I'm Making A Comeback...

So What's The Dealio You Ask?

The thing is that I've totally been neglecting this UrbanFoodMaven blog for the quick & easy fix of the UrbanFoodMaven FB Page... I know, I'm sorry! I mean, with all of these changes in the past five years since I made the move from SF to NYC and now Philly delving into the World of Wine for the last year, it just has been difficult to get back to this for a number of reasons, the details of which I will not bore you with right now...

The point is that I've been re-inspired recently and ready to get back into it!

In the Meantime, Check out the New Design and Stay Tuned for UFM posts!

Yours In Food.. 

& Now Wine too...

UrbanFoodMaven aka The Raptor

P.S. In case you didn't know, I am moving back to SF soon...

And now you know...  

NoLibs Sunday Funday...

SUNDAY FUNDAY

February 2014

This Winter was a brutal one... We had not had this much snow since the winter of 1875. It was no joke...  

So that Sunday, was one of the first warm days in awhile so me and the girls made plans for brunch at a place in the Piazza in Northern Liberties in Philly... Unfortunately we had such a horrible experience with brunch that I am debating whether to even mention the place at all at this juncture... 

Anyhow, after said terrible brunch experience, we ended up heading to PYT for drinks and cocktails outside in the sun to appease our discontent. My beverage of choice was a Bacon Bloody Mary as seen below... 

It was super yummy and along with the sun, it started to help things along in a Sunday Funday fashion... 

After a couple drinks we ended up heading to Bar Ferdinand. I had heard many good things about this place and had never been until then...

We were a group of four lovely ladies and decided to belly up to the bar. 

👉🍷 2011 Les Sorts Rosat..

👉🍴Bacon & Duck Empanadas...

👉🍴House-cured Panceta Coca with Baked Egg and Garlic Oil Flatbread...

👉🍷2011 Ameztoi Rubentis Getariako Txakolina... 

Just us girls.. 👉💃💃💃💃

👉🍴Roasted Mushroom Coca with Truffles and Goat Cheese... 

Good Times! 

The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes...

Ok, am I dating myself by naming this post the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes? Do any of you even remember this cult film? Bix themselves sort of made this same reference in their ad as you can see.. so I guess I am not alone...  

Whatever the case, it's about Bix's Heirloom Tomato Cart, which rocked my world back in '08..  See previous UFM post by clicking here.
Well, Today, Tuesday, July 31st the Bix Summer Tomato Cart Returns...

And for my UrbanFoodMavens in San Francisco, I suggest you go and go now.

xo..

R...

5 Tips for Saving Money in Your Kitchen

Stocking your kitchen is probably one of your biggest monthly budget items.  Most people or families usually make at least one grocery run per week.  It can cost a lot of money just to fill your freezer and pantry shelves.  So who wouldn’t want a few tips on how to lower your kitchen costs? These aren’t drastic changes, just a few simple ideas that will lower your grocery bill.  Read on for four money-saving tips for your kitchen needs.

1.              Scope out deals.  Coupon Clipping seems to be a lost art in this day an age.  In reality, you can find huge savings on your every day groceries by using coupons. A new trend of sites like Coupon Cravings dedicate pages to grocery, retailer, and travel coupons, and often offer tips for raising families on a budget. Another trick is to always bring in a coupon for any store you’re shopping at, even if you don’t buy what’s advertised – often times they just have one barcode for all promotions, and this can help you save tons of money.

2.              Buy all your produce in season.  According to GetRichSlowly.org, buying produce out of season means you’ll have to pay more.  That’s likely because it’s not locally grown.  Instead it’s being shipped to your grocery store from warmer climates.  That’s why you should get your produce in season, it will be cheaper, and it might even taste better.  It may mean changing the way you cook based on what’s in season, but it will be worth it with all the money you save on produce.

3.              Get a canning kit.  When you buy produce in season you can get great deals and stock up on your favorites.  But you need to make sure you use them before they go bad, or you’ll have wasted money.  That’s where a good canning kit comes in.  About.com explains that canning your own fruits and vegetables can save you money you would later have spent on these items in the grocery store. 

4.              Use dry milk in recipes.  Dry milk is so much cheaper than fresh.  Most people can taste the difference if just drinking it straight.  However, when you use it in cooking, the other flavors will mask the flavor of the dry milk.  When eating the finished meal, you won’t even be able to tell that it’s there.  Save your fresh milk for cereal.  But use dry milk in your next recipe to cut costs.

5.              Buy cheap cuts of meat for use in the slow-cooker.  Meat prices can be through the roof.  But not all cuts of meat are expensive. Usually you can find various cheaper cuts of meat.  The problem lies in how to best cook them so they are flavorful.  Tipnut.com suggests using a slow-cooker for these tougher cuts.  Give them enough time and they will be fork tender and delicious.

Your kitchen can be the source of a lot of your expenses.  It requires regular purchases to keep it well-stocked.  Remember these cost cutting ideas the next time your pantry needs replenishing.  The savings can really add up.  

A guest post by FrugalDad.com

The 2nd Annual Kulinarya 2012 Next Saturday, January 21st in San Francisco

Yes..

She's makin' a comeback..

I've been asked to go to San Francisco to be a judge for a culinary competition at the 2nd Annual Kulinarya, a Filipino Culinary Event which is being held at the Carnelian by the Bay in San Francisco next Saturday, January 21st. The event is scheduled from 3 to 8pm and will feature tastings from various Filipino chefs & gourmet food trucks around the Bay, as well as a culinary competition, which I will be judging. The featured ingredient is the Pili Nut. Not sure that I've ever had this before but it will definitely make for an interesting time. And it free.. So if you're local, you should definitely come by and check it out or at least come hang out with me!

I'm very excited & actually honored that the Kulinarya event board found me in Greenwich CT a few weeks ago where I've been doing my thing at cb5 restaurant group. My job designing & constructing and opening new restaurants has not allowed me the time to write very much but perhaps this is the inspiration that I needed to jumpstart me...

So, come by to Kulinarya next Saturday and let's catch up! Would love to see you!

Grand Gourmet - The Flavor of Midtown

I attended the Grand Gourmet - The Flavor of Midtown event at the gorgeous Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Station.  This was my first Food & Wine event in NYC and I am grateful to my friend Jon for

allowing me to come as his guest.  As he quickly learned, I walked in with my usual determination when

attending these type of events, I usually have a game plan.  The Goal - To photograph and try every single tasting dish provided by each chef/restaurant, and at the same time, try, key word being 'try', not to get too inebriated or full while doing so.  Believe you me, although the portions are small and bite-sized, it all adds up when you have over 40 or 50 vendors.  And prior to this, I prepped my appetite and stomach by having my oatmeal for breakfast and a nice healthy salad.

So I walk in and go to town on the joint, slowly making my way from stand to stand, doing my thang, taking photos, talking to the chefs and trying everyone's tasty,one  or in some cases, not-so-tasty wares, with a glass of wine or cocktail in one hand and my camera in the other.  I swear, sometimes, I could use an extra set of arms or a really good wing person, because as fun as it all sounds, it is no easy task!  Yeah, yeah...  I hear you..  Woe is me!

So...  Anyway!
After I have tried everything, I go back to my favorites for a 2nd round, and I will talk more with the chef about their food to find out what makes ti so special.  I also make mental notes, to go to their restaurant at some point in the near future to try more of their food.

Here were the evening's winners in my book...

The first thing I tried that evening that wow-ed me was a Cream of Mushroom Soup with Gruyere Canapes by Chef Steven Zobel of Triomphe.
Creamy.
Rich.
Yet light enough that the earthiness of the Mushroom came through.
The saltiness of the Gruyere Canape made for a nice complement...
This made for a great First Course...

This was my absolute favorite Dish of the night...
 "Nios-coise" Salad with Traditional Accompaniments

Chef Massimo De Francesco of Nios restaurant at The Muse, a Kimpton hotel, turned it out with this one!  I have to say, that I have been very impressed by the Food at the Kimpton Hotel Restaurants.  I am a huge fan of the Square 1682 restaurant at the Palomar in Philly. Simple yet innovative food with fresh ingredients that really comes through in their Dishes... The Food reminds me of California cuisine crossed with spa food and I love it. 

This Dish was essentially a deconstructed Nicoise by which the freshness of the Tuna coupled with the Sauce which basically embodied all of your typical flavors in a Nicoise, ultimately came through in a hugely successful way.  I mean, the minute it hit my mouth, I was floored.  I am salivating looking at the photos and thinking about it.  Big kudos to Chef De Francesco for knocking it out of the park.  I promptly shook his hand and told him, in a nutshell 'You win.' and that I would be coming into his restaurant to try more of his Food.
Must go back..
For more...
Now.

As for Desserts...

Passion Fruit 'Fromage Blanc' with White Balsamic Macerated Strawberries and Chocolate Nibs Brittle by Chef Stefan Bahr of Charlie Palmer's Metrazur right in Grand Central Station.

This Dessert was outstanding...
And with me not being a Dessert person, this was right up my alley.
Light.
Refreshing.
And not overly sweet...
Perfect combination of flavors with the sweetness of the Passion fruit, the creaminess of the 'Fromage Blanc and the textural element and contrast of the Chocolate Brittle.   Perfection.

Honorable Dessert Mention...

Magnolia Bakery Mini-Cupcakes & Banana Pudding

I mean, who can go wrong with mini-cupcakes, really?
And the Banana Pudding was no joke...

All in all, it was a successful foray into the Food & Wine of Midtown Manhattan and while this was just a small taste of what NYC has to offer, I am anxious to delve even deeper and try more...

Quince Revisited...

One of my last Meals in San Francisco, was a Memorable Meal at Quince with my good friend, Nadia and her husband, Murph, who are as passionate about Food as I am, which is hard to find.
I chose Quince because I had been there before and had such a great experience, that I really wanted to try it again. Another reason I chose it is because Quince will soon be moving into the old Myth space on Jackson Street in the Financial District, so I really wanted to try it once more before they move.

Quince is an elegant yet understated space with low lighting and white table linens. And the staff is wonderfully attentive and impressively anticipated our every move. We really felt like we were special guests.

Jumping right in...
The Dishes are ordered according to which Dishes for each Course were an overall Table Favorite, with the first ones being the best.

The Bread...



The Bread was a surprising Star of the Meal.

Above is their selection of Breads - Bread Sticks with a bit of a Cheesy kick to them, Bread with Star Anise and the wheel-shaped one with Olives and soaked in Olive Oil, which was a Favorite at the Table...

First Course



Squash Blossoms filled with Dungeness Crab, Zucchini, Carrot and Lemon Verbena



Riverdog Farm Asparagus with Uovo Frito, an Egg Yolk that was Breaded and then Deep Fried (brilliant!), Pancetta, Brown Butter and Parmigiano Reggiano



Sformato of Roasted Pepper and Eggplant Bagna Cauda
Please forgive the photo quality on this one...


Second Course



Agnolotti dal Plin Traditional Piedmontese Veal-filled Pasta



Bigoli della Casa with Rabbit, Spigariello Kale and Red Lentil



Egg Tagliatelle with Veal, Porcini Mushroom and Peas


Third Course



Paine Farm Smoked Squab with a Black Cabbage, Porcini Mushroom Strudel and Sunchoke Crema



Liberty Duck Breast and Sausage with Tokyo Turnip, Bordeaux Spinach, Fennel and Blackberry Mostarda



Sonoma Organic Veal with Zucchini and their Blossoms


Dessert Course



Aprium Torta with Golden Beet Leaves, Sorbetto and White Chocolate Crema



Olive Oil Semifreddo with Sbrisolona and Cherry Granita



Murph had the Selection of Cheeses off the Quince Cheese Cart which could give the Gary Danko Cheese Cart a run for its money.

Quince is still as impressive as the last time. I only hope that the new space on Jackson brings the same class and elegance that the Octavia one puts forth. I suppose we shall see upon one of my returns to the Bay...

UFM: What's For Dinner? Tabouli Couscous with Chicken

Sorry I've been MIA since the move back east.  It's been hard to get into the swing of reviews of NYC restaurants when I'm so new to such an enormous sprawling city with its many boroughs, restaurants and eateries.  I will continue to do so though, as I eat my way through the city, but I will be focusing on plenty of other aspects of Food in the meantime.  Besides the fact that I have been spending a lot of time in my hometown of Philly during the football season, and as of late, the World Series.  I may be a New Yorker now, but I will always be a Philly Girl at heart.

So what the heck am I doing with myself these days foodwise?  Well for those that that know me...
I Eat therefore I AM...
And one of the things I am doing more of here and there is cooking, which is why I am going to start posting more about the sort of things that I am cooking for myself and others.  Lately, I've been on a big couscous kick.  It's quick and easy and there are lots of things that you can do with it.  One of things that I have been doing is making it with Tabouli, which is typically made with cracked wheat, also known as bulghur.  Couscous is another form which is typically a semolina wheat that is moistened and rolled into tiny granules.  What ever the case, I am diggin' it and am trying to find different ways of preparing it.  My next attempt will be a couscous paella...

So for dinner at my cousin's house in Jersey this week, I decided to do a tabouli couscous with your typical tabouli ingredients such as cucumber, tomato, parsley and feta, and then I also added chicken to make it more of an all-in-one meal.   It was awesome, although there was a small incident during the prep.  After I had mixed everything together, I went to throw in a few shakes of some chili pepper flakes and the top with the holes fell off and half of the bottle went in.  Ugh.  We decided to scrape off the top layer of my creation into a small bowl and filled it with water.  Fortunately, most of the chili flakes floated to the top and I was able to save the dish.  Whew!  Disaster averted.
And although the dish a little on the spicy side, it was still delicious and each of the flavors came through.

Try it some time.  All you need are the following ingredients:
1 box of Couscous
Chicken Breast (cubed)
Tomato (diced)
Cucumber (diced)
Parsley (chopped medium fine)
Feta (cubed)
Lemon
Boil water for couscous then start to cook chicken.  Throw in couscous into boiling water.  Only takes 5 minutes.  Mix in the rest of the ingredients and then squeeze lemon in.

NYC Wine & Food Festival This Weekend & UFM Has Found Discounts for the Foodie Recessionistas

The 2nd Annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food&Wine and Travel+Leisure, is this weekend from October 8th through the 11th.  These events are hosted by the NYC Food Bank and Share Our Strength, and all proceeds will benefit initiatives for them as well.  This event is purported to be one of the only events of its kind that brings together legendary culinary icons and beloved celebrity chefs under one roof.

Tickets have been on sale for quite some time now, so a lot of the events with the high profile individuals such as Anthony Bourdain, David Chang, Alain Ducasse, Alton Brown and Giada DeLaurentiis are sold out and have been for awhile.  I have been interested in a few events and have to admit, that in these economic times, it can be a little pricey.  The ones that I was looking to attend were the Meatpacking Uncorked event on Friday night which is only $65 bucks.  No complaints here, but the ShopRite Grand Market Tasting is $150 bucks a person.  Now, for big 'foodheads' like myself, where money is usually no object when it comes to food.  And also due to the fact that I make it my business to attend as many food and wine events as I can, no matter the cost or the distance even, $150 is what I would pay on average for a tasting event like this one.  But to most everyone else, that is a lot of money.  

So as always, and you can thank my sister Rowe for this, I find myself searching for the best deals or discounts around these events, because let's face it, in these economic times, who doesn't wanna save some moolah?  These days, it's all about finding your inner Recessionista and as Tim Gunn would say, 'making it work..'

Well, here it is people, I found out where to get 40% off of tickets for both of these events!  Yep, you heard me, 40%!  So here's the dealio...

The Meatpacking Uncorked event is now $40 instead of $65 and the Grand Market Tasting on Sunday is now $90 instead of $150.  Cool, right?

Ok, all you have to do is click here and sign up for a Goldstar account.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to push Goldstar or anything like that, but hey, it's 40% off.  You will find that it is only for a handful of the NYC Wine & Food Festival events, but well worth the extra time to sign up, if you ask me.  These are tough times people, but being a Diva and finding a way to make your lifestyle 'affordable' is the 'in' thing to do right now, and when it comes to the lifestyle of a Foodie Diva, hopefully the Urban Food Maven is helpful in 'making it work...'
Carry on Foodies!

Rita's Water Ice - The Philly Cheesesteak's Happy Ending...

Pronounced 'Wooder Ice'...
Rita's Water Ice is the UFM Rec for the perfect summer 'Happy Ending' after a Philly Cheesesteak or Cheesesteak Stromboli (see previous post)

Water Ice + Custard = Gelato Happiness

If you're watching your 'girlish' figures, you can Slenderina instead of Gelato, but why would you wanna do that?

Philly's Answer To The Perfect Food - The Cheesesteak Stromboli

Ok.. So I'm back in Philly.. Again.

And I thought it appropriate to write about one of my Favorite Foods - the Cheesesteak Stromboli - A Stromboli Filled With Meat & Cheese that comes with a Side of Pizza Sauce...

A Little Bit of Philly Brilliance if you ask me...

So what's the difference between a Stromboli and a Calzone, you ask?

Well, according to Wiki, both are made from Pizza Dough pockets which are filled with Cheese and/or your choice of Meat and Toppings that are folded over, but the Calzone is folded over once, sorta like a giant Empanada, in a half moon shape, and the Stromboli is rolled into a Loaf, sorta like a flattened Burrito. The picture above is a photo of a Cheesesteak Stromboli and the pictures below are ones of a Cheesesteak Calzone that I had at a place in Atlantic City, that was actually called a Cheesesteak Stromboli on the Menu.

Either way..

Meat + Cheese = YUM!

Now get this...

Someone in SF once told me that after drinking on a gluttonous night in Philly, they bought a Jim's 'Steak on South Street and then went and got a Slice at Lorenzo's Pizza and proceeded to wrap the Slice around the 'Steak and eat it. I kid you not.

Now seriously... That sounded just plain ludicrous to me!

First off, it throws off the whole Trifecta of Meat to Cheese to Bread Ratio with too much Bread...

And Secondly, why go to TWO different places, let alone spend the money for TWO separate items??? All they had to do was save the time, money and effort, as well as the extraneous carbohydrates and find themselves a Cheesesteak Stromboli...

In the West Coast, some people's idea of the 'Perfect Food' is the Burrito. While in the East Coast, we have our Pizza (NY) and Cheesesteaks (Philly). The Cheesesteak Stromboli is the best of ALL worlds wrapped into One!

For the Happy Ending to this Piece, Grab yourself a Rita's Water Ice!

In lieu of my last post about Blue Crab over Dungeness, this article is pretty hilarious!

Click on the title link to read the article...

Crab Nabbed, Circumstances Fishy: West Coast Crustacean Found In Atlantic Waters

UFM Food Porn - Blue Crab Fest

A LOVE LETTER TO BLUE CRAB
Corny, I know..

Dearest Blue Crab...

Blue, How I've Missed Thee!

How I've Missed Your Sweet, Delicate Flesh...

I know.. I know...

There may have been others over the years...

Dungeness, Alaskan King and even Faux, I am ashamed to say..

But you have to know, that you have always been my Favorite.

No other Crustacean could ever compare!

Sure, they were bigger, but bigger doesn't always mean better.

And although they were easier to eat,

I honestly can say that I missed the satisfaction of having to work harder for you.

It just wasn't the same...

And I know...
I've been gone a really long time..

But it's not like you've been there either...

You've been so... so... unavailable in the West Coast.

Yet, I still found myself longing for you.

You have to know that I've thought of you often.

And I am so happy to be reunited at last.

So there you have it..
I'm much closer now,
which means that I can find you much easier..
And this makes me very happy!

Until we meet again, Old Friend...

Yours In Food,

The Urban Food Maven aka The Raptor

San Francisco Street Food Festival This Saturday August 22nd

La Cocina in the Mission District in San Francisco is hosting a day long block party in the form of the first ever San Francisco Street Food Festival this Saturday August 22nd. Admission is FREE, People! Although Food and Drinks will be sold by each vendor, ranging from $3 to $8 at most. You can Buy a passport for savings and the freedom not to hassle with an ATM.
In addition to Delicious Eats, the festival will feature a beer and spirits garden, roving street musicians, street art projects and a hands-on children's play area, as well as multi-lingual services for attendees.

The event is a benefit for La Cocina and is a collaborative project with a special focus on the transition from informal to formal food businesses. Through partnerships with both non-profits and highly regarded restaurants, this event will work to connect communities throughout San Francisco's spectrum of class and culture to the everyday food that SF eats and loves.

So, Go to this Festival, and Eat Street Food!
Viva La Bacon Dog Cart!

The Urban Food Maven's First Two Months Back In The East Coast...

I've been back east for two months to the date today, but I have barely been in NY, which why I am only now getting to writing.  
So what have I been doing since I moved, you ask?  As I expected, I kept getting drawn down to Philly, NJ and the DC area to see family and friends.  I do have to say that, after being gone for the past 14 years, it feels damn good to be back.  It feels like coming home...
How does the ol' saying go?  You can take the girl outta Philly...  yadda yadda.
So needless to say, I've been literally On The Road, Jack Kerouac-styles since leaving San Francisco - Boltbus-ing, Greyhounding, MegaBus-ing and ChinaTownBus-ing to and fro NYC to Philly, Atlantic City, Washington DC and Virgina for the past couple months and have been living the true life of leisure.  As a matter of fact, I am writing this on the MegaBus from DC back to NYC as we speak.
Enough with the travel already, it is now time to catch up on my writing, and more importantly, to share what I've been eating On The UFM Road...

I have yet to really delve into the World of Food here on the East Coast.  As you can imagine, I have my work cut out for me!  I am a bit overwhelmed, but truly excited.  It definitely doesn't suck to be me right now.
I am so behind with the writing, that I still have to finish and publish some of my write-ups of some of my final meals in San Francisco, which I will publish in both SFFoodMaven and here.  Stay tuned for those...
For now, you will be seeing little blips and blurbs here and there, of my travels, in the form of Urban Food Maven (UFM) Food Porn.

So that's the dilly...
Blips and Blurbs..
UFM Food Porn..
Stay Tuned.
And Of Course..
Enjoy!

Yours In Food,

The Urban Food Maven

SF Chefs. Food. Wine. This Week In San Francisco

SF Chefs. Food. Wine. is happening in this week in San Francisco at Union Square from August 6th through the 9th.  It's going to be an amazing four day Food & Wine event of bacchanalian proportions, celebrating the unique and diverse bounty that San Francisco has to offer.

Proceeds from this event will go to four SF charities - Feeding America, a leading supporter of the SF Food Bank, Meals On Wheels, the Golden Gate Restaurant Association Scholarship Fund and Project Open Hand.

Another great aspect of this event is that they will be partnering with the SF Conservation Corps to try to achieve a zero waste event creating no landfill, by using recyclable products such as silverware and wine glassware made of corn resin.  How cool is that???
So, you have NO idea how BUMMED I am to not be attending.  My 3 favorite things and all in my old 'hood and I'm here in NY!  Go Figure.  Were I there, I would be attending, and if I didn't already have plans on this coast, I would've bought a ticket on Virgin America to fly out to attend. Trust.
So perhaps, my West Side Foodies would like to represent for me?
Here's hoping so...
Holla at me if you are interested.
Otherwise click here for the ticket deets.

Tickets run for $150 for a Day Pass and then it varies according to various Events - such as Receptions, Suppers and even an Urban BBQ.  Damn!  Just writing about this pisses me off that I can't go!

Whatever the case, if you're into Food and Wine and can make it, then I say, Go!