The Best ... in All of New York

The Onion Sauce Guy Dies at Age 78

by Bruce Watson, Posted Jan 16th 2009 @ 4:00PM

When it comes to figuring out who created various condiments, history tends to be amazingly vague. For example, although we know that mustard was developed by the ancient Romans, we have no idea about the identity of the unknown chef who first combined wine vinegar and ground mustard seeds. Similarly, history records that ketchup originally came from China, where it was a form of fish sauce; however, there is no record of the person who made this great leap forward. Similarly, the sands of time have swallowed the name of the great pioneer who first drizzled the magic ingredient on french fries.

So it goes: from relish to chutney, jelly to ice cream, history may occasionally honor a key innovator or entrepreneur, but all too often neglects the silent inventor who toils in obscurity. With that in mind, it seems particularly vital that we honor those few, rare pioneers whose names have not been lost to history. One such man was Alan S. Geisler, who died last week at the age of 78. Geisler, an MIT-trained food technologist, developed the iconic red onion sauce that is a standard condiment on New York City hot dogs. Comprised of vinegar, onion, tomato paste and other ingredients (including corn syrup), Geisler's concoction is better know as Sabrett onion sauce, for the company that markets it.

While hot dog cuisine can be fiercely regional, Sabrett sauce is a vital ingredient for New York dogs. Transplanted New Yorkers (or those who are curious about this distinctive condiment) can order it here or follow this recipe to make it at home. It is best served atop either a dirty water or freshly grilled dog, along with sauerkraut and spicy mustard. Enjoy!

Filed under: The Best ... in All of New York, Ingredients, Fast Food

Recession bites! Gray's Papaya raises the price on its famous special

COMMENTS 5

by Bruce Watson, Posted Oct 22nd 2008 @ 6:00PM

Long before Manhattan eateries started lowering prices to bring in depressed (and recessed) customers, Gray's Papaya was famous for its amazing "Recession Special." Debuting in the 1990's, the special originally cost $1.95, but rose to its current price of $3.50 in the early 2000's. Consisting of a medium tropical beverage and two hot dogs, the combination of two perfectly prepared hot dogs and a medium fruit drink has become a New York institution and one of the city's best bargains.

Unfortunately, the arrival of a real recession has forced the hot dog retailer to raise the price on its special. In February, seeing the writing on the wall, Gray's founder Nicholas Gray began warning customers that a price increase was on the way. This week, it finally came to pass: the special has now gone up to $4.45.

Even with the increase of $0.95, the special is still a great deal, and a great way to weather economic hard times. Let's just hope that things get better before Gray's has to break $5!

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Business, The Best ... in All of New York, Food Politics, Ingredients, Chefs & Restaurants, Fast Food, Restaurants

Exploring the wonders of infused vodka!

COMMENTS 7

by Bruce Watson, Posted Jul 30th 2008 @ 1:00PM

There are some people who it is just plain good to know. When you're in college, for example, the guy with a truck is incredibly helpful, and when you go in to business, the understanding accountant and the slightly unethical lawyer are almost necessities.

A few years ago, my friend John became one of these fabulously helpful people. A lifelong resident of southwest Virginia and a trained chemist, John had a skill set that was uniquely wonderful: he knew how to get hold of moonshine, and he knew how to test it for impurities. While the grain liquor (or "likker," if you prefer) that I got from John wasn't all that cheap, it was completely flavorless, and I soon discovered that it made the perfect carrier for various fruits. Within a couple of months, I had a collection of incredibly delicious infused cordials that I would mix with seltzer or tonic water to produce light, moderately alcoholic spritzers with insanely pure tastes.

Filed under: The Best ... in All of New York, Raising the Bar, Food Politics, Drink Recipes, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants, Drinks

And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street

COMMENTS 3

by Jonathan M. Forester, Posted May 4th 2008 @ 4:04PM

I assume that all you readers are familiar with Dr. Seuss's first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street? Well, I'm not sure where the good Doctors' Mulberry Street was, but I like to think of it as the one that shoots from NY City's Chinatown, up through Little Italy and SoHo, and ending in Greenwich Village.

I've been traveling on business all over the country for most of April and just made it home late last night. One of my favorite things to do before going on the road is put together a list of food and beverage destinations for every town I visit. This is so important to me because then I know that I can have something good to eat during or after a long day of meetings and events. Many of these events are centered around food and are usually excellent. But some are a little on the meager side food-wise when they are focused on libations.

The past week was an intensive exploration of NY City's cocktail and spirits world with a few stops here and there for some great food in between. I had just finished taping a radio show discussing artisanal spirits and modern mixology when I was feeling a mite peckish. Being a part time resident of NY, I hadn't done as much research as I normally would, relying on my good friend and fellow blogger Joe Distefano to be just a quick phone call away. I drew a blank about places I had heard of and gave him a call for some suggestions. Of course it was one of those days when each place was closed or too busy to grab something quick. I finally ended up for a long session of dim sum at Jing Fong in Chinatown.

Filed under: The Best ... in All of New York, Stores & Shopping, Lists, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants

Check out the Astor Center for an Offal Good Time

COMMENTS 0

by Jonathan M. Forester, Posted Feb 22nd 2008 @ 4:32PM

I just have to tell all you Slashfoodies about the new Astor Center in New York City. Some of you may have heard me mention one of my favorite shops, Astor Wine & Spirits before; like when I reviewed St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur. When I lived in NY I stopped by there on a weekly basis, now it's more like 6 times a year, which is pretty good when you consider it's over 400 miles from my new home in Mid-Coast Maine.

For the past three years I have been hearing rumors about the Astor Center being developed by Astor Wines & Spirits and they finally opened just last month. The Astor Center is a state or the art culinary education and events center where they have panels, workshops, symposia, seminars, courses on every aspect of the food and beverage world. They have three beautiful spaces for their events, courses, and seminars. The Study- a seminar hall with stadium seating looking down to a teaching kitchen and podium from comfortable seats set at counters set up for professional tastings; with a light box, running water, and a sink for every seat. No spitting in nasty slop buckets here. The Kitchen- A huge, top of the line teaching kitchen with every gadget you can imagine. The Gallery- a multi-use space for wine pairing dinners, food festivals, lectures, and other events.

Their presenter list is nothing short of amazing with top experts in all areas of the culinary world joining together to explore both the cutting edge and historical aspects of food and beverages. There is a strong focus on wines, spirits, and cocktails; something you would expect from the Astor Wines folks. F Paul Pacult, Jim Meehan, Maximilian Riedel (of Riedel Crystal), Kara Newman, Brian Van Flandern, Timothy Sullivan, Henry Sidel, and more experts on various libations are on hand to delve into the glorious world of all that is wet and tasty; for beginners and experts, consumers and those in the trade.

Source

Filed under: The Best ... in All of New York, Did you know?, Food Politics, Drink Recipes, Celebrities, Methods, Tastings

This is Japanese Food Culture Week in New York City

COMMENTS 1

by Jonathan M. Forester, Posted Mar 6th 2007 @ 6:05PM

This is the First Annual Japanese Food Culture Week in New York City that is being coordinated by The Japanese External Trade Organization (Jetro), the Japan Society, Nikkei America, and other Japanese / American organizations and restaurants. I've been caught up in a whirlwind and this is the first I have been able to write about it. From Sunday March 4 - Saturday March 10, 2007 there is a week of special events, seminars, food shows, and Japanese restaurants with fantastic specials for the general public to enjoy. The events are being held to educate and expose the public, as well as restaurant owners, chefs, etc. to Japanese cuisine and its effects and interactions in the US. I will describe in detail some of the events I have had the good fortune to attend.

Japanese Food Culture Week Events:

Filed under: Lush Life, The Best ... in All of New York, Raves & Reviews, Tastings

NY mag's critics pick top NYC burgers

COMMENTS 4

by Nicole Weston, Posted Mar 6th 2007 @ 3:05PM

As part of New York Magazine's Best of 2007 Eating and Drinking roundup, which included the best new restaurants and the best brunches in the city, the magazine's resident foodies weighed in on the best burgers in NYC. Their picks included low, middle and high-end burgers, with high end choices often involving lamb or foie gras in addition to (or instead of) beef. High prices tended to be $14+, medium ranged from $8-$12 and low was everything else. The picks were:

ADAM PLATT:

High - The Waverly Inn
Medium - BLT Burger
Low - Shake Shack

ROB PATRONITE:

High - Blue Smoke
Medium - The Stoned Crow
Low - Shake Shack

Source

Filed under: The Best ... in All of New York, Magazines, Lists

Where to eat in 2007 in New York

COMMENTS 0

by Nicole Weston, Posted Jan 3rd 2007 @ 6:58AM

While we're all busily listing the best restaurants we've eaten at in the last year, Adam Platt, from New York Magazine, already has a list put together of where to eat in New York during the next one. He gives his picks for the best eateries in fifteen different categories: Vegas on the Hudson (Buddakan, Del Posto), The Out-of-Towners (L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon), Neighborhood Chic (The Little Owl), Haute Italian (Café Boulud), Haute Barnyard (Telepan), Real Barnyard (Daisy May's BBQ USA), Gourmet Bar Food (Degustation), Makeover Madness (Tocqueville), Designer Steaks (Craftsteak), Nightclub Chinese (Shun Lee West), The Great Lunch (Adrienne's Pizza Bar), Brooklyn Ramble (The Farm on Adderley), Breakfast Ramble (Zucco: Le French Diner), Cocktail Madness (Employees Only), Dessert (Russian Tea Room, Pinkberry and Chikalicious) . And there are many more listed in each category!

Individual and themed picks aside, there are also lists of the ten best new restaurants in NYC (all contained in the above list), the ten most decadent dishes in town, the best up and coming chefs and the five best egg dishes in New York.

Take Platt's advice and you'll be eating out every day for the rest of the year. But if his picks are on the money, you probably won't mind one bit.

Source

Filed under: The Best ... in All of New York, Trends, Newspapers, Lists, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants

The top dogs in New York

COMMENTS 4

by Nicole Weston, Posted Oct 8th 2006 @ 12:54PM

Did you know that a place that sells hot dogs is called a "doggerie"? Neither did I, until I heard writer Paul Lukas use the term to describe hot dog vendors in his quest for the best hot dogs in New York City. He feels that hot doggeries are steadily becoming more common, as more New Yorkers accept that a great hot dog can be a whole meal, not just "a snack to be eaten on the run." His quest was designed to help hot dog lovers in the big city find their way to the most satisfying dogs.

He set a few ground rules: all-beef with natural casing for the dogs, and toppings had to be either mustard and/or diced onions. He found a lot of dogs, but not all of them were up to snuff. Here are some of the best:

Brooklyn Diner USA - Really good, and really huge, dogs. Their "15-Bite Hot Dog" measures 15-inches in length and 5 inches around!
Crif Dogs - Skip their signature deep-fried dog and go for the all-beef, which is crisp and delicious, especially when washed down with a shot of Jägermeister.
Katz's - Super beefy, these dogs deserve the name "tube steaks." The buns aren't as good as the dogs, but you'll get over it once you start to dig in.

Source

Filed under: The Best ... in All of New York, Newspapers, Ingredients, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants

The best ice cream shops in NYC

COMMENTS 4

by Nicole Weston, Posted Aug 12th 2006 @ 1:02PM

A new magazine dedicated to chocolate, Chocolate Zoom, has put out a list of the top five ice cream shops in New York City - something that New Yorkers might be interested in, given the fact that this has been quite a hot summer there. Not that we need an excuse to eat good ice cream, but when it's hot sometimes you need the extra incentive of knowing that you're going for the best, rather than just setting for whatever frozen novelties are offered at the corner market.