Small Bites

We’re still in that in-between stage of Spring. With the crazy weather we’re having in April it leaves us waiting on the special ingredients like fiddleheads and ramps. So in the meantime I decided to take another look at fruit, and in particular the quite beautiful dragonfruit. Dragonfruit, also known… Read More →

This dish was pieced together in the kitchen over the weekend, when the weather was just way too good to spend too much time in the kitchen, at least on Saturday. Sunday is always a different story, I like to cook something special for our Sunday meal. This Sunday’s meal celebrating Indian… Read More →

Brews Travelers’ Year of Beer For most everyone in the tasting room—and particularly on the patio on this don’t-forget-the-sunscreen kind of day—it is simply a perfect Sunday: A few locally brewed craft beer samples and lots of laughs with friends before the work week starts. For Brandon Wurtz and Michael… Read More →

It’s not just because these beans are named after Lima, Peru that I like them. No, my friends, the buttery flavor of lima beans caught my attention before I knew that. And so, mis queridos amigos, I’m inaugurating a springtime series on salsas! Versatile, bright, and always tasty, salsas—as you know… Read More →

Hi everyone! I’m Josephine D’Ippolito, and I’ll be sharing my baking insights in a new regular Small Bites column called “Suburban Sweets.” I’ve been happily baking for my family and friends for over 20 years.  While I am a cookie aficionado above all else, I enjoy creating and consuming just about… Read More →

Could this have been the longest winter ever? The snow never seemed to stop even when Spring arrived last month. Finally the weather is cooperating and we should be seeing consistent temps in the 50s and 60s this week. My favorite seasons are the transitional one: Spring and Autumn. I’m… Read More →

LoHud Wine of the Week Ella Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010: This wine opens up beautifully with some areation and offers a medium to full-bodied Cab. Region: Judean Hills, Israel. Price: $31.99. Goes with: Brisket, flank steak. Why we chose it: After drinking this wine, you won’t believe that it’s kosher,... Read More →

I worked on creating this spice rub earlier last week. I was expecting a visitor mid-week, and want to play with some different flavors. I will tell you about the rub, which mostly is all about mint, coriander and fresh black peppercorns. Since you kind of know these spices, through… Read More →

After a brutal winter March came in like a lion and…well, kind of went out like a lion too. Don’t pack away the sweaters just yet. But what better way to stay warm on still-chilly mornings than with a little breakfast? Let’s see how we spent the lion month. Remember… Read More →

What is a caipirinha? Aside from being Brazil’s national cocktail, it’s a sultry burst of springtime flavors, blended with samba and all I adore about the biggest country in South America. I’m in love with Brazil, and dreaming about my next visit.  Another sip of caipirinha… So, why do Iove caipirinhas… Read More →

A couple of weeks ago, I got to go to a miso making class.  I love fermenting things, and I love miso, so why not? Miso is a fermented paste, typically made with soybeans, though you can find others made with chickpeas and other beans.  Cooked soybeans are mixed with… Read More →

What is it about sardines that makes people jump for joy? They are small and have a lot of tiny bones. It seems like a lot of work for the small amount of food you get in the end. That said, you might want to take another look at sardines… Read More →

One recent afternoon my husband and I were discussing what kind of fish I was going to make for dinner and he casually mentioned that he really liked sardines. This bit of information came as a great surprise to me. In the 13+ years we’ve been together he has never… Read More →

From March 30 through April 9, JCC on the Hudson is hosting the second annual Rivertowns Jewish Cultural Festival. Whether you are a music-lover, film buff, historian, blog aficionado, or fun-loving kid: there is something for you!  Events will take place at Lyndurst, JCC on the Hudson and a number… Read More →

Boozy Burbs is a food and drink website that covers much of the Greater Bergen County area — which includes bordering and neighboring towns in counties like Hudson, Passaic and Rockland. Since 2013, the site shifted its focus to become a valuable source of news — getting the inside scoop… Read More →

LoHud Wine of the Week Bouchard Pere Bourgogne Rouge 2011: Light and delicate right off the bat, with elegant red berry fruit flavors taking this Burgundy the rest of the way. Region: Burgundy, France. Price: $14.99. Goes with: Barbecue pork, chicken. Why we chose it: This is proof that you… Read More →

Rainy days are very much my kind day! I am a compulsive and very fastidious tea addict, if time permits I love to read, in short the perfect formula for rain. My only peeve with the weather this weekend is that spring rain is supposed to be warmer, essentially the… Read More →

Talkin’ Baseball…and Beer Best seats in the house!   It’s opening day for our national pastime, but it really doesn’t feel like it. The weekend was a wet washout, a few flakes even flew, and if you look around a bit, you can still find clumps of snow where the… Read More →

If you’re a fan of sweet and salty, well, my friends, this one is for you! Recently I rediscovered this one…originally published in Calypso Coolers  and “brought it back” for a Caribbean-themed cooking class. I had forgotten how lovely the sweetness of the roasted ripe plantains blends with the salty… Read More →

As always, I’m in search of the oddities of the culinary world – the stranger the better. I’ve eaten snake jerky in Cambodia, cuy (guinea pig) in Ecuador and dirty water hotdogs in TriBeCa. I’ve even sipped snake whiskey (neat) in Vietnam. So it seemed that po cha, or yak butter… Read More →

Salt crusted fish is a very dramatic way to present your cooked whole fish at the table. Carrying it out on a tray and cracking open the crust to reveal the perfectly steamed fish. A gentle hand, and flat server, easily lifts the filets to your guest. How does it… Read More →

LoHud Wine of the Week Backstory Chardonnay 2012: A ripe, round white wine with delicious aromas and juicy flavors of fresh apple, peach, pear and lemon. Region: California. Price: $11.99. Goes with: Chicken wings, butternut squash soup. Why we chose it: One of the best value Chardonnays we have ever… Read More →

The Captain’s Log: ‘Alpha’ Dogs Needed Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters had their acid test, and Scott Vaccaro and his Captain Lawrence boys have theirs too. Taking place at a number of better beer establishments in the region, The Captain Lawrence Acid Test offers up three pale… Read More →

Fish is one of the proteins of choice in our household, we enjoy it all times of the year. I was born in Eastern India, a child of the rivers, fish is no stranger to our table. One of the things, I enjoy doing a lot is pan-frying fish with… Read More →

The process of pan searing or frying fish is not difficult, but you do need to know what you are doing. You need about 15-20 minutes of well planned attention. The key to working and getting that great well seared fish is working with well dried fish and a hot… Read More →

Yes, my friends, spring is here! As I write this, I’m listening to Celia Cruz (ah…magical!) and looking out at the sun shining, shining, shining. We all need this. And speaking of needing, this cocktail, Caribbean in a glass, is a welcome burst of spring. I originally wrote about my… Read More →

Josephine D’Ippolito here, guest blogging for Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.   This has been a delicious week as I’ve had the chance to visit four establishments participating in this semi-annual culinary event.  I’m happy to report that in my travels, no menu was as comprehensive as that of my final stop:... Read More →

This year I decided to try three restaurants on my Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2014 tour, that were new to me. First up: Mertitage, in Scarsdale, NY. I was looking forward to checking it out with my husband Larry. Chef Chris Vergara happens to also be the Executive Chef/Owner of St. George Bistro in Hastings and Harpers… Read More →

For the next few weeks Seasonal Chef is going to focus on fish and give you a few simple preparations for a delicious fish dish you can make in no time, for the family. Last week a friend put me on to a gluten free pasta product called Black Bean Spaghetti…. Read More →