Dirty Dog cont'd

Okay, I know this Anthony Weiner's wiener business is being beaten to death, but I have two more cents to add to my previous weenie post. I still haven't had that effin' hot dog yet, by the way.

Ooops! You caught me without my bun on.

Actually, these were BF's two cents and I thought they were brilliant. They happen to go very well with my business idea, too. He thinks that - should I, Mr. Weiner, or anyone ever follow through with the Weiner's Weenies hot dog/ sausage shop - there should be a special combo meal.

The "Anthony" combo: one kosher wiener sans bun, of course, and a (preferably white) Magnum*.

Genius, yes?

Honestly? Would you be too grossed out or too shy to order something like that if it were a legitimate offering at an actual place? Or would you shout out loud and proud for your wiener?




*Please note that in this case, Magnum refers to an ice cream bar, not a prophylactic device for large weenies. We're dirty, but we're not that dirty.

F Words Are Fun Words: Fish, Fiestas, Friends, Food

Fish

My girl and purveyor of wisdom, Trish J, was sweet enough to mention me in her latest food-themed post! Her mouthwatering pictures really got me hankering for some good fish (being the good little penguin I am). Then, I realized I've been meaning to blabber about some recent seafood meals anyway. You read my mind, Trish.


Last Friday, I finally had the pleasure of dining at Astoria seafood staple Taverna Kyclades, courtesy of my Auntie. Scratch another item off of my culinary to-do list! After passing the perpetually poppin' restaurant literally twice a day for four years of my life and also hearing tons of good things, my expectations were high.

I have to say, the food didn't disappoint. Everything was plentiful, super fresh, delicious and no-frills. Their simple preparations really let the quality of the fish shine through. I had grilled calamari and stole chunks of red snapper, broiled sole and stuffed sole from my meal mates. Yum! Plus, we happened to be fortunate enough to dine curbside on a beautiful evening. Seafood is one food that I especially associate with warm weather - I think outdoor dining and grilled seafood were meant to be. I wish there were more neighborhood seafood places of this caliber...

Is it me or is an affordable, quality seafood experience a rarity in New York? Having spent many summer vacations along the New England coast, I find myself longing for the abundant seafood shacks. Isn't it such a shame that a city whose establishment rested on the laurels of its harbor now has so few local sources for fish? The destructive powers of people are great, huh? I long for the day when we people find a way to keep up with our own destructiveness. Then, there will once again be healthy fisheries in New York's waterways and I can pig out!


Speaking of seafood and pigging out, that is just what I did with some Ethiopian shrimp tebsi this past Friday. Ethiopian cuisine is admittedly not something I'm very familiar with. In fact, this was only my second shot at it. So far, I've enjoyed it, but I can't say I'm exactly comfortable with some of the sour notes in the flavor profile yet. It's growing on me, though.

The communal manner in which the food is served on a giant platter is pretty fabulous. I know that's a bit of culture shock for many of us westerners. Unlike my friend, the aforementioned Trish J (who is a bit of a germophobe), I didn't have much trouble adjusting to eating with my hands off of one big plate. A communal plate seems natural if you're with loved ones and perfect for building bonds over the meal. Not to mention fewer dishes! Amen!


Fiestas

I know this isn't a new revelation, but I must say it just isn't a party without some kind of good food.

Celebrating my friend's birthday (with the Ethiopian food) and attending a Yelp Elite Event this past week have really brought that point home to me. While the very casual dinner we had wasn't really a "party," good food and good company meant a great time. On the other hand, the lounge opening I attended suffered quite a bit because there wasn't a lot of good food - portions were small and quality mediocre. The event could have been epic with more munchies.

Promoters and planners take note. Dancing up a storm does require fuel, after all!


Friends

(Sorry if this is starting to sound like Sesame Street.) Rounding out my "f" themed post, I have to shout out my friends and all friends the world over! Good company really does enhance a meal like no fine wine or exotic spice ever could.

Getting to know me

I'm sure you couldn't really care less about me if you're just stumbling into my fledgling project. Still, if you're going to be reading I suppose it's only fair that you know a little of my background and motivation. Let's set the stage, then.

Hello, world!

I recently got a (fairly useless in the "real world") grad school degree and am now back home with mom in good 'ol Queens, NY. Like a lot of other people my age I find that I don't quite know in which direction to next aim myself.

Meanwhile, I've been left with a fair amount of free time when I'm not involved with my ailing grandmother. Other than sleep, that free time has been filled largely with food - cooking, baking, grocery shopping, eating out, ordering in, Yelping, playing Restaurant Story, etc. No, that's probably not "healthy." I know.

CHOMP!

However, I've always liked to cook and eat. I've always liked making things, arts and crafts. I've always liked to write. It's only natural that I'd eventually turn to writing about food and creativity.

People in my life keep telling me to "do something with food." This is my answer to them. This is how I hope to find out if that's remotely the right direction for me. Thinking about food actively every day - can I do it and will I enjoy doing it?

So maybe this blog is somehow going to help me "find myself" in some way. Hahaha. Probably not! Honestly, I can't really tell you what exactly I'm going to blog about. I'm not sure. I can tell you it's certainly not going to be a blog about fine dining or whatever. Too broke! And of course Manhattan may appear, but it won't dominate. Because I'm 100% Queens, thanks. It's also not going to be heavy on detailed recipes. I'm more of a make-it-up-on-the-fly cook (and if you can get recipes from the likes of Jacques and Julia you really needn't rely on me).

Well, as far as I'm concerned, if it's about food how bad could it really be? ; )