Cute as a Button!

On Sunday, after enjoying Ethiopian fare at Mesob in Montclair, we headed up Valley Road to Upper Montclair to visit Williams-Sonoma. A cute store, called Jafajems, along the way stopped us in our tracks. They had these cute Jane Jenni personality plates in the window, of which we got 2 (Cats Meow and Silly Goose). They also sold Jane Jenni buttons. Right away, we found these 2 buttons that were totally us!

Egghead (Artie) and Cupcake (Mac)

Aren't they cute?!?!?!

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Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant - Montclair, New Jersey

Restaurant recommendations from friends are always appreciated. They may not necessarily be to our liking, but when they are, we are forever grateful. With that, a major THANK YOU goes our to Michelle P. who highly recommended Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey.

Neither of us had ever eaten Ethiopian food and didn't know what to expect. Mac's only knowledge of Ethiopian cuisine was from a former co-worker of hers who would often eat a meat dish with a white sauce, never knowing the name of it. However, at Mesob, we knew there would be vegetarian options, as Michelle was one herself.

Upon entering the restaurant, an earthy and spicy aroma overcame us. You knew you were brought into another world, per se, and we were eager visitors. The decor was a clear lesson in Ethiopian culture from the pillars at the bar to the textile pieces that adorned the walls to even the wooden tables.

We made our visit on Sunday for an early lunch. It just so happened to be the day Mesob offers their brunch menu, offered on the last Sunday of each month.  Though the brunch menu was appealing, we decided to order from their standard lunch menu. Something that we really liked about Mesob is that you don't have to feel limited by a single dish for one. There's an option to order a sampler of SIX (6) dishes, be it for one, two or more. We went with the vegetarian sampler, as all vegetable dishes were vegan (YES!), and ordered the following:

• Ingudai Tibs - grilled portobello mushroom with red onions, fresh tomato, garlic jalapeno peppers and spices
• Gomen - collard greens in a mild sauce with herbs and spices
• Atkilt Aletcha - green beans and carrots in a mild sauce
• Misir Wat - split lentils in a spicy sauce
• Dinich Wat -potatoes in a spicy sauce with herbs and spices
• Buticha - pureed chickpeas with red onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and spices

While waiting for our food, we noticed no utensils, but there were wet towels. We quickly confirmed with each other that we would be eating with our hands. Our inner children screamed with joy to be "playing" with our food.When our lunch was ready, a large platter lined with a spongy yeast-risen flatbread called injera was placed on our table. Each vegetable dish was carefully spooned onto the injera. We were also given extra pieces of injera for our meal. That presentation alone showed us that the team at Mesob really took pride in their cuisine. The minute the last dish was poured onto the injera, we couldn't help ourselves.

Left: Our meal (Clockwise from the top: Atkilt Aletcha, Misir Wat, Dinich Wat, 

Buticha, Gomen and Ingudai Tibs)
Right: The aftermath!

Every single dish was delicious! We tore through the injera at least twice and the staff gratefully served us more. If we had to pick favorites, it would be the Gomen and the Buticha. The Atkilt Aletcha was so good that Mac said it tasted just like her South Carolina's grandmother's green beans. When a foreign meal can remind you of "home," you know you're in a good place.

For dessert, Mac's eyes got wide, seeing vegan dark chocolates on the menu, especially their sampler of 4. Unfortunately, we learned that they didn't have it that day. Nevertheless, we weren't limited by that. There were vegan cookies to be eaten! We ordered the Cherry Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate  Chip cookies (You get 3!). With a name like that, we knew before the first bite that they would be good. They didn't disapoint! They were flavorful and crispy, but not dry or cakey.

Though soft-spoken, the staff at Mesob is really nice and personable. They make sure their guests enjoy their experience, checking in at the right moments. If you have questions, they are knowledgeable and willing to share, as we witness with party sitting near us. That spoke volumes to us and had us already planning our next visit.

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant
515 Bloomfield Avenue
Montclair, New Jersey 07042
973-655-9000

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Banana-Raisin Bread Pudding

Growing up, my aunt would often make bread pudding with raisins. She rarely baked anything. She often made puddings, Jell-O and the holiday ambrosia salad (no complaints). Her bread pudding was good, but I don't think I really appreciated this dessert until I was an adult. I just looked at it as a way to use up old bread before it spoiled, rather than something delicious. However, more and more, cooking shows and restaurants appeared to be highlighting this as a star of a dessert menu.

In the recent years, I've started to really enjoy the taste and texture of bread pudding, especially complimenting a rustic or peasant dish. When done right, it's balanced in sweetness and richness, but doesn't sit like a brick in your tummy. It can stand alone or be paired nicely with whipped or ice cream. This, of course, is being stated by someone who has never made bread pudding in her life until the other day. 

Using my idea of how bread pudding should be made and having an abundance of bananas, I decided to try my hand at it. Though my aunt never shared her recipe, I tried to go off of how I remembered hers tasting. I definitely went the easy route.

Banana-Raisin Bread Pudding
Source: Macaroon's Idea of How It Should Be
Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of cinnamon-raisin bread  (vegan, of course)
• 2 Tbsp soy margarine, melted
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 c. soy milk
• 1 Tbsp raw cane sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10.5" x 7" (1.25qt) baking dish
2. Cut bread into 4x4 pieces, place in a large bowl and set aside
3. In a separate medium bowl, mix melted margarine with the brown sugar
4. Add the bananas, milk and vanilla to the medium bowl and stir well
5. Fold the banana-milk mixture into the bread until well combined
6. Pour into the baking dish, place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes

We've linked up this recipe with a great blog, Sweet as Sugar Cookies, and her Sweet for a Saturday post! Check out the blog and link up your recipe!

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Blood Orange Ice Cream...FAIL!

I'm not afraid to acknowledge my shortcomings and failures. In fact, that's one of my "tragic downfalls" in life, because I can often be too willing to share. Maybe I'm a bit too honest? Who knows.

Anyway, I just had a MAJOR failure in the kitchen. All excited to expand my homemade ice cream repertoire, a blood orange ice cream made with cashew cream came to mind. Since the cashew ice cream I made earlier the month was a success, I didn't think it would be too hard to try another flavor. At the same time, I wanted to make sure it had a creamier texture than the original. So I decided to play around with arrowroot.

My daringness turned into something just okay in taste but total crud in execution. I would post a picture, but you wouldn't really get the effect of what the end result was. After an overnight freeze, we had an ice brick! My scooper was more of a scraper. The ice cream looked like a grainy/powdery mess. It wouldn't even hold together to even look like ice cream.

So here's what I tried to do:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cashew cream
• 1 cup of soy milk, plain or vanilla
• 1 cup of blood orange juice
• Pulp of 1 blood orange, pith and seeds removed
• 1 cup of cane sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp arrowroot

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into blender and mix well
2. Pour a mixture into a saucepan over medium heat
3. Bring to a simmer, lower heat and cook for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally
4. Let mixture sit until slightly cooled, about 20 minutes
5. Pour into an airtight container and freeze overnight

If you can let me know what I did wrong, I will love you forever and try again!

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When Life Gives You Grapefruit, Make Salsa?

Late Saturday night, while sitting at the kitchen table and listening to house music, Mac suddenly took interest in grapefruit. She began wondering what it would be like to make a dip with it. Salsa was the first thing that came to mind. With that, it was "quick whip-up" time! Taking a page out of my kitchen playbook, she started pulling out ingredients which she thought would go well with the grapefruit. After a couple of taste tests (I play a good guinea pig), we had a salsa that was not too sweet, not too tart and a little bit smoky.

We first tried it with some gardein Chipotle-Lime Crispy Tenders and it worked well. Next time, I think we'll try it with some seitan and rice.

Grapefruity Salsa

Source: Playtime with Mac & Artie

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 ruby red grapefruit
• 3-4 sprigs for fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1/2 of a small onion, diced
• 1/4 Tbsp. cane sugar
• 1/8 tsp. cumin
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

1. Peel the grapefruit completely, removing the pith (bitter white membrane under the peel)
2. Section the fruit, then roughly chop
3. Place fruit in a medium bowl and toss in mint and onion
4. Stir in cumin, sugar, salt and pepper
5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or place in airtight container, and set in refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight before serving

Salsa atop gardein's Chipotle-Lime Crispy Tenders

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Macaroon's Hummus

Hummus and I go back. There’s nothing like a good, creamy, garlicy, lemony hummus with vegetables, on pita or on your pinky. (Hey, I washed my hands!) I love the many varieties that offered today as well as the simple, traditional stuff. Mac decided to try her own variation which came out rather well and only took a few minutes to make. Upon tasting it, Mac quizzed me - this is something we do to one another from time to time - on what ingredients I thought were mixed in; I named all but two. Sometime soon, Mac is going to bake some fresh pita bread. I hope she whips up another batch of my all time favorite dip!


Macaroon's Hummus
Source: Mac and the Food Processor
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 15oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4-6 garlic cloves
• 1/2 c. tahini paste
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place the first 8 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times, then set it to run on high
2. While running, drizzle the olive oil into the mixture
3. When mixture is smooth and well-combined, pour into a bowl and stir in salt and pepper
4. Serve with pita bread, chips or fresh veggies. We like to garnish it with a bit of paprika

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Turkish Meze - Mamaroneck, New York

Falafel - So light, yet filling

The fact that we live in an area with a dearth of good food options is inspiration for us to search long and hard for good grub. Sure, we could schlep to Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens and grab a yummy vegan meal. However, when folks work as hard as we do and are beat at the end of the day, just the thought of dragging our butts on the train or driving for an hour only to not find parking seems daunting. 

Since we’ve been on a Middle Eastern kick of late, Turkish Meze, located in Mamaroneck, NY (about 15 minutes outside of NYC) looked like it was worth a shot, and I’m glad we went! For starters, the waitstaff was very attentive and knowledgeable. When I asked the waitress if the lentil soup was vegan, she said wasn’t, and pointed out all of the vegan options they offered which was a good amount. Within three minutes- I’m not exaggerating- our meal arrived both fresh and hot. We ended up having hummus, falafel, piyaz(white bean salad), coban salatasi, (shepherd salad) and a complimentary olive/capers spread that I especially enjoyed. 

The vegetables in our salads were crisp and laden with lots of fresh, chopped herbs such as mint and parsley. The falafel was very light, with a crispy exterior and soft, flavorful inside. For dessert we enjoyed a sweet baked pear (sans the ice cream). The portions were generous - we wrapped up the leftovers- and the food was filling. After our meal, the owner came over and made sure our meal was enjoyable. We will definitely return someday and try other dishes. 

Delicious Shepherd's Salad

Turkish Meze

409 Mount Pleasant Avenue

Mamaroneck NY, 10543

Phone 914.777.3042

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Dual Specialty Store, Inc. - New York, New York

In the East Village, there's a place that'll take you to an Indian spice bazaar. It sits on 1st Avenue between East 5th and 6th Streets in Manhattan. Dual Specialty Store, Inc. has been serving New Yorkers since 1989, engaging people in aromas and flavors from around the globe.


Dual Specialty Store is an all-time favorite that I’ve patronizing since it opened in 1989. It is my go-to place for spices. It is jam-packed with every spice, herb, grain, bean and root imaginable. They also sell fresh produce, nuts, breads and  Indian specialties. They even offer a rather large selection of imported, domestic and crafted beers. With so much being rare yet available, Dual has amazingly affordable prices. You won't go broke here. 


With so many items being not typical of American supermarkets, it never fails to amaze me in what you can find here. In fact, a few days ago, we dropped in to pick up a few odds and ends including chickpea flour, kava kava root, fresh catnip, basmati rice, fresh vanilla beans, and Naga Jolokia, aka "ghost pepper," the hottest spice on the planet! I may be able to find these things by visiting different shops, but that will break the bank. At Dual, I find everything I need for that one attempt at culinary perfection, and I don't have travel around the world or to mortgage my home to shop.


If you're a New Yorker, make it a point to stop by. If you're from out of town, add Dual to your list of "must-see" places to shop. 


Dual Specialty Store, Inc.

91 1st Ave

New York, NY 10003

(212) 979-6045

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World Water Day 2011 - Water for Cities

In 1992, the United Nations declared March 22nd to be World Water Day, the first observance being in 1993. The purpose is to celebrate the importance of fresh water for all life and sustainability. It's also a day to put into action tasks to protect the Earth's water resources. It's not just an environmental issue. It also focuses on the health, development and responsibility of the planet's community.

Each year, the United Nations selects a theme. This year's theme is "Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge." Often, we hear of water shortages and crises in rural or underdeveloped areas. This year, the United Nations is putting a greater focus on what occurs in our world's cities. There are many cities, right in the United States, where the water quality is quite poor, where even the wealthiest are informed that they cannot drink the water, like Philadephia, PA and Houston, TX. This often can be attributed to overdevelopment and overpopulation in an urban area which impacts sanitation and sewage. 

You also have the problem of those of lower economic statuses not being able to access fresh water, due to poor living conditions, lack of money or being homeless. We need water to live, but if one cannot even gather a few quarters together to get a bottle of Poland Spring, then that's a serious problem.

With the recent devastation in Japan in the news, the safety of water is even more important. Not to say they are correct to feel this way, but there are many Americans along the west coast who are concerned if radiation has gotten in their drinking water system. There's been a mad dash to get potassium iodide tablets from the local pharmacies. 

This theme comes at the right time. Action definitely needs to be taken, whether it's by volunteering with The TAP project or contacting your government representative. Water impacts all of us, no matter who we are, where we live or what we do. 

For more information on what you can do, visit http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/

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Macaroon's Orange-Cranberry Muffins

Have you ever had one of those days when you've wanted to just create something in the kitchen, but don't know what to do make? It's happened to me a few times, and it drives me nuts! I find myself stammering in the kitchen, pacing back and forth, looking in the refrigerator and cabinets. I also start going through cookbooks and websites to find inspiration.

This very thing happened to me on Saturday. At around noon, I felt like cooking. I had no idea what to do. I went into the kitchen, but couldn't decide on anything. I started looking through some of my favorite recipe websites, and was still indecisive. I even posted a message on Twitter and Foodbuzz about my frustration!

Fast forward 4 hours. That's when muffins came to mind. Began leafing through baking books for muffin recipes, thinking I would make one of them. I started pulling out the basic ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) to prep, when plans shifted. I decided right there to develop my very own recipe. About 40 minutes later, my very own orange-cranberry muffins were ready, cooling on wire racks.

I was scared to try one for myself. I wanted to wait until Artichoke was home for him to be my guinea pig. However, Momma Macaroon came over to hang out. She saw the muffins, immediately grabbed one and said they were really good! What made this even better was that she didn't question them being vegan. She couldn't tell the difference. HOORAY!

So the lesson is this, boys and girls: Indecision is the perfect opportunity for creativity.

Macaroon's Orange=Cranberry Muffins
Source: Macaroon's Indecision Coming to an End
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2/3 c. cane sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• Zest of one orange (approx. 1 Tbsp)
• Juice of one orange
• 1 c. plain soy milk
• 1/2 c. canola oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center for the wet ingredients. Set aside
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest and  wet ingredients
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the well made in the large bowl. Mix until well combined. Fold in the dried cranberries
5. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 of the way. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes

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A Mix of 4 C's - Trail Mixing by Artichoke

Artichoke is a cabinet raider. He's also the master of the "whip up," creating meals and snacks on the fly. He pulls from the cabinets all of time, be it for spices, nuts, dried fruits, whatever. This week, he's decided to start making his own trail mixes. The first one, A Mix of 4 C's was inspired by our love of raw cashews, the very things that were staring at him when he opened the kitchen cabinet. So, here's his recipe! 

A Mix of 4 C's

Source: Artichoke's Grasps of Kitchen Cabinet Items

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 c. raw cashews

1/2 c. vegan carob chips

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Serve as you wish or pack into snack bags.

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Mini "Thanksgiving" Dinner

Happy Turk'y Day! 

Yes, we know it's March, not November! Wednesday, we decided to finally try gardein's Savory Stuffed Turk'y. With a stuffing mixed with cranberries, onions, and celery, these "birds" were surprisingly tasty and moist! You can taste every distinct bit from the breading to the yummy center. The added gravy actually was not needed, but it was a nice complement to the turk'y.

To go with our mini Thanksgiving meal, I steamed some broccoli and topped it with a bit of vegan margarine. I also decided to be daring and make mashed sweet potatoes, using powdered star anise, which is an Indian spice that has a nice liquorice flavor similar to anise and fennel. As it was my first time using star anise, I was really surprised with how well it went with the potatoes. 

Though the prep was pretty easy, if you're hungry right when you get home from work, this meal should be saved for another day. You will have to wait about 30 minutes just for your turk'y to be ready and out of the oven. However, when you know you're going to have something good, like this, you can wait for it. 

Below is my recipe for the mashed sweet potatoes.

Starry Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Source; Macaroon's Attempt at Being Daring

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 4 medium to large sweet potatoes
• 1/4 c. soy milk
• 1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
• 1/8 tsp. star anise
• 1 packet of Truvia
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. 
2. Boil the sweet potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until tender
3. Pour potatoes into a colander and rinse with cold water, removing the skins
4. Place potatoes in a large bowl and mash
5. Stir in soy milk, margarine, star anise, Truvia, salt and pepper

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Vegan Apple Muffins

A apple-y breakfast treat with a cool new mug!

On Saturday, we stopped by a farmer's market in lower Manhattan while buzzing around town. There, one of the vendors had a good variety of apples for sale. We picked up a couple of Golden Delicious and some Lady apples. Immediately, an apple muffin came to mind, yet I couldn't be bothered to bake anything. I saved that for Sunday.

I searched the web for vegan apple muffin recipes. The first one I saw, being on Food.com, looked pretty good to me, especially since I had all of the ingredients in the fridge and kitchen cabinets. It took no time to make. 

The muffins are yummy. We've been eating them for breakfast everyday this week. I'm definitely making these again!

Vegan Apple Muffins
Source: Food.com
Yields 12 scrumptious muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups plain soy milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 apple, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F; grease muffin tins.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix wet ingredients in a separate vessel.
4. Add wet to dry and mix well. Batter will be lumpy.
5. Mix in chopped apple.
6. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.

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Sweet Avenue Bake Shop - Rutherford, New Jersey

Sweet Avenue Bake Shop is a tiny vegan oasis nestled in leafy, suburban Rutherford, NJ. If the bright pink exterior doesn't grab your attention the cakey aroma will. It’ll pleasantly hit you before you open the door.

 

Macaroon happened to find out about this spot online. Since we were attending a doll show in Hackensack, Mac wanted to find a vegan eatery in the area possibly for lunch. The first thing she found brought joy to her little baker’s vegan heart. So guess where we went?

 

Upon entering the bake shop, our eyes and stomachs grew big. The display case offered a mix of their "Classic" and "Special" cupcakes, ranging between $3.00 and $3.50 for each. All of them were beautifully decorated, almost too pretty to eat. Because everything looked so good, we had trouble deciding on which one we would each get. I had to make a judgment call and declare that we would be get a half-dozen.

We ordered the following (clockwise from the top left): 

Mint Chocolate, Banana Cream Pie, Tiramisu, Bacio, Charlie Sheen "Tiger Blood" and Red Velvet

We couldn't help ourselves. Right after we received our hot pink cupcake box of goodness, we tore into the Banana Cream Pie (my favorite) and Red Velvet before grabbing lunch at Whole Foods in Paramus. Damn friggin good!

  

As we crossed the bridge back into New York, we couldn't stop talking about the cupcakes. The moment we got home, we split the Tiramisu and the Mint Chocolate. Damn friggin good...again!

Before dinner, we shared the Bacio (chocolate cupcake with a chocolate-hazelnut filling). Good, but we were expecting more of a nutella taste with this. Nevertheless, this is not a cupcake we would turn down if offered. 

We saved Charlie for last. Mac couldn't get over how they decorated the cupcake with the transfer of him on it. When we finally bit into it, we both were "WINNING!" with "Tiger Blood" in our veins. Mac thinks this was the best cupcake of the bunch, being a blood orange cupcake with orange-mixed berry filling. 

One thing I have to say is that these vegan cupcakes tasted so good that even the carnivores would beg for them. We don't go to Rutherford that often, but Mac thinks we'll be making a regular stop here when in NJ.

Sweet Avenue Bake Shop
153 Park Avenue
Rutherford, NJ 07070-2307
(201) 935-2253

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Bok Choy Fried Rice

Mac and I both love bok choy, aka Chinese cabbage. I've always admired its bright green hue, leafy texture and quasi peppery taste. Through the years I've had many other wonderful dishes made with Chinese cabbage and I'll most likely order a dish if it's included.

My earliest memory of eating bok choy was when my family used to dine at the local Chinese restaurant in Fair Lawn, NJ. Their chefs used to cook it in wonton soup which gave the soup an added dimension of subtle taste. Nowadays, I've found that many restaurants now cook wonton soups with scallions in lieu of bok choy. These soups now lackthe complexity in flavor compared to when I was a kid.

A few days ago, we came across a fried rice dish that included bok choy, thanks to the blog, Generation Y Foodie. We, of course, decided to veganize it by substituting the chicken with extra firm tofu and honey with agave nectar. We also didn't have any sesame oil. Instead, I crushed a few sesame seeds. and infused them in canola oil. With these pretty simple tweaks to this recipe, the end result was a great flavorful dish. Momma Macaroon even enjoyed it more than the fried rice she would get at her favorite Chinese take-out spot.

What made this recipe seem easy was that about 85-90% of the ingredients were just sitting lazily in our cluttered cabinets. A good-tasting recipe that doesn't require us to go on a food hunt at the local grocery store is always a major win. My one gaffe may have been to not chop the boy choy finer, but no one else seemed to notice or care. The rice was THAT good.

To check out the original recipe, click here!

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A NYC Food Lover's Dream - Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks

Today, Artichoke and I decided to take a drive into Manhattan for a bit of food and fun. After getting chocolate from Cocoa V, a sandwich from Blossom du Jour, goodies from Accessorize and some apples from a farmer's market off of Bleeker St, Artichoke wanted to take me to a very special place, and special it was. Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks is an amazing independent bookshop on West 10th Street, made to satisfy even a foodie novice.

Upon seeing it, I was in utter awe. Inside was a food lover's dream of floor-to-ceiling cookbooks, old and new, spanning the globe. Though the store can be considered small, you can easily and happily get lost and overwhelmed. However, you'll find just what you're seeking!

In a rare instant of coincidence that one can only imagine happening in a New York movie, I found a copy of Cookin' with Queen Ida by Ida Guillory that I had been tracking down for my mom for a few years. None of us could find it anywhere! Suddenly, today, as Artichoke had pointed to an old oven, I saw Ida's smile on the cover and shouted "THAT'S THE BOOK!" Funnily enough, when we brought the book up to Ms. Slotnick (yes, she operates the store herself), she laughed and quipped "We're a little late for Mardi Gras." I couldn't help but just beam in excitement.

In addition to the vast collection of cookbooks, Ms.Slotnick herself offers a great wealth of knowledge of food in New York City. In fact, Artichoke joined in a conversation about historical restaurants, few that still exist today, like John's of 12th Street (Papa Artichoke had his Confirmation celebration there back in the day). In addition to the rich history being a page away, you can also buy some really cool kitchen gadgets such as decorative rolling pins, biscuit cutters and cookie jars. I'm looking forward to going back really soon to get more goodies to add to our cookbook collection.

I have to say that this store is definitely a place of love. You can tell that Ms. Slotnick enjoys what she does. That's something you cannot get at the big corporate stores. For that reason alone, this store is going to be my go-to place for cookbooks.

Before we left the store, we asked if Ms. Slotnick had her store on Facebook. She responded with the coolest answer: "No, but I have a face. People can come by and they can even touch it!"

Thanks Ms. Slotnick for your wonderful store and awesome sense of humour!

Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks

163 West Tenth Street

New York, New York 10014-3116

212-989-8962

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Tony Boloney's - Atlantic City, New Jersey

Meet "The Veggiehead" sans cheese

Though we enjoyed our stay in Atlantic City, we have to say that this town is not vegan-friendly. However, if you're quick on your feet, you can find ways to veganize your meals. You might be pleasantly surprised how a simple tweak or omission can turn your breakfast, lunch or dinner into culinary excellence. One of the places where we had great success was at a local pizzeria, featured on the Food Network, called Tony Boloney's.

With Artichoke being a pizza connoisseur, he can tell in quick scan of a menu if a spot is quality. With that, Tony Boloney's disappoint. We found that their extensive menu of Italian-American fare (pizza, pasta, etc) included some vegetarian options where all that had to be done was to leave off the cheese. Easy peasy!

Due to some issues with hotel valets, we decided to pick up our dinner and bring it back. Now, Tony Boloney's isn't in the nicest of areas, if going around at night, but that doesn't take away from the great food! In fact, when we arrived, the place was hoppin' with folks. In a city like Atlantic City, where there are pizza shops and Italian restaurants abound, they challenge some of the "upper crust" spots in town.

We ordered a pizza called "The Veggiehead," which included 10 spicy marinated veggies with smoked mozzarella. Off with the cheese, and we were in business. The pizza definitely had a kick, which pleasantly surprised the both of us. You got to love a place that isn't scared to spice up things. At the same time, you can taste every single vegetable on the pizza. The balance was on point.

Oh and let's add that the folks behind the counter are really cool. Artichoke spent some time talking shop about hockey with one guy, all inspired by Artichoke's Nordiques beanie. Just for that alone, we're hooked on this place. So guess who's making another visit on our next trip to A.C.

Tony Boloney's
300 Oriental Ave (Corner of S. Vermont)
Atlantic City, New Jersey
609-344-8669

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Photos from Atlantic City

Since this was more of a relaxation trip, we didn't take many photos as we normally would.

We stayed at Harrah's Resorts. These 4 photos are from our hotel room:

In the hotel, Viking has a store which also includes a cooking school. We should have checked out a class, but didn't want to cook our own food on this trip. They do have an amazing kitchen there.

We went to dinner at the Tropicana, a casino-hotel located along the Boardwalk in the "Downbeach" section. There, they have a food court of "fine dining" which includes Carmine's (yes, the same one from NYC) and PF Chang's. Interesting enough is that there's a restaurant-bar called Red Square with a statue of Lenin outside.

We also took a trip to Caesar's, but not to eat or gamble. I actually took Artichoke there to check out their shopping mall, "The Pier." There we did a lot of window shopping and wishful thinking. We also enjoyed some downtime at Starbucks to sit in comfy chairs while taking in the ocean view.

We did buy a couple of things, first stopping at IT'SUGAR, where a jelly bean elephant greeted us. We added to our lunch box collection there. We then went to Lush, one of my favorite beauty stores. There, Artichoke picked up a new robot friend.

We didn't just spend our time in Atlantic City. We took a couple of day trips along the shore. We visited towns like Ocean City and Avalon. We definitely made it a point to drive down to Cape May, which is one of our favorite places in the country. We actually went there specifically to buy some more bath salts from a great store called A Place on Earth, which carries a salt called Monkey Farts! Who can resist that?

While walking along the mall in the center of Cape May, I had to take a picture of this sign at Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy shop.

We had a great time the past few days! Why did it have to end?

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