The 2010 International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York kicked off today at 10am, with a variety of exhibitors, new foods and innovative items for restaurateurs, caterers and foodservice specialists.
It's the largest show of Japanese food and beverage outside of Japan, therefore, the Japan Pavilion was almost celebrating, giving out red bags and sample foods. Because Japanese food is one of my favorite, this week, I will blog about foods and drinks from Japan, starting with one specialty comfort food "dish" from Kyushu.
Kyushu is Japan’s third largest island, known for its fish, spicy specialties, its large, sweet Amao strawberries, purple sweet-potatoes and Shochu, the local alcoholic drink.
Chef Reflection Israel from BLT Fish restaurant who demonstrated his cooking skills, made a green tea smoked hiramasa (similar to yellowtail, fatty and meaty) with yuzu miso, black orange juice and spicy mentaiko (a roe of pollock). The fish, which is very expensive locally, came fresh from the Tsukiji market in Tokyo and is guaranteed fresh.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Food from Japan – Kyushu specialties
Thursday, February 25, 2010
GALA Italia
Nutella snacks
New York Wine Expo opens on 2.26
Whether you are a seasoned connoisseur searching for a full bodied Meritage or a new wine drinker looking for affordable blends that are lighter on the palate, the 3rd Annual New York Wine Expo will have what your readers are looking for…and so much more.
The New York Wine Expo (www.NewYorkWineExpo.com) will be hosting its third annual tasting February 26 through 28 at the Jacob Javits Center. French wineries and vineyards will have a significant showing this year, and as always, attendees can continue to look forward to Italian, German, Australian, and South American favorites. Not to be missed of course, local New York, Oregon and California wines. In all, the Grand Tasting offers attendees a chance to sample more than 600 wines from over 170 winemakers from around the globe.
Attend the Expo not just for the sampling, but for the learning experience as well. To date, seminar presenters will include Gloria Maroti Frazee, who oversees Wine Spectator School, and Leslie Sbrocco an award-winning author, writer, speaker, and television host whose entertaining approach makes learning about wine and food fun.
New York Wine Expo Hours:
Friday, February 26, 6:00 – 10:00 PM; $75, prior to Feb. 19
Saturday, February 27, 2:00 – 6:00 PM $85, prior to Feb. 19
(Sunday is for trade professionals only)
Go to http://www.wine-expos.com/wine/ny/ for tickets and additional information.
Get $10 off from your ticket by using code Schwartz10.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wedding Salon and Dylan's Candy Bar
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Pistachio Hot Chocolate
Backstage at New York's Fasion Week - Designers Andy & Debb
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Beard on Books
In Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor the South Carolina-bred Lee Brothers present their updated take on Southern cuisine, using unexpected combinations and lighter techniques. Respectful of Southern traditions, yet mindful of the realities of modern life, the journalists have devised recipes that achieve soulful flavor without laborious preparations and hard-to-pin-down ingredients. Simple Fresh Southern will satisfy both the die-hard Southern food fanatic and the casual cook looking to expand their repertoire.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Delicacies at Navarra wine tasting
Monday, February 08, 2010
Kumquat cupcakes and Liddabit Sweets at Kill Devil Hill
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Chocolate & I, New York
Chocolate & I, New York (CINY), a platform that encourages the exchange of innovative ideas and interests through the substance of chocolate, is about to start this Monday 2.8 with a series of events, tastings and art shows. They all have something in common: CHOCOLATE.
Chocolounge presented by Migration of Senses. Find room to savor hot chocolate, enjoy locally made delicacies, peruse books on chocolate, food and art, all in a cozy environment.
Where: Dark Chocolate Room, from 4pm to 6pm.
Art Exhibition presented by Migration of Senses
Join in for a showcase of recent works from both established and emerging artists revolving around the relationship and characteristics society attributes to chocolate and the way it affects us on a personal level. Artists include Elim Chen, Ema, C&T, Jason Krugman, Michelle Mayer, Carolina Vallejo, Asli Sevinc & Charnan Lewis.
Where: Milk & White Chocolate Rooms, from 4pm to 7pm.
To view the 2010 schedule of free and ticketed events, visit http://chocolateandi-newyork.com/events/.
All events are held at 511 W.25th Street, West Chelsea (between 10th and 11th ave.)
Friday, February 05, 2010
Italian-American Food at VINO2010
Italian-American food, why don't it get no respect? was the topic of one of the workshops taking place into the frame of VINO2010 week. A glamorous panel, most of it of Italian origin, tried hard to tackle the issue. Amongst them, Tony May, a legendary, New York based restaurateur with SD26; Di Palo, the Italian deli store and the young Torrisi Italian Specialties owners. Tony May was bold: what makes Italian food is the product, he said, and as such it has to be imported from Italy and has to be expensive. Italian restaurateur, Piero Selvaggio disagreed, saying that Italian food shouldn't be expensive: fresh pasta, olive oil and tomato sauce don't cost a lot and make a decent, pasta dish. He also admitted that the most famous Italian-American food is Caesar Salad (made with an Italian twist I assume). The Torrisi owners (chefs Carbone and Torrisi) have a different approach to the Italian cooking: their quasi Italian eatery does not import anything from Italy but their philosophy is very much Italian: cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients from the country (USA in this case), is practically the definition of that country’s multi regional cuisine. Their questionable - for Italian foodies and experts - approach gained the respect of Di Palo who wished them all the best for their uncertain and rather challenging food future. Food Arts magazine editor in-chief, Michael Batterberry had an extreme, intellectual take on the whole cooking issue and well-known, food journalist David Rosengarteh did an excellent job as the panel's moderator.
On the way out, I asked an Italian food journalist and good friend what his opinion was. He said that there can't be Italian food without an Italian chef in the kitchen. How Italian the food is when the chef is from Mexico or Ecuador?
I am not an expert on the topic but I have always thought that food looses its national features when it emigrates abroad. What happens with the American-Italian cuisine, applies to all cuisines in the USA. Think tacos in an American restaurant: a plate with two or three, filled with ground meat or chicken and tons of melted cheddar cheese on top, is a fully satisfied entrée. In Mexico, a tiny filled taco is just food for the lunch break.