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On Tuesday I was invited to a media party at the Maritime Hotel to celebrate the launch of The Japanese Grill, a new cookbook by Matsuri Executive Chef Tadashi Ono and writer Harris Salat in New York City. Chef Ono churned out dish after dish on the grill to showcase the book’s bests, like flavorful shrimp skewers, which, despite still being full from a late lunch, I got seconds thirds of. Also on rotation were steaks, pork chops, mushrooms, string beans and the most brilliantly red cherry tomatoes I’ve seen recently. To wash it all down, I had my first frozen margarita of the season. Life was good. I got to take a copy of the book home, but at the last second insisted that Nicole, my friend and date for the evening, keep it. As much as I wanted to hold on to the gorgeous food photography, I knew she’d be more likely than me to use the book to make food whereas I have more than enough beautiful cookbook-turned-coffee-table-books at home. Still, it’s during times like these that I wish I had a grill and enjoyed using it. Thankfully, whenever I start feeling remotely sorry for myself I snap out of it quickly. After all, there’s always the chance that the new apartment Nicole moves into this summer will have outdoor space with a grill where the delicious shrimp skewers can be recreated. (Oh, a hammock would be nice too!) Well, time will tell. In the meantime, I’ll check to see if Matsuri have them on the menu… Buy The Japanese Grill: From Classic Yakitori to Steak, Seafood, and Vegetables on Amazon. Photo of the North Cabana in the Maritime Hotel where the party took place. 17th Street at Ninth Avenue, NYC.

On Tuesday I was invited to a media party at the Maritime Hotel to celebrate the launch of The Japanese Grill, a new cookbook by Matsuri Executive Chef Tadashi Ono and writer Harris Salat in New York City.

Chef Ono churned out dish after dish on the grill to showcase the book’s bests, like flavorful shrimp skewers, which, despite still being full from a late lunch, I got seconds thirds of. Also on rotation were steaks, pork chops, mushrooms, string beans and the most brilliantly red cherry tomatoes I’ve seen recently. To wash it all down, I had my first frozen margarita of the season. Life was good.

I got to take a copy of the book home, but at the last second insisted that Nicole, my friend and date for the evening, keep it. As much as I wanted to hold on to the gorgeous food photography, I knew she’d be more likely than me to use the book to make food whereas I have more than enough beautiful cookbook-turned-coffee-table-books at home. Still, it’s during times like these that I wish I had a grill and enjoyed using it.

Thankfully, whenever I start feeling remotely sorry for myself I snap out of it quickly. After all, there’s always the chance that the new apartment Nicole moves into this summer will have outdoor space with a grill where the delicious shrimp skewers can be recreated. (Oh, a hammock would be nice too!)

Well, time will tell. In the meantime, I’ll check to see if Matsuri have them on the menu…

Buy The Japanese Grill: From Classic Yakitori to Steak, Seafood, and Vegetables on Amazon.

Photo of the North Cabana in the Maritime Hotel where the party took place. 17th Street at Ninth Avenue, NYC.

Toes & Tapas Feeling a bit antsy about editing videos & prepping for launch on Hungry Nation this week. To get a grip, I started looking up show times for Toy Story 3, which I desperately want to see. Then I began browsing The Book of Tapas, which is the only coffee table-cookbook I’ve managed to unpack since moving apartments in May. On the bright side, my pink paint job seems to be holding up and I have a white shaggy rug under my feet! OK, enough screwing around. It’s back to work for me.

Toes & Tapas

Feeling a bit antsy about editing videos & prepping for launch on Hungry Nation this week. To get a grip, I started looking up show times for Toy Story 3, which I desperately want to see. Then I began browsing The Book of Tapas, which is the only coffee table-cookbook I’ve managed to unpack since moving apartments in May. On the bright side, my pink paint job seems to be holding up and I have a white shaggy rug under my feet!

OK, enough screwing around. It’s back to work for me.

I tested two brownie recipes over three evenings this week. The first two attempts were based on a recipe from Great Cookies. They didn’t go too well because I used semisweet instead of unsweetened chocolate the first night, then ran out of granulated sugar on the second. (Apparently, brown sugar doesn’t quite work the same.) After the two failed attempts at improvisation, I made a point to have the right amount of correct ingredients for the Baked Brownie. Amazing what happens when you follow directions.

I tested two brownie recipes over three evenings this week. The first two attempts were based on a recipe from Great Cookies. They didn’t go too well because I used semisweet instead of unsweetened chocolate the first night, then ran out of granulated sugar on the second. (Apparently, brown sugar doesn’t quite work the same.)

After the two failed attempts at improvisation, I made a point to have the right amount of correct ingredients for the Baked Brownie. Amazing what happens when you follow directions.