The Gotham Palate — 2008 December

The Hair of the Dog and Beyond…

December 30, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

Whether you’ll be counting down the new year with prosecco and pomegranate or regular champagne, the hearty hangovers that loom above the New Year’s Day horizon are as sure a bet as year-writing typos that will linger through June.

If you’re the type to reach for the hair of the dog that bit you, or Similia similibus curantur , as the Latins would have had it (“like cures like”), Tasting Table offers several recipes for putting that leftover champagne to good use, that’s assuming there’s any left… Click on the image below for more details on the magical concoctions…

Ernest Hemingway’s twist on this hard-core “homeopathy” was quite adroit and also champagne-based. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Informational Tagged With: Champagne, Hair of the Dog that Bit You, Hangover Cures, Hangover Remedies, Hemingway, Left Over Champagne, New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve Champagne, quaffing

Ring It in With Pomegranate and Prosecco

December 30, 2008 By admin 1 Comment

Whether you’re hosting this year’s New Year’s Eve Party or wondering what to bring your host other than, or, in addition to, the requisite bottle of sparkles, adding a bottle of pomegranate syrup will bring a little pizzaz to your toast.

Add 1 tablespoon of pomegranate syrup to an 8oz flute of chilled champagne or prosecco and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds. For refills, top up with prosecco.

Prosecco, which costs on average between $10-$20, is a dry Northern Italian sparkling wine that is affordable and closest to champagne in taste. To read about the prosecco’s increased popularity in the U.S and the current campaign to assign it a protected designation of origin, click here.

For tips on how to open your pomegranate, check out SteamyKitchen.com’s superbly detailed slide show by clicking here.

But no matter how you choose to ring it in, The Gotham Palate wishes you a happy, healthy, prosperous and delicious 2009!

Filed Under: Recipe Tagged With: Hosting New Year's Eve Parties, New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve Parties, New Year's Eve Recipes, New Year's Eve Toast, Pomegranate and Prosecco, Prosecco

Ecco

December 29, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

124 Chambers St. (Church St.) Tribeca
212-227-7074

Holiday Spirits Shine Bright at Ecco

Walk into Ecco’s for the first time and you will immediately feel whisked away to a gilded New York where taste was not an assumed posture but a given. The elegance of its antique mahogany furniture, regal turn-of-the-century bar and intimate church pew booths will buoy your spirits and allow you to escape the mundane and the current mass portfolio panic. Serving traditional Italian fare, Ecco’s large space and diverse seating arrangements make it a great choice for a cozy tête-à-tête or a group event. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Charming Tribeca Restaurants, Ecco, Ecco in Tribeca, Ecco Restaurant, Italian Restauarants, Italian Restaurants in Downtown, Italian Restaurants in Downtown Manhattan, Italian Restaurants in NYC, Italian Restaurants in Tribeca, Italian Restaurants on Chambers St, Manhattan

Holiday Feasting without the Indigestion

December 23, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

Holiday Indulgence...How to do it wisely

Good eating practices at the holiday table will go a long way in keeping the holidays merry.
Drinking water before a big meal and limiting the mixture of fats and sugars or spreading them wide apart in a seating and engaging in a bit of physical activity in between courses will help avoid or minimize common digestive disorders that are caused by overeating.

In the case of acid indigestion, a traditional and highly effective antacid remedy is Brioschi. It’s a product to always have on hand, particularly this time of year.

For further information on how to relish the convivial pleasures of the holiday table without indigestion and the nasty gastrointestinal aftermath, check out the article recently published in UC Health News. Access it by clicking here or on the image above.

Filed Under: Informational Tagged With: antacid, Brioschi antacid, Holiday Feasts, Holiday gorging, Holiday gormandizing, holiday overindulgence, Holiday Party, How to avoid getting sick during the holidays, Indigestion, indigestion remedies, The Holidays and Acid Indigestion

Gotham Giving: The Best Gift of All Is To Give To Those In Need

December 22, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

In a recent op-ed, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof discussed the correlation between acts of philanthropy and political orientation. He concluded that when it comes to donating, liberals are tightwads.

Whatever your political leanings may be, do not let these challenging economic times rob you of the spirit of giving. There are many ways to donate help and resources. Below are some suggestions on how to give kindly and wisely.

Click on the images below for details on each program.

Filed Under: Worthy Causes Tagged With: American Red Cross in Greater New York, American Redcross, charities, donating, holiday giving, NY Cares, NY Redcross

Hasaki

December 22, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

210 E. 9th St. (btwn. 2nd and 3rd Avenues), East Village
212-473-3227; No reservations

In a ten block radius that is teeming with Japanese restaurants–the only thing that surpasses these in number are its head shops and tattoo parlors, thank you St. Mark’s Place–Hasaki stands out.

It’s the quality fish and the polite service that make this place float above the fray–in a neighborhood that is run over with “alterna-whatever” servers armed with hipper than thou sneers and attitudes. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: East Village, Hasaki, Hasaki Manhattan, Hasaki New York, Hasaki NYC, Japanese Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants Downtown, Japanese Restaurants in Manhattan, Japanese Restaurants in the East Village, Sushi, Sushi and Sashimi, Sushi in the East Village

Spice Up Your Solstice

December 20, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

December 21st is Winter Solstice, the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It marks the beginning of that time of the year when the Northern hemisphere is farthest from the sun and receives less direct sunlight. This is what brings on the winter doldrums for many.

A great deal can be done to counter these feelings, including purchasing SAD (seasonal affective disorder) full spectrum therapy lights, candles and seeking out different forms of light therapy.

One great way to to bring brightness to this extended night is to share some soothing hot, spicy Wassail with friends and family. Popular in Germanic countries, the word is of Anglo Saxon origin, meaning “be healthy.” Preparing wassail will infuse your home with a warm, cozy fragrance of cinnamon and cloves.

Click here for the recipe (contains alcohol) or watch a video of a non-alcoholic Wassail preparation.

Happy Solstice to all!

Non Alcoholic version:

Filed Under: Recipe Tagged With: Anglo Saxon drinks, Anglo Saxon holiday drinks, Anglo Saxon traditions, Celebrate Wassail, Christmas Drink, Full spectrum lights, Holiday Drinks, Non-Alcoholic Wassail, SAD, Wassail, Wassail recipe, Wassail with Wine, Winter Doldrums, Winter Solstice, Winter Solstice Traditions

Petal Belle Cofferie

December 19, 2008 By admin Leave a Comment

158 Sullivan Street (between Houston and Prince), Greenwich Village

(212) 677-1580

Not only is Petal Belle a cozy, cheerful new addition to one of the city’s most charming neighborhoods, it also has one of the best lunch deals going.

The $10 lunch special will get you an excellent grill-pressed panino, a large side of mesclun salad and a soda. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Belgian Waffles, Cappuccino in Greenwich Village, cute cafe's in NYC, Greenwich Village, Liege, Lunch Special in NYC, Lunch specials, Lunch Specials in Greenwich Village, n NYC, New York, New York Cafes, NY, Panini in NYC, Petal Belle, Petal Belle Cofferie, Petal Belle in Greenwich Village NY, Petal Belle NY, Petal Belle NYC, Sullivan Street

l'Absinthe Brasserie Restaurant

December 17, 2008 By admin 2 Comments

227 East 67th St.
New York, NY 10065
212-794-4950 / www.labsinthe.com

It’s the glamor of turn-of-the century Paris in all of its sumptuous glory at Jean-Michel Bergougnoux’s l’Absinthe. However, unlike many establishments that aspire to reprise upon this theme and wind up delivering tired, static, campy-cliched gimmicks, there’s a soulful engine of passion behind Bergougnoux’s complex and multi-layered interpretations of this vibrantly sexy historical epoch. From featuring the beverage that bears the restaurant’s name at its bar to the gorgeous Art Nouveau posters, to the liberty style mirrors on the wall to masterfully-executed haute cuisine and friendly, top-notch service, l’Absinthe offers a sensuous, full-bodied experience in Old World elegance.

l’Absinthe Brasserie Restaurant