More Than I Bargained for at Blue Fin

Blue Fin

1567 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

(212) 918-1400 | Map

I am doing very poorly in terms of my vow to be a better blogger. If you're a regular reader of Taste As You Go, then you've probably noticed a slew of recent restaurant reviews and a pitiful dip in the number of recipes. I have at least ten drafts in the queue, so my problem isn't a lack of content. My problem is a lack of motivation and an overabundance of second-guessing why I'm writing this food blog in the first place. I've lost my creative mojo, and I hate knowing that that nagging feeling has lingered longer than it should have and I have no sure-fire cure lined up to get me back to blogging with consistency and fervor. I really hope this feeling goes away soon.

Book Review: Substituting Ingredients by Becky Sue Epstein

Chances are you've found yourself in one (or more) of these positions before:

1. You plan out your menu and write out your grocery list only to discover two hours before your meal that the store doesn't carry one of the main ingredients.
   
   
2. You're in the middle of baking your famous chocolate cake and come to the staggering realization that you don't have enough eggs and can't run out to the store to pick up another carton.
   
   
3. You need to alter a recipe due to food allergies, or a recent change in diet, or to simple preferences in taste.
   

It's important to remember not to panic if you find yourself in one (or more) of these situations. Just breathe. Relax. You've got everything under control. Especially if you happen to have a copy of Becky Sue Epstein's new cooking reference book at your disposal.

All About the Bacon

The Triple Crown Ale House & Restaurant

330 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10001

(212) 736-1575 | Map

How many times have you attempted to answer your craving for bacon by ordering a BLT sandwich while out at a restaurant only to be bitterly disappointed by the presence of two measly pieces of bacon, way too much lettuce, and the equivalent of an entire tomato stacked between two pieces of soggy bread? I mean, a BLT -- bacon, lettuce, tomato. A sandwich that consists of simple ingredients but is so often assembled in a way that makes you wonder whether the bacon should be relegated to the end of the line. Rather than ordering a BLT, you'd be ordering an LTB because the bacon is added last, thrown in there because it just looks like something's missing.

Featured Friday, Volume 1.6

Unbelievable. It's been well over a month since I wrote a Featured Friday post, and in the time between then and now, I turned thirty, hiked the Grand Canyon, and have been out for more free meals than I probably should have. This post is long overdue and I'm looking forward to sharing some of the articles I've been reading in my limited spare time.

Interview with Gwynn Baker of La Loba's Bakery

My third freelance piece for Kestrel Growth Brands has been published! Go check out my interview with Gwynn Baker of La Loba's Bakery!

Malaysian Restaurant Week 2010

(Image courtesy of Malaysia Kitchen NYC)

Who doesn't love Restaurant Week? You can take advantage of special lunch and dinner menus prepared by a select list of restaurants in a given geographic location and try their cuisines for a fraction of the regular menu prices! For those who love Malaysian food, keep reading...

Invest in a Trip to Exchange Bar & Grill

Exchange Bar & Grill

256 Third Avenue

New York, NY 10010

(646) 596-9039 | Map

Invest in a Trip to Exchange Bar & Grill!

Another day, another invitation to try the food at another New York City restaurant. This time, I headed to Gramercy to meet up with Sara at Exchange Bar & Grill, a restaurant where the patrons are asked to take a gamble. The prices of the food and drink fluctuate based on demand, resulting in an in-house stock market. The more something is ordered, the higher the price goes and vice versa. You can base your order on the prices that run across the ticker screen above the bar, with up-to-date information on which items are above (+) or below (-) market price.

Just a Tad, Thanks to Honest Beverages

We're still a couple of weeks away from the official start of summer, but I'm already habitually sitting in front of my tower fan, moving it around my apartment to avoid melting in the sweltering heat. And, to keep hydrated, I'm never out of arm's reach of my water bottle. (Actually, I think that started when I started training for my first half marathon.) I'm not sure what we in the Northeast did to deserve heat wave after heat wave before the middle of June, but I'm finding myself longing for the frigid days of winter more and more as means of relief. And I hate being cold.

Book Review: 52 Loaves by William Alexander

If I were wandering around Borders and I saw a copy of William Alexander's 52 Loaves: One Man's Relentless Pursuit of Truth, Meaning, and a Perfect Crust (Algonquin Books - May 4, 2010) on one of the display tables, I'd probably pick it up, flip through it, and put it back down on the table. Of course, I'd be struck by the cover art, prominently featuring a loaf of bread with beams of radiant light emanating from it. What food enthusiast wouldn't stop in their tracks to consider whether the story -- the quest to recreate Alexander's idea of perfection in the form of a humble loaf of peasant bread -- was compelling enough to warrant a purchase? But I'm not a home baker, and number of times I've baked yeast breads can be counted with the fingers of one hand, so I'd ultimately leave the store without buying a copy.

Mixed Vibe at West 3rd Common

West 3rd Common

1 West 3rd Street

New York, NY 10012

(212) 529-2059 | Map

Earlier this month, I was invited to try the food at a recently-opened gastropub in NoHo and, for this eating adventure, I brought along my friend Zach. When I checked in with the hostess, who also turned out to be the only server for the entire night (from what we saw), she told me the table that had been reserved for us was occupied and that we'd have to wait. I looked around to see numerous empty tables and asked myself why the establishment felt the need to give away a table that was reserved when there were plenty of others to choose from. Rather than create a fuss, I assured the hostess that sitting on the couches would be preferred over settling somewhere only to move halfway through our meal once our table was free.