Trendspotting: Beluga Lentils

Jeff Zalaznick — April 20, 2010

Aromatica Organics’ Black Beluga Lentils, available at Whole Foods.

A Whole Foods employee said they’ve been selling Black Beluga Lentils for years, (a bag of turmeric-smelling dry Black Beluga Lentils goes for $5.39), so they’re not exactly a secret, but they there is no doubt that they are having a moment on the New York restaurant scene.

Vinegar Hill House makes a Beluga Lentil and Foie Gras Presse, Recette is serving them with Branzino and Roasted Parsnip Purée, and they’re at the very top of the menu at Anita Lo’s newly-reopened Annisa. Beluga Lentils have also been showing up regularly in recent restaurant reviews, recipes, and at events. Be on the look out and you too will find the path of Beluga Lentils.

More About Beluga Lentils >>

AlwaysLearning: The Incredible Edible Emu Egg

February 10, 2009

The first time you see an ostrich egg is a life changing experience. For many, it was on the “Battle Ostrich” episode of Iron Chef America in 2006, for others it was during Season 5 of Top Chef when Jill attempted an ostrich egg quiche, but at this point most food lovers have seen one. For all, it is a moment that defies all preconceived notions, and reminds you that you still haven’t seen it all. Now, just in case you didn’t find these giant eggs to be mind-blowing enough, Whole Foods has brought a new egg to town. The incredibly large, and incredibly green, emu egg.

The initial reaction to an emu egg is one of awe, as the color goes against all that we know. It was one thing accepting brown eggs, but green ones? A whole different story. It gives the impression that either it was recovered from the Land of Oz, or, that at any second, a velociraptor could jump right out of it and bite your face. It’s as heavy as a brick, and instills fear when you hold it. It is totally unpredictable, something unknown. What is this egg and where did it come from?

Emu – A large, flightless bird that finds its closest relative in the ostrich, making it no surprise that the emu is the 2nd largest bird in the world, only behind its massive brethren. Their eggs are perfectly edible and one emu egg is said to be equivalent to 10 chicken eggs. Also, an emu egg’s yolk is huge, at 44%, as compared to a chicken egg’s 35% yolk.

Now the key piece: how do we eat it? Due to its large size, an emu egg takes 10 times longer to cook than a chicken egg. That puts you around 30 minutes, so be prepared for the time commitment. While a monstrous Emu Egg Benedict sounds fantastic, even with a gallon of vinegar, poaching would be a tremendous task. One guy actually managed to devil an emu egg, which is a very noble acheivement, but research shows that the easiest way to prepare this bad boy is simply to scramble it. Do with it what you will, but just avoid boiling, as it will leave the egg tough and the yolk gray, pasty and disgusting.

One emu egg can feed at least six people, and what better way to spruce up Sunday Brunch than with a 1-egg Emu Frittata? Although not totally recession friendly (the cost of 1 emu egg is around $25.00), the cost of showing off your exotic egg to your friends…priceless.

Seasonal Spotlight: U-G-L-I You Ain’t Got No Alibi

The Gluttoness — January 31, 2009

So I’m walking around Whole Foods looking for a semi-hard red mango, when I notice some of the gnarliest looking fruit I’ve ever seen. They have the appearance of decrepit grapefruits, left for a year or more to shrivel and decay in the sunshine. In fact, the fruit has such an unsightly aesthetic that they went ahead and named it Ugli Fruit—no point in beating around the bush, right? Marked by rough, wrinkly greenish-yellow skin and unpleasant pot-marks, this fruit even comes equipped with its own confidence-boosting slogan: “The Affliction is only Skin Deep so the Beauty is in the Eating.“™

A relative of the pomelo grapefruit, a citrus hybrid of tangerines and grapefruits, ugli fruit are a unique breed that thrive in wild environments in Jamaica. While the outside may be nothing to look at, the skin is in fact known for its strong citrus fragrance, and the flesh is extremely juicy and sweet like a tangerine. Unlike human aging, the skin actually loses its blemishes with age, gracefully adopting a bright orange hue when fully ripened—the Benjamin Button of the citrus world so to speak. The skin remains a loose covering that shields the citrus, making for easy peeling so that you can quickly enjoy your ugli fruit just as you would any tangerine.

This exotic tangelo hybrid is smaller than a grapefruit, has fewer seeds, and is in season from December to April. It’s high juiciness quotient makes it perfect for a fresh squeezed refreshment. Most importantly though, ugli fruit reinforces the age old belief that it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

AlwaysInformed: Whole Foods Finds a Home in TriBeCa

July 08, 2008

I must admit, if it wasn’t for the legions of great restaurants speckling the streets of TriBeCa, I would be totally frustrated by now from the daunting lack of a superb supermarket in my neighborhood. Gourmet Garage is too far North, Amish Market is a few blocks too South to schlep home a pineapple and a half gallon of skim milk, and Bouley Market never seems to keep their “market” stocked with enough raw meat and produce to execute a meal. The Food Emporium on Greenwich would be the only redeeming establishment if it wasn’t a dismal warehouse of so-so edible goods compared to the pristine Dean & Deluca I pass everyday on Broadway.

Well stop the presses and raise a glass of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice because Whole Foods has finally come to TriBeCa. 101 Warren Street, to be exact, and not a day too soon considering one of the major reasons people have avoided moving to the “Triangle Below Canal” was the lack of a worthwhile supermarket. The 69,000 square foot space will house the largest cheese selection yet, as well as brick-oven pizza from a Spanish restaurateur equipped with 23 of his own tasty topping combinations. Hoards of young mothers with strollers will soon fill the well-stocked aisles and don’t be surprised if you find Jay-Z cool as a cucumber in the freezer section. It is TriBeCa after all, and it’s finally outfitted with all the essential neighborhood trimmings.