Heads & Tales: Eating and Drinking My Way Through New York

I'm back home in Toronto after a thrilling week in New York City spent exploring this great city, meeting new friends and eating and drinking up all along the way. The opportunity to stay in New York City (affordably) is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I savoured each of my days in the Big Apple.

A few weeks ago while I was on Twitter and reading my friends' updates, did I perk up and read of an offer to stay in New York with the mere caveat of tending to someone's dog in their absence.

Personal Chef Mark Tafoya of the Remarkable Palate was the fellow who extended his generosity to me by offering up his home for the week and allowing me to explore New York in leisurely seven days.

The only "catch" was that I had to watch his doggy, Stiva during his absence. Mark was also the bearer of good fortune by receiving an invite to attend a food blogging forum in Indonesia. This arrangement proved to be a "win-win" for both Mark and myself.

I would like to thank Mark for his immense generosity and for giving me the week in New York that filled me with fond memories of the city, meeting new friends and enjoying some great food and drink during my stay.

Of the course of the next few days, I'm going to share with you my experiences and cooking inspiration triggered by my glorious trip to New York - enjoy!

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I arrived in New York City on an overcast afternoon that was unseasonally mild and rainy. After settling in to the apartment, I bought some groceries, plotted my week ahead in New York and set out immediately on Friday night to explore the city.

First stop? Times Square. This "crossroads of America" still thrills me with all the lights, the many people who come here from all around the world and the sheer energy of it all.

Although New York City and Times Square are safer than ever, I got this sense of "Disney New York", what with the big-name stores all around and the presence of families and children all around.

I felt a little like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and her famous line, "this don't look like Kansas, Toto"!

Traveling through New York is best done by subway...it's cheap, it's serviced well by a vast train and bus infrastructure and once is always entertained....take a look at the breakdancing!

Friday night was pretty mellow and it was more about getting my bearings straight, learning the subway system and resting up for a busy week ahead. I'll be writing about each of my days in New York in the coming days and more photos will be uploaded in my Facebook profile.

If you're a Facebook member, look for me and view all my photos of New York along the way (there's a Facebook link on the right column of my blog) and if you're not...what are you waiting for?

In the meantime, sit back and let me make you a Greek coffee. For those not in the know, a Greek coffee is brewed in a small briki which is filled with a demi-tasse measurement of water, finely ground roasted coffee and sugar to taste is added to the mix.

The coffee is then brewed on the stovetop (over a watchful eye) and as soon as the coffee is a bout to come to a boil, the briki is quickly removed and the coffee is poured into the demi-tasse cup.

One accompaniment with a Greek coffee is a paximadi and the other favourite of mine are Koulourakia.

Koulourakia are a twisted butter cookie which are easy to make, not expensive, last long in storage and yes...wonderful for dunking in coffee.

There are many small variances to the Koulourakia recipe but this is our family's and naturally, my favourite.

Get a pen and paper and jot down these easy instructions on how to make Greek Koulourakia...

Koulourakia (κουλουράκια)

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening (Crisco)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 shot of Ouzo
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of flour
eggwash
sesame seeds

Pre-heated 350F oven

1. Add the butter, shortening and sugar in a bowl and cream together with your hand mixer. Now slowly add the oil and continue to cream.
2. Add eggs one at a time and continue mixing. Now add the milk and Ouzo and again mix until incorporated.
3. Sift your dry ingredients and add the dry to wet ingredients (use your hands to incorporate the mixture). Your dough should be very soft.
4. Form the twists but pinching a piece of dough about the size of a walnut. Now roll out with your hand and then fold in half and twist into form. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat until all the dough has been formed into Koulourakia.
5. Whisk an egg with some milk and brush the cookies with eggwash and sprinkle each cookie with some sesame seeds.
6. Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven (middle rack) for about 10-15 minutes or until golden. Carefully remove the cookies from the baking trays and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.

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