My Melange

Le Canard Enchainé

Last weekend we had dinner in Paris, France.  Well, not technically.  But it was the next best thing.  It felt like we were there anyway.

We had dinner at my absolute favorite Paris bistro...in New York.  It is called Le Canard Enchainé.  In case it sounds familiar to you, it is also the name of a French newspaper.  The chef, who graduated from the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and a few of the wait staff are from France.  This is one of the reasons we like going there.  It feels like an authentic Paris bistro...complete with real French accents.  Not just English spoken wis ze French assent.  Real French, right from France, which is great for setting the ambiance as well as giving us some practice with our French language skills(which of course are not in the forefront being that studiamo l'italiano).

From the outside, this looks like a traditional bistro that you might find strolling in the St. Germain des Prés or Latin Quarter in Paris.  Red awnings, blackboard menus, large windows complete with gold script lettering, flowers and of course...an outside table.

                                                                                      photo courtesy of Le Canard Enchaine

The inside has a totally authentic French feel, complete with a dark wood bar, red brick walls, tiny white tablecloth covered tables with candles, burgundy and cream tiled floors and a mélange of French posters and black and white photos that don the walls.  There is a piano in the main room, because on the weekends there is a piano bar.  How fun!  The night we went, there was a French music CD wafting through the air, which just added to the experience.

                                                                                                      photos courtesy of Le Canard Enchaine

The menu is typical yet creative and there are always prix-fixe specials available.  The night we dined, we had the $25 prix-fixe, which included a starter and main course.  I enjoyed the French onion soup, which rivaled anything I have had in Paris.  The cheese was thick and gooey, with just the right amount of browned broiled goodness topping it.  Chris had the celery potato soup, which was the perfect velvety texture and delicious as well.

Our main courses were Beef Bourguignon for me, with a red wine sauce that made every taste bud in my mouth stand at attention and sing alleluia and beef that was so tender it melted in my mouth!  I have never tasted a sauce so winey, beefy and delicious!  Chris had the mushroom truffle ravioli with brandy cream sauce.  The ravioli were stuffed so nicely he felt like he was eating meat and the cream sauce was very rich, but not overwhelmingly so.  We both agreed these were the perfect dishes for a cold winters night.

The wine ...outstanding!  I had a Bordeaux, which really complemented my beef and Chris had a Pinot Grigio.  Both were more than reasonable at $9 and $7, respectively.

For dessert, we shared a classic tarte tatin, with caramel, well, somewhere.  Not sure if it was baked in or added after...but it was certainly there.  I hate to say this, but this was the BEST tarte tatin I have ever had!  In Paris or otherwise. Yea, it was that good!  No wonder they are Zagat rated and featured in the New York Times.

Every time we come here, we always have a great experience!   In true French fashion, we are never rushed, our meal is served at a leisurely pace and you will have to ask for your bill.  Better yet we get an authentic French meal, complete with French hosts and hostesses, at a reasonable price.  A little slice of Paris, in downtown Kingston, without having to spend a small fortune on the airfare and fork over those falling dollars which are worth next to nothing in France  now anyway.

What more can a true francophile, longing for Paris ask for?  Well, maybe some more of that tarte tatin...to go!

   

Le Canard Enchainé
276 Fair Street
Kingston, NY  12540
845.339.2003

Il Continori

                                                                                                                         courtesy of Il Continori website

Last night we had our monthly girls night out.  I have been to Il Continori before, and they have wonderful, authentic Italian food.  But a little birdie told me that they have a Wednesday night special.  You get 3 courses for $18.95.  Which is an insanely good value, considering most of the entrees on the menu are around $17.  Needless to say, we couldn't resist.

I really love the inside.  The atmosphere reminds me of rustic Italy.  Brick and stucco walls, dark wood tables, candles, white tablecloths and pictures of Italy.  A mix of Andrea Bocelli and classical music accompanies your meal, though a bit too loud for our liking.  I also must say that Pachelbel's Canon is one of my favorite classical pieces, but not every version known to man, playing for half an hour straight.  It was a bit much.  We did have a good laugh about it though.

                                                                                                           photos courtesy of Il Continori website

First, they brought out delicious fresh bread and olive oil with loads of sliced fresh garlic and sun dried tomatoes.  It was so good, but I had to remind myself not to fill up.

The first course was a choice of antipasti or salad.  The antipasti, which could feed two, consisted of chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, olives, prosciutto, roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, portabello mushrooms and eggplant.  It was more than delicious.  The green salad was tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette and mixed with red onion and pear tomatoes.

For the main course, you could choose from any pasta or meat dish on the menu under $17 or any of the 4 specials of the evening.   I chose a special, pork in a port wine au jus, severed with garlic mashed potatoes with a squash and onion side dish.  Another friend chose the fresh papparadelle with duck in a red sauce and the remaining 2 ladies chose the fresh fettuccine with peas and pancetta in a tomato cream sauce.  Not only were they all delicious...but we each had enough for leftovers.  As you can see, the portions are more than generous!

Dessert was a choice of about 5 homemade sweets.  We chose tiramisu, orange creme brulee and chocolate gelato.  Again, all equally good, though the chocolate gelato was reeeeeeally chocolaty!!!

Their wine list had many reasonably priced reds and whites by the bottle. It is so hard for all of us to agree on a wine, but this time we agreed on a bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a nice fruity red, with a little bit of spice.  It was a steal at $25!   Just $6 a person..and we all got more than a glass out of it.  They even had an $18 Chianti on the list.  I can't remember the last time I saw a bottle of red wine on a wine list for less than $20. 

The vote at the end of dinner....thumbs up!  We all agreed to come back again.  We would certainly go anytime, but with all that delicious homemade Italian food setting us back a mere $19, I think Wednesday will now be our favorite night to return!

Il Continori
2648 East Main Street
Wappingers Falls, NY  12590
845.297.9222

The Little Sparrow

There is a song that always gets me daydreaming of Paris when I hear it.  It melts my heart.  As it plays, images of Paris flood my mind....lovers strolling along the banks of the Seine, hand in hand, stealing a kiss; couples sitting outside at a cafe, watching life pass by; or flinging open the floor length windows in my hotel, gazing at people in the cobblestoned street below or the rooftops above.  That song is Le Vie en Rose.  And no rendition can compare to Edith Piaf's (although Louis Armstrong's trumpet can definitely tug at my heartstrings).  When I was planning my first trip to Paris, this was the song I would listen to to 'put me in the mood'.  Whether I was booking a hotel, looking for restaurants or surfing the web for airfare...I would play this song over and over.  You can listen right here...

Fast forward to June 2007.  Imagine how excited I was to finally get to see the movie, La Vie en Rose, which is based on the life of the woman behind the song.  So excited in fact that my heart was beating as fast as the TGV from Nice to Paris at 500 kph!  The film was fantastic, and Marion Cotillard poured her heart, body and soul into playing Ms. Piaf....I really felt as if I was hearing Edith herself and that I was watching her...not just an actress.  What a wonderful, heartfelt, tribute to the talented little sparrow (Piaf means sparrow in French). In my opinion, Marion deserves the Academy Award for Best Actress for the next ten years running!  Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren...eat your hearts out!  But I digress.

I feel so privileged to have been able to learn about her life through this film and not just through her songs. She was born with passion and a gift for song; She struggled to make something of herself and did just that.  She was born into nothing and became something!  She knew nothing of love at a young age.  No loving parents or family to speak of, yet in the end it was the love of song, her fans and her country that kept her going.  She performed until the very end, because that was all she had.  She wove herself deeply into the fabric of France...she is, was and always will be part of French culture.  Watch the trailer for La Vie en Rose here..

There are many life lessons embedded in her story.  Now, every time I hear her songs, not only will I be happily daydreaming of Paris, but I will feel an underlying sadness for her with a bit of inspiration mixed in.  Her songs will serve as a constant reminder that everyone is born with a gift and even though you may be faced with obstacles along the way, you too can make your dreams come true, if you believe in yourself and work hard enough.  She certainly did. 

A short visit

While we were at the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market, we decided to go into the village of New Milford.  It is a cute little historic town, with lots of shops, places to eat, an apothecary pharmacy and a even a farmers market on the green on Saturdays.  One of my favorite shops is called Homeward Bound.  It is a home interior store and they carry a variety of things I adore.  Red Flower candles, Bella Notte linens, Juliska ceramic and glassware..just to name a few.  Needless to say, since I am a bargain hunter, I can't afford the majority of priceless items in the store...but I love to get decorating ideas and just browse.  I especially love to visit after my trip to the flea market...maybe I'll find the perfect way to use those one of a kind treasures I just unearthed!

We also wanted to try a new spot for lunch called Forsythia right on Bank Street.  We didn't realize it, but the chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America.  Yes, the one I constantly tell everyone I live 5 minutes from. But their best claim to fame is that it's the home of the $3 Cosmo.  Nope, not a typo. Three bucks!  Uhh...I can't even get water for $3 at the movies...so this quickly becomes my new favorite place in New Milford.  The Cosmos were not even watered down...they were full strength.  They were served with homemade potato chips that were light and crispy!

We wanted something light, not too filling.  We each ordered a salad.  I had the Chinese Chicken Salad, which was delicious, though a bit disappointing.  The waitress had told me it came with red peppers..which I love, but out it came...sans red pepper, with zucchini in its place. (Did I happen to mention that I don't really like zucchini?)  But it was still very good..the dressing was one of the best Asian style dressing's ever...I could really taste the sesame oil.

Chris had a Crab Cake Salad, which was perfectly cooked, light and crispy on the outside and loaded with real crabmeat.  It even came with a side of lemon, smartly wrapped and tied with cheesecloth so your seeds would not wind up in your salad.  Very clever! 

We were so full and for $37 for 3 cosmos, 2 very large salads, tax and tip...it was a great bargain!  We will most certainly be back. 

PS...did I mention the $3 cosmos?

Homeward Bound
20 Bank Street
New Milford  CT  06776
860.350.0060

Thomas Morans Forsythia
31 Bank Street
New Milford  CT  06776
860.355.3266

Caffé Macchiato

The first time I was introduced to an Italian Cafe, was when I set foot in one in Italy in 2004.  I had read all my guidebooks like a good little tourist....and I was certainly excited a the prospect of visiting a café.  I like love coffee, so for me it was only natural that I would want to explore.  Thing is...those guide books never prepared me for how much I would treasure a good Italian Cafe.  So imagine how excited I was to stumble upon a new cafe that opened in Newburgh called Caffe Macchiato.  Just the name conjures up images of milky, creamy mocha colored heaven in my mind. 

A caffe macchiato is an Italian coffee drink.....espresso with a dollop of foamed milk on top.  Macchiato means 'stained' in Italian.  So it is coffee stained with milk.  What a fitting name for this cute little cafe right near the Newburgh waterfront. 

Even the facade from outside screams Italian, with the tiny cafe tables, the blackboard with the menu and the sign swinging from a wrought iron hanger.

The owner speaks and her lovely Italian accent wafts through the cafe.  If I close my eyes, I really do feel like I'm in Rome.  The walls are lined with teas and coffee.  Antique coffee pots and presses are displayed on shelves. The warm ocher colored walls and dark wood tables and bar offer a European feel.

We ordered a French press and a crepe  Out comes a large French press filled with some of the best I have tasted.  She uses coffee from Veneto, Italy.  Our crepe was filled with Nutella, banana and strawberry, smothered in Creme Anglais and dusted with powdered sugar.  This crepe rivaled some of the best crepes from Paris.  We were making loud moaning noises at the table, but in typical Italian fashion....we did not care! 

The display case in front are filled with homemade treats like biscotti, tiramisu, madeleines, croissants, panna cotta, pistachio truffles, and dried fruit like figs and apricots filled with nuts. The menu has typical cafe fare....espresso and coffee drinks, pannino, salads, pasta, fish and more.

We couldn't leave without a few to-go treats.  So we grabbed a madeleine, biscotti, pistachio green tea truffle and a stuffed fig.  They were all just delicious.  On the way out I asked the owner why she came here to Newburgh from Rome.  In her very broken English she asked "You enjoy your breakfast?", to which we of course replied,"Oh, very much!" Her reply..."Well, that is what I want to do for you, have you enjoy some of my Italian cooking and maka good food for you...this is why I am here." 

As her by-line states Caffe Macchiato is 'A touch of Italy in downtown historic Newburgh'.  Not only do I agree, but I am so glad that I can experience an authentic Italian Cafe without having to go to Rome.

Caffe Macchiato

99 Liberty Street
Newburgh, NY  12550
845.565.4616

Almond Torte

Yesteday, I raved about the pasta dish at the Pasta, Primo, Vino event at Adair Vineyards.  I decided I would share the recipe with you, since they were lovely enough to share it with us.

Almond Torte

4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup orzo
3 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup blanched almonds
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
6 eggs
1/4 cup almond liqueur
1 teaspoon almond extract


In a large saucepan combine milk with sugar and bring to a boil.  Add orzo and on 1 Tbs. vanilla, and boil for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Put almonds close together on a sheet of foil on a baking tray. Sprinkle with the extra sugar and some water and place under a hpt broiler until carmalized.  Chop coarsely with breadcrumbs in a food processor or by hand. 

Beat eggs, almond liqueur and extract, and remaining vanilla together.  Add orzo mixture and almonds, mix well.  Pour into buttered 10 inch baking dish. Bake for about 1 hour or until the top is golden brown and the torte set.  Remove from the oven, immediately prick holes over the entire surface with a toothpick or skewer.  Sprinkle generously with additional almond liqueur and let cool.

Terrapin Wine Dinner

courtesty of bogle website

You all know I love wine, so it just makes sense for me to sign up for any kind of wine event I can find. So, imagine how elated I was to get an email about a wine event at Terrapin. Terrapin is an excellent restaurant in Rhinebeck, but they have recently acquired another space at the Dinsmore Golf Course in Statsburg, more so for catering events.

This particular event was a wine dinner featuring Bogle wines. Since I am familiar with their Petit Sirah....without hesitation, I reserved 4 spots, hoping that we would track down some friends to join us.I have never been to one of those fancy-schmancy wine dinners that offer a wine pairing at every course. They are normally way too out of my price range. But when this one dropped in my lap at a mere $49 a person, I had to pounce.We dragged our fellow libation lovers Karen and Steve (they didn't exactly go kicking and screaming) with us.

Cocktail hour was in full swing when we arrived. The first wine was a Bogle Sauvignon Blanc.

Now let me just state for the record that typically, I am not a white wine fan, unless it is a sweet dessert wine. However, this knocked my socks off! It was chilled perfectly, and I immediately tasted lemon, lime and pineapple. It had a clean, fresh taste (no oak as it is fermented in stainless steel) and it complemented the hors d'doeuvres that were served throughout the cocktail hour. Trays of red bell pepper-goat cheese rollatini; bluecheese, walnut and apple canapé; proscuitto, fig and herb butter crostiniand finally roast duck breast l'orange canapé were passed around the crowd. The appetizers were plentiful and generous as was the wine. Glasses were full and refills were welcomed...we were off to a great start. The decor was classic; white table cloths on round tables that seated 8, candles and fresh flowers graced the tables. Glass windows surround the outside walls and the views of the golf course and the Hudson River are spectacular. I had a chance to speak with chef/owner Josh Kroner.

Throughout conversation I found out that his wife is French, straight from Paris. Ah, 'mais naturellement', (but of course)!

Next came the salad course, paired with the Chardonnay. The chef made sure to highlight the fact that the mesclun blend was local, organic produce... the first batch of the season. Simply dressed in a roasted vidalia onion vinaigrette it was crunchy, flavorful and delicious. The wine was the perfect accompaniment, with tropical flavors,a bit of apple and some oak. More complex than the first.

The entré was a choice of grilled Alaskan salmon with petite sirah - peach glaze or red wine braised short ribs with crispy onions. The pairing was of course, the Petit Sirah...my favorite, incidentally. It was a torturous decision, but we decided to get one of each per couple, and share. The salmon, cooked perfectly and the glaze both sweet and spicy was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The short ribs were hands down the best I have ever eaten in my lifetime, the meat was so tender it just fell onto your fork. It was served with potatoes and sautéed spinach. The wine, was thick, jammy, full of ripe berry flavor anda little spice. What can I say, I love this wine and have been drinking it for years. It has always been an excellent value at about $11.99 at your local wine shop.

At this point, Robbie LaBlanc, the Sales Manager for Bogle, entertained the crowd by singing and playing a few tunes on his guitar. We had met him earlier as he made his way around the tables chatting about the wines. Turns out, he had played with the groupToto in the past (yes, we are getting old) and currently plays with the LaBlanc Brothers Band and is involved with Paul Shaffer of David Letterman fame. When Chris heard all of this (he is a drummer and had been in several bands) I think he started drooling all over himself! Robbie must have noticed and was gracious enough to have him come up and check out his guitar. This was most assuredly the highlight of Chris' evening (other than the wine of course)!!

Satiated and feeling pretty good (it has been 4 full glasses so far) it was time for dessert. Out came an absolutely delicious goat cheese torte with almonds, apples and berries. The presentation was simple and perfect, with the apple draped down the side, the purple berry coulis dotted in just the right spots and the almonds tossed around on the plates, we couldn't wait to eat it. The wine pairing was the Zinfandel. The thing I liked so much about this pair was that the dessert was not sweet at all, the sweetness was left to the wine. The creamy goat cheese and the tartness from the berries married so well with the wine. The torte was not over whelmingly sweet and the wine was loaded with blackberry flavor. It was a fabulous note to end the evening on.

We had an absolutely fantastic time and we met some really great people a tour table... and thanks to Bogle, I now have some great white wines to add to my collection. We were all thoroughly impressed with the food, the wine, the atmosphere and most of all the value. I still can't believe that this event was priced at an affordable $49 a person and my hope is that these events will be more frequent and that Chef Josh will keep them affordable. I think the catering is a welcome addition to the Terrapin family. We will continue tofrequentTerrapin and I will continue to rush home and check my email everyday... hoping there is a message in my inbox, announcing their next wine event!

Terrapin Restaurant
Terrapin Catering Events
6426 Montgomery Street
Rhinebeck, NY 12571
845.876.3330
www.terrapinrestaurant.com

North Street Grill turns to 'Copper'

We were excited to go to the North Street Grill in Fishkill for dinner one night. We love this place for the decor, the atmosphere and the food and wine. The prices were always very reasonable too. It is located right down the street from Cibo. As we arrived we noticed the name on the door, said 'Copper'. Oh... how my heart sank. I hate when that happens. Now I was a little wary, but we were also famished. So we decided to give it a try. On first glance, the decor had remained the same. The menu had changed though. And I must say, the prices had increased a bit. As it turns out the owners of the Keltic House, bought the place and had renamed it Copper and their chef recreated the menu.

The menu is billed as 'Eclectic American Cuisine' extensive, with one for lunch and one for dinner. They include soups, salads, appetizers and main courses ranging from pork, NY strip steak, gnocci and gumbo. There is definitely a diverse mix of everything here and I can't imagine not finding something that you would like on the menu. In that respect, it does live up to the name. There are also daily blackboard specials that are posted on chalkboards throughout and right outside the front entrance. We split a 'split' of Freiexnet Cava ($7) to drink with our appetizer and later ordered glasses of wine to be brought with our meal. The wine list was also extensive and I found the same Chianti that I remember loving still remained on the menu. It was a Melini for ($6), which is more than reasonable. My only complaint here was that the glasses used were way too small and filled to the brim. My suggestion would be to have a larger glass, evenif it is only 3/4 of the way full. It is better for the wine. The wine however, was just as good as I remember it.Out came hot freshly baked rolls and home made herb butter. For our first course, we shared the Tomato Crab Bisque, which as the menu pointed out, was overflowing with crab meat. It was absolutely wonderful. Smooth, creamy and sprinkled with just enough fresh basil. It went perfectly with our Cava.

Next came the salads. Both were mesclun, but mine had walnuts and generous hunks of crumbly blue cheese. Chris had the raspberry vinegrette. Both were delicious and fresh,but his had a bit too much dressing and needed some nuts or something a bit more crunchy to stand out from being just leaves on the plate.

I ordered from the blackboard specials. I had the Roasted Leg of Lamb ($25.95) with a dijonherb crust, served with onion marmalade, crispy onions, mashed potaotes, carrots and asparagus. When this came out, I almost dropped my teeth. What a presentation! Everything worked so well in this dish. The lamb was fresh, spices not overpowering, the onion marmade was thick and sweet and the vegetables cooked perfectly. I did not order lamb much, but I ordered mine medium and it did look a little too undercooked and pink in the center to be medium, but it was still delicious.

Chris had the Lobster Ravioli ($18.95) which was tri-colored ravioli filled with lobster covered in a roasted mushroom and tomato and sherry cream sauce. His looked delicious (hard to beat mine). Pasta was cooked just right and the lobster was generous. Though the portion looked small, it was very filling and any more would have been too much!

We toyed with not having dessert, but when we looked at the menu, we couldn't resist. We shared the Chocolate Truffle ($8), which is far from what you think it is. It is a zabaglione cream center surrounded by chocolate gelato with carmalized hazelnuts. There were also swirls of chocolate and hazelnut sauce and a mini canoli sticking out from the side. The dessert was a work of art and delicious, but in both our opinions, it was a bit overkill, with just a little too much going on. We were thankful that our intent was to split this. I would NOT order this for just one person!!

Our server, Evy, was very bubbly, attentive and knowledgeable. Overall the meal was delicious. Other than the few things mentioned, my other complaint is rather silly. The size of the plates are too large for the tables. If you are just 2 and are seated at a small table for 2, there is no room to maneuver or put down your wine glass or silverware... at least with the large square plates we were served with. If you are looking for a more intimate feel, aim for a table toward the front, as the rear tables are closer to the bar and can get a bit noisey on a weekend night. Considering that I liked the North Street Grill... for the prices and for the 'smaller' menu, I must say that the prices here seem to have crept up and the menu may be a little too large. Check out their website, which is under construction, or their other restaurant located right up the street, called the KelticHouse.

Bottom line....they are off to a great start. Copper is worth the few extra pennies. Pun intended.

Copper
1111 Main Street
Fishkill, NY 12524
845.896.1000

A Berry Easy Crisp

For Easter, it was my job to bring dessert. Knowing that my Mother usually makes way too much food, I did not want a heavy, gooey, overly sugary dessert. I wanted something lighter and fruity. And something easy thatI could prepare ahead, but bake at my Mom's. I decided to modify a Martha Stewart recipe for Sour-Cherry Pistachio Crisp. The original is wonderful, but cherries are hard to find. I use whatever is fresh at the market, which happened to be blackberries and strawberries. I decided that pecans would go nicely. You can substitue any fruit or nut, really. Walnuts would also work well. Here is the recipe that I used.....

1.
3/4 lbs fresh fruit (I halved the strawberries and left the blackberries whole)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 tsp baking powdersalt6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstartchpinch of ground cinnamon1.

2.
Preheat over to 375 2. Whisk together nuts, flour, oats, baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter, brown sugar and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy.

3.
Stir nut mixture into butter mixture until just combined. Work mixture through your fingers until if forms course crumbs ranging in size from small peas to gumballs; set topping aside.

4.
Stir together fruit, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the cornstarch, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.Transfer fruit mixture to an 8 inch square baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit mixture. Bake until topping turns golden and juices are bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving.

The best part about this was that Chris was going to 'help' me with the prep. I left him in the kitchen while I jumped in the shower. I expected that the fruit would be washed and dried, and the nuts would be chopped. To my surprise this is what I found when I got out of the shower...

All we needed to do was pop it in the oven at my Mom's and Viola....done! I had every intension of snapping a shot of this when it was done baking, but in between the oohhs and aahhs and the fact that everyone was impressed that he made it... I forgot to take the picture until there was not even a morsel left in the dish. Even the serving spatula was licked clean! Only berry stains remained.

Scoop it into bowls and serve it as is, with a dollop of fresh whipped creamor like we did... with a generous scoop of good vanilla ice cream. Experimenting with this is the most fun! What would be your favorite combinations of fruits and nuts? What have you used before?

Not Just Curry

A few weeks ago, my friend Elke told me about an Indian food restaurant in Fishkill called Tanjore. I wasn't really thrilled to try it. I must admit, I was a bit narrow minded because I assumed that all Indian food was made with lots of curry. I once had a bad experience. But when she described some of the dishes and I looked at the menu on their website... I decided to be open minded and give it a try. On the spur of the moment, I asked Elke and her family if they wanted to join us. I think I felt that for my first time, I would be better off if I had a tour guide, you know, someone to "guide' me thru the intimidating menu. And on the flip side, if I did not like it, she would be right there to take the brunt of my unhappiness. So she agreed! On entering, the decor is cute. Nothing over the top, but nice. There are some funky light fixtures and rich colored swag draperies with gold trim. The menu is extensive. I mean pages and pages. We all had a hard time deciding. We all agreed to order some different things, so that can all try each others dishes. First, we started with the crispy rice bread on the tables. Sort of like India's version of potato or tortilla chips. Very unique flavor.

We shared Vegetable Samosas

Ragada

and Nan bread, which is 'thrown' against the side of the tandoor. There are several different kinds, including cheese, raisin and nut or onion and green pepper. For main dishes we all shared Malai Kofta, which is a vegetable and cheese dumpling served in a mild cashew and almond sauce; Chicken Tikka Masala, boneless chicken breast grilled in the tandoor and slow cooked in a creamy tomato sauce; Mogilai Murgh Korma which is boneless chicken breast cooked in creamy cashew and almond sauce and finally the Tandoori Chicken, which is chicken on the bone marinated with Indian spices, yogurt, ginger, garlic and grilled in the tandoor. It comes out steaming hot!

chicken korma, jasmine rice tandoori chicken

chicken tikka masala

All the dishes were wonderful. They are served along side a huge bowl of long grained basmati rice. Both the Kofta and the Korma has a deliciously thick and creamy cashew sauce, with large bits of nuts mixed in, and just enough spice. Not to hot, not overwhelming at all. The Tikka Masala was earthy and warm with a bit more spice and heat. To go with my meal, I ordered a Mango Lassi, which was like afresh mango yogurt smoothie. It was absolutely delicious and fresh, and was quickly devoured!

For dessert, we enjoyed Khelfi, which isan Indian Ice cream, in flavors of mango and pistachio, topped with pistachio nuts. Our friends enjoyed a cardomom rice pudding dish, called Kheer. It was smooth and creamy, with a spicey, sweet taste with a hint of lemon.

khelfikheer

We had the greatest time at this place. Everyone was so freindly, the prices were more than reasonable. Nothing on the menu was more than $18.95. The menu hasso many choices, there is something for everyone. They even gave you a few fennel seeds (in place of mints) on the way out. I left knowing thatI would soon be coming back. I need to find a way to eat my way through the whole menu! Who would have thought that I would love Indian Food. It just goes to show you what can happen when you are open minded....