Category Archives: Out & About

National Humanitarian Fundraising for Myanmar Food Fair – 2019

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Instagram Post 9/19/2019

If I’m not mistaken, last Sunday’s National Humanitarian Fundraising for Myanmar Food Fair was the second in an annual series; proceeds were earmarked for flood relief and recovery objectives. It’s held in the Parish House of St. James Episcopal Church at 84-07 Broadway in Elmhurst, Queens and, like last year’s event, the food was authentic and delightful. Burmese cuisine is one of my favorites and this always wonderfully overwhelming event featured a multiplicity of dishes, but lacking any English signage, I was left to my own devices, hence:

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Laphet Thoke – pickled tea leaf salad. Laphet (you might see laphat, lahpet, lephet, leppet, letpet, latphat, or others) is the Burmese word for pickled or fermented tea leaves; thoke (you might see thohk) means salad. (Hey, it’s a tricky language to transliterate.) The dish is as much about the crunchy toppings as it is about the laphet along with the customary addition of some raw veggies. Recipes vary wildly and widely.


Shan Htamin Chin (you might see jin or gyin which means fermented or sour; htamin means rice). The Shan people are a Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia who live primarily in the Shan State of Myanmar. This is their traditional mashed rice, potato and fish cake; just in case it wasn’t garlicky enough, cloves of fresh garlic were provided for nibbling.


Mandalay Mee Shay – Mandalay style rice noodles with pork. Excellent.


Tofu Thoke – Shan tofu has little to do with familiar soybean tofu; it’s made from chickpea flour and is soft and supple in this contrastingly spicy Burmese salad. (Count on Burmese salads to be topped with crunchies!)
 
 

SUMAQ Peruvian Food Festival

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There’s a lot to report about the magnificent SUMAQ Peruvian Food Festival held annually in Garden City, Long Island. For starters, you’ll be immersed in Peruvian tradition, from song and dance to costumes, crafts, and cooking demos. Even better, it’s held on the grounds of The Cradle of Aviation Museum which, even if you’re not into the history of flight is pretty cool. Devour mass quantities of food, take a breather and check out the museum, and gird your loins for round two.

But my interest was in the cuisine, of course. I know that I’ve professed my passion for Peruvian food on this platform previously, but almost every dish I tasted was a cut above. Sumaq translates as “delicious” in Quechua, the language of the indigenous people of Peru, and I can’t think of a more appropriate adjective for this delightful event. Regional specialties were showcased and the masterful recipes plus the quality of the ingredients afforded an outstanding experience.

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Case in point, quite literally, is this Caja China (Chinese Box) from La Caja China de Juan Talledo representing Lima, anticipating its payload.


Pork in the roasting box…


…and pork on the plate.


In addition to their Chancho a la Caja China, they offered one other specialty: Chancho al Palo, pork that’s grilled in a contrivance that rotates to keep the pig crispy and moist…


…90° rotation…


…and completing the 180° spin. Sort of like a propeller on an antique airplane. Or not.


Picarones, presented by numerous vendors. Peru’s answer to the doughnut, only better because the dominant ingredients are sweet potato and squash, deep fried and drizzled with chancaca (dark brown sugar or molasses) syrup or honey, and always prodded and retrieved with a long wooden stick.


Among the offerings from La Matarina Restaurante Turístico was fried cuy; their rendition of spicy stewed cuy was also available. Cuy is guinea pig. Yes, guinea pig, and it’s tasty. The flavor depends on which piece you’re eating, just like the flavor of chicken depends upon whether it’s dark meat or white meat or wing meat. And no, cuy does not taste like chicken. (These days, even chicken doesn’t taste like chicken, but that’s another story.)


Fried cuy plated with quinoa risotto. Do try to keep an open mind about cuy; don’t think of it as a pet. If you’re a carnivore, then you accept that some animals are food and some are pets but where that line is drawn can be fungible. Personally, like so many people from Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia, I don’t see cuy as a pet any more than a farmer sees their chickens as pets. On the other hand, Mary had a little lamb.


Ceviche! (To take your mind off the cuy.) From El Gol Marino.


Anticuchos. I’ve sung the praises of these skewers of tender, marinated beef heart on these digital pages before. The name has its roots in Quechua, the indigenous language of the Peruvian Andes: “anti” refers to the Eastern region of the Andes, “kuchu” means cut.


Don’t be faint of heart 🙄 about trying this: it’s just another cut of beef, and a particularly delicious one at that. If you like grilled meat, even if you’re not a fan of organ meats, these will win you over. Peruvian street food at its finest.


Rocoto relleno con pastel de papa from El Pregón. Cheesy stuffed rocoto pepper with a cheesy potato on the side. ¡Delicioso!


Kankachos Tinajani (kankacho means “roasted” in Quechua) featured their special Cordero al Horno, roast lamb seasoned with panca pepper, garlic, cumin, allspice, and dark beer served with potatoes for ballast. I can still taste it!
 
 
This was my maiden voyage to SUMAQ and I recommend it highly; go with a group – the more people, the more you can try. Mark your calendars now for next year’s event and I will too. Hope to see you there!

The 2019 SUMAQ Peruvian Food Festival was held on August 24th and 25th.
 
 

Queens Night Market 2019 Fall Season

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Instagram Post 9/12/2019

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They’re ba-a-a-ack!
🎆 💥 🎆 💥 🎆
The Queens International Night Market kicks off its 2019 Fall Season on Saturday, September 14, and you don’t want to miss it! You’ll savor delicious international food and experience incredible musical performances in an exciting night market atmosphere; admission is free.

One of my favorite tastes from this past season was Fish Amok, a classic dish from Cambodia; it’s a custardy mousse of tilapia in coconut milk seasoned with galangal, herbs and spices, steamed in banana leaves and served with rice on this side. You’ll find it at the Cambodian Cuisine booth and it’s an absolute winner. (Not to mention the fact that Cambodian food needs to be better represented in NYC!)

So head out to the Queens Night Market outside the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. You’ll find them every Saturday from 5pm until midnight through October 26. Stay current and check out their vendors and performers list at www.queensnightmarket.com.

See you there soon!
 
 

Dining for Justice Benefit for Immigrant Families

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Sometimes we’re granted an opportunity to take part in an event that joyously fills the heart. And sometimes we’re granted an opportunity to take part in an event that joyously fills the tummy. But rarely are they the same event. Until now.

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On September 22, Don Rodrigo Duarte, “The King of Hams”, will roast a prize-winning Portuguese Alentejano hog and showcase other pata negra charcuterie at a Dining for Justice benefit for immigrant families seeking asylum. The proceeds go directly to Immigrant Families Together, an organization committed to the reunification of families separated at the US/Mexico border.

The event will take place along the waterfront at Anable Basin Sailing Bar & Grill, 4-40 44th Drive in Long Island City, Queens from noon to 3pm. Farmstand sides will be provided by Chef’s Consortium and Brooklyn’s Betty Bakery will whip up desserts. A cash bar will be made available by the venue, Anable Basin.

Tickets are $40 (children under 12 are admitted free with parent or guardian) and may be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/pig-roast-on-the-queens-riviera-tickets-69239464101\

Links:
Dining for Justice: https://www.diningforjustice.com/
Immigrant Families Together: https://immigrantfamiliestogether.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diningforjustice/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diningforjustice/
 
 
A couple of bonus photos from my recent visit to Don Rodrigo Duarte’s Gourmet House, Caseiro E Bom, at 70 Pacific St, Newark, NJ:

Nine year old Pata Negra!

Charcuterie stalactites.
 
 
(Promotional consideration tickets provided by Dining for Justice.)
 
 

Indonesian Street Festival – 2019

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Instagram Post 8/29/2019

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I always have high praise for the New York Indonesian Food Bazaar (IFB) not only for the innumerable menu possibilities, but for the quality of the cooking. The event happens monthly at the parish hall of St. James Episcopal Church, 84-07 Broadway in Elmhurst, but if you aren’t of a mind to head Queensward, here’s a chance to sample this superb cuisine in Manhattan at this year’s Indonesian Street Festival. It takes place this Saturday, August 31, outside the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, 5 East 68th Street, from noon until 5pm.

The dish pictured here was prepared by my friend Fefe, owner of Taste of Surabaya, a regular at IFB. I had two new friends with me, both vegetarians, and since the array of options was overwhelming, I asked Fefe if she would put together a plate for us. A wise choice. Taste of Surabaya will be a participating vendor at the upcoming Indonesian Street Festival where you’ll enjoy excellent food along with cultural performances, fashion, and more. Definitely check it out.
 
 

Buddhist Association Thingyan Festival

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Instagram Post 8/26/2019

I came across these photos recently and since Burmese cuisine is one of my favorites, I was inspired to do a quick post about two unusual (to some) and delicious items from last April’s bountiful Light of Dhamma Buddhist Association Thingyan festival in Elmhurst, Queens.

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This is “tofu noodle” which has little to do with noodles and less to do with familiar soybean tofu. Shan tofu is made from chickpea flour and is custard-like in consistency; crispy fried pork skins, peanuts, cilantro and other essentials embellish the dish. And yes, I asked for it spicy. Top notch.


Htamanè, a distinctive snack prepared from sticky glutinous rice, thick slices of coconut, black and white sesame seeds, ginger, and abundant peanut oil, salty and sweet at once – love that combination. Shown as sold in a cup, and…


…plated later at home.

I only wish there were more Burmese food bazaars in the city.
 
 

BKU Food Hall

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Instagram Post 8/23/2019

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Foodies sometimes argue about how many Chinatowns New York City actually has; some reports make a case for as many as nine. One sure sign that a burgeoning Chinese community has established itself in the neighborhood is the presence of a food court hosting purveyors of a variety of regional Chinese cuisines.

Two such developments under a single ownership have been in the works for months in Brooklyn, one in Bensonhurst (BK Food Court, 2227 86th St) and the other in Homecrest (BKU Food Hall, 1809 Avenue U) where I was reconnoitering the organization’s progress yesterday.


Needless to say, I was delighted to see that headway has been made since my original photo was taken last spring.


A peek inside reveals palpable evolution. I’ll continue to check in; my experience with similar venues is that once the ball gets rolling, things happen fast. Stay tuned: many reports to come!
 

Update 9/26/2019: Still no signs of life. Waiting patiently….
Update 10/27/2019: No progress yet….
 
 

Go Africa Carnival – Fataya

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Instagram Post 8/17/2019

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Last month’s Go Africa Carnival on West 116th St in Harlem showcased a panoply of West African food, but I was unfamiliar with this Senegalese fataya. These were set next to a hand written sign that identified the two available varieties, chicken (on the left) and fish, “in baked flour”, a charming way of describing these empanada-like pockets, a familiar street food in Senegal. The linguistic and culinary connection is clear: fatayer are stuffed half-moon shaped pies (usually fried) found throughout the Middle East. The sauce on the side was eye-opening.


The close up.


The long shot.
 

Peruvian Festival 2019

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Instagram Post 8/2/2019

If you love Peruvian cuisine as much as I do, you don’t want to miss New Jersey’s annual Peruvian festival held on the last Sunday of every July. Accompanied by an exuberant parade celebrating the country’s culture and national heroes, it’s traditionally staged in “Little Lima”, a neighborhood in Paterson that’s home to America’s largest Peruvian community, although this year’s culinary extravaganza took place in Passaic. A few photos of the delights we enjoyed:

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Anticuchos on the grill. Tender, marinated beef heart – Peruvian street food at its finest. Don’t be faint of heart about trying this: it’s just another cut of beef, and a particularly delicious one at that. If you like grilled meat, you’ll love this.


Anticuchos on the plate, always complemented by papas a la Huancaína, potatoes napped with a yellow, slightly spicy (from the aji amarillo pepper), cheesy (from the queso fresco) sauce. (And yes, that’s a bit of tripe peeking out from beneath.)


Smoked pork with arroz chaufa, Peruvian fried rice seen at almost every booth. It’s borrowed from the Chinese culinary tradition: chaufa and chaofàn are cognates.


Seco de Cabrito. Goat stew with papas a la Huancaína and arroz chaufa (of course).


Ceviche with camote (sweet potato), papa, and maiz tostado (toasted corn nuts), the classic combo. I saw a few versions at the festival; stands offered divergent types of fish and each had its own custom recipe for leche de tigre, the ceviche marinade.


Two of my favorite ice cream flavors sharing a single cup: lúcuma on top and cherimoya in a supporting role. The flavor of lúcuma has been compared to butterscotch or a mix of maple syrup and sweet potato; it’s difficult to find fresh lúcuma locally but the frozen pulp is easy to come by in Latin American markets. Cherimoya, sometimes called custard apple, can be found fresh fairly easily – frozen pulp is also readily available. If you have a blender, buy the frozen pulp and try your hand at making a batido!

Mark your calendars for next year’s event!

 
 

Muzzles’ Muzzlebag Burger

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Instagram Post 7/6/2019

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🎶 Ist das nicht ein Schnitzelbank? 🎶 Nein, das ist ein Muzzlebag. Or more specifically, Muzzles’ Muzzlebag Burger, a dumpling on a sandwich. Let’s unpack this bag starting with the main component, an elongated German dumpling (think ravioli on steroids) known as a maultasche (maul means meal, tasche means pocket), here filled with ham, pork, beef, eggs, spinach and onions. It’s placed on a pretzel bun, slathered with a generous helping of caramelized onions and topped with parsley, chips on the side.


A closer look at a bisected naked maultasche. Muzzles turned up last weekend at a stall at LIC Flea & Food and can be found at Smorgasburg as well. Check their schedule @muzzlesofficial on Instagram.