Recipe Index - Page 14 of 15 - Shared Appetite

Grilled Flatbread with Apples, Bacon, and Leeks

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

I got home from work one recent Friday afternoon only to remember that we had a small group of church friends coming over later that evening and I needed to whip up something fast, easy, and delicious. Luckily I was just flipping through a Bon Appétit magazine the day before and a recipe for grilled flatbread caught my eye. This is an adaptation of that recipe, and oh man is it freaking good. I've been making it like a mad man since then (Asheley can surely attest to that) for everyone and anyone. It's the perfect fall/winter comfort food, and a spectacular choice for easy entertaining.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Ricotta and Honey

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

I had such huge aspirations this year for testing a ton of different Autumn-inspired recipes that would be perfect for Thanksgiving time. It was going to be great. I have been bookmarking a ton of different recipes I found interesting, just waiting for the time to actually make them. And that's the problem. Time... It's just something I never seem to have enough of. Thanksgiving just kind of sneaked up on me this year (I don’t know about you, but this tends to happen to me every year). It's time to get my behind in gear and get cooking!

This Roasted Acorn Squash is dangerous. Although intended to be a perfect side dish, it can very easily steal the entire show at dinner. Turkey, what turkey? It’s different and unique yet so superb in it's simplicity. It’s visually stunning and ridiculously delicious in every sense of the word. And best of all, it really only takes like an ounce of effort to prepare.

If you want to impress everyone at the dinner table this Thanksgiving, or really any time you need a side dish during these cold months pressing down on us, put this quick and easy Roasted Acorn Squash on your short list.

Rocket Pig

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

Chelsea. It's one of my favorite NYC neighborhoods, and one that my wife and I hold near and dear to our heart (we got engaged in Chelsea Market). Gastronomically, there are some great options in Chelsea, including awesome mini beef tacos at Sue Torres' Sueños, Jim Lahey's pizza at Co. and bread at Sullivan Street Bakery, various treats within Chelsea Market, and an outpost of Doughnut Plant and Artichoke Basille's Pizzeria. Oh... Oh! And who can forget Restaurant Morimoto and Mario Batali's Del Posto. But do you know what could make Chelsea even better? What would make Chelsea even more of a culinary hotspot? A legit sandwich joint.

Look no more... Welcome to Rocket Pig. Chef Ralf Kuettel opened up this little treasure just this past June, literally steps away from his casual Swiss brasserie Trestle on Tenth. Check out why his sandwich shop has locals going crazy...

How to Make Authentic Pulled Pork on a Gas Grill

By Chris Cockren 14 Comments

My first attempts at making pulled pork a year or two ago were extremely delicious, but totally inauthentic. I used, dare I say, a slow-cooker. You can check out the horridly bad photos of that early Shared Appetite post here: slow-cooker pulled pork. Over the past couple of years, my affinity for making a more authentic version of Pulled Pork grew hungry... especially after attending the Big Apple BBQ Block Party in NYC and having numerous conversations with some BBQ enthusiast friends. Purchasing a smoker really wasn't in the cards, being that my now wife and I were saving big time for our wedding and I just obtained a super awesome gas grill. I needed to figure out how to smoke up some pork shoulders in an authentic way... on an inauthentic gas grill.

The results were... well, you take a look:

Num Pang

By Chris Cockren 3 Comments

Do you want to learn how to speak Khmer, the official language of Cambodia? Well actually, just maybe one very important word. A word anyone that may ever remotely be in the Union Square area should memorize: Num Pang. Go ahead, say it. Say it again. Memorize it. Meaning "sandwich" or "bread" in Khmer, Num Pang is not only a tasty word, it's quite the tasty place.

Owned by Ben Daitz and Ratha Chaupoly, Num Pang has a unique line-up of Cambodian-inspired sandwiches. They offer a wide variety of sandwiches that will make carnivores, vegetarians, and everyone in between happy as can be. Just make sure to bring cash to cover your meal, which shouldn't be hard considering sandwiches are around $8. Although there is also a Num Pang location right by Grand Central (140 E. 41st Street between Lexington and 3rd Ave.), I have only been to the one just around the corner from Union Square (21 12th Street between 5th Ave. and University Place).

So what exactly is a Cambodian sandwich?

Get Pickled with Geoffrey Zakarian

By Chris Cockren 3 Comments

When it came time to buy tickets for this year's NYC Wine and Food Festival, Asheley and I each decided to pick one event we really wanted to attend. I immediately picked the Next Iron Chef event, while Asheley really wanted to go to Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's Get Pickled workshop. Why, you ask? Well, two reasons actually... Asheley loves pickles, and Asheley loves Geoffrey Zakarian.

Chef Zakarian, who is the chef/owner of both The Lamb's Club and The National in NYC, is also well known for recently being named the newest Iron Chef and his role as a recurring judge on the James Beard award-winning show, Chopped, on Food Network.

Full disclosure: I definitely thought that the Next Iron Chef event would be the highlight of our NYC Wine and Food Festival weekend. Getting the chance to personally meet and try food prepared by all the Iron Chefs and Next Iron Chef contestants sounded amazing! Don't get me wrong, it was really, really great, but this pickling class at Geoffrey Zakarian's The National was totally beyond spectacular. And here's why...

Cheap Eats at C & C Prosperity Dumpling

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

Sometimes you are in the mood for that fancy, elusive dinner at the newest trendy restaurant that every blog and social media outlet are buzzing about. But then there are those times when you want some cheap, filling, totally satisfying, down-to-earth, honest-to-goodness comfort food. It still has to be really tasty, but the chefs don't need tweezers to plate the food and you don't need a reservation several months ahead of time (or, like the newest "trendy" restaurants, hope for a table because they don't even take reservations).

Welcome to the Lower East Side's C & C Prosperity Dumpling, where $1 has never tasted so good. If you have $2 to spare, you can eat like royalty. With the extreme popularity of the original Prosperity Dumpling located just a short distance away on Eldridge Street in Chinatown, this sister dumpling joint is located in the heart of the Lower East Side at 69 Clinton Street.

Snapshots from The Next Iron Chef at the NYC Wine and Food Festival

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

Iron Chef... It's the top coveted spot in the culinary food television world. Over the past couple of years, Food Network has sponsored The Next Iron Chef competition, which allows chefs the opportunity to win that priceless Iron Chef jacket and a place in Kitchen Stadium. Past winners have included Michael Symon, Marc Forgione, Jose Garces, and Geoffrey Zakarian. This year's season of The Next Iron Chef is all about one thing: redemption! Previously eliminated chefs who are hungry for a second chance have the opportunity to again compete for the title of Iron Chef.

To celebrate the impending anticipation of the season premiere on Sunday, November 4 and as part of the New York City Wine and Food Festival, all the current Iron Chefs (minus Bobby Flay, who was hosting his annual taco event across town) and the Next Iron Chef hopefuls came together to throw an unbelievable kick-off gastronomic party, hosted by who else but Alton Brown!

The late-night, walk-around tasting was held at the Meatpacking District's Highline Stages, directly across the street from Food Network Studios housed in Chelsea Market. Each chef prepared a unique and creative offering, and drinks were a flowing all night long courtesy of Southern Wine & Spirits.

Here is a picture recap of this epic event...

Roasted Cauliflower-Poblano Soup

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

Cauliflower. It just immediately conjures up delicious thoughts, doesn't it... ehh hem, doesn't it? ...hello?!

I know, cauliflower is not at the top of many peoples list of good eats. However this soup, from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook, is really great! It gives the humble cauliflower a starring role, showcasing its soft, smooth, velvety texture and pairing it with the flavorful kick of roasted poblano chilis. Perfect for a cool fall or winter day, this thick and creamy soup with warm you through and through!

UrbanSpace Meatpacking

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

From the people that brings NYC the popular Union Square Holiday Market, Madison Square Eats, and DeKalb Market...

Come check out their newest newest market creation: UrbanSpace Meatpacking. Located in the lot at the corner of Washington Street and 13th Street underneath The High Line and across from The Standard Hotel, UrbanSpace Meatpacking is a food and fashion market featuring popular food vendors and emerging designers/artists. All told, there are over 60 vendors offering up food, clothing, accessories, and more. The UrbanSpace Meatpacking market runs seven days a week through Christmas Eve, with daily hours of 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. (open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday).

For fellow lovers of food, UrbanSpace Meatpacking offers the unique opportunity to try some of the city's best food vendors, all under one tent:

How To Peel Garlic Fast and Easy

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Tedious kitchen task no more! Make peeling garlic quick and easy with these two methods.

Go ahead and use this tip to make some recipes with garlic: Roasted Tomato Sauce, Garlic-Lime Chicken Fajitas, Cowboy Beans, or maybe some Guacamole!

Blueberry-Thyme Soup with Honey Vanilla Mascarpone

By Chris Cockren 3 Comments

What? Don't tell me you've never had soup for dessert. I know, me neither. Not too long ago I wouldn't even classify something a dessert unless it had massive amounts of chocolate, butter, sugar, and the like. And dessert soup, come on really? You're not fooling anyone.

But then Asheley ordered a blueberry soup for dessert at L'Office during our honeymoon in Paris. I quietly chuckled to myself, knowing she just made a huge mistake. She was totally going to regret that decision, right?! Wrong. This wasn't just a good dessert. It was an unbelievably pretty darn perfect dessert.

Coming back from Paris, I immediately started working on creating my own version of Chef Kevin O'Donnell's mind blowing dessert. Over the past year, I've been serving up this soup, along with a ton of those addicting Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes, at pretty much every summertime get together. It kind of has become a standard expectation (demand) of all our hungry visitors.

Little do they know, it's super easy to make. Shhh, don't tell, them, okay?

Avocados: A Lunch Steal

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

Hey all my Long Island friends! I wanted to let you all in on one of the best lunch deals around. When I'm at work, I'm a bring my lunch from home type of guy. However, when I'm off from work during the week, I like to let loose for lunch and get a little crazy. But who likes spending dinner prices at lunch? I'm looking for a deal... and when a friend from church let me in on his go to place, I had to give it a try.

Snapshots from Le Fooding Brooklyn Fling: Campfire Session #2

By Chris Cockren 2 Comments

When the chance came to reconnect with the food and chefs that we fell in love with while on our honeymoon in Paris, Asheley and I jumped on board. Better yet, it was happening right here close to home in Brooklyn! Chef Daniel Rose of Spring Restaurant, Chef Inaki Aizpitarte of Le Chateaubriand, and even Pastry Chef extraordinaire Pierre Hermé were flown in from the City of Light (as well as several other chefs from around the globe), collaborating with some of Brooklyn Flea's finest food vendors. Welcome to Le Fooding: Brooklyn Fling 2012, a 5-day event showcasing the parallel food trends driving the culinary scenes in Brooklyn and big cities across the globe... a breed of new, young, radical chefs that are at the heart of the global culinary landscape. As the people at Le Fooding put it, the festival was "an insta-capture moment of all that is most alive in 2012, at the crossroads of style and deliciousness."

Enjoy the various snapshots from Campfire Session #2, held at the Williamsburg Brooklyn Flea Market overlooking the stunning Manhattan skyline. Just check out this view:

Roasted Tomato Sauce: Simple And Delicious

By Tyler Leave a Comment

Hey everybody! Today's guest post is brought to you from my good friend Tyler. Besides being a fellow food enthusiast, Tyler is an awesome photographer and the behind-the-scenes backbone of this entire site, providing all sorts of techie support and being one of the guys behind the camera of my new videos you'll see being posted in the upcoming weeks. He told me the other day about this amazing tomato sauce and I asked him to share it on Shared Appetite. Enjoy...

I was walking down an alley in the village of Monterosso when this amazing smell came my way. It seemed to be coming from this small restaurant around the corner. I took a seat on the patio at a small wrought iron table. The meal was among the best I have ever had in my life. I asked the waiter if I could speak to the chef. To my surprise, an old Italian woman comes out from the kitchen.

She began to tell me the simple way she makes her sauce. Now I am sharing it with you.

DIY Food Magnets

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

Want a fun way to hold on to the memory of all those awesome restaurants, eateries, food trucks, bakeries, and other food establishments you've visited? Want a way to display where you've been and what you've eaten? Make business card magnets! They are super cheap, loads of fun, and really easy to make. And best of all, each time you open the refrigerator, you can remember that unbelievable dish you ate, that special night out, or a myriad of other memories you've created around restaurant dinner tables.

Asheley and I love showing off our magnets to friends and family when the come over. They are excellent conversation starters, and also just look really awesome. Guests love checking out the places we've eaten, and without fail these little magnets help us remember all the fun food memories we've created... together.

Here's how to make your own Business Card Magnets:

What To Do With Leftover Lemons and Limes

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

Subscribe to Shared Appetite's YouTube Channel!

Want some recipes for all those limes? How about some Guacamole, Baja Fish Tacos, or Garlic-Lime Fajitas?

Big Gay Ice Cream

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

That familiar tune... it starts out faint, growing louder and louder by the second. Your ears perk up, your posture straightens. Instantly, you bolt for the door, grabbing your wallet on the way. It's Mister Softee, and the truck is heading your way! You walk (run) up to the truck to find that those familiar sprinkles have been replaced with the unexpected , including wasabi pea dust, toasted curried coconut, dulce de leche, pumpkin butter, and even sea salt. You realize this is no Mister Softee. You, my friend, have stumbled upon the greatness that is Big Gay Ice Cream.

Co-founders Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff began Big Gay Ice Cream as a humble ice cream truck experiment in the summer of 2009. The combination of serving up that nostalgic old-school soft-serve covered in new, imaginative toppings was an instant success. In September of 2011, the pair expanded into their own brick-and-mortar shop in the East Village, located at 125 East 7th Street. This is where I have been a frequent happy customer over the past couple of months. I find my car driving itself to 7th Street all the time, all by itself. Weird...

Eric Kayser Comes To New York!

By Chris Cockren 3 Comments

In the weeks following my return to New York, I thought I was destined to never again have another taste of the amazing French baguette I was so accustomed to enjoying daily while in Paris. I visited several self-named "French" bakeries in my area, but let's face it. They were all impostors.

And then, just in time, there was an email waiting for me in my inbox. It was from Wendy Lyn of The Paris Kitchen, letting me know that the one, the only, Eric Kayser had just opened his first NYC location on the Upper East Side. An artisan boulanger straight from Paris, Eric Kayser is known as one as the best bakers in Paris... and the man knows baguette (among a myriad of other breads and pastries). With 20 bakeries set up throughout Paris and a handful of international locations as far away at Singapore, it was only a matter of time before Maison Kayser took NYC by storm.

The Ultimate Paris Food Experience

By Chris Cockren 2 Comments

Imagine this for a second: You wake up tomorrow morning to find that you have every "IT" chef on speed dial. Your inner circle of friends includes a plethora of Michelin chefs, wine producers, chocolatiers, and a smattering of other superstars in the culinary world. You are so tapped into the local and global culinary scene that you can score that impossible reservation every night of the week. Your phone rings and it's one of the many international celebrity chefs, food journalists, sommeliers, or other industry professionals that knows your name, calling to ask if you could show them around Paris when they arrive on vacation. Your little black book of contacts is every food-lovers dream and fantasy come true, and that is just the tip of the gigantically amazing culinary iceberg that is your life.

Meet Wendy Lyn. It's her real life, and she's sharing it all with a steady stream of food-loving visitors in her home city of Paris...

Eat Like a Local in Paris

By Chris Cockren 8 Comments

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Food. It's everywhere in Paris! You can barely walk down one rue (street) without finding at least one eating option. However, eating well in Paris does require a little bit of work on your part. Luckily for us as we prepared for our trip to Paris, I am very "Type A"... so I researched... and researched... and ended up finding a lot of great information about the Paris culinary scene, as well as tips and advice for eating like a local. I found myself spending a lot of time on two fantastic Paris food websites that I highly recommend you check out before your trip: Wendy Lyn's The Paris Kitchen and David Lebovitz's Living The Sweet Life in Paris.

After eating our way through Paris and now reminiscing about our little time spent there, I've compiled the following tips for you to eat like a local (If you are looking for what you absolutely need to eat while you are in Paris, the foods you shouldn't miss under any circumstance, look no further: check out my post on The Top 10 Foods You Have To Eat In Paris.) So here it is, enjoy eating like a local:

Farfalle with Summer Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

About two weekends ago, Asheley, myself, and a couple other friends went to check out Chef Jonathan Waxman's restaurant, Barbuto. One dish that we ended up really loving (besides his famous Roasted Chicken) was the Gnocchi with Summer Corn and Cherry Tomatoes. It was simple, delicious, and really let the seasonal produce shine: just-picked sweet summer corn, cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor, all in a luscious velvety light butter sauce.

Fast forward to last week, and I was totally inspired by that gnocchi dish as I carefully picked all the vine-ripened red and sungold cherry tomatoes growing along side the tall basil in my backyard garden. I came inside, realized I had just bought 3 ears of corn at the market, and went to work on creating a version of Chef Waxman's beautiful dish.

Lunch at Les Papilles

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

After being good tourists and doing touristy things: taking a strol through the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens, viewing the Paris panoramic from atop Montparnasse Tower, and visiting the crypts within the Pantheon, we were absolutely starving for some lunch. Luckily not too far away and within walking distance were two places I wanted to check out: Franck Kestener Chocolatier (which you can read about in my post The Best Paris Chocolatiers) and Les Papilles, a charming little bistro/wine bar. I had Les Papilles on my list of potential restaurants to visit after reading how much Paris food blogger David Leibovitz enjoys dining there. And man he was right... this place was great!

The Top 10 Foods You Have To Eat In Paris

By Chris Cockren 19 Comments

With so many options and so little time to spend in the city of lights, this list highlights The Top 10 Foods You Have To Eat In Paris!

I like to plan... a lot. As I painstakingly prepared for our trip to Paris, I researched food extensively. I mean, hey, let's face it: how many chances am I really going to have to go to Paris.... Exactly. And if I'm only going once (or maybe if I'm lucky twice), I wanted to do it right. I wanted to eat the very best Paris had to offer. And that's exactly what I did!

And so came the idea to do this "Top 10 List", so that if you ever have the amazing opportunity to visit Paris, this can serve as your gastronomic guide. As I sat down to write this post, it was a pretty daunting task... there is a ridiculous amount of insanely delicious, unbelievable food in Paris. How do you decide what's the best?! But trust me, if you eat everything on this list, you are going to be very, VERY happy with your trip! I know I was. In no particular order, here's my top 10:

Bistro Paul Bert

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

Bistro (Bistrot): a small, informal, classic Parisian restaurant serving moderately-priced simple meals.

In other words, it's a neighborhood restaurant. It's a place where friends can gather and enjoy great food classics, all the while relaxing within a laid-back, casual atmosphere. It's a place where you feel welcome, the waitstaff is friendly (but always in a hurry), and a great meal is only an affordable prix-fixe price away. Check out this wonderful article about the typical Parisian bistro experience on Wendy Lyn's The Paris Kitchen. It really gives a great overview about why locals love the bistro and how they are different from American restaurants.

Bistro Paul Bert is a pretty special bistro. It is known for being one of the best, not only for its amiable owner and waitstaff as well as great food and wine, but also for it's relaxed-lively atmosphere. Here's a recap of our experience:

The Best Paris Chocolatiers

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

Chocolate. Those three syllables are like music to my ears... or more accurately, stomach. As a kid, I thought Kit Kat and Twix Bars were the best chocolate out there (ok, not going to lie, I still do enjoy a candy bar here and there). Growing up, Lindt and Godiva were the "gourmet chocolate" in my life. Then the awakening happened: a friend took me to her favorite French chocolatier in NYC, La Maison du Chocolat. I uncontrollably wept on the inside. Where have you been all my life, I thought, as each little piece of heaven was slowly and carefully enjoyed. I soon discovered another fantastic French chocolatier in NYC aptly dubbed Mr. Chocolate, Jacques Torres. These are the types of places that every cocoa bean dreams of ending up one day.

Now imagine you were going to a place where these types of chocolatiers were absolutely everywhere, always just a short walk away. Yes, exactly: heaven on earth! Asheley and I definitely spent our fair share of time in Paris chocolatiers. We didn't get to all of the ones that I had on my list to visit, but the chocolatiers we did get to were really fantastic:

Spring Restaurant

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

Day 1 Dinner: First impressions are important. And if Chef Daniel Rose's Spring Restaurant was any sign of what was to come for our Paris gastronomic honeymoon (and it was), we were going to eat well. Very well. Knowing how difficult it can be to score a table at Spring, this was the reservation that I was probably most excited about when it was secured by our concierge just over two months prior to our arrival date in France. Two months, you say?! That's a long time! You're right... but it is absolutely 100% necessary to plan your dinner reservations in Paris months in advance of your trip if you want to eat in the area's most celebrated restaurants.

Chef Daniel Rose, a native of Illonois, is a master of ingredient-driven cuisine. He treats all his ingredients with the utmost care and respect, and his menu changes weekly as he seeks out and sources the best local markets have to offer. Throughout our meal, every aspect of each plate was masterfully prepared and well-balanced. He was able to pack flavor punches into our meal with his delicious citrus accents and pan sauces.

What follows is a recount of one of the best meals we had in Paris:

I'm Back!

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

I know, I know, it's been a while. Too long. I've been kept pretty busy lately with getting married, having the most amazing gastronomic honeymoon in Paris one could ask for... you know, just a typical July. There are so many pictures, experiences, and memories to share, it is difficult to find a place to start! Here are some posts to look for in the upcoming days/weeks:

• Restaurant Reviews from Spring, Le Chateaubriand, Bistrot Paul Bert, Chez L'Ami Jean, Les Papilles, L'Avant Comptoir, and more!

• The Best of Paris Chocolate

• The Best of Belgian Chocolate

• The Best of Paris Bakeries

• Top 10 Things To Eat in Paris: What Not To Miss Under Any Circumstance

• Top 10 Food Items to Bring Back from Paris

• Going To Paris? What Americans Need To Know

• How To Be A Food Tourist in Paris

• Top 10 Paris Tourist Tips

• The #1 Paris Food Experience Revealed

Bachelor Party Food Fest

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

Holy crap, I'm getting married today! Right now my soon-to-be wife and her maidens are getting their hair and make-up done, so I figured, what better way to start off my day than writing a quick post. Last weekend my buddies and I went down to Atlantic City for the big bad bachelor party. A lot of the guys were excited for late nights of gambling and beverages. I was excited for the Saturday morning round of golf and the massive quantities of food I was to enjoy! Don't judge. After we played our round of golf, a lot of guys took a nap before dinner. A couple of my brave friends joined me on the food crawl I was waiting for all weekend...

Faicco's - The Rice Ball To End All Rice Balls

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

One look at the Faicco's storefront sign and you immediately think pork. Rightfully so, as Faicco's is known for their various homemade sausages as well as the numerous cuts of great looking meats they sell.... but pork is absolutely not on my mind when I walk up to Faicco's. When I'm passing by that glorious sign on Bleeker Street in the heart of Greenwich Village, I think of one thing and one thing only: rice balls.

You can easily tell by reading a couple of the reviews on Yelp that Faicco's is legit... and that it is cherished as one of the best old-school Italian deli's in the city. The place has been around for over 100 years, which speaks to their quality and service. Not many food establishments survive even 5 years. They are consistently busy, with customers eagerly lining up to purchase an array of Italian meats, sandwiches, cheeses, as well as other classic Italian products and specialties. I've heard they make an awesome Italian sub. Maybe I'll try it some day. But for now, it's all about the rice ball to end all rice balls:

Lucky Rice Festival: Grand Tasting

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

I meant to write about this over a month ago... but then life got all crazy with wedding plans (3 weeks to go!) and Shared Appetite was also getting a brand new design. So, better late than never... here is a recap of the Grand Tasting put on by the Lucky Rice Festival in NYC that Asheley and I had the chance to attend.

I've never been to a grand tasting before. I've always heard of them and thought it would be cool to go... but then you look at the price tag and that's normally enough for me to say "uhm, no thanks". That was exactly the case when I first heard about the Lucky Rice Festival Grand Tasting... but then one of those fancy discount deals arrived in my inbox... it was an offer I couldn't refuse.

Big Apple BBQ Block Party

By Chris Cockren 3 Comments

June... one of my favorite months of the year. Why, you ask? Being a teacher, summer vacation is nearly upon us, and more importantly, June is Big Apple BBQ Block Party time! Celebrating it's 10th year, the Big Apple BBQ brings together the top pit masters from across the United States for an amazing weekend filled with award-winning barbecue, live music, and cooking seminars.

Best of all, the event is totally free to attend and no ticket is required. Food is sold directly from each pit master rig at $8 (cash) per plate. Drinks and desserts range from $2 - $6. If you planned ahead for the event like we do each year, you went to the Big Apple BBQ website ahead of time to secure a Fast Pass ($125). The fast pass gives you and a guest access to the express lines at each pit master rig, and also includes a $100 value redeemable for food, drinks, and merchandise.

And even better yet, the whole event supports the Madison Park Conservancy, the organization responsible for beautifying and maintaining the amazing park.

Here's a picture-filled recap of that glorious porky day...

A New Design!

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

It's been way too long since my last post, but for a very good reason. I'm happy to announce that Shared Appetite has gotten a crazy awesome make-over, complete with new logo and layout of the entire website! It's been quite the process and such an enjoyable experience. A couple people to thank:

A huge thank you goes out to the mastermind behind the entire design: Mike from mathisworks. This guy is ridiculously talented and worked tirelessly to make me happy. He put so much passion and thought into every nook and cranny of the design. If you are ever looking to get any kind of design work done, he's definitely your man. Thank you Mike!

Another huge shout-out of thanks goes to my friend Tyler, the go-to for all technical related questions (which there was a ton of). We've met up a bunch of times for hours and hours to go over a laundry list of questions I had about the website and he's been super patient with all my craziness. Check out his amazing photography skills at Tyler Anthony Photography.

I'm super excited with the new design and have a ton of new restaurants and recipes to tell you about... get ready!

Browse around the new site and let me know what you think!

Baja Fish Tacos

By Chris Cockren 2 Comments

I have been on a big taco kick lately... probably brought on by my personal excitement for the now past Cinco de Mayo. On the eating end, I've really enjoyed the tacos at Kimchi Taco Truck and Dos Toros Taqueria. At home, I've been cooking up a storm of tacos (my apologies to Asheley, who has been subject to an absurd amount of taco dinners in the past couple of weeks). One of the tacos I have been most excited about the past couple weeks are these Baja Fish Tacos, because 1) they were really really good!!! and 2) I actually cooked fish for one of the first times ever.

Let me explain... Growing up, I never ate fish (unless you count fish sticks). I have my father to thank for that, a wonderful man that eats pretty much nothing, especially fish (even fish sticks are a no go). Since moving out on my own several years back, I've been eating fish more and more while out and about, but I frankly almost never cook it at home... and I don't know why. I guess we can call it brainwashing from childhood. No fish at home, no fish at home, no fish at home! Anyway, I made a decision to start cooking with these creatures of the sea, and I figured fish tacos would be a perfect place to start.

Garlic-Lime Chicken Fajitas

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

I love Mexican food. I love to eat it. I love to cook it. It's the type of food that just makes me completely and utterly happy... comfort food if you will (add in some margaritas for extra comfort). My appetite for Mexican food actually derives from my mother. Growing up, she used to make a super awesome chicken fajita, one that got everyone in the family running for the dinner table (even my picky "I don't eat anything" father). Her chicken marinade was delicious, simple, and fresh. As much as I've tried to replicate it over the years (even with her giving me the recipe), it's just not the same. Part of the nostalgia of mom's cooking I guess.

Fajitas still excite me to this day. I love cooking everything up and putting it out on the table family-style for D.I.Y. fajita assembly. It makes eating fun, casual, and enjoyable.

Make Time for Taïm

By Chris Cockren 3 Comments

Taïm (Tah-eem) is a place that lives up to its name. Meaning " highly pleasant to the taste, delicious" in Hebrew, Taïm is home to some of the best falafel in all of NYC. Falafel, a ball (or patty) of ground chickpeas mixed with various herbs and spices, is nutty, earthy, and deep-fried deliciousness. It is a dish that has become a staple throughout the Middle East. With an all-vegetarian menu, Taïm must be doing something right... NY Magazine, Serious Eats, and Village Voice all declared Taïm to have the best falafel in Manhattan.

Taïm Falafel is located at 222 Waverly Place, just steps off 7th Ave and a couple blocks away from amazingly delicious gastropub The Spotted Pig and the overrated Magnolia Bakery (for your cupcake fix, go to Molly's Cupcakes on Bleeker Street instead). Owned by husband and wife Chef Einat Admony and Stefan Nafziger, the decision to open up Taïm came about as they realized NYC was missing the amazing falafel they were used to eating in their native Tel Aviv. Creating their take on street food fare with a gourmet twist ended up becoming a winning hit for the pair. They found instant success with Taïm, and soon gave birth to the eatery's food truck sidekick, Taïm Mobile, which brings the taste of Taïm to the streets of NYC.

Molly's Cupcakes: Greenwich Village

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

Almost every single place where I choose to eat in NYC has either been recommended to me by a fellow food lover or was heavily researched by yours truly. There is good reason for that... I want to find and eat the best the city has to offer! However, every now and again comes along a chance meeting, fate you may call it, where some unexplainable force in the universe attracts me to someplace new as I'm traveling around NYC. This was one of those times, and I actually have my amazing soon-to-be wife to thank for it.

Asheley and I were cruising around Greenwich Village checking out some awesome eats at Dos Toros Taqueria, Faicco's Pork Store, and Artichoke Basille's Pizzeria, when we stumbled upon the bright yellow storefront of Molly's Cupcakes. Asheley stopped in her tracks laughing at the clever sign hanging in the window:

"Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy"

My eyes immediately focused on the adjacent sign in the window declaring that Molly's Cupcakes won an episode of the show Cupcake Wars on Food Network. Being a sucker for sweets, we had to step inside, and what a magical place we found...

Dos Toros Taquiera: Greenwich Village

By Chris Cockren 2 Comments

Narrowing down my favorite food(s) is near impossible. However, on any given day if you asked me if I would be in the mood for some tacos, the answer will always be yes. I've always loved tacos. And yes I'll admit it, and judge me as you may and probably should, I'm even a sucker for some of those chains (Chipotle or Taco Bell anyone?). There is no shortage of taco-eating opportunities while in NYC. I have some favorites, including the mini-beef tacos at Suenos and the tacos at one of my favorite food trucks Kimchi Taco. Another favorite? That's a no-brainer... especially when I'm in the mood for tacos in Greenwich Village: Dos Toros!

Super Easy No-Knead Bread

By Chris Cockren 1 Comment

I tried to make bread from scratch a couple months ago... with little success. The whole experience was plain frustrating. I was initially super excited to make bread: I did some research, bought quality bread flour and active-dry yeast, and attached my sparkly never-been-used dough hook onto my beloved KitchenAid Stand Mixer. The initial charm of it all quickly faded and things went downhill fast. The mixing bowl got severely stuck to the base of the stand mixer from the kneading motion of the thick bread dough. It took copious amounts of mineral oil, a hammer (wrapped in a kitchen towel), and 20 minutes of my brute Superman strength (go ahead, laugh at that one) to get it free. After all that and the numerous steps it took to make the bread, it came out just eh... just eh?! For all that work. I can go buy "just eh" bread from the chain grocery store down the street. I was completely discouraged. There must be an easier way!

Enter my friend Tyler, who clued me into this revolutionary no-knead bread recipe. It sounded ridiculously easy to make, almost too easy. My mother always warned me "if it sounds too good to be true..." Well, this is the exception. It really is ridiculously easy to make. Even better, it's absolutely delicious, and puts many bakery-bought breads to shame.

How to Make Perfect Home-Cooked Cowboy Beans (Frijoles Charros)

By Chris Cockren 3 Comments

Beans often don't get the respect they deserve. And they are sick and tired of it. You go out to Mexican restaurants and devour your tacos and burritos and fajitas. You even eagerly gobble down the Mexican rice. But the beans? You leave them there. You don't call. You don't write. You don't even friend them on Facebook. And that's just hurtful.

I'm just as guilty as you are. Up until a few years ago, I was not a big fan of beans. But you know what? We can't be too hard on ourselves. It's not entirely our fault. Too often beans are served as an underwhelming afterthought. They seem to be there to just fill up the empty space on the plate.

But once in a while, you come across that quintessential example of what every bean wishes they can grow up to be. It's magical experience of bean euphoria. And then you realize, maybe you should call. [Read more...]

Del Posto

By Chris Cockren Leave a Comment

We recently celebrated Asheley's 30th Birthday, which turned into a weekend festival of dinners with family and friends. It also featured a trip into the city to cross off one of the restaurants that has been on our list to try for a long time now, but one that needed a special occasion reason to rationalize spending the money on the lavish menu: Del Posto.

Just steps from Chelsea Market and two other high-class restaurants (Morimoto and Colicchio & Sons), Del Posto is located at 85 Tenth Avenue between 15th and 16th Streets. Owned by famed-trio Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and Lidia Bastianich (whom co-own a slew of other restaurants, including one of my favorites, Otto Enoteca & Pizzeria), Del Posto is an explosion of Italian grandeur and opulence. It has received 1 Michelin Star (they did have 2 at one point) and under the expert direction of Executive Chef Mark Ladner, has earned 4 stars from the New York Times.

Here is a rather detailed account (there's so much to share!) of my experience there:

Take Better Food Photos: Build A Light Tent

By Chris Cockren 6 Comments

I'm a terrible photographer. I have a Nikon d40 Digital SLR camera that has potential to take great photos, but the man pushing the button doesn't even take it off the "automatic" function. So lately I've been doing some research on how to take better photos of all the food I cook. There is nothing more frustrating to me than cooking or eating an amazingly delicious meal that is plated beautifully , only to then take a lackluster photograph that fails to capture the dishes true magnificence.

From what I've been learning so far, good photos start with good lighting. Since I do most of my cooking at night, I cannot rely on the preferred natural light. I really didn't want to go out and spend a fortune on fancy lighting equipment, especially because I'm an amateur when it comes to photography. I stumbled upon this really great article about How To Make An Inexpensive Light Tent, so I decided to give it a whirl. Wow, what an immediate difference, even with just staying on the "automatic" function on the camera!!! If you want to quickly improve your photographs without spending a lot of money, this is a great (and cheap!) idea: