of the Dead recipe, ritually made every year in the weeks leading up to All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on the first and second of Novem ... More >>

Vegetarian Delights of NYC: Achar

Laut's achar​ This Malaysian salad is made of lightly pickled vegetables, like carrot, cucumber, and cabbage, plus pineapple for sweetness. The sticky dressing is based on fried sesame seeds and peanuts, pounded together with shallots, galangal, lemongrass, chiles, and candlenuts. Sweet and ta ... More >>

Battle of the Dishes: Veggie Dogs From Crif Dogs and Bark

Bark's dog is on the left, Crif's is on the right.​ Ordering a veggie dog from a hot dog shack is a bit like ordering roast chicken at a seafood restaurant: Unless dietary constraints demand it, why bother? At most wiener establishments, they're treated at best as a consolation prize and at ... More >>

Cookbook Tester: Japanese Hot Pots

Salmon hot pot--made with arctic char​ One of the only good things about summer's passing is the arrival of soup season. Just in time, Japanese Hot Pots: Comforting One-Pot Meals by Matsuri chef Tadashi Ono and writer Harris Salat comes out a week from today. Japanese hot pot, or nabemono, ... More >>

In Which We Discover Husk Cherries

Husk cherries on the left, baby bell peppers on the right​ Browsing the Union Square Greenmarket today, we came across a large heap of parchment-colored, papery-husked fruits that seemed, at first glance, to be some sort of gooseberry. Actually, they're husk cherries, a fruit in the nightshade ... More >>

Orange 'Tomato' Eggplant Appears

​ Small pumpkins? No, eggplants! Recently arrived in area farmers markets is the orange Turkish eggplant, also known as the tomato eggplant for its resemblance to a tomato. The specimens gathered at Abingdon Square this past Saturday are firm-fleshed, and had to be set aside for a few days to ... More >>

Bia Garden Opens Tonight at 6 p.m.

The wait is no more: A rep for Michael Huynh's Bia Garden confirms it will indeed open tonight at 6 p.m. A roster of Asian beers will be available by the six-pack, dozen, and case. Click through for a look at the menu, which, in addition to the expected roster of Vietnamese bar food, contains less t ... More >>