It’s been a big year for us. Back in August we decided to start this blog and now we are on the other side of 2010 – meaning 2011.
Here are a few things we did in 2010, followed by a list of our favorites.
I ran some races. And drank some wine directly afterward.
I went to London with my friend Kaz and had my own cheese plate at Fortnum and Mason. Then I went to Scotland and had some coffee at The Elephant House, where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter. That was pretty cool for me.
I made some paella with CHORIZO for The Box for Father’s Day. Thanks, Tyler Florence!
We gave you some questionably recorded, but tasty recipes for Chicken Dip.
John rode a pink bicycle.
I became obsessed with a ginger mint slushie. Thanks, Kelvin Slush!
I got a fancy camera and started taking glamor shots of cookies (the above is from Brooklyn Larder).
Marmo and I went to Italy and ate everything we could.
We made a stop-motion animation about roasting a turkey.
We made fun of ourselves. Quite a bit. Here, here and here.
We made and ate A LOT of pizza. We even made a video about it in which John shows off his mad-crazy pizza skills.
And now our favorites from 2010. We don’t want to say “best of” because we feel that might be a bit heavy-handed. And we like to keep things light around here. Not that we have commitment issues or anything…In fact, quite the opposite. We feel that our favorites from 2010 will carry over into 2011, and maybe you’d like to try some of them in the New Year.
So, with that introduction and without further a-do, here is a non-comprehensive and non-exhaustive list of our favorite stuff. Grouped into non-sensical categories.
Favorite place to grab a drink on a Tuesday night:
Anfora Wine Bar: I’m (meaning Elana) here every Tuesday night for their “Producer Night” – a special night dedicated to one wine producer. Glasses are usually about $10-$12 for wines that aren’t normally poured by the glass. It’s a great way to learn about new wines, wine producers, and have some amazing Ricotta cheese. And lamb sliders. Joe Campanale, a partner at Anfora and sommelier is always in attendance to give you helpful information on the featured wines.
Favorite Coffee in Hoboken:
Maroon: Their French Pressed coffees are so delicious. Smooth, dark and rich, this is coffee at its most indulgent. And the flavors are amazing. I’m not usually a big flavored-coffee drinker, but I can’t help myself with these. The Macadamia flavor might be my favorite of the bunch. They also stock Brioche from Balthazar Bakery on Fridays and make their own delicious scones (love the oat variety with jam). I’ve been trying to become the mayor of Maroon on Foursquare, and as of January 1st, I finally achieved it! I’m not sure I’m cut out for politics…
Favorite Pizza in NYC (so far):
Elana: Kesté: The del Re. And when they have the Burrata (Thursdays – Sundays), I want to cry real tears of joy. Plus, that silver dome of pizza cookery is pretty wild.
John: Di Fara: Minus the wait – this pizza joint is my favorite. The pie is a work of art, a labor of love. Watching Dom cook them up is a special thing; you know you are never going to get cheated out of an absolute masterpiece.
Favorite Place for Elana to Get Lunch When at Work:
Spoon: I’m addicted to their salads. I usually get either the Chicken Spinach or the Tuscan White Bean. And if it’s cold outside I order a large Orchid Oolong tea, grab a seat at one of the distressed farmhouse-style tables at the back and pretend I am a lady who lunches. Then I go back to work.
Favorite place to get the Largest, Ripest, Most Amazing Avocado this side of Wherever they Grow:
(which would be Brazil, California and Mexico, for example)
Sobseys Produce in Hoboken: Some of the best produce in the land. Mac and Michael hand-pick each piece.
Favorite Expensive British Cereal
Dorset Cereals: The berries and cherries flavor in the purple box is my favorite. They have a contest going right now on their home page: you can nominate a blog and the winner receives a case of cereal! A CASE! You wanna nominate us?
Favorite Meal I’ve Had This Year
Elana: Lunch of Pasta Cacio e Pepe with Fried Zucchini Blossoms at Roma Sparita in Rome.
John: Pumpkin Cappellacci with Brown Butter and Sweet Potato filling at Del Posto.
Most surprisingly good store bought pasta despite the cheesy label:
John: When home for the holidays recently, I was jonesin’ for some pasta and stumbled across a package of Giovanni Rana tortellini in my Mom’s pantry. So I boiled some up, and made some sauce. The pasta quality was pretty darn good!
Best ice cream condiment:
John: The homemade caramel sauce at Van Leeuwen’s Ice Cream in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The ice cream is also of top flight caliber – smooth, creamy and rich – but the sauce was outrageous. It has a bitter, tastily burnt characteristic to it which really compliments the sweetness of the ice cream. The espresso, as seen above, was also wonderful.
Best Bathroom I’ve hung out in:
John: Del Posto’s bathroom. Can we give these lavatories any more hype? Ah, who cares.
John and Elana Talk About Food 