COURTESY OF TOURISM RICHMOND
D1 July 8–14, 2016
Vegetables From
A to Z on D8
www.EpochTaste.com
The Panda Market in Richmond, Canada—about 25 minutes outside Vancouver—was the first night market established in the city and now features about 60 food vendors. ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
Dim sum at Fisherman’s Terrace is the perfect way to start your morning.
ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
A mango flower sprinkled with chili and lime juice at the Richmond Night Market, a market featuring more than 100 food vendors, running through Oct. 10.
Night Markets & Dim Sum Feasts
T R AV E LS
How I found culinary bliss in Richmond, British Columbia By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
ICHMOND, Canada—The plate of roasted meat glistened under the dim lights of the tiny restaurant. Its wafting fragrance immediately took me back to when my mother and I sat at the dinner table in our apartment in New York’s Chinatown, breathing in that same sweetly charred aroma of meat marinated in soy sauce, five-spice, and ginger. See Richmond on D2
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ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
Ever heard of Richmond, BC? Neither had we. But now that we’ve been there, we think it deserves a place on your culinary bucket list. Chef James’s meat skewers are seasoned with spices from Xinjiang, China.
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July 8–14, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
(Left) Belly-warming shoyu ramen from Shibuyatei, a small ramen shop in Richmond.
Night Markets & Dim Sum Feasts Richmond continued from D1 Back then, on nights when Mom was too tired to cook, a takeout container filled with Cantonese barbecue satiated us, the meat jus and oil soaking into our bowls of rice, enticing and luscious. In the restaurant, amid the chatter of fellow diners and the thumps of the chef’s meat cleaver against the chopping board, I bit into a piece of roast pork with crackling, called “siu yok” in Cantonese. The skin crunched between my teeth, salty and warm, before the thin layer of fat and succulent meat melted in my mouth. This wasn’t just any Cantonese roast pork. It was the best I’d ever had. The restaurant at which I found such extraordinary pork, HK BBQ Master, is located in Richmond, British Columbia, a city just 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver. Richmond is a wonderland of Asian cuisine, thanks to an immigrant boom that began in the 1970s. Many of the early immigrants were from Hong Kong, who left their homes in anticipation of political and economic change upon the 1997 handover of power from Great
Britain to China. Skilled chefs brought along their culinary talents. Eric Leung, the chef at HK BBQ Master, has been practicing his craft since his teenage days in Hong Kong (from age 14, to be exact). His experience tells him to season the meats lightly so their natural flavors can sing—and to take time roasting them, controlling the fire deftly so that the right crisp and glaze develop. Richmond is no touristy Chinatown; locals say the Chinese food here rivals what they can get in Asia. Over cups of Pu’er tea brewed from the leaves of a 300-year-old tree, the two sisters who run the Yuan Chen tea shop told me they believe it’s because of the fresh, readily available seafood in the Pacific coast waters. Especially for Cantonese cuisine—a culture that celebrates the taste of the sea—Richmond provides the perfect conditions. I got a taste of that while sampling dim sum at Fisherman’s Terrace, an establishment helmed by chefs from Hong Kong. Har gow, or shrimp dumplings, are a good litmus test for a restaurant’s ability to take fresh ingredients and let them speak for themselves: in the typical preparation, the shrimp are lightly seasoned, then
(Right) Snowy Village’s mango “bingsoo” (Korean shaved ice) features fluffy condensed-milkinfused ice and honey-sweet mangoes from Mexico.
This wasn’t just any Cantonese roast pork. It was the best I’d ever had.
COURTESY OF TOURISM RICHMOND
steamed. Here, the shrimp’s sweetness shone through, while the texture was the ideal al dente—not mushy, not rubbery, but with just a little bite. Practically everywhere I went to eat in Richmond was teeming with people. The city’s 214,000 residents have more than 800 eateries to choose from. The dining-out culture common cosmopolitan Asian cities has clearly made its way here. Even on a day of continuous, pouring rain, diners clamored into the food court inside Aberdeen Centre, a massive three-story Asian shopping mall named after a harbor in Hong Kong. Like the food courts in Asia, this one is filled with different vendor stalls offering an array of cuisines, from Japanese pork cutlet to Singaporean laksa to Hong Kong-style desserts. Walking through the mall’s shops felt like a stroll through a microcosm of Asia: there are toy capsule machines, a chain dollar store from Japan, a candy shop filled with all kinds of Asian snacks (dried tangerine peel, hawthorn fruits, tropical fruit gummies), and even a store selling fancy bidets. But Aberdeen is not the only food court in ALBERT NORMANDIN FOR TOURISM RICHMOND
Vendors serve up hot, steaming plates of noodles at the Panda Market. ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
An aerial view of Richmond at sunset.
Poke bowls from Ohana Poke are made with local seafood and sushi rice seasoned with Korean yuzu tea.
ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
Hong Kong-style noodle dishes can be found at the food court in Aberdeen Centre.
Deep-fried seafood skewers from the Sea Monster stall at the Panda Market.
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July 8–14, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
Must-Try Spots Around Richmond Most locations are easily accessible via the TransLink SkyTrain or bus.
Czech-style chimney cake with cinnamon and sugar from the Panda Market.
ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
At the Yuan Chen Tea shop, you can enjoy tea tastings and admire its collection of beautiful Longquan celadon teaware. ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
It may look cute here, but this ferocious, 10-foot-tall panda guards the Panda Market.
Aberdeen Centre 4151 Hazelbridge Way Best snack: Matcha egg waffles at Bubble Waffle Café
Parker Place 4380 No. 3 Rd. Must-haves: fried fish banh mi sandwich at Lai Taste; roast duck at the Parker Place Meat & BBQ butcher shop parkerplace.com Shibuyatei 2971 Sexsmith Rd. Must-have: Larmen with soy sauce broth Snowy Village 8571 Alexandra Rd. Must-have: Mango bingsoo facebook.com/snowyvillagevan
ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES
Taiwanese stinky tofu, pungent and garlicky, as well as my first Czech-style chimney cake, a hollowed-out pastry resembling a chewier cinnamon donut. There was a surprise at every corner: from fun North American twists on Asian dishes (mac-and-cheese stuffed Korean fried chicken wings) to vendors selling socks with Sailormoon and American superhero characters printed on them. I looked up and saw the beautiful North Shore Mountains resting on the horizon, and for a moment, I felt like I had truly escaped to a distant land in the Far East.
Yuan Chen Tea 1218-8338 Capstan Way Must-have: Pu’er tea Book tastings by calling 604-278-1115 yuanchentea.com
Fisherman’s Terrace (inside Aberdeen Centre) 4151 Hazelbridge Way Must-haves: Fresh Shrimp Dumplings (har gow), Pork Dumplings with tobiko (shu mai), Baked BBQ Pork Pastry, Baked Egg Tarts Seats fill up quickly, so reserve in advance by calling 604-303-9739
A classic Taiwanese street food: stinky tofu. It may be smelly, but its garlicky deliciousness will win you over. town. Parker Place is smaller in scale, but its food is no less enticing. At Lai Taste, a ChineseVietnamese food stall, one of the most popular dishes is the fried fish filet bahn mi sandwich, consisting of lightly battered bass covered in a tangy sweet tartare sauce that invites bite after bite—until the sandwich is gone (and I wish I had eaten it more slowly). In this town, though, I don’t have to feel ashamed of my voracious appetite. People here have a serious love for chowing down—best exhibited at Richmond’s outdoor night markets. As grills sizzled and Korean pop music blared on the speakers, eaters young and old lined up to sample street food from different cultures. The most exciting dishes were those not commonly found on the East Coast: I tried my first
HK BBQ Master 4651 No. 3 Rd. (enter in the parking lot under the Real Canadian Superstore) Must-haves: Crispy Roasted Pork and BBQ Pork Over Rice
This trip was arranged by Tourism Richmond. For more information, see tourismrichmond.com
NIGHT MARKETS Panda Market 12631 Vulcan Way Must-haves: Stinky tofu and Taiwanese wheel cake at TW Traditional Snacks; curry fish balls at Top Wok; deep-fried scallop skewers at Sea Monster; chimney cake at Top Doaugh pandamarket.ca Richmond Night Market Open through Oct. 10 8351 River Rd. Must-haves: Lamb skewers at Chef James Xinjiang Man BBQ, Poke bowl at Ohana Poke, Mango flower at Mango Tango, roti with Malaysian curry at Maman La richmondnightmarket.com
Emilia Romagna
IS THE REASON YOU GO TO ITALY CULTURE • FOOD & WINE • CARS • WELLNESS Emilia Romagna is a region in northern Italy, extending from the Apennine mountains to the Po river in the north. Its rich culture has constructed much what Italy is loved for —refined cities, cars, rich gastronomy and wellness. Find out what you missed last time you went to Italy:
VISIT EMILIAROMAGNATURISMO.COM
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July 8–14, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
UNCORKED NEW YORK
TACUBA HELL’S KITCHEN HAPPY HOUR
stuff to eat and drink around nyc
Chef Julian Medina is hosting pastry chef Jason Licker for a onenight-only, East-meets-West pop-up dinner at Tacuba Hell’s Kitchen. The menu will offer a variety of tacos and desserts with Asian and Mexican influences, such as Taco de Pork Belly with cajeta-sancho pepper glaze and daikon-cilantro salad; and White Chocolate-Junmai with white chocolate-sake cream, yuzu-scented fruits, and salted toffee. $15 for tacos, $13 for desserts.
Uncorked Wine Festivals is coming to NYC for the first time. Pair samples from over 50 wineries around the world with food from gourmet trucks and vendors, including Tres Carnes, Brooklyn Oyster Party, and Murray’s Cheese. $60 to $70 per person. Saturday, July 16, 2 p.m.–6 p.m. Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St. uncorkedwinefestivals.com
Wednesday, July 13 Tacuba Hell’s Kitchen 802 Ninth Ave. tacubanyc.com
HARLEM WHISKEY FESTIVAL
COURTESY OF UNCORKED NEW YORK
COURTESY OF TACUBA HELL’S KITCHEN
Sample whiskeys from around the world while celebrating Harlem’s rich whiskey history, dating back to Prohibition. The second annual Harlem Whiskey Festival will feature tastings, after parties, and special events like the Craftsmanship Dinner presented by Johnnie Walker and the Whiskey After Dark Cigar Lounge. $75 to $125 per person.
TEISUI LITE MENU
Tuesday, July 12 & Wednesday, July 13 Harlem Mist 46 W. 116th St. harlemwhiskeyfestival.com
The traditional Japanese yakitori kaiseki restaurant has officially opened its full dining room to the public, and is offering a new four-course tasting menu as a more approachable alternative to its $150 10-course option. Customers can enjoy the seasonal menu, which features free-range Bo Bo chicken, with wine and sake by the glass, or a sake flight. $40 per person.
White Chocolate-Sake Cream Cake with yuzu-scented fruits and salted toffee.
FLINDERS LANE AND BABU JI CHARITY DINNER East Village chefs Chris Rendell of Flinders Lane and Jessi Singh of Babu Ji will team up for a special dinner to benefit the homeless shelter, The Bowery Mission. The six-course menu includes signature dishes from the two Aussie transplants, including Colonel Tso’s Cauliflower; Grilled Kangaroo with lemon myrtle yogurt, pickled red onion, and chickpea falafel; and Gulab Jamun (Indian sweets made with milk). $75 per person. Wednesday, July 13 Flinders Lane 162 Avenue A flinderslane-nyc.com
BASTILLE DAY AT BENOIT
TEISUI, 246 Fifth Ave. teisui.nyc
RUNNING WITH THE BEEF
In celebration of Bastille Day, French bistro Benoit will serve a special bouillabaisse-style clambake for two, with lobster, mussels, littleneck clams, corn, and rouille croutons. Then, for dessert, they’ll be offering an indulgent Peach Verbena cake. On Bastille Day, July 14, the restaurant will host a French-style happy hour with live jazz. French cocktails and wines will be available. Through July 14 Benoit 60 W. 55th St. benoitny.com
Cook Out NYC is holding an outdoor Spanish-style grilling fiesta on the East River waterfront, serving up grass-fed beef, Spanish tapas and specialty dishes, and Spanish craft beer, wine, and cider. An evening event, Puesta del Sol: Mezcal y Barbacoa, will feature tastings of over 20 mezcal brands. $45 to $80. Saturday, July 16, 1 p.m.–9 p.m. Solar One at Stuyvusant Cove 500 E. 23rd St. cookoutnyc.com
COURTESY OF GRACE AMERICAN JERK FESTIVAL
Recipe from Patsy’s Italian Restaurant.
CANNOLI CREAM Makes 6 to 8 servings; about 2 cups cannoli cream We sell a lot of cannoli at Patsy’s. We have a bakery make the shells for us, and I recommend that you buy yours, too. Everyone loves our house-made filling. Somewhere along the line, we discovered that the ricotta cream is an amazing dip for fresh strawberries. Now, we serve it almost every day at our family lunch table when we all get together for a meal between lunch and dinner service about 3 P.M. If you are using this to fill large cannoli, double the recipe for 12 shells. Cannoli Cream • 1 pound whole milk ricotta, preferably fresh • 2/3 cup granulated sugar • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • Zest of 1/2 orange • 1/4 semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped candied citron 1. To make the cannoli cream: Set a wire mesh sieve over a medium bowl and line it with paper towels. Put the ricotta in the bowl and top with a paper towel and a saucer or bowl to fit inside the sieve. Refrigerate and
Our only location 236 W. 56th St. 212-247-3491 www.patsys.com
let the excess whey drain into the bowl. Discard the whey. (Draining the whey is the secret to our cannoli cream. Some cooks use impastata, a thick ricotta cheese made specifically for desserts, but I find it too grainy. This method gives smooth results, even with commercial grocery-store ricotta.) 2. Beat the drained ricotta, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla in a medium bowl with a hand-held electric mixer on high speed until the mixture looks a bit fluffier than when you started, about 1½ minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and citron. 3. Transfer to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Serve chilled. This recipe can be found on page 190 of my new cookbook “Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook.” A big, warm, beautiful Italian cookbook with full color throughout, Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook is a great book for those who know the restaurant and love classic Italian dishes.
✁
COURTESY OF GRACE AMERICAN JERK FESTIVAL
Chefs serve jerk-seasoned dishes at the Jerk Festival.
6TH ANNUAL GRACE AMERICAN JERK FESTIVAL New York’s biggest Caribbean food festival is turning up the heat, showcasing the signature Jamaican cooking style featuring hot and spicy seasoning. Enjoy a jerk cook-off, bites from more than 20 vendors, and plenty of reggae and soca music. $30 per person. Sunday, July 17 Noon–8 p.m. Roy Wilkins Park, Queens jerkfestivalny.com
IMPERO CAFFE BRUNCH
COURTESY OF IMPERO CAFFE
Scott Conant’s Impero Caffè is now serving Sunday brunch. The prix fixe menu features signature items alongside brunch selections, such as Egg & Crispy Porchetta Sandwich, Burrata & Salsa Verde with fava beans and peas, Pasta al Pomodoro with the chef’s signature ragu, and avocado toast, paired with unlimited mimosas, Bellinis, and bloody marys. $50 per person. Sundays, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Impero Caffè At INNSIDE New York 132 W. 27th St. imperorestaurants.com
Bibb Lettuce with radish, turnips, shallot vinaigrette, and crispy risotto.
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July 8–14, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF DAN’S TASTE OF SUMMER
DAN’S GRILLHAMPTON Top Manhattan and East End chefs will face off in Grillhampton, an NYC versus the Hamptons cooking competition hosted by Travel Channel’s Adam Richman. Attendees will enjoy grilled eats, beer, and specialty cocktails, and cast their votes along with the judges to determine the night’s big winner. $135 to $185 per person.
夏のメニュー
SUMMER PLATES AT DONGURI A sampling of our summer menu
Friday, July 22 7 p.m.–10:30 p.m. Fairview Farm at Mecox 19 Horsemill Lane, Bridgehampton, N.Y. danstasteofsummer.com/grillhampton
Sweet Corn Tempura Grilled Black Cod Marinated with White Miso
COURTESY OF DAN’S TASTE OF SUMMER
COURTESY OF DAN’S TASTE OF SUMMER
Traditional Clear Soup Mochidoki Ice Cream Matcha Green Tea, Salted Caramel, Passion Fruit
Good eats and drinks at the annual Dan’s Taste of Summer festival.
BLACK TAP AND MIMI CHENG’S The celebrated burger joint and dumpling shop are joining forces to present the Black Tap Dumpling at Mimi Cheng’s. The monthlong special is a wagyu beef dumpling with blue cheese and arugula, served with a buttermilk-dill dipping sauce. $9.75 for 6, $11.75 for 8.
Through July 31 Mimi Cheng’s 179 Second Ave. mimichengs.com
DAVID HANDSCHUH
CARNEGIE DELI’S BROADWAY SANDWICH
Donguri Located on the Upper East Side, the 22-seat intimate Japanese restaurant Donguri offers an extensive menu with items from land and sea. Chef Yamasaki's Omakase (tasting menu) is a must-try.
Carnegie Deli has introduced a limited edition If I Were a ‘Wich Man sandwich, in collaboration with the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” The sandwich, a combination of brisket, corned beef, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, coleslaw, and mayo on rye, is available for $29.99.
Chef Yamasaki
RESERVATIONS (212) 737-5656 309 E.83rd Street, New York, NY. (Btw 1st and 2nd Ave)
Chef’s Tasting Kaiseki Menu Always Available, $150
Through July 31 Carnegie Deli 854 Seventh Ave. carnegiedeli.com
The If I Were a ‘Wich Man sandwich.
COURTESY OF NATSUMI TAPAS
NATSUMI TAPAS HAPPY HOUR Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant Natsumi has launched a brand new happy hour menu. Small plates include Crispy Blue Crab Dumplings, Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll, and Blue Point Oysters, while drinks include Kirin Ichiban beers, international wines, and handcrafted cocktails. $4 to $6 for small plates, beer, and wine.
Spicy Scallion Marinara Meatballs.
4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Natsumi Tapas 323 Third Ave. natsumitapas.com
SET SAIL TO SAGAPONACK
ZACH LEWIS
CHEF DANIEL BOULUD WITH MORGENSTERN’S ICE CREAM
The shrimp are plump and juicy, the clams have that justbeen-picked out of the ocean brininess, and the scallops boast a lovely sweetness. Many dishes at Sagaponack are perfect vehicles to showcase quality Long Island seafood.
For the month of July, Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream will serve limited edition flavors created in collaboration with chef Daniel Boulud. Each week features a different flavor: DB4C, a bittersweet caramel, coffee, and cardamom ice cream with cocoa nibs; Crac en Bouche, a praline-infused ice cream with toasted bits of almond nougatine, served in a choux à la crème; Bora Bora, a tropicalcitrus sorbet topped with meringues that have been flavored with a mix of orchidea root, Szechuan peppercorn, and lime; and Cannelé d’Or, a buttered rum ice cream infused with cannelé batter, cannelé crust, and gold leaf. Through July 31 Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream 2 Rivington St. DBGB 299 Bowery morgensternsnyc.com
4 W. 22nd St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-229-2226
sagaponacknyc.com
The DB4C ice cream flavor: bittersweet caramel, coffee, and cardamom ice cream with cocoa nibs.
Compiled by Crystal Shi & Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
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July 8–14, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARKET IPANEMA
A Perfect Fusion of East & West
Our take on Southeast Asian inspired dishes, bursting with flavor. A perfect place to bring a date and try one of our boozy bubble teas!
MARKET IPANEMA Brings a Taste of Rio to Nolita
Shangri La 208 7th Ave.
(btw. 7th & 8th avenues)
(212) 807-9872 • shangrilanyc.wix.com/the-lounge
SO FRESH!
Authentic & Delicious Tacos Huaraches Chile Relleno Chilaquile Rojos Made to order
Come enjoy cuisine from the most savory region in Mexico...Puebla! 60 E. Third St. (between First & Second avenues) 646-692-9268 • eldiablitotaqueria.com
TACOS All day, every day
A huge selection of Tacos, made the traditional way with authentic fillings and flavors such as: CARNITAS BISTEC OREJA LENGUA AND MORE! Did we mention they start at $3?
We also serve torta sandwiches!
Taqueria Tehuitzingo
695 10th Ave (@ 48th St.) • 578 W. 9th. Ave (Btw 41st & 42nd St)
646-707-3916 • TaqueriaTehutzingo.com Hours Daily 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria
A natural red: Beet juice-hydrated Tapioca Crepe with avocado, tomato, and cashew cream filling.
By Crystal Shi | Epoch Times Staff
N
EW YORK—The streets of Nolita are awash in hip cafes and trendy eateries, keeping up to speed with the everchanging dining scene. But sometimes, simple is best. At Market Ipanema, one of the latest additions to the neighborhood, owner Beatriz Lobato Grabowsky and executive chef Caroline Borges de Figueiredo are serving up just that. “Nothing fancy, but homey food,” Lobato Grabowsky said. “I wanted to do something that would be like an everyday meal for people. Good ingredients, healthy, simple, and when you put them together, they taste good.” Market Ipanema centers on a “do good” philosophy—for the body, the environment, and the community. The Nolita restaurant actually had its beginnings in Brazil, where Lobato Grabowsky grew up. She worked in finance but was always drawn to the culinary world. “My dream was always to open up something with food,” she said. Despite having no formal culinary background, she decided to take the leap and open her own restaurant in Ipanema, in southern Rio de Janeiro. The restaurant ended up experiencing enormous success, winning Best Light Food Restaurant and Best Quick Service Restaurant awards from Rio’s prestigious O Globo newspaper and Veja Rio magazine, respectively. It was closed, however, to make way for a commercial building. Lobato Grabowsky opened a smaller graband-go cafe in Rio before moving to New York with her family. She studied at The International Culinary Center for a year. When her family decided to stay for the long run, she decided to bring Ipanema to New York City. Market Ipanema, a fast-casual place with both a sit-down menu and grab-and-go options, upholds the same philosophy as its Rio predecessors. Everything on the menu is made in-house— from the bread to the ricotta that tops it—using natural, unprocessed, and organic ingredients. These ingredients are featured in the restaurant’s variety of healthy offerings, from smoothies and tartines to fresh salads and hearty grain bowls. The Beetroot Tartare ($9) is one of the owner’s personal favorites. A layer of finely chopped beets sits atop a housemade sunflower cream base, and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds completes the virtuous dish. The result is an intriguing combination of wholesome flavors and fun textures: earthy sweetness from the beets, nutty richness from the cream, and a light crunch from the seeds. Much of the menu also reflects the restaurant’s Brazilian roots.
Acai Bowl, served topped with fresh fruits and homemade granola.
Market Ipanema
66 Kenmare St. (between Mulberry & Mott streets) 646-329-6144 marketipanema.com Hours Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Fresh Green Juice with kale, apple, cucumber, celery, and ginger.
Beans, a major component of a typical Brazilian diet, feature in several dishes. They star, for example, in the bright and citrusy Buckwheat and Brown Rice salad ($9), with fava beans, tomatillo, and lime and parsley dressing, and the clean and refreshing Chickpea & Organic Chicken salad ($12), with caramelized onion, arugula pesto, and chives. Market Ipanema’s version of the popular acai bowl ($9.50), long celebrated and enjoyed in Brazil for its energizing and delicious qualities, is made with the addition of cassava and guarana, an Amazonian berry always mixed with acai in Brazil, according to Lobato Grabowsky. For a taste of true Brazilian street food, Lobato Grabowsky offers a selection of signature tapioca crepes, made from cassava, with both sweet and savory fillings ($5–7). The crepes are delightfully light and crisp, with just a touch of sweetness, and beautifully complement their warm fillings, from pleasantly chunky cashew cream with avocado to sweet and tropical banana jam with toasted coconut. The tapioca flour is naturally hydrated with beet and spinach juices, giving the crepes an eye-catching pop of color. Finally, to round out the meal, there’s the rich and fudgy gluten-free Chocolate Brownie ($3.80), a date-sweetened miracle simply bursting with chocolate flavor. Or try the smooth and dreamy Banana & Cacao Cream ($4), a three-ingredient wonder that beautifully showcases the pure flavors of each component—an almost unbelievably simple concoction. This simplicity is exactly the restaurant’s strength. In the city’s hectic and often extravagant food scene, Market Ipanema offers a welcome reprieve—an oasis of healthy, happy, homemade eats.
Rich Paella Valenciana
Environmentally Minded
Fresh Lobster Bisque
The restaurant exclusively uses compostable serving dishes, which fully disintegrate in a matter of months. Lobato Grabowsky went to great lengths to find a waste management company that would take compostables and actually dispose of them appropriately. She was surprised to find how many were unwilling or untruthful. Her extensive research, which eventually led her to Bronx-based Avid Waste Systems, testifies to her genuine dedication and care.
Juicy Lamb Chops
Organic Quinoa Bowl, full of seasonal roast vegetables and herbs, and finished with a poached egg.
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
Owner Beatriz Lobato Grabowsky.
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July 8–14, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE VIA AP
Iconic Nashville Soda Shop Hosts New USPS Stamps Launch By Travis Loller
The shop is Nashville’s oldest restaurant that has continuously operated in its original location. AP PHOTO/TRAVIS LOLLER
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The future seemed grim five years ago for a Nashville soda shop that has been serving up ice cream since the Great Depression. Faced with a rent increase, the Elliston Place Soda Shop hung a sign on the door: It would be closing for good. In a city with a poor track record of protecting landmarks, it seemed as if another piece of Nashville history was about to disappear. Two days later, the lunchtime line was out the door and down the block. Longtime waitress Linda Melton—Miss Linda to her many customers—said one alum from nearby Vanderbilt University flew in from New York, just for one last shake. The immediate public show of support led to a new lease, a new owner, and new popularity for the old-fashioned shop, which still has its classic tiled walls and floors, neon “food” and “soda” signs and red vinyl stools lining a Formica-topped counter. June 30 marked a high point in the landmark’s comeback. Elliston Place was chosen as the launch site for the United States Postal Service’s new Soda Fountain Favorites stamps, in part because it still offers all five desserts they depict: double-scoop ice cream cone, egg cream, banana split, root beer float, and hot fudge sundae. Stamp collectors attending the first-day-ofissue ceremony could get a special cancellation designed to look like the soda shop’s neon sign, complete with a sundae with a cherry on top. Owner Skip Bibb said the shop is Nashville’s oldest restaurant that has continuously operated in its original location. It started out as part of a drugstore—the tiled walk in front of the door still reads “Elliston Pharmacy”—but in 1939, it became its own business. Before Bibb bought the shop, the same person had owned it for decades, and suffered a long illness that left him unable to do much with it.
Longtime customers still dropped by, but the shop “lost its energy,” Bibb said. “There was no ownership guidance.” “My challenge when I got here was, I didn’t want to run a museum, but I did feel a sense of stewardship, because so many people have so many fond memories of this place.” “We brought the food back to the level where it once was, back to using really good quality ingredients and making it from scratch,” Bibb added. “We cut out our own onion rings. We pat out our own burgers. We buy our buns from
Openings around NYC
Great Northern Food Hall SIGNE BIRCK
The Nordic-inspired Great Northern Food Hall has opened in Grand Central Terminal’s historic Vanderbilt Hall. “The idea behind Great Northern Food Hall has been to come up with a program that reflects where we are as well as where we come from,” said Claus Meyer, who envisioned the eatery. The hall’s five food pavilions and bar are serving up typical Nordic eats, from coffee and pastries to porridge and smorrebrod (Danish open-faced sandwiches), all made in-house with local, seasonal ingredients. It offers both full-service and on-the-go options, along with a weekday happy hour. The 5,000-square-foot space features 48-foot-high ceilings and Nordic design elements. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
89 E. 42nd St. (at Park Avenue) greatnorthernfood.com
Smorrebrod, Danish open-faced sandwiches.
Momokawa SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Owner Mie Okuda has opened a second location of Momokawa on the Upper East Side. The restaurant is larger than the original 28th Street location, and serves a traditional sushi kaiseki. The sushi bar is led by chef Yutaka Murai, who has over 20 years of experience. The traditional Japanese restaurant’s menu uses GMO-free ingredients and offers dishes also available at the original Momokawa, including the popular shabu-shabu and sukiyaki. Open for lunch and dinner.
1466 First Ave. (between East 76th & East 77th streets) 347-378-8645 momokawanyc.com
Napa cabbage and chicken soup.
Compiled by Crystal Shi/Epoch Times Staff
A lunch crowd fills Nashville’s iconic Elliston Place Soda Shop on June 30, ahead of a launch ceremony for the new postage stamp series called Soda Fountain Favorites. Elliston Place was chosen as the launch site in part because it still offers all five old-fashioned desserts depicted on the stamps.
a local bakery.” The shop also joined the world of social media in earnest. Its Facebook page has more than 22,000 “likes,” and the customer experience makes it perfect for Instagram and Pinterest, Bibb said. In an age where people love to post photos of their food, who could resist snapping a picture of Miss Linda’s coconut cream pie, topped with five inches of perfectly sculpted and browned merengue? From The Associated Press
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VEGETABLES
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From
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By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
C
ara Mangini’s Italian grandfather and great-grandfather were butchers, carving tenderloins and butterflying chicken for a living. Mangini is a butcher too, but her trade is in vegetables. She carves up curvy butternut squash and cuts up kale into a chiffonade. She’s also a chef. In her hands, kohlrabi turns into carpaccio, and eggplant into steak. Mangini, whose last name means little eater in Italian, is the executive chef and owner of Little Eater, a produce-inspired restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. She was also one of the first “vegetable butchers” at Eataly in New York. That position has found its way into the title of her new book, “The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully MATTHEW BENSON
Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini” (Workman Publishing, 2016, $29.95). It’s a great reference for those who aspire to cook vegetables, as it covers diverse vegetables (including obscure ones like cardoons), various cooking techniques, and simple recipes. Take summer squash, for example. Mangini breaks the category down into different varieties, describes how to best select and store them, and lists some ingredients that go well with them. A section called Butchery Essentials shows how to cut a cylindrical squash into ribbons—both wide and thin—and how to prep squash blossoms. Mangini lists her favorite cooking methods for zucchini, each just about a paragraph or two long. They are all simple but very different: brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper and then grilled; served raw as ribbons with Parmesan, almonds, and herbs; or sautéed with cumin, basil, mint, and ricotta. A few longer recipes follow, including a refreshing, summery dish of zucchini, sweet corn, and basil penne with pine nuts and mozzarella. Whether you face the dilemma of what to do with vast quantities of zucchini, or how on earth to even cut up, let alone eat, kohlrabi, “The Vegetable Butcher” is a useful companion. Recipes from “The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini” by Cara Mangini (Workman Publishing, 2016, $29.95).
Author Cara Mangini.
When summer tomatoes become abundant, turn to this recipe for panzanella.
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RECIPE HEIRLOOM TOMATO PANZANELLA Serves: 4–6 There’s a point in the summer when heirloom tomatoes are full of sunshine and bursting off the vine. A farmer friend once described it best: “They don’t require much from us right now. Just slice and plate.” I use his “recipe” to inspire all different versions of tomato salad from the first Brandywine to the last Green Zebra. I dress the heirlooms with a drizzle of my very best olive oil, flaked sea salt, and torn basil. Sometimes they get a splash of balsamic or red wine vinegar— or maybe a spoonful of pesto. Many days the simple salads feature torn mozzarella or freshly shaved parmesan and almost always, toasted day-old bread. Often I throw in sliced cucumbers and shaved red onions, too. The amount of salt always varies. You have to taste and adjust, taste and adjust (never a problem). I’m sharing my favorite version, but I encourage you to experiment and find your own combinations. As long as you use premium local tomatoes, you can’t go wrong.
• 1/2 small red onion, halved through the root end and sliced into paperthin half-moons on a mandoline • 1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded (if needed), and thinly sliced on a mandoline • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 2 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes (preferably a mix of varieties and colors) • 1/2 cup mixed cherry tomatoes • Fine sea salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 1/4 cup of your best extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra
for finishing • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves, plus extra for finishing • About 2 cups Hand-Torn Toasted Bread (recipe follows) • 1 cup freshly torn fresh mozzarella (about 4 ounces) or 1 cup shaved parmesan cheese (3 to 4 ounces) • Flaked sea salt, for serving
DIRECTIONS Place the onion and cucumber slices in 2 separate piles at the bottom of a large bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon of the vinegar over the onion and let sit while you assemble the rest of the salad. Slice the heirloom tomatoes into large, bite-size pieces, cutting around the core. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half or leave tiny ones whole. Combine the tomatoes with the onion and cucumber, toss together, and season well with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the tomato mixture with the remaining tablespoon of vinegar and then drizzle evenly with the oil. Add the parsley, basil, toasted bread, and cheese and toss gently to combine. Top with a generous pinch of flaked sea salt and more chopped parsley and basil. Serve immediately or let stand briefly so the bread can soak up the juices. Note: Do not salt and dress the tomatoes until just before you serve them or they will become watery. If you must, you can slice them up to an hour beforehand. Wrap a baking sheet with plastic wrap and spread them out in a single layer to sit, propped up, on top of the plastic wrap. Variation: Omit the parsley and reduce the red wine vinegar to 1 tablespoon. Drizzle Balsamic Reduction (page 147) over the salad after you add the cheese.
RECIPE HAND-TORN TOASTED BREAD Makes: 2 1/2 cups Laut is Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai food, located at 15 E. 17th St.
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• 4 slices (3/4- to 1-inch thick) Italian or ciabatta bread (day-old bread is fine) • About 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • Fine sea salt
DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 400 F. Meanwhile, using a serrated knife, cut
away the crust of the bread. Tear the bread into bite-size pieces and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and season with salt to taste (the bread should not become overly soggy with oil, but you should be able to taste the olive oil and salt). Toss the bread to coat evenly, then spread it in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd it. Toast until the croutons just turn golden and crispy on the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Store in a zip-top bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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RECIPE ZUCCHINI, SWEET CORN, AND BASIL PENNE WITH PINE NUTS AND MOZZARELLA Serves: 4–6 Zucchini, corn, and basil are quite a trio—one that I turn to over and over again. Here, they come together in a bright summer pasta showered with lemon juice and studded with pine nuts and mozzarella. I am sure you will want to enjoy it all season long. Salting the pasta water is imperative here. It is responsible for much of the flavor in the simple sauce.
GMO FREE
Small Course (service for two or more) • Appetizer • 2 kinds of Sashimi • Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu (Sauté meals cooked at the table)
occasionally, until the zucchini softens, 6 to 8 minutes. (You will need to add up to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, as the zucchini cooks and becomes dry and sticks to the pan.)
DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously (add 1 tablespoon of salt for every 4 quarts). Cook the penne according to package instructions until just shy of al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving at least 2 cups pasta water for the sauce. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown lightly, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, turn the heat up to high, and cook, stirring
$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE: DA ILY LUNCH SPECI A L S (12 P.M.-4 P.M.)
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
Turn off the heat and add half of the basil, the pine nuts, and the mozzarella. Add the lemon juice to taste and stir well to incorporate it. Scoop the penne into individual shallow bowls, making sure to evenly distribute the zucchini and corn. Top with the remaining basil, a fresh shaving of parmesan, and a drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges if you wish.
From The Associated Press
RECIPE NATURAL DATE-AND-ALMOND ENERGY BALLS Total Time: 20 minutes Makes: Around 20 10 ounces of dates, pitted 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut 2 ounces chopped almonds
DIRECTIONS Put pitted dates into a food processor along with the coconut oil, cinnamon, and desiccated coconut. Pulse a minute or two to finely chop. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl; add the chopped almonds and knead into dough. If it’s a bit sticky, rub a teaspoon of coconut oil onto your hands. Once kneaded, pinch off a piece the size of a marshmallow and roll into a ball between your palms and then roll around in the ground almonds to coat.
VIA
AP
When berry season arrives and they become much more affordable, my family and I turn into berry gluttons. We love them year round, but it’s such an indulgence to shovel in handfuls of what may be one of the most luxurious and perfect fruits of the summer. Straining the puréed berries may seem like an extra step, but the reward is one of the simplest and most plush desserts you can imagine. And if you have an electric mixer, whipping the cream into peaks happens in short order, so this is a quick dessert to make. You also could use one type of berry instead of two, if that’s what you have. Don’t overbeat the whipped cream or it will turn into butter; stop just when you reach the stage where the peaks of the cream stand up when you pull away the whisk from the bowl and barely curl over at the tips. And don’t overfold the whipped cream and puréed berries; blending them just until they swirl together but remain a bit separate results in gorgeous streaks that make this a real “oooh” and “aahh”-er of a dessert. AN
In the weeks leading up to the Olympics, I always look forward to reading stories about what Olympians eat. What many of the athletes have in common is a favorite healthy snack that gives them an intense burst of energy. I don’t see why things should be different for those of us who watch the games from our couches. Whether you’re working out or just running around with your children, everyone needs a healthy energy pick-me-up, and too often, we resort to processed foods or chocolate. These date-and-nut balls are a good natural alternative and my go-to for energy. They’re a twist on an ancient Indian sweet recipe called khajur pak, often found piled high in pyramids in Delhi sweetshops. They’re superquick to make with no actual cooking involved— and they’re easy to transport. Although they’re great for energy, they’re very pretty, too, so I’ve often given them as gifts or passed them around with coffee after dinner. Overall, with so many plus points to their name, they’re an all-around champion of a snack. I love to keep them in the refrigerator where they firm up and taste a bit like toffee.
By Katie Workman
From The Associated Press
KM
AP
A VIA DH SO
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By Meera Sodha
• • • • •
Adjust the heat to medium and add the corn, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the red pepper flakes, and the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes more. Add the penne and 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and stir well to incorporate. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is well coated and the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Dessert
A Summer Berry Fool for Berry Gluttons
M
Date-andAlmond Balls, a Healthy Snack With Burst of Energy
When you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each ingredient and every detail ensures the most authentic experience.
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu
WO R
• • • • • •
Authentic Japanese
Fine sea salt 3/4 pound good-quality dried penne 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small red or yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 large garlic cloves, minced 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch by 3-inch sticks Kernels from 2 ears fresh corn 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, torn into bite-size pieces 2–3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice Freshly shaved parmesan cheese, for garnish Your best extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
KA TI E
• • • • • • • • • •
RECIPE
Redefining Traditional Spanish Cuisine • Fine dining experience inspired by the distinctive culinary-rich regions of Spain. • Top-quality ingredients expanding on the rich, healthy profiles of the Mediterranean diet. • Seasonal menu reflecting the bounty of fresh, local ingredients. • Exciting selection of Spanish wines, cavas, and cocktails.
246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com • (212) 370-1866
Pure Peruvian Cuisine Ceviche, Our signature dish
SUMMER BERRY FOOL Total Time: 1 1/2 hours Serves: 6 • • • • • • •
2 cups fresh blackberries 2 cups fresh raspberries 2 cups heavy or whipping cream 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon Chambord, or other berry liqueur 1 cup any kind of fresh berries for garnish
DIRECTIONS Purée the berries in a food processor. Strain them through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to press the mixture against the mesh. Press through as much of the mixture as possible. Scrape all of the berry purée from the bottom of the strainer, and discard the seeds. Pour the cream in a bowl, add the sugar, orange juice, and Chambord, and use an electric mixer or a whisk to beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the berry purée into the mixture until it is mostly incorporated but still streaky, which is very pretty.
These balls can be kept in an airtight container for a month.
Spoon into six glass or custard cups, and chill for 1 hour, or up to 4. Serve cold, garnished with the remaining cup of berries.
Recipe by Meera Sodha
Recipe by Katie Workman
Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4pm- 7pm Free Peruvian chicken wings after 2nd drink
Live Entertainment 7pm-10pm, every Friday
718-224-8505 • 39-32 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY 11361 www.piurarestaurant.com
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A Speakeasy for Tasting Tea? Only in Miami PATRICK FARRELL/THE MIAMI HERALD VIA AP
By Carlos Frías
M
IAMI—Not until you open the door are you sure you’re in the right place. Your footsteps echo down a narrow, beige hallway blanched in fluorescent light, in a squat, nondescript medical building at the edge of Little Havana, where the only businesses listed are a medical testing lab, an ophthalmologist, and JoJo Tea. But open the last door to the right and it’s like stepping through the back of the armoire into Narnia. A faint scent of herbal calm permeates a room where seven perfectly aligned white bowls are spotlighted under warm lights on a long bamboo table, pops of colorful tea leaves artfully piled into each. Moody, hiphop instrumental music softly bathes a room where Chinese art hangs on walls textured to look like an urban gallery in Wynwood. Behind the counter, Mike Ortiz is waiting to serve you tea. You’re not lost. Call this Miami’s first tea speakeasy. “I didn’t want this to be a place you stumble into. I wanted it to be a more intentional space,” said Ortiz, JoJo Tea’s co-founder. “I wanted it to be about having tea. Not to order a sandwich, not to check your email. There are a thousand other places you can do that.” Four years ago, former Belen Jesuit Preparatory School buddies Ortiz and Tico Aran, both 30, founded JoJo Tea and quietly became a favorite among some of Miami’s top chefs who both sell and cook with their loose-leaf teas at their restaurants. They work with farmers around the world— visiting them personally or Skyping between Miami and places such as India, Nepal, and Taiwan—to bring South Florida some 60 different kinds of the world’s finest whole-leaf tea. But Ortiz and Aran want to do more than sell tea. They want to infuse Miami with tea culture. A month ago, they opened this unexpected tea tasting room on the third floor of their offices at a medical building owned by Aran’s father (the aforementioned ophthalmologist) in what used to be the waiting room of a doctor’s office. They take reservations only online through Resy and charge $20 a person for an
hour to 90-minute tasting, after which you can buy tea. Ortiz knows about speakeasy culture firsthand. A fine-arts major at New York University, Ortiz studied acting alongside the likes of Haley Joel Osment and Mara Wilson during the day. At night, he found underground bars and clubs in unexpected places. Teaching yoga and studying meditation at the former Zen Village Buddhist temple in Coconut Grove, he started drinking and learning about tea—and was frustrated when he couldn’t find quality tea at local stores. He started looking to buy directly from Asia. Shortly thereafter, he reconnected with Aran, who studied health and international development at Tulane and had been working on green projects in South America when he returned to Miami intending it to be a pit stop before starting a new, environmentally focused job in New Orleans. But when the two began talking about an opportunity to sell tea—and Aran saw the work they could do with small farmers around the world, teaching them to cultivate tea in an environmentally sustainable way— he saw an opportunity to expand his calling while fulfilling Ortiz’s vision. Aran never did take that other job. “I saw the possibilities and the passion that Mike had,” Aran said. “I wanted to see if we could turn this into a real business.” In four years, they have. They sell to more than 130 different businesses in the Southeast, but their biggest fans are chefs. Chef Nicole Votano of the South Beach restaurant Dirt, which focuses on healthy dishes using organic and sustainable ingredients, created a four-course menu last month with their teas. Votano has been a frequent visitor to the new tea tasting room. “You’re transported to another place,” said Votano, who was raised in London with tea time. Think of this tasting speakeasy as the secret altar to their passion. Ortiz begins by discussing each of the seven teas he has laid out on a large-scale version of a tea table you might find in a home in China. Their recent new hire from China, Nan Yan, their former intern who grew up drinking tea
Tico Aran and Mike Ortiz (R) discuss tea with guests at their business, JoJo Tea, in Miami on June 8. Aran and Ortiz are high school buddies who started a tea company that is now a favorite among Miami chefs.
Aran and Ortiz want to do more than sell tea. They want to infuse Miami with tea culture.
in her home in Yunnan, China, delves into the background of each tea as tasters savor their favorite. They lead you through a spectrum of teas, from so-called white teas at one end to fermented, aged teas at the other. Flavors range from mild and floral to earthy and pungent. And behind each tea is the story of the farm where it is harvested by hand, bud by bud. “Good tea comes from good land and good people. It echoes,” Aran said. “We’re looking to share this cultural experience and why it’s been such a phenomenon for over a thousand years.” Ortiz then chooses a tea based on your favorite and, for the next 45 minutes or so, visitors simply talk and relax and Ortiz often asks not how the tea tastes but how it makes you feel. “When you see the tea, smell the tea, and taste the tea, you understand,” he said. A peace settles over you. And when you step back out into the Spartan hallway and close the door behind you, you wonder whether any of that happened at all. From The Associated Press
AP PHOTO/ROBERT F. BUKATY, FILE
Live lobster prices are high in New England and beyond as fishermen eagerly await the summer arrival of the region’s beloved crustaceans, which could come slightly early and send prices down.
Summer Price Drop for Live Lobsters May Come Early This Year By Patrick Whittle
We, at Hatsuhana, realize that it is rare to find a “no gimmicks, no frills” approach to sushi. Sushi is a conceptually simple cuisine. Ironically, its simplicity also makes it complicated. Hatsuhana salutes the centuries-old methods used by prominent sushi restaurants and chefs in Japan. P H O T O S : E DWA R D D A I
Obsessive Attention to Detail T
he single inspiration that lead to the establishment of Hatsuhana was nothing more than the desire to introduce unsurpassed sushi and sashimi to New Yorkers. Since the first day we opened our doors in 1976, we have been a sushi specialty restaurant. This has helped us maintain our focus exclusively on sushi cuisine.
212.355.3345 www.hatsuhana.com 17 East 48th St, New York (btwn. Madison & Fifth Ave.)
Nearly four decades later, our mission remains unchanged. Obsessive attention to detail should be the norm for sushi restaurants, not something to strive for. The complexity associated with creating the ideal sushi rice. The fragrance of freshly ground wasabi. The freshest fish from around the globe. Please come by for lunch or dinner and let us show you what real sushi is like!
PORTLAND, Maine—Live lobster prices are high in New England and beyond as fishermen eagerly await the summer arrival of the region’s beloved crustaceans, which could come slightly early and send prices down. Lobstermen in Maine and Massachusetts, who supply the U.S. with most of its domestic lobsters, are coming off several years of high catches for lobsters, a signature food item for the region. Prices for lobsters also have been somewhat high for most of the last two years, with the consumer price currently in the range of $8 to $12 per pound at most retail outlets in Maine, the country’s biggest lobster producer. That’s a couple dollars more than a year ago. Prices vary around the country, but the arrival of New England’s lobsters will likely lower prices nationwide. Prices tend to fall every year in the summer when many lobsters reach legal trapping size and catches increase. Scientists have warned the bigger catches can come early this year—a circumstance that can disrupt the lobster supply chain and depress prices. So far, that hasn’t happened. Right now, lobsters are trickling in, said David Cousens, a South Thomaston lobsterman and the president of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “As long as they keep coming slow, there’s going to be a big demand for them,” he said. The busiest portion of Maine’s summer lobster fishing season typically begins around early
July, coinciding with the tourist season. Scientists with the Portland-based Gulf of Maine Research Institute have predicted this year’s lobster season will start two or three weeks early because of warm ocean temperatures. Andy Pershing, a scientist with the institute, said temperatures in the central Gulf of Maine are running about one degree Fahrenheit higher than the 14-year average. He said the bump in lobster catches could happen any day now. A very early lobster season happened in 2012, and prices fell to their lowest point in almost 20 years. Steve Kingston, who runs a restaurant and lobster pound in Kennebunk, said that hasn’t been the case this year. Kingston, who buys lobsters direct from fishermen, said some have been held back from fishing by high winds and a surprisingly cold spring. “There certainly isn’t enough of them to start moving price down,” Kingston said. Lobstermen have experienced unprecedented production in recent years. The nation’s lobster catch was worth more than a half-billion dollars last year, by far the most in history. Lobster dealers are approaching this season as they would any other, said Annie Tselikis, executive director of the Maine Lobster Dealers’ Association. “If weather or volume or any other variable changes based on your best estimate of what may happen, you adjust your plans and act accordingly,” she said. From The Associated Press
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Historical re-enactors demonstrate firing a cannon at Fort Ticonderoga in Ticonderoga, N.Y. on June 17.
Upstate NY Fort With Long History Offers New Ways to View It By Chris Carola
T
ICONDEROGA, N.Y.—Fort Ticonderoga has educated and entertained visitors for decades with exhibits, fife-anddrum performances, and cannon and musket demonstrations. Now the historic site overlooking Lake Champlain in New York’s eastern Adirondack Mountains has two more attractions: a trail along America’s bloodiest pre-Civil War battleground and cruises on a boat called the Carillon. The cruises provide a soldier’s-eye view of the fort that was once key to controlling the region. The cruises were offered on a limited schedule last summer but now they’re running three times a day, Tuesday–Sunday, plus Wednesday evenings in July and August. As a narrator on board provides local history, the Carillon gives passengers a perspective of the fort that scouts for the British would have seen while conducting forays by canoe around lakeside French positions during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). And they can get a feel for what Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys faced as they rowed across the lake from the Vermont side to seize the fortification from the redcoats in the opening weeks of the American Revolution (1775-1783). Up on land, the Carillon Battlefield Trail, opened in 2013, winds 1.7 miles through the forest a half-mile northwest of the fort’s walls. The trail follows the now-reforested area where the fort’s vastly outnumbered French defenders beat back a British-led attack on July 8, 1758. Grass-covered, tree-shaded earthen embankments trace the location of zigzagging log-andearthen barricades the French built just in time to repulse waves of redcoats, including the famed Scottish Black Watch, which suffered hundreds of casualties. The British and Colonial American troops suffered nearly 2,000 casualties, including 550 killed, while the number of French killed and wounded was around 440. It remained the bloodiest battle fought on American soil until the Civil War’s Battle of Antietam. The fort’s exit road cuts through the battlefield, with historical markers and other signage along the route telling visitors what happened on this blood-soaked ground on a hot summer day 258 years ago. During the Revolutionary War, American troops defending the fort rebuilt the outer defenses, following what was known as the “old French lines.” It’s the nation’s largest surviving intact system of fortifications built during the American Revolution, according to Matthew Keagle, the fort’s curator. The French started building the fort they called Carillon in 1755 on a peninsula jutting
from the lake’s western shore 220 miles north of New York City and 160 miles west of Boston. Commanding a high bluff along Lake Champlain’s southern end, the fort guarded the 1.5mile portage between Lake Champlain and the northern end of Lake George. The fort was the lynchpin in a chain of military outposts stretching from the upper Hudson River to Quebec, all built as the French and British empires, along with their Colonial and American Indian allies, fought for control of North America. Fort Ticonderoga changed hands six times in less than 20 years during the two 18th-century wars. Abandoned in the 19th century and left to ruin, the property was bought by the Pell family, who reconstructed the fort and opened it as a tourist destination in 1909. Today, the fort and surrounding landscape looks much like it did to the troops who waged war from stone ramparts and woodland trails. “That’s what I like about Lake Champlain: You can really envision the 18th-century history because it hasn’t been overdeveloped,” said Russell Bellico, a retired professor who has written several books about the region’s nautical history. While the fort also serves as a museum for one of the largest collections of Colonial-era military artifacts, its emphasis has shifted from static exhibits to interpretations of daily life for soldiers in this 18th century wilderness outpost. Employees in period uniforms still conduct daily musket firing demonstrations, but this season they’re showing visitors how soldiers lived at the fort in 1777, a pivotal year in the American Revolution that saw the British defeated at Saratoga, 60 miles away. Also on display through the 2017 season: an exhibit called The Last Argument of Kings: The Art and Science of 18th-century Artillery showcasing 180 big guns from thefort’s extensive collection. Admission to the fort includes access to the top of Mount Defiance, looming over the lake’s western shore just south of the fort. In July 1777, the British hauled cannons up the unguarded mountain. The threat of bombardment prompted the Americans to abandon the fort and retreat to Vermont. Today, a mountaintop pavilion with picnic tables offers spectacular views of the Champlain Valley, Adirondacks and Green mountains. Other attractions on the fort grounds include the King’s Garden, where visitors can get their hands dirty much like Colonial soldiers did while growing food here, and a six-acre corn maze that opens Aug. 13.
Experience Firsthand the Romance of the Korean Dynasty South Korean top chef Sunkyu Lee cooks authentic Korean royal court cuisine Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.
For more information, see fortticonderoga.org From The Associated Press
Fort Ticonderoga is seen from Lake Champlain in Ticonderoga, N.Y. The fort’s outer defenses are the nation’s largest surviving intact system of fortifications built during the American Revolution.
212-594-4963
10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours
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Iowa’s Great Ride
The weeklong ride—not race—is an Iowa tradition going into its 44th year.
By Crystal Shi | Epoch Times Staff
Venture Into Thailand’s
Spicy Northeast
at
ESANATION Authentic Thai cuisine sure to delight your adventurous senses!
• 14 types of unbelievable Som Tum (papaya salad). • Gang Om soup that pulls a straight punch to the throat. • Whole Cornish hen, fried to a golden crispiness, with the most addictive dipping sauce. • Yentafo Noodle soup, an authentic standout.
On July 23, thousands of bicyclists will descend upon the small city of Glenwood, Iowa, temporarily swelling its population of 5,300 to over 20,000. Scores of bikes and drive-along vehicles will crowd the roads. The following day, with dripping tires freshly dipped in the waters of the Missouri River, rowdy caravans of brightly colored, spandexclad cyclists will speed eastward across Iowa toward their final destination: the Mississippi. This is the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa—RAGBRAI. The weeklong ride—not race—is an Iowa tradition going into its 44th year, and the oldest, largest, and longest event of its kind in the world. It attracts riders from New York to California and a number of foreign countries every year, many donning crazy costumes and riding in themed teams. “It’s a spectacle,” said Shannon Erb, vice president of the Leon Chamber of Commerce. Leon is one of this year’s eight overnight cities along the route and will host RAGBRAI riders as they make their way across the state. Erb grew up in Jesup, Iowa, which had served as an overnight city for RAGBRAI several times. “My most vivid memory is just sitting on a curb and watching bikes go past,” she said. “And I’m not talking a group of five bikes. I’m talking a group of 2,000 bikes riding past, and it taking 20 minutes. It’s kind of like watching a parade.” This year’s ride will go through southern Iowa, stretching from Glenwood on the western border to Muscatine in the east. Participants can choose to bike the entire route or hop in for specific sections, but those who stick it out to the end will cover a total of 420 miles, with a climb of 18,488 feet. The biking itself, however, is only half the fun. Just as integral to RAGBRAI are the cities along the way, which swing open their doors to welcome thousands of complete strangers, and send them off smiling with hearty meals and high fives. While the bikers are training for the long trek, the residents are busy preparing for their arrival. Planning for the ride began as early as the end of January, when a RAGBRAI announcement party in Des Moines named the overnight cities chosen for the year’s route. “Each community rolls out the red carpet when they come,” said Abby Kisling, executive director of the Ottumwa Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We want to make sure they have a great experience. We want them to go back and tell everyone what a great time they had.” With a population of just over 25,000, Ottumwa is RAGBRAI 2016’s largest overnight city. It officially began preparations three weeks after the announcement, holding bimonthly meetings with RAGBRAI officials along with meetings within the city’s own 20 planning committees. RAGBRAI provides each city with a handbook,
Host cities along the way open their doors to thousands of complete strangers.
The city of Leon (population 1,900) will welcome 20,000 overnight visitors.
Heartland Cooking Over the course of New York rider Chris Balducci’s 16 rides, the restaurants he’s eaten in have all blurred together. But he remembers the many times he’s stayed and eaten at firehouses. “They have big plots of land and we’ll camp out on their lawns. Sometimes they’ll cook for us, and I’ll tell you, some of these guys that cook are actually unbelievable,” he said.
Chef Wanlapha Techama was the sous chef responsible for Esan specialties at Queens restaurant Zabb Elee when it received a Michelin star last year.
ESANATION 750 9th Avenue • New York, NY 10019 (btw. 50th & 51st streets) 212-315-0555 • esanation.com
A sweet stop at the Duncombe Volunteer Fire Department in Duncombe, Iowa.
full of instructions perfected over the years to steer them in the right direction, but the specifics are up to the communities themselves. This means lining up entertainment, organizing beverage gardens and housing accommodations, and working out the remaining logistics of getting thousands of people smoothly in and out. For Leon, this year’s smallest overnight city, the task is even more complicated. With a population of 1,900 and a total of three restaurants—only one of which offers dinner— Leon will have to rely heavily on out-of-town vendors, along with local churches and organizations, to accommodate the incoming cyclists. For housing, another formidable hurdle, the city is using any flat, green space it can find, including its county park and school grounds—even the inside of a school building. Nevertheless, there is strength in Leon’s small numbers: It’s a tight-knit community with a seasoned volunteer base, accustomed to pulling together for community events. The planning committees work closely with a team of over 200 volunteers to transform their city for the ride. “In a small community, there’s really kind of an overall sense of, ‘We need to all pull together to make it the best community that it can be,’” said Erb. “A lot of people come to us and say, ‘You know, I really can’t give 10 hours a week, but I can give an hour here or there. What can I do to help?’” It’s this special sense of community and Iowan hospitality that makes RAGBRAI so memorable for many. Chris Balducci, a 16-time rider and the current leader of the Escape from New York team, marveled at the hospitality. One year, upon arriving at a house where he and his team were to spend the night, he was greeted by a note from the house’s resident, who wasn’t home. “The front door’s open, you’re more than welcome to crash inside,” it read. “These are people you’ve never met,” Balducci emphasized. “They really could not be more accommodating.” “When you’re there, you’re part of them,” he said. And once the riders are there, the atmosphere can be summed up in a word: high-energy. Months of intense planning and preparation culminate in a week of summertime revelry, as riders and residents alike join in on the celebrations. Many riders try to give back to the communities, whether by participating in local fundraisers or, as one rider plans to do in Leon, planting a tree, to lend a hand to the people who worked so tirelessly to welcome them so openly. “The people in Iowa are unbelievable,” Balducci remarked. “I think it’s one of the reasons why a lot of other places can’t really pull off a ride like this, because the people of Iowa— they’re kind of special people when it comes to that.” For more information, see ragbrai.com