kitchenplay

Support Lucky Old Souls

2010-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we last heard from Matt Feldman (a.k.a. Feldie), jazz connoisseur behind the Newbold music venue and restaurant Lucky Old Souls, first reported on by kitchenplay. Despite a successful re-zoning venture, some great buzz among Philly bloggers, and support from the neighborhood association, it hasn't been the easiest ride. Specifically, Feldman has faced a few obstacles in

Strawberry Cardamom Muffins

2010-03-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

As I make my cross over from the sad side (thanks for all the sweet comments), I finally put to work some forgotten tools of happiness... brown sugar and butter, berries and spices.Things I learned... strawberry muffin recipes are few and far between, so sometimes you have to use a blueberry muffin recipe instead... I really need a mortar and pestle for grinding spices, as opposed to the handle

Have You Missed Me?

2010-02-28T12:31:00.001-08:00

It's been well over two months since my last post. Did I lose my love for food, for cooking with others, for playing in the kitchen? Not exactly. I will confess that I have been on the sadder side of things lately and part of me hasn't been as excited to get my hands dirty in the kitchen. More often than not, cooking - baking in particular - have offered comfort (or at least distraction) for me

Foodie-Friendly Gifts

2009-12-01T15:30:00.001-08:00

As it's the season of giving and all, here are some items that are delicious, adorable, helpful and/or fun. While not all of them are edible, each is sure to please the foodie in your life. And all of them are Philadelphia, born and raised.Sara SelepouchinSara Selepouchin is a screen printer and fellow Newbold resident. She creates single color prints and specializes in diagrams, where she pulls

Support Brew on 12/11

2009-11-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

For those of you following kitchenplay's coverage of Brew, you know that it's already a great coffee shop with the dream of becoming a coffee and beer-to-go shop. Actually getting the beer component of Brew up and running has been delayed multiple times over various neighborhood issues. However, fans of Brew have a chance to rally for the establishment on Friday, December 11th at the License

Doughnuts!

2009-11-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

After a full day of gluttony, followed by a couple more days of nibbling and picking at leftovers, surely many of you are feeling sated and in need of a food respite. Why speak of luxe desserts and carb-heavy side dishes at a time like this?To that I say, doughnuts!Apple cider doughnuts, to be precise. Melanie and I made these a few weeks ago, on a perfectly brisk fall day.Apple Cider

Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

I've been a part of a friend-based Thanksgiving for the past six years. Friends meet up in Philly from all over the East coast (and on occasion, farther away) and share the responsibilities of the meal. We eat a lot. We drink even more. Last year, we worked off Thanksgiving dinner with a dance party.This will be my second year hosting. The turkey has been ordered from the Fair Food Farmstand at

E's Whoopie Pies at the First Person Festival

2009-11-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

The First Person Festival is underway! We've met Ruth Reichl, consumed burgers, and eaten America. We still have one more foodie event on the roster, The Girl from Foreign, with Indian food courtesy of Ekta.And in more foodie/First Person news, E from Foodaphilia is stocking our concessions stand. And here is the line-up:Oatmeal Whoopie Pies Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Chocolate Whoopie Pies Coconut

Hanging Out with Ruth Reichl

2009-10-28T09:19:00.001-07:00

I have already expressed my fondness for Gourmet and the sadness brought on by its recent demise. So I was especially excited to attend First Person Art's First Taste Preview Dinner with Ruth Reichl at Supper this past Monday. And then First Person asked me to blog about it. Rather than re-recount the event, allow me to share what I wrote for First Person's blog. Visit the original post for

Unhappy Housewife

2009-10-24T12:54:00.001-07:00

Normally, I'm quite satisfied in the domestic role, certainly as it pertains to the culinary arts. However, last weekend my friend Elizabeth Hershey, an immensely talented photographer, and I played around with the image of a less-than-content housewife. This resulted in cupcakes thrown on the floor, cleaver wielding and many sips of Jack Daniels.She just posted some of the pictures to her blog

Sausage and Mushroom Soup

2009-10-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was another dinner at Mike's. He took the lead with an entree of squid in red wine with lentils while Mary made dessert. The only appropriate addition in chilly, rainy weather of the sort we'd been having was to cook up a soup. And something in the mushroom barley family seemed perfect.My "mind mouth" was working overtime on Friday. My mind mouth is what I call it when I'm putting

On My Friends and Steve Poses

2009-10-15T18:23:00.001-07:00

I just returned from another Author Event at the Free Library of Philadelphia, inspired to take up the keyboard and write. This time, rather than reeling from the ire of Mark Bittman, I am completely charmed by the idealism and good cooking karma of Steve Poses. Poses is famous in Philadelphia as the founder of the Frog and the Commissary, two restaurants at the forefront of the Philly

Cake Time

2009-10-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

This past week brought two occasions for cake baking, a fundraiser planning meeting and a long weekend with friends in Rhode Island. For the first cake, I stuck with a staple, a cake I've been making for years with great success: a chocolate-covered gingerbread cake. The second cake was brand new, a flourless chocolate cake with a cinnamon-ricotta dollop. I went for a flourless cake since our

Love Cake

2009-10-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is just too cute... from Britain's Rocky and Balls...

Ciao Gourmet

2009-10-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

Sadly, Gourmet Magazine is being cut from the Conde Nast publication roster. And while the magazine had become very ad-heavy in recent years and was trying a little too hard to be cool and hip for the young foodie set, it is still my preferred food magazine. It's the one I grew up with. My father has been subscribing to Gourmet since the 70s and it was a staple in my home as a child. When I

First Person Arts (and Eats)

2009-10-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

My latest gig is with the awesome organization First Person Arts. I'm coordinating volunteers for their Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art, taking place November 3 - 8. kitchenplay was one of the first things we talked about in my job interview, in part because food is a topic prominently showcased throughout the festival. A number of events focus on food and food writing, including a

summer into fall

2009-10-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

Over these past couple months, the real world necessitated that kitchenplay take a back seat. Honestly, I didn't have much to write about anyway. Many meals were eaten in a hospital waiting room or out of a box or skipped entirely. But as the air in Philly has morphed from a muggy heat to a brisk cool, it's time to bring my attention back to food, the making and the sharing of it. After all,

P.Y.T

2009-08-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late jumping on the P.Y.T bandwagon, having missed the blogger luncheon that owner Tommy Up so smartly arranged last month. But I made my way to the new joint at the Piazza at Schmidt's before the ROOT Cocktail Competition and finally tasted the burger that has been - both literally and figuratively - on the lips of food bloggers around town.I could just let the photo below speak for

7 Simple Salads: Salads 2 - 7

2009-08-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

To recap, despite my disdain for Mark Bittman, I was intrigued by his recent NYT article, 101 Simple Salads for the Season. So I decided to spend a week trying out a new salad each day, starting with number 2, tomatoes and peaches with cilantro. My recent quality time with Bittman has been more fruitful than I expected. The nice thing about these salad recipes is how flexible they are and once

Blueberries in my coffee

2009-08-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Trust me, kitchenplayers, I haven't forgotten you. In fact, there have been Bittman salads made, homemade soft pretzels ruined and P.Y.T grub taste-tasted. I just haven't written about it all yet. Blame it on the heat. Blame it on Live Arts. But in the meantime, check out this blueberry-laced shout-out to Newbold favorite, Ultimo Coffee at Brew.From Philadelphia Weekly's 50 Must Eats...Counter

ROOT Cocktail Competition

2009-07-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

My latest post on uwishunu... and I'll be in attendance. You should be too!Root beer isn’t just for little kids and ice cream floats. ROOT is the new liqueur transforming the classic soft drink into something more adult-appropriate. Based on the (alcoholic) recipe from which root beer originated, ROOT blends smoked black tea, sundry spices and citrus peels to recreate the beverage how our

Seven Simple Salads for the Week

2009-07-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Loyal readers of kitchenplay know I dislike Mark Bittman. It’s less about his recipes, and more about his attitude, specifically the attitude displayed towards me and my question during a book talk at the Philly Free Library a few months ago. I won’t go into details, but you can read about my unpleasant encounter at Bite Me Bittman. My friends now get a kick out of

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...

2009-07-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't speak for Mary's garden, but mine is growing with the help of homemade compost and a small army of children from my block. Newbold Neighbors Association has done a great job starting a community garden this year, a couple blocks from my house. I'm just now greening my thumb, so I'm learning a lot along the way. For instance, if you decide to shop for seedlings with three small

The NoLibs Series

2009-07-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

I haven’t been as busily posting on kitchenplay lately, in part because my duties as Volunteer Coordinator with the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival are gearing up. Live Arts is a two-week long theater and dance festival in September and about 200 volunteers help make it happen. As per my job title, I get to “coordinate” them.The Live Arts main office just moved from Old City to Northern Liberties

Brew Alert

2009-07-14T07:09:00.000-07:00

Word from Brew is they could be selling beer by Thursday! Stay tuned...Update: Grub Street just got the word from Aaron as of a few hours ago. The word is "snags"... various snags seem to be preventing those lonely refrigerators from getting stocked with beer. In the meantime, we have delicious Counter Culture coffee and 4 Worlds Bakery baguettes to sweeten the wait.Apparently protesting is one

July Crush of the Month: The Kitchn

2009-07-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

The Kitchn, Apartment Therapy’s food and kitchen spin-off, is nothing new to webby food lovers. And I read it, comment on it and refer to it regularly. But just this week, it’s entered my life in multiple and wondrous ways. It’s my July Crush of the Month.So what exactly has gotten me so excited?My latest purchase at IKEA: cookie cutters shaped like mountain wildlife, including a hedgehog, moose

The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company

2009-07-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

Behind a black, unmarked basement door on 18th street is the newest spot for cocktails in Philly. The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company opened last month with an excited hush. Rumors abounded, many of them proving to be true. The place was so exclusive that a password was required for entry. (Not true) Drinks are pricey, but deservedly so. (True and true) Signage would be nonexistent. (True

Durham Farmer's Market

2009-07-06T09:45:00.001-07:00

Final part in a three-part series on eating in The Triangle of North CarolinaI am finally concluding my series on a long weekend spent eating around the North Carolina Triangle (Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh). In town for the wedding of friends, I enjoyed some traditional (and some unexpected) North Carolina cuisine. After a day that included my first coffee cupping, bbq and paletas, the

Strawberry Plum Jam: Part 2

2009-07-05T12:57:00.001-07:00

So the results of my first foray into jam making? Pretty awesome.As a recap, I hastily embarked upon my first jam venture by buying a ton of fruit, but lacked all of the other necessary equipment, like... jars, pectin, large pots, a clue as to what I was doing.Between fruit buying on Tuesday and jamming on Saturday, most things came together. I bought jars, forsook pectin, borrowed a large pot,

Circles Contemporary Asian Cuisine

2009-06-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

Plan-Eat-Thai, with it's overwhelmingly long and ridiculously cheap menu, has morphed into Circles Contemporary Asian Cuisine. The menu is shorter, printed on much nicer card stock, and the prices a dollar or two higher, all signaling a shift into a slightly more upscale restaurant league. kitchenplay favorite, Drunken Noodles, is still on the menu. An addition that caught my eye is the P.E.I

Strawberry Plum Jam: Part 1

2009-06-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

I didn’t exactly go about this the right way. I mean, most people get their ducks in a row before embarking on a project like jam. Apparently, I am not one of those people. Rather, I prefer starting with 5 pounds of fruit, crossing my fingers and hoping I get my act together before the fruit spoils.Wednesday morning I was wooed by the strawberries and plums at Reading Terminal Market. They were

Strawberry Jam!

2009-06-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

So my 2009 Food-to-Do including jamming. My trip this morning to Reading Terminal Market included the purchase of three pounds of strawberries and two pounds of plums. See where this is going?I haven't found a recipe yet but I trust that strawberries and plums will taste and look lovely together. My first stop for a possible recipe will be Food in Jars, local writer Marisa McClellan's blog about,

Brew Post on uwishunu

2009-06-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

From uwishunu.com:Picture an airy coffee shop serving individually hand-dripped coffees made from beans cultivated on small farms in Colombia. That coffee called Ariel Pajoy? Ariel Pajoy is the farmer who grew those beans. Now imagine this same place also sells between 400 and 600 microbrew beers to-go, a selection curated by the same man behind beer hotspot, the South Philly Tap Room.You can

The Barbeque Joint & Locopops

2009-06-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

Part 2 in a series on food in the Triangle of North CarolinaI roused myself from a post-coffee cupping nap to join a group of our friends for BBQ and popsicles. Few would disagree: a trip to North Carolina isn't complete without a healthy dose of BBQ, but paletas, aka Mexican popsicles? Apparently, a trip to the Triangle isn't complete without a couple of those either, thanks to a local chain,

Counter Culture Coffee Cuppings

2009-06-22T04:54:00.001-07:00

Part 1 in my series on The Triangle, NCTwo weeks ago, a pair of my close college friends wed in Durham, North Carolina. The Triangle (Durham/Raleigh/Chapel Hill) is also home to Counter Culture Coffee, where Ultimo Coffee at Brew gets their beans. When I told friends I was planning on hitting a coffee cupping at Counter Culture on Friday at 10am, I was met with a couple different reactions, all

Lucky Old Souls: Local Food and Local Music Coming to Newbold

2009-06-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

kitchenplay is proud to announce Lucky Old Souls, a bar/restaurant/music venue coming to the Newbold neighborhood of South Philadelphia. Proprietor Matthew Feldman is a local jazz promoter and host of the Lucky Old Souls radio show on Gtown Radio. He’s also a friend of mine from college so I’m particularly excited to be sharing the news about his new spot for quality local music and local

What Do Brew and DiBruno Bros. Have in Common?

2009-06-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

Before leaving for a long weekend trip to Durham, I made a stop at Brew. The trip was two-fold. I needed a caffeine fix before the 7 hour drive started and I wanted to tell Aaron that I was planning on visiting the Counter Culture Roastery for my first coffee cupping. Just as I was about to leave, in walked a man who introduced himself as the grandson of the original DiBruno Bros. Turns out

Carpaccio @ Girasole

2009-06-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post from uwishunu.com!Italians are big teases, or so says Franco Iovino, owner of Girasole in the Symphony House at Broad and Pine. And no, he wasn’t referring to matters of amore, but rather his carpaccio, delicately sliced raw beef or fish that tickle your palate before melting in your mouth. The point isn’t to gorge yourself on the blue fin tuna with salty olives and sun

Root Liqueur: Update

2009-06-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

Word is that Root by Art in the Age will be available in Pennsylvania state stores on Monday, June 15. If you want to ensure getting your hands on a bottle now, go to Hi Time Wine, where the old-school root tea is on sale for $38.99 a bottle. Yes, it's pricier than your standard bottle of Gordon's, but it is unlike anything you've ever had before...

Fancypants Grocer Coming to 1600 'yunk

2009-06-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

South Philly news from Meal Ticket...Philadelphia Weekly restaurant critic and Blogalicious blogger Adam Erace and brother Andrew announced today that they are entering the grocery game this September, when they debut Green Aisle Grocery on the 1600 block of East Passyunk Avenue.Adam and Andrew are both serious eaters, and their broad range of edible interests will be reflected in Green Aisle’s

A Cocktail Party with a Twist

2009-06-07T12:06:00.001-07:00

Sydnor and Bill are getting married in July and moving to Philadelphia soon after. When planning the engagement party, friends Lisa and Daniel wanted to do something that would both celebrate the coming marriage and relocation.The solution: a cocktail party with a twist, all gifts had to be about cocktails, thereby stocking up Bill and Sydnor's bar at their new home.Naturally, cocktails were at

Breakfasting at Parc

2009-06-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

I bike down 18th Street daily on my way to work and my favorite stretch is from Spruce to Walnut Streets. The beauty of Rittenhouse Square, the sidewalk café tables of Parc and the occasional trumpet scale wafting from the Curtis School of Music, makes me feel like I’m apart of a Demy film. All I need is a jaunty baguette in my bike basket.Yesterday, rather than simply biking past Parc, I went

It's not about food, but...

2009-06-05T05:21:00.001-07:00

I've started writing for uwishunu.com, a blog about all things fun in Philly. My first post went up yesterday and while it isn't about food (though Root is mentioned), I wanted to share it on kitchenplay.I'll be doing more writing for them in the coming weeks and the majority of it will be about food. Stay tuned...

Com(post) Part 2

2009-06-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Our compost is just about ready to be used! It's a rich, moist, dark soil with a few chunks of banana peel and cardboard popping out. Apparently when I was in Texas, my housemate John opened up the Envirocycle to find the compost covered in mold. I had warned that such a thing might happen if the compost became too wet, and that an overdose of dry cardboard should help get the necessary

Bitter Whiskey Hot Fudge

2009-06-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Whiskey is delicious. Hot fudge is delicious. So why not put them together when given the opportunity, an opportunity like, say, the birthday of one of your best friends?Sarah's birthday was last week. I'm all about handmade gifts, but May isn't the best time of year for knitting a pair of fingerless gloves. So I opted to make her a hot fudge sauce. I found a recipe suitable for refrigerator

RIP Merl's

2009-05-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

Merl's South Philly Breakfast Spot, only recently featured in both kitchenplay and City Paper, is now closed. The exact circumstances are unclear, something about a new building owner, but the final result came swiftly and decisively. Merl's is no more.Feldie and I heard rumors of a possible closing, so we went there for breakfast (and information gathering) this morning. Instead of being greeted

Un sogno di Milano

2009-05-29T08:20:00.001-07:00

A friend's current gig in Milan has brought back memories of my month-long stint there a couple years ago. I was studying Italian and observing rehearsals of a new opera at La Scala. I had a horrible time. A man tried to mug me in the supermarket, I was terribly lonely and my Italian school was a bust. That said, three things made it worthwhile: the time spent watching rehearsals, hanging out

Cantina Turns 3!

2009-05-28T11:36:00.001-07:00

Cantina los Caballitos, a kitchenplay favorite, is turning three years old today! While three is young in human time, it's basically adolescence for a restaurant. Think of it as Cantina's Quinceanera!So head over for late night happy hour specials, DJs Jem and Tim, and other games and prizes.

The Root of the Matter

2009-05-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

E at Foodaphilia and The Sugar has been something of a food blog mentor to me. She started following kitchenplay earlier this year and introduced me to the Philly food blog community. She helped me get set up on Food Buzz and has offered lots of great comments on kitchenplay posts. Plus, I try to score as many baking tips from her as I can!Not surprisingly, when she posted on Facebook that she

Crab Happy

2009-05-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Growing up with a chef for a dad meant I ate pretty well as a kid. Sure, some dinners consisted of mac and cheese from the blue box, but I think I ate more steamed artichokes and filet Mignon than the average 8 year old.One of my more resonant childhood food memories was the time dad brought home soft shell crabs. I don't remember how he prepared them, but they were delicious, with a back story

Gelato Coma

2009-05-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

I started this post on Tuesday, after returning home from my first visit to the new Capogiro on E. Passyunk. Three words into the post, I shut down, my body overwhelmed by the copious amounts of gelato consumed within the previous hour. I can't blame it entirely on the gelato... there had been a tasting of a soon-to-be-released spirit and a sandwich from Cafe Ole earlier in the evening. But it

Memorial Day Weekend Plans!

2009-05-21T13:15:00.001-07:00

What are your Memorial Day plans?Mine include finishing up my garden, cooking up some soft shell crabs, possibly making ribs, playing backgammon at Brew and heading over to South Philly Tap Room for a special keg of Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout. Oh, and stopping by the opening of Silk City's Beer Garden on Monday.AND writing about the Beer Garden for kitchenplay's first post on uwishunu!

A New Camera for kitchenplay

2009-05-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

I've never been happy with my pictures on kitchenplay. And after trying to take the one millionth photo that was either too blurry or too yellow or didn't take at all because my batteries died, I decided to treat myself to an upgrade. And she arrived yesterday! Here she is... ...a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4S. I'm actually planning on reading the manual for her too, so expect a definite improvement

A Silk City Birthday

2009-05-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ants pants is an Australian expression akin to the bee's knees, describing something as totally awesome. It's also a tiny brunch place in Philly. And it's an apt description for my birthday celebration this past weekend, which included a jaunt to Ants Pants Cafe.The centerpiece of the weekend was Saturday night at Silk City. It was my first time there since they reopened under new management well

Crush of the Month: Mission to Marzipan

2009-05-17T18:12:00.000-07:00

My relationship with marzipan is an international love affair. Our first tryst was in Budapest, having been introduced to each other by our mutual friend Lindsay. It was a weekend trip during my junior year semester abroad, a time for experimentation and breaking down boundaries. I was intrigued by this chocolate-coated bon bon, though slightly skeptical, having always been wary of it's

Impromptu Dinner Parties

2009-05-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

My friend Daniel and I hosted an impromptu dinner party before leaving Texas, the purpose of which was multi fold: we like cooking, we like cooking for others and we had a lot of food in our pantries that needed to be used before our departure. Daniel made his Gorgonzola pasta dish and baked shrimp, while I made-up an appetizer I dubbed Chickpea Mash. We collaborated on a salad of kale, beets and

Is Gelato the New Water Ice?

2009-05-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

The next store in the Capogiro gelato empire is due to open this week on the 1600 block of E. Passyunk in South Philly, competing with neighborhood favorites like John's Water Ice for the crown of Summer Treat of Choice. Now, this may be heresy to some, but it took me a while to take to Capogiro's ice cream. I've spent a fair amount of time throughout Italy and can safely say I understand gelato.

Brew/Ultimo Open for Business

2009-05-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

I'm writing you from the newest addition to the Newbold landscape, Brew/Ultimo. kitchenplay readers know that I have been eagerly anticipating this opening. To my left is a smooth and delicious cup of coffee from the microlot of Ariel Pajoy. Farmers like Ariel bring their beans to the La Golondrina coffee project in Cauca, Colombia. The coffee beans that meet a certain standard are separated from

6 Degrees of Separation and Angelo's BBQ

2009-05-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

It's a small world. I can say this because one of my colleagues at Fort Worth Opera, Andrew, is the future brother-in-law of a non-opera friend of mine in Philadelphia, a friend who lives a mere three blocks from me in Newbold with his fiancee. Yes, it is a small world indeed.Upon hearing of this new connection, our mutual friend told Andrew both about kitchenplay and Angelo's, a spot for some

kitchenplay Event Tonight!

2009-05-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

kitchenplay is hosting a night out at Angelo's BBQ in Fort Worth tonight. Angelo's is said to have some of the best BBQ in town, with a menu and decor that hasn't changed much since it's opening in 1958. And it looks like we'll have a good sized group, which means many tasting opportunities!

Fuzzy's Taco Shop and CJ Donut Palace

2009-05-06T07:48:00.000-07:00

It's a place called Fuzzy's! Naturally I had to go there. Their Shredded Garlic Beef Burrito and Tempura Fish Burrito were super tasty, but the highlight had to be the hot sauce... more vinegary than spicy and a nice complement to the garlicky mayo sauce on the the fish burrito.The ladies in the costume shop know a thing or two about eating. On multiple occasions someone brought in pastries

kitchenplay in The Metro

2009-05-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

I'm putting together a longer piece on the subject, but I want to share this article on urban composting from last week's Metro. The author found out about kitchenplay's recent composting efforts and wanted a quote. It's a nice summary of urban composting methods by people in both Philly and NYC. Take a look...

Pancakes and Texas-Shaped Waffles

2009-05-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple weeks down here in Ft. Worth, but I have made some time for eating out, like at the Ol' South Pancake House. There's a lot to like about Ol' South: the 24 hour service, the old men in trucker hats congregating over coffee and the sassy waitresses.Sadly, the pancakes aren't one of those things, at least not the Spiced Apple German Pancake (pictured at right). What looked

Central Market Finds

2009-04-09T15:05:00.001-07:00

Central Market is a Texas grocery chain, specializing in high quality products, diverse selection and awesome customer service. It's a bit like Whole Foods (another Texas native), but I actually prefer Central Market. Maybe it's the bulk spice bar, perfect for a nomadic chef such as myself. Or maybe it's the homemade tortillas, still warm in their bags... or the gelato bar... or the dip bar (with

Texas Musings

2009-04-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

Life is starting to get busy busy down here in Texas. Rehearsals for La Cenerentola with Fort Worth Opera have been going well and Dead Man Walking rehearsals start on Friday, meaning this little ol' assistant director will soon be pulling double duty. That said, I still have some lofty eating goals.Texas Monthly is a treasure trove of good food information. I learned of the publication when

Merl's South Philly Breakfast Spot

2009-03-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Before heading to the airport this morning, I took my dad to Merl's for breakfast. Merl's is a breakfast joint just around the corner from me and it's become one of my favorite spots. Convenient location aside, Merl's has some of the best home fries and pancakes in town. The home fries (known as Merl's signature home fries) are crispy and salty, cooked with onions and green peppers. The server

Texas Caviar

2009-03-27T11:54:00.001-07:00

I send out an email every week or two to members of the kitchenplay group on Facebook. This week's email brought me back to a recipe I made last year before leaving for Texas, when I threw my "Texas, Hold Me!" theme party. It's called Texas Caviar and it hails from the Cowgirl Hall of Fame Restaurant in New York. It's more like a chunky salsa, with black eyed-peas, pimentos, tabasco and jalepenos

Newbold News

2009-03-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

When it rains, it pours... Newbold news always seems to come in pairs. This week, Ultimo coffee (the coffee half of BREW) unveils its logo and the Broad Street Diner is officially out of Stephen Starr's hands.

Scrapplicious

2009-03-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

So yes, we made it to ScrappleFest. And yes, I consumed more scrapple in one afternoon than I have in my entire life. It was actually really fun. A never ending ring of scrapple fans circled around the sample stations of multiple scrapple makers, including Dietz and Watson, Leidy's and the folks behind Vrapple.Mike and I liked Leidy's the best... it had a strong sage flavor, which was nice, and

Texas Redux

2009-03-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

I leave for another gig with Ft. Worth Opera this coming weekend. That means six weeks of hotel living and cowboys while working as an assistant director for FWO. Surprisingly, for all my northeast jadedness, I really liked Texas when I worked there last year. Not surprisingly, I'm really psyched for the food... bbq, awesome onion rings, paletas, these crazy good doughnuts I got on my birthday,

This Post is About Scrapple; Read at Your Own Risk

2009-03-19T09:00:00.001-07:00

I am a proud Philadelphian, especially when it comes to food. I embrace the plasticine sheen of the butterscotch krimpet, the heart attack-inducing cheesesteak, and the salty goodness of the soft pretzel. One food that I never quite understood, however, was scrapple.I mean, I understand it. It's an early incarnation of the Head to Tail eating philosophy: don't waste any part of the animal,

First Philly Food Blogger Potluck

2009-03-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

One of the awesome things about the Philly food blogging scene is that... well... there IS a scene. For instance, the writers behind the blogs come together for potlucks every few months. Well, kitchenplay's first potluck is this Friday and I'm blanking on what to make. Obviously, I feel a bit of pressure to prepare something great. I'm also thinking that I should stick to something I know will

Celebrating Green

2009-03-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe it's not what they mean when talking about green on St. Patty's Day, but I'm starting a garden.I've never thought of myself as "domestic" despite my love for cooking and knitting. I always figured that my disinterest in pearl necklace-clad vacuuming and my general messiness negated the influence of such Martha-esque hobbies.But then I bought a house. And I became a nester.My room is

Visual Proof

2009-03-16T16:48:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago, my drunken noodle arrived from Plan-Eat-Thai and was very photogenic. Since I didn't post pics in my first review of the Newbold Thai restaurant, I figured late is better than never.Since that first post, at least one person in our home orders from there on a weekly basis. I've found the drunken noodle to be spotty... mostly amazing, sometimes just passable. I've also become a

Crush of the Month: The Anti-Food Porn

2009-03-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

The Bacon ExplosionTM found its way from random idea to web phenomenon to New York Times article to book deal. It also made me curious as to what other food blogging phenomenons are taking place out there in the Internets.This is Why You're Fat: why eat a regular old hamburger when you can stuff it with a McChicken sandwich, pour Cheese Whiz on it, and fry it in lard? Similary disgusting (yet

The Stuffalo, kitchenplay style

2009-03-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

by daniel k, kitchenplay guestblogger, and kpA couple of months ago, our friend Samara shared a table in a crowded Fairmount-area coffee shop with a stranger. Casual conversation ensued and an idea was shared... a culinary creation oozing with the influence of our Dominos-inspired food culture: the Stuffalo, a pizza with a crust stuffed with Buffalo chicken. It was inspired.Or so the story goes…

I know it's the start of beer week, but...

2009-03-06T13:23:00.001-08:00

Martinis are yummy too! And apparently, recession friendly!

More Beer in Newbold...

2009-03-05T11:13:00.001-08:00

City Paper is all about beer this week, not surprisingly. Their Top 5 section looks at the top 5 underappreciated beer bars in town. Newbold's The Station makes the list...4 Station Bar & Grill1550 McKean St., 215-467-1871This upstart restaubar has a tap list curated by Bella Vista Beer's Chris Fetfatzes. It starts with local session staples like PBC Kenzinger and Victory Prima Pils, and

kitchenplay on Facebook!

2009-03-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

Just a friendly reminder... join the kitchenplay group on Facebook!So far I've been sending out emails on Fridays with recipes and any other food-related info that may be interesting. We've seen Mark Bittman talk at the Free Library and fundraised for Newbold while eating awesome Indonesian food. Members have shared recipes, questions and R. Kelly videos. Plus, I have some other ideas

Don't Read This if You Dislike Cheese

2009-03-04T10:09:00.001-08:00

or tomato sauce.... or Italian sausage...Because the following recipe relies on generous amounts of them all.I've had a friend's Baked Ziti recipe on my fridge for months now, bringing back the memory of this amazing dish on a daily basis. I finally made it for an impromptu dinner party on Tuesday. I've never cared for baked ziti in the past. It's usually too dry and crusty... my baked pasta

Philly Beer Week in Newbold

2009-03-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

If you've been living under a rock for the past couple months, then maybe this piece of information is news to you: Philly Beer Week starts this Friday.Not surprisingly, the South Philly Tap Room is part of the festivities. Every time I check the PBW website for events at SPTR, something new has made the list. So as of today, here is what's coming up...Events are free unless otherwise noted. All

Call for Recipes: Newbold Neighbors Cookbook

2009-03-02T08:55:00.000-08:00

Calling all Newbold residents!From the NNA weekly newsletter:The Fundraising Committee is beginning to compile recipes for a neighborhood cookbook to sell this summer. Please submit your family favorites and ask your neighbors for a recipe they love. Email recipes and relevant photos (optional) to saraselepouchin@gmail.com. The idea is that the cookbook will reflect the many different flavors of

Hannah's Pancakes and Tomatillo Eggs

2009-02-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

My friend Jacob was in town for the weekend and crashed at my place on Saturday. We made an awesome dinner that night (roasted turnips, parsnips and carrots with spicy roast chicken) and then brunched the next day. I made pancakes with cinnamon apples and Jacob put together an onion and roasted tomatillo omelette. The tart tomatillos went really well with the sweet onions. The only thing I would

Weekend in Review

2009-02-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Friday: Delicious dinner at Pumpkin... braised pork belly, lamb and olive oil cake with sheep's milk ice cream.Saturday: Asian pear brioche from Fork etc. for breakfast and homemade roasted root vegetables and spicy roasted chicken for dinner (with Ghiradelli brownies for dessert).Sunday: Homemade pancakes with sauteed apples and eggs with caramelized onions and roasted tomatillos for brunch.

The Compost Revolution

2009-02-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

Today's NYT includes an article on urban composting, highlighting worm composting in particular. I considered worm composting, but was slightly overwhelmed by the idea of inviting 1,000 pets into my home. But a lot of people love the method, for both its ease and efficiency. The article brings up some good stats:13% of the nation's trash is from food wasteRecycling one ton of mixed paper is 4x

NNA Fundraiser at Hardena

2009-02-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I didn't think to publicize this on kitchenplay, but if it's good enough for Meal Ticket, it is certainly good enough for us!The Newbold Neighbors Association (NNA) is hosting a fundraiser this Thursday, February 19th at Hardena (1754 Hicks St, the NW corner of Hicks and Moore). $10 gets you a mountain of great Indonesian food, with 40% of your contribution going back to the NNA.

Cupcakes and Obama

2009-02-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

Two of my favorite things.

Persian Love Cake... the Results

2009-02-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

My new nickname is Love Cake, primarily a result of the success of the Persian Love (cup)Cakes I made this weekend.I will definitely make this again; I've never had a cake quite like it. Especially warm out of the oven, they were so light and airy. The orange blossom substitution went well. The only thing I would change is the distribution of the cardamom seeds. I'll grind them a bit with a

My Valentine's Day Wish

2009-02-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

The final part in the Valentine's Series***My Valentine's Day wish for all of you...Updated 2/14Now with audioHappy Valentine's Day from kitchenplay (and R. Kelly)

Oyster? I hardly know her!

2009-02-12T11:30:00.001-08:00

Part 4 of 5 in the Valentine's Day Extravaganza***Last Sunday, I visited Coquette for Happy Hour with friends. My friend Mike and I shared a plate of (delicious) oysters, which naturally brought up the topic of aphrodisiacs. Is it the act of sucking that makes oysters sexy? What qualifies as an aphrodisiac? How exactly are they supposed to work?The word comes from Greek, its root found in

Travel Channel Featuring SPTR

2009-02-12T09:49:00.000-08:00

From Drew Lazor at Meal Ticket..."Samantha Brown, who hosts the Travel Channel show Passport to Great Weekends, is going on a pub crawl with the guys from Philly’s Beer of the Bike pedaling/drankin’ club next Thursday. South Philly Taproom GM Meredith Twist tells us that they’ll be filming some scenes next Thursday, Feb. 19, from around 2:30 to 5 in the afternoon. If you want in on the TV action,

Persian Love Cake

2009-02-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

Part 3 in the Valentine's Series *** This Saturday I am attempting another grand cake making adventure. Though partly because of last year's debacle and partly because of my recent cupcake obsession, I plan on making them in cupcake form. It's a Persian Love Cake. It combines saffron and cardamom and looks beautiful. (Photo by Mark Thomas for Bon Appetit) The only thing is, it also includes

Mushroom Gruyere Crostini

2009-02-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

My dad is a chef and a very good one at that. Back in the day, he worked for the restaurant atop the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel and the Philadelphia Inquirer featured him and his recipes on a couple occasions. Maybe one of these days I'll explore my Elektra-influenced interest in cooking and the need for my father's approval. Today isn't that day. Instead, I'll share an appetizer I made when

Crush of the Month: Valentine's Edition

2009-02-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

Part 2 in the Valentine's Week SeriesA sense of humor. That's what many women identify as one of the most essential qualities in a potential mate. I happen to fall into that category as well. That said, Sarah Haskins... would you be my Valentine?!?Sarah Haskins is a comedian who hosts "Target:Women" on the Current network. On a weekly basis she calls out the absurd, insulting and often wildly

Food Sex

2009-02-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is coming up. Something that anyone in a relationship, trying to get out of a relationship or dying to be in a relationship, knows. It isn't one of my favorite holidays, but it certainly brings up some fun food conversation, so I'm thinking about devoting a post a day this week to the wonders of love, sex and food.***Food porn is a staple of the current food industry. It's hard to

The Envirocycle is Here!

2009-02-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

The bin came yesterday...No assembly required. So cute and it fits perfectly in the alley on the side of my house!Here is the opening with the safety latch.I filled it with all the stuff we've been collecting in our freezer. Plus I tore up some of the cardboard from the box it came in, moistened it, and added that too.To be continued...

Kale and Chickpeas

2009-02-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

My house smells amazing right now. I'm cooking up lemongrass in sugar and water to make a lemongrass syrup. I'm not what I'll do with it exactly, maybe include it in brown rice pudding?This has nothing to do with kale and/or chickpeas. I just wanted to tell you about it.A couple nights ago I put together a meal that I knew would be super healthy. It was a bunch of stuff that I'm not really

Bite Me, Bittman

2009-02-04T18:31:00.001-08:00

So tonight was Mark Bittman's talk at the Philly Free Library. Bittman is known primarily for his work as The Minimalist in the New York Times and for his mammoth cookbook, How to Cook Everything. I had heard good things about his new book, Food Matters, and how it was a practical application of Michael Pollan's writing on food. In fact, buying his new book was one of the things on my 2009

Mark Bittman at the Philly Free Library

2009-02-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

FYI... Mark Bittman (The Minimalist) will be talking at the Central branch of the Free Library tonight, 7:30pm. Auditorium seats are sold-out but simulcast seats ($6) are still available.

Com(post)

2009-02-04T07:21:00.000-08:00

My 2009 Food-to-do list included composting, something I always knew would be good to start practicing but I never really understood the how or the why, particularly in the city. It always seemed basic and yet super overwhelming at the same time. But my December trip to Hawaii (food adventures to follow, Chris, I promise!) inspired me to get over my malaise and make it happen. Particularly on the