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Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Cheddar

Posted by roodonfood on April 7, 2012 in Snacks

Normally snacks with faces would disturb me. I prefer my foods to be anonymous, faceless vessels of deliciousness. Pepperidge Farm Goldfish  “the snack that smiles back” is perhaps the only exception. Pepperidge Farm is masterful at charming packaging. Who doesn’t like a snack that is sold quaintly in a paper bag?

The cheddar flavor is a personal favorite. It’s rich with a fantastic crunch. Best of all, they’re baked. The bright orange color while looking artificial makes it feel like a little kid food which means more fun. It’s made with real cheese which is a plus. It’s a unique change from tortilla and potato chips as well.

Here is a tribute song to Goldfish by a group called the Jims which do tons of jingle covers.

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AVS Privilege Bakery Jewish Rye Bread

Posted by roodonfood on April 6, 2012 in Food Adventures

My general rule is whether on vacation or just on a food adventure in a different neighborhood, to always pickup a loaf of bread. Good bread is hard to come by.

During a recent visit to Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn I came across the AVS Privilege Bakery. Their Jewish Rye bread made me cry tears of joy. It has the classic rye flavor and a perfect balance of crunchiness, softness and chewiness. White flour is the second ingredient so I assume that brings about the softness. I tried it in several ways including peanut butter and jelly, cold cuts, Amul cheese spread and jam with butter with only good outcomes. It was only $1.99 for a 1 pound loaf.

The bread does not have caraway seeds which was a surprise. In fact, the ingredient list is refreshingly short: rye flour, white flour, sourdough starter, yeast, salt and filtered water. I oftentimes buy breads from the regular grocery store which have 20+ ingredients including high fructose corn syrup etc. It’s also worth pointing out that there is no added sugar. I love this bread and hope they someday get nearby distribution.

They don’t seem to have an updated website as yet, but the address is below:

AVS Priviledge Bakery
2914 Coney Island Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(347) 462-1777
Map

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Smashed Sesame Red Bean Bun from White Swan Bakery in Chinatown, NYC

Posted by roodonfood on April 5, 2012 in Food Adventures

I’m a sucker for Chinese bakeries. After meeting a friend for dinner in New York’s Chinatown, the unassuming White Swan Bakery caught my eye.

Located on 24 Bowery (Pell/Bayard), they sell a variety of items including cakes, rolls, pork buns, noodles and bubble teas. I didn’t see anything costing more than $5.

I got a Smashed Sesame Red Bean Bun ($1.25). I love the crunchiness the sesame provides. It’s overstuffed with red beans. The breading provided moisture and a decent salty contrast. My only point of contention is that the bun cover did not remain intact while I ate. Halfway through I decide to switch to eating it with a fork. I would definitely get this bun again but with the caveat that I’d like to try some of the other bakeries for comparison first.

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Lowe’s Eatery: Jamaican Patties in New York, NY

Posted by roodonfood on April 4, 2012 in Food Adventures

One of my favorite foods is the Jamaican patty. For those unfamiliar, they’re sort of like a turnover with different fillings such as soy, spinach, chicken or most commonly, beef. They’re inexpensive, portable, and handheld – a great option if you need a hot snack on the go. The color of the beef and chicken pastries is usually a golden yellow. Some of the veg ones are more wheat-ish in color.
Image Source: Wikipedia

I was surprised to learn that a close friend of mine despite living in big cities, had never tried a patty before. I know that Golden Krust is sold in Harlem, but chain food is rarely as appealing as Mom and Pop stores despite the respectable patties. Walking from the Apollo Theater at 125th street down to Central Park we had the good fortune to stumble across a hole in the wall called Lowe’s Eatery which features Jamaican and Southern/Soul Food. Menu is here. It’s located at 164 W 116th St (Between Malcolm X Blvd and 7th Avenue).

We ordered a chicken and a traditional beef. These were among the best patties I’ve had. The beef featured a measured dose of cumin with a slight spice. The chicken had a stewed, curry type of flavor and scent. Lowe’s was different because these had a little crunch to them, a pleasant surprise.

On the topic of Jamaican patties, I’d endorse in Christie’s Jamaican Patties on Flatbush in Prospect Heights as well. There the stand out is the veg patty. The stewed veggies are delicious inside and I love the soft wheat crust.

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Nevskoye Imperial Beer (Baltika Breweries – Russia)

Posted by roodonfood on April 3, 2012 in Beer and Wine Reviews, Uncategorized

After enjoying the Baltika Golden Lager #5 I was emboldened to try their Nevskoye Imperial Beer. It’s sold in the 1 pint .9 oz size which is perfect for someone who doesn’t drink in bulk. The alcohol content is 4.6%.

This Russian lager’s color is between a golden and an amber. It’s actually very frothy with a substantial head. The taste and carbonation linger for quite a while. There is mild bitterness but not much sweetness to counteract. This beer is just passable whereas I’d definitely check out the aforementioned #5. I would rate this 5/10.

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Ghiradelli Coconut Rendezvous Bar

Posted by roodonfood on March 28, 2012 in Snacks

Sometimes I forget about various foods and drinks in the fridge. Other times I’m a little scared to try something. The Ghiradelli Coconut Rendezvous fell into the latter camp. Forgetting how much I used to love Mounds as a kid I thought that coconut in chocolate sounded weird and potentially gross.

I owe the eventual opening of the bar to running out of Cadbury Crème Eggs. I have to admit, it was a pleasant surprise. Generally I buy dark chocolate so the Rendezvous’s smooth milk chocolate base was a refreshing change. The coconut comes from coconut flakes rather than strands. I was secretly worried about choking to death on coconut strands which would’ve made the saddest obituary ever.

The flavor unlike, say the Ghiradelli Chili is prominent without being overpowering. There is also a surprising and satisfying crispiness – the coconut is toasted. While I can’t imagine eating a whole bar in one sitting, the pre-cut segments are actually generous in size than in a Hershey bar so you really get to indulge. It’s a new product. So far I’ve only seen the Coconut Rendezvous flavor at the local Target but word on the street is that it will expand to more locations.

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Utz Kettle Classics Sweet Potato Chips

Posted by roodonfood on March 27, 2012 in gluten free, Uncategorized, vegan

Utz Sweet Potato chips are a welcome addition to my snacking arsenal. They’re kettle cooked which seems practically mandatory for all chips these days. It’s a trend I can get behind. They have a pleasant crunch but not as much crunch as kettle cooked potato chips. The sweetness from the sweet potato provides a perfect contrast to the salt on the chips. Like many good things, they’re dangerously addictive. It’s worth noting that these chips are also gluten free.

They’re a great alternative to regular boring potato chips. This is another successful snack product from Utz, which per Wikipedia is “the largest independent privately held snack brand in the U.S.” They like Real Deal Veggie chips are based out of Pennsylvania.

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Vermont Foods: Klinger’s Vermont Maple Oat Walnut bread

Posted by roodonfood on March 26, 2012 in Uncategorized

I always enjoy bringing home baked goods from nearby vacation spots. During a recent trip to Southern Vermont for skiing, I splurged ($5.79) on a loaf of Klinger’s Vermont Maple Oat Walnut bread. The bread is studded with oats and nuts which come through in every bite. It also uses maple syrup rather than corn syrup or sugar which provides just the right amount of sweetness. I ate the loaf in a few ways. The first was unsuccessful. The Punchy Pepper Amul cheese outshined the flavors of the bread. What does work well though are butter and jam. Due to price point, this could never be my regular bread but it’s a great vacation loaf.

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Booze: Beer, Liquor and Wine Reviews: Baltika Golden Lager 5

Posted by roodonfood on March 25, 2012 in Beer and Wine Reviews, Uncategorized

I’m not a big beer drinker. I rarely buy six packs unless company is coming over. My preference is to buy individual bottles of craft beer, so I can focus on taste over volume. Unfortunately, even just a single bottle buy doesn’t guarantee consumption within 3 or even 6 months. Case in point, I bought a bottle of Baltika Lager, a Russian beer while on a walk in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The intention was to drink it once I got home. Sadly this did not happen. There is a bit of a pattern here. First, the beer was placed in the door for easy access. Orange juice took precedence, so the beer was moved to the top shelf where it was laid flat to fit and quickly forgotten. When that shelf got full it was moved to the more spacious bottom shelf behind all sorts of random leftovers. It’s only constant companion, a jar of infrequently used kimchee (I have to find what to pair it with). There it sat for months. Eventually with the hope that the beer would stick out enough to be noticeable, I moved the Baltika to the veggie drawer. It hung out there for about a month. After picking up a few more beers recently, I figured it was time for a drink.

Source: http://newsandbrews.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/kate1.jpg

I learned recently that beers are best within 120 days of manufacture. The Baltika’s still had a full month to go! Woohoo! Still good. Despite being over 6 months old, the Baltika Golder Lager #5 was actually tasty. It’s everything you want in a lager. It’s light, easy drinking with a slight carbonation. Being a lager, there isn’t much bitterness to contend with. The color is golden and you get heavy notes of honey. The finish was fairly clean as well. I would definitely buy this beer again. (16.9 ounces, $2.49. St. Petersburg, Russia)

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Updated: Dine In Brooklyn / Brooklyn Restaurant Week: Bogota Latin Bistro

Posted by roodonfood on March 24, 2012 in Uncategorized

As mentioned, it’s currently Dine in Brooklyn 2012/Restaurant week. My girlfriend and I checked out Bogota Latin Bistro in northern Park Slope. We chose the restaurant because they prominently offer a couple of Gluten Free and Vegan options, plus I love Latin food.

We caught happy hour and had some excellent mojitos which were clearly made with love. In fact, they have a daily happy hour with awesome drinks like Capirinhas as well. They provided fried plantain chips as an appetizer to the appetizer which we cleverly packed away for at home snacking. (Hey, they provide it already in a paper bag for a reason).

For appetizers, my girlfriend got and amazing arepa topped with guacamole. The guacamole was lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and cumin but did not overpower the delicate sweetness of the arepa. I got the Chorizo Encebollado, which as the name says is onions and chorizo. They presented it in a cute little skillet with a generous amount of the sausage, olives and onions. It’s not an appetizer I would likely get again. It was delicious but I’d probably get the arepa with guacamole instead.

For the main course, she got grilled chimichurri tofu steak with kale and the most amazing black beans and rice. The rice and beans are actually “gallo pinto,” cooked together with onions, cilantro and tamarind sauce. I highly, highly recommend. The kale wasn’t very interested. It was steamed with very minimal spices and they also includes pieces of the stem which was odd.

I got the pernil which was marinated with beer and orange garlic mojo. This was very impressive. The meat was slow roasted and shredded so all the flavors penetrated throughout. For this dish alone I’d go back to Bogota.

For the desert I got Tres Leches cake. The senior citizen in me wanted to complain about the small portion but the flavor is so rich it’s actually perfect. My girlfriend got fruit salad which unfortunately was the only gluten free/vegan option for desert.

We discussed going back some time just to get some arepas and drinks. Overall we’re very impressed with the restaurant for the clearly labeled menu, food and happy hour. Note for after restaurant week: Don’t let the regular high prices for entrees scare you. They have lots of affordable side dishes too.

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