September 2008

Taking a bite: day 3

We finally slept [more than] enough. Our plans for the day were to spend part of the morning in Chinatown and Little Italy, then check-out from the hotel and walk around until it was time to go to the airport. So we did that. My idea of going to Chinatown was to look around and see what's it like, maybe eat some Chinese food. But I wasn't alone. And that other person had a different idea: getting a designer handbag.

Taking a bite: day 2

After not sleeping enough, we woke up really early to have a quick breakfast and take the Staten Island Ferry. We wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, but we didn't want to pay for it. Cheap, I know. We had breakfast at a no-name place and quickly took the subway down to the port.

Taking a bite: day 1

We had a party back home the night before leaving for New York. The party ended at about 2:00AM, at which time I started packing my backpack. I went to bed at 3:00AM to wake up two hours later, at 5:00AM to be at the airport by 6:00AM.

2 hours later we were in New York.

Garbanzo stew

If I had to describe this dish to most non-vegetarians where I come from, I would call it a vegetarian fricassee. People would still be confused, but that's okay because it still tastes good. In all honesty, it cannot be called a fricassee for the simple reason that a fricassee, by definition, is a stew in which the meat is browned and simmered in its own juices along with the rest of the ingredients. I don't see any meat there.

Shrooms with onions

This is one of the simplest things to make. It works perfect as a side dish, over rice, as hors d'œuvre with crackers, or just on its own. One of my favorite kitchen smells is actually onion being caramelized in butter. Whenever I smell that, I just have to grab a piece and eat it.