Stay Here: Sofitel, NY

This week I stayed for the night at the Sofitel Hotel in NY.  Located on 44th between 5th and 6th, it was not only convenient, but at $409/night, it was not expensive by NY standards for a really large room.  I'd recommend it wholeheartedly.  Check it out.

Lobby restaurant.

Large, comfortable room.

Love lighting and I want this lamp.

Gaby Bar makes great martinis.

Stay Here: NoMad Hotel, NYC

I just got off a whirlwind tour online of the NoMad Hotel in NYC.  I am heading to NY on Monday for a business meeting and plan to check this out.  Very cool space, Very cool rooms.  Very cool prices too!  The description at the website for the location is:

The hotel is located in the heart of the historic NoMad neighborhood (North of Madison Square Park). Bordered by the Flatiron District and Gramercy Park to the South, Chelsea to the West, and Midtown/Times Square to the North, The NoMad Hotel is centrally located to the best the City has to offer. Ideally situated between the East and West sides of the City, the hotel is convenient to most areas, including SoHo, Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking District.

WEBSITE

 

Th best part of the website, aside from the cool design, is the spectacular photography.  All photos following from the website and Courtesy of The NoMad Hotel NYC.  Enjoy.  I will.

The Front Desk

Spectacular Cuisine

Room Detail

Get Used To This

How Suite

Dining

The Library

Rooftop

Views

The Neighborhood

The Bar

New Inspiration: Restoration Hardware

The new Restoration Hardware catalogs arrived today.   I love getting these every season.  I think the RH design aesthetic is wonderful and completely my taste.  I have a RH Grand Scale Roll Arm Sofa in beige linen. Its a great piece.  I snagged these photos today for a little shared inspiration.  All photos from Restoration Hardware.

Eat Fresh: Peach and Raspberry Cobbler

This is my favorite time of year: peaches are abundant. So many types, sizes, colors.  But nothing beats a Georgia peach for sweetness an texture.  I like a little bit of a twist on classic peach cobbler - it's just sometimes called for!  Kick it up a bit, make it a little better, whatever works, just do it (with all due respect to Nike.)  This recipe I adapted from Paula Deen the Butter Queen. I reduced the amount of butter and sugar and added a little kick with Chipotle powder and cinnamon in the peaches as they cook and added cinnamon and ground ginger to the batter.  I also opted to put in a pint of fresh, beautiful raspberries.  Tart. Textural. Delicious.  The aroma as it cooks is unbelievable.

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches (I dice them into 3/4" dice)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries (or blueberries, or blackberries... see where I am going?)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup water
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the peaches, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and water in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and the Chipotle. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. I use a covered casserole because it makes it easier to store when finished.

Mix remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon and milk, whisking slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.  This is the result:

You can also opt to do the batter on top (as I did in a previous post).  Just do what makes you happy.  this crust is very "cakelike".  I like to turn all the fruit mixture and then serve. To serve, scoop into a bowl and serve with your choice of toppings, or go completely naked and enjoy it as is.

You can also add a pint of any type of fresh berries when you spoon the peaches into the batter and it really turns out equally well each time.  ENJOY!

Holiday Food: Applewood Smoked Ribs

Smoking ribs and corn on Labor Day 2012

It's becoming a tradition for me to cook something special on the holidays:  New Year's is always a standing rib roast.  Christmas is a turkey... you know. The usual.  Warm weather holidays have increasingly found me smoking ribs, or brisket. today no exception.  RIBS.

Perfect.  Smoke ring, tender, delicious without a sauce.

I started with St. Louis style pork ribs.  I use a simple rub and smoke for 5-6 hours.  Recipe below!

Standing at attention: two racks, split and smoked upright.

APPLEWOOD SMOKED PORK RIBS

2 racks St. Louis style pork ribs split in half

RUB:

3 TBS  each: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika (I use Hot Hungarian smoked paprika), black pepper and sea salt. 
2 TSP ground chipotle pepper (watch this:  smoky and delicious but too much just over whelms the palate)

PROCESS:

Split the racks in half.  Pat dry and rub all over with the rub.  I like to let them rest a while (an hour or so is fine) at room temperature.  I use an upright rib rack placed mid-way up in the smoker.  Fire up the smoker - mine is a propane based upright smoker. I use plain water in the water pan, but beer is good too.  I use applewood chips and keep the temp down to no more than 225 degrees.  These ribs went for 5 hours today while I finished the trim in my powder room and did a fwe other chores.  Open only the bottom to replenish the chips in the first two hours.  Over smoking makes a bitter taste. Likewise if you make the chips burn you get a sooty, burned, acrid flavor. Not nice.

These are by no means strict rules.  I just wing it as much as anyone else does and these came our great.  They are going to be paired with some smoked corn on the cob and a sourcream-dill potato salad.  Yep. Not for the faint of heart, but delicious once in awhile.  Enjoy!

Shoe Love: Crockett & Jones

I admit it: I am a shoe addict.  Pure and simple.  And nice shoes aren't cheap. A decent pair of men's dress shoes will set you back anywhere from $400-$1500.  And we aren't even talking bespoke (the likes of John Lobb, et al.)

My closet is full of nice shoes. Some I have had for over 15 years.  That air of crocodile loafers you said I was an idiot for spending $750 on?  Yep. 15 years. Amortize that.

My latest discovery is Crockett & Jones.  I got a pair of "Drummond"; a brogue oxford shoe with wingtip design and light punching detail. Made from the finest calf leather and suede with single leather soles for the Crockett & Jones Men's Main Collection

These are English shoes. Fabulous construction. Not s costly as some, but not cheap by any means.  Check out this video from the C&J website - it's really amazing.  Afterward, try to hold off from immediately running out and buying a pair. They are hard to find unless you are in NY - Barney's or the C&J store (the only retail location int he US).