Food Notes: 11/19
Free bread, designer apples, cheese awards, and more.
We took a little trip down to Ditmas Park over the weekend and ended up having lunch at Ayat, Brooklyn mini-chain. We had eaten in the original location in Bay Ridge last year before heading over to Dyker Heights to gawk at the Christmas lights. Ayat now has locations across Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, and even Princeton, New Jersey.
The menu draws inspiration from Palestinian cuisine, like the above mezze platter. You’d be right in thinking this mezze plate is a lot like one from the Lebanese-inspired Au Za’atar in Manhattan, and somewhat similar to the Israeli mezze platter from Laser Wolf. Mezze (also meze or mezé, depending on what culture is serving it to you) is a collection of small plate dishes like Spanish tapas or Italian aperitivo. The term comes from Turkish dialect, meaning to taste, and the flavors are similar across the eastern Mediterranean.
The Latest
Portugal Wins Cheese Award
4,786 cheeses from 47 countries were considered at the World Cheese Awards with a sheep’s milk cheese from Portugal wining the title. Meanwhile, a number of British cheeses couldn’t get through customs and were absent from the content.
There’s No Such Thing As A Free Bread
Jason Diamond talks about restaurant bread baskets, and how paying for good bread is better than stale free bread. Personally I feel this weird nostalgia whenever I end up eating someplace with a gratis bread basket.
Who’s Your Favorite Food Writer
Helen Rosner is asking her social media friends about who they are reading for restaurant critics. It’s generated an interesting list of writers from indie publications or lesser known culinary destinations. All this leads me to ask: where are you reading food writing? Let me know.
Trends We Love to Hate
The Infatuation looks back at the hottest trends of the past year. In: caviar on fast food, nostalgic resurrections of old restaurants, and more prix fixe menus.
Designer Apples
Food & Wine looks at some new designer apples. I would normally be a skeptic, but my wife recently brought home an apple that was bright pink inside. The taste was sweet, with notes of candy.
Menu Prices Are Too Damn High
John Mariani explains the high restaurant prices: food production, labor, and rent. And there’s probably nothing you can do about it.
I Can Taste It In My Mouth
I have to admit I gagged a little bit thinking about this horrid tale of Frankensteinian food creation: Dorian, Malört, and Gorgonzola. Dennis Lee set about distilling this horror-show drink. Spoilers, there’s no happy ending. But while does not discover ambrosia, it’s still worth a read.
Recalls of the Week
Cinnamon, again. Bottled water. Carrots. Tacos. Toothpaste.
A Tasty Tale
We’ve been reading The Last Tamale quite a bit this week. Author Orlando Mendiola was a guest reader at one of Sue Shapiro’s recent book parties, and I stocked up. I bought the last two copies available that night, one for our toddler and one for a friend. The tasty tale involves a dance competition, an arm wrestling abuelita, and a feisty puppy.