Hey all! TGIF! Boy, has this week whizzed by! Here are some of my foodie highlights. 1) I had the privilege of attending a Chile 101 Boot Camp and family-style lunch at Rosa Mexicano (Union Square) on Tuesday, hosted by Culinary Advisor, Susana Trilling and Culinary Director, David Suarez. At the event I learned all about chili peppers from how to prepare them to the different types. Although I never considered myself to have a palate for spicy schtuff, I really enjoyed having the opportunity to taste-test and discovered I’m quite fond of the variety of flavors (smoky, fruity, hot, etc.)!
The restaurant’s atmosphere and food was fabulous…I can’t wait to go back! FYI the Guacamole en Molcajete is TO DIE FOR.
2) After getting out of my internship, I met up with Laura and her friend, Steph, at Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar for dinner. I was still pretty full from my incredible lunch but ordered the Wild Smoked Salmon Salad (with mixed field greens, tomato, cucumber, capers and extra virgin olive oil dill dressing), which was delightful. Light but just the perfect portion, leaving room for…
…Tuesday’s Ladies Night Out! AKA complimentary chocolate shots and Belgian chocolate covered strawberries!
Doesn’t get much better than that, huh?
Perfection. By the way, it was a sticky 98 degrees that day. Traveling on the subway and walking around was not the most pleasant experience but completely worth it, of course.
3) I spent the night at Laura’s, giving me the opportunity to “sleep in” — which in my case is 7 AM. I ran 4 miles on the treadmill in her building’s gym before showering and grabbing some breakfast in a little place near my office. What did my favorite meal of the day include? An assortment of fruit (grapes, blackberries, blueberries, watermelon and honeydew), two hard boiled eggs, a plain Chobani yogurt and grande iced coffee from Starbucks. Great way to start off my day!
4) Lunch included a protein-packed salad (spinach, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, tofu, navy beans, chickpeas, edamame, pumpkin seeds and carrots with balsamic vinegar/olive oil) from Zeytinz Fine Food Market Place. I caught a few rays and people watched in Bryant Park while chowing down on my lunch break!
So there’s a look at my week through what I ate. I realized the other day that most of my pictures on my camera and phone are of food. Pathetic? I think not! Hopefully I’ll be able to cook something new and fun this weekend! (I’ve really been wanting to create my own gazpacho.) Although I love trying different fare in NYC, I miss the comfort of home cooked meals, not to mention having the time to prepare my own recipes.
Any quick, summery recipe suggestions?
Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren
