JP Eats Food Blog

My one lone bottle of 2015 KBS, come and gone... Fantastic as always.

Perfect pizza from Rubirosa.

The next day, gently reheat, then remove the ribs, pull apart the meat, discard the bones, and return to the pot to heat through. 

Just a random close up of some duck breasts and pumpkin risotto, at home.

Shio Ramen from Ivan Ramen. I'm shamed by how long it took for me to get to the Ivan Ramen flagship, but how does this guy choose locations? This one is even harder to get to than his other place at 44th and 11th. Regardless, expectedly fantastic ramen; flavorful, delicate broth and his special noodle recipe does stand out.

October Cronut from Dominique Ansel is "Pumpkin Chai (with maple sugar)." I may just be a sucker for pumpkin-y things in the fall but this is one of my favorites so far. I've got a couple lined up for Halloween on pre-order just for confirmation.

Chambers Street Wines makes Bourbon! Well, not really, but spirits guru John Rankin did go down to Kentucky and pick a barrel from the 7th floor of a Heaven Hill distillery to call their own. Apparently the entire lot sold out in a day... so New Yorkers should forget Pappy or BTAC, this is Fall 2014's in-demand whiskey.

Lobster roll from Neptune Oyster in Boston. This is the iconic lobster roll, and it always lives up to the hype. Sure it's expensive, you're packed into the restaurant like sardines, and so on, but just look at that lobster roll. There's so much perfectly seasoned and tender lobster packed in that you have to eat with a fork for five minutes just to get to the point where you can pick it up. If only it weren't four hours away...

Cut away of a Flannery Rib Cap, one of the best pieces of meat in existence.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout.

New wines from Bérèche! I was lucky to get my hands on a couple bottles from this new project of Raphaël Bérèche and his brother Vincent. Can't wait to give one a try sometime soon.

Spring risotto at Charlie Bird in NYC, with clams, peas, and prosciutto. I'm a huge fan of Charlie Bird, and though I only recently discovered the lunch program, I intend to take full advantage of it this summer.

I highly recommend stopping in for more than just a glass of wine; you'll probably find me there.

The greenmarkets are finally emerging from winter in NYC. And by that, I mean Lani's Farm is back. First up this spring is their broccoli rabe, along with a crispy-skinned duck breast from Hudson Valley Duck Farm. Now, where are the ramps? 

Get and thaw frozen lobster tails from a trusted source--one larger tail per person should do. Start cooking your pasta. Cut the tails at the joints into even segments, season with salt and pepper, then sear for 1-2 minutes in a really hot pan with a bit of oil, turning once. Remove the pan from heat, and spoon out as much of the oil as you can. Add one of those 3oz packages of D'Artagnan (or similar) white truffle butter, and swirl it around to melt. Return to low heat, and once the butter is melted, add half a cup heavy cream. Remove the lobster and set aside. Add the cooked pasta, combine, and, if needed, add up to a cup of the pasta cooking liquid to get the right consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Top pasta portions with lobster, chives, and parmesan.

Flannery lamb saddle with duck fat potatoes and Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The lamb saddle is prepared like always, sous vide at 134 for four hours than seared and basted in a hot skillet with herbs and garlic at all steps.

Brown butter chocolate chip cookies, or Kenji's 'The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies' from over at Serious Eats. I appreciate the thought and experimentation that goes into Kenji's recipes and this article was no exception. It's an interesting read. As for the recipe, we've made them twice, and if you're into the browned butter thing (I sure am), I can tell you they are seriously tasty.