Ham Sandwich Indicted!

Thanks to a tip from fellow food writer and friend, Libby from  Cooks Like She Talks , Shawnie (of Manges! Mangi! ) and I were invited to a cheese tasting hosted by NYC's famous Murray's Cheese Shop. Anyone who spends any time with us knows Shawnie and I are suckers for a good creamy brie or a pungent, tangy blue -- and have driven 13 hours one way for a cheesy experience (see our road trip to  Rhode Island  last summer). A quick trek across town to meet the Murray's team and savor their wares was a no-brainer.   Murray's , if you're not familiar, is New York City's oldest cheese shop, founded by Murray Greenberg in 1940.  Over the years, Murray's developed a reputation as a premier cheesemonger, featuring a rotation of over 300 cheeses and their very own aging caves below their main store in Greenwich Village.  More recently, they have been building a partnership with regional grocery stores to share their love of cheese with the whole nation, s...

Svayambunath stupa (or just Svayambhu, pronounced swi-am-boo), is considered one of the most sacred sites in the Kathmandu Valley. Since entire books have been written on its cultural and religious significance to Nepali and Tibetan Buddhists, I'll just briefly sum it up here..and then we'll get to the party. Svayambhu is a religious complex at the top of a hill just outside of the Valley, capped by a large stupa (a large dome topped by a rectangular tower) and features the eyes of the Buddha gazing over the landscape. It's comprised of hundreds of shrines, several temples, and a few monasteries, as well as shops and restaurants. Pilgrims to Svayambhu frequently circumambulate around the base of the stupa, spinning prayer wheels as they go: But first, just to get there, you have to climb 365 steps. If you can do so without stopping, it is said you can attain enlightenment in the present lifetime...I admit, KLB and I took some breaks. No enlightenment this go around... D...

So, we've already discussed the fact that the Ham Sandwich loves risotto as a vehicle for whatever random ingredients you have lying around your kitchen (see prior Green Risotto recipe). In keeping with the tomato theme of the past few days, my sister and I decided to throw together a dinner that would utilize said bountiful tomatoes. Since we also had a couple of ears of corn on hand, as well as some risotto, the decision was practically made for us. To drink, we cracked open a bottle of what's probably the best dry Riesling I've ever had: 2008 Fireblock Riesling Watervale. I'm not what you'd call a "pro" at pairing wines with foods, but the crispness of the wine really balanced out the richness of the risotto. If you're into wine (or wanting to get into wine), I really, really, really recommend checking out Gary Vaynerchuk at Wine Library . His store, and especially his wine tasting show, Wine Library TV, are some of the best things to come out...

Not to brag or anything, but I've been incredibly lucky enough to find a completely awesome boyfriend who loves to cook (and eat!) as much as I do. At least one or two evenings a week, we get together and make a dinner that can range from a tomatillo and chicken soup to a potato and chickpea curry. Recipes usually start with the random ingredients we have on hand, and then cookbooks and websites are scoured for inspiration and ideas. Sometimes, however, a simple meat well seasoned and grilled is really all we need, and we recently made what we both agreed was "the best" chicken dinner we've made to date. Roast chicken is one of those dishes that can be pure, juicy heaven when done well, or a tasteless, dry hell if not. The chicken above (and below), was definitely the former. This particular (whole) chicken was purchased at Whole Foods, split in half, and brined for several hours. Then, with some help from the awesome, spice-geniuses at Penzey's, The Grillmaster ...

I love New York City. It's one of my favorite places in the world, and I always find myself rejuvenated after a trip there. This past weekend was a jam-packed one of catching up with friends, family, and doing my fare share of eating and celebrating Halloween. We had dinner at Supper , on the Lower East Side, and I indulged in a bowl of melt-in-your mouth gnocchi with a tomato cream sauce. Saturday found me waiting for a girlfriend at Greenmarket in Union Square, where I bought some fresh apple cider and a bottle of cherry wine from Eve's Cidery in upstate NY. The Greenmarket's a great place any time during the growing season, but right now, with the harvest, it's downright amazing. As tempted as I was to load up on all sorts of goodies, I refrained, but am of course now regretting not trying to bring home some cheese or a bottle of Eve's Apple Ice Wine. Maybe next time... Below, I'm offering a little food market porn to get your week started off right. :)