by Ashley on January 25, 2013
Anytime I read about a foolproof method for cooking eggs, I have to try it out. And this method from Cooks Illustrated, I promise you, proved revolutionary. Tender, but set, warm whites and reliably runny yolks–whether one egg or six–every single time.
All I do is bring a 1/2-inch of water to boil (One-half-inch! As in takes-no-time-at-all) before placing my eggs in the pot, lowering the temperature to medium, and re-covering it. Then I set a timer for 6-1/2 minutes. It turns out that steaming the eggs (placing less water in the pot) actually means there’s less temperature variability owing to the number of cold eggs you introduce, making this recipe work for a simple morning ritual or for serving a crowd.
After time’s up, I run cold water through the pot and over the eggs to get them cool to the touch. The eggs are easy to peel (easier than hardboiled eggs) because the whites are so springy.
Soft-cooked eggs are delicious on their own, atop pasta with butter and cheese, on pizza… on nearly anything. Right now, my favorite way to eat these is with salt-and-pepper avocado toast: smear toast with a light serving of mayonnaise, cover with at least half a ripe avocado, top it with eggs and give it a healthy dash of freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Then, let the runny yolks do their job.
By the way, the folks in the Cooks Illustrated test kitchen pointed out that you’ll have the best success with eggs having perfectly centered yolks. It doesn’t make a huge difference, but it’s true: if you wanted to be an absolute stickler for an important meal you’re serving you can hold your eggs up to a bright light and select for the ones with centered yolks.
Have a great weekend! Will you try this for breakfast?
P.S. Blood-Orange Salad, my go-to pressed sandwiches, and a cardamon-pear upside-down cake.
by Ashley on June 28, 2012
I’ve been curious about the terrace atop the Gramercy Park Hotel for years! My friend Nora tried to take me there once for drinks, just after we moved here, but it was open to hotel guests only at the time. So I was excited to learn last month that, on May 18, they re-opened a newly renovated roof terrace for daily breakfast and lunch. Like Maialino–the wonderful Roman-style trattoria downstairs–Gramercy Terrace is run by Danny Meyer’s hospitality group; and honestly, that man can do no wrong. (Cf: Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Untitled, The Modern, Union Square Cafe… etc.)
I hadn’t needed to, but I made reservations for (gulp) 7:15am on Father’s Day.
As you exit the elevator, you’re flanked by works of Andy Warhol–Bob Colacello, Sylvester Stalone, Douglas Cramer, and others–and faced with views of the city’s water towers and, occasionally, the campaniles that disguise them. It’s a gorgeous space, one that cries for a candle-lit party and which was filled with grey morning light when we arrived. Apparently the roof’s panes slide open (or will, after some repairs) on sunny days, which would be wonderful.
We were there during breakfast (though brunch is offered on the weekends), and we had the option of ordering a la carte or picking and choosing from the continental breakfast set up by the bar. The menu is (not-surprisingly for a fancy hotel spot) on the expensive side, so the continental breakfast (which offered things like peanut-butter milk, monkey bread, a cheese table, and fresh strawberries for your cereal–plus bottomless juice and Stumptown coffee) isn’t a bad deal at $19. We opted instead for their take on eggs benedict and a brioche French Toast. Both were delicious.
By the way, one of the hallmarks of a Danny Meyer restaurant is friendly, completely-accommodating service. Granted we had the place practically to ourselves, but everyone was so kind to Hudson–which goes a long way. In fact I noted there was a sitting room off the dining area playing cartoons for children. It was sort of a funny contrast: on one end you enter a room with a sofa backed by Damien Hirst’s Le Caprice (a large medicine cabinet filled with prescription drug packaging), on the other there was the opiate of the (wee) masses.
by Ashley on January 31, 2012
For almost a year, since they opened, I have been meaning to get us up to the larger location of the Doughnut Plant in the Chelsea Hotel. We used to make occasional trips down to the original LES branch, but I have to admit that I usually found myself too impatient with the long line and too frustrated with the cramped space to really enjoy the doughnuts properly. So while the bright and shiny new space might seem a little too fancy-schmancy for die-hards (especially considering its presence in the Chelsea hotel), I really appreciated the quick-moving line, the room to stand, and–even better–the room to sit!
Of course the best bits are the doughnuts! The Doughnut Plant has been officially on the guidebook circuit ever since owner Mark Israel bested Bobby Flay in a throwdown. For years he made his grandfather’s yeast-raised doughnuts–often squared, with interesting glazes and fillings–but now the best known varieties are perhaps his cake doughnuts, the Tres Leches and the Blackout (with chocolate pudding in the cake). We could see why.
Going a little overboard, we got ourselves a half-dozen to sample (cha-ching!): From the cake selection, carrot cake (which tasted exactly like a slice would, down to the cream cheese frosting filling), salty peanut, tres leches and blackout. From the yeast selection, vanilla bean, pistachio, and coconut. The coconut was outstanding (something we already knew from previous visits), but I think I’d recommend the cake doughnuts over the yeast in general. We also tried the Mexican-style churro (different from the kind served in Spain). I agree with many that the Tres Leches was my favorite of all: seemingly simple like a glazed old-fashioned, but so fresh and buttery, and then surprisingly decadent with an injection of evaporated milk, condensed milk and cream.
Oh, nothing like a serving of doughnuts for a healthy lunch. Don’t tell Hudson I said that.
by Ashley on December 7, 2011
A while back we raved about one of our favorite croissants in the city, the pretzel croissant at City Bakery. Well, there’s a new number one these days. It’s hard for either of us to pass by Taralucci e Vino without picking up one of their chocolate croissants. It really is the best croissant I’ve had here to-date (particularly, it seems, at their bakery location on First Avenue). They make an Italian-style chocolate cornetti as well, but our vote goes to the items made with the French-style puff pastry (the almond and cinnamon-raisin croissants are likewise made with this dough and are a close-second to the chocolate).
I particularly like ordering these with Aron because it reminds me that the first French phrase he had me teach him when we were in Paris was “je voudrais un pain chocolat,” and he would walk into pâtisseries and say it with such flair! It is the most important phrase to know… bah oui.
by Ashley on November 18, 2011
I would wager that it’s a rare weekend that passes without our missing one of our dearly departed brunch favorites, 202 (and its heavenly French Toast). It’s especially been a blow since Hudson arrived–do you know how rare it is to find brunch fare available at 9am here!? Even my mother-in-law, while visiting recently, requested that we return to “that lovely place in the Chelsea Market” and I had to, with lowered eyes, break the news that they had closed.
So while we have Frankies’ French Toast to console us, we’re on the hunt for an alternative to fill the hole in our hearts that 202 left. The challenge: not only does the French toast have to be delicious, but there needs to be a savory dish that we equally love–for splitting, and the space has to be baby-friendly. Any suggestions?
We had been to Northern Spy, a not-to-be-missed, seasonal restaurant in Alphabet City, for lunch and dinner, but never for brunch. Their French toast was delicious and decadent (with sugar-coated pecans for topping, no less), but it was less custardy than 202′s and won’t become our new #1. Still, I imagine few would be disappointed with this one. They were super-accomodating with Hudson (giving us the corner booth usually reserved for larger parties at such a busy hour), but I wouldn’t say it’s ideal for babies (very tight/too tight to bring in even a folded stroller). However, what was outstanding was the little afterthought we grabbed to go: an apple fritter. We only live a few blocks from the restaurant, so we cheated by heating it once we were home, but it may now be our #1 apple fritter.
P.S. Hudson is four months old! You of course know what he looks like, but see his monthly photo and hear about some milestones, here.
Have a great weekend!
