snack

snackwire: get a room

Snackwire's press release service is not just for restaurants. Are you thinking about staying in on New Year's Eve, but feeling unenthusiastic about the cooking and clean-up that requires? Consider checking in to a hotel with room service and housekeeping a plenty.

Full press release after the jump.

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snacksound: goldfarb deconstructs '06

I interviewed Will Goldfarb on the best and worst of 2006 for a story in today's NY Sun (along with Andrew Carmellini, Donatella, the Maccioni boys, Morimoto, Michael Lomonaco, Gary Robbins and Dave Chang).  While the page did not have room 4 the entire thing, snack not only has room, but gives it to you in full sound. It's a little bit rough, what with the ambient noise, but it's short and sweet. Bill Buford, writing for The New Yorker, described Will's unique patois thusly:

"His speech can be quirky, almost foreign (it put me in mind of French Canadians practicing English), as though the time he spent at El Bulli and other European restaurants - he has also worked in France and Italy- has impressed itself on his voice memory and he couldn't undo the impression."

The article was great even if you can't hear it the way you can hear snacksound.

hotsnack: year end

It’s officially now an annual event. Snack replies to the Eater call for the year end wrap up as thus.

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Top three restaurants newcomers of the year? A Voce, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Room 4 Dessert.

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Top three restaurant standbys of the year?

Rai Rai Ken, August, Le Bernardin.

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NYC meal of the year (good or bad) for 2006?

Good: L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. Bad: You know I don’t name names.

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Biggest dining surprise in 2006?

Gary Robbins (famed for his unique international fusion cuisine) at the Russian Tea Room (famed for movie-set décor, borscht and, well, Russian food).

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If I could have only eaten in one NYC neighborhood in 2006 which one would it have been?

Same as last year - is south of 23^rd street a neighborhood?

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Any guesses which one it will be for 2007?

The sixth restaurant borough - Las Vegas.

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My prediction for the headline of the year 2007?

English is not Italian.

joyeux noël

papersnack: my friend wrote a book

Most people have friends in their own profession, because you meet people at work or industry events and the like. It's not surprising that many of mes amis are writers and journalists in the food arena. To wit, here's a last-minute gift idea, special holiday shill for my friends.

Kitchen Sense is a very comprehensive book on how to cook everything, written in a very conversational and often witty tone by Mitchell Davis. I had the pleasure of attending many of Mitchell's impromptu dinner parties while he was testing the recipes, and I can attest to both due diligence and deliciousness. Mr. Snack is particularly fond of the New England clam chowder recipe, declaring chez Davis his favorite neighborhood restaurant. My waffle recipe is on page 111.

While it seems au courant for pastry chefs to go savory, Michel Richard is the original. He converted from sweet to salty with a suigeneris flair decades ago. Peter Kaminsky wrote his cookbook Happy in the Kitchen and, again, a dinner party of recipe testing yielded an engaging and satisfying soiree. It's a beautiful book, the kind with heavy paper and lustrous photography that you rarely see anymore.

Peter's been quite prolific this year and has a second book with Fabio Trabocchi, the young soignée Italian chef at Maestro in Tyson's Corner. Fabio's restaurant in the Ritz Carlton is all gastro-elegance, but his book Cucina of Le Marche is a familial voyage home. I'm desperate to make his cream fritters, but fear the fried creaminess will skew the serving size from six to a giant portion for one.

PS: If you need to make room on your bookshelf for the New Year – drop off your remainders at the James Beard House for their February cookbook and tag sale.

hotsnack: hotline help

Ever since I did my time as line cook in Paris, I’ve been my family’s food 911 hotline, fielding all manner of culinary calls.

“I bought the fish on Tuesday - is it still good?"

“I don’t have powdered mustard - what can I substitute?"

“Can you tell me how to make mussels like at Balthazar?"

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I’m always happy to answer. During the holidays people always cook more, and often attempt challenging new recipes to impress their guests. If you need help there are plenty of big food brand hotlines to call, though most specialize in something specific, like the famous Butterball turkey line - not the place to go for questions on that soufflé. For those seeking a personalized service there’s ChefsLine offering live phone consultations with chefs. Prices vary depending on how long you need to talk.

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If you happen to spend $100 at Whole Foods (NYC only) you can take your receipt to customer service and get a gift card for a free 30 minute call. Offer good until December 31^st and ChefsLine gift cards valid through February 15, 2007.

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You didn’t think I was going to give you my number, did you?

snackspot: tsukushi? just checking

And snackspot? Mais oui! Interactive too. I recommend and reveal and you go eat and see if I'm right.

liquidsnack: sake specific

Liquidsnack is also an interactive category. You send an email ([email protected]) asking "which sparkling sake did you drink at the Mandarin Oriental?" And I answer -

Harushika "Tokimeki" Sparkling Sake, Happo Junmai. Described as, "light and fresh with notes of lemon, apples and nashi pear." $10 glass/$34 bottle.

Kampai!

snackwire: feast now a school of fishes

Snackwire is an interactive category. You send it, et voila! I post it. Here are two additions to the eating with the fishes post.

Complete content after the jump.

snackingaround: pupu platter

It’s a daunting task to sift through the billions of bites of information the internet serves up everyday. Sometimes, you miss something good. Sometimes, your friendly neighborhood blog points the way to…Cheetos lip balm, the inner Daniel, the menu for hope, and the taste of seduction.