Monday, August 31, 2009

Travel to Italy, Cuba and France all in one day!

Day 3 in NYC. This day started out as a dream day in NYC with strong coffee and freshly-baked croissants from Silver Moon Bakery on Broadway. I'd attempted to try their stuff on my last visit, but alas, one can only eat so much! Anyhow, this place has been written up by the NY Times and The New Yorker, and has been called "The sweetest spot on the Upper West side."

As opposed to table service on the patio, we trotted back to Angie's apt to have brekkie on her terrace- restraining ourselves from tearing into the bag the whole way home!

While sis got a "plain" croissant- and I use the term plain loosely as it was an incredible bundle of buttery delight- I succumbed to a tempting almond croissant. Oh, if only the Internet provided for scratch 'n' sniff! The croissant had a crisp, flaky crust which disguised the melt-in-you-mouth pastry beneath. The almond filling inside was abundant and not too sweet, which played nicely with the dusting of powdered sugar. Of course, the crunchy almonds on top finished off this delightful creation!

Not so exquisite now! I took this photo while I paused to let the almond filling melt on my tongue, took a nice gulp of dark roast, and proceeded to devour the rest. This sucker didn't stand a chance! Once breakfast had settled, we hoped on the subway and headed down to the West Village to take in some famous foodie sights. We were headed to Murray's Cheese which, to put it into perspective for a foodie, is the Chrysler Building. I had a need for cheese and this spot - an institution for cheese lovin' NYers -was the spot to go.

In addition to cheese, Murray's also sells fresh bread, pasta, gelato, specialty chocolates and various antipasti items including cured meats, olives and nuts. Angie had to drag me away from the Cheese Straws. Again, Scratch 'n' Sniff...is there an app for that?!?


As an olive lover from an early age and a martini lover a little later, my eyes were bulging out of my sockets with visions of lemony olives, blue-cheese stuffed ones, Queen-size greens and succulent kalamatas.

And then, there was second breakfast. This was a snack to end all snacks! As soon as I walked through the door, I was hit with the heady aroma of freshly-baked bread, ripe cheese, fruity olive oil, spicy meat and charred tomatoes. It turned out that the source was right next to me in the form of Fresh Mozzarella & Sopressata flatbread. They're clever marketers, those peeps at Murray's, for conveniently placing these puppies right by the front door, making them the first scent that you encounter. $3.99 was pennies to spend on a delight such as this.

Here it is; warm flatbread with a crunchy crust and soft, fluffy top, smooth and sweet mozzarella, spicy sopressata and intensely flavored sundried tomatoes.

After our snack, we strolled over to Soho to get our shop on. After several hours of this rigorous exercise, I suggested to Angie that we take a quick repose in the form of mid-afternoon Margaritas at Cafe Habana, one of my all-time favorite NYC restos. This place is amazing! The line-up was pouring out the door with people chugging Coca-Cola from glass bottles, cool fruit smoothies and eating Cuban corn with the juice dribbling down their chins.

It's also one of the tiniest restos you'll ever take a seat in; no elbow room, no leg room and no personal conversation room- the two PR girls next to us shed significant light into the trials and tribulations of the Bradley Cooper - Renee Zellweger - Jennifer Aniston love triangle. I know, I know, YAWN- I'll get to the food.

As per usual, we got two rocks-salt Margaritas at a whopping $7.95. I never pay a heed to this price however, as I'm usually tipsy after just one sip!

We started with an order of the Cuban corn; two cobs of peaches 'n' cream corn roasted on an open flame, sprinkled with salty cotija cheese and chili powder and served with a wedge of lime on the side. This stuff is the resto's most popular dish. The sweet heat of the chili powder mixed with a shot of citrus really wakes up an otherwise plain dish.


Now, normally at "the Cuban" I order the same thing, Baja-Style Fish Tacos; beer battered catfish topped with a mix of crunchy red and green cabbage, shredded carrot and red salsa served yellow rice and black beans. On this visit however, we arrived during brunch service, and exhaulted the fact that we could try some Cuban-style eggs. We ordered the Huevos Divorchiados; two scrambled eggs with red and tomatillo salsas and creamy roasted potatoes. A s/o of black beans rounded out the meal quite nicely!

Now, I know that this may not look like the most appetizing dish in the world, but the spicy red and tart green salsas combined with the potatoes and earthy black beans created a fantastic flavour pairing. Not to mention the fact that our tangy Margaritas brought this entire meal together.

Haha. I took this photo for all ya'll Tims fans out there. Newly introduced to the American market, Canada's beloved Timmies has been re-named Tim Horton's Coffee and Bake Shop. I'm sorry to say it, but I don't know if it's gonna last. Angie said that this Tim's location replaced a Dunkin' Doughnuts which always had line-ups our the door, but there wasn't a soul inside... Moving on!
After a brief nap, a little primping and alot of priming, we were ready for our night on the town. We were headed to Flute Champagne Bar in Midtown to celebrate the Bday of one of Angie's closest pals.

We ordered a flight of flutes for $20; Le Baron Magic Flute w/ a glass of Chateau Moncontour 2005, Blanquette de Limoux and a glass of the luscious, sinfully sweet Clairette de Die. This was a great gameplan as it allowed us to try a few types and determine our favorites. Several glasses of the exquisite apricot flavoured Clairette de Die were consumed in this mission.

The night was still young when we left the champagne bar and trotted to a party just past Lincoln Centre. I got a serious salsa lesson, splurged on a cab and fell into bead, as visions of champagne flutes danced in my head.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

A great night IN, in NYC

Day 2 in NYC. Let's just say that after our late night on Thursday, we had a subsequent late morning. In order to destroy the cobwebs that had taken up residence in my brain, big sis and I went for a walk/run in Riverside park. By the time we got back at around noon, it was 34 degrees, hot and humid.

In this type of weather, what else do you do but lounge and relax? Accompanied by my friend, and Angie's previous roommate, we attempted to take up residence on a grassy knoll in Central Park. The heat soon had us begging not only for the shade, but moreso for 4 pm to hit so that we could take full advantage of Happy Hour. Well, we succumbed to both of these cravings and hit HH and hour early! At 3 pm, we dragged our wilted, sweaty, sunburned bodies into Harry's Burritos on Columbus Ave, hopped on some barstools and ordered a round of Margaritas- rocks & salt.

Once our thirst had been quenched, we had a quick shop around Broadway, Columbus & Amsterdam Aves in the 70's, then headed uptown to Angie's spot. I have to say, though at first I groaned as to the 52 steps required to get to sis' 3rd floor walk-up, they certainly did help to keep me in shape- especially when we had dinner to look forward to!

We started a trend on Friday, one that continue for the rest of my vacay which consisted of a 4 pm power nap. In that kind of weather, and with that much tequila in our bellies, a quick lie-down in front of the AC was necessary!

For dinner, our pal re-joined us and we ordered in from one of their favorite spots; Charm Thai on Amsterdam. We put on some tunes, cracked a bottle of red and went to work making some decisions for dinner. Actually, to be honest, I had no choice in the matter, but was simply told what I would be having for dinner; no complaints here- I trusted the experts, and I was in good hands!

By the time dinner came, about 10 minutes later (those NY delivery guys mean business), we popped the cork on some champagne, deconstructed the vault that were our take-out containers and revelled in the scents of lemongrass, basil and coconut milk. Even the rice smelled amazing!

We got an order of Kee Maow, chicken with flat rice noodles sauteed with basil, tomatoes, onions and chili. Holy heat- this dish was spicy! The chicken was juicy, sweet, and it seared my mouth with its blanket of tomato-chili sauce.

We also got an order of Green curry w/ tofu, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, eggplant, peppers, basil and chilis. I was thrilled with this decision as the mild curry proved to be almost an antidote the red curry's fiery heat. Though the sauce was certainly sweet, it had a light consistency which prevented it from being cloying. The veg itself was crisp, and flavourful adding to the dish's delightfully fresh profile. I was also happy with Angie's choice of going all out vegetarian by adding tofu to the mix. Being a devout carnivore, I never go this route, but the tofu's meaty yet silky consistency added a nice addition of to the dish.

All praise for the curries aside, this dining experience was all about the curry puffs. These treats were foreign to me. I thought that with the amount of Thai and Indian food I 've tried, I would have come across these goodies before, yet this was my first encounter with the concept. And the concept is this; warm, deep-fried pillows of crack. Yup, that's right- from my bite I had almost a drug-like addiction to these suckers.

The flaky, buttery pastry was filled with a mixture of minced chicken, potatoes, onions and a sweet curry that tasted more dessert-like than appy. Served with a contrasting vinaigrette-based dipping sauce of cool cucumber and spicy red onion, a mere mouthful of the pastry and filling lead me to a near-euphoric state. YES, they're really THAT good.

Given my epicurean curiosity, I quickly googled Curry Puffs and found that they're a Malaysian dish. I found a recipe, directions and additional info on the Rasa Malaysia website that I intend to make as soon as is humanly possible!

And so, we finished the last few drops of champagne and sat out on the terrace to digest. It was actually fun to stay in and enjoy the benefits of delivery; no dressing up, no subway, no over-priced bottles of wine and my bed just three feet away. All-in-all, a great night IN in NYC.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Susie's Shortbread's 1st Anniversary

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Hey all! Next Saturday, August 29th, marks Susie Shortbread's 1 year anniversary. I've decided to start my day of right with MY idea of a 'Breakfast of Champions': cupcakes! Susie's Shortbreads opened a year ago this week- how time flies!
Here is the info on tomorrow's event. See their website for more information and my blog post from last summer about my Strawberry Fields cupcake!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! Our store is turning one year old!!

Please join us for our big Anniversary Celebration on Saturday August 29th (we open at 11am as usual) and enjoy:

1st 50 customers receive a FREE gift with purchase

FREE product samples all day (cookies, cupcakes, fudge, frosting shots, cheesecakes, truffles, milkshakes...rotating throughout the day)

Face Painting for the Kids (12-2pm)

Cupcake Bingo (if you are one of the lucky ones to choose a cupcake with a Susie's sticker on the bottom, you win that cupcake for FREE)

FREE GIVEAWAYS! We will have a stack of envelopes for random lucky recipients to win prizes such as:
1/2 Dozen Cupcakes each month for an entire year!
Single Cupcake each week for 6 months!
$5 or $10 gift certificates
Susie's merchandise (mugs, hats, shirts, etc)
25% off your current purchase
Boxed Cookies
Cup-a-cake Containers
Slabs of Fudge


Plus, we will have our newest member of the Susie's Team to introduce you to...our new Cupcake Mascot!! (She's not named yet...so that may be a contest to come soon too...)
So we hope you will all join us in celebrating our first anniversary! It's been an amazing year and we want to thank all of our customers for your incredible support over the past year! And just think...we've only just begun...

My subsequent journey to Susie's on Saturday morning lead me to believe that cupcakes were considered the 'Breakfast of Champions' by many other Haligonians. By the time we arrived by 11:30 am, there was a steady line snaking through the little shop. My treat of choice was the Swiss Alps; a vanilla cupcake w/ buttercream swirled with Toblerone pieces and a chunck of the bar on top. Mmm, mmm, good. Congrats to the team at Susie's Shortbreads o their 1 year anniversary! Keep up the GREAT work!





NYC Necessities

I just got back from a trip to Manhattan to visit my big sis. I try to go once a year to hang out with her, do a little shopping and take in some new culinary experiences. On previous trips, I've often waited to blow all my cash at a celeb chef's restaurant. Not only that, but I often try to make these dinner plans in advance in order to ensure that we'd get a reservation. This time, however, I tried to take a more laid back approach to NYC. I also let my sis show me some of her fave restos, and introduce me to some new flavors and dining experiences from a New Yorker's point of view. Though I had a list of spots to visit, and we hit several of these, we also let our noses decide where breakfast, lunch, dinner and Happy Hour would be.

I arrived at Angie's Upper West Side apt in the rain- womp, womp! That didn't stop us however, from pulling out our umbrellas, hopping on the subway and heading down to Trader Joe's on the Lower East side to stock up on wine and snacks for the week. Angie had told me that TJ's was the place to go for groceries in Manhattan; super cheap and super delicious...and she was right! This shopping trip provided key kitchen staples for munchies with wine, a mid-afternoon snack and, well, maybe some late night snacks too!

The groceries for under 30 bucks: edamame; carrots, grape tomatoes, celery & 3-layer humus; Boursin cheese; rice crisps & potato curls, salted almonds and an %85 Valrhona chocolate bar.

I thought that this was a pretty good deal for a load of groceries, but it got better when we ventured into TJ's Wine store next door. For $52.74, we got 6 bottles of wine: Cono Sur Voignier, Lindeman's Pinot Noir, Villa Borghetti Pinot Grigio, Ruffino Chianti and Blason de Bourgogne Cremant.

I want to take a sec here to mention how pumped I was to finally get my hands on a Valrhona bar, generally used as a baking chocolate, but I had to taste for myself. I've read several NY'ers blogs heralding this amazing French chocolate; even chef Jean Georges Vongerichten has a Valhrona chocolate cake on his dessert menu. This chocolate made a great taste of something sweet, especially when paired with some of the almonds that we got.

And so, we sat out on the terrace that evening, drinking wine, eating snacks and listening to the sounds of the city in preparation for out night out to see Meika Pauley at the Rockwood Music Hall in Soho. This girl has got some serious pipes- her website is definitely worth a look. Anyhow, Angie's group had played with her last year and was not letting me miss out on seeing her live.
After our stint at the Rockwood (and far too much wine later), we felt the need for a little grease and headed over to Pommes Frites, Authentic Belgian Fries. This place is known for their selection of dipping sauces- Vietnamese Pineapple Mayo, Parmesan Peppercorn and Hot Chili Paste, to name a few. But I was in the mood for something a little richer, something with...perhaps, cheese and gravy? Yup, that's right, we breezed past the exotic sauces and treated ourselves to a familiar favorite; poutine. And the verdict? Pretty tasty, but Canada can do it much better!


Friday, August 21, 2009

The 2nd Annual Select Nova Scotia IncrEDIBLE Picnic

Select Nova Scotia's 2nd Annual Incredible Picnic has been postponed for this Sunday. The event has been rescheduled for next Sunday, August 30th. From 11am-3pm, Nova Scotians will gather simultaneously at 11 locations throughout the province to experience agri-food products from a variety of sources.

This is such a great event; not only does it help to build relationships between consumers and purveyors, but it assists in strengthening the bond between family and friends as well. You can pack your own picnic or purchase from the vendors on site.

I'll be attending the Halifax picnic at Garrison Grounds, Citadel Hill, to take part in the camaraderie of those who love delicious local products in an environment conducive to sharing both food and the pleasure of eating it.

There will also be displays from Taste of Nova Scotia, Halifax Seed and the Ecology Action Centre. Have fun with the kiddies with face painting, a petting zoo from Hatfield Farms and an Aquaculture Touch Tank.

Be sure to check out my experience at last year's picnic here. It's a great way to spend the day; learning about Nova Scotian products, spending some quality time with the family, and catching up with old and new friends.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Not your ordinary Cheeseburger at The Argyle

After a long, but fun day of filming at the 3rd Annual Seaport Beerfest, Ash, the Creative Director at Haligonia and I seriously needed a bite to soak up all that beer. When he let me pick the place, I immediately thought of The Argyle. I have this problem whereby, I'll get a dish in my head and think about it incessantly until I get to try it. The Argyle had been on the brain since I discovered that they had a Blue Cheeseburger on their menu and I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to indulge.

Now, I'm not one to ruin a cheeseburger feed w/ salad, as opposed to fries, especially on this excursion. Though we got our grub quickly, I was served a Caesar salad w/ my burger. However, when I pointed out the mistake, a s/o of french fries was quickly delivered to our table.
A close up view...Seriously, I ask you: What could possibly be better than a big, juicy beef patty topped with crispy bacon, earthy sauteed mushrooms and a tangy, creamy blue? Very little, that's what. The burger was served on a pretty standard restaurant-style bun, and the tasty fries, cooked with their skins on were crisp.

I've eaten at The Argyle a few times, usually in the summer as I love me an ice cold beer on a patio. I'm not a big fan of Caesar salads, but I'd consider this a pretty good one from the couple bites I sampled. This burger was just what the doctor ordered on Saturday; it was quite filling without being too heavy. If you're partial to Blue cheese, and like a good burger, you might just want to put The Argyle at the top of your list.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

With Bite takes a big, juicy bite out of Manhattan's 'Big Apple'!

I kid you not, that when I say that food is important to me, I mean it. And by the term 'important', I mean essential. Not essential in the way that I eat to live- but that I live to eat. I breathe food, I sleep food, I daydream about food. My desktop background changes on a regular basis in order to make my mouth water when I turn on my computer.

And so, I sit awaiting my flight to North America's food Mecca; New York City. I love Manhattan. I go once a year to visit my sister, hang out and eat really, really good food. Now, I'm fortunate that, when it comes to accommodations, I need not worry- big sis has my back. So essentially, my 'spending money' when I go on these trips is for food, booze and the like.

As I mentioned, food is a serious thing for me, and since there are over 5000 restaurants/cafes/bars ect, in Manhattan, I have to do my research. If there are certain 'Special Nights', a dish that makes my head spin, or a brunch menu with endless options - brunch is, after all, my favorite meal - then I make note, so that I remember my reason for needing to go there. Also, when you're dealing with the landscape/maze of Manhattan, addresses are key, maps are even better and for some spots, reservations must be made weeks/months in advance.

I will now admit that I have a two page, typed NY Meal & Snack itinerary....

Yes, I'm aware that I have a delicate mental state over food, but when you have limited time and you're on a limited budget, you have to do your research. For example;:Allegretti, a NY Times rated 4 star resto, is waiving their corkage fee for the entire month of August. And Ciao Bella Gelato has a location in FAO Schwatz, meaning that I can eat my icy treats while playing the huge piano as seen in BIG!

So there you have it folks, a glimpse into the mind of a serious foodie. But as you can see, when it comes to getting the most bang for your buck, it pays to do your research!

3rd Annual Seaport Beerfest

This past Saturday was a hot sunny day- the ideal day in fact, to spend drinking copious amounts of beer- and so I did, at the 3rd Annual Halifax Seaport Beerfest. This was my first experience at Beerfest, and I was quite pleased to have the excuse to sample over 100 varieties of beer and cider...for research purposes, of course.

I started off the day with a media tour, and was then joined by Haligonia.ca to take it all in on camera. There were over 140 beers and ciders to sample from nearly 65 producers worldwide. Almost every microbrewery in the Maritimes was in attendance, and there were several newcomers such as Halifax's Rockbottom Brewery and Sea Level Brewery from Port Williams. I didn't get all the booths in my own shots, but we visited almost all of the booths on-camera. You can watch all the excitement here!

Now, I must remind you that I merely drink beer, and don't often write about it, so please don't hold my amateur descriptors against me!

At Garrison Brewery, I tried a couple favorites, their IPA and Nut Brown, along with their new Jalapeno brew. This stuff is potent. I took a swig as like any beer and waited...and then, slowly, my mouth heated up! This is a great BBQ beer. I can't help but wonder how a batch of beer battered fish & chips would turn out if this were the libation of choice??

Rudders Brewpub offered their "famous" Fishcakes and Chow. These fresh haddock fishcakes are a best seller on Rudder's menu. I washed one of these baby's down with some Rudders' Red.

Though well known for their delectable wines, representatives from Grand Pre Winery were in attendance with their Stutz Cider. I love this stuff; so crisp and clean and the perfect alternative to beer on a hot sunny day. Would also love to try this w/ a BBQ'd pork chop and coleslaw!

Sweet treats at the The Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop

Chocolate covered potato chips- yup, they're as good as you think!


Tideview Cider presented their Premium Draught Cider. A limited edition, this vintage is crafted from 100% Golden Russet apples . This was a nice discovery as a bottle retails at $11-$13, and has a definite celebratory appeal.

At the Granite Brewery, I tried both of their products; the Green Man Organic Ale and their Peculiar Strong Ale. I loved both of these, but the Green Man had a rather distinctive flavor.

I realised, as I approached Sea Level Brewery, I got a little nostalgic; I realized I wrote my very first blog post for With Bite last summer on The Port Gastropub. I knew those beers tasted familiar. I sampled them all anyway; the Blue Heron Extra Special Bitter, the Planter's Pale ale, and the Port in the Storm Porter, my favorite with hints of coffee and chocolate.

The Port Pub from Port Williams had some tasty pulled pork sammys!


Bud Light Lime. Ah-the controversy! I seem to be in attendance whenever the matter of a pre-limed beer is at play. Some people love the ease and convenience, while others prefer the authenticity to slicing up a lime. Well, here's what I have to say: If you're at a party, and you want to have lime in your beer, and you don't want to seek out the host and go rummaging around in their cabinets for a cutting board and a knife, this is the beer for you! Myself? We'll, I'd buy the beer and the lime...separately.

The seafood sausage from Scanway Catering was a great alternative from a pork or beef option, and would have paired nicely with a variety of light beers offered at the event. The sausage married a mixture of haddock, scallops, salmon and coldwater shrimp, and was served with beet sauerkraut. They also served delicate, yet decadent blueberry tarts with a thick, creamy custard and gigantic blueberries. Might have gotten a little carried away with the tart photos, but they were just so amazing!



Atlantic Spirits & Wines brought in some great stuff from Alberta's Big Rock Brewery and Toronto's Mill St. Brewery. I tried Big Rock's Grasshopper, a pale ale with a bite of citrus. The rep urged me to try it with a slice of lemon and it was pretty tasty! From Mill St., I tried their Coffee Porter- and realised I'm a sucker for a good porter!

I was really impressed with Moncton's Pumphouse Brewery. I was immediately attracted to their Blueberry Beer. I'll be honest, I thought it would be gross, but I really quite liked it! A light, berry flavor was a nice change and subtle enough that I could have a few of these without getting sick of them. I also tried their SOB- couldn't resist! This stuff would be great with some good spicy food. By the time I got to Sleeman's Brewery, I was in need of a familiar beer. If I'm looking for a Cream Ale, I really like Sleeman's version. Their Honey Brown is pretty tasty as well!


Ah, McAuslan! This brewery is near and dear to my heart. I've always loved to treat myself to their unique Apricot Wheat Ale, yet I thrilled to discover their Mystique Cider this weekend. This bevy embodies the characteristic of refreshing. I also sampled their St-Ambrose Oatmeal Stout. This intense beer gave me some serious cravings, and I'd love to pair it with something rich and sweet like an espresso brownie or a good quality Brie.

Again, another lime in beer offering in the form of Moosehead's Light Lime. I stated my opinion on the matter above, but this would be my choice over the Bud Light Lime. Moosehead's version has a subtler lime flavor, and I could see myself being able to drink a few of these, while with Bud's offering I would settle for just the one.

As I mentioned, I didn't manage to get photos of everything, and some of those omissions are certainly worth mentioning:

Propeller Brewery, hands down, makes my favorite IPA in the city! After realizing my love of porter on Saturday, Propeller's London Style Porter was delish as well.

Premier Wine & Spirits had several offerings from Dieu du Ciel: their Aphrodisiaque, a blend of coffee, chocolate & vanilla and their Route des Épices, a lovely, spicy beer brewed with black peppercorns!

Not gonna lie, I may have gone back for a couple samples of Diaego Canada Inc.'s Strongbow and Newcastle Brown!

This was such a great time. People were laughing and singing and standing up straight, surprisingly enough. Seaport Beerfest was a great opportunity to explore not only new beers from around the world, but new ones down the street!