All Over Albany

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?

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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.

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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.

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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...

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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.

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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?

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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:

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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.

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Holiday gift guide: Rolf's

Smokey holiday goodness.

On the 4th day of the gift guide AOA gives to you:

The gift of meat.

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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?

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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