A Spoonful of Sofrito: All-Avocado Restaurant Invades Manhattan!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

All-Avocado Restaurant Invades Manhattan!

Sofrito Lovers,

Just the other day I was thinking that I need to add more avocados into my life, then, BAM!  I received this article from Eater.com about a new all avocado restaurant opening in Manhattan.

I'm not going to waste any time belaboring the obvious health benefits of avocados, but what I will say is that this super food is often ignored and under valued.  As ridiculous as it may sound, avocados do get out shined by fancier and cooler veggies and fruits like Kale, Cauliflower, and Dragon fruit. Maybe the international movement to open all avocado restaurants will put this green little miracle back in the limelight it deserves.

I'm going to check out Avocado Appetit one of these days!  Look out for that blog!  Read the post below and then go taste for yourself.  ¡Buen provecho!

All-Avocado Restaurant Invades Manhattan
Everything on Avocado Appetit’s menu contains the trendy fruit by Megan McGibney Feb 9, 2018, 3:28pm EST 

 

Following the smash success of Brooklyn avocado restaurant Avocaderia, an all-avocado restaurant has opened in Manhattan. Avocado Appetit is now open in Chinatown at 114 Eldridge St., between Broome and Grand streets, from lifelong neighborhood residents James Mai and Vincent Lin.

Inspired by other avocado cafes The Avocado Show in Amsterdam, Good Fat in Sydney (now closed), and Guac & Go in Singapore, Lin and Mai wanted to bring a healthy restaurant to the neighborhood, which they felt was missing. Thus, avocado became their focus, for a counter-service menu with dishes that all incorporate the fruit, such as four types of toast, sandwiches, and even avocado fries. Smoothies also include avocado, notably the coffee avocado smoothie that combines a Toby’s Estate espresso shot, iced avocado, condensed milk, and chocolate syrup. The full menu — still in progress, with tacos and salads on the way — is below, with beer and wine also to come.

As for the space, cushioned benches seat about 20 in a colorful, tropically decorated room filled with green imagery, photos of avocados, and lots of plants.

When Brooklyn’s Avocaderia opened, it debuted to bonkers lines, selling out of avocados a mere three hours after opening its doors. The craze prompted owners to start scouting locations in Manhattan, but Avocado Appetit has beat them to the punch. Avocado Appetit is now open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more amazing foodie related content go to Eater.com

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Bo Ky, one of Chinatown's interesting restaurants!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

Bo Ky, one of Chinatown's interesting restaurants!

 Sofrito Lovers,

Are you in the mood for a culinary adventure this weekend?  I know I am and if you are too then check out Bo Ky in Chinatown!

I've never visited, but I've read a lot about it and when Eater.com posted this article (see below) about this popular Chinatown eatery, I knew I had to get my ass down town.

Bo Ky serves Teochew cuisine, which is a fusion of eastern Chinese cuisine with South Asian culinary influences.  This ancient fare brings together amazing Asian flavor profiles to produce some of the most unique Chinese dishes you'll ever taste.

Check out the article below and do what I am going to do this weekend: Go taste for myself!  ¡Buen provecho!

What to Order at Bo Ky, One of Chinatown’s Most Interesting Restaurants It serves Teochew cuisine, a reflection of Cantonese, Fujianese, and Vietnamese fare.

by Robert Sietsema Jan 17, 2018, 2:39pm EST
Photos by Robert Sietsema

 

 The braised Teochew duck at Bo Ky with dipping sauce

 
Late in the last century, Chinatown abounded with Teochew restaurants. Also spelled Chaozhou and Chiuchow, this cuisine represented the cooking of the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong. For centuries, members of this group have traded with Southeast Asia and immigrated there too, and their unique cuisine reflects this diaspora. Signs on Teochew restaurants are often in both Chinese and Vietnamese, and Southeast Asian dishes populate the menus, next to recognizably Cantonese and Fujianese stuff.

 

Check out the rest of the article here!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Jamaican Cold Remedy!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

Jamaican Cold Remedy!

 

Sofrito Lovers,

As I write this, thousands of home remedies are being brewed, steeped, and poured into mugs to bring some comfort this winter's cold and flu victims.  On one of my Youtube searches, I came across this Jamaican cold remedy that looked delicious and sounds righteous!

Before I begin, I'm feeling great...for now, but I know any minute now one of those little booger bags at my school will be infecting me.  I believe in being prepared, so I've started stocking up on certain medicines and learning how to brew some homemade miracle cures.  I think the video posted below from OkayAfrica is brilliant.  Tumeric, lemon, honey, and ginger are all powerful curatives and the idea of combining them is a stroke of genius.

Check out the video below and brace yourself...we've got another month and a half of winter left.  Stay warm, safe, and healthy!  If you're sick, then go taste this for yourself! ¡Buen provecho!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Whole Foods Unleashes Its Cheaper Concept

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

Whole Foods Unleashes Its Cheaper Concept in Fort Greene Today.

 

Sofrito Lovers,

Do you know why they call it Whole Foods?  Because you'll spend your Whole Check buying your groceries.  It's a corny old joke, but not too far from true until now.  It turns out the mega-millionaires who own the illustrious chain have opened a new cheaper locale in Brooklyn called Whole Foods 365.  According to the article below, these offshoot stores are more affordable and are making their east coast debut in the BK!

Check out the article below from Eater.com for more deets.   You health nuts will be happy to hear about the vegan cafe and juice spot on their cafe level.

Honestly, I don't think I'll going to Fort Greene to check it out any time soon, but if you do, then drop me a line and let me know what you think.

Go see and taste for your self.  ¡Buen provecho!

Whole Foods Unleashes Its Cheaper Concept in Fort Greene Today

There’s a cafe level with a vegan burger chain and outposts of Orwasher’s and Juice Press by Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya and Stefanie Tuder Jan 31, 2018, 10:16am EST 

 

Whole Foods Market 365, an offshoot of Whole Foods that offers lower prices, makes its East Coast debut today with the grand opening of its new location in Fort Greene. The 30,000-square-foot space is located at 292 Ashland Pl. at Lafayette Avenue, and not only has cheaper prices but also has a cafe level with four restaurant concepts, including a popular West Coast vegan burger chain and a homegrown bakery.

On the cafe level, vegan fast food chain Next Level Burger — think of it kind of like By Chloe, but less extra — uses Beyond Burger, the “bleeding” plant-based product that’s supposed to mimic beef with beet juice acting as the blood. All the other burger chain standbys, like fries and shakes, come in organic vegan form.

There’s also a new outpost of New York essential bakery Orwasher’s, selling breads, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and coffees. Downstairs, Roberta’s and Hot Bread Kitchen also sell their bready wares. Juice Press gets a location here, too, along with a self-serve beer, cider, and wine bar with a lot of local beverages.

Whole Foods 365 first opened in Los Angeles in 2016 and has expanded to Ohio, Oregon, and Texas since then. The market was created to appeal to millennials, since a common criticism was that it was inaccessibly expensive.

Whole Foods 365 is now open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the cafe level starting to serve breakfast at 7 a.m., and will on opening day donate five percent of net sales to the Fort Greene Park Conservancy.
 

Eater NY

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Sticky Garlic Pork Chops - Food Wishes!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot flavor to your life.

Sticky Garlic Pork Chops - Food Wishes!

Sofrito Lovers,

If Chuletas (pork chops) had a fan club I would join and run for president.  I love me some chops and nothing pleases me more than to find a new way to prepare these beauties!  

On one of my usual searches through the culinary school called YouTube, I discovered this incredible recipe, on FoodWishes, for Sticky Garlic Pork Chops.  I watched this 8 minute revelation and was instantly hooked.  I'm definitely going to try to cook this recipe; it looks so delicious! I'll let you know how it turns out.  If you try it as well, then share and let me know it turned out!

Watch, cook, and taste for yourself! ¡Buen Provecho!

 

A Spoonful of Sofrito: NYC Winter Wine Festival!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

NYC Winter Wine Festival!

Sofrito Lovers,

I made a promise to a friend that I would promote one of her favorite food and wine festival on my blog, so here it is: NYC Winter Wine Festival!

I'm not the biggest wine connoisseur, but I must admit that from time to time a nice dry White Wine or fruity red wine can be quite satisfying.  According to Jennie, this festival is an amazing opportunity for wine lovers and wine novices (like me) to sample a variety of wines from all over the world.  

She also mentioned that the plentiful and almost never ending hor d'oeuvres are INCREDIBLE!  Okay, now I'm sold!  Hope to see you there!  Mark your calendars: Saturday, March 10th, 2018 NYC Winter Wine Festival!

Don't take my word for it or Jennie's, go taste for yourself!  ¡Buen provecho!

NYC Winter Wine Festival

 

Named by Thrillist as one of the “17 Things You Have to Do in Winter in New York City.”

New York Wine Events is pleased to invite you to the NYC Winter Wine Festival, our largest tasting of the year with hundreds of wines. Join us at The PlayStation Theater in Times Square on Saturday, March 10, 2018 as we savor wines from all over the world, delicious food and amazing music.

See photos and videos from past events.
 

ABOUT THE 2018 NYC WINTER WINE FESTIVAL:

Discover what satisfied attendees already know: New York Wine Events produces world class wine festivals!

New York Wine Events is transforming Times Square’s PlayStation Theater into an indoor vineyard. Attendees will taste world class wine, delicious light hors d’oeuvres and artisanal snacks.

Participating wine importers and wineries source their selections from the world’s finest grape growing regions in France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, California, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Portugal, Japan, Austria and Germany.

 

Check out more information on the Festival here!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Tipping is Racist!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

Tipping is Racist!

 

Sofrito Lovers,

After watching this video, I have a newfound respect for our servers and the hard work they do to receive bullshit money.  I've heard that the history of tipping was based on racism, but never the full history until now!

Watch, learn, and dig deep next time you visit your favorite eateries.  Go taste for yourself! ¡Buen provecho!