this is a page for

Category: General

General

Bolognese Sauce Straight from Little Italy

posted on : October 27, 2017 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

When I was at the incredible Italian market Teitel Brothers on Arthur Ave, they offered to give me a recipe to post.  I was so excited and knew that I had to ask for an authentic Italian Bolognese (or meat) sauce recipe.  It is definitely one of my daughter’s favorite.  So I thought it would be awesome to be able to perfect it at home!!  Bon Appetit!!!!

image serious eats

1 cup celery chopped
1 cup carrots chopped
1 cup onions chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic
aprox. 1 pound each: ground beef, veal, pork
2 cans plum tomatoes
1 cup red wine
beef bouillon
salt
pepper
bay leaf
nutmeg
parsley for garnish


Sautee the celery, carrots, onions and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until brown.
Set aside.


Brown meat mixture.
Add vegetables.
Add red wine and tomatoes, bay leaf, pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg and beef bouillon to taste.
Simmer on low for 1 1/2-2 hours




General

Arthur Ave

posted on : October 25, 2017 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

I am always asked about Arthur Ave,  Little Italy in the Bronx.  Where to shop? Where to eat? When to go?.  I do go there from time to time but I am in no way and expert on the area..so I knew I really needed to spend a day there to write this post. I asked my friend Sandra to come along and show me her favorite places.  Sandra is an amazing cook and she knows all the best places. Here is what I learned…NOW I feel I am an expert on the area (well almost!!!!!)   I am thinking we need to do a blog group shopping day before the holidays. Sandra and I went first thing on a Monday morning and there were no crowds, it was empty. I have also been on the weekend and parking is a little tougher and the stores are more crowded.  I would definitely plan your trip during the week, if possible, especially since the holidays are approaching.  

Casa Della Mozzarella
604 E 187th St, Bronx, NY 10458
This is THE place for Mozzarella.  I bought salted and it was incredible.  I also bought blue cheese stuffed olives and antipasto salad.  Both were fabulous!!!
Vincent’s Meat Market
 2374 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
I have been coming here for years.  I love the stuffed chicken breast.  It is great for family dinner or to serve at dinner parties.  The chicken is stuffed with spinach and cheese.  The steaks and lamb chops here are also incredible. They will vacuum seal your purchases so you can freeze them once you get home.
Cosenza’s Oyster Bar
 2374 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
The seafood is so fresh.  I loved the cooked shrimp here for shrimp cocktail.  Great oysters too!
Terranova Bakery
691 E 187th St, Bronx, NY 10458
Hands down the BEST bread.  It has won awards!!!  I bought a sliced loft of Italian bread and a large pizza bread (you have to try it).  My family went crazy for it!!!  They are having a slice every night with dinner.  They will also give you plastic bags to freeze your bread so it lasts longer.
Borgattis Ravoli and Egg Noodles
632 E 187th St, Bronx, NY 10458
The fresh pasta is amazing.  They say the Ravoli is the best in NY!!!!
Full Moon Pizza
 600 E 187th St, Bronx, NY 10458
My kids always want to stop here when we are in the area.  You HAVE to try this pizza.  
Teitel Brothers
2372 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
This was my first time here and I was in awe of everything.  From the selection of canned tomatoes to the Italian meats and specialty cheeses.  I bought a delicious gorgonzola cheese and a truffle Pecorino. AMAZING!!!  The people helping us were so incredible.  They let us taste EVERYTHING and even gave me a fab recipe for bolognese sauce that I will post tomorrow!!!
Mike’s Deli
2344 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
Mike’s Deli is NY famous.  Mike had a cook off with Bobby Flay for Eggplant Parmigiana and WON!!!!  I really need to go back and try it.  They have an amazing selection of sandwiches and many famous people and politicians stop at Mike’s for lunch.  I snapped a photo of Hillary’s favorite sandwich.  It sounds so good!!!!
Delillo Cafe
610 E 187th St, Bronx, NY 10458
Delillo’s has the best, fresh pastries and cakes.  Everything I have ever tried here is so good.  The cannolis and napoleons were the favorite so far!!
Prince Coffee House
2306 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
This place is incredible. It is a hip new addition to the neighborhood. The coffee selection is extensive with an international flare and people rave about the tres leche cake (baked daily).  They say overall the experience is “delicious”

As for restaurants, I have asked around to many people, that I know dine on Arthur Ave, and these are the two names that came up most often!!

Zero Otte Nove
2357 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
image NYT

Robertos
603 Crescent Ave, Bronx, NY 10458


General

Ruffle Blouses

posted on : October 24, 2017 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment


OK. So my go to this fall has been the ruffle blouse.  It 
is such a great look.  It really dresses up an outfit.  I like 
wearing one with black flare ankle length pants, 
pointed flats and statement earrings.  I featured 
some of my favorites below.  Zara has some 
great options as well. Happy Shopping!!!

Ruffle Blouses

General

Book Club Monday

posted on : October 23, 2017 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

I absolutely love this week’s Book Club Monday choice, The Party by Elizabeth Day.  This psychological thriller is just what we need to add to our Fall reading list.  The story goes like this:

A taut psychological tale of obsession and betrayal set over the course of a dinner party, THE PARTY tells the story of two married couples who, in a single evening, will come to question everything they thought they knew about each other, as the long-buried secret at the heart of their friendship comes to the surface, culminating in an explosive act of violence.



Ben, who hails from old money, and Martin, who grew up poor but is slowly carving out a successful career as an art critic, have been inseparable since childhood. Ben’s wife Serena likes to jokingly refer to Martin as Ben’s dutiful Little Shadow.


Lucy is a devoted wife to Martin, even as she knows she’ll always be second best to his sacred friendship. When Ben throws a lavish 40th birthday party as his new palatial country home, Martin and Lucy attend, mixing with the very upper echelons of London society.



But why, the next morning, is Martin in a police station being interviewed about the events of last night? Why is Lucy being forced to answer questions about his husband and his past? What exactly happened at the party? And what has bound these two very different men together for so many years?



A cleverly built tour of intrigue, THE PARTY reads like a novelistic board game of Clue, taking us through the various half-truths and lies its characters weave, as the past and present collide in a way that its protagonists could never have anticipated. – Amazon.com



For more information or to purchase this book, click HERE.

image amazon.com

General

My Adventure with Microblading

posted on : October 20, 2017 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment
I have been noticing a trend with eyebrows…Everyone seems to have these perfectly shaped brows.  I mean perfect arch, not a hair out of place, full natural looking eyebrows.  I had to investigate.  I met Leila, the eyebrow expert.  She told me about a procedure that she does called Mircoblading, for perfect semi-permanent eyebrows.  The only maintenance, once it is done, is to come see her once a year for a “touch up”.  Here is what I researched about the microblading process:

You can have the most natural look with semi permanent makeup, the procedure is done using a cosmetic microblading process, creating hair like strokes that look completely natural using finest cosmetic pigments, customized with a variety of colors to suit any client. 

This technique is a process that may be used to improve or create eyebrow definition, to cover gaps , scars or may be used as a full reconstruction if the brows have little/no hair. 



So off I went to my appointment with Leila.  She was quite impressive and really knew her stuff.  I have to admit I was not 100% sure what I was getting my self into.  Once the numbing cream when on, I did start to panic.  However, Leila was perfect..REALLY, she talked me through each of the steps so I knew what to expect.  Basically she draws the desired shape and exact measurement of your “new” perfect brows according to the shape your face and facial bone structure.  She then draws hair strokes or “feathers” inside the brow line and inserts micropigments to compliment your hair and skin color. Overall the pain was minimal and the results were fabulous. The first couple of days, my eyebrows were dark but that is the pigment settling into your skin and during the healing process (about 10 days) they fade to the natural color.  The aftercare is really important but Lela will talk you though it!!!!  The next step is my 6 week follow up and so far I am in LOVE!!!!  Here are some of Leila’s before and after photos, feel free to contact her at leila.namin@gmail.com for your own consultation in her Rye or White Plains location and hear about her UPCOMING SPECIAL OFFERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!






General

Cauliflower Truffle Risotto

posted on : October 19, 2017 posted by : nicolesteinthal 0 Comment

Yesterday my friend Kim and I had the best lunch.  We went to Lafayette NY in New York City.   It is a grand French bakery and cafe in the heart of NOHO.  I had the absolute best dish…Cauliflower Truffle Risotto.  I found a very similar recipe that I had to share with you.  I am making it this weekend.  Also if you happened to be in New York City, you HAVE to try Lafayette NY.  It is definitely a see and be seen spot with the most amazing menus (the breakfast menu is incredible too).

image italian food forever



Cauliflower Truffle Risotto
(adapted from simplyhealthycooking.com)

  • 1 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • ½ yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (or Pecorino Romano)
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 Tbsp truffle oil (more or less to taste)
  • In a blender (or food processor) add approx. 1 cup of the cauliflower florets and process for approx 15 sec. until the cauliflower is the consistence of rice. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat until the remaining cauliflower is processed.( It’s important to work in small batches when making the cauliflower rice to get even “rice” size pieces).
  • Add olive oil to a large sauce pan (with tight fitting lid) and heat on medium-low (or spray pan with cooking spray). Add onions , stirring frequently, cook until onions are soft.  Add garlic, salt and pepper and continue to cook for an additional minute. Add lemon juice and increase heat to medium-high. Continue cooking and stirring until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
  • Stir in the cauliflower “rice” . Reduce heat to medium, cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender (approx. 8-10 min.).
  • Uncover the pan and reduce heat to low. Add the cheese and stir until combined. Turn off the heat and stir in parsley. Divide Risotto among serving bowls and drizzle with truffle oil . Top with additional cheese and parsley if desired.