It's No Secret...

...that I dislike networking. I finally figured out why, thanks to one of my favorite blogs by Jasmine Star. I was crazy about looking through photographers' blogs when I was doing wedding research, and her blog had such beautiful beautiful beautiful photography and was written with such passion.

Anyways, Jasmine's latest post was on her workshop, where she tackled the subject of ANTInetworking. Her slide spoke to me. Lots of people in the business world focus on networking, but I don't believe they truly make a real connection because there are plenty of people in this world who think "what's in it for me?" And then there are people who are just plain fake. I've always believed in being genuine and helping people, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who's ANTInetworking.

Ask Martha on Clams

Below is a series of questions I just received from a devoted reader, Clamor Girl, also known as my sister.

Hi Martha,

I purchased 3 doz little neck clams for $10 last night at Fairway. My questions are:

1. How long can they stay in the fridge for before cooking
2. Can two people eat three dozens in a sitting?
3. Would Martha be interested in clam dinner this week?

Sincerely,

Clamor Girl

Dear Clamor Girl,

Wow, that sounds like a good deal! I would eat them that same night or the night after at the latest - the fresher, the better! I would not store them for longer than 3-4 days. Cover them loosely under a damp towel in the fridge and indirectly on ice if possible. I am interested in your offer, but I am not sure that they will survive beyond 5 days.

If you don't eat them that same night or night after, check to see if they're still alive before cooking by tapping on the shells that are opened (they're alive if they close upon tapping) or immersing them in water (they're alive if you see bubbles when they breathe).

Sure, two can eat three dozens in one sitting if you're really hungry. It really depends on the preparation - you can make clams casino with a dozen for appetizers, and the rest (or even the entire three dozen) in linguine with clams. If you just want to steam them, you can pretty much use my husband's recipe for steamers (and skip the bay leaf), and make some garlic bread.

I hope I have answered your questions. Enjoy your clam-licious meal!

Sincerely,

Martha Fung

A Step Closer to Martha

My husband and I have said goodbye to Boston and potentially hi closer to Martha Stewart's territory - CT. We have also explored Bedford NY (land of one of MS' homes), but it really wasn't my husband's cup of tea. In CT, we attempted to go to SoNo Baking in Norwalk (John Barricelli of MS' Everyday Baking) and Margot's Cafe (Margot Olshan of MS' Everyday Food), but it didn't happen. We will try again, I'm sure.

Instead, I did some research and heard a lot of the pizza from Colony Grill in Stamford. From what I can tell, it is an institution in the area due to the popularity of its thin crust pizzas. The restaurant is so popular and confident in its pizzas that it neglects everything else (using paper plates, keeping its dated decor, etc.). Many patrons rave about its hot oil topping, so we tried that, plus half anchovies (at the recommendation of an acquaintance) and half sausage. The appearance of the cheese on our pizza was very reminiscent of the horrible school lunch pizza, but I didn't let that sway me.


I have to say that it wasn't bad at all. The crust was thin like flatbread and perfect. The hot oil topping added a tiny bit of spice and flavor to the pie.


I didn't have high hopes on Stamford's food scene (and still don't), but I have become less of a cynic since my experience at Colony Grill.

So Jealous!

I love to cook, but I'm not dying to see Julie & Julia. Surprised? I do have some interest though, in seeing how Meryl Streep pulls off the great Julia Child...she is just such an incredible actress. From what I can tell from the commercials, she does a pretty good portrayal of her!

Image from Wikipedia

There has been a lot of press for Julie & Julia, and I was so jealous to learn that they have been holding publicity functions for the movie at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, about an hour from NYC. Known for their use of fresh produce from their farm and other local producers, Blue Hill has been on my radar for a while now, but I haven't been able to bring myself to their location in NYC. Anyways, apparently, the press have been treated to their fare at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Lucky.

Potato Chips in Greece

While we were in Greece, my husband and I raided the local supermarkets for water and snacks for the beach. I stumbled upon the interesting variety of potato chip flavors there like Paprika.

Herbs are very popular in Greek dishes, so I wasn't surprised that Oregano was by far the most common potato chips flavor. I was just very amused to see an American brand producing flavors for the Greek taste buds in a familiar packaging but all in Greek.



It was so good that we bought 2 more bags after our first try!

Santorini Pistachio Nut

I recently brought home some roasted pistachio nuts from Santorini. What do they look like? They remind me of Santorini's infamous Red Beach.



Their reddish color isn't much of a surprise given Santorini's abundance of volcanic soil. I wasn't sure what to expect inside though. The only color I'm familiar is green, but they're actually yellow inside!


They definitely don't taste or look like the pistachio nuts in the States. Other than the obvious color, they're skinnier in size. In terms of flavor, they are very fragrant as they are roasted. If you pay close attention, you'll taste what I'd consider a very sophisticated pistachio nut - richer and a tad more intense.

Del Posto

Del Posto was the final stop of our NY restaurant week streak. I felt like I was in a high class, serious, old school hotel the moment I stepped into the restaurant. A huge door mat with the restaurant's initials welcomed our arrival (all it was missing was a door man). My eyes were overwhelmed by dark brown furniture and geometric printed floor tiles (I felt like I was looking at one of M.C. Escher's Symmetry works) as I took a few seconds to take in the decor of the restaurant. My eyes were so busy that I only had a glimpse of Sandra Lee from the Food Network walking right past me only less than a foot away!

Overall, the food was very good...not hit you over the head with inventive combination of flavors, but executed very well. I believe the restaurant sticks to Mario Batali's philosophy that when you have fresh ingredients, you really don't need to do much to it but to cook it to perfection.

I started with an heirloom tomato salad that was dressed with a simple but delicious vinaigrette. The colors of the tomatoes ranged from yellow, orange, to red...they were fresh and sweet. Fresh parsley further enhanced the dish's freshness. My husband had a salad of thinly sliced speck and cheese, and arugula. I enjoyed the speck's smokiness and how its combination with cheese did not taste overly salty.

Then came my salmon with bean salad. I know, I should've ordered pasta in an Italian restaurant, but my other option was spinach pasta in "Mario's favorite" (bolognese) sauce...I've been dabbing into pork, but not beef. Anyways, the salmon was excellent, aside from it being a tad undercooked. The bean salad was so flavorful with the use of pickled vegetables. My husband had the berkshire pork. He had absolutely no complaints.


And finally, dessert. I had a chocolate pudding with caramel. I'm not a caramel fan, but I did enjoy the dish very much. I loved the contrast in texture between the smooth pudding and crunchiness of the nuts and little chocolate covered beads that tasted like rice crispy (they may have been Goobers). I couldn't say the same for my husband's hazelnut bar though. The combination of the sweet chocolaty hazelnut cake with citrus sauce and spicy salty roasted hazelnut was way too complex for me. Needless to say, I didn't like it.


Overall, it was a very good meal. I just wish the portions were larger so I wouldn't have to chow down three rolls to get full.