Lovin' Levain

If Cookie Monster didn’t live on Sesame Street, he would be stationed right above Levain Bakery.

Founded in 1994 by friends Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes, Levain Bakery is a cozy neighborhood spot located in New York City’s Upper West Side. The bakery’s legendary baked goods draw locals and tourists alike. The overwhelming demand inspired Levain to open locations in the Hamptons and Harlem, as well as offer shipping of their world-famous cookies around the globe.

The bakery’s name comes from the French word levain, a natural leavening agent that traditionally consists of flour, water, and wild yeasts; it is also known as sourdough starter in the U.S. McDonald and Weekes thought that the French term for a natural starter was the perfect fit for their new bakery.

Levain prepares a variety of tantalizing baked goods that are baked on-site, including breads, sticky buns, and muffins, but what puts them on the map are their cookies. Four types of cookies are available: chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chocolate chip, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. With their $4 price tag, you are most definitely getting your money’s worth; each massive six-ounce cookie is literally the size of your fist and can easily replace a meal. Levain’s staff bakes trays upon trays of these decadent mountains throughout the day, so they always come out fresh, warm, and delightfully gooey.

The Levain cookie experience stimulates all five senses. Smelling the mouthwatering aroma of fresh-baked cookies as you wait in a line that stretches out the door. Hearing the constant clatter of metal trays as they are pulled off towering racks, laden with hulking mounds of cookie dough, and shuttled to ovens nearby. Seeing staff members transfer the hulking masterpieces directly from an oven tray into a brown paper bag for customers. Feeling the cookie’s steady warmth and satisfying heft in your palm upon extracting it from the bag.

And the taste... oh, the taste. Levain’s cookies can only be described as heavenly. They are by far some of the best cookies I have ever sunk my teeth into. Each cookie has tremendous depth of flavor. The exterior is just crisp enough to hold the whole cookie package together, giving way to an incredibly soft, chewy interior slightly reminiscent of cookie dough. My personal favorite is the dark chocolate chocolate chip; it is a rich and decadent treat, with huge chunks of dark chocolate chips studded throughout the cookie that slightly melt all over your fingers as you dig in. A chilly glass of ice-cold milk is practically necessary to complete the experience.

If you can’t finish these enormous treats in one sitting (and I don’t blame you), not a problem—the chips and insides stay soft and melted for hours. The cookies taste just as incredible if you pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds later on.

Cookie Monster may croon “Share It Maybe”, but Levain’s scrumptious cookies will make you want to keep them all for yourself. After one bite, you’ll be going back for seconds, thirds, fourths…

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The Fractured Prune

Ocean City, Maryland is more than just a town of sand and sea. All along Coastal Highway, the main drag of the city, lie rows and rows of places to eat- fast food, sit-down, bars, cafés. Although some are certainly tacky, apropos of a beach town, there are some gems tucked amongst all the crab shacks. To my surprise, it wasn’t the Maryland crabs that struck me most, but instead, donuts from The Fractured Prune.

The shop was small and cramped, but nevertheless cute. The line went out the door during the morning rush, past the shop’s signature sign of a quirky cartoon prune wearing shades and a bandage. As more and more people ordered, they had to crowd to the sides to wait for their donuts. Behind the counter, employees worked swiftly and efficiently filling boxes with hand-dipped donuts. Each customer was given a playing card from a deck when they ordered and was called by the number and suit instead of by name. When the king of clubs was called, I went to get my donuts. To my surprise, the box was hot—not luke warm, but hot! At that point, I couldn’t wait any longer to sink my teeth into a donut. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. The donuts were warm and golden throughout. When I bit into the first one, I could taste the soft buttery cake on the inside, complemented by the crisp perfectly fried outside. When I looked at it, I could even see the butter glistening off the dough. Although the wait felt long, I decided that in the end it was well worth it.

Each donut at The Fractured Prune is made fresh to order. They are churned individually out of a machine. Then, still hot, they are dipped by hand in a glaze and a topping. Glazes include, but are not limited to, caramel, chocolate, peanut butter, mixed berry, banana, and maple, while toppings consist of chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate jimmies, coconut flakes, graham crackers, and Oreo cookie pieces. There is also a choice of sugars: powdered, granulated, or cinnamon sugar. You can choose your own combination of toppings or select from a list of specialties that have already been created. The pre-made combinations range from simple, like mocha glaze with Oreo pieces, to more complex, such as banana glaze with cinnamon sugar and peanuts. There is even one called Plain Jane, which is just a plain donut without any toppings. Frankly, the donuts have such a rich flavor on their own that they would taste great even without any toppings or glazes at all.

I tried a maple glaze with cinnamon sugar and graham cracker pieces, as well as a peanut butter glaze with rainbow sprinkles. The maple glaze was subtle. It gave the donut a hint of extra flavor, but the buttery taste of the donut itself was stronger than that of the glaze. The cinnamon sugar gave the donut more texture, as the sugar crystals added some crunch, while the graham crackers were crushed so small that they were closer to a powder than pieces, not providing much added texture. The peanut butter glaze was a little more palpable, but still not overpowering. I think that peanut butter flavor in general is just more robust than maple. And the sprinkles gave the donut a nice extra chewiness. Overall, the glazes were subtle. They were not thick frostings, so the flavor of the donut didn't rely on that of the frosting. The toppings gave the donuts a little character, some more striking than others, but the taste and texture of a plain one would still be delectable.

The donuts at The Fractured Prune were the best donuts I have ever had. They were served hot and fresh, fried perfectly crisp with a supple center. And the flavor combinations were endless. On the one hand, it is atrocious that there is no Fractured Prune in New York or Philadelphia, depriving such substantial cities of this delicious fried goodness. On the other hand, it is probably a good thing, as it would be difficult for me to resist buying a donut every day.

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The Vendy Awards

On July 28th, a voracious crowd descended upon The Lot at 39th and Market, ready to eat the entire afternoon. They were there for the second annual Vendy Awards, a competition of the city's best food trucks. While the location was not as glamorous as last year's awards (held at the Piazza at Schmidt's), the promise of delicious food kept people's spirits high, even during the mid-afternoon downpour.

The food trucks competed for the title of People's Choice, Best Dessert, and the coveted Vendy Award. People's Choice was given to Vernalicious, which serves up "eclectic comfort food" and the most scrumptious grilled-cheese. Vernalicious is owned by the dynamic duo of Verna and David. We had the grilled tomato, pesto, and mozzarella sandwich. The gooey mozzarella provided a great balance to the ripe tomatoes and the flavorful, homemade pesto. Though the sandwich was grilled, Monica found the butteriness of the bread to be a bit too much. But if you don’t mind a super buttery sandwich (which Elliott definitely doesn't!), then Vernalicious will be sure to satisfy your comfort food needs.

Best Dessert went to new-kid-on-the-block Lil' Pop Shop, whose permanent location can be found near campus at 44th between Locust and Spruce. Elliott discovered Lil' Pop Shop earlier this summer, and before the Vendy's had already had an embarrassing number of popsicles, with the goal of trying all their flavors. The mini-sized popsicles served at the Vendy's allowed her to get closer to accomplishing that goal, concluding that Vietnamese Iced Coffee is the best. It was smooth, creamy but still refreshing, with the perfect combination of coffee and sweetened condensed milk. Even their most unique flavor, Sweet & Salty Summer Corn, was tasty.

Finally, the Vendy Award went to the Smoke Truck for their pulled-pork on mac and cheese. We were quite surprised that Smoke Truck brought home the gold, because we found their dish to be the most disappointing of the afternoon. The Smoke Truck specializes in Southern BBQ and soul food, bringing a taste of the South to Philadelphia. We tried their southern style BBQ pulled pork over a bed of homemade mac and cheese. Their pulled pork was unpalatable with a very vinegary taste and left slight fizzy feeling in our mouths after the first bite. Giving up on the pork, we took a taste of the mac and cheese and were disappointed by the bland flavor of the macaroni and the uneven distribution of cheese. Regardless of their new title of Vendy Cup Champion, we will not be returning to the Smoke Truck.

So, we have decided to create our own award, the Penndy Award! And our Penndy goes to... Philly Delicias! Delicias serves up traditional Venezuelan cuisine carefully crafted to please the lunch crowds. They specialize in arepas which are thick cornflour patties that are split open, making them perfect for stuffing. For the Vendy's, Delicias served a mini platter of appetizers that consisted of a tender and juicy pork loin topped with a colorful salsa, sweet melt-in-your-mouth plantains, and a mini arepa stuffed with plump black beans. The soft and doughy arepa was filling, satisfying, and oh-so-delicious. This was Monica's first time trying Delicias, and she is now hooked. Luckily. Luckily, Delicias is located on 34th and Market, so she can become a regular.

Our two other favorites of the afternoon were SweetBox, King of Falafel and Yumtown. Yumtown is unique in that their menu changes based on the seasonal ingredients that they locally source. The side of their truck sports a hand written list of each ingredient used on their menu and the local farm from which it originates. Not only does Yumtown deserve a pat on the back for keeping it local, but their food is delicious. We tried their beer braised pork topped with a sesame slaw and cornbread underneath. Their pork was done right and the slaw had a satisfying local bite. Their cornbread was a little buttery for Monica's taste, but the flavors were all there. The sweetness of the cornbread balanced out the kick of the pickled jalapeño. In addition, they served up a peach cider and black tea that was bursting with flavor and so refreshing that we returned multiple times throughout the afternoon.

We were also big fans of King of Falafel, owned by the Syrian couple Nabil and Hined Akkeh, who arrived sporting matching Team Babaganoush and Team Tabouli jerseys. They pride themselves in serving up authentic cuisine, including soaking and grinding the chickpeas used for their falafel and hummus themselves. The dedication they put into their food showed- their falafel was the best we've had in Philly, while Monica deemed the tabbouli to be "just like her mother makes it," with lots of parsley and lemon. They also served hummus and babaganoush, with warm pita for scooping.

Besides the Lil' Pop Shop, we were quite taken with Sweet Box, who won Best Dessert last year. Since the Vendy’s, Monica has been dreaming about their vegan chocolate espresso cupcake topped with a hazelnut and praline crumble. The cupcake itself was delicious and moist but what really reeled us in was the crumble on top. Covering the cupcake was a smooth layer of ganache that allowed hazelnut and praline pieces to stay intact on top of the cake. The cupcake was therefore not overly sweet and instead perfectly showcased the flavor of the deep chocolate and bold espresso. Though the cupcake we tried was vegan, Sweet Box specializes in many non-vegan creations. Upon a Google search to locate the whereabouts of their truck since we are now completely in love with Sweet Box, we found out that they are opening a store soon (in addition to their truck) on 339 S. 13th Street. We can’t wait to pay them a visit at their new storefront!

Check out our photos from the Vendy's below.

-Monica Purmalek and Elliott Brooks

Lil' Pop Shop's Sign

Popsicle power!

Decadent espresso and praline cupcake from Sweet Box

Yumtown's sign

The disappointing Vendy champion: Smoke Truck

And our Penndy goes to Delicias!

Lip-smackin' grilled cheese from Vernalicious 

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Smorgasburg: Your Summer Mission

Are you near New York right now? Even better, are you in it? And if not, can you catch a bus to the Big Apple in the next few days? Well mark your calendar for next Saturday because you have a date with the L-train or your car- you're going to Smorgasburg!

Smorgasburg is a food market in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Located right on the water, it's full of hipsters and incredible food. Only here would you find skinny, vegetarian girls in head scarves selling the most decadent grilled cheese, huge lines for tempeh, Arnold Palmer slushies, and much more. Smorgasburg was created by the same masterminds behind Brooklyn Flea, which has been described as a "Etsy-in-person". Smorgasburg happens every Saturday and has incredible offerings. For around $20, you can try a diverse range of foods. I went this week for the first time, some of which were definitely worth repeating. However, the strength of Smorgasburg is that there are so many options, I could also go back and eat totally different things. There was so much variety and range in price, ethnic cuisines, and type of customer.

Here are a few snippets of what I ate:




From Dough in Bed Stuy. I want to visit their brick and mortar shop. Cafe au lait is a flavor I've never seen in a doughnut and it deserves more recognition. The doughnut was not greasy and had great coffee flavor. It was one of those doughnuts that makes you think it's illegal for Dunkin Donuts to claim its dessert items are doughnuts.

















From The Milk Truck. This breakfast sandwich grilled cheese was the last one! It had a fried egg, pickled onions, and lots of cheese on Balthazar rye bread. My friend ordered one with apples, three types of cheese, and rosemary bread that I could probably eat an entire loaf of.

















Blue Bottle Iced Coffee. SO SO SO GOOD. I stopped by their brick-and-mortar store while wandering around Williamsburg and was so impressed by the cold brewing apparatus. I got the style with milk but there is another black version. The coffee was so rich tasting with the perfect amount of whole milk (don't even ask for skim).














The company was called Rob and Anna's Bananas but I can't find their website. As explained by the caption, they literally frozen bananas put through a cold press. They make them to order and have a variety of sauces to go. I chose nutella, my friend got berry. The bananas have no added sugar, dairy etc. They're vegan and healthy and actually taste good. This was the perfect second dessert at Smorgasburg because it didn't make us feel too full. We passed lots of ice cream sandwich shops but had no room.











Smorgasburg was a great way to spend Saturday morning. Get there early because the most popular items do run out. Bring your appetite, a taste for adventure, and your most alternative outfit. Smorgasburg is also a great spot to look at food trends. If this place is any indication, cupcakes are totally out, cookies are coming back, cold brewed iced coffee is major, and iced tea/slushies/homemade sodas are having moments.

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Philly Food Events

Philadelphia Vendy Awards
WHAT: The Vendy Awards are back in town and the trucks are gearing up to be this year's top curbside chef. Whether you want to feast on Yumtown's Southern/Mexican/Asian cuisine, The King of Falafel's healthy Middle Eastern cuisine, Delicias' Venezuelan fare, Lil Dan’s Gourmet Italian and American grub, Lil Pop Shop's innovative popsicles (like cantaloupe rose with goat cheese), or Sugar Philly's French macarons, there are sure to be multiple dishes to your liking. This annual event organized by The Street Vendor Project is a fundraiser for The Food Trust, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that strives to make healthy food available to all. Follow the Vendy Awards on Twitter for the latest news and announcements @vendysphilly and like them on Facebook at Vendy Awards. Who will win the coveted Vendy Cup, Best Dessert, and People's Choice? Be there this Saturday to find out!
WHEN: Saturday, July 28, 2012, 3:00-7:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Lot @ 39th and Market.
COST: $55 in advance and $60 day of event; purchase tickets online for the all-you-can-eat event inclusive of beer and wine

University City Dining Dayss
WHAT: 34 restaurants in the University City neighborhood are offering three-course prix-fixe menus at either the $15, $25 or $30 price point, so it’s a great chance to taste some of West Philadelphia’s great restaurants without the steep price tag that usually accompanies a three-course meal anywhere. Some of our favorites are Marigold Kitchen, Sabrina's Cafe, Dock Street Brewery, and Tria Wine Room. Take a look at the complete list of participating restaurants online.
WHERE: University City, various restaurants
WHEN: now through Thursday, July 26
COST: Varies








The Craft of Ice Cream at the Philadelphia Art Alliance
WHAT: With the combination of Ben Franklin’s invention of ice cream in 1787 and Franklin Fountain’s nod to the forgotten flavors of Philly’s past, “The Craft of Ice Cream” will prove to be an interesting history tale of sweets. Beginning with an optional burger and fries dinner, tickets are $35 (drinks not included) and grab you a 5:30 p.m. reservation at Rittenhouse Tavern, the Art Alliance’s restaurant serving contemporary American fare from Chef Nicholas Elmi. If you’re skipping dinner and heading straight for dessert, admission is a cool $20 and buys you a front row seat to Berley’s ice cream chat and tasting from 7-8:30 p.m. More information here.
WHERE: 251 S. 18th Street
WHEN: Thursday, July 26, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
COST: $35 dinner and admission; $20 admission only








The First Annual Northern Liberties Christmas In July
WHAT: A week of shopping, dining and giving back to the community. Participating shops and restaurants in Northern Liberties will feature sales of up to 75% off. Each purchase will also enter you into a raffle for a chance to win a NoLibs shopping spree. Participating businesses will also be collecting canned goods and dry foods for Philabundance to stop hunger in our communities. A full list of participating businesses can be found online.
WHERE: Various locations in Northern Liberties
WHEN: now through Sunday, July 29
COST: Varies

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LA's the Place (to eat)

Earlier this summer I explored Los Angeles, with a focus on food. My host and I ate mostly outside, puncturing our afternoons with iced coffee and pastries. What follows is a highlight reel of the bites of Los Angeles, with an eye towards the unique, the summery, and the fun.

The Sweet:
I’m a firm believer in multiple dessert days during vacation months. Los Angeles, land of yoga and coconut water, also has a sweet tooth.





















Grab ice cream at Sweet Rose Creamery in Brentwood. They’re known for salted caramel, but you can get salt as a topping on any flavor. The blueberry muffin flavor that I tried was excellent and unusual. The crumbly muffin and blueberry bits fit nicely into an ice cream.

Most cakes are a little dull, a little dry, and rely heavily on icing. Not so at Sweet Lady Jane bakery on Melrose (they also have a Santa Monica location). This bakery is open late and serves HUGE slices of cake, from vegan berry to cappuccino cheesecake. We tried red velvet and chocolate almond mocha, and could not stop raving about the moist cakes and their flavorful frostings. These cakes are decadent, but not too sweet. Bonus: We were there near closing, so they offered us some free day-old bread and croissants. Breakfast the next morning was excellent!












Short Cake Bakery at the Original Farmer's Market
This relatively new stand came recommended from The Amateur Gourmet, so we had to check it out. The decor is adorable and there are lots of sweet food and drink options. We had a peanut butter bar that was good, but not revelatory. I'd try something different next time (we came late in the day so choices were limited).














Cool Haus Ice Cream Sandwiches
This food truck (which exists in multiple cities) was at the Yamashiro Farmer's Market, a wonderful summer Thursday confluence of food trucks, farm stands, live music, and views of the Hollywood Hills. There are even shuttles to take you to the top! Coincidentally, I went on the same day as Philly's Night Market and it was a great substitute. At Cool Haus you design your own ice cream sandwich with their array of cookies and ice creams. We tried chocolate chip sea salt cookies with red velvet ice cream! So decadent, and so good.











Fruit grows better in a warm climate.  California nectarines, cherries, and strawberries are sweet and juicy, begging to freshen a hot afternoon. Farmers markets proliferate widely, and Mexican food back east just can’t compare.
















The Savory:
In-N-Out: One of the first things I ate in LA was In-N-Out. This West Coast Burger Stand deserves all the press it receives. The burgers are so fresh and the animal style toppings (a special sauce and pickles) are delicious. I don't eat red meat often but I had no regrets about my animal style cheeseburger. I didn't even mind eating it at 11 AM.














Cube: My first dinner in LA was at Cube, a restaurant that bases its ever changing menu on different regions of Italy. I was there for Umbria and had a lovely dinner. They greet each diner with a special cheese pairing presented on a cute chalkboard. Also, their onion rings were amazing (they served them with a special spicy ketchup).






























Loteria Grill at the Original Farmer's Market
Loteria Grill was some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. They have a menu that goes way beyond tacos and burritos. I ordered chilequiles, a Mexican breakfast dish that consists of layered tortilla strips, eggs, and various sauces. I first tried the dish in rural Mexico over 6 years ago and it's something I could eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.














Lasagna Cupcakes from Heirloom LA. Heirloom LA had a truck at the Yamashiro Farmer's Market and everyone was talking about their lasagna cupcakes. They had lots of flavors (the person in front of us on line got the last heirloom tomato) and the size was perfect. We had the roasted vegetable one and it was, aside from the cute presentation, very good lasagna.


Los Angeles may be the cleanse capital of the world but it's also a diverse place full of great food, creative chefs, and some of the best desserts I've had in a while. Maybe a good slice of cake is just the ticket to enduring Los Angeles' crazy traffic!

For more LA suggestions, check out our foursquare list of suggestions. We have ideas for New York and DC too.

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Greensgrow Farms' LIFE Program

Beginning on July 14, 2012, Greensgrow Farms will embark on its annual initiative, Local Initiative for Food Education (LIFE). LIFE aims to provide community members with better access to local fresh fruits and vegetables, nutritional education, and food preparation training. Participating families in the program receive a share of fresh vegetables and fruit each week at the farm (see right), which they pay for with SNAP benefits, and attend weekly cooking and nutrition classes to learn recipes and skills for preparing meals with the contents of that week’s farm share. In addition, as a participant, for every $5 spent using the ACCESS card, earn a $2 coupon in Philly Food Bucks towards purchasing more fruits and vegetables. Greensgrow’s LIFE Program provides a heavily discounted 100% local farm share exclusively for low-income families living in the city who use SNAP benefits, making LIFE a unique program in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia lacks access to fresh food despite the fact that it is one of the most prolific farming regions in the world. LIFE aims to break down barriers – financial, logistical, and educational – that contribute to the deteriorating health of our communities. The program is designed to increase participant’s household food security, their knowledge about local food and nutrition, and empower them to take charge of their health while supporting local farms and our local economy. To this end, Greensgrow has revamped elements of the program to make it more convenient and more rewarding than ever for LIFE participants.

Every Saturday starting on July 14 and ending September 29, farm share pickups (10-11:30 am) and classes (11:30 am-12:15 pm) (see left) will be held at Greensgrow Farms (2501 E. Cumberland St, Philadelphia, PA 19125). For more information, please email life@greensgrow.org, call at (267) 496-0148 (ask for Dee), or visit www.greensgrow.org/life.

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Philly Food Events

Qdoba's Summer Savings
WHAT: Philadelphia residents can enjoy their favorite Qdoba entrées for only $6 with Qdoba’s Summer Savings Pass. Qdoba guests can print their Summer Savings Pass by visiting the Qdoba Philadelphia-area Facebook page and use it an unlimited number of times through Sunday, July 8.
WHERE: All of Qdoba’s Philadelphia-area restaurant locations. To find the Qdoba closest to you, visit here.
WHEN: Monday, June 11 – Sunday, July 8, 2012. Hours of operation vary by restaurant location.
COST: $6

Tiki Restaurant Pop-up
WHAT: In honor of the PMA's summer exhibit "Gauguin, Cezanne, Matisse: Visions of Arcadia," STARR events and Granite Hill restaurant host a tiki feast appropriately including a whole roasted pig, Hawaiian coffee-smoked baby back ribs, butterfish and macadamia pesto wrapped in banana leaves, molokai sweet potato with caramelized onion and cinnamon rum butter, and pineapple upside down cake. Make reservations by calling (215) 684-7990.
WHERE: The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s East Terrace, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
WHEN: Thursday, June 28-Sunday, July 1, 6-9 p.m.
COST: $48 excluding tax/tip; 10% off with museum membership

Wawa Welcome America! Presents The Taste of Philadelphia 2012
WHAT: Enjoy food, live music performances at the city's annual event. Feast on dishes from restaurants around the city (i.e. Darling’s Diner, Gigi Restaurant & Lounge, Keatings River Grill and Marabella Meatball Company) and city food trucks (i.e. Sweet Box, Lil Dan’s Food Truck, Say Cheese, Gozen Yogurt, Gigi & Big R’s and Vernalicious Lunch Truck). Wine from Blue Mountain Vineyard and beers will also be available for purchase.
WHERE: Penn’s Landing, 201 S. Columbus Boulevard
WHEN: June 29, 5-10 p.m.; June 30, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; July 1, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
COST: Free admission, food costs between $1-$5






Ommegang Hop Chef Competition
WHAT: The third annual Hop Chef Competition is back, featuring Joe Cicala of Le Virtu, Scott Schroeder of South Philly Taproom, Stateside’s George Sabatino, Jason Cichonski of Ela, Rittenhouse Tavern’s Nick Elmi and Jon Cichon of Lacroix. Each chef is required to create and prepare two dishes using Ommegang beers to be judged on five pairing principles: simple pairing, incorporation, mimicking, story telling and experimental.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 10, 7-10 p.m.
WHERE: World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street (upstairs)
COST: $57.92 with service fees

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Summer Farmer's Markets

One of the absolute best things about summer has to be the revival of the local farmers market. While many areas have farmer’s markets year round, it is no exaggeration to say that the produce literally explodes in the summer. In my native Louisiana, the local growing seasons are often slightly different from other places in the country.  By June, strawberries have come and gone and blueberries have just started to emerge. But if there is anything that early June is good for, it’s the start of eggplants and the glory of tomatoes. Louisiana has some of the most delicious tomatoes in the form of “Creole tomatoes” which can only be grown in certain areas in the state. They are famous for the distinct shapes and meaty flavors. I’ll confess that I spend a good part of the year dreaming about what these real, summer tomatoes taste like and can hardly contain myself when the season rolls around.

On my recent visit to the Baton Rouge Red Stick farmer's market I also saw eggplants of all shapes and sizes. There were small ones, long ones, fat ones, tall ones. Eggplants come in all shades from deep purple to lavender to even white.  Louisiana also has other interesting produce, like the cushaw. The cushaw is a variety of squash native to Louisiana and best eaten sweet, cooked in sugar and butter. I had never seen one before but was excited when I found them in abundance at the market.  Farmer's markets provide the chance to find all kinds of these local treats, no matter which state you’re in.

Regardless of where you live and eat and cook, summer is the ultimate time to find and take advantage of local farmers markets.  If you’re in Philadelphia you’ll find that there is a farmer’s market almost every day of the week in the summer (see below). To find a farmer’s market anywhere in the nation look here.

Farmer’s Markets in Philadelphia:

Tuesdays: Rittenhouse Square, 10 am – 1 pm

Wednesdays: University Square (36^th and Walnut) 10 am – 3 pm

Thursdays: Clark Park, 3 pm – 7 pm 

Saturdays: Rittenhouse Square, 9 am- 3 pm, Clark Park 10am – 2 pm

Sundays: Headhouse Farmers Market (2^nd and Lombard) 10 am – 2 pm

--Post and photos by Leyla Mocan

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A Reason to Shout "Opa!"

Move over, Greek Lady: Uncle Nick's in New York, NY, proves that Greek cuisine is so much more than gyros and souvlaki.

Nothing much has changed since Uncle Nick's first opened its doors in the 1980s, vowing to bring fresh, moderately priced Greek food to the island of Manhattan. The menu boasts a mix of familiar and exotic Greek specialties with plenty of carnivorous and vegetarian options to boot. Family-size portions are large and can easily be shared, making this a true "big fat Greek" experience!

While the meat selection--sliced directly off the spit or pulled straight from the grill--is succulent and flavorful, Uncle Nick's does its seafood best.

Since the true stars of this meal take about 30 minutes for the kitchen to prepare, appetizers are key. Swirling tentacles and chunky rings of barely-dusted baby squid take a dip in the fryer, ready to be popped into your mouth at a moment's notice; the accompanying marinara sauce is an unnecessary addition to these light bite-size pieces. The inherent smokiness imbued in the tender grilled octopus harmonizes well with the sweet and tangy notes of an inky balsamic dressing. Thick slices of fried peppers and eggplant grace the top of a heap of scordalia dip, a a savory potato- and garlic-based blend studded with kalamata olives. The biggest spectacle by far, though, is the Saganaki-Tiri, a wedge of sharp goat's milk cheese that is lit on fire before being placed ceremonially on your table. Perhaps more for theatrics, the cheese is still decadently rich and the perfect warm, creamy spread for the standard bread basket.

What makes the seafood at Uncle Nick's so special is--perhaps surprisingly--the inherent simplicity: your fish of choice for eating; lemon, oil, salt, and pepper for taste; and a charcoal grill for cooking. Fillets and steak cuts of fish are readily available (and excellent choices), but the best way to experience Uncle Nick's is to truly "order a fish": head to tail, skin, bone, and all. As if that wasn't enough food, the gargantuan platter of fish is joined by plates of potatoes, mixed vegetables, and rice. Picking the buttery-soft flesh from the fish bones is half the fun; simply dine on the meat on one side, cleanly remove the spinal cord, and finish it off! For a true delicacy, nosh on the fish's cheeks, which offer the most tender and succulent meat. Devouring the delectable feast makes up the other half. Each bite evokes images of Greece's cerulean coastline, brightened by a sunny sparkle of fresh lemon. The species of fish also contributes its own unique flavor, from the the mild and delicate red snapper to the robust and hearty swordfish.

After cleaning your plate, you surely won't be left hungry, but you'll be ready to come back and try another of their authentic dishes. With two locations in New York (one in Hell's Kitchen and one in Chelsea), there's no excuse to not check out Uncle Nick's.

Check this out for more pictures from my dining experience!
















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