Sweet Tooth

Within walking distance of each other, these two LES spots are my fav cupcake shops in the City thus far. Despite creating the same delectable sweet treats they are as different as can be with their ingredient choices.

SUGAR SWEET SUNSHINE (126 Rivington St, btwn Essex/Norfolk St.)

The more traditional of the two, you can get a divinely flavored cupcake for only $1.50. This little indulgence would satisfy any craving with its buttery cake and smooth icing. The cafe itself is super cute with sunk in chairs perfect for a relaxing moment - the idea is unpretentious with a retro 70s vibe.


Lemon cake with lemon buttercream

BABYCAKES (248 Broome St, btwn Orchard/Ludlow St.)

I never thought I would like something vegan this much. Surprised to say it, but this has to be my all time favorite cupcake - I think it's because I'm in love with their unique spelt wheat batter which gives the cake a flavor reminiscent of malt digestive cookies. The icing veers on the lighter, airier side which means I could eat these babies all day without feeling too guilty or sickly. These baked goodies are Refined Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Soy Free, and the list goes on to cater to every specific health need. It's on the pricier end at $3.25 each but they are worth it. I feel like the cat's meow whenever I carry these cupcakes home in their ridiculously cute pink boxes with a see-through cutout showing off my treasures to the world. The seating unlike Sugar Sweet Sunshine is minimal. It's like stepping into a shoebox that belongs to fairies. Magical baker fairies.


Vanilla cake with zesty lemon icing

Mo Momo

Read my original post on Momofuku Bakery & Bar here :)

Ever since Momo opened their bakery end of last year I've been making a trip about once every two months to indulge in the decadence. They've definitely ramped up their production levels and adapted to their consistent popularity; I can usually get the first thing I want on their menu unlike when they first opened. From the pimple looking volcano to the thick chewy cookies every single item is bombarded with flavor; what's offered here is not for the faint of heart nor the weak of heart. Seriously, I've often left with my throat clogged in layers of pork fat, sugar and butter -- but in the good way of course. If you can't imagine how that's possible then this is not the destination for you. I've also noticed that every time I'm there they tweak the menu a bit, which is nice as there's always something new to try but it's a pity when anything has to be rotated out.


Chocolate Cake - yellow cake icing, yellow cake crumbs, fudge


The Volcano - potato gratin, gruyere cheese, benton's bacon


Carrot Cake - no longer on the menu :(


Arnold Palmer Cake - iced tea jelly, lemon mascarpone cream, almond tea crunch

Ultimate Shelf Life Guide

Still Tasty is here to be your new mom. This is your information destination for anything regarding shelf life on different foods, tips on how to best store it, etc. I wish I could absorb all this via a single knowledge pill.

Shrimptacular

BROOKLYN FISH CAMP (162 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn)

In this era of recession friendly prix-fixes and all-you-can-eat-deals, we have been quite spoilt with choice. This February it was the draw of seafood that brought me to a part of Brooklyn that I've only been once before - the stroller heavy Park Slope. The deal was $16 for all-you-can-eat shrimps every Tuesday with two for one drink specials on top of that.
Note: Just checked the website and it's no longer listed :( however they do mention to "stay tuned for the next round of recession specials" - I'm be excited to see what they come up with.

The bf and I each had 3 full bowls of shrimp, totaling about 60 shrimps each. Our waitress called us "crazy" - I think that was a compliment. I'm not saying you should OD on protein like we did but they are damn good so it would be easy to do so. Each bowl came with cocktial sauce dip and a slice of lemon. Being the fat ass I am I asked for drawn butter also. Honestly, they were not the best shrimps I've had, but at the rate of only $16 they were better than "good enough". The other goodies on the menu looked great as we witnessed on the tables next to us. Sounds like I'll be coming back Park Slope, I'll eventually learn to embrace the babies.


Entrance/bar area


Bowl 1 of 3

Eating In (VDay Edition)

This Valentine's day we decided keep it relaxed and economical with some dining in. The bf offered to cook me a delicious meal and I made surprise cookies!

The boy spent the day gathering ingredients at Chelsea Market and came out with a seafood theme. For our side we had lobster bisque w/ bread rolls; and for the main he re-created "Scallops and Cauliflower with Caper-Raisin Sauce" by the ingenius Jean-Georges. The creamy, sweet, tangy, and yet salty sauce paired with fresh scallops is a fulfulling combo of flavors. You can find the recipe here.



On the other side of town, I had made "Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies". (Note: the pudding gives it extra chew). I had altered this recipe to the following:

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.
3. Blend in instant pudding, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
4. Then beat in eggs until the batter is light and fluffy.
5. Combine flour and baking soda; mix into the batter.
6. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Dough will be stiff.
7. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the cookie sheets. (Serves 48)
8. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm.
9. Cool.

Pretty simple right? I thought so. But being the overly-zealous-never-have-I-ever-baked-cookies-from-scratch-by-myself-individual I had accidentally added one whole extra cup of white sugar into by batter. --Le sigh-- I went ahead and finished making them anyway. Fortunately, they came out deliciously big, flat and chewy (although definitely on the sweeter side). Whew!



I remade the cookies for my coworkers the following week (using the correct amount of sugar this time). The shape was completely different! Startling what a cup of sugar can do - without it this batch was definitely smaller and thicker in height. After taste tests by brave persons they concluded that this batch was better. I agree, although I do have a fondness for bigger, flatter looking cookies. Need to go work on finding the perfect medium between the two batches ...



(Still at it ... still cooking ... whoo, this is pretty amazing for my lazy ass).

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News

Winter NYC Restaurant Week has now been extended through Feb 27! Check out the selection here.

Birthday Present

JEWEL BAKO (239 E. 5th St, btwn 2nd/3rd Ave.)

Ever since randomly peeking into a tiny inconspicuous window-in-the-wall on 5th St. a couple years back this has been on my to-eat list. The enchanting view of the interior was enticing enough for a visit, but what sealed the deal was finding out this was the famed Jewel Bako - known for it's fresh fish and the "Bizarre Eats" episode where they featured live, moving lobster sashimi (sadly, I did not see that on the menu). Finally last Dec. the bf and I came here for my birthday. Glad to say it did not disappoint - it was the perfect balance of fish to rice, which I think is one of the key elements to great sushi and a rare thing to find in the superfluous number of sushi restaurants in ny.



The decor is like being inside a chic version of a whale, a wooden ribcage lined from wall to ceiling. How funny that we are eating fish inside this - although I'm not sure if the architects fashioned it to be morbidly amusing like that.


Trio of Tartares - Blue Fin Tuna, Salmon and Yellowtail served with lotus root chips


Makimono Omakase - a tasting of all nine large makimono rolls

Omakase - Chef's selection of sushi or sashimi

It was nice of the waitress to ask me if I had any preferences for my omakase, not sure if that made a difference on the chef's final picks, but it was thoughtful to ask. Needless to say, everything was deliciously fresh and beautifully presented.

Eating In

One of my new years resolution is to cook more. As all resolutions are destined to fail this will probably not happen, but I can pretend for a while. So, as I was craving a mouth-watering chunk of red meat and not wanting to part with 40+ dollars for a proper steak the obvious solution was to break out the pots and pans. Luckily, the bf knows how to grill. Behold a simple, legit meal at home for once.


(Grilled rib-eye steak, Cream potatoes mixed w/ sour cream, butter and chives, Sauteed swiss chard)