eG Foodblog: Megan Blocker - Trading Pumas for Uggs

[lucylou95816]

Megan, I am so glad to read your blog, from one diet coke sister to another...that is my morning caffeine fix, since I am not a coffee girl (I know, shame on me). I am also really happy that someone refreshed our memory of where your beautiful cake came from, I may have to try it some time. Enjoy your week, I know that we will.

[Rebecca263]

Yum marrow. Thanks for eating it for us.

I read the bit about Hoboken, so, I'm trying to figure that part of the city out for a few minutes, I figure that Ho= Houston Street, I'm not getting anything on Bo or Ken, so I dogpile it. Um, well, my daughter is laughing as hard as can be, it's in NEW JERSEY!

Oh, and Megan, are we hitting any farmer's markets? Is there one in your neighborhood?

[C. sapidus]

Megan: I greatly enjoyed your previous foodblog and your trip reports, so I am looking forward to this week very much. We have missed you on the dinner thread lately, though. I used to visit Manhattan once or twice a year, but we haven’t made it up there since the boys entered our lives. One of my favorite NYC activities was to wander around lower Manhattan, taking pictures and stopping to eat whatever looked interesting.

I look forward to seeing the city through your eyes, and you are off to a great start. Happy blogging!

[Meredith380]

Megan, I can relate to your diet coke addiction, I drink anywhere from 2-4 daily. I wake up and crack one which is a terrible habit, but I love it!

Where are you from originally? It can't be Jersey, otherwise you'd have been to Hoboken!

I assume you're going to the Union Square Market? Maybe a brew at Heartland Brewery (although not unique) would be a nice refreshment post market.

Great to see you blogging!

[Pan]

Have fun, Megan. Any thoughts on where you might have lunch in Chinatown?

[Chufi]

ah, Megan! This will be a lovely week. I enjoyed your first blog so much, I was always secretly hoping you´d do another one!

The marrowbones look outrageous and wonderful...

[Megan Blocker]

Have fun, Megan. Any thoughts on where you might have lunch in Chinatown?

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Not really...I've never been a habitual visitor...any suggestions? Doesn't have to be Chinese food...I would love some good Vietnamese!

[Megan Blocker]

ah, Megan! This will be a lovely week. I enjoyed your first blog so much, I was always secretly hoping you´d do another one!

The marrowbones look outrageous and wonderful...

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Thanks, Klary....oooh, they were. It's the most generous helping I've ever seen. Quite intimidating, really.

[Abra]

Nice to see you blogging again, Megan. I vote you do something outrageously wonderful for yourself for Valentine's Day!

[Megan Blocker]

Any suggestions, Abra? That chocolate souffle may be just the thing!

Got up this morning a little late...my little brother got engaged last night (!) and he called to tell me at 10:40. I had already guessed a couple of days ago that this was going to happen, but it still got me all excited, and I couldn't get to sleep till 1:00 AM!

So, congrats to Jeremy and Miriam!

Anyhoo, woke up this morning and tidied the apartment a bit in anticipation of my friend Lisa's arrival, then decided to make some coffee. I typically go out for my coffee, but I bought a can of illy last week for a dinner party and have been drinking that at home ever since. I use a French press, partly because I love the flavor of steeped coffee, and partly because it fits so easily in my cabinet and doesn't take up precious counter real estate. Square inches are always hard to come by here in Manhattan.

I had my coffee with a little cream (another dinner party remnant - normally I go for skim milk, but what the hey) and some turbanado sugar.

Lisa's here now (she says hi), and we're going to go make a plan for our afternoon. We'll be back later with a full report!

[Megan Blocker]

Just got back from the market a few minutes ago...we took the subway down to Union Square to go to the Greenmarket, which is markedly smaller (and less crowded) in winter than in spring or summer. Aside from my very cold, camera-wielding fingers, it was a much more pleasant experience...how a girl who can't stand crowds ended up in Manhattan, I'll never know.

First stop, Rick's Picks, a pickler, where we chatted with Rick himself and bought a jar each of the Phat Beets. Lisa also got some Mean Beans, and I got the Bee 'n' Beez, which are bread and butter pickles kicked up with a bit of ginger and some cherries. Normally I find bread and butter pickles a little insipid, but these have some bit to them.

Their menu and labels are really well-designed...

We stopped off on our rounds for a pear cider and an apple cider doughnut. The cider was really rich, kind of like apple cider with less of an edge to the flavor. And is there really such a thing as a bad doughnut?

Next up, another thing I'm not usually fond of - dried flowers. However, they had lavender, which I love...I bought a bunch for my nightstand.

Finally, we got down to the business of dinner. We decided to make a pear tart (I got a Harry and David basket at work last week, replete with a dozen pears), roast chicken, roasted vegetables, and a potato gratin. So, we picked up some red cippolini onions, some la ratte poatoes, and orange and yellow carrots.

This is a potato paradise! The carrots were awfully pretty, too...

We also passed Flying Pig's stand, and a booth selling what is apparently some seriously good bacon. No, really, look!

It was a great afternoon...lots of good people-watching, and we are both big cold weather fans, so we love being outside in the crisp, clear sunshine.

Now we're relaxing and contemplating some hot chocolate...

[Susan in FL]

Megan, I'm so glad you made it back to blogland. I'm enjoying your return. Thanks!

[racheld]

Hot cider, beet pickles and a lavender nosegay on an icy afternoon stroll with a friend, with a good homey roast chicken dinner to come---find anything better to add and I'd like to hear it.

Lovely to have you back---blogging and Dinner and everywhere.

[sazji]

Well, I've been kind of insanely busy since I did my own blog and have hardly been in eGullet since then, but came up for air tonight. I've always enjoyed your posts so it was a nice surprise to see you were blogging. I'll be following this one! I've never see yellow carrots on the market before, only in seed catalogues. The potatoes look great too...I really miss red potatoes....

[Pan]

Have fun, Megan. Any thoughts on where you might have lunch in Chinatown?

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Not really...I've never been a habitual visitor...any suggestions? Doesn't have to be Chinese food...I would love some good Vietnamese!

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I don't know any really good sit-down Vietnamese restaurants in Chinatown, only Banh Mi Saigon Bakery, which is great but has no place to sit. My favorite non-Chinese restaurant in Chinatown is Skyway Malaysian, on Allen St. between Division and Canal. For Chinese food, there are a bunch of different ways you could go, depending among other things on whether you want Cantonese or Shanghainese, for instance. Great NY Noodletown on Bayard and Bowery is ol' reliable, but there's also the Congee Village (Allen St. near Delancey)/Congee Bowery (near Rivington) chainlet and the unrelated Congee on Bowery between Hester and Grand, and I've been wanting to go to Cantoon Garden and some other places that have been getting raves on Chowhound. For dim sum, you could try Oriental Garden on Elizabeth near Bayard. If you want Shanghainese, Yeah Shanghai (Bayard between Bowery/Elizabeth and Mott) remains my favorite, at this point. For good, cheap Chao Zhou soups and offal (pig's ears and such) side dishes with very fast service, you could go to Bo Ky on Bayard between Mott and Mulberry.

[Pan]

Megan, congratulations to your brother and his fiancee!

A question: What are bread and butter pickles?

[Abra]

Gee, what's a La Ratte potato? I hate it that we get so few varieties of potato here in the States, and now I see that you can get some I've never seen. I always love that in Europe, all the different potatoes. in the markets.

Solo Valentine's Day? An extravagantly good bottle of red wine. A fabulously runny, stinky cheese. Since it's you, a very special salad. Maybe one with thinly sliced rare grilled ribeye and some roasted potato chunks and sauteed mushrooms and a great Cabrales or bleu de Causses. This recipe is wonderful, and when I do it I make the suggested potatoes and mushrooms too. And then, since it would be just for me, I'd have a cup of chocolat chaud made with the most outrageous chocolate I could lay my hands on. Wanna be my Valentine?

Have you already told about India and I missed it?

[Lady T]

Ohh, good. I was hoping you'd blog again one of these times; it's been too long since I've been in NYC, and reading your writing is almost as good as being there!

It's 6 degrees F in Chicago, with a -3 degree wind chill. Being out there could be a mighty improvement right now...

...but then I wouldn't have just cooked a bunch of chicken thighs in white wine and tarragon, or accompanied them with an herbed roasted potato and steamed buttered green beans, or drunk a thoroughly nice cava with them all.

I'm staying here in the warm peaceful apartment -- but I'll be reading right along!

[Megan Blocker]

Megan, congratulations to your brother and his fiancee!

A question: What are bread and butter pickles?

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Pan, first of all, thank you so much for all the recommendations!

Second, thank you for the congratulations.

Third, bread and butter pickles are a sweet pickle made with cucumbers, and, according to Epicurious.com's food dictionary, are generally "made from thin slices of unpeeled cucumber; usually pickled with onion and sweet green bell pepper, and flavored with mustard and celery seeds, cloves and turmeric." They're quite good with barbecue; I'm planning on having some with leftover roast chicken later this week.

Edited February 11, 2007 by Megan Blocker (log)

[Megan Blocker]

Gee, what's a La Ratte potato?  I hate it that we get so few varieties of potato here in the States, and now I see that you can get some I've never seen.  I always love that in Europe, all the different potatoes. in the markets. 

Solo Valentine's Day?  An extravagantly good bottle of red wine.  A fabulously runny, stinky cheese.  Since it's you, a very special salad.  Maybe one with thinly sliced rare grilled ribeye and some roasted potato chunks and sauteed mushrooms and a great Cabrales or bleu de Causses.  This recipe is wonderful, and when I do it I make the suggested potatoes and mushrooms too.  And then, since it would be just for me, I'd have a cup of chocolat chaud made with the most outrageous chocolate I could lay my hands on.  Wanna be my Valentine?

Have you already told about India and I missed it?

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Abra, thank you for the fabulous suggestion for Valentine's Day...I am now drooling, even after eating a HUGE dinner (details to follow, of course)!

La Ratte, as far as I know, is a firm, waxy potato, similar to Yukon Golds, but even less grainy in texture. They look like giant fingerling potatoes. They do really well in purees, and were lovely tonight in a gratin dauphinois.

Here's a link to some information on them.

As for India - no, you haven't missed! I am headed there for a week, flying out on March 1st. I'm going for work, and I'll be in Mumbai and Bangalore. We're flying through London, and I'll be staying there for three nights on the way back. It should be a pretty amazing trip. I've never been to Asia before, and I'm really looking forward to it.

[snowangel]

Megan, bacon lover that I am, I want to know if is really Seriously Good Bacon. Take one for the tream, please!

And, interesting about the desserts. The last two blogs have been devoid (or almost devoid) of desserts. When you cook for yourself, do you regularly fix a dessert (be it eating out of a carton of ice cream or more intentional)?

[Nishla]

Megan, as with everyone else, I'm so excited to see you blogging. Your cooking always looks fabulous on the "Dinner" thread. Looking forward to a great week!

[johnder]

Megan, bacon lover that I am, I want to know if is really Seriously Good Bacon.  Take one for the tream, please!

And, interesting about the desserts.  The last two blogs have been devoid (or almost devoid) of desserts.  When you cook for yourself, do you regularly fix a dessert (be it eating out of a carton of ice cream or more intentional)?

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First off, nice to see you blogging again Megan!

Flying pigs bacon is amazing. I have a freezer full of the stuff. They really take care of their pigs and it shows in their product. Mmmm bacon.

[ruthcooks]

Megan, you will always be to me (see your last blog) "The Girl Who Bought a Quarter Pound of Bacon." Never heard of such a thing!

I always buy several pounds at a time when it's on sale, and never cook less than a pound at a time--in the oven. Cooked not quite done, and freshened up in the toaster oven as needed, I have a week's worth of breakfast meat, BLT's and salads with bacon.

The last few slices of the last pound I cooked went into a special treat, Eggs Benedict. I crumble the bacon on top, and prefer it to ham or Canadian bacon. That would be on my menu for a solo Valentine's Day dinner.

[snowangel]

Megan, you will always be to me (see your last blog) "The Girl Who Bought a Quarter Pound of Bacon."  Never heard of such a thing!

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I'd forgotten about that. I have four DIFFERENT kinds of bacon in my fridge or freezer at any given time. I'll detour 100 miles for a new kind of bacon. Megan, we must know about your bacon habits.