Blog - Flying Fourchette

Fun and Sun in Negril, Jamaica

May 28, 2014

While some would say Las Vegas or Miami are good choices for a bachelorette party, I must say our pick of Jamaica was a pretty excellent one! You not only get gorgeous weather year-round and decent beaches, but also the ideal celebratory mix of tropical cocktails, yummy Caribbean food, and the irresistible sound of reggae music everywhere.

Choices abound on where to go and where to stay though I can vouch for small and chilled Negril on the Western coast. The charming ‘village’ still feels rather untouched compared with tourist-packed Montego Bay and boasts the most famous beach of the island and best sunset views. While there are a few hotels directly on the beach, we opted to stay right on the cliffs for more privacy at The Spa Retreat Hotel, a petite and refined 18-thatched-cottage resort.

Situated on Negril’s famous cliffs, you have direct access to the Carribbean sea with a quick jump in the turquoise waters.

A sea water pool is also at your disposition with cocktail service…

Sunsets are legendary here and you get front row seat from everywhere on the resort.

Their Blue Mahoe restaurant allows you to indulge in upscale local food without missing the view.

Jerk Fish Tacos were an especially scrumptious lunch option.

Breakfast included the local staple of Ackee (a tropical fruit) and Salt Fish served with dumplings, fried plantains, and steamed callaloo.

Plenty of western options were also available with their own tropical twist.

Of course, this being a bachelorette party, there had to be champagne, here paired with just bought sugarcane and Malay apple.

Local restaurants are definitely worth exploring too for the real local flavors. Sweet Spice on White Hall Rd is a favorite for authentic Jamaican home cooking.

The mom-and-pop eatery has a simple and cheerful interior with plastic tablecloth, vivid colors, and Marley posters.

It’s the food you’re really here for though and they’ll start up your meal with a complimentary fish broth to wake up your tastebuds. Rice and beans are of course a staple accompaniment with almost every dish on the menu.

The house specialty of oxtail stew is a must order for fall-off-the-bone oxtail in a rich sauce.

Another specialty is the curried goat…

…and curried chicken, both good introductions to the island’s spice addiction

It’s heavy food though, so a hike was in order and for this you can’t beat going inland to Mayfield Falls, an hour’s drive in the cool mountains and rainforests.

The hike up the waterfall is done waist-deep in water, going up and over the 21 beautiful blue pools that have formed and frolicking against the current – an unforgettable and very refreshing afternoon for all nature lovers out there.

Rick’s Cafe is an institution in Negril, as much for the party vibe and sunset views as its famous cliff jumping platforms from where tourists and locals alike can plunge at their own risk into the blue waters to the delight of the crowd.

Later in the evening, the party moves over to Alfred’s, another institution with a live reggae band on the beach to dance the night away.

Mind you, it’s Jamaica so the party goes on all day if you wish… A visit to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville is a sure way to get your fix of sun, sand, and pretty good margaritas!

It’s also located on one of the world’s most famous beach, Jamaica’s Seven Mile Beach (which in reality is only 4 miles long but still impressive…).

Simply secure a lounger with an umbrella, get a cocktail menu, and spend the day hopping between sand and sea, watching the locals, listening for the 100th time to that Bob Marley song, and only worrying about which frozen concoction is going to grace the palm of your hand next.

Life is hard in Jamaica…

New York Restaurants

Bar Bolonat, New York

May 20, 2014

New York’s own doyenne of Middle Eastern cuisine, Einat Admony, has done it again with her latest opening – Bar Bolonat. After injecting her Mediterranean flavors into Soho with her hotspot Balaboosta and popular falafel joint Taim, she turned to the West Village for a new twist on her native cooking and the chance to showcase some slightly more highbrow modern Israeli fare.

The white-walled room with mod seating and light wood tables is Admony’s finer dining space and sets the tone for the fusion of traditional Israeli flavors with a global slant featured throughout the compact menu. I still found all that I love about the cuisine from this region such as plenty of yogurt, perfectly cooked vegetables, spiced meat and unique fresh herbs, and recognized most of the original dishes behind her clever adaptations.

As is today’s custom, dishes are all meant to be shared and if you go with a few friends you should be able to sample most of the items on the menu which I highly recommend you do. Everything was consistently tasty and bursting with flavors, from the melt-in-your-mouth beef cheek in the Zabzi tagine (the couscous is homemade btw, which you can definitely taste!) to the luscious curry bathing huge prawns and the refreshing mint ice cream to end the meal. Bar Bolonat has gotten increasingly popular as of late so book early or enjoy a seat at the equally compelling bar at the center of the room.

Japanese Eggplant with aleppo vinaigrette, sheep’s milk yogurt, marjoram, orange zest

Shrimp in Yemenite curry – coconut milk, schug, malawah, cilantro

Zabzi Tagine – beef cheek, housemade couscous, almonds, herbs

Hudson Street Kibbeh – bulgur ‘teardrop’ stuffed with spiced beef, pinenuts, preserved lemon sauce

Moroccan Tea – tea and mint gelato, baklava

Bar Bolonat
611 Hudson St.
New York, NY
T: 1 212-390-1545
Map

Dessert Recipes

Pavlova with Rhubarb and Pistachios

May 12, 2014

Spring is quintessentially feminine, a festival of flowers, pastel colors and swishing skirts where everything seems ethereal and dainty. It never fails to put me in a celebratory mood and wanting to surround myself with it, adding blooms to my windowsills and getting out my lacy patterns from flirty dresses to delicate placemats. I couldn’t think of a better complement to this picture than an airy pavlova, a beautiful cloud-like dessert as graceful as the season.

The beloved meringue-based pavlova, who owes its name to a ballet dancer no less, is an absolute spring showstopper. The delicate structure looks exquisite when topped with softly whipped cream and fresh fruits and tastes light as air. To me this is the best showcase of the magic of baking – to think this impressive dessert comes out of mainly just egg whites and sugar! Although there isn’t a lot of prep to do, it does take a long time to cook and cool down and its finicky nature would make even the best of chefs slightly nervous…

The long baking and cooling time are well worth it though as you cut through the fragile and crisp exterior to reveal the wonderfully fluffy marshmallow-like interior – what a dream! There are so many ways you could garnish your pavlova, any seasonal fruits would do the trick, though I must say the combination of tartness from the rhubarb with the sweet meringue and crunchy pistachios is one intense and immensely flavorful contrast.

And that’s not even mentioning the ‘pretty-in-pink’ presentation which screams springtime and begs to be served among a group of friends. A beauty such as a pavlova is ephemeral and will last only for a night though, so make sure you have plenty of company to revel in its splendor.

Pavlova with Rhubarb and Pistachios

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living magazine
Active time: 1 hour

Total time: 6 hours
Makes 10 servings

1 ¾ cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), divided
Coarse salt
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and sliced on the bias into 2-inch pieces
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chopped roasted unsalted pistachios, for garnish

*Meringue can be made 1 day ahead and kept uncovered in a cool, dry place. Rhubarb can be baked up to 6 hours ahead.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Stir together 1 cup sugar and the cornstarch in a small bowl. Beat together egg whites, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt with a mixer on low speed until very frothy (a standing mixer is a blessing here if you have one!). Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add sugar mixture, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, 12 to 15 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through.

Mound meringue onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and gently spread into a 7-inch circle, leaving a well 3 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch deep in the center.

Bake until meringue is crisp on the outside and the texture of marshmallow on the inside, about 2 1/2 hours. (If meringue starts to brown, reduce oven temperature to 175 degrees.) Turn off heat and let meringue cool in oven at least 2 1/2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine rhubarb, water, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, remaining tablespoon lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Bake until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes, spooning juices over halfway through.

Carefully transfer rhubarb pieces (they will be very soft) to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet with a spatula; reserve juices. Let cool completely.

Just before serving, beat together cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Place meringue on a serving platter and fill with whipped cream.

Top with rhubarb, and garnish with pistachios. Spoon over pavlova the rhubarb juices, and serve immediately.

[print_link]

New York Restaurants

Carbone, New York

May 7, 2014

New York has plenty of upmarket restaurants where power lunches fuel business deals and evenings wow celebratory couples with a muted class act of haute cuisine and dainty dishes at high prices. One restaurant though is turning this concept on its head, making people shell out tons of money for old-fashioned dishes they’ve had in family restaurants and creating the sort of buzz the city hadn’t seen in a while – meet Carbone.

It was THE restaurant of 2013 and even today getting a table means making reservations a month in advance…really, for a red-sauce joint? That’s what Carbone is essentially – an ode to old school Italian, the kind you see in old mob movies and this time you get to be featured in it with all the excess and the fun you can imagine from your Godfather watching days. The success of it can be attributed to the owners, food darlings behind tiny Torrisi Italian Specialties which I raved about earlier, who have hyped-up out-of-fashion red sauce classics in a space resembling a movie set.

You can’t help but being utterly charmed by your waiter in his Zac Posen designed burgundy tuxedo, the brass chandelier, and deep navy walls adorned with modern Italianate art. As striking as the decor, the enormous menu lists classic Italian fare at exorbitant prices: $17 for a salad, $29 pastas, and let’s not forget the famous $55 veal Parmesan and $49 fish soup. It’s not your ordinary cheap red-sauce fare though and the top-shelf ingredients and gargantuan portions contribute to seeing this excessive dining experience like real value and a guaranteed awesome time.

You’ll end up paying as much as any fancy French or Japanese spots in town though you’ll likely have a lot more fun in the process and wish more restaurants were as uplifting as Carbone is. Was everything I ate spectacular? Not really, though it packed a punch and the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, as insanely rich as it was, will be remembered for a very long time… Highly recommend it for a night of pure extravagance amongst friends as you’ll need a few extra mouths to split the intense pastas and Veal Parmesan bigger than my head.

Complimentary fresh mozzarella

Garlic bread

House chopped salad

Spicy rigatoni vodka

Daily special ravioli with radicchio and pork in butter sauce

Carbone
181 Thompson Street
New York, NY
T: (212) 254-3000
Map

Main course Recipes

Beef tenderloin with roasted marrow bones

April 29, 2014

Despite not eating a whole lot of red meat, I do sometimes get carnivorous cravings and just like everything else in my life, when I go in I go in BIG. I’m talking here about what I consider my caveman dinner, the one to satisfy our primal urges for blood, flesh and bones: rare top quality beef tenderloin with a big roasted marrow bone! A decadent meaty experience you won’t forget…

I have an undying love for marrow bones in all kinds of dishes and will almost always order them when they’re on the menu. They’re still to me at their best when simply roasted with a bit of salt (and a parsley salad on the side…divine!) and I strongly believe you haven’t truly lived until you’ve had roasted marrow bones, period!

I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea but I believe this comes partly from ignorance (eww… bone fat!) and from lack of trying. Marrow bones are indeed mostly made of fat and a bit of protein but are extremely healthy for you, containing fat soluble vitamins, minerals, wholesome cholesterol and fat to keep you strong. We’ve been thriving on them for thousands of years, and I myself witnessed their high status during my travels in Africa where their nutritional level is, as you can imagine, praised. If you’ve never tried them, now is the time and this recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home.

I make it sounds like the bones are the main parts of this meal though let’s not overlook the gold standard of beef cuts – the tenderloin – here simply salted and seared to rare, finished with a nut of butter. The sauce is the perfect accompaniment of sweet and robust flavors which marry wonderfully well with the simply prepared beef. The whole thing is just a sumptuous and decadent dinner for the fancy caveman in you, and a showstopper to impress your guests if you prefer to eat your bones in good company. You can serve it with fries if you want though I opt only for some crusty bread to eat with the marrow and soak up all that delicious melted fat and blood mixture that will inevitably fill your plate…

Beef tenderloin with roasted marrow bones

Recipe for Filet the Boeuf “Joe Beef style” from The Art of Living according to Joe Beef
Active time: 1h15 min
Total time: 5h+
Serves 2-3

Tenderloin
1 lb (455g) piece beef tenderloin, about 2½ inches (6cm) thick, untrimmed and tied
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Marrow bones
2 crosscut marrow bones, each about 4-5 inches high
2 tablespoons salt
Canola oil
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 sprig thyme

Sauce
1 cup pitted prunes
1 cup ketchup
1 cup cider vinegar
¼ cup water
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
4 green onions, roughly chopped
2 anchovy fillets
3 whole cloves
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper

At least 4 hrs before:
When you get the marrow bones home, put them in a big bowl with water to cover and 2 tablespoons salt. They should sit refrigerated for a minimum of 4 hours or as long as overnight.

Take the tenderloin out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.

Prepare the sauce:
In a small, thick-bottomed saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a slow simmer and simmer gently for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. If it reduces excessively, add a bit of water. You’re looking for the texture of ketchup with chunks.

When it’s ready, remove from the heat and carefully buzz with a hand blender (if you don’t own one, pulse in a food processor). Let cool, transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate. It will keep for up to 1 month.

Prepare the tenderloin and marrow bones:
Preheat the over to 425ºF (220ºC).

In a cast-iron frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Season the tenderloin generously with the salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the tenderloin in the pan (always remember the splash risk and drop away from you). Lower the heat to medium-low, so there is just a slight sizzle, and cook the top side for 4 minutes, the bottom side for 4 minutes, and each of the other three sides for 4 minutes each, for five sides total at medium-rare.

While the tenderloin cooks, drain the bones and pat them dry. Put a large ovenproof pan over high heat. Pour in a thin film of canola oil, and add the garlic and the thyme. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the bones, marrow side down, and sear for 2 minutes. You are not looking for color, just a bit of heat penetration.

Flip the bones marrow side up and put the pan into the oven. Roast for 12 minutes. A knife should penetrate the marrow easily. Take the bones out of the oven.

When the tenderloin is done cooking, remove it to a plate, top with the butter, and let rest for 4 minutes before serving.