http://www.cooperhewitt.org/EXHIBITIONS/feeding_desire/index.aspFeeding Desire: Design and the Tools of the Table, 1500–2005On view May 5–October 29, 2006
A journey through the evolution of Western dining from the Renaissance to the present, Feeding Desire features objects from Cooper-Hewitt’s world-class collections. The exhibition will address the development of utensil forms, innovations in production and materials, etiquette, and flatware as social commentary.
AWESOME!
Microplane Graters
Some of you can relate to being the owner of useless kitchen gadgets. The kind that sit in dark cabinet corners collecting dust feeling 90% guilty and 10% resigned to contributing to the US economy. Let's see, I got a food dehydrator after a month of raw food obsession. That's never been used. A Dial-A-Knife circa 1960's from a flea market - powder blue dial with bubble font. I'm afraid to stick my good knife in it...that's never been plugged in. A stunning $500 Limited Edition chrome 12-cup Cuisinart (courtesy of psycho-boss who made up for abusive office behavior) used once in two years. Taking apart the various pieces to wash it takes too much time. The one kitchen gadget that I love, possessing the right design and utility is the microplaner. It's affordable (less than $20), easily washable, and incredibly useful. It makes that rectangular grater look pathetic: does grate well or washed well while giving you knuckle cuts. Check it out: http://www.microplane.com
One of our favorite Manhattan Restaurants closes
Sergio and I had one of the best meals in NYC last year when we stumbled upon a party for his friend, Maurti (sp?). We had just finished snacking at two places yet we ate like we never did at Petrosino's on the Lower East Side. The menu has mostly Northern Italian food done in a room with simple white decor. Now WTF does the ubiquitious Italian-modern decor thing have going on here? Simple - abundance of plenty with class. The piles of prosciutto didn't seem obnoxious but layer in ripples on the small tasting dishes. Then came out the sauteed broccoli rabe, spaghetti with meatballs...closing round of five desserts. I can't recall all the details but Serg and I still salivate and laugh about that meal. No one else at the table was particularly hungry but we had doubles of everything. It was a sad day for both of us to hear this February that Petrosino's would be no more.
TT - Trinidad & Tobago
Marty and I went to TT for Spring Break a few weeks ago. Not only was the weather lovely but the local food divine. We stayed with his precocious nine-year old goddaughter and the parents. Debbie, her mother, is a TT/Caribbean celebrity chef so needless to say we ate pretty well...We kicked off the liming at a local rum shop en route from the airport with ice cold Carib and Stag beers, dubbed by roadside banners as "the man's drink" (Marty preferred the Carib which has a crisper finish). This was accompanied by delicious handmade handheld food - roti stuffed with curried potatoes and your choice of meat (goat or chicken are the most common) wrapped in light blue-purple tissue paper. On Sunday, we were treated to a traditional Sunday lunch with callaloo soup, stewed chicken, fish chowder, and breadfruit. Breadfruit kicks any potatoes ass - it has a firmness - slightly sweet, non-starchy quality. One day, we drove to Debe in Trinidad and had Carib-Indian fried street food. I never thought much about fried food's differentiation but each local stall had his/her own following. Lightly battered, fried to a certain lightness, crispy yet moist but not too moist that only tastes good at a certain temperature - one degree over or below makes the whole thing a bit sad. TT subsists on a pretty impressive diet: fish, chicken (one fried breakfast egg is about five fried breakfast eggs), vegetables rice and local fruit. The strong sense of Indian-Chinese-African flavors meld together quite well.
Edible Art?
Read this in Time Out NY March 30th issue. Sid Chidiac's "sweet tooth". Interesting and kinda bizarre: http://www.sidchidiac.com/Chocolate.htm
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