I’ve already mentioned previously that I’m a coffee snob. At Blue Bottle Coffee Co in the Ferry Building in San Francisco (I haven’t visited any other location, so I’m not sure if it’s available elsewhere), they have the most wonderful granola for sale. They sell them in small mason jars if you want to add milk (and eat immediately), or also in coffee bags.

Outside of the Ferry Building on Saturdays, Saint Benoît Yogurt sells in adorable ceramic containers. The meyer lemon was by far the most divine thing I’ve ever had. Buy the yogurt, sprinkle in the yogurt and you will have a very very happy day.

(Granola Photo Credit to Modifie | Yogurt Photo Credit to Joyosity)

I completely admit that I am a coffee snob. There’s nothing better than that smooth cup of coffee. The type where you close your eyes and just enjoy it’s bold flavour and wonderful roasted smell. If you don’t understand the names between different styles of coffee, here is a handy chart below.

My favorite is the Latte. I prefer it with soy milk and I sweeten it with honey – a trick I picked up while travelling in Eastern Europe. Everywhere I go, I always try the coffee to see which place serves the best.

My favorite coffees have been from Budapest and Rome. In Budapest, my friend Ngoc and I hung out at a fantastic cafe called Centrál Kávéház located near the famous Váci utca (or Váci Street), a shopping street. If you ever find yourself in Budapest hankering for a good coffee, this is a great spot. I recommend the Weiner Melange (photo above), which is a Viennese coffee drink that is a blend of espresso with milk and cream. Add a little bit of honey and it’s the perfect consistency!

My favorite American coffees are from Blue Bottle Coffee (photos above) and Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Micro roasters have been on the rise for awhile now. I believe it’s going to change how we consume coffee as we understand what good coffee should actually taste like. Especially not that burnt flavor we all too often get if you just drink a cup at a bodega or diner. So what is Micro Roasting?

“Micro-roasted” refers to coffee roasting processes in which the green beans are roasted in small batches to exact specifications so that the roasting can be fine-tuned for the specific bean, from batch to batch.  The process is a craft tended by an artisan rather than a machine.

I think this is one of the only ways to go to ensure great coffee. Coffee beans are considered fresh for about a week after roasting. Hence why micro-roasting is a great way to maintain good taste without allowing a lot of beans to become spoiled. The easiest way to tell fresh coffee beans is to see if it foams up after you put it through a fine grind. This is when you are making fresh drip coffee. Take the beans, grind, and then pour the water through (of course, you should also have a dripper – such as the Bonmac Ceramic Dripper available via Blue Bottle)

My favorite coffee preparation is with a shot or two of espresso. My drink of choice are soy lattes. In New York City, my favorite stops are the Ace Hotel’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Cafe Pedlar and Blue Bottle Brooklyn.

Another famous locale for coffee is Puerto Rico. My friend mentioned to me recently that her co-workers who grew up in Puerto Rico still strain their coffee through cheesecloth. When I went to Puerto Rico last year, I couldn’t decide whether I enjoyed the coffee or not (the tiny cup above). I think I’m still a bigger fan of the European way.

So what is your favorite way to drink coffee?

My old co-workers and I met up at Bill’s Bar and Burger located at 45 Rockefeller Plaza (51st Street between 5th and 6th Avenues). A relatively large space with tables in both the main level and downstairs. I ordered the Bill’s Burger which was good, although overly salty. The fries were good too. Service is fast, although servers seemed a bit confused. The guys loved it and I’m sure we’ll be back there soon in the near future!

Chikalicious is actually 2 places. There’s Chickalicious Dessert Bar and Chickalicious Dessert Club. I always get them mixed up, but the easiest way to remember which is which: you sit down and eat at the bar and the other is the take-out location. This adorable Japanese woman named Chika opened both places and has been serving the East Village with her lovely desserts at the bar late into the night. They’re most well known for their cheesecake, but I think the other desserts may have won my heart more.

Yes, I’m talking about you Christine.

Ok, so yes, I ate the musthroom knish at Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery. Something wrong? I just looked up reviews of Yonah Schimmel and I’m shocked to read that these knishes are supposed to suck! Wait WHAT? Ok, I think someone needs to make me an authentic knish before I can go any further. Now I am sad. The knish was tasty, but it really just tasted like mashed potatoes in a soft outer breading. Who knew it was supposed to be CRISPY? Ok, more on this later.

I can’t resist cookies. I seriously have a problem. I was a little chunky in high school because I couldn’t avoid the 3 for $1 Otis Spunkmeyer cookies in our school store. I’m a little better with the sweets nowadays, but I still find myself in moments of weakness. Some of my favorite cookies include the Chocolate Chip Cookie from the Treats Truck, the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie from Potbelly’s, and a local specialty of Baltimore, Bergers Cookies. The last one you’re probably less familiar with, but they are these cookies that have a fudgy top that’s almost a fudge/icing texture and then a soft and delicious sugar cookie base.

You can tell I have a weakness for chocolate. My mom always says “if you’re having a bad day, just eat some chocolate!” We always have chocolate hidden around my parent’s house. When I went to visit a few months back, I said to my mom “too bad you don’t have chocolate around” and my mom replied “who do you think I am, of course I have chocolate” and proceeded to show me to her chocolate cabinet.

What about the best of the best? The wonderful staff at Serious Eats has also put together a round-up and taste test of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in NYC. I haven’t had the #1 or #2, but I am glad that Levain‘s quarter-pounder of a cookie is at least in the top 3. My favorite is either the Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip or the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. They’re absolutely one of the most decadent cookies out there!

I found my favorite cookie recipe about 2 years ago via The Kitchn, a home and cooking blog. I’ve repasted it below with a photo I took over last Christmas when I made the wonderful cookies for my holiday dinner.

Chocolate Chip and Toffee Shortbread Cookies (via The Kitchn)
makes about 4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
3/4 cup mini Heath chips
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1) In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Mix in the flour until combined, then stir in (or add with the mixer on the slowest speed) 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the Heath chips.

2) Shape spoonfuls of dough into small balls, about one inch wide. Place two inches apart on a cookie sheet that has either been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Press down lightly to give each cookie a slightly flat surface to rest on.

3) Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until fairly firm to the touch. (Note: Ours took about 15 minutes because we made our balls a bit bigger than we planned. They will just be beginning to get the tiniest bit brown.) Let the cookies cool completely before removing from the pan, as shortbread is very brittle.

4) Melt the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler, stirring frequently until smooth. Dip one end of each cookie into the chocolate, then place on waxed paper or parchment paper until set (you can speed them up in the refrigerator if necessary). Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

I’ve made this recipe many times now and often had requests for them. I don’t include the Heath Chips and the recipe turns out just fine. I tend to bake them much longer because my oven isn’t the most accurate, but I always check the bottoms for brown. If you decides to make these cookies during other times of the year (ie: not a holiday) and especially during the hotter months, putting them in the fridge would be the best and they taste better cold in the summer!

Happy Eating!

Taiwan is probably most famous for it’s street food. My father’s side of the family owns a hole-in-the-wall serving Taiwanese food to their local community. Admittedly, street food is not known to be the most sanitary of foods, but I was blessed with an iron stomach. I’m capable of eating anything on the street without any problems. I know, it’s a mystery as to why I could probably eat the plague off the street and never catch the plague. (I hope I have jinxed myself now, just watch as I go back to Taiwan and get food poisoning).

My dad is one of 8 children.

I didn’t encounter Brussels Sprouts until I was much older, probably my college years. Why? Well they’re not common in any sort of Taiwanese, let alone, Asian cuisine. I feel as if I have missed out on the childhood hatred of this “miniature cabbage.” Yet, now I have such appreciation from them that I probably overdo it during brussels sprouts season.

I love how ridiculous they look on their stalk. I saw them on the stalk at Trader Joe’s for the first time last year, but after my initial purchase of them, I have concluded that purchasing them in a bag is much more convenient for my cooking purposes.

The recipe I use brings out a sweet and smoky flavour to the sprouts. Tossed in olive oil, salt, balsalmic and honey, there’s a great complexity to the flavor. They are incredibly easy to roast, but just be patient as they get to the “crispiness” you desire.

Recently in New York Magazine, famous chefs shared their favorite holiday recipes. Chef Zak Pelaccio (of Fatty Crab fame) shared his mother’s recipe for the sprouts. This recipe not only sounds amazing, but I may add it to my traditional Thanksgiving menu. I’ve posted the recipe below. All credit goes to Chef Zak Pelaccio and New York Magazine for sharing.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/4-inch lardons
36 Brussels sprouts, trimmed, with outer 2 leaves removed, and halved
2 tsp. sea salt
12 chestnuts (roasted and peeled, broken into chunks)
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs thyme
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup New York grade-B maple syrup
1/2 lemon

Instructions

In a large sauté pan or cast-iron skillet, render the lardons over medium heat until they are a rich brown. With a slotted spoon, remove the lardons to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Toss the sprouts in the pan, season with sea salt, and cook in the bacon fat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the chestnuts, and continue cooking for 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the garlic and thyme, and cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in the cream, and reduce by half. Season to taste. Add the bacon, pour in the maple syrup, and give a squeeze of lemon juice. Cook, stirring, for another couple of minutes, and serve. (Published 2010 via Chef Zak Pelaccio and New York Magazine)

Torrisi Italian Specialities also has a prix fixe dinner that people are raving about! It’s a $50 prix fixe and the courses change daily. The lunch menu is a walk-in sandwich place – but includes specialities such as their roast turkey sandwich and their eggplant parm!