snack

hotsnack: buford 4 me – not 4 you

My snack in-box is getting quite a bit of action lately. Today’s update comes, again, from the PR machine at The New Yorker. I got a very polite cease-and-desist email about that article pdf. While they really appreciate my help in publicizing the story, the story itself was meant just for me. So I need to remove it. Knowing that bloggers inherently post everything, I wonder if it wasn't all just a very passive-aggressive pr ruse and my 36-hours of pdf access was exactly what they’d hoped for.

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Will Goldfarb was also happy I posted it, because he needed an electronic copy. We agreed that Buford captured his subject in an entertainingly accurate way, though I was perplexed by the fact that he never mentioned Will Powder, Goldfarb’s private line of secret powders and ingredients.  It makes the wizardry available to the home cook and even provides recipes for free. It’s e-z bake sans oven.

hotsnack: buford 4 free

I picked up a copy of The New Yorker today at my local newsstand, hoping to read Bill Buford’s article about pastry savant Will Goldfarb.

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Buford is a hot topic these days, thanks to his scorching bestseller Heat, the Mario Batali biography cum mid-life-crisis culinary odyssey.  People have been buzzing about the Goldfarb story, speculating that it’s his next book topic. My sources at Random House say Heat was the first in a three-book deal. Perhaps Buford will shed some light on this theory later tonight.

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I happily put down my $3.99 for the last copy, anticipating a good read on my subway ride down to Snack HQ. Then I realized – too late – that it was the last copy because it was last week’s issue. Sigh. Once out of the train, I found another newsstand, plunked down another $3.99. I should have waited, because when I got to Snack HQ, I opened my in-box and read the following dispatch from the PR machine at 4 Times Square.

For Immediate Release: June 21, 2006

Bill Buford on The Prince of Pastry

Bill Buford writes about his experience serving as an apprentice to pastry chef Will Goldfarb at his new New York restaurant, Room 4 Dessert, in the June 26th issue of The New Yorker.

Attachment: complete_article.pdf deleted on 6.23.06

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I just saved you $7.98.

hotsnack: cracking the cracker code

Perhaps you recall the ‘cracker news’ posting back in April? It was admittedly a bit cryptic, and I received many an email asking – whaaa…? So, here’s some linkage to connect the dots on the cowboy, Poseidon and the spice rack.

hotsnack: fire at sascha

These pictures were taken last night around 12:45 am at 55 Gansevoort Street– the old biscuit factory that is now Sascha. Seems there was a fire in one of the apartments, given there was smoke and light pouring from the windows on the top floor and firemen were breaking out all the glass. But that’s purely crowd speculation from the curb. As dramatic as it was, apparently the damage was contained. A phone call confirms, Sascha is open for business today.

Comments are open if anyone has news to share.

partysnack: chefs from hell

This is a chef fête PSA.

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Party next Tuesday night at one of my favorite spots (aka "Jen’s living room," according to my girls). And because I know you’re going to ask – Leblon is cachaça.

Download chefs from hell invite.pdf

hotsnack: barbepoloozza

Where you at? I’m on the front page enjoying the sun. There’s a good weekend forecast for barbecue, and as you may already know, the 4th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party happens this weekend. If you’re not busy this afternoon (or if you can rationalize it as ‘working research’ –say, if you’re a blogger) you can go watch the pitmasters set up their rigs.

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If you’re planning on going this weekend, I cannot stress enough the importance of the Bubba Fastpass, which allows you to jump into an express service lane behind the rig-line, giving you both immediate barbecue satisfaction and a close-up view of the action. You can feel the heat. Those stories of thousands of people waiting for hours are true. It’s a scene that makes lunchtime at the Shake Shack look like 3 am at the Holland Tunnel EZ Pass lane. 

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Photo of 2005's BBQ Block Party courtesy of Zach Stovall.

snackstuff: e-z smoke

Summer grilling is a particular challenge for urbanites who, like myself, have minuscule kitchens and zero outdoor space. I discovered the joys of smoke-free smokin’ with Big Acres Savu bags last year.  The update: new hickory wood bags now available. Smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em.

hotsnack: pop quiz: walk on for stars part deux

Friday’s pop quiz question: what do the four-star chefs walk on?

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Answer: Carpet.

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Why is that of interest? Let me explain.

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During my dinner at Le Cirque 3.0, I was contemplating the décor, specifically the deep red carpet patterned with golden leaves. It’s hard to miss. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw a new restaurant that had carpeting. Concrete, hardwood, and tiles seem to be á la mode as the floor covering of choice.  Perhaps because they’re aesthetically pleasing and more practical. Carpeting after all must be replaced regularly.

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Many Gotham eateries are criticized for the noise levels in the dining rooms. Acoustics 101 says those designer floors are hard surfaces, and thus reflect sound. Carpeting is soft, and so absorbs sound. Which is probably why all the four-star restaurants have carpeting in the dining rooms. (Except for Masa, which has a wooden floor, but it’s so small, as to never be noisy.) Think about all the luxurious dining experiences you’ve had, in the quiet temples of gastronomy, and I’d bet they all have carpeting.

hotsnack: pop quiz: walk on for stars

What do the 4-star chefs* walk on?

Stay tuned to snack for the answer.

*Except for Masa and plus a bunch of the 3-stars too.