Potbellied

Out of nowhere, NYC acquired four Potbelly Sandwich Shops, with a fifth on the way.  From the day the "coming soon" signs were plastered on storefront windows, I could hear a constant buzz around the city.  The name alone intrigued me, but my excitement was put on hold when I saw the menu.  This did not look like anything special.  There are just a few sandwiches available and none of them have funky ingredients like avocado.  How boring. 

Nonetheless, I couldn't shake the constant prattling I heard from Chicago transplants who seem to have lived on this stuff alone.  Today I decided to go with an office buddy to the nearby Rock Center location to see what I have apparently been missing.  The line was astounding, but it moved incredibly fast so it wasn't long before I was up at the counter, ordering my Italian (capicola, mortadella, peperoni, salami, and provolone).  The bread to meat ratio is good and aided by their toasting the bread.  Much better than Subway, which seems to be all carb, no meat.  There are a bunch of toppings to choose from that are different and in some cases better than at a normal sandwich place.  I recommend the hot peppers as they are crunchy and go beyond a plain jalapeno. 

I'm not sure what it is, but I am now a Potbelly fan.  It could have been the toasted bread, hot peppers, or reasonable price of $6, but I enjoyed it.  Best sandwich ever?  No, but when it comes to no-frills 'wiches, I'm glad Potbelly has stood up to Subway.

3 on Thursday

I can't believe I forgot to post "3 on Thursday" last week!  It has been an insanely busy couple weeks of apartment hunting, meetings, and vacations, but I am back in action and have included a bonus blog recommendation as an apology for not giving you your weekly dose of faves last Thursday.

A magazine sent this jar of peppers in a mini mason jar to explain they were "hot".  A little cheesy, but it got me thinking how this would be an adorable housewarming gift.  Buy four mason jars - big or little - and fill them with things they could eat or cook with (peppers, chocolate chips, cheese straws, packets of Equal, etc.).  When they're done with the goodies inside, they'll have a set of four drinking glasses, vases, or containers - there really are a million uses for mason jars.

Victory is even sweeter when we beat Florida, our biggest rival.  It's great to be a Gator Hater!  Plenty of people stayed inside on Saturday 10/29 due to the freak October snow storm, but I'm glad I braved the weather so I could celebrate our win with a bar full of UGA fans.  Our streak continued last weekend with a homecoming win over New Mexico State that pretty much defined "blowout".

 

It has been a stressful week and I can tell there is more pressure on the way in the coming weeks, which is why I am so happy I have a massage on the calendar this evening at one of my two favorite spas, Silk.  Not only are Silk's treatments wonderful, they have the best relaxation room - complete with some of the best snacks I've seen at a spa.  They also have you fill out a form indicating your music of choice and massage pressure preference so your experience is customized and as relaxing as possible.

There is a French blogger who is currently picking up on trends in movie posters.  Even if you're not fluent in French like me (yes, I meant that to sound snobby), this blog is still enjoyable and when you see how all movie posters tend to look the same you can't help shake that "duped" feeling.

Ziti Zupper

I wasn't able to start cooking dinner until 9:30 last night, so it's a good thing I could build a quick and easy meal from the sausage I already thawed.  I decided to make a baked ziti so I sauteed onion and Italian sausage (I used one link each of sweet and hot) and once the onions were translucent and the meat browned, I added jarred tomato sauce (store shortcut - this is the quick and easy version, after all) and let it simmer.  I did all this while I cooked the pasta and shredded the cheese.  I used a young fontina for the cheese because I love the way it melts.  It also has a mild earthy flavor that I prefer to the pre-shredded, sodium-laden mozzarella in a bag.  For the top layer of cheese, I mixed the fontina with fresh grated parmesan because you can't have a pasta dish without parm and it helps create a nice crust.  Everything was cooked and hot so it only needs to go into the oven to brown the cheese and melt together.  Ziti is quick and easy to prepare, and if you use ingredients like sausage and fontina, it will not taste like it came from a cafeteria - those ingredients made all the difference.  Plus, it reheats beautifully, so if you have two busy nights in a row (like I probably will) you won't have to worry about cooking at all the next day.

Spring Saute

Last night I tried a new side dish that featured some gorgeous Spring vegetables...even though it's the middle of Fall.  When I found this recipe, I knew I didn't want to wait for the ground to thaw before I could try it.  The vegetables were still very flavorful so I recommend making it soon, even in the off-season.

I was looking for shallots but couldn't find them so I used cipollini onions instead and found them to be the perfect substitute.  So adaptation to the recipe #1 went over well.  I sauteed the onions in butter and once they looked good, added asparagus.  Once the asparagus cooked through, I added salt, pepper, and frozen peas.  At this point, you're almost done because the peas will only take a minute to warm up.  Now we're up to recipe adaptation #2: red wine vinegar, which I believe also improved the final product.  And finally, stir in the secret ingredient.  "A secret ingredient?" you say.  Why yes, there is a twist to this recipe.  Drizzle some honey - yes, honey - over the vegetables, mix in, remove from the heat, and serve.

This side dish was easy, healthy, and a great accompaniment to the mahi mahi I made for the entree.  Honey may sound like a weird thing to add to vegetables - and I was skeptical too - but it just worked.  When combined with the red wine vinegar, sweet onions, and butter, the asparagus and peas were lightly and perfectly dressed.

Movie Review: Win Win

I had my most recent Netflix sitting on my coffee table for over two weeks and decided I was not going to let last weekend pass without watching it.  Now I'm sad I waited so long.  Win Win follows Mike, played by Paul Giamatti, as he stops simply going through the motions and starts to feel again.  His reason for getting excited about life is Kyle, who stumbles into his world after Mike becomes his grandfather's legal guardian in a somewhat unscrupulous fashion.  Kyle's presence somehow breaks up the ennui that has settled into each character, just as Bobby Cannavale's character breaks up the serious plot with bursts of comedy.

This film is somehow heartwarming without being sappy - a line that is hard to toe.  It may have been one of those smaller Sundance films, but that doesn't mean it was too brainy.  Perhaps it was the perfect casting or the fact that it was realistic without being depressing, but it was entirely satisfying in a way that made me want to shake the director's hand and say "Job well done."   

Spanish at Salinas

Before heading out of town for the weekend, Steph and I met up for a dinner date on Thursday. We chose tapas restaurant Salinas because it was in a convenient location and the New York Times had given it a very good review on the day we were choosing where to eat. Even though the review was given by interim critic Eric Asimov [while we wait for the Times to choose and announce who will take over Sam Sifton's spot], I felt the 2-star review was well thought out and inspiring enough for us to give it a try.

It may usually be overlooked, but I was a fan of the crusty bread that was placed on each table. It was served with a white bean ancho dip that was velvety smooth. We decided to go with all small plates because the ingredients were more interesting than those in the entrees. First up we had the Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower with mint yogurt. Next was a crispy flatbread with Mahon cheese and honey. Both dishes were very good but a little small. They got bigger (and even better) as we went on. The veal cheek and wild mushroom croquettes were a great representation of the Spanish Basque regional cuisine they were trying to nail. The croquetas were large and amply stuffed. Next we tried the octopus because I remembered it from the restaurant review. Octopus and potato is a typical pairing in this cuisine, but never have I seen it done like this with the potato puréed and the octopus sliced thin in crudo-style coins. Because I'm not afraid of any food, we ordered the tripe, which was served in a tomato based stew with chorizo, ham, paprika, and crunchy chickpeas. I don't know how they created crunchy chickpeas, but they were a great match for the slimy tripe. If you can get past the texture and idea of tripe (stomach) this was a very good dish. We also ordered the potato side dish. I thought the waiter was going to lose points for this one, but then they arrived and were so perfectly crisped and covered with a spicy brava sauce. I thought it would be boring, but it turned out to have all the flavors I was looking for.

I don't want to fail to mention the non-food elements of this dinner. There was a great wine list and a very attentive waiter who helped us choose one that ended up being perfect. I would try to go on a nice night when they pull back the retractable roof in the back of the restaurant for a nice indoor/outdoor experience that will only enhance the food. It may be a restaurant of the moment, but don't expect to find the trendy crowd here. The restaurant was filled with middle aged people who I assume we're Chelsea residents. That may not sound exciting, but it's a good indication this place will be around for a while since it is relying on people who follow food over fad.

Monet Does Pork...and Sweet Potatoes

Last time I was home, my Mom gifted me with a lavender meat rub she could no longer use.  Normally, I wouldn't want her cast-offs - if it's not good enough for her kitchen, why would I want it?  I decided to accept the gift when she explained that although she thought it was delicious, my Daddy thought it was a little too sweet.  If one person in their two-person household won't eat something, you can't really cook it (also why my Mother has to go to a restaurant if she wants cauliflower).  When I took a whiff of the lavender and spices, I was transported to Provence in the Springtime - like a Monet painting for the nostrils.

Tonight, I decided to use the lavender spice mix with olive oil on a pork tenderloin.  For the vegetable, I made roasted broccoli that I dipped in a lemon paprika aioli.  Turns out the aioli wasn't fabulous - I've made much better dips, so I tossed it aside and ate the roasted broccoli on it's own because it was already super flavorful  For side dish number two, I made roasted sweet potatoes with cumin and chili powder and topped them with blue cheese and pecans for a little salty/sweet action.  This dish was the winner of the evening.  It was very easy to make and was about as Autumn as you can get.  This is one combo that's sure to keep your attention.