Monthly Archives: April 2013

Apple Tarte Tatin at Buvette

24 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Fruit, Pies and Tarts

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Apple Tarte TatinSome people take the Euro approach to vacation, flying out in flocks come August. But for me, mid-April is when I defect. In particular, I like to get out of the country. This explains why I’m always in financial straits, but once you catch the travel bug, you are condemned to always yearn for new places.

This year, unfortunately, I am doomed to stay home while the people around me are enjoying the fjords, fronds, and fromage. I guess there could be worse things. Especially since New York is a great place to “fake it ’til you make it.”

So that is what I am doing. I commenced by heading to Buvette in the West Village, an adorable jewel-box of a restaurant that thankfully tastes as French as it looks.

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Blueberry Strawberry Bran Muffin at Blue Sky Bakery

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Muffin

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Blue Sky MuffinThe time has come when I can now return to normal eating habits. Yes, the three week “cleanse” has come to an end! Ideally, one would take the lessons of the cleanse – eat clean, healthy food; prepare food yourself; leave the processed junk behind – with oneself forever and ever. I… might not. I will try, for sure. In fact, I’ve now done away with all artificial sugar (I know, don’t hate), and I’ve even made friends with a long-reviled appliance, the blender. But some things are definitely coming back in force. Natural sweeteners, yes. Hellooo, dairy. And finally, welcome back, gluten.

Honestly, I’ve never understood folks who go gluten-free but aren’t actually Celiac. Sure, I can get behind eating more fiber-rich whole grains just like the next gal, but what is so bad about whole wheat? If you are not allergic, it can be just as healthy (or more so) than rice flour or some of the other, equally highly-refined gluten-free options.

So what did I do to mark my triumphant return to the world of gluten? I had a muffin.

Not just any muffin. A Blue Sky Bakery muffin.

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Pineapple Coconut Smoothie at Cocktail Bodega

03 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Drinks, Fruit

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Pineapple Coconut SmoothieDiet, Week 2. Haven’t ingested a baked, sugary good in more than fifteen days. Feeling well enough. More tired. Less energy. But good, so far.

That is, except for my social life, which has taken a huge hit. Going on a very restrictive diet for more than a week makes you realize just how much New York social circles revolve around food and drink. No happy hours with coworkers. No late night pizza with friends. No quick lunchtime business meeting. No afternoon rendezvous at a coffee shop. What did people do before restaurants, bars, and cafes? Ha, don’t laugh at me. I honestly had to sit and think about activities I could do with friends or coworkers that didn’t involve alcohol or foodstuffs.

There was one catch that I’ve been exploiting, which I have called the Smoothie Loophole. I can drink with friends, so long as the drinks are “virgin” and there is no added sugar. Tricky, and I may have inadvertently failed once, but I got the idea after I met my friend L. at the Lower East Side spot, Cocktail Bodega.

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