Featured Cocktail: Infusions at A Voce

Arthur Bovino — July 01, 2010

From left: Margarita in Fuoco, Platino, and Melone infusion cocktails at A Voce.

Vodka fruit infusions are nothing new, but when it comes to summer, they make for refreshing cocktails. They can be colorful with flavors as varied as your imagination is creative, they’re easy to make, and they give a sense of participation in the cocktail-making process.

A great spot to enjoy infusions is in the shade in a chair outside A Voce Madison, where they make three seasonal drinks designed by Olivier Flosse, their wine and beverage director: Melone, Margarita in Fuoco, and the Platino. Sharing Cassoncini con Prosciutto de Parma, sipping a cocktail, the dying light cast down 26th Street, you get that “it’s summer in New York” feeling.

The Margarita in Fuoco has bite, but not too much, a salted rim, and pepperoncini garnish to bring home the heat. The second, the Platino, may be the one that’s just right. It definitely hits the tiki trend— fruity, sweet, and punchy, with an impressive centimeter of foam that supposedly comes not from egg whites, but from the pulp of the fruit. The Melone is refreshing and not too sweet— a light-handed, melon-infused vodka drink that’s an obvious summer go-to.

As nice as it is to sit on the terrazza outside the restaurant enjoying these drinks, recreating them in your own special spot in the City may be even better so we’ve included the recipes below.

Cocktail recipes from A Voce >>

How To: Alain Allegretti’s Provençale Fish Soup

Arthur Bovino — June 28, 2010

Above from left: Provençale Fish Soup (before water), Chef Alain Allegretti using the food mill, the finished soup. Below, the chef on the line.

You may recall a recent meal featured at Allegretti in early May that highlighted three dishes. The first two, the Panko Crusted Frogs Legs, and a Tripe á la Niçoise, were strong, but the dish that had me on the verge of a Proustian paean was Chef Alain Allegretti’s Provençale Fish Soup.

This soup was one of the best I’ve ever had. So I asked Chef Allegretti if I could join him early one morning in his kitchen as he prepared it. Below, he takes us through the way he makes the soup at his restaurant, step-by-step. His suggested recipe for making it at home follows.

In the kitchen with Chef Allegretti >>

How To: The Waverly Inn’s Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli

November 30, 2009

Top, Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli. Right, Chef John DeLucie making a finishing touch.

After having a delicious plate of Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli at The Waverly Inn (view), and knowing that most people won’t be able to eat it in the restaurant, we tapped John DeLucie, executive chef and the author of ‘The Hunger,’ to demonstrate his easy to execute recipe.

Click Here for John DeLucie's Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli Recipe and Photos >> >>

AlwaysInvestigating: Sanpanino’s Italian Dagwood

Arthur Bovino — November 24, 2009

Leonardo Scarpone building an Italian ‘Dagwood’ at Sanpanino. Left, Dagwood with his Dagwood (courtesy, blogsofrealplay.com). Right, Scarpone with his Dagwood.

In July, Scanwiches’ beautiful Dagwood reignited a fascination with Dagwood Bumstead’s fantastical comic strip sandwich. There are sanctioned Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes (site) in Indiana that feature the Dagwood, and Columbus’ Ohio Deli & Restaurant has a Dagwood challenge (it involves eating a 2.5lb sandwich in a half hour). Great road-trips, but how about a Dagwood in New York City? There are big sandwiches, but a dearth of Dagwoods. Someone needed to create one. Who?

Considering Sanpanino (view) means ‘Saint of the Sandwich,’ Leonardo Scarpone, the owner of this Italian West Village sandwich shop, was the obvious choice. What would a New York Dagwood contain?

Click Here for Layer-by-Layer Construction of an Italian Dagwood at Sanpanino >>

How To: Cesare Casella’s Spaghetti Carbonara

The Gluttoness — October 29, 2009

Cesare Casella’s Spaghetti alla Carbonara.

Some people are all about lasagna, others love gnocchi or vongole. I’m all about Carbonara. Endless attempts at finding worthy replicas of this classic Roman dish have ended with disappointment. That was until Secession opened, and Cesare Casella, who was consulting on the Italian portion of the menu, brought his incredible Carbonara recipe to TriBeCa. Alas, Frank Bruni trashed the restaurant, the pastas were taken off the menu, and in a few months Secession was closed. I dreamed about the Carbonara, and every time I ran into Cesare Casella at an industry event, I essentially begged him for his recipe.

At Salumeria Rosi, Cesare Casella finally demonstrates his secret Carbonara recipe.

Recently, Cesare’s recipe finally landed in my inbox. But I wanted to learn from the master, so I met Cesare in the kitchen at Salumeria Rosi. His secret to perfect Carbonara? “Simplicity,” he said. “You’ve got to respect the traditional recipe and good ingredients—organic eggs, the best guanciale.”

Classic Carbonara uses eggs, pecorino Romano, guanciale, and black pepper, yet Cesare doesn’t have a problem with including cream (“Cream lets you make a mistake”) or blending meats and cheeses for more complex flavors. I’ve ruined many Carbonaras, but Cesare’s recipe was remarkably simple and the results were unparalleled. For anyone who loves Carbonara, this will be the ultimate rendition.

Click Here for Cesare's Carbonara Recipe & Photos >>

How To: Sushi Code of Consumption

February 28, 2009

There are plenty of ways to eat sushi, but if you want to look like a pro it’s going to take more than learning how to correctly wield your chopsticks. Here are a few Japanese standards of protocol to keep in mind the next time you go out for sushi.

1. When eating nigiri (fish on rice), use your hands to pick up a piece and then dip it in the soy sauce fish-side first. (We’ve found that putting the nigiri on its side and picking it up between two fingers works the best for keeping it together while upside down). If dipped directly into soy sauce, the rice will soak up too much sauce and is likely to fall apart, leaving a not-so-desirable mess.

2. A piece of nigiri sushi should be consumed all in one bite. The usually oversized American versions make this practice a little more difficult, but in Japan the pieces are always bite-sized.

3. Do not add wasabi directly to your soy sauce, the chef will have already added what he feels is the correct ratio of wasabi to fish. (Of course, if you simply can’t enjoy it without that extra spicy kick, add a little onto the fish itself).

4. When eating sashimi (fish without rice), be sure to use chopsticks, not your hands.

5. If a piece of sushi is sauced, it is insulting to the chef for a diner to dip it in soy sauce. It is the equivalent of asking for ketchup at a fancy French restaurant.

6. Between bites of sushi, especially if they are of two different types of fish, it is considered good practice to eat a piece of ginger to clear your palate and prime your senses.

7. It is considered rude not to eat everything you have ordered. Japanese culture and cuisine is about balance and moderation. If you must, make a small order initially and then order a few more pieces as your hunger sees fit.

8. Do not order non-sushi items from a sushi chef. It is a waste of his time and impolite.

And a final word of advice: never judge a sushi restaurant solely on its “spicy tuna roll.”

How To: Homemade Canned Tomatoes

Zak Williams — October 01, 2008

It is almost time to say goodbye to tomatoes. Soon the BLT will no longer be offered on ‘wichcraft’s menu and heirloom tomato salads will start coming down off the specials board. If you cannot let go of the fresh flavor though, there is a way to keep it going through the year. If you ever wondered how they keep that market fresh tomato flavor in their sauces in Italy, here is the answer.

Last week, I took some time to catch up with family in New Haven during our annual tomato-canning session. My great great aunt hails from just outside of Naples in a small town called Casserta, and her little tomato garden produces enough tomatoes and basil to make about 10 gallons of “canned” tomatoes.

1. Clean and drain a large batch of fresh tomatoes (any variety will do, though we prefer plum).

2. Remove the stem and surrounding area using either a knife, your hands, or a corer. Then, using your hands, tear each tomato apart to drain some of the water and remove a few seeds. Reserve this liquid.

Click Here To Continue Canning >>

How To: Make Better Butter

The Gluttoness — September 09, 2008

Brown Butter aka Buerre Noisette

You’ve probably had Brown Butter Sauce in a pasta dish before (like the Goose Liver Ravioli with Balsamic Vinegar and Brown Butter at Babbo pictured above), and the full flavor is distinct and delicious. In French, Buerre Noisette actually translates to Hazlenut Butter—for both its rich hue and nutty flavor. Well lucky for you, this simple sauce is incredibly easy to make yourself as there’s only one ingredient: Butter! And maybe some salt at the end because all good food is properly seasoned.

1. Over low-heat, warm a small saucepan.
2. Add a few heaping tablespoons of unsalted butter and gently spin your pan as the butter starts to melt.
3. Milk solids will at first bubble to the top like a white foam, and then settle on the bottom of the pan as little brown specks.
4. Once these specks form and your butter takes on a deeper color, your butter is done. Toss in pasta or drizzle over a piece of fresh fish.

How To: S’mores by the Seashore

The Gluttoness — August 28, 2008

As someone who constantly seeks opportunities to socialize over snacks, I’ve found bonfires to be the perfect evening activity when you find yourself shore side. Yea it’s nice to warm your feet by the flickering embers and relax to the sound of crashing waves; but when I think bonfire, I think of sweet sandwiches and sticky fingers—a blatant recipe for disaster with all the sand, yet worth the ruined jeans and knotty hair anytime. The beauty of the s’more is in its simplicity—the trio of chocolate, graham and mallow is hallowed, fantastic, and difficult to upstage. You can slop one together and enjoy the palate-pleasing party that ensues, or you can take a little care, and get some more out of your s’more.

1. Buy fresh graham crackers—no 4th of July leftovers. A stale, soggy s’more will only lead to utter disappointment. Crunchy graham creates the perfect balance between the super soft mallow and slightly-melted chocolate. And the brains behind the graham brands (Nabisco, Honey Maid) make this process all too simple—break one cracker in half for the perfect s’more-ready size.
2. Really toast your trio of mallows. While three marshmallows may appear overwhelming for one s’more, the proper amount of char allows for the perfect amount of smushability. Also, take heed to the photo if you find yourself in a death-defying, hand-burning situation trying to get your marshmallows toasted. No one said that making s’mores would be easy, and intelligent improvisation will definitely come in handy.
3. And chocolate makes everything better. The classic s’more includes a Hershey’s chocolate bar—a half bar if you’re a chocolaty glutton like myself—not to mention the half bar fits ever so neatly inside the half graham that it would be silly not to take advantage of the natural aesthetic synchronization of s’mores stuff. But in my recent debauched evenings by the bonfire, I’ve found that a Nestle’s Crunch Bar or one Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup make for stellar substitutions to the plain ol’ Hershey’s.
4. Assembly! Have your half graham/half Hershey’s ready and waiting. Once your mallows are sizzling on the stick, set them atop the graham/chocolate combo and apply pressure with the second half of graham to create pressure as you gently remove your skewer.

How To: Hard-Boil the Perfect Egg

The Gluttoness — August 21, 2008

Have you ever tried to hard-boil an egg and end up with a nasty green ring around the albumen or an overcooked, chalky yolk?

Thankfully, those unfortunate signs of over-boiling never have to plague your tasty little eggs again. Believe it or not, there is a science to hard-boiling that carefully maps about the appropriate measures for a perfectly hard-boiled egg.

1. Place your eggs in a cold pot and cover by ONE INCH with water. (I bet you didn’t know the amount of water actually matters!)
2. Bring the water to a full boil over high heat.
3. When the water boils, check the clocks and lower the temperature to a gentle simmer.
4. Count 10-11 minutes (11 being on the extra sure sign). When the time is up, have an ice bath ready so you can shock your eggs. This is the most important step, as your eggs will continue cooking even under running water.
5. Keep your eggs in the ice bath until they are cool to the touch. Then, peel and enjoy!