Items tagged with 'food'
Tournament of Pizza voting leaderboard
With a little more than 24 hours to go in the crowd voting for this year's Tournament of Pizza field, there's a leaderboard after the jump. Some of the early standings aren't surprising to us (The Fountain) -- but we didn't see some of these coming (Giuseppe's!).
The top two vote-getters in each bracket will get spots in the field of 16. (Voting ends Friday at noon. Vote now!)
Call it a comeback
A renovated spot on the renovated Delaware Ave
Or a rebirth. Or what's old is new again. Or, just... lunch.
A few favorites from around town recently came back in a new form:
Lou-Bea's
We've eaten some very fine slices of pizza over the years at this shop on Delaware Ave in Albany (a street which has gone through its own recent rebirth). So we were very sorry to see a fire shut down the pizzeria last year.
It's now back open -- Silvia has the scoop. We walked by the other day and the place looks great. (And Lou-Bea's is up for a spot in this year's Tournament of Pizza -- vote now!) [TU] [DelSo]
The Illium Cafe
This nice spot on Troy's Monument Square closed during last year's Tosca financial meltdown. The cafe re-opened with new owners Tuesday -- they even had big scissors for the ribbon cutting.
The new Illium menu looks good. We're already planning for some "Irresistible Banana-Macadamia nut Flap Jacks". [Upstate NY Restaurant Examiner] [@jpirro1]
Bonus Monument Square area rebirth: the former Paper Sparrow space has been reborn as Anchor No. 5 Boutique -- run by Albany designer Petra Jancovicova. [Revel In Art]
Tess is at McGeary's
Tess Collins -- you know, Lark Tavern Tess -- is now managing the renovated McGeary's Pub in downtown Albany and she's along brought along some of the Lark Tavern crew. Steve was at the re-opening and it looks like he enjoyed some "excellent" sliders.
(Thanks, Jessica R!)
Tournament of Pizza 2010 voting
We can't wait!
The return of that august tradition, the AOA Tournament of Pizza, is almost here. For the first time, half the field will be filled based on voting from the crowd.
The ballot is after the jump. Please vote for one pizzeria in each bracket. You can only fill out one ballot from each computer. Voting ends this Friday, September 10, at noon.
Thanks to everyone who submitted a nomination!
Free Wine and Food Festival tickets
Next week is the last event of the season at SPAC-- the big Wine, Food and Ferrari Festival.
And the central event is the Grand Tasting on Saturday, September 11th from 1 to 5:30. More that 100 Italian and international wines will be available for sampling, there will be wine and cheese seminars, delicacies from local chefs and lots of Ferraris and other beautiful cars. Not a bad way to kill an afternoon.
Over 35 importers of Italian wines and food products will be offering tastings. Tickets to the Grand Tasting are $75 a piece -- but we've got 4 pair to give away.
Gourmet food, fine wine and fancy cars had us daydreaming about living like the other half does. Which brings us to the question we'd like you to answer to enter the drawing:
How do you "live rich" in the Capital Region?
Maybe it's where you go to splurge or treat yourself when you've got a few extra dollars. Maybe it doesn't cost anything at all but makes you feel like a million bucks. Anyway, tell us what it is and we'll enter you into the drawing. And of course, let us know what's so great about it in case we want to try it too. That part's not a requirement, but it's more fun to share.
The deadline to enter is Friday, September 3rd at 8PM.
Very, very important: One entry per person. You must answer the question to be eligible. You must post your comment by 8 pm on Friday, September 3rd, 2010. You must include a working email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. The winners will be notified by email by noon on Saturday-- and must respond by 5PM Tuesday, September 7th.
Good places to eat on Sunday?
Skye emails:
Sunday's the day my husband & I have a meal with his dad, and whenever I run through the checklist in my head of places I would love to go, I find most of them are closed (esp. in Troy, it seems).
So Skye's looking for some suggestions about good places to eat on Sunday -- and, we'll add, dinner especially (a lot of places are open for brunch).
One suggestion to start things off: we've had some nice Sunday evening meals at Chez Mike in East Greenbush -- it's open 5-9 pm on Sundays.
Have suggestions for Skye? Please share!
Chipotle at Stuyvesant Plaza opens Tuesday
Between Trustco and Peaches near the Fuller Road end of the plaza.
Updated Monday evening with porky details.
The Capital Region's fourth Chipotle opens in Stuyvesant Plaza on Tuesday. We stopped by today to check it out -- and in the five or so minutes we there, six people were turned away from the not-quite-open-yet location. (Exclaimed one girl into her mobile right after, "Tomorrow!?!?!")
There's no opening day free food this time around. The friendly guy we talked with today said the crowds on previous free burrito days had been overwhelming.
He did let us in for a quick peek. A handful of photos for the curious are after the jump.
The Radix Ecological Sustainability Center
Scott Kellogg and his daughter on the site of the future Radix Center.
Scott Kellogg wants to teach you to live greener and be more self-sustaining -- you know, grow your own food, raise a little livestock.
Hey, city dwellers -- this means you.
Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew are the founders of the Rhizome Collective, a center for community organizing and urban sustainability in Austin Texas, and the authors of The Toolbox for Sustainable City Living.
Now they live in Albany, and they're building a space called The Radix Center to teach city dwellers and suburbanites alike to do everything from compost with worms and grow porch mushrooms, to collect rainwater and raise their own fish.
Scott says not only is this possible, you're actually going to enjoy it.
Where to get whole sardines?
Apparently there's a bit of a neo-sardine movement because the fish are considered both healthy and sustainable.
Shadi and Jason:
"Where can we find fresh, whole sardines?"
Our first thought was to check with The Original Two Cousins fish market. So we called up the Newton Plaza location in Latham this morning. The helpful people there said they don't have fresh sardines -- but they do have frozen. A two pound bag is $7.95.
Anyone have other suggestions for Shadi and Jason? Maybe you've seen whole sardines in one of the supermarket seafood sections. Please share!
photo: Flickr user FotoosVonRobin
Shuffle of Indian restaurants on Lark
One's out, one's in?
Update: MattW checks back in to say that Tandoor Palace was back open when he went by Thursday evening.
___
MattW sends along word that it appears Tandoor Palace at Lark and Madison in Albany has been seized by the state Department of Taxation and Finance for "nonpayment of taxes." (more photos after the jump)
At the other end of Lark, it's look like another Indian place is sprouting: a sign in one of the spaces by the still-closed Al Baraki says a restaurant called Jewel of Indian is coming soon. There's a website mentioned, but the domain is currently parked.
Of course, that neighborhood is still not without Indian options: LaZeez is at 35 Central and Aashiana is at 31 Central and Gandhi is at 1 Central.
Also: As of earlier this month, a Taste of Greece was for sale -- $55,000 was the asking price.
The state always gets its cut
From the "Oy, New York!" file: WSJ's Jacob Gershman reports today that the state Department of Taxation and Finance has cracked down on a group of Bruegger's stores for, among other things, not collecting tax on sliced bagels.
In the taxation department's interpretation of the state tax code, sliced bagels are subject to sales tax -- but whole (unsliced) bagels are exempt. But get this: a sliced loaf of bread -- not taxed.
The DTF tells CBS6 that it will be stepping up enforcement of such food-related tax quirks.
The Bruegger's group tagged by the state has more than 30 stores across upstate -- including here in the Albany area. The stores have been posting signs telling people about the change. [Biz Journals] [WNYT]
Another thing about Kenneth Greene, the guy who owns the Bruegger's group -- his company baked the world's largest bagel (more than 800 pounds) at the New York State Fair in 2005. [Bigger Impact] [SuperSized Meals]
Tournament of Pizza 2010 nominations
It's almost time!
That most august tradition -- the Tournament of Pizza -- will soon return. That means we have some brackets to fill out. And we need your help.
For the first time, this year's tournament field will be selected in part by a vote from the crowd. So, we need nominations.
Got a good pizza place in mind? Just post a comment with the name of the place and the town where it's located. We'll gather up the nominations for a vote next week.
The Pig Pit BBQ
Hmmm... do we smell a BBQ smackdown?
While driving around Cohoes , I couldn't help but giggle at this "Pig Pit vs. Dinosaurs: Bring it on!" sign. Clearly I had to check that out.
So, my look at Cohoes continues with, The Pig Pit.
A first look at Fresh Market
Daniel B. Braved the opening day crowds at the new Fresh Market
You would have thought they were giving away shopping bags full of diamonds. Yesterday's grand opening of the region's first Fresh Market was a seething mass of humanity.
Traffic was snarled up for blocks at the intersection of routes 9 and 155, and their jumbo-sized parking lot was filled beyond capacity. There wasn't even a shopping cart to be found.
On one hand that was probably a good thing, since all of the people inside made it difficult to move around, and the checkout queues stretched all the way across the store. But on the other hand, The Fresh Market shopping carts seem to be a key part of the experience.
Harmony House Marketplace & the Wine Seller
They love NY wines.
Okay, okay, I'll admit it - I don't think of New York when it comes to choosing a wine. And I'm definitely not alone in that thinking.
The folks at Harmony House Marketplace's The Wine Seller are hoping to change that.
At the Plaza Food Festival
Updated with a sampling of vendors
Here's something that might be worth checking out on Wednesday: the annual At the Plaza Food Festival will be set up on the ESP from 11 am - 9 pm.
The event blurb says there will be 50 food vendors, which might make for a fun lunch stop. A sample of the vendors is after the jump.
And there's music, too. Among the lineup: locals Super 400 will be playing at 6:15 (that's them on the right, at the ESP even). And the Smithereens (yep, those Smithereens) will be playing at 7:45.
(Thanks, Glenna!)
photo via OGS
Waffle Week at Brown's
This sounds fun (and potentially yummy): next week is "Waffle Week" at Brown's Brewing in Troy. From the press release:
For on August 24, 1869, one Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York was awarded the very first patent for the Waffle Iron. From that day forward, waffle enthusiasts the world over rejoiced, and the making of those fried battery delights would never be the same.
To commemorate this erroneously overlooked moment in history, Brown's Brewing Company is hosting its first ever "Waffle Week - A Glorious Celebration in Praise of The Waffle Iron." Beginning on Monday, August 23, Brown's will offer a different waffle each day - all made with one of Brown's Dependable Ales & Lagers. And to truly celebrate the occasion, Brown's is featuring a famous Waffler in history to represent the dish of the day.
The waffle-by-waffle schedule is after the jump. It includes a "a snappy Cajun Creole Waffle" and a "rich Oatmeal Stout Dark Chocolate Waffle."
Sadly, there's no offal falafel waffle...
Mushrooming knowledge
From the "hey, I never really thought about doing that at home until now" file -- there's a class at The Furnace space in Albany this Thursday evening on growing your own mushrooms. From the event blurb:
We will be mixing the Tree Oyster (pleurotus ostreatus) mushroom spawn with sterilized straw and spent coffee grounds, some of which you will be able to take home to watch grow. Bring your own large food grade container, such as a gallon size jar or bucket, no top necessary.
The class will be taught by Scott Kellogg, one of the authors of the book Toolbox for Sustainable City Living. It starts at 7 pm. There's a $5 suggested donation.
(Thanks, Jess!)
photo: Shawn Baker via Wikipedia
The Epicurean to manage EMPAC cafe
News to us: the well-regarded French cafe The Epicurean has taken over management of Evelyn's Cafe at EMPAC (the restaurant mentioned this on their Facebook page a few weeks back). The arts center says the cafe will now be open even when there aren't performances.
The Epicurean already has a location on Route 7 in Rensselaer County. And it took over the former Vin Santo in Latham earlier this year.
Yep, EMPAC advertises on AOA.
Price Chopper to sell "sustainable 'locally grown' seafood"
Price Chopper announced today that it will be selling fish raised by Local Ocean, the indoor aquaculture company near Hudson. It's touting the fish -- sea bream -- as locally-raised and sustainable.
Local Ocean is an interesting operation. It's a huge warehouse space filled with tanks for raising fish. The setup is a mostly closed system that recycles its water supply with a filtration system that uses bacteria. The plant/farm/fish bowls reportedly cost more than $10 million to build. The company says the system should be flexible enough to raise a range of fish, both saltwater and fresh water. (There's a short video clip of Local Ocean officials talking about the concept embedded after the jump.)
Seafood stocks all around the world are under pressure from overfishing. Traditional fish farms have stepped up production to meet demand, but they've come under criticism for their environmental impact. That has some people hoping that indoor fish farms will provide a viable -- and more sustainable -- alternative.
Price Chopper says the Local Ocean fish will be available in six stores Hudson, Shoppers World in Clifton Park, Loudon Plaza in Latham, Bethlehem, Niskayuna and Saratoga Springs (Route 50). It'll be $9.99 a pound.
Earlier on AOA: Hannaford to sell only sustainably-sourced seafood
photo: Price Chopper
"Food is necessary to the total experience"
NYT's Glenn Collins examines Saratoga's "contradictions" by looking at its food (well, Siro's and the backstretch... mostly Siro's):
At Siro's restaurant, the 72-year-old hub of haute revelry here, men in blazers the hue of Easter eggs and women in prodigious hats addressed their $48 Cassel Farms rack of lamb. Only five minutes and an immeasurable universe away, 942 itinerant workers in T-shirts ate free stir-fried Sichuan chicken under a white party tent at the Saratoga Race Course.
There's also a slideshow and "where to eat" guide.
Peachy
Tastes like summer.
Before the taco this weekend, we stopped at Golden Harvest in Valatie for some peaches. They were great -- juicy and sweet, not like the peach-like objects we often find in the supermarket. (Say all you want about the advantages of local food, sometimes the best selling point is that it just plain tastes better.) We're looking forward to scoring some more peaches this weekend at the farmers market.
We would normally be right in the middle of peach season, but it -- like a lot of crops -- is about two weeks early this summer. So don't sleep on the peaches.
The early warm weather this year has also apparently moved the apple crop along, too. The New York Apple Association reports that some early season apples should be ready by mid-August (so, maybe this weekend). And all the sunny weather should result in sweeter apples.
It has us thinking about apple picking...
Tortillaville in Hudson
Taco time.
We were strolling along Warren Street in Hudson this past weekend when we came upon this happy sight.
Generally speaking, we hold that taco trucks = good idea. But this stand -- all shiny and parked among the picnic tables -- gave off an especially happy vibe.
Had we already eaten dinner? Yes. Would this stop us from having a taco? No.
Olde Polish Deli in Watervliet
You know they have kielbasa.
On a recent trip through Watervliet (okay, okay, actually I was lost), I stumbled upon The Olde Polish Deli. And well, finding a cool little ethnic shop I've never been to is one of the best ways to get lost, in my humble opinion.
After my first trip, I was enthralled.
Pick-your-own vegetables?
Brian emails:
Any suggestions on pick your own veggies? My garden sort of pooped out this year and I want tomatoes, cukes, zukes, beans...
Hmm... there are a bunch a pick-your-own fruit places, but we're not sure about PYO vegetables.
Your best bet is probably to just hit up a farmers' market or a farm stand. Of course, that doesn't give you twisting-off-the-vine experience.
So, anyone have suggestions for Brian? We'll expand this a bit to include good farm stands (quality, selection). Please share!
Behind the scenes with Chopped champ Ric Orlando
After New World chef Ric Orlando emerged victorious on last week's episode of the Food Network show Chopped, we thought it would be fun to get the backstory on how all it went down.
Among the bits that came up during the conversation: his zen approach to the challenges, being judged, editing, celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli's seemingly snippy comments -- and what he did with the prize money.
Did Ric Orlando get Chopped?
Local chef Ric Orlando (New World Home Cooking in Saugerties, New World Bistro Bar in Albany) was on the Food Network show Chopped Tuesday night.
We've watched this show a bunch of times and it looks like it can be brutal -- odd mystery ingredients, serious time pressure and picky judges. A lot of professional chefs have melted in the heat of competition.
So, how'd Ric do?
Lauren's House of Dogs
Wiener.
The fact of the matter is that if a place is called "Lauren's House of Dogs," we're going to stop in eventually -- whether they have dog dogs or hot dogs.
In Lauren's case, it's hot dogs. So we stopped in for lunch today.
Here's a quick take...
Public preview at new Troy food co-op
The Pioneer Food Market co-op reports that it's nearing completion on construction and is aiming for a soft opening in late September.
If you want to check out how things are coming along at the new market in downtown Troy, there's a public preview Friday at 10 am, and then later on during Troy Night Out from 5-9 pm.
The co-op reports that 760 people have invested in the project -- and it's continuing to look for more loans from individuals.
Albany Jane's guide to stocking the bar for parties
Albany Jane game plan involves a few stops.
It's party time.
Say you're having anywhere from 5-25 friends, family, or moderately tolerable neighbors over for dinner.
What do you do about the bar? Wine, cocktails, aperitifs? If you can't hire a bartender for the night (and chances are you can't), you're on your own.
So here are a few stores that I enjoy patronizing for my party libations.
Our first taste of Shake Shack in Saratoga
Shake Shack at the track.
The first time we tried a shack burger we were sitting outdoors at the Shake Shack in Manhattan's Madison Square Park -- in November.
Folks from the Capital Region don't get to dine in the park in November so much, so we thought the atmosphere may have contributed a lot to the experience.
The second time we tried a shack burger was this morning. In the rain. Ankle deep in the mud at the Saratoga Race Course.
Did it change the experience?
Poking around at Harvest Spirits
Good stuff in beautiful barrels.
My friend Stephen, a cook for the Miss Albany Diner, and I originally went to Golden Harvest Farms in Valatie to see what fruits they were selling at the farm store, but we noticed this sign peeking out: Harvest Spirits.
And that's how we met Derek Grout. He makes wonderful things. From leftovers.
Ric Orlando will be on Chopped
Update: Here's a recap of the episode.
We got word from chef Ric Orlando this morning that he competed on the Food Network show Chopped -- and his episode will air for the first time this coming Tuesday.
The show works like this: four chefs open baskets containing mystery ingredients (usually with odd, seemingly mismatched items), which they have to use to prepare an appetizer in 20 minutes. They race to cook. Judges taste the dishes, one chef gets "chopped." And it's on to an entree round, another mystery basket, another chopping and then a final dessert round. The winner gets $10,000.
It looks like it's pretty intense for the competitors.
Here's the Food Network blurb for the episode with Orlando:
The judges are curious to see what is in store for them when one of the competitors breaks out the wok. And some of the chefs appear less than confident when they present the appetizers made using trout and white chocolate. Then, creativity abounds in the Entrée Round, when the chefs get a whole new set of mystery ingredients including whole coconuts. Alas, two Japanese ingredients appear in the dessert basket, and the judges hope the final course will be as impressive as the previous two.
The first run of the episode is 10 pm Tuesday.
Ric Orlando is, of course, the chef/owner of New World Home Cooking in Saugerties and the chef/consultant at New World Bistro Bar in Albany.
Yep, New World Bistro Bar advertises on AOA.
photo via Ric Orlando
Where to eat like a state politician
The state Senate Democrats are apparently big fans.
After the Daily News mentioned that the state Senate Democratic campaign committee spent $26,000 in Albany restaurants over six months, we were curious about where these politicians were eating.
So we looked it up in the campaign finance disclosure reports. The lists -- for the campaign committees for both parties and chambers -- are after the jump.
Hannaford to sell only sustainably-sourced seafood
Hannaford's parent company announced today that all of the seafood carried in its supermarkets will be "coming from sources managed for sustainability" by the end of next March.
The chain has worked with a nonprofit org, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, to develop the guidelines for the program, which also cover farmed seafood. It'll be interesting to see if the switch to sustainable sources has an effect on price.
Fish stocks around the world failing due in large part to the fact that people are catching the fish faster than they can reproduce. Climate change also seems to be putting pressure on the stocks. By one estimate, cited in the recent book Four Fish, we would need "four or five oceans" to keep up with the current demand from the world's population.
Hannaford's parent company isn't the only one to take to notice. The corporations behind McDonald's, Long John Silver's and Red Lobster recently announced they're looking to buy more sustainable seafood (it seems the Filet of Fish had quite the impact on cod stocks).
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a well established "pocket guide" for buying "ocean-friendly seafood" -- it's even broken down by region.
[via @greenwatchdogNY and TU]
Where to find fried pickles?
Sure, why not.
Stephanie asks via the Twitter:
Is there a place in Albany that has deep fried pickles on the menu? Some bbq places in NYC do. I love them.
If you had to take a guess, we'd look to Capital Q. They've been known to experiment with the fryalator arts. Or maybe one of the local fairs (fried pickles + food on a stick = fun).
We hope someone has an answer. Our week will probably not be complete without some fried pickles.
Bonus fact: Though there's some dispute over the origins, the fried pickle is said to have been first conjured during a moment of inspiration in 1960 at the Duchess Drive In in Atkins, Arkansas -- a joint that sat across the street from a pickle factory. [Serious Eats]
photo: Flickr user Ron Diggity
Checking out the new Dnipro location
The new spot on Central Ave. The entrance is in the back of the building.
After Lou saw that Dnipro -- the great little Eastern European market -- had moved from Cohoes to Colonie, he decided to swing by and check it out.
And he was nice enough to send along a report from the new store. (There's bacon involved.)
Ginny O'Neill's Dream Puff Marshmallows
Ginny and the marshmallows
Please don't call her The Marshmallow Lady. There's more to Ginny O'Neill than that.
Ginny is a computer software engineer, an accomplished cook and a self-proclaimed
geek who just happens to really like marshmallows.
You may have seen her at the Troy Farmers' Market, selling her home made Dream Puff Marshmallows, flavored with everything from simple chocolate and strawberry, to saffron, herbs, pears and... wait for it... bacon!
She makes thousands of packs of marshmallows a week, but she took time out to talk with AOA about how she comes up with her flavors, the science of whipping hot sugar into marshmallowy goodness and her passion for the marshmallow.
Lunch Week winners
So... Rob and Jackers seem to have different lunch philosophies.
Thanks again to everyone who sent in lunch pics for Lunch Week! It was A LOT of fun to get a peek into so many lunch boxes.
As promised, two people are getting $25 toward lunch at their favorite local spot. And the winners, picked at random, are...
Jackers and Rob Madeo
Congrats to the those two gentlemen. They certainly had very different lunches (above).
Jackers and Rob have both made their gift certificate picks. The names of the places, with why they were picked, are after the jump.
S&A West Indian Grocery
A lot of countries are packed in there.
S&A West Indian Grocery is everything you want an ethnic market to be -- not too big, and filled to the brim with tasty, yet hard-to-find items.
Tucked away off Central Avenue, the store specializes in African and Hispanic Caribbean products. It looks pretty tiny from the outside, but inside you'll find everything from Ghanian yams to Jamaican ginger beer to oxtails and cow feet.
Where to find good empanadas?
Erinn asked a while back:
Any idea where in the Albany area a girl can get a good empanada?
Salsa Latina in Albany has them on the menu -- though we've yet to try them.
We seem to remember Carmen's in Troy having empanadas -- but we haven't been since its rebirth late last year.
You might also be able to score empanadas -- frozen, at least -- at La Marqueta.
Any one have suggestions for Erinn? Please share!
photo: Flickr user soyculto
I'll have the AOA
So, last week as part of the totally informal lunch-up at the Capitol Park food trucks, Nipper's Hot Dogs offered an AOA special: two classic Chicago-style hot dogs for $2. It's a good deal -- lunch doesn't get much cheaper.
Well, much to our surprise, the Nipper's guys have decided to rename their classic dogs the "All Over Albany Classic Hot Dogs" and keep the special price for the rest of the summer! We're very flattered! (And, it must be said, a little hungry.)
It was great to see everyone at the lunch up. Thanks for stopping by!
Lunch Week lunches, second course
No doubt, a highly sought after table.
As promised, here's the second course of Lunch Week lunch photos. Don't miss the first course.
The photo above is Bennett and Sebastien enjoying lunch at their own impromptu bistro on the Empire State Plaza. From Sebastien's account:
On the menu? I brought a bottle of Sauvignon blanc and what I had cooked the night before: steamed cod and cauliflower, lemon and chives, guacamole and watercress. I picked up a couple of sweets at Crisan. Had to. Bennett packed... whatever he had until he decided my food looked better, so I shared :) And two cookies. Can't go wrong with that.
Many more lunch pics after the jump.
Again, thanks to everyone who sent along a pic! We'll announce the winners of the giveaway next week.
Lunch Week lunches, first course
Rob's lunch came with a side order of AOA.
On Wednesday we asked everyone to send along a pic of what they were having for lunch that day. And we ended up getting a bunch of pics! Thanks to everyone who sent them along!
We got so many pics that we're going to break them up into two courses. Here's the first. And here's the second.
The lunch above is from Rob Madeo. Emailed Rob:
I LOVE lunch -- and lunch is when I write blog posts and catch up with All Over Albany!
I always pack my own lunch, which today was a sandwich of Black Forest ham, American cheese, Romaine lettuce, and jalapeño peppers on Freihofer's Hearty Double Fiber Wheat. A little yogurt on the side and wash it all down with an iced green tea.
A lot more lunches after the jump.
Box lunch: bento boxes at Sushi Tei
Lunch in a box
Something about a bento box, the traditional Japanese lunch box, just makes lunch seem a little more fun.
I can't entirely explain it, but being served a meal that's divided up into little individual sections holds incredible appeal. It seems tidy, precise, organized. And it's fun to look at. Of course, eating it is the most fun part...
The Boulevard Cafeteria: ticket to lunch
The old Boulevard Cafeteria, where Albany met for lunch.
So far, Lunch Week has been all about where to go to lunch now. But it got us thinking about where people used to eat "back in the day."
Restaurants are about more than just food -- they're about atmosphere and character and clientele. They're gathering places full of stories.
From the late 1920's through the 1950's, one of the more interesting places people gathered in Albany was a 24 hour, semi-self-serve joint at the corner of Central Ave and Robin St. called The Boulevard Cafeteria.
Today it houses Ristorante Paradiso, owned by Matt Daskalakis. Matt used to eat at the Boulevard when he came to Albany to play for the Albany Senators in the 1950s. He gave us the tour of the old place, which is virtually untouched except for a movie makeover in the 1980s.
Be sure to scroll down to check out the menus (with prices) from the 1930s and 1940s.
Delish Deli: lunch from... a gas station?
You won't believe what you'll find in here!
Gourmet grub from a gas station?
Sounds like a Top Chef quickfire challenge, doesn't it? When users started praising the Delish Deli at the Mobil station in Delmar on Yelp, other users were quick to dismiss.
Really, who goes to a gas station for lunch? I mean, unless your concept of a meal consists of Twinkies and those rancid-looking hot dogs in glass cases? I don't.
Well... I didn't.
Lunch-up on Thursday
The AOA special: two of these for $2
As part of Lunch Week, we thought it would be fun to have an informal lunch meetup.
So... AOA's having a totally informal, no-sign-ups-or-anything lunch get-together this Thursday in Capitol Park in Albany (it's the park just behind the Capitol with all the lunch trucks).
We're planning to be there from noon until about 1 pm or so. If can you can stop by during your lunch hour, it'd be great to see you. (Weather permitting, of course. Let's hope.) We'll be over by the Nipper's stand on State Street (look for the rainbow umbrellas).
Hot dog bonus!
The guys from the Nipper's Hot Dogs will be offering an AOA special that day: two classic Chicago-style hot dogs for $2. We can speak from experience -- these are good dogs, and filling. If you bring a friend, you can probably both have lunch for about two bucks.
And remember: Wednesday is snap a pic of your lunch and send it to AOA day. Two people will win $25 toward lunch at their favorite local spot.
Albany Jane's must-try cheap lunches
All cheap. All good.
When I picture lunch, I want something satisfying, but not over-the-top. It needs to be affordable, and obviously, flavor comes first.
Albany's got some great places to hit up for quick, cheap lunches.
In general, when someone asks me, "Albany Jane, where should I go for lunch in Albany?" -- these are the first places that immediately come to mind.
Where to get good tofu?
It is a bit of a blank canvas.
Leigh tweeted on Friday:
Recommendations for decent tofu in the area? I'm thinking maybe One of a Kind Tea House might be my best bet.
I'm looking for tofu that isn't oil-logged or heavy and is well-seasoned, not just heavily sauced.
The typical Chinese restaurant bean curd is usually just deep-fried into submission & sauced up.
Rochelle seemed to enjoy the tofu she got at One of a Kind last month, so that sounds like a good place to start.
Anyone have recommendations for Leigh? Please share!
Earlier on AOA: The teas at One of A Kind Teahouse
photo: Flickr user FotoosVanRobin
Eating the $25 burger at dp Brasserie
Pretty much the opposite of the dollar menu.
It's Lunch Week on AOA! All this week we'll be featuring items the midday meal. Be sure to snap a photo of your lunch on Wednesday and send it to us -- you could win $25 for lunch at your favorite local spot.
It does not come with cheese.
And even though dp Brasserie offers its eponymous dp Burger on both its lunch and dinner menus, at the end of the day a hamburger is a sandwich, and sandwiches are for lunch.
Without a doubt, it is a decadent treat. And you will probably need a glass of red wine to keep you heart pumping while you are eating the thing.
The trick to enjoying it is not letting expectations get the best of you.
It's strawberry time!
Berry good!
The warm spring has resulted in an early strawberry season this year. In fact, we are at the peak of the season, according to the New York State Berry Growers Association.
Here are a handful of places in the greater Capital Region that you can pick your own strawberries. Know of a good place not on this list? Please share!
Next week is Lunch Week
That had been a bagel.
We have something new coming up next week on AOA: Lunch Week.
It's pretty much what it sounds like -- a whole week with posts about... lunch. There will be other stuff, too, including all the usual items. But every day will have at least one post about lunch. Trust us, it'll be fun. We have some excellent contributors lined up to help out.
Here's where you come in
On the last day of Lunch Week (Friday, June 18) we want to do a post about what everyone had for lunch that week. Specifically, the Wednesday of that week (June 16).
So, next Wednesday we'd love for you to snap a pic of your lunch and send it to us at this email address: lunch |at| alloveralbany |dot| com. Please include what's in your lunch, where you got it and how you'd like to be identified.
Lunch can be whatever you're eating that day -- a PB&J from home, a sandwich at your desk from the deli, Chinese at the place down the street, whatever. If you ate it around noon that day, it's lunch.
Everyone who sends along a qualifying lunch photo will be entered in a drawing for, yep... A FREE LUNCH. We'll pick two winners at random. They'll get a $25 gift certificate to their favorite local lunch spot (yep, the winner gets to pick).
OK, to review
- Next Wednesday, snap a pic of your lunch and send it, along with a description, to lunch |at| alloveralbany |dot| com
- We'll post the photos and descriptions on Friday
- Two winners will get free lunch at the local spot of their choice
- We all have some fun
Where to find French macarons?
Update: CAPow! found them at the Placid Baker in Troy. Thanks to Ginny for the suggestion!
CAPow! emails:
Has anyone ever had a successful Capital District hunt for French macarons? I've heard rumors that they may be found in Saratoga, do you have any info that could help my quest?
Mrs. London's in Saratoga would be a good spot to check first -- they make a whole bunch of French pastries.
Anyone have other macaron suggestions for CAPow? (That don't involve a plane ticket to Paris.) Share, please!
By the way: The word "macaroon" comes from the French "macaron" -- but they're different cookies. Over at Serious Eats, Robyn Lee has a good backgrounder on the "dainty French cream-filled sandwich cookie which, in its best form, will fill your soul with warm, fuzzy happiness after one bite."
Earlier on AOA: Where to find "fancy pants" tarts?
photo: Flickr user law_keven
Heldeberg Market
A new local online farmers market, called Heldeberg Market, launched today. Here's the setup:
- On the market's website, you pick a basket of products available from farmers in the hill towns of Albany County -- everything from herbs to maple syrup to wool
- Pay online
- Orders submitted by Tuesday at midnight are delivered the Thursday of that week to either your workplace (during the day) or home (during the evening). There's free delivery for workplaces that have five or more orders.
Where to find "fancy pants" tarts?
Kate emails:
Could you tell me about where I can purchase scrumptious fruit tarts?
I'm talking fancy pants style tarts. Like French people make.
Any tour of fancy pants tarts in the Capital Region should make a stop at Mrs. London's in Saratoga. And Crisan in Albany makes really great European-style desserts.
While the pants of the tarts from Dutch Desserts are probably not exactly of the fancy variety, we love 'em. They're available from a bunch of local outlets, including many of the farmers' markets.
Any other tart suggestions for Kate? Share, please!
Shake Shack coming to The Track
One of the Shake Shacks in Manhattan.
NYRA announced today that it's signed up famed restaurateur Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group to create a "unique culinary experience" at the Saratoga Race Course. Translation: they're opening a Shake Shack and a Blue Smoke.
The two stands will be built near the paddock saddling area, along with a new bar.
The first Shake Shack opened in Manhattan in 2004 and the stands have since turned into "an accidental empire of fast food." Blue Smoke is a barbecue place. It's been well reviewed (graded on a New York City barbecue curve, of course).
We've eaten at one of the Shake Shacks in Manhattan. The burger was very good -- the fries were OK (+1 for crinkles). It reminded us a bit of In-N-Out Burger.
We're not sure we'd stampede to The Track for a Shack Burger, but we'd be very happy to eat one if we were already there.
Troy Food Co-op now aiming to open in the fall
A sketch of the co-op's planned exterior.
The Troy Food Co-op announced today that construction will begin on the old Pioneer Market June 1 -- and the new co-op is aiming to open this fall. (Full release after the jump.)
The org didn't actually own the building until just this week. The co-op says the property was being held by one of the market's founders, Alane Hohenberg. It says it closed on the property Monday.
The co-op had been hoping to start construction earlier this year and open this summer. Apparently it took a little longer to line up the funding, which includes a mix of private and public money.
Downtown Troy hasn't had a supermarket since 2005.
Update: The Record's Cecelia Martinez has more details.
It's hot. It's chocolate. It's bacon.
After hearing that Uncommon Grounds (Saratoga) got a bottle of bacon-flavored Torani syrup, Emily decided she need a bacon hot chocolate:
Disclosure: Yep, we gave away a UG prize basket during birthday week.
Capital Sushi blog
Among the many people to comment on the "How much sushi is too much?" post was /CH, who included a link to a blog called Capital Sushi.
If you like sushi (and judging from the response to that post, a lot of you do), you should read this blog. It's full of photos and details about local sushi spots.
Also: You might want to check out the Albany Sushi Meetup Group (the people behind the sushi blog appear to also be involved with this group). Its next meetup is at Sake Cafe in Slingerlands.
photo: Capital Sushi
How much sushi is too much?
A plate from Mr. Fuji in Clifton Park.
Local sushi list updated Wednesday at noon.
After yesterday's post about the new Mr. Fuji going into Stuyvesant Plaza, a few people commented on the abundance of sushi places in the Capital Region now. And we had the same thought (thus, the headline "Yet another sushi place").
So, it seems like there are a lot of sushi places. But how many is "a lot"? Or, for that matter, too many?
Well, there are a few ways to answer that question. One of them is to compare the Capital Region's number of sushi places per capita versus that of other cities.
And that's exactly what we did.
The teas at One of A Kind Teahouse
The One of a Kind Teahouse -- in the Chinatown building on Central Ave.
I'm a sucker for a good bubble tea.
Something about that sweet milky concoction of tea and flavoring with the tapioca pearls swimming in it is just oh-so-appealing.
I've been getting my fix at the Good Leaf Tea Co. or the Hong Kong Bakery on Central Avenue, but now that I've discovered the One of A Kind Teahouse, well, my bubble tea heart has been stolen.
Sit down!
A recent post by Silva at DelSo about rude diners at an upscale Albany restaurant made us laugh -- and cringe. From "10 Things Restaurant Guests Should Never Do":
3. When your party arrives an hour earlier than your reservation, please make yourself comfortable at the bar and enjoy yourselves. This does not include standing on a booth to take photos of your group. Believe me, your faces are indelibly engraved on quite a few memories after your behavior - no photo necessary.
By the way: Are you reading DelSo? It's one of our favorite new local blogs.
photo: Flickr user KungPaoCajun
Where to find horchata
It's made with rice.
When I lived in Chicago I could find a stand selling horchata on practically any street corner of the city's bustling Mexican neighborhoods during the summer. So when the weather turned warm in Albany I started to get a craving for the sweet, cold drink made with rice milk, cinnamon and vanilla.
While the refreshing treat originated in Spain, it is served in many Latin-inspired and Mexican restaurants throughout the United States. There are several varieties of the recipe but this agua fresca (fresh water) is usually made from ground rice, almonds, sesame seeds, barley or tigernuts.
After more than a dozen phone calls I was able to track down two Albany restaurants that serve horchata year-round.
Lobbying with Rachael Ray
And afterward, they discussed how to take over the world. (Obviously.)
Kirsten Gillibrand and Rachael Ray teamed up on Capitol Hill yesterday to press the case for healthier school lunches. From a NYT article, which reports that KG "unleashed" the Ray on other lawmakers:
"How could you go to any state in the union and say you are not for an extra couple of cents to eradicate hunger, to make our kids healthier, stronger, better focused?" [Ray] said. "It doesn't make any sense that you would even have to have a long conversation about that, to me."
Specifically, Gillibrand and Ray were pushing for the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.
KG has made school lunches one of her focus issues -- this week she was pushing legislation that would ban trans-fat from school meals. RR has also campaigned for healthier food in schools.
photo: gillibrand.senate.gov
Yes, Van's is still open
Holy pho, that was some strong wind!
This morning we got an urgent text about Van's, our favorite place for pho:
People on Facebook are talking about Van's being gone
Eek! Say it isn't so!
It isn't so.
Turns out Van's just fell victim to the high winds we've been experiencing lately. Or rather, the awning outside the restaurant on Central Ave in Albany did. The sign blew away this week, but the restaurant is still open.
And now we're thinking, "Hmm... this is kind of a good day for a nice hot bowl of pho..."
(Thanks, Celina)
It's a Twinkie. That's been deep-fried.
Food is usually better on a stick.
We stopped into the new Wine 'n Diner on Delaware in Albany the other night for dinner. The food was OK -- we'll probably go back to try it again. The place looks it could end up as a good, kind-of-funky neighborhood spot.
But the thing that really caught our eye was the dessert menu, which includes... a deep-fried Twinkie.
Yep, a deep-fried Twinkie. So, did we try it?
What do you think?
Saratoga Winery
Wine maker Rich Nimmo
There's a saying in the wine business: "If you want to make a million dollars on a winery, start with 10 million."
But that doesn't scare Rich Nimmo.
OK, it scares him a little.
Rich and his wife Tara are the owners of The Saratoga Winery & Tasting Room, just outside of Saratoga Springs.
We met up with him at the tasting room last week to talk about the risky/awesome business of winemaking and opening the first winery in Saratoga.
Sweeter than the soda tax?
Despite the impassioned and persistent efforts of the state health commissioner, the soda tax has reportedly gone flat.
But New York apparently still needs the money. And it probably doesn't need the calories.
So here's a potentially sweeter idea: instead of specifically taxing sodas that contain sugar, New York should tax high-fructose corn syrup.
Dining Out for Life
There's an easy -- and fun -- way to help the Aids Council raise money coming up this week.
The org's annual Dining Out for Life event is this Thursday. Here's how it works:
- You got out to eat at one of the participating restaurants
- The restaurants donate 25 percent of their food sales that day to the AIDS Council
That's it. Easy.
At a lot of the restaurants, "ambassadors" are organizing group dinners. We went to a group dinner at Athos last year and met a bunch of interesting people. It was a lot of fun.
Where to get foie gras
@HealthyDelish asked via Twitter
Thoughts on where to get foie gras in the 518? (Not @ a resto... need it for a recipe)
@reneemca suggested Adventure in Food in Menands. We followed up on that and it turns out they carry several types:
Pre sliced foie gras from the Hudson Valley goes for $38.95 per lb.
Flash Frozen grade is $44 per lb.
Flash Frozen Grade B is $36.20 per lb.
Cubes (great for stuffing or rissotto) go for 20.75 per lb.
We also checked in with Putnam Market in Saratoga. You can get it there during the holidays and racing season, but it's not in stock right now.
Anyone have other thoughts?
Photo: Flickr user SimonDoggett
Mealeo: Ordering food locally online
So the other day a combination of hunger and laziness led to a pretty neat discovery.
Actually, we'd heard about Mealeo, the local online food delivery service, but we finally got around to trying it.
Overheard in the lunch line
Two women are in line at AOA's favorite bagel place discussing diet soda:
Woman #1: I'm lucky because I only like diet soda. I don't like the taste of regular soda, so I only drink diet.
Woman #2: Umm... no, I won't drink diet soda because it's made with Splenda or something and that stuff gives you heart attacks.
If I'm going to have a heart attack I want to do it the right way -- with bacon.
The Boston Cream-off
Prompted by Kalyn's doughnut tour, Albany Jane and Daniel B organized a Boston Cream doughnut tasting this past weekend.
There were seven judges for the blind tasting. Here are reports by AJ, Daniel and Nicole.
The tasting ended in a split decision, but as Albany Jane commented:
GO AND TRY SOME DOUGHNUTS FROM THE PLACES WE DID. YOU WILL LIKE THEM.
photo: Albany Jane
Timothy's World Market in Schenectady
Timothy's -- your one stop shop for goat and cricket bats.
Back when I compiled the AOA Ethnic Market Compendium a commenter pointed out that I'd missed some great Guyanese markets in Schenectady.
Schenectady has a pretty big Guyanese population, one that former Mayor Albert Jurczynski worked to help develop . The city now has a chapter of the Guyanese American Association and a whole bunch of Guyanese markets.
I took a drive out to the Electric City yesterday to check some of them out for myself. This was both a good idea and a bad idea.
Mexican Radio coming to Schenectady
Steve reported this weekend that Mexican Radio will be opening a location in Schenectady, address to be announced. The owner tells the Gazette's Jessica Harding that they were "seriously considering" Albany, but ended up liking "the vibe" in Schenectady.
Mexican Radio's first location opened in Manhattan in the 90s. Its second location, on Warren Street in Hudson, opened in 2003 (photos).
We've eaten at the Hudson location a few times -- it was pretty good. Jess is a big fan of the flan there. The Yelpers have been generally favorable (seemingly the most consistent complaint: price).
Oh, yeah: Sonic tells the Gazette's Ameerah Cetawayo that a Capital Region location is "only just a matter of time." Currently, the closest Sonic location is in Kingston.
Earlier on AOA: Flan at Mexican Radio
photo: Mexican Radio
Where does the Easter Bunny shop?
What's an Easter basket without jelly beans?
Mary Beth wrote us recently with a question about where to pick up Easter treats in the Capital Region.
For some, the best part about Easter is the basket delivered by the Easter Bunny. Might you consider a post where the Easter Bunny shops in the Capital District?
While we can't say we've ever met the Easter Bunny in person, we were happy to take one for the team and go candy shopping.
Mary Beth had some pretty good suggestions of her own, like Patty the Peppermint Bunny from Red Thread Confections (based in Slingerlands) and the bunnies at Krauses on Central Ave in Colonie. But she was looking for a few other ideas.
Here's what we found. We know there's a lot more, so let us know about your favorites.
A short tour of Capital Region doughnuts
A glazed doughnut from the Schuyler Bakery
After watching an episode of Donut Paradise on The Travel Channel, I had a major craving for a good, homemade ring-shaped cake fried in fat (yup, that is Merriam Webster's definition of a doughnut).
Knowing Dunkin' Donuts was just not going to cut it, I embarked on a two-day doughnut tour of Albany and Troy, eating my way through the best of the best bakeries around.
After the jump, check out whose doughnuts were able to satisfy my sweet tooth.
A good local butcher?
In case you're in the market for something like this.
After yesterday's quick post about Fun in Saratoga Dan's trip to Meat House in Wilton, Kim D asked:
This brings up a topic that's been on my mind for quite some time: AOA readers' suggestions for good, local butchers? (has this topic been covered before? if so, i missed it. if not, suggestions?)
As it happens, we have not had that question, yet.
So... suggestions? And, in your experience, what's the difference buying from a butcher shop compared to, say, the local Chopper?
Earlier on AOA:
+ Rolf's Pork Store
+ Two years ago Amy BA went looking to buy a whole cow.
photo: Flicker user VirtualErn
Road Trip: North Adams & MASS MoCA
The trip to MASS MoCA is part of the art
One of the good things about living in the Capital Region is that there are a wealth of cool places within a short distance.
Such as MASS MoCA and North Adams.
After the jump -- the virtual road trip.
Reaction to the legislative assault on salt
All this should probably taken with a grain of... well... you know.
As you might have heard, state assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) has proposed a bill that would ban restaurants from using salt in the preparation of food.
That hasn't exactly gone over well. A quick spin around the table for reaction after the jump.
Also: a scan of Ortiz's other fun-filled legislation.
It's outdoor ice cream season again!
Kuver Kreme opens Monday. We're so there.
Spring is in the air.
Sure, it's probably going to snow again, but all these happy, sunshiny days have put us in the mood for ice cream.
So we checked in on a handful of spots to see when they open for the season.
Guess what?
Two of them already have!
Artichoke, goat cheese and potato spring rolls at Cella Bistro
Crispy, potatoey, goat cheesey goodness at Cella Bistro.
We're big fans of variety at AOA, which is one of the reasons we like tapas so much. The idea of lots of little plates, filled with lots of different flavors, kind of makes dinner more of a party.
The need to put a little more party in our dinner sent us to Cella Bistro in Schenectady.
We had fun sampling a whole bunch of good stuff from their tapas menu, but the things we keep thinking about, the comfort food that has joined the list of yummy things we want someone to make us on cold winter nights, are the goat cheese and potato spring rolls.
It all adds up
Light and fresh -- at 1740 calories.
We have seen the future of restaurant menus in Albany County.
And it's kind of depressing.
The kimchi (and other stuff) at Kim's
Kimchi and more.
I love almost anything that's pickled or fermented, and I especially love spicy food. So I was pretty psyched to discover the store-made kim chi at Kim's Asian Market.
If you've never had it, Kim chi is basically a mix of pickled, fermented vegetables that's pretty commonplace in Korean cuisine. It's got a funky, slight pungent taste to it with a varying level of heat.
So how was it?
Meet Mr. Debbie
Tom Reiner, AKA, Mr. Debbie
A couple of weeks ago we told you about the sale of the Albany institution Debbie's Kitchen.
Well, Debbie, queen of sandwiches has turned over her scepter.
The sandwich king apparent is Tom Reiner, a 28-year-old Colonie native with a management background.
Meet Mr. Debbie.
The ethnic market map
This way to the tiramisu...
The Capital Region has a great number of wonderful little specialty markets that I just can't resist. From Greek to Italian, to Indian and Russian, and everything in between.
While this is by no means fully comprehensive, AOA's put together a Capital Region Ethnic Market Map of some of our favorites -- a sort of ethnic market compendium.
Know of other places we should check out? Please share!
Pellegrino's Italian/Greek market
Pellegrino's Italian, American & Greek (oh, yeah!) market.
I'm always trying to find the perfect thing to bring to dinner and cocktail parties. Lately it's been the grape leaves from Nora's
This week I stumbled upon a new place to look -- the Greek selection at Pellegrino's.
Stacking up beer prices
So many choices...
Ahead of last year's Super Bowl, we checked a bunch of stores to see who had the lowest beer prices.
Well, this year's Super Bowl is just a few weeks away -- and you know what, we're feeling thirsty.
So let's go beer shopping...
Troy co-op slated to open this summer
A sketch of what the Troy Food Cooperative could look like by this summer.
So, you know that proposed Troy food co-op there's been so much buzz about?
Well if everything goes according to plan, it looks like you'll be able to shop there by this summer.
Here's the scoop.
Debbie sells the kitchen
Debbie's Kitchen changes hands on Wednesday.
It's official. After 25 years Debbie Klauber is selling Debbie's Kitchen. The deal is expected to be closed on Wednesday.
No, Debbie's isn't closing. But will it be the same without Debbie?
Really, how could anything be the same without Debbie.
And, what about the food?
How many calories does that cost?
It's hard to tell in the pic, but the counts are right next to the prices.
Fred emailed this week that the Panera on Washington Ave Ext has new menu boards up -- and they include calorie counts for all the items.
This is the first example we've seen locally of this kind of menu board tagging. It will soon be required of all chain restaurants in Albany County because of a bill that was passed last fall. The aim of the bill is to help people make healthier food choices.
New York City already has a similar measure in effect. The research on whether the calorie counts actually affect people's behavior is unclear. A study that looked at the question shortly after the law took effect found little change. A more recent study suggested the counts may have prompted people to consume fewer calories at Starbucks.
As it happens, the trio of women ahead us in the line today were having a discussion about how to they were going to spend their calorie allotment for lunch (they were trying to not go over 400). They seemed to be paying attention the counts. (Yep, one anecdote -- doesn't mean much.)
By the way: a recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reported that many of the restaurant calorie counts it studied were... wrong.
(Thanks, Fred)
Cooking the Tree of Life returns
The State Museum's culinary celebration of Charles Darwin's birthday is coming up in February. From the museum's site:
The ingredients in the food we eat every day are some of the most extreme examples of evolution, from ridiculously hot peppers, to super sweet grasses, to flightless birds. In celebration of the 201st anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, the State Museum presents three cooking demonstrations that highlight the extreme evolution of domestic food. Each demonstration teams a local chef with a biologist sous chef, and the two prepare the meal together, giving both a culinary and scientific perspective on the main ingredients.
Here's a clip from last year's series.
This year's lineup includes peppers (evolution of capsaicin), sugars (the sweet tooth), and birds (big-breasted dinosaur descendants).
The talks/demostrations are each Wednesday in February at 7 pm. They're free.
We've heard they're a lot of fun (be sure to sit close to the front for samples).
Albany Bombers closed for a month
Getting a face-lift.
As Matt Baumgartner mentioned in our interview with him, the Lark Street Bombers will be closed this month for a complete renovation. From a post on Matt's blog:
We're gutting the kitchen and bathrooms, re-doing the bar, and making some really nice facade improvements. I'm really excited. It's gonna be great. Yes, I'm nervous about shutting down for that long. But it's needed. And we're also making menu improvements and adding some new additions to the bar side.
Matt says he expects the location to re-open January 27.
Who has the best egg nog?
Since we're right in the middle of prime egg nog season, we figured it was a good time to recycle this post about taste testing locally-available eggnogs.
We remember being a little surprised by the results. There were a lot of good comments, too.
Holiday gift guide: Candy!!!
Candy!
If you've been waiting to find the perfect little extra gift, or you're just looking for something nice for someone you know so well, today's gift idea might be just the ticket.
Because let's face it: locally made candy might very well be the best thing since --- well, itself.
Here are a few of my favorite local candy shops and some of their most popular holiday treats:
Larry's Southwestern Chipotle Sauce
A spoonful of flavor.
When we first heard that Larry Sombke had launched a line of southwestern-inspired sauces, we were like, "Wait... the gardening guy?"
Yep, it was the locally-based gardening guru himself. And it turns out he knows how to make some tasty sauce.
Holiday gift guide: Rolf's
Smokey holiday goodness.
On the 4th day of the gift guide AOA gives to you:
The gift of meat.
The mobile, double-decker cake stand
How Bettie rolls.
After seeing the tweets, noticing Kristi mention it and hearing the word-of-mouth, there were very few plausible scenarios that didn't involve us ending up at the Bettie's Cakes double-decker bus this afternoon.
So, we figured, why fight fate?
Grape leaves at Nora's Grocery
Stuffed grape leaves at Nora's Grocery
Not long ago a friend told me the stuffed grape leaves at Nora's Grocery in Watervliet were the best they ever had. Now, I love grape leaves (or dolmades, as they're also known), so I knew I needed to give these a shot.
Last week I went out in search of Nora's Grocery to try them for myself.
Was it worth the trip?
Mooing at Uncommon Grounds
Moo.
We love the art on display this month in the Albany Uncommon Grounds. Karin Kuck's paintings of cows (and a few giraffes and chickens) are really fun. They make us smile every time we look at them.
Oh, yeah: Uncommon Grounds now has a blog -- and there's some good stuff there, including tips on keeping coffee fresh, a profile of a regular and "The Managerwich".
Earlier on AOA:
+ Off the lunch menu: wi-fi
+ How much is that bagel in the window?
photo via UG
Culinary boot camp at SCCC
This could be an interesting/fun food experience: SCCC and the Chamber of Schenectady County are offering a three day culinary "boot camp" in January. It's pricy, but it could be worth it if you're a serious foodie or have been curious about a culinary career.
Via Wendy Voelker, one of the organizers:
Schenectady's Culinary Boot Camp is a three-day, two-night culinary workshop, offering food lovers and novices alike the opportunity to learn classic cooking techniques, taste ingredients, and share a great experience with fellow foodies. ...
The three days of professional instruction by Chef [Christoper] Tanner are centered on the theme "A Taste of Tuscany." Students will learn about traditional Italian cuisines, classic Italian ingredients, Antipasti, Primi (pasta, polenta & risotto), Italian ingredients, pairing wine with Italian dishes, and creating Italian desserts. Brief seminars blended with extensive hands-on cooking time will offer students a true interactive culinary experience (which even includes a professional chef's coat)!
The course runs January 3-6. It's $590 ($690 with hotel stay in Schenectady).
photo: Flickr user Kent Wang
Xs to Os Vegan Bakery in Troy
Xs to Os Vegan Bakery
It's getting better and better to be a vegan in the Capital District.
Not only is there now a vegan catering company, there's also a new vegan bakery in Troy.
Cheesecake and cupcakes
This didn't click in our heads until this morning: Lorraine Murphy, the owner of the new Bettie's Cakes in Saratoga, is the local photographer Lorraine Murphy who takes pinup photos (that's her on the right). From our interview with her earlier this year:
I just like the classic beauty of the pin-ups. They were so gorgeous and curvy. I like that the women could be curvy. The 50's were exciting -- the sexuality -- it's kind of like a tease -- not showing the whole thing. I like the hint of suggestion.
I think because it's very period -- it's not everyday -- it's more fun. It's something very different but still classy. I didn't want to do nude or boudoir photos. Retro is more fun anyway. You're going back in time. You put on wigs from the 1950's -- it's fun to go back in time to the glamor days
The new cake shop, of course, has a 1950s aesthetic.
And one of the inspirations for Murphy's pin-up photographs: Bettie Page. Yep, with an "ie."
photo: Lorraine Murphy
Bring a little local something
Mmmmmm....piiiiiiieee
So you're invited to Thanksgiving dinner and you're going to bring something-- because that's the way your mother brought you up.
If you want to bring something with a little local flavor, here are a few ideas. If you have some other favorites, we'd love to hear them.
Bettie's Cakes now open
The new Saratoga cake shop opened this week and Fun in Saratoga Dan has a full report. It sounds like he was impressed (and the shop looks fun).
Bettie's took over the space in the Downstreet Marketplace formerly occupied by Spa City Cupcakes (Rachel St. Martin sold the business so she could spend more time with her son). The new owners told the Post-Star that they have big plans for the business, including a double-decker bus and "Happy Hour"-flavored cupcakes.
@jenh718 stopped by yesterday and tweeted: "pleased overall and loved the chocolate peanut butter!"
Earlier on AOA: Talking with Spa City Cupcake's Rachel St. Martin
The burrito bowl at Chipotle
Who needs a tortilla?
Now that the Capital Region has not one, but two Chipotles, we figured we'd share our favorite thing to get when we eat there.
TOP 2009: Post game with the judges
Renée, Albany Jane, Daniel B, Joe
After this week's final in the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, we talked with the judges about the highlights -- and the pizza places they would have liked to have seen in the field. And, yes, the video includes an appearance by the mysterious Albany Jane -- though we've protected her identity.
There's also a cameo by Otto, AOA's office dog. And Renée might have done the robot.
TOP 2009: The Final
The much-anticipated matchup
Here we are, at the end of the long road that is the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union. And today's final features a long awaited matchup:
Nunzio's vs. Pasquale's
Nunzio's -- the champion of the Saratoga bracket -- charged into the final round with a 75 in its broccoli-ricotta showdown with Troy's I Love NY. That's the second-highest score in the entire tournament. Who had the best score? Yep, that's right: Pasquale's, last year's champ, whose sausage pizza in Round 2 score an 80. The New Scotland Ave shop narrowly knocked off Schenectady's Marino's 58-54 in the semifinals.
So, this is it. In this final matchup the pizzerias get to choose which pizza they'd like to send into competition. And, as one judge commented, the choices by Nunzio's and Pasquale's were "ballsy."
We wouldn't have it any other way. Let's eat.
The TOP Semifinals
I Love NY (Troy) | Nunzio's (Saratoga) | Pasquale's (Albany) | Marino's (Schenectady)
The 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, continues today with the much-anticipated semifinals. Here are the match-ups in this final four of broccoli ricotta white pizzas:
I Love NY vs. Nunzio's
Pasquale's vs. Marino's
Here's a quick recap of how the tournament got to this point. Pasquale's and Nunzio's posted tournament-high scores in Round 2 (80 and 74, respectively). Can they make it through this round to meet in the finals?
There's only one way to find out!
The Tournament of Pizza so far
Here's a bigger version.
The Tournament of Pizza so far
Results in the semi-finals of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, come out of the oven Tuesday. The semi-finals will be a contest of broccoli-ricotta white pizzas.
What? You haven't been following the Tournament of Pizza? Here's a quick recap to get you up to speed...
Indoor Farmers' Markets
The markets are moving indoors for the season.
Capital District farmers' markets are getting ready to make their move indoors.
The Schenectady Greenmarket moves inside this Sunday and next Saturday ( November 7th) the Troy and Saratoga markets head indoors.
So what can you get at a farmers market in the winter?
Here's a list of where you can find the winter markets and what you can expect when
you get there.
TOP 2009: Round 2: Albany
The champ vs. the upstart
Albany is the last stop in Round 2 of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union. And today's match-up in the Sausage Round has the makings of a real barn burner:
Pasquale's vs. Marisa's
First, how we got here. Pasquale's bested The Fountain, its New Scotland Ave neighbor, 63-47. Marisa's topped Little Anthony's 62-43.
So, the stage is set for quite the showdown. Pasquale's is the tournament's returning champ. Marisa's is a favorite of local food bloggers. Both pizza places had almost identical scores in the first round.
Bring it on!
Food for Thought: vegan catering
No animals were harmed in the making of this fudge.
Vegans have been able to get their pizza fix at Albany's Little Anthony's for the past five years. But if you had a large group to feed in the Capital District, and you wanted to go vegan with more than pizza, well...that was a little tougher.
Now Little Anthony's owner Pat Battuello owner is expanding his vegan repertoire. Battuello has joined forces with local vegan blogger Nicole Arciello Berhaupt and the two are working to start an all-vegan catering service called Food For Thought.
So if you ever need a tray of vegan baked ziti (with "ricotta" made from tofu and cashews) to feed a large group, well, now you're in luck.
Mr. Dave is why you're fat
Mr. Dave -- bacon enthusiast and proprietor of the always interesting Ridiculous Food Society of Upstate New York blog -- is now a published recipe author. And it seems he's found just the venue.
His recipe for White Castle Casserole appears in This is Why You're Fat -- the book based on the popular blog.
By the way: the closest White Castle is in Nanuet in Rockland County. But you can also get White Castle products frozen at Price Chopper.
TOP 2009: Round 2: Troy
Lined up for a big win? Maybe not.
Today we make the turn on Round 2 of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union. The Troy bracket is up in the Sausage Round. Here's the match-up:
I Love NY vs. Jimmy's
First, the path leading here. I Love NY was able to top 'Vliet favorite The Purple Pub 63-54. Jimmy's squeaked into the second round on the first tie-breaker in a 39-39 grudge match with Latham's Vintage.
So, you gotta think I Love is the big favorite here. Will things hold to form?
That's why we eat the pizza.
TOP 2009: Round 2: Schenectady
Downtown vs. uptown.
Round 2 of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, rolls on to Schenectady today. Here's the match-up of sausage pizzas
Nico's vs. Marino's
First, how we got here. Nico's beat out Latham entry Ario's 59-45 with a pie that was consistently just a little bit better. Marino's pulled a shocking 62-59 upset over Pizza King, last year's tournament runner-up
So, who wants the crown?
Bring on the pizza!
TOP 2009: Round 2: Saratoga
City vs. The Suburbs
The 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, moves on to Round 2 (AKA, the Sausage Round) this week. And Saratoga is the first bracket. Here's the match-up:
Nunzio's vs. Venezia
First, a quick recap of how we got here. Nunzio's topped its fellow west sider West Ave 67-52 on the strength of its crust. Venezia, out of Clifton Park, upset D'Andrea's, last year's bracket winner, in a stunning 51-18 victory.
Can Venezia keep up the momentum? Will Nunzio's post another strong showing?
Let's eat some pizza.
Pumpkin pie ice cream from Adirondack Creamery
It's like pumpkin pie -- but, you know, without the crust.
I'm kind of a sucker for fall flavors, be it apple, sweet potato or pumpkin.
So when I spotted this pumpkin pie ice cream from Adirondack Creamery the other day, I felt obligated to try it.
TOP 2009: Round 1: Albany
Will Pasquale's be best of the bracket again?
The final stop in Round 1 of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, is Albany. The last set of matchups in the cheese round:
The Fountain vs. Pasquale's
Marisa's vs. Little Anthony's
Can the neighborhood favorite take down last year's tournament champ (and New Scotland Ave neighbor)? Will Marisa's represent for the suburbs? Will Little Anthony's play big?
There's only one way to find out. Let's eat!
TOP 2009: Round 1: Troy
Troy is the next stop in Round 1 of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union. The matchups for this round of cheesy showdown:
Purple Pub vs. I Love NY
Jimmy's vs. Vintage
Can the Watervliet tradition topple last year's bracket winner? Will the 'Burgh represent against Latham?
Let's eat! The judges gathered in downtown Troy to taste...
TOP 2009: Round 1: Schenectady
Will the King reign again?
Round 1 of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, moves on to Schenectady (earlier results from Saratoga). The matchups for this round of cheese pizzas:
Nico's vs. Ario's
Marino's Flying Pizza vs. Pizza King
Can Nico's hold off its competitor from Route 7? Will the Pizza King -- #2 in the entire tournament last year -- reign again?
There was only one way to find out. The judges assembled at Proctors for the tasting...
TOP 2009: Round 1: Saratoga
The Spa City match-ups.
Round 1 of the 2009 Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, opens in Saratoga. The matchups in the cheese round:
D'Andrea vs. Venezia
Nunzio's vs. West Ave
Can defending bracket champ D'Andrea's hold off a challenge from the suburbs? Who will prevail in a showdown of westside shops?
The judges gathered at Mare in downtown Saratoga for the tasting...
TOP 2009: Judges and scoring
Judges at work.
Two ingredients are needed for the Tournament of Pizza: pizzas and judges.
Here's the lineup of pizza places in this year's Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union.
The panel of judges, which has been expanded this year, is after the jump.
Also: a little bit about the tournament's new scoring system.
The 2009 Tournament of Pizza
Don't we all?
Sixteen pizza places. Thirty pizzas. Hundreds of slices. One winner.
Fire up the oven. The Tournament of Pizza, sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union, is back.
Seth and his sauerkraut
Sausage recommended, but not required.
So about a year ago, some friends turned me on to Hawthorne Valley's lacto-fermented sauerkraut and now, no other kraut can compare.
It's crispy, it's tangy, it's almost, well, effervescent. It's eat-straight-from-the-jar-good. No sausage required. It will give your Oktoberfest that certain je ne sais quoi. ]
And it's the brain child of a guy called Sauerkraut Seth.
No, really. That's what they call him.
I'll have what she's having
The Center for Jewish Studies at UAlbany is sponsoring an "an interactive, multimedia" talk this Thursday about the evolution of Jewish delis in American -- or, as the blurb on the event's Facebook page says, "how the 'soul food' that [delis] dished up became a quintessential part of American culture for Jews and non-Jews alike."
The talk starts at 7 pm in the Standish Room in the Science Library on the uptown campus. It's free.
Earlier on AOA: Corned beef at Old World Provisions
Calories? What calories?
Back in August the Albany County legislature passed a law that requires chain restaurants to post calorie counts on menus. The legislation is based on a similar measure in New York City. The aim of both laws: help people make healthier choices.
Here's the thing -- the early indication is that the NYC law isn't working. A paper out today from the journal Health Affairs reports that New York City's law didn't appear to have an effect on the choices people made. From the abstract:
We examined the influence of menu calorie labels on fast food choices in the wake of New York City's labeling mandate. Receipts and survey responses were collected from 1,156 adults at fast-food restaurants in low-income, minority New York communities. These were compared to a sample in Newark, New Jersey, a city that had not introduced menu labeling. We found that 27.7 percent who saw calorie labeling in New York said the information influenced their choices. However, we did not detect a change in calories purchased after the introduction of calorie labeling.
As the abstract indicates, the study only looked at low-income communities -- and health advocates are already responding that the law might have more effect where people aren't as price sensitive.
Albany County's calorie count law takes effect early next year.
Cardona's gets cheesier
Cheesy.
As if I didn't already have enough reasons to be completely in love with Cardona's Market, now it has an expanding cheese selection.
In the past few months, it's gone from just a little corner to a full-on cheese section. It's so delicious seeming, in fact, that it actually managed to get my head out of the olive bar -- which says a lot for an olive lover like me.
Latham Chipotle scheduled for November open
The Wilton location opened in April.
The long-developing Chipotle in Latham is tentatively scheduled to open November 6, according to company spokesman Chris Arnold. He says the date "could still change a bit."
The restaurant will be located at the intersection of Route 7 and Wade Rd.
The Capital Region's first Chipotle opened in Wilton this past April. There's also a Clifton Park location planned -- Arnold says it "looks like it will open the first part of December."
Arnold says both openings will be accompanied by special promotions. When the Wilton location opened, the company gave away free burritos.
Chipotle has gotten a lot of attention over the last few years for both its surging business and attempts to be socially responsible.
We think the food tastes pretty good, too.
(Thanks, Rob!)
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
Outdoor market time is slowly slipping away. Get out and enjoy it while you still can. This week: pumpkins, gourds and a few tomatoes.
Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.
Off the lunch menu: wi-fi
The AOA uptown office Uncommon Grounds in Albany
The Uncommon Grounds in Albany is now turning off its wi-fi at lunch time because of table hogging by laptop users. The Saratoga location is not affected by the policy change.
This isn't really a surprise. Tables at UG are often hard to find during lunch hours. And the coffee/bagel place had tried signs asking people to be considerate. But we've seen quite a few people with laptops set up -- by themselves -- at a four-top table during the lunch rush. That's just poor form.
We first heard that UG was considering this move back in August. UG manager Johnny Bagels (OK, his real name is John Moorby) told us back then that he wasn't looking forward to turning the wi-fi off from 12 to 2 -- but the table hogging had gotten out of control. That, and people were walking in off the street, not buying anything and sitting down to use the wi-fi. (Also, John says a guy recently walked in and helped himself to some cinnamon for a coffee he had bought -- somewhere else.)
UG isn't alone in doing this. We noticed recently that the Paneras (Panerae?) in Latham and East Greenbush were limiting wi-fi during lunch hours. And coffee places all over the country are apparently starting to crack down on wi-fi hogging.
Earlier on AOA: How much is that bagel in the window?
Also: Capital Region Wi-Fi Map
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week: Lots of apples, winter squash and other good stuff.
Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.
Ali Baba's Indian Spices
Yep, it's little. But there's lots of good stuff inside.
I love Indian food -- and I like to cook, so I've always wanted to try making my own. But one false move with the cumin can send your significant other/roommate/cat running from the kitchen never to return. So for years I passed by Ali Baba's Indian Spices on Fuller Road thinking it probably was probably meant for folks more skilled at Indian cooking.
Last week I threw caution to the wind and wandered inside. Now I'm wondering what took me so long.
Filling the Tournament of Pizza pool
Last year's finals: Pizza King vs. Pasquale's
Preparations are currently underway at AOA headquarters for this year's Capital Region Tournament of Pizza.
What, you may ask, is the Tournament of Pizza? Sixteen local pizza places "play" each other in a series of "matches" to deterimine the region's best pizza. It's kind of like the NCAA basketball tournament, but, you know, for pizza. Pasquale's in Albany took the title last year.
The selection committee is busy putting the brackets together for this year's tournament. And we need your help.
Eight pizza places are already in this year's tournament because they won a match during last year's pizzapalooza. That leaves eight open spots.
We're guessing you have a few thoughts about which pizza places should get those slots. So, bring it on!
Preference will be given to new entrants. If there's overwhelming support for one of the places bounced in the first round last year, the selection committee may make an exception. Also, the pizza places don't have to be in Albany, Schenectady, Troy or Saratoga. We've heard that Guilderland and Latham both have some strong contenders this year.
The list of who's in and out based on last year's results is after the jump.
My birthday at Local 111
The makings of a happy birthday.
You only get one birthday a year -- so you want to celebrate someplace really special, right? If you're looking for someplace with really good food and ambiance -- and you don't mind a pretty drive toward the Catskills, then I have the perfect place for you.
This year marks the second birthday dinner I've had at Local 111 in Philmont, near Hudson, and once again I can't stop raving.
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week there's a late summer bounty of melons, berries, corn tomatoes and a whole bunch of other fruits and veggies.
Here are a few more details from the local markets about what to expect this weekend.
Carrot cake ice cream at Stewart's
Don't leave us!
Move over Peanut Butter Pandemonium. Step aside Fireworks. Thanks, but no thanks, vanilla.
We have a new (sadly, temporary) favorite flavor of Stewart's ice cream.
India Bazaar
For all your jackfruit chip needs.
This week my continuing tour of the area's ethnic markets has brought me to India Bazaar in Colonie. Think curries and chutneys galore. Think at least a dozen of varieties of naan bread. Think fun snacks. Think "gripe water."
Seriously, the selection here is pretty impressive.
Ask AOA: crumpets
Also good with a spot of tea.
Emails Alison:
I'm interested in cooking some pesto eggs, and pairing it with some delicious bacon, all on top of a yummy crumpet. Green eggs and ham...all local of course.
Between DeFazio's in Troy, and the Troy Farmers market, I know just where to get most of the ingredients, but I'm having a little trouble thinking of a place in the Cap. Region to get crumpets. The bakeries I frequent don't offer these.
If anyone would be able to send me in the right direction, it would be you and your readers!
We gotta admit that we're a little stumped about where to get crumpets in bulk. But Albany Jane (Albany John, actually) has gotten crumpets at the Miss Albany -- so maybe MAD can help.
Anyone know where Alison can score some crumpets?
photo: Flickr user redcherryhill
Troy Dinosaur done deal
Harry Tutunjian says the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que has officially closed on the old Fresno's building along the Hudson in Troy. He says the Troy Dino is expected to open in early next year (well, his tweet says "early 2009," but we figure he meant 2010).
The Troy Record reports that the mayor says the new Dino will be part of a larger plan for the riverfront that includes the soon-to-be-former city hall site and Riverfront Park.
Earlier on AOA:
+ Chowing down on Dinosaur in Troy
+ A Dinosaur for the Capital Region?
Learning to eat well
We've joked that we're going to embark on a dining tour of local college campuses, but we're starting to think that we should actually do just that.
First there was Skidmore's renovated dining palace ("hall" doesn't seem to quite cover it) that made the cover of NYT. And now this about UAlbany's recently re-modeled dining hall:
Students enjoy healthy food options at the newly-renovated Indian Quad Dining Hall, including locally-grown fruits, vegetables and grass-fed beef. Students are also encouraged to create their own meals, interact with staff to produce personalized meals and enjoy meals prepared in exhibition cooking displays.
It sounds like eating on the set of a Food Network show.
According to UAlbany's Facebook page, all of the school's dining halls are also now "trayless" -- which is apparently all the rage on eco-conscious campuses these days. Trayless cafeterias reportedly reduce food waste and save water and energy.
photo: Mark Schmidt/UAlbany
Dinner and "spirits" at Beardslee Castle
Beardslee Castle in Little Falls
On a long and lonesome highway about an hour outside Albany lies an old and storied stone manor. The Gothic style Beardslee Castle is the stately and mysterious former homestead of a wealthy family with a cursed, tragic past.
Locals know the castle as "the most haunted spot in the Mohawk Valley." And it was featured on a History Channel program on haunted New York.
You can check the place out for yourself and even stay for dinner. If you dare.
(Cue macabre laugh, high pitch scream and b-horror movie music).
Happy birthday, chip
They don't look a day past 155.
Today is the birthday of the potato chip -- born 1853 in Saratoga Springs, NY.
The story behind the chip's birth is a bit fuzzy. Mike looked at the origins last year in an item for AOA:
When Cary B. Moon opened the original Moon's Lake House on Saratoga Lake in the 1850s, he had a good thing going for him from the start. He'd hired George Crum to run his kitchen. Crumb was a Native American with a reputation as an Adirondack guide and an accomplished cook.
Crum brought his sister, Katie Weeks, to work alongside him at Moon's. And it was Katie's kitchen experiment that, legend has it, led to one of our favorite salty, fried treats.
A couple of local businesses have recently tried to capitalize on Saratoga's crunchy history. The Saratoga Specialities Company has started selling the "Original Saratoga Chips made by gourmet artisans to the exact same recipe and packaging used by George Crum in 1853." And Saratoga Salsa and Spice is also now selling its own Saratoga chips.
[via @jengonroff]
photo: Flickr user Jed Sundwall
Quintessence 2.0
Yep, it's back.
Quintessence made its much-anticipated rebirth this week. If you talk to people who hung around Albany during the 80s and early 90s, you'll hear a bunch of stories about the restaurant. It really holds a special place in a lot of peoples' memories.
But that was then. What about now?
Autumn Evening in the Garden
The benefit supports CDCG and its projects, such as the Veggie Mobile.
Update: This event is now at the Franklin Plaza Ballroom -- same date and time.
This Capital District Community Gardens event looks like quite the local foodie extravaganza. CDCG describes it as "an elegant evening of seasonally fresh foods and scintillating conversation amongst chefs, farmers and friends."
The benefit includes a boffo line up of local chefs and gardens. Among the chefs: Larry Shepici (Tosca), Jaime Ortiz (677 Prime), Ric Orlando (New World), Dale Miller (Dale Miller). Among the farms: Hand Melon, Little Seed, Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. Also: desserts from Crisan and others, and spirits from Capital Wine and Harvest Spirits (the apple vodka people).
The benefit is September 23 at 6 pm at Tosca in Troy. Tickets start at $250 for couples and $150 for individuals -- but if you're under 35, you can get at ticket for $75.
Ask AOA: plums and cherries
These cherries need a pie.
Emails Erin:
I'm having trouble locating a few favorite produce items from my childhood. Damson plums make the best jam you can imagine, and a homemade sour cherry pie with vanilla ice cream can't be beat.
However, I'm having a terrible time finding the two key ingredients around here (I grew up in Ohio). In all your poking around local markets and such, have you encountered either the plums or the cherries? If so, I'd love to know where to get them!
We've had some great sour cherry pies made with fruit from Columbia County, but the same of the orchard escapes us now. Anyone have tips for Erin?
Lunch at the Victoria Pool
Sunshine, water, gin and bacon -- all high on the list of things that make us happy.
Track, schmack. Don't get us wrong, the race course is pretty and can be a lot of fun, but when we can steal a little summer time in Saratoga, we prefer hanging at the Victoria Pool.
We've mentioned the pool before, but here's why we like it so much.
When bacon met bananas, ice cream and caramel
Dessert? Breakfast? Both?
Like one of those super heavy elements that scientists create for mere microseconds in the lab, the chefs at Prime at Saratoga National created a dessert so heavy, caloric and oddly tempting that it could only exist for a short period of time.
Behold: bacon-chocolate-black pepper-vanilla bean ice cream with sauteed bananas, pain perdu and caramel sauce. Yes, that is a strip of bacon draped over the top.
The dessert was a special this past weekend. There's no word as to when/if it will return. Perhaps after the Large Hadron Collider is back online.
Prime at Saratoga National, like many restaurants these days, has a Facebook page and Twitter stream. If you're keen on a place, it's a good way to keep up on specials and whatnot. Bacon desserts probably fall into both categories.
photo: Kristin Campbell
Al-Baraki's garlic paste by the pint
Take that, vampires!
The garlic paste at Al-Baraki is -- well -- it's amazing. How can the simple combination of garlic, lemon juice, salt and organic soy oil be so good? How do they do it?
I could eat this stuff by the pint. Which is why I was so happy when I noticed they sell it in pint size tubs in the deli section at Honest Weight Co-op!
I may never have fresh breath again.
"No crash" risotto at New World Bistro Bar
Mushroomy.
We've eaten many tasty things at New World Bistro Bar since it opened in Albany earlier this year -- and here's one of the things we keep coming back to.
Cookout with AOA in Washington Park
Update: The list is full! We're working on opening up more space. We've expanded the list! And it's full again!
Undaunted by this summer's weather, AOA is having a cookout in Washington Park on August 13. Among the many reasons you should add this evening of fun and free food (yes, free) to your social calendar:
The sausage
The folks from Bilinski's will be there cooking up some special all-natural chicken sausages -- so special, they're not available in stores, yet. Bilinski's is looking to get some feedback on the new products. So here's a chance to actually influence what shows up in supermarkets.
The gelato
You can follow up that sausage with some gelato from Crisan. Yep. Free gelato.
The people
As we've found out from the other get-togethers, people in the AOA crowd are interesting, smart and a lot of fun. We'd love to see you there.
The cookout starts at 5:30 pm. We'll be in the grassy area just west of the monument in Washington Park. All you need to bring is yourself and maybe a blanket or something to sit on. We'll be providing drinks, plates, napkins and all that kind of stuff.
In order to make sure we'll have enough food, we do ask that you RSVP. The list only has 50 spots on it. If you're interested, it's best to sign up early.
It's pick-your-own blueberry time
Summer desserts start here.
We're right in the middle of the local blueberry season. Here are a handful of places you can pick your own blueberries (and maybe raspberries, too).
Dnipro Eastern European Grocery
When you've got to have borscht, and you've got to have it now.
A recent thread on Table Hopping turned me on to the existence of Dnipro, an Eastern European grocery store and deli.
Now really, how could I not check that out?
So a took a ride to Cohoes and found everything from instant borscht to Czar Nicholas tea.
Cooking with beer at Spoon and Whisk
The cooking class series at Spoon and Whisk has a "cooking with beer" session lined up for August 12. Tina Clements, the chef at Brown's Brewing, will be the instructor.
The class is $45. It starts at 7 pm.
By the way: the beer of the day at Brown's is their Hefe-Weizen -- it's $3.50 a pint today.
photo: mfajardo
First aid for your tomatoes
If only...
You tried. We know you did.
Maybe you started the seeds in your house. Then you went out in the garden this spring with the very best of intentions. Maybe you picked some plants up from a grower in the early spring. "I'll plant tomatoes," you said. "It'll be great! By August they'll be red and ripe and juicy and delicious."
You dug and hoed and planted and fertilized -- then you went to bed with visions of Caprese salad dancing in your head. But as the weeks wore on you watched your dreams sink into a cold, soggy summer. And your poor, poor tomato plants are limp, lifeless, maybe even full of fungus.
So is there any hope? Can these tomato plants be saved? AOA checked in with Capital Region gardening guru Larry Sombke to see if there are any super-secret gardening tips to rescue this year's sad-looking tomato crop.
Showtime for sausage
Bilinski's, the sausage company in Cohoes, will be featured on the Food Network tonight during an episode of Unwrapped. The segment will show how Bilinski's makes mini chicken sausages it calls "Chicken Littles." The episode debuts at 9 pm.
Bilinski's makes a bunch of different products at its plant, including all-natural and organic chicken sausages in flavors such as apricot rosemary and tikka masala.
Earlier on AOA: Inside the sausage factory
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week: all kinds of berries, a little bit of corn, and yes, in spite of the rain, a few tomatoes.
Here's what local markets tell us they're expecting this weekend.
Elderberry Mary's jam
Jammin'
I don't really use much jam or jelly, so when I do, Smuckers just isn't going to cut it. Nope. I want one bursting with fruit flavor, kind of like I'd imagine someone's grandmother would make.
And don't let me see high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient.
This is why I'm digging Elderberry Mary's jams lately.
The Menands Farmers' Market
The Capital District Farmers Market in Menands
Farmers' markets are definitely one of my favorite things about summer and we're pretty lucky here in the Capital Region to have so many to choose from.
And while I'm trying not to discriminate or be a hater, everybody has markets that they're more partial to. High on my list is The Capital District Farmers Market in Menands.
Small plates at a chain restaurant?
From good to not-so-good: beets and arugula, wild mushroom pizza, corn fritters, onions rings
You couldn't drag us into a Chili's. We're continually baffled by the packed parking lot we see outside the Olive Garden. And we still have bad flashbacks from an Applebee's experience in 1998.
But we'll happily eat at The Cheesecake Factory. The food there is actually OK.
And the last few times there, we've ordered something we never expected to see at a chain restaurant: small plates.
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week you can still get strawberries. There's also peaches, apricots, cherries and peas!
Here's more info on what to expect at local markets.
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week-- get your strawberries!!! Also, garlic scapes are here --but not for long.
Here's more info on what to expect at local markets.
The Deli Warehouse

Sure, it's cheap. But how does it taste?
Deli meats and cheeses aren't cheap. So when I saw a commercial for the Deli Warehouse that advertised $2.99 roast beef, I had to check it out.
I mean, roast beef? For $2.99?
Price Chopper and Hannaford charge between $7.99 and $10.99 a pound for that stuff.
So really, how good could $2.99 roast beef taste?
Whole milk yogurt from the Argyle Cheese Farmer
So last weekend at the Central Avenue Farmers' Market I made a beeline for the Argyle Cheese Farmers' stand and the promise of, well, cheese.
And I went away with -- yogurt. Home-made whole-milk yogurt.
And?
Move over Dannon.
The breakfast special at Tool's
Old-school.
One of our favorite places to get breakfast is Tool's in Delmar. Everything about the place seems a little anachronistic -- the food, the decor, the prices. It's like it exists in a bubble where 1989 never ended. And it's great.
Here's why.
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week it's all about the strawberries! Also, there's still at least one place with LOTS of asparagus.
Here's more info on what to expect at markets in Troy, Saratoga, Schenectady and Albany.
Our first meal at Dale Miller
The entrance is off Beaver Street.
We've been curious about the new Dale Miller restaurant in downtown Albany since it was announced. We'd heard great things about what the chef had been doing at the Inn at Erlowest on Lake George. And he's "one of 61 U.S. Certified Master Chefs" -- so you gotta figure the guy knows what he's doing.
Well, we finally had a chance to check it out recently.
Curious? We thought so. Here's what we ate...
Beware of peanut
Legumes!
Ned snapped this pic outside Wolff's, which serves "tons" of peanuts.
We're guessing the sign is a response to these conversations.
Earlier on AOA:
+ Blue Pants goes to Wolff's
+ Wolff's Biergarten preview
photo: Ned Abbott
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week you can get a few strawberries-- but only if you show up early. There's also a little bit of asparagus left thanks to cooler temperatures. But again, if you want it, get there early.
Here's more info on what to expect at markets in Troy, Saratoga, Schenectady and Albany.
Your Veggie Mobile questions answered
Veging at St. Sophia.
A few weeks ago, AOA told you that the Veggie Mobile was a finalist in an international competition. And based on the comment thread that ensued, it seemed like a lot of you were pretty curious about the whole thing.
So I caught up with Veggie Mobile Coordinator EJ Krans to get the whole scoop...
(And by the way, when he's not selling veggies, you can catch EJ playing around town with Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned and We are Jeneric.)
Flan at Mexican Radio
delicioso!
A couple of weeks ago, a "stuff to do this weekend" post prompted a discussion of the flan at Mexican Radio in Hudson.
Regular commenter B. -- and the restaurant itself -- claim it's the best flan around. And apparently a lot of people back that opinion up.
Being just a little crazy for custards, I figured I better look into that lofty claim myself. I admit I'm usually more of a creme brulee kind of girl, but flan's kind of like creme brulee's Latin American cousin, isn't?
Uh, sure. Anyways..... bet you want to know how it is.
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
This week you'll find the first strawberries of the season, plus beats and sugar snap peas.
On the way out: asparagus.
Here's more info on what to expect at markets in Troy, Saratoga, Schenectady and Albany.
Grab-and-go Asian food at EATS
Yes, these sashimi rolls came from a deli case.
For the most part, if you want a little grab-and-go sushi in the Capital Region -- something you can pick up from a deli case on the run -- you're stuck with supermarket fare. Sure, that will do in a pinch, but we have yet to find a local supermarket roll that can take us off to that wonderful land of buttery freshness, salty tang, and softly sweetened rice that is true sushi yum.
However...
the sushi and sashimi rolls at EATS Gourmet Marketplace in Stuyvesant Plaza are a step in the right direction.
Spring Sandwich at Crisan
Because AOA can't survive on bagels alone.
Yeah, we know, nobody cares what we had for lunch. But this may be an exception to the rule.
Crisan (ahhh, yes, Crisan), home of the $1 gelato and some of our other favorite things, has started serving sandwiches, little mini quiches and other yummy stuff for lunch.
Last night we stopped by and heard about the newest sandwich, and today we were the first in line at lunchtime.
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the Capital Region is shopping the farmers' markets.
Fuji apples and ramps are gone and the first crop of radishes are pretty much finished (though there are more radishes to come), but this week you can get beets, asparagus and all kinds of other good stuff. And there's a new market in Albany.
Here's a breakdown of what you'll find this weekend at the farmers' markets around the Capital Region.
Veggie Mobile in international competition
The Capital District Community Gardens' Veggie Mobile is one of the finalists in a "Designing for Better Health" competition being sponsored by a social entrepreneurship org and a major foundation. The winners of the contest get $5000.
CDCG launched the Veggie Mobile in 2007. From the org's contest entry:
Our mobile green grocer drives into targeted neighborhoods and sets up shop at pre-determined locations for weekly stops selling affordable, high quality produce at half the price of the grocery store. The Veggie Mobile concentrates its work in neighborhoods where the nearest grocery store is more than four miles away and where residents lack easy transportation and thus have severely limited access to affordable fresh produce.
There were 281 entries from 29 countries in the Veggie Mobile's categoy. Judges picked the 10 finalists, but the winners are picked by online voting.
[via @nick_crounse]
Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free Cafe
Gooey, gluten free goodness
Let's face it - food allergies and dietary restrictions kind of, well, suck. When you're eating out, you don't really want to make an issue of it -- but at the same time, being stuck with a plain iceberg salad again can get a little tedious.
So I was pretty excited about Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free , an entire cafe and store dedicated to serving food for those of us with celiac disease or wheat allergies.
I never made it out to Sherry Lynn's old place in Brunswick -- but I'd been waiting patiently for several months for this new, larger business in Latham.
The service is a little slow, but the selection is pretty impressive. And some of the gluten free treats I tasted were yummy enough to share with wheat-eating friends. If you're -- you know-- inclined to share.
Chowing down on Dinosaur in Troy
Dinner in the park.
We headed over to Riverfront Park in Troy for last night's Dinosaur Bar-B-Que benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It was a good time -- good food, good music and good weather.
After seeing the crowd and talking to a few people, we think the Dinosaur really is coming to the Capital Region. The reasons why -- and a bunch of pictures -- are after the jump.
Irish Toast at The Miss Albany Diner
MAD Irish Toast at The Miss Albany
So by now it's no secret that I like my french toast. But here's the thing about french toast at the Miss Albany Diner -- I can get it with a little side of nostalgia.
This old pre-fab diner was built by Silk City in New Jersey and delivered to Broadway in Albany in 1941. The counter tops, the stools, the train car feel all take you back.
And with dishes like Spam and Eggs, so will the menu. But my personal fav at the Miss Albany is the MAD Irish Toast.
Shopping the farmers' markets
One of the best things about weekends in the capital region is shopping the farmers' markets. All the local weekend markets have moved outdoors and they're stocked with lots of yummy, seasonal goodness.
This week's bounty includes rhubarb, greens, scallions, radishes, all kinds of seedlings and fiddleheads.
Here's a breakdown of what you'll find this weekend at the farmers' markets in Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga.
Rolf's Pork Store
Yum. Weiners!
It's barbeque season -- but the Troy Pork Store is gone. No more locally made hot dogs and sausages -- what will you do?
Wait -- before you go into full out weiner withdrawal check out Rolf's in Albany.
This German shop has been selling over 50 kinds of handmade meats and sausages for decades.
Oh, and they've got a whole bunch of other stuff too -- from pork bellies to German romance novels.
Better bottle bill bad for beer choice?
The "better bottle bill" that was part of the recent New York State budget includes a provision requiring all redeemable bottles sold in the state to carry a special New York barcode. As you might imagine, this hasn't gone over well with bottlers.
And now there's this from the Brewers Association:
The cost to produce a state-specific label with a unique UPC and the inventory and shipping challenges that presents, will mean many small breweries will be forced to pull their beers out of the New York market because the cost of doing business in the state will be simply too high.
...
Several brewing companies have already weighed in on this issue with the Governor, explaining they would have no choice but to discontinue distribution of their beers.
The complaints about the barcode rule already seem to be getting traction. State legislators have been talking about delaying the rule -- or even dumping it all together.
photo: Flickr user mfajardo
Dinosaur a preview of our barbecue future?
The Dino's Syracuse location.
Update: Steve has more details about the event. The short story: it's a benefit for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society-- and turnout may have some bearing on whether the Dinosaur sets up shop in the Capital Region.
__
The Dinosaur BBQ will be serving food in Troy next Tuesday (May 12) in Riverfront Park, according to Troy mayor Harry Tutunjian.
The Dinosaur has reportedly been scouting locations in the Capital Region for some time now. We got a tip from Nancy recently that while eating at the Syracuse location, she'd heard from the restaurant's manager that The Dinosaur was indeed planning to take over the old Fresno's location along the Hudson -- though the opening was still as much as a year out.
We've eaten at the Syracuse Dinosaur many times -- it's seriously good barbecue. We're looking forward to scoring some Dino next week.
[via Business Buzz]
Earlier on AOA: Trying the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que from the supermarket
(Thanks, Nancy! Thanks, Andrew!)
photo: Flickr user Joe Shlabotnik
Shopping the farmers' markets
Local farmers' markets are moving outdoors this weekend and there's lots of yummy, seasonal food to be had.
This week's bounty includes ramps, asparagus, arugula, spinach and all sorts of seedlings.
Here's a breakdown of what you'll find at the weekend markets in Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga. Don't forget, the Troy market moves to its new location in Riverfront Park this week.
Next week we'll have more from these and other area markets.
Trayless in Saratoga
Apparently the food's so good you won't mind juggling a few plates.
Could the nicest place to eat in Saratoga be... Skidmore's cafeteria? From a front-page piece today in the NYT:
For the most part, when students returned in the fall, they were so dazzled by the transformation of the cafeteria that they hardly noticed the missing trays. The renovated dining hall has three slate fireplaces and a half-dozen food stations, including a do-it-yourself griddle for eggs. Three of the chefs are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, and all the pasta, granola and baked goods are made on site.
The focus of the piece is on Skidmore's status as, in NYT's words, "a pioneer in trayless dining." Apparently trayless cafeterias are popping up at colleges all around the country -- they reportedly reduce food waste and save water and energy.
Skidmore isn't the only school that's tried going trayless. Union has "Trayless Tuesdays" in its cafeteria (a quality dining establishment, as we recently learned firsthand). And according to RPInsider, RPI tried out the idea -- but it didn't go over well.
Earlier on AOA: Capital Region college tuition
photo: Flickr user craigemorsels
Frank and Giovanni's Market
La Marqueta
OK, so there's this market in Albany -- it has an Italian name and sells Caribbean goods to mostly Spanish speaking shoppers.
The place is called Frank and Giovanni's Market, but it may be better known as La Marqueta. And it's stocked with all kinds of exotic and interesting foods from tubers to plantains to pigs' feet.
The Capital Region's first taste of Chipotle
Chipotle is open.
Lots of people in the Capital Region have been excited about the impending arrival of Chipotle. I'd never been to a Chipotle, so I didn't quite see what all the fuss was about. And since I live in Albany, Wilton is sort of a haul for a burrito .
Still, last week, the lure of free food proved too great for me to resist. So on Thursday I picked up a few friends, opened the sunroof, and headed North toward free burrito glory.
Pop Rocks cocktail at dp
Mikey likes it!
If popular retro-themed activities like adult kickball or spelling bees in the bars just aren't doing it for you -- or if you just want a drink to compliment them -- try the pop rocks cocktail at dp.
This sweet drink is a slightly more sophisticated way to relive your childhood.
Slightly.
A dollar well spent
A hard choice.
Crisan's $1 scoop of gelato is back.
We recommend the tiramisu flavor.
That is all.
The week of free food
For whatever reason, this is the Week of Free Food in the Capital Region:
Today (April 20): free burritos at Bombers (though you should make a donation to the Boys and Girls Club while you're there)
Tuesday (April 21): free cone day at Ben and Jerry's
Wednesday (April 22): free burritos at Moe's in Saratoga
Thursday (April 23): free burritos at the new Chipotle in Wilton.
Grab lunch with us on Monday
This could be Monday's lunch.
Nipper's Hot Dogs -- the cart that served Chicago-style hot dogs in Troy last year -- will be setting up in Albany this year on lunch truck row near the Capitol. Opening day is Monday.
As we found out last year, Nipper's makes some tasty dogs. So we're going to be rolling up to Nipper's on Monday for lunch around noon. If you're in the area, we'd love to say hi.
Bonus: if you buy two of Nipper's dogs on Monday (they're two for $5 $6 -- see Bob's comment), you can get a free soda by mentioning "All Over Albany."
Tiramisu at Ragonese Imports
Molto Bene
Oh tiramisu, how I love you when you're made just right.
Alas, tiramisu is one of those desserts that is hit or miss at restaurants and not something I make myself -- so it was always been a rare treat for me.
Until I went to Ragonese Imports.
Moon and River Cafe in Schenectady
So earlier in the week I dropped into the Moon and River Cafe in Schenectady to checkout the Electric City Ukulele Club and I thought, "Wow, I should write about this place."
It was my first visit to this fun, quirky little cafe but it certainly won't be my last.
Summer just drove by
Why does stuff taste better from a truck?
Quick! Look out the front door! The first sign of warm weather just drove by!
@Mrs_Misanthrope snapped this pic today in Albany. She was nice enough to not taunt us with details of the ice cream snack she enjoyed.
Chocolate potato chips?
Sweet, salty, crispy goodness. And yeah, you probably can't eat just one.
Chocolate-dipped potato chips -- I know, it sounds risky, doesn't it?
Would they be greasy? Soggy? Too sweet? Too salty?
Well, my kids and I took one for the AOA team and stopped in at Isn't it Sweet to give them a try.
Here's the low down.
Food photographer Tomas Malave
Tomas Malave, doing his thing.
Local photographer Tomas Malave says that taking his amazing pictures of food comes easily.
"The food just speaks for itself," he told me.
Hmmm. I've taken food photos and I'm thinking that if the food speaks-- it's clearly choosey about who it talks to.
No, taking delicious pictures like Malave's requires talent. Tomas Malave's talent for photographing food was nurtured right here in Albany.
Where? Bombers Burrito Bar.
Buttering up
Hooray for saturated fat!
We were recently having a discussion via Twitter with Ellen about heirloom beans, Thomas Keller and butter. (What, you don't ever talk about famous chefs and pretentious food stuffs?) Ellen asked us if we knew of any local producers of artisan butter.
Alas, we did not. But we thought that you might. If we can come up with a handful of local butter makers, we'll put together a butter tasting and report the results.
photo: Flickr user Charles Haynes
Confectionery House
The stuff cupcakes are made of.
It was 2007. The Great Mid-Decade Cupcake Craze took us all by storm. Bookshelves and feedreaders across the nation filled with cookbooks and blogs devoted to the humble cupcake. Cupcake-only bakeries opened (including one in Saratoga). The craze has died down a bit since then, but cupcakes remain popular. Popular and delicious.
I love baking cupcakes. Eating them, not as much, but I bake them often for friends, co-workers, and parties. And I used to read cupcake blogs frequently. It was through them that I learned of a well-stocked and impressive online supply store for serious bakers called Confectionery House.
While browsing the site, much to my surprise I noticed that the store is located right here in the Capital District, based out of a small building in Troy.
I had to pay a visit, and not just to indulge my need for polka-dotted cupcake liners and dinosaur-shaped sprinkles.
New York is one of the best beer states
That's according to an analysis of awards from the Brewers Association by drinks writer Rick Lyke (check out the map, too).
New York ranked #8 with the most medals since 1987. And a beer out of Rochester, Genesee Cream Ale, was tied for the second-most medals (10).
NY is one of the biggest states, so you would kind of expect that. But as Strange Maps concluded, New York also ranked in the top 10 on a medals per capita basis.
Earlier on AOA:
+ Who has the best prices on beer?
+ Belgian beer from brewery Ommegang
map: Rick Lyke
Ric Orlando's New World Bistro Bar
It's open!!!
After waiting impatiently for what seems like forever, I finally got to try Ric Orlando's new restaurant in Albany, The New World Bistro Bar, next to the Spectrum Theatre.
And, well, if last night's soft opening is any indicator, it's been worth the wait.
Does Tom Mailey get free ice cream?
Is this the face of a man who got a free ice cream cone?
So last week we told you that the overwhelming demand for free St. Patrick's Day ice cream cones in 2008 caused Stewart's to change their famous Paddy's Day promotion. This year, if you came to any Stewart's wearing green on St. Patrick's Day, you could get a cone for 50 cents.
Upon hearing the news Jeff told us he was pretty sure Tom Mailey would be getting a free cone. Mailey is the former WRGB personality and current Stewart's spokesman and marketing manager.
Was Jeff right?
Kosher for Passover Coke
The price is the same as last year.
Soda snobs rejoice! Kosher for Passover Coke has started arriving in local supermarkets.
What's the big deal? Well, normal Coke is made with high fructose corn syrup, which makes it not kosher for Passover. It also, according to soda snobs, makes Coke taste not quite right. Kosher for Passover Coke, on the other hand, is made with cane sugar (like Mexican Coke) and is said to be smoother and have a cleaner finish. (Pepsi is reportedly trying to capitalize on the soda snob market by launching a product made with cane sugar.)
Here's where we've found Kosher for Passover Coke so far...
Wolff's Biergarten preview
Wolff's wurst.
So last night I checked out a preview of Albany's new German-themed Wolff's Biergarten. The club formerly known as Noche and Jack Rabbit Slims has been given the full Bavarian makeover, turning the firehouse next to Miss Albany Diner into an authentic-seeming wursthaus.
Under the direction of Bombers impresario Matt Baumgartner, the one-time tapas lounge has given up the leather couches and ritz for antler light fixtures, rustic picnic tables and a large, paper mache tree "growing" out of the center of the room.
In fact, with the sawdust on the floor, the trays of peanuts and the wood-paneled walls, it sort of feels like being in a barn -- but in the best way possible. Imagine a place where it's Oktoberfest every day, somewhere outside of Epcott Center. Honestly, the only thing missing from the atmosphere was a few corseted tavern wenches and an oom-pah band.
How was it?
The wurst part wasn't even the best part!
Spring means ice cream
The first twist of the season.
There are a lot of signs of Spring's arrival: birds chirping, buds on the trees, the warm sun on your face. But our favorite is the opening of all the ice cream stands.
The Tastee Freeze in Delmar opened last week. The Snow Man in Troy opened this past weekend. And the Kurver Kreme opened today.
Before we know it, it'll be time to hit the ice cream tour.
Almond Joy French Toast at Mike's Diner
Almond Joy french toast. Sure, it's photogenic-- but how does it taste.
You know how, when something sounds too good to be true, you almost don't even want to try it? You just know it probably is too good to be true. And really, why set yourself up for disappointment.
That's how I felt when I heard about the almond joy french toast at Mike's Diner on Carman Road in Schenectady.
I mean, French toast + candy couldn't possibly be as good as it sounds.
But I tried it anyway.
Corned beef at Old World Provisions
Pass the cabbage, please.
As any good Irish-American or wannabe knows, St. Paddy's Day is quickly approaching and that means it's time for corned beef and cabbage. But where to get your corned beef--that's the question.
What if I told you you could get corned beef in Albany from the place that supplies some of N.Y.C.'s most famous delis? Yes, that's what I'm telling you.
Where? Old World Provisions Pastrami and Corned Beef Outlet on S. Pearl Street. Yep, a corned beef and pastrami outlet.
It's CSA sign-up time
You can get these -- and a lot of other great stuff -- from a local CSA
OK, yes, it's only March but it's not too early to start thinking about signing up for a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm share. In fact, now's the time the slots are filling up fast.
If you're not familiar with the CSA model, here's how it works: individuals or families sign up for a farm share through one of the many participating farms in the area. Then each week during the growing season, you'll be able to pick up a "share" of fresh produce, depending on what's in season.
Some farms focus solely on vegetables, while others include fruit, baked goods, eggs and even meat, depending on what type of program you're looking for. It's a great way to get lots of wonderful healthy food and support an area farm at the same time.
But how do you know which CSAs have what, how much they cost, and where to find them? The Web site localharvest.org has a thorough listing of CSA farms searchable by zip code and provides some of the basic details of what each farm provides.
Lucky for us, there are many CSA farms in the area, so AOA's put together a mini guide to several of the local CSAs to help you decide which share program would work best for you.
S'more's at Bailey's Cafe
Yummmmmm
S'mores are one of the simple things that make us happy. Sure, they're just toasted marshmallow, graham crackers and a Hershey bar--but c'mon, they're toasted marshmallow, graham crackers and a Hershey bar! And there's something about assembling one yourself that makes you feel like a kid again.
Alas, the s'more has always been a treat relegated to summer camp outs, and fall bonfires.
But this weekend we found a place where they bring the bonfire right to your table. OK -- not the whole bonfire, but enough to melt your marshmallow.
Saratoga Peanut Butter
It's tough to be a peanut butter lover these days. If you like that creamy, peanuty goodness but hate-- you know-- salmonella, then a pb&j can feel a bit like a game of Russian roulette. A very tasty game of Russian roulette.
Wait-- don't do it!
The Saratoga Peanut Butter Company is a much safer and yummier alternative.
Chipotle coming to the Capital Region
Coming soon.
There was a story floating around last year that a Chipotle was opening in Latham. But months passed and nothing happened. It seemed like the Capital Region would continue to be burrito bol-less.
Then we saw Ellie's comment today about a Chipotle in Wilton. So we called up Chipotle and talked with Chris Arnold, a spokesman for the company. He confirmed that the fast-casual Mexican chain is planning to open three restaurants in the Capital Region this year.
Supermarket Showdown II
Walmart was the champ last time.
A year ago we price-checked a "basket" of 40 items in an attempt to figure out which local supermarket chain has the lowest prices. Walmart came out on top -- it wasn't even close -- followed by Hannaford and then Price Chopper.
But, things change: prices go up, prices go down, economies go into recession.
So, this past weekend we checked the same basket again. Here's what we found...
Lucky Tortilla's
Gen and Qing Chen, the owners of Lucky Tortilla's
When we heard about Lucky Tortilla's, a new taco joint on Washington in Albany, we had to know more because:
1. We're always up for a good taco.
2. The name and menu had the feel of a Chinese restaurant. And word was that the place was run by Asian people. Hmm... what sort of fusion could this be?
So, we checked it out. And as it happens, the story of Lucky Tortilla's is as American as quesadillas.
Edible Albany!
Look-- a tiny little edible Lark St.
We wandered over to Crisan this afternoon to talk with baker/artist Claudia Crisan-Calabria about her upcoming edible art lecture at "New York in Bloom" -- and look what we found. A tiny little edible Lark Street.
What's it all about?
Ian Egas knows his wine
Ian trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa.
So we've been known to drink a little wine here at AOA. We admit it. We also, sadly, admit that we have a bit of trouble differentiating our sauvignon blancs from our gewurztraminers. OK, actually, we have trouble once we get past "red or white."
Fortunately, that's not a problem for Ian Egas. He's the sommelier at Albany's swanky 677 Prime. Ian took time out from aerating and decanting to share some secrets about buying wine in the Capital Region, what your neighbors are drinking -- and Prime's $3000+ bottle.
Yep, one bottle. Yeah.
Cooking the Tree of Life
The New York State Museum's culinary celebration of Darwin's birthday continues tomorrow night with a focus on plants. Here's the blurb from the museum's release:
You don't have to be a vegetarian or a botanist to appreciate the diversity of life forms in the Kingdom Plantae. Chef Timothy Warnock, corporate chef for U.S. Foodservice, uses ingredients from across the botanical Tree of Life to create the most biodiverse meal you have ever seen. Dr. George Robinson, professor at the University of Albany, guides you through the 500 million-year-old plant Tree of Life.
Here's some video of last week's session about vertebrates.
We heard from a few people who went last week that these Tree of Life events are fun. But if you want to score samples (and who doesn't?), it pays to sit up towards the front. And eating a snack beforehand is probably a good idea, too.
Tomorrow's session start at 7 pm in the NYS Museum's Clark Auditorium. It's free. There are two more sessions this month: Invertebrates (Feb 18) and Yeast & Fungi (Feb 25).
Macaroni and cheese at Hattie's
Mmmmmmm. Macaroni and cheeeeeese.
There is virtually nothing good for you on the menu at Hattie's.
Alright, we'll give you the rice and beans -- but other than that there is pretty much nothing good for you on the menu. Even the vegetables are fried.
But Hattie's isn't a place you go if you want a salad. For some folks it's the place to go when they want southern fried chicken, home made hush puppies, dumplings or fried okra. For us, it's the place to go for rich, creamy, artery-clogging-good macaroni and cheese.
Who has the best prices on beer?
It doesn't grow on trees you know.
Maybe you're rooting for the Steelers. Maybe you're rooting for the Cardinals. Maybe you don't so much -- you know -- care. But you will care if there's beer at the Super Bowl party.
According to the folks at the Beer Institute (yeah, there is such a thing) 3.5 percent of beer sales come from Super Bowl weekend. So how will you get the best bang for your beer buck this weekend? AOA went beer shopping to help you out. (Yay, beer shopping.)
Teavana
Pots at Teavana
My doc says I should relax and cut down on the caffeine, so I was especially looking forward to visiting Teavana, which just opened this weekend at Crossgates Mall.
So what exactly is "a heaven of tea"?
Apple raspberry pie from Yonder Farms
We love how the glaze is ever-so-slightly crunchy.
You can buy a pie at pretty much any supermarket these days -- either the bake-from-frozen variety or the strangely identical ones that hang out around the market's bakery section.
Some of these pies are OK, but in our experience they always kind of taste a little fake. And that probably shouldn't be surprising -- these pies aren't so much baked goods as they are the product of an industrial process.
Thankfully, it is possible to still buy a real pie. And Yonder Farms in Colonie is one of our favorite places to get one.
Ginger Man Cheese
Behold the power of cheese -- and horseradish.
We're big fans of the cheese here at AOA. Cheddar, stilton, brie, a good chevre-- we really can't get enough of the stuff. Ask the staff cardiologist.
But if we had to choose our cheese of choice -- the one cheese we could have if (heaven forfend) we could only have one -- it would be the spreadable horseradish cheese at The Ginger Man.
Asparagus soup at Lark St. Wine Bar and Bistro
Kevin Everleth's post-holiday deep freeze funk buster.
It's cold. The holidays are over. There's ice and slush everywhere you look. And did we mention it's cold?
So last night we went in search of the antidote to our post-holiday deep freeze funk. And we found it--asparagus soup at the Lark Street Wine Bar and Bistro. Actually, any soup from the Lark Street Wine Bar and Bistro will work, but asparagus with white truffle oil is our favorite.
And here's why.
Interesting in 2008: Crisan's Claudia Calabria
One of the best things about working on AOA this past year is that we've had the chance to meet a lot of interesting people. We'll be highlighting a handful of them between now and the start of 2009.
If AOA waistlines have been expanding this year, it may have something to do with the distance between our downtown office and Crisan. Some of our yummiest moments of 2008 were works of edible art by Ana Claudia Crisan Calabria.
There's always room for pie
A plethora of pie!!!
So I stopped into Grandma's pie shop this week, and let's just say you'd never know there was a recession by the look of the dining room. They whole thing has been converted into a sort of "pie holding area," overflowing with boxes marked "from Grandma, with love."
Darcie Cegener, the manager, says by tonight they'll have sold about 5,000 pies for Christmas. The most popular ? Apple, pumpkin, and chocolate.
Five thousand pies is a drop in the bucket. Thanksgiving week they sold 12,000,
So is there one left for you? Yep, but don't dawdle. The pies are going quick, and Grandma closes her doors at 3PM today.
So long Shake Shake
Anybody want to buy a vegetarian cafe and smoothie shop?Â
Shake Shake Mamas in downtown Troy is closing its doors.  The home of the Hans Solo smoothie and other healthful delights officially shuts down on Friday -- but Monday they're throwing a party for their customers. When we got the tip that they were shutting down, we called owner Royah Ansari to find out why.
Turns out it's not why you might think. It also turns out she'd like to help you start a business in the Collar City.
The Frankencake at Cheesecake Machismo
Mmmmm. Frankencake.
Why settle for one flavor of cheesecake when you could have six? Or more!
If you're headed to a holiday party this season and don't know what to bring, here's the perfect idea: A Frankencake from Cheesecake Machismo.
Who has the best egg nog?
The nog lineup.
We got an email from Meagan last week:
Every holiday season, I find myself in an egg nog debate with a friend/coworker/stranger about who makes the best egg nog. My family and I are loyal fans of Stewart's egg nog (the premium one, not that "light" crap). I've always immediately dismissed anyone else's rebuttal. I have given a couple other egg nogs a try, and in my opinion, they were nowheres near as delish as Stewart's.
So you know what this means? Yeah, that's right: egg nog taste test!
Wine coming to a supermarket near you?
Land of the Two Buck Chuck.
Updated Tuesday at 2:45
Jess gave us the heads-up this afternoon that David Paterson's proposed budget would also open the way for supermarkets in New York State to sell wine. From a story in the Poughkeepsie Journal:
"We will create a spike in the sale of wine," especially New York wine, Patrick Hooker, the state's agriculture commissioner, said in an interview with Gannett News Service.
Wegmans, a leading upstate supermarket chain, applauded Paterson's plan Monday, saying the law is long overdue.
"We love the idea of supermarkets being allowed to sell wine," said spokeswoman Jeanne Colleluori. "We have supported this idea for decades because we believe it's a great service to the customers."
But liquor stores were quick to criticize the proposal, saying it would lead stores to close and therefore damage the local economy.
And as Jess points out, this could also open the way for more Trader Joe's in New York because the chain does a lot of business selling its discount wines.
But there's a bit of a catch, too: the budget would also more than double the tax on wine.
(details throughout this document)
One more thing: in a little bit of an odd twist, the Paterson admin is sort of now telling people to stop drinking soda and start drinking wine. Sort of.
(Thanks, Jess!)
photo: Flickr user woolennium
Tea from The Good Leaf
Day 2 of the AOA's holiday gift guide...
What?
The Smart Tea Maker Starter Set at The Good Leaf Gourmet Tea Company on Lark Street. It includes three sample tins of tea and brewing instructions. Choose from Earl Grey de la Crème, Moroccan Mint, and Bollywood Brew Chai; or Rise, Tropical Fantasy, and Chamomile Sonata; or Vanilla-infused Rooibos, Very Strawberry, and Lemon Drop.
Our first meal at The Standard
The 50's style worked for us.
The Standard, the new restaurant at Crossgates, opened this week. And after hearing about the company behind it, we were kind of curious. We figured you would be, too.
So we had dinner there last night.
The Peppermint Pig
The three little peppermint pigs.
Done with your holiday shopping yet? Yeah, didn't think so. In our ongoing effort to be helpful (live elves), we've been keeping an eye out for gifts that are fun, interesting and local. We'll bring you one a day. And as always, if you've got any thoughts or suggestions, tell everyone about it.
On the first day of the AOA holiday gift guide we give you peppermint porcine goodness.
What?
The Peppermint Pig.
It's not bacon candy -- but it's almost as much fun. Candy pigs may seem kind of random, but they were a traditional holiday gift in Saratoga Springs generations ago. About 20 years ago Mike Fitzgerald at Saratoga Sweets brought them back. Now they're in catalogs and on the internet. They've even marched in the Macy's parade. But they're made right here in the Capital Region. Here's how the tradition works:
Drinking chocolate at Crisan
Yes, we admit it, we've got a little love affair going on with Crisan. ( And yes, we have the love handles to prove it.) It started with a little $1 gelato, then moved on to the Kiss Me phase. Now, we're ready to spend the winter sipping tiny cups of spiced drinking chocolate.
No, not hot cocoa.
Drinking chocolate.
Uncle Sam's: a sweet secret?
Candy. And lots of it.
When I saw the television commercial for Uncle Sam's Candy in Schenectady I thought they must be new. Then I saw their print ad in Capital Region Living, where it was noted that they were voted "Best Chocolate Shop in the Capital Region."
By who, I wondered. And, more importantly, as a hardcore chocolate lover -- why hadn't I heard of this place before?
How produce gets here from the West Coast
Oranges being packed at the Railex warehouse in Rotterdam.
The Railex route that starts in Washington State and ends in Rotterdam will be featured tonight on the History Channel in an episode of Extreme Trains called "Ice Cold Express."
What's Railex? The company describes itself as "a distribution platform designed to enhance logistics, distribution, consumer demands and inventory control" that "features three refrigerated, mega-transload distribution centers; one in Delano, California, one in Wallula, Washington, and one in Rotterdam, New York."
In other words, it's a train that ships stuff, mostly produce, relatively quickly from the West Coast (it's a five day trip). The company just started up a run from California to Rotterdam. Its Washington to Rotterdam route started in 2006.
You've probably bought produce that's been shipped on this train. The shipments include apples, onions, lettuce, oranges, broccoli, grapes, wine and a whole bunch of other stuff.
photo: Railex
What can we expect The Standard to be?
The Eveready Diner in Hyde Park, which is owned by the same restaurant group.
When we first saw the signs for The Standard, the new restaurant going in at Crossgates, we thought, "Oh, look, there's a mid-century ring-a-ding-ding chain now. Whatever."
But then we heard a little more about it. The Standard is being opened by a company that runs a group of restaurants in the Hudson Valley. So we did a little research to get a sense of what we might expect.
A Dinosaur for the Capital Region?
The Dinosaur in Syracuse. It's a real joint -- in the best way.
The Daily Gazette reported today the owner of the Dinosaur Barbeque is scouting locations in the Capital Region.
OK, consider us already hungry.
The Dinosaur makes awesome barbecue -- like, I'm-kind-of-stuffed-and-shouldn't-really-but-can't-stop-myself barbecue. From a few reviews:
+ "The food here is not good but amazing." [RoadFood]
+ "Okay, so I've been to the New York Dinosaur BBQ twice in the last month. Okay, twice in the last two weeks really. Why? Cause it's damn good." [Hot Sauce Blog]
+ "Dinosaur BBQ is about the only redeeming quality of Rochester." [Chowhound poster]
The Dinosaur already has locations in Syracuse (the original), Rochester and, more recently, Harlem. We're glad to see the injustice of skipping over the Capital Region is finally being addressed.
According the to the Gazette, one of the locations being considered is the old Fresno's on the river in Troy.
Earlier on AOA: Trying the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que from the supermarket
photo: Flickr user Joe Shlabotnik
Bombers sells salsa in a jar?
As hot as the chick on the label?
Albany's iconic burrito bar is now selling its salsa retail-style.
A recent trip to the Honest Weight Food Co-op turned up a jar of Bombers' salsa. (Yep, we had no idea either.) They sell the hot sauce, too -- but we were all about the salsa.
So, how is it?
The early bird gets the turkey
Gobble!
Vegetarians, avert your eyes... we're coming up on Thanksgiving and if AOA's previous post on buying your still-mooing beef has inspired you, you might be thinking about heading out to pick out a turkey to grace your table on November 27.
Er, not so fast...
The Tournament of Pizza finals
Pizza King vs. Pasquale's
The final round of the Tournament of Pizza has arrived. After starting with 16 pizza places, we're down to just two: Schenectady's Pizza King and Albany's Pasquale's.
Which pizza will take the title?
Let's eat.
Round 3: The Semi-Finals
Top: D'Andrea's vs. Pizza King; Bottom: I Love NY vs. Pasquale's
It's crunch time as the four remaining pizzerias in the Tournament of Pizza head into the semi-finals. Anyone left in the field could take the title -- it's all a matter of execution. And this round's challenge is a bit different than the first two: we ordered broccoli ricotta white pizzas. Yep, the red sauce stayed on the sidelines for this one.
Could the pizzas hold up to going sans tomato? Would anyone making a costly mistake? Who will face off for the title?
There's only one way to find out. Pizzas, please.
Checking out the Schenectady Greenmarket
Downstairs at the new Schenectady Greenmarket.
A trip to the first Sunday of this season's Winter Market at the new Schenectady Greenmarket with the kids turned out to be way more fun than I expected it to be.
We turned the clocks back and were off our normal schedules, the kids were still wired from Halloween -- would there be enough there to hold everyone's interest until I could be rescued by naptime?
The Tournament of Pizza semi-finals
We've come to the last week of the Tournament of Pizza. Here are how things have shaped up so far:
| Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 |
|
Saratoga
Marino's
D'Andrea's
Broadway Pizza
Caputo's
|
D'Andrea's
Caputo's
|
D'Andrea's
Pizza King
|
pizza
pizza
|
|
Schenectady
Scotti's
Home Style
Fireside
Pizza King
|
Home Style
Pizza King
|
||
|
Troy
DeFazio's
Red Front
I Love NY
Knotty Pine
|
Red Front
I Love NY
|
I Love NY
Pasquale's
|
|
|
Albany
Paesan's
Pasquale's
Sovrana
Inferno
|
Pasquale's
Inferno
|
Round 3 is tomorrow. It will be a matchup of broccoli ricotta white pizzas.
Round 2: Albany
Pasquale's vs. Inferno
The pepperoni round makes its last stop in Albany for a matchup between Pasquale's and Inferno. Pasquale's topped one of the favorites in this competition, Paesan's, 2-1 in Round 1. Inferno breezed past an underwhelming effort by Sovrana 3-nil.
Who will be the final member of the semi-finals?
Let's eat!
Round 2: Troy
Red Front vs. I Love NY
The pepperoni round rolls into Troy for a big, big showdown between Red Front and I Love NY. Both places are coming off convincing 3-0 wins in Round 1: Red Front over the famed DeFazio's and I Love NY over Knotty Pine.
It's a matchup not for the faint of heart -- or the small of stomach. These are pizzas that demand to be eaten. Who will prevail!
Let's eat!
Round 2: Schenectady
The pepperoni round stops in Schenectady today for a matchup between Home Style and Pizza King. A quick recap of Round 1 in this bracket: Home Style made it to the second round by beating its neighbor down the block, Scotti's, 2-1. Pizza King advanced with a convincing 3-nil win over Fireside.
That leaves us with a Downtown vs. Upper Union matchup. Whose pepperoni will come out on top?
Let's go the pizza!
Round 2: Saratoga
D'Andrea's vs. Caputo's
The Tournament of Pizza returns to Saratoga for the opening of the second round. This time around, we ordered pepperoni pizzas. The scoring works the same way. After a blind side-by-side tasting, the judges vote on their favorite -- most votes wins.
Here's how we got here. In Round 1, D'Andrea's edged out Marino's 2-1 on the strength of its "very thin, crisp crust." And Caputo's beat out Broadway Pizza 2-1, though the judges didn't seem too impressed with either competitor.
OK, let's taste some pizza!
The pepperoni round
Here are how things stand as we head into Round 2 of the Tournament of Pizza:
| Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 |
|
Saratoga
Marino's
D'Andrea's
Broadway Pizza
Caputo's
|
D'Andrea's
Caputo's
|
pizza
pizza
|
pizza
pizza
|
|
Schenectady
Scotti's
Home Style
Fireside
Pizza King
|
Home Style
Pizza King
|
||
|
Troy
DeFazio's
Red Front
I Love NY
Knotty Pine
|
Red Front
I Love NY
|
pizza
pizza
|
|
|
Albany
Paesan's
Pasquale's
Sovrana
Inferno
|
Pasquale's
Inferno
|
Round 2 is the pepperoni round. It kicks off tomorrow with D'Andrea's vs. Caputo's in the Saratoga Bracket.
Round 1: Albany
The opening round of the Tournament of Pizza makes its last stop in Albany. The matchups: Paesan's vs. Pasquale's and Sovrana vs. Inferno.
Let's taste some pizza!
A pumpkin pie martini? Oh, yes.
Halloween does need a cocktail.
Sure, cider donuts are great and all, but for some of us, fall-themed cocktails are a little more our taste. So when I spotted the pumpkin pietini advertised at Bombers the other night, well, I couldn't resist.
After all, I love pumpkin pie and I love cocktails, so why not combine them?
Round 1: Troy
The opening round of the Tournament of Pizza heads to Troy. Lots of favorites in this bracket. The matchups: DeFazio's vs. Red Front and Knotty Pine vs. I Love NY.
Let's go to the results.
Round 1 of The Tournament of Pizza moves on to Schenectady. The matchups: Scotti's vs. Home Style and Fireside vs. Pizza King. Who will win the battle of upper Union? And can the Pizza King live up to its name?
Let's go to the action.
Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: the ironic pig out, mystery ice cream flavors, yogurt disappointment, a guide to drinking in Saratoga.
Nothing takes the gloom out of a soggy spring day like free ice cream. And you can get some today at Ben and Jerry's. Yep, it's Free Cone Day. Once again the creators of of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Cherry Garcia are celebrating their birthday by giving you free ice cream. And all the local Ben and Jerry's are taking part. Yep, Lark Street, Lake George, Saratoga-- even the super-secret Ben and Jerry's in the basement of The Union at RPI. So? Grab your umbrella and get in line.
Time Magazine hit the Ray with 
You 
Our blog BFF CelinaBean has 
Riddle us this: how is it that a place called Original Pizza of Boston ends up in the service areas along the New York Thruway? (What, no love for Brooklyn?) Confused and amused, we did a little background checking. Alas, answers were not forthcoming. The travel plaza 
If your inner foodie is looking to get out of the house more, you should check out the 
It was the sign inside the 
File this under "Things We Hate About Places We Love." Panera is kind of a home away from home for the AOA staff. You might even call it one of our "satellite offices." We're usually there a few days a week for the tomato soup, free wi-fi and bottomless soft drinks. We realllllly like Panera. So what we say now, we say out of genuine concern. It's for everyone's good, trust us. 
OK, we're not Bloody Mary connoisseurs or anything, but we know what we like. And we like the Bloody Marys at Cafe Madison. 
Our blog BFF CelinaBean is holding a baking whodunit. If you can figure out where that brownie over to the right came from, she'll hook you up with a box of them. 
It's soup weather. Oh boy, is it soup weather. Like cheesy, gooey baked onion soup weather. The kind they serve at the 
The good...
... said LB about For sale: one purple bookmobile