A New Dawn for Desserts: Chia Seed Parfait @ Victory Garden

Victory Garden's Chia Seed Parfait

My first reaction to learning that chia seeds are the new superfood was definitely shock. I mean really, what next, Sea Monkeys?

The first chia seed dessert I tried was an epic failure. A thick, translucent goo with hundreds of tiny brown seeds trapped in it. The menu called it a pudding. This was no pudding. As the waitress explained, when chia seeds are added to liquid, they absorb the liquid, expand, and form a gel. Sampling a small spoonful, I couldn't help imagining that I was in the Amazon jungle being offered a gourd of bug-mash by a tribal chief. Lost in my imagination, I cautiously swallowed several spoonfuls so as not to offend the natives. But in reality, the only offended native at the table was yours truly. So I wasn't surprised to discover a month or so later on a return visit to the same restaurant that the hostile dessert had been taken off the menu. "It wasn't very popular," said the waiter.

With the chia switch turned on, I was now on the hunt to find a chia dessert that tasted good. And find one I did at Victory Garden on Carmine Street. This creamy white parfait has all the flounce and frills of a traditional parfait yet is extremely healthy: It's made with chia seeds, cashew milk and agave syrup. The result is delicate and mild with a soft, creamy texture much like a thin tapioca. I should also emphasize that this is not the kind of flamboyant dessert that lunges at you like, say, a nutella crepe. It's a mild and gentle dessert for when you're in the mood for something uber-healthy and also satisfying. The latter part relies heavily on which toppings you choose. I haven't gone through all the possible combinations but my favorite combo is granola and blueberry. The parfait pictured above is topped with shredded coconut and strawberry--kind of an unusual combination but surprisingly the textures and flavors work well together.

Honestly, everything about this little food shop impresses me. It's mostly known for its soft-serve goat's milk ice cream--very fancy and very delicious--but also has an extraordinary turkey sandwich (yes, I used 'extraordinary' to describe a turkey sandwich) called The Dutchess that combines turkey with sweet potato--sweet potato! I had to wonder, Who in the world is dreaming up all these beautifully exotic flavor combinations? It all seems so far-fetched at first--goat's milk ice cream? Chia seed parfaits? Thin slices of sweet potato and turkey? But after a taste you realize there is method in all the madness. This is truly harmonious food for those who appreciate fine flavors and subtlety. I knew that whoever was responsible for all this goat-loving gorgeosity clearly has a profound appreciation for natural, nutritious foods, possesses an impressive repertoire of food knowledge, has a very non-parochial idea of which foods belong where, and an elegant yet wildly earthy sensibility.

That someone, I learned, is Sophia Brittan, the founder and chef of Victory Garden and President of Kitchen Caravan. Visit her Website and you'll see what I mean, it's one of the most incredible food/travel blogs I've ever seen!

The Seed: Vegan Food Event in Soho

After spending close to an hour in a giant loft space in Soho where a boutique trade show called "The Seed" was being held to promote veganism, I found the general appearance of the event to be a lot more disheveled and untidy than its advertising suggested. That said, veganism has reached a new level of sophistication and some vendors at the show did represent that side of it. Here are some notable standouts at this event:

1) Café Blossom on Carmine
It's a shame that this upscale vegan restaurant brought its chef Jeremy Scullin but no food samples. I think a lot of people would have been surprised to taste how exciting vegan meals can be. The only reason I can actually vouch for this place is that I've eaten there several times. The food is rather pricey but if you think of it as a spa treatment for your digestive system then the prices are easier to swallow. I recommend the slow-roasted rutabaga and the sauteed fiddlehead ferns side dish if it's available.

2) Viridis Aurum, homemade sicilian olives



"Viridis aurum" means green gold. These olives, cured with love by a Long Islander are packed with flavor. They're also packed in their own oil, something I've never seen before. The result is potent and very tasty.


3) The Regal Vegan



Like the vendor above, The Regal Vegan brought samples. I tried the Faux Gras which is a nice alternative to hummus and is absolutely something that can enhance your party spread.

4) One Lucky Duck



Now this is the kind of vegan fare I was hoping to find at this event, good products even a carnivore would love. With these healthy and tasty macaroons, One Lucky Duck transforms raw ingredients into raw amazement. I sampled a chocolate macaroon and a blondie macaroon and they were both delicious. I'm now looking forward to sampling more from this company, starting with the Rawtella, which is their raw vegan version of Nutella.


5) PlantFusion



I don't use protein supplements, but if I did, I would consider trying this product. Each 30g scoop contains 21g of complete protein from plant sources that include amaranth and quinoa.

Big Disappointment of the Week: Puddin' by Clio

You see a cute little store called Puddin' in the East Village and your inner child does a cartwheel. You casually walk inside to find that true to its name, this store is indeed dedicated entirely to pudding. Greatly excited, I wasted no time in ordering a chocolate pudding and a butterscotch pudding.

First red flag--no pudding skin. Lo and behold, the texture and flavor tasted like instant pudding--the arch nemesis of my pudding-loving heart. The chocolate pudding was pretentiously dark and had a kind of alcoholic taste that didn't appeal to me at all. The butterscotch was a bland rendition that made me sad; it was nothing like the buttery, caramelly flavor extravaganza of classic butterscotch pudding. The overall experience was like watching a parade with no band.

I like my pudding smooth, with a slightly gelatinous firmness to it. Most importantly, it must have a slow-cooked flavor to it. And not just slow cooked, but slow cooked with a wooden spoon. Jell-O and My-T-Fine were the pudding brands I grew up with and they are the reason why for me the very word "pudding" is synonymous with abounding joy and happiness and goodwill to all mankind. Pudding is the Nutcracker Suite of desserts to my stomach, and I'm always seeking natural homemade pudding that tastes as good as the artificially flavored puddings from childhood.

You would think that a store devoted to pudding would most likely have good, if not excellent, pudding. I mean, why else would anyone think of opening a pudding place unless they were some kind of pudding aficionado or could at least produce something a little better than what can be purchased by the goopy pound at a Korean deli? This little shop may look cute from the outside, but it does not deliver what it advertises. The proof is in the puddin' which, I'm sorry to say, is very disappointin'.

A Nice Spot for Tea

The first time I went to Bosie Tea Parlor, located on 10 Morton Street, it was a Tuesday evening, just me and my Kindle. I loved it right away because here I found a real pocket of solace in this manic city overrun by herds and herds of people. The tea list is extensive, the ambience is genteel and the service is laid-back and friendly. Tea arrives at the table perfectly steeped in a small white ceramic pot without any tea bags or leaves to worry about. I had an Orange-Pekoe tea and a madeleine and read my Kindle for a little over an hour. It was heavenly.

The second time I went to Bosie, I learned that all the pastries, cakes and macaroons are made in-house by French pastry chef Damien Herrgot, who not only boasts a fancy name, that to my ear smacks of powdered sugar, but was a former head pastry magician at some very fine French food establishments in Manhattan. So I had to ask, "Does he make the croissants, too?" Yes, said the waitress, adding that the dough is imported from Paris. Not sure how that works or who actually makes the dough but it still sounded wonderful (although not wonderful at all in terms of what an extremely large carbon footprint that leaves for every batch of croissants). But I wasn't thinking of environmental consequences at the time, all I heard was dough from Paris and so I ordered a pain chocolat and Americano. The pain chocolat was OK, although the dough was a bit dry. Maybe it was jet-lagged from the flight?

On yet another subsequent visit to Bosie, I devoured a deliciously bright lemon tart (pictured below):

This is a real winner. Let's be honest: Lemon meringue is exciting. Lemon meringue, lemon meringue, who made thee? Another great thing about lemon tarts is that they go equally well with coffee or tea.

But wait, there's more! True to its tea-time persona, Bosie Tea Parlor offers cucumber sandwiches and other tidy savory-food options as well, such as panini, quiches and salads. The quinoa salad is pretty good.

If you really want to go crazy, there's a Champagne Tea Service for two that includes one pastry, sandwiches, macaroons, scones, tea, and a glass of champagne. For the less wild and crazy, there's The Standard Tea Service which is the same minus pastry and champagne.

Bosie Tea Parlor is a better cafe than most in NYC because it is refined yet welcoming. It has also managed to achieve a bohemian, parlor atmosphere without becoming a filthy gas stop for mangy city nomads. Also, the lighting doesn't dim at night, it stays on bright enough for you to read. That's a rare find, even in the Village. The great and wonderful DOMA cafe used to be that way, but oh well, that's all history now. Nothing gold can stay.

Bottom line, there are three things I really like about Bosie Tea Parlor: the attention and know-how that's put into preparing a very good cup of tea, the character-rich menu and the contemporary parlor decor. It also makes for a very good hang zone: laptops are allowed until 6pm on weekdays and there's WiFi.

But don't go for the Wifi. Go for tea, the pastries, the tea, the croissants, the tea, the quinoa, and oh yes, the macaroons.

Confection Perfection!

Scandinavian candies from Sockerbit, 89 Christopher St.,NYC: Soft toffee covered in milk chocolate (Dumle originals) and sugar-coated raspberry hearts.


You know how the croissants and danishes you find at most bakeries, coffee trucks and diners taste nothing like their fresh, flaky, and staggeringly delicious European counterparts? Well, I've just discovered a similar disparity with candy.

The candy is Scandinavian, and compared to their diabolically gluey and artificial U.S. equivalents (Chuckles, Jujubes, Dots, Circus Peanuts) these candies taste like fresh fruit. I also find that they leave you feeling ebullient, as opposed to anemic. These Scandinavian treats can be found in the West Village, at Sockerbit, a starkly white store where the sweet fragrance of fresh candy gently strokes the air.

The main attraction at Sockerbit: a panoply of loose candy in rows of clear plastic bins.

Stylishly dressed rag-doll Easter bunnies

Decorative egg tins in delicate hues can be filled with candy

Since it was my first time there, I selected a little bit of everything for my bag. The truth is, I've never been that into jelly or gummi candies. The only reason I went into Sockerbit in the first place was because my sister wanted to go. She likes candy a lot more than I do—I'm more of a dessert person. But, once there, not only was I charmed by the store's crisp Swedish aesthetic and pleasing scent, but the service is friendly too.

The store clerk told me that most of these candies are made with real sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). OK, that changes everything. Why does that change everything? Because ever since I read Fat Land by Greg Critser, I've become somewhat like the Lorax when it comes to complaining about the metabolic perils of HFCS in foods. We need to a return to a pristine food ethos. Bad ingredients equals bad food and is ruining our lives. In Sweden, said the candy clerk, natural sugar isn't as expensive as it is in the U.S. so there's no cost advantage to using manufactured sugars like HFCS. HFCS is everywhere in food in the U.S. But according to Wikipedia,"Wide scale replacement of sugar has not occurred in the EU."

The Sockerbit Website doesn't mention anything about sugar but it does advertise that its candies do not contain transfats, artificial colors, or GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Win, win, and win. Sockerbit also carries sugar-free candies and vegan candies.

My filled candy bag:

So, how do these candies taste?

Flavor, I tell you, flavor! As fresh and fruity as a bowl full of berries! And that's just half the story. There's also a carnival of textures: textures that marvel and entertain, tantalize and tease. I particularly liked the raspberry gummi hearts sprinkled with sugar, the foam mushrooms with light beige tinted caps and an ever so subtle coffee flavor, and little red monkeys that are tough and tiny but packed with a kind of bubblegum flavor. These monkeys are addictive and I don't know why!

To balance out the jellies with a little more substance, I mixed in soft toffees covered in chocolate (Dumle originals). Of course, like all things comestible, part of the excitement is in the search for and discovery of your own personal favorites.

As soon as I knew it, I had one piece of candy left. A sugar-sprinkled, blueberry-jelly and vanilla-foam gumdrop. As I beheld the sheer beauty of this miniature mold of jewel-like jelly, neatly set upon a layer of snow-white marshmallow, countless thoughts rushed through my head. But I settled upon this. Candy, mixed with love, does make the world taste good. And by love, I don't mean some intangible make-believe ingredient. I mean all-natural flavors and real sugar in the hands of a candy maker with a refined palate and a playful imagination. Think Wordsworth captured in jelly. The glory and freshness of a dream...

What more can you ask for in a gumdrop? Nothing more, and certainly nothing less!



Photos by Katherine Lee

Heaven Is a Vanilla Macaron

Image taken from online of a vanilla macaron from Ladurée (not one of the participating bakeries for Macaron Day NYC 2012)

Not only was today the first day of spring, but it was also Macaron Day. In honor of this, Francois Payard bakery, along with a whole list of other French bakeries throughout NYC, gave away free macarons! By 8:30am, there I was at a Payard on Houston, standing on a short line. After I ordered a cup of coffee, I was asked which flavor macaron I'd like to have.

I scanned the beautiful array of sprightly and speckled colors and picked vanilla. It came in a small white paper bag the size of a dress pocket. (Note to Self: The next time I wear a dress with pockets, buy a macaron for one pocket.)

Seated at a table, I took one bite of my petit macaron and, my God, it was AMAZING!! Do not underestimate the flavor power of a quality macaron. What a special treat. It was so good, I wrote a poem about it:

Heaven is a vanilla macaron;
A treasure, if ever, was one.
It looks as precious as a little spring lamb,
And tastes like a mouthful of sun!

Thanksgiving Part Deux: Pain-in-the-A** Pumpkin Pie

And now, for the second pie I baked this Thanksgiving. A brilliant recipe for one of the most beloved of Thanksgiving desserts. But man, oh, man is this a complex pie to make. Which is why I dub this recipe, Pain-in-the-A** Pumpkin Pie. Is it worth it? Hale yes, this is one scrumdiddlyumptious pumpkin pie.

In spite of its nickname, I really did enjoy making this pie. It's a recipe from Cook's Illustrated, the most profound and informative cooking magazine in the world. Truly assiduous research and testing—all for the love of comfort foods, cookies, pies and desserts—along with editor and publisher Christopher Kimball's stirring monthly editorials that are like hymns to nature as well as great storytelling, make this publication an all-encompassing guidebook to cooking and to eating as a defining way of life.

But what really attracted me to this recipe were specific items on the ingredient list that seemed to pop off the page. For the filling: fresh ginger, maple syrup, candied yams. For the crust: cold vodka. I was intrigued to say the least. I was also feeling bored with Libby's pumpkin pie recipe which is also very good but this year I wanted something with a little more Thanksgiving muscle—and boy did I get it! The Cook's recipe is painstakingly designed to be rich in pumpkin flavor and silky and custardy in texture. It doesn't happen magically though. With this recipe, you really have to earn it.

After you finish making the dough, refrigerating the dough (for 45 min), and finally, rolling out the dough and placing and molding it into a pie plate, you have to stick it back in the fridge—plate and all—for another 15 minutes. After that, it needs to be pre-baked before the filling goes in. But, even the pre-baking isn't that simple. The dough-lined pie dish must be covered with foil and weighed down with weights, or as the recipe suggests, pennies. For me, the best part of this whole process was seeing my father's sheer bewilderment when he walked into the kitchen and found me arranging a pile of change onto a foil-covered pie dish, which I then proceeded to place in the oven.

The filling was even more complicated. There are two separate batches of ingredients to be combined, one of which—the yams, pumpkin and spices—is cooked over the stove for about 20 minutes. Once the cooked yam and pumpkin puree is combined with the heavy cream mixture, look out, the genius of this recipe becomes deliciously palpable. But the hard work isn't over yet. The mixture must be strained through a fine mesh strainer. I was so ready to skip this last step, but, obviously, it's crucial to the smooth, silky texture. Once that's finished, it gets poured into the crust and back in the oven it goes. Around 45 minutes later, cue the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, an amazing pumpkin pie is made! You just have to let it cool for 2 to 3 hours before eating it. Unless you're like me, and not good at waiting for pies to cool, then just serve it hot.