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EricaL

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Posts posted by EricaL

    Soapstone & Concrete countertops

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I have had soapstone countertops in my kitchen for 3 years, purchased them from a supplier in New Jersey: www.soapstones.com

    I have the Cobra variety. It is almost black when oiled with very little veining, which gets coated with mineral oil once a month or so to keep them dark and rich looking.

    To keep them from scratching, all you need do is use a cutting board. Deep scratches will not come out, but surface scratches come out with a little sandpaper.

    I do not have a problem with staining.

    :smile:

    Erica

    What's THAT on your plate?!

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    Any Brooklyn or Queens [NY] diner I have ever been in serves food in 'super size' portions.

    With the bread and the relish trays and the multiple course dinners and sides ... I think most of the allure of the diner is that there is always something to take home for later or the next day.

    :smile:

    Erica

    Family Heirloom Kitchen Items

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    My large, old Jadeite [Fire-King, Jeanette and McKee] collection. I redid my kitchen in 2003 and designed a portion of the cabinetry with glass doors and subtle lighting to showcase it.

    Makes me smile every time I look at it.

    I inherited my Grandma's big wooden bowl. I use it to grate the potatoes and onions into for latkes at Chanukah. Yes, I hand-grate them. No food-processor! I also have her half-moon [mezzaluna] chopper, and her glezala te [tea glasses]. These items are utterly precious to me.

    :smile:

    Erica

    Full Moon -- Arthur Avenue Pizzeria

    in New York: Dining

    Posted

    My husband and I stumbled on a great little pizzeria in the Pelham Bay [East Tremont] section of the Bronx last week. Louie & Ernie's or Ernie & Louie's [can't remember the name order]. On Crosby Street, near Waterbury.

    Thin crust with a bit of char, nicely seasoned sauce, not fresh mutz and not a load of it, which I prefer.

    Nice service, too and ~ bonus ~ they serve bottled beer.

    Definitely worth another visit.

    :smile:

    Erica

    Worst meal at someone's home - Part 1

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    The worst meal I can remember was at my house many, many moons ago. One day, Mom decided to get creative and made something she called 'Reuben Bundles', which consisted of corn beef, sauerkraut and Russian dressing bundled in pastry dough and baked. It was a drippy, soggy mess.

    To this day, Mom has not lived down that culinary snafu.

    :smile:

    Erica

    THE BEST: NYC Brisket

    in New York: Dining

    Posted

    If you want to make brisket or pot roast beef at home, my Yiddishe mama suggests asking the [kosher] butcher for 'side pieces'.  She says any kosher butcher worth his or her [kosher] salt will know exactly what you need.

    Don't wish to offend the foodies here, but my mama uses Lipton Onion Soup mix [from chip dip fame] to cook it.

    :smile:

    Erica

    just saw this...okay, I give up, what's a side piece? trimmings to stick on top? I'm clueless...

    Side pieces are cuts of beef that hold up very well for the cooking method used to make brisket. I honestly don't know what part of the cow it comes from, but it is well marbled and not gristly. Like I said, any good kosher butcher will know exactly what you need.

    :smile:

    Erica

    THE BEST: NYC Brisket

    in New York: Dining

    Posted

    If you want to make brisket or pot roast beef at home, my Yiddishe mama suggests asking the [kosher] butcher for 'side pieces'. She says any kosher butcher worth his or her [kosher] salt will know exactly what you need.

    Don't wish to offend the foodies here, but my mama uses Lipton Onion Soup mix [from chip dip fame] to cook it.

    :smile:

    Erica

    Countertops and floors

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Soapstone is not at all porous and it will not stain, period.  It is not very hard and it definitely will scratch.  All the scratches can be managed with simple care by the consumer, but it is a very different material from polished granite.  There are somewhat different soapstones from different quarries and different countries.  Some are softer than others but none are as hard as most granites.  I got my soapstone from these people:  M. Teixeira.  They had a lot of information on their website (which appears to have been renovated since then) and were quite helpful on the phone and in person when I had questions or problems.

    I also got my soapstone countertops [and breakfast bar and half wall ledge] from M. Teixeira. Very pleased with my choice.

    Erica

    :smile:

    Two Days in Philadelphia

    in Pennsylvania: Dining

    Posted

    My husband and I live in NYC. We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary by spending last Friday-Saturday in Phila. Arrived Friday AM and saw the Dali exhibit [not to miss], then checked into the Rittenhouse, then dined at Melograno. We brought a bottle of Zin, we each had separate apps & entrees and shared a pasta, all for about $100.00. Excellent food, attentive but not overly solicitous service and we did not feel as though we were being rushed out of there. That would never happen in NYC.

    Next day went S Phila to shop the markets and then on to Chickie's for veggie and tuna subs to take home. We came home with only food and food related stuff in the trunk of our car.

    Love your city.

    Erica

    :smile:

    Reviewing NYC Pizza

    in New York: Dining

    Posted

    Does anyone in this forum remember the Reliable Bakery on 86th Street between 23rd & 24th Avenues in Bensonhurst? I believe the place closed sometime in the late 70s or early 80s. Absolutely the best square slices on the planet! I was so sad to see it go. Not even L&B rivaled the squares that came out of Reliable's oven.

    :smile:

    Erica

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