More Trader Joe’s Hubbub

Just came across this great blog about TJ’s products!

http://www.whatsgoodattraderjoes.com/

Som Tum is Yum

We’ve espoused enough about our love for Thai food on this blog, so I’ll save the back story and get straight into the food. Som tum, the fantastically fresh and spicy papaya salad from Northern Thailand, is something we’ve wanted to make for a while but for some reason never got around to it…until now. We based this recipe on one from www.thaitable.com; as far as the flavors go, it was a complete success. As far as the texture goes, it was not up to our standards. The problem was with the papaya – it’s a very juicy, moist fruit, and if you don’t get that moisture out of there, it turns very soggy; sweet and delicious, but soggy. That was the failing of the dish – somehow we will extract the moisture better next time. But the sweet tomatoes, the crunchy bean sprouts, the hot and spicy chili peppers, the salty fish sauce (which can be substituted with soy sauce to go vegetarian), the tangy lime juice, and the cilantro and peanuts create a vibrant ménage of flavors that is very refreshing. You can certainly remove the seeds and veins from the peppers if you don’t like it spicy, but it’s the spiciness that really brings the dish together (otherwise it’s a lot of just sweet and salty). We even used spicy peanuts, but we are kind of insane about spicy food. We used Fresno chili peppers – if you can find Thai chilis that would be ideal, but serranos would work just as well (get an extra one or two though since they are small). We served this with a quick and delicious Thai omelet (traditional Thai street food made with fish sauce and black pepper in the eggs, with cilantro and Sriracha on top – really tasty!). It was like Bangkok in our kitchen; almost as humid too, but with no underage prostitutes…that we know of. Enjoy!

Som Tum (Thai Papaya Salad)

(serves 2)

2 tomatoes, diced

1 cup bean sprouts

2 red chili peppers, stemmed and chopped

1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

2 scallions, coarsely chopped

2 cups shredded green papaya

1 lime

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Combine the garlic, tomatoes, chili peppers, and bean sprouts in a large bowl; add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Add the papaya and mix well. Add the scallions and 1 tbsp. of the peanuts; stir to combine. Top the salad with the remaining peanuts and the cilantro. Eat!

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Carmen’s Cafe: A Troy Treasure

Tucked away from the bustling restaurant and bar area of downtown Troy is a bright and cozy little bistro called Carmen’s Café, located on 1^st Street, a good mile or so south of Congress. If you didn’t know it was there, you’d probably never go by it, and that would be a great misfortune. Carmen’s is serving up Cuban-Spanish-American food tapas-style, and combined with the live music and a friendly host, it’s a fantastic dining experience.

Carmen’s décor follows along with the whole theme of the place – a bit off-kilter, yet welcoming and fun. Giant tribal mask relics hang from the walls, along with old room fans that have been repurposed as wall art. The place is fairly small, with seating for only about 25 or so, plus a few spaces at the bar. It was pretty packed at 8:00pm last Friday, but we found a couple of stools at the bar, invited to sit there by Carmen herself, a warm and outgoing person who we got to know more about later on. The atmosphere reminded us of the fictitious “Cheers” – everyone seemed to know everyone’s name. Carmen’s truly personifies the term “neighborhood restaurant.”

They serve beer and wine, no cocktails, but they do make several varieties of sangria along with sparkling wine raspberry lemonade. We tried the two sangrias available last night (they let us try them before ordering, a nice touch). The first was a red sangria, flavored with cinnamon – it was rich, fruity, and the cinnamon made it taste like a cross between sangria and fresh apple cider. Needless to say, we got a half-liter; it was so tasty. The other sangria was a white sangria with citrus flavors – it was good, but not nearly as good as the red. We also tried the sparkling wine lemonade, which was tasty but very sweet.

The printed tapas menu contains around 10 items, from a manchego cheese and fruit plate, to empanadas, fried plantains, Cuban rice and beans, mushrooms stuffed with chorizo, and fried yucca. The handwritten specials board had another 10 items or so on it, and it changes every week. Last night some of the offerings were Cuban BBQ ribs with a spicy guava glaze, served with yucca fries; a strip steak with churrasco sauce and mashed potatoes; cilantro-lime tofu with saffron rice; and crab cakes with roasted red pepper sauce. We started with the Cuban egg rolls, the chicken croquettes, and the eggplant sliders. The egg rolls were essentially a Cuban sandwich served in egg roll form. The light and flaky wrapper was stuffed with roasted pork, ham, pickles, and Swiss cheese, served with modestly potent mustard for dipping. It was really tasty – it was just like eating a Cuban sandwich, but with the delicious fried egg roll crunch. The croquettes were also done very well – diced chicken and cheese were very lightly breaded and fried just enough to crisp the outside, but not give it that heavy, deep-fried taste. The chicken and cheese were creamy and flavorful, and it was served with a nice chipotle remoulade. The eggplant sliders featured two ½-inch thick slices of eggplant topped with a guava sauce and sliced avocado, served on a wheat bun. The eggplant itself was cooked beyond perfect – sometimes people are turned off by thick slices of the vegetable because the texture can be kind of meaty, but chef Chris managed to make these so tender that they just melted in our mouths. The combination of the eggplant with the guava sauce and the avocado was a bit too sweet – it could have used something salty and/or spicy for some contrast. I would love to just have a plate of the eggplant and sauce on its own.

A blues duo was playing during our meal, and despite the small space, the music was not obnoxiously loud (and in fact the duo was pretty good!), and a couple of patrons even made some space in front of the band to dance. We were ready for more food, so we ordered two beef empanadas and the fried plantains. The empanadas were stuffed with seasoned ground beef, raisins, chopped green olives, onions, and peppers (this combination is also known as picadillo). The dough was fantastic – flaky but with just the right amount of chewiness to hold the filling inside, and that filling was full of flavor. The seasoning was vibrant but not overdone, the raisins added a touch of sweetness, and the olives added just a hint of salt and nice texture; these were terrific empanadas. The plantains fooled the heck out of me. They were so fresh and sweet that I was sure they had been cooked in something, maybe a little rum or brown sugar. But I was informed that they were just sautéed on their own; that speaks to the freshness of the ingredient and the competence of the chef to just let the plantain sing solo. They were fabulous.

There were two desserts on the specials board – a chocolate cake, and mango-lime cheesecake. We really wanted the cheesecake, but unfortunately they had just run out. That was disappointing, but as Mrs. MHK pointed out, at least that meant it was made fresh and they didn’t have extras sitting in the freezer or anything.

Arguably the best part of the night was when Carmen introduced herself to us and we talked for about 15 minutes. She told us how she started the restaurant a few years ago, and back then she was the chef as well, running the place from open to close every day. But after a foot injury sidelined her for 8 months, the restaurant nearly went under, and she said if it wasn’t for the neighborhood’s support and encouragement to fix things and stay open, it probably would have shut down. Luckily Carmen found a new chef and for now, the café is only open Friday nights (they do take reservations) and during the day on Saturdays and Sundays (she can only stay on her feet for limited stretches of time). But she plans on opening on more evenings in the near future, and that’s great news for all of us. We talked about the lack of authentic Cuban-Spanish food in the area (she’s part Cuban and part Puerto Rican, so she knows what she’s talking about), and how important it was to her to use fresh, local ingredients. They make their own empanada dough from scratch, they have a smoker for meats including smoking their own bacon for breakfast (guess we need to go for breakfast now), and they get all their cheeses and produce from local farms. As she told us this, we kept nodding our heads and saying, “We can tell!” She was a delight to talk to, and the only reason our conversation ended was because her husband asked her to dance. How frickin’ sweet is that? Why would anyone not want to support a place like this?

We’ll be back for breakfast and lunch at some point (click here for the menus and you’ll see why). Prices at Carmen’s are very reasonable, considering the quality of the food and fun atmosphere. The smaller tapas run from $3-$9, and the larger items from last night (remember they change every week) ran from $10-$16. Our total bill, with the sangria and tax and tip, only came to $60 (not including the $5 per person cover charge, which presumably goes to the musicians). Well worth it for an evening of fresh, delicious food, served in a bright and uplifting setting.

The Mouse House Kitchen gives Carmen’s Café 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Trader Joe’s now open for business in Colonie – VIDEO!!

Trader Joe’s now open for business in Colonie – YNN, Your News Now.

Trader Joe’s Opens in Albany TODAY!!!!

Trader Joe’s Opens in Albany TODAY!!!! Trader Joe’s Opens in Albany TODAY!!!! Trader Joe’s Opens in Albany TODAY!!!!

Something I never thought I’d say when we moved here 7 years ago…but Trader Joe’s Opens in Albany TODAY!!!!

I’ll be avoiding it for a few weeks, lest I wait in line 3 hours to check out…but still…Trader Joe’s Opens in Albany TODAY!!!! Trader Joe’s Opens in Albany TODAY!!!!

Enjoy.

Halfmoon Salad and Sandwich Shoppe Stands Out

A recent day job relocation by the MHK’s Executive Chef has afforded us the opportunity to sample fare from a new (to us) group of eateries in the Halfmoon area of the Capital Region. Many of these locations are on Route 9, which we have decided to nickname “Sandwich Alley.” Along a 2-mile stretch of that road are several sandwich shops, offering freshly made subs, heroes, grinders, hoagies, and just plain ol’ sandwiches. There’s Fred the Butcher, a small market and butcher shop that makes a very good sandwich; there’s Sorrentino’s, an Italian market that also puts together a delicious sub; and standing out from the pack, the King of Sandwich Alley (let’s see if the name sticks), is the Halfmoon Salad and Sandwich Shoppe. Open for breakfast and lunch, their menu contains a huge variety of sandwiches made from both classic deli meats and a good array of interesting combinations of textures and flavors.

Located in what looks like a remodeled small house, don’t blink as you drive by or you might miss it. There are only a handful of tables inside, with some picnic tables outside as well. Much of their business is done via take-out, and you can call or fax your order in advance. The staff is really friendly, and despite the crowdedness of the place, it doesn’t take too long to get your food.

Among their specialty sandwiches is one with grilled veggies and fresh mozzarella; the “Halfmoon” featuring hot roast beef, cheese and gravy on a garlic toasted roll; an Italian mix with the addition of breaded eggplant; and the three that we have partaken of. The first contained prosciutto, eggplant, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, and a balsamic vinaigrette. The generous amount of salty ham was offset nicely by the sweet and smoky peppers, the fresh cheese, and the tasty dressing. The eggplant was unexpectedly room temperature and not crisp; but it tasted good and added a nice texture. We also tried one with Asian roast beef (flavored with soy and ginger, it seemed), blue cheese, crispy onions, greens, and a garlic aioli, served on foccacia. The beef was really tasty with the Asian flavors, and went perfectly with the blue cheese and aioli. The greens added some nice freshness to the sandwich, topped off with the crunchy onions for some salty goodness. It was a really tasty sandwich. Lastly we tried their version of the Cuban sandwich, with pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on a pressed roll. Cubans aren’t normally made with pulled pork (usually just roasted and sliced pork), but this was really delicious. The pork was super tender, and all the other ingredients worked well together (just like a regular Cuban). My only criticism would be that the bread got a little too toasty and lost some of the chewiness, but overall it was really good. We also tried our all-time favorite sandwich, plain old roasted turkey with bacon, lettuce, onions, hot peppers, and mayo. The only thing that kept Halfmoon Salad and Sandwich Shoppe’s from being a 5-star sandwich is that they don’t roast their own turkey. Otherwise it was quite good.

On the salad side, you can basically create your own salad from a huge list of ingredients, with the usual veggies and cheeses seen at a basic salad bar, but you can also add things like apples, caramelized onions, almonds, avocado, grilled asparagus, sautéed Portobellos, and black beans.

The shop also has items hot off the grill like burgers, hot dogs, cheese steaks, chicken/eggplant/meatball parm., and homemade spring rolls like the Buffalo chicken, pizza, or cheese steak.

They are also serving up Panini like one with Teryaki chicken; Portobello cutlets; BBQ pulled pork; and one with salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, pesto and garlic butter.

For breakfast they are baking fresh bagels and rolls, to go with omelets, breakfast sandwiches (including their signature Lumberjack, which contains eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, cheese, and home fries. Dieters stay away), and French toast.

Prices are very reasonable, considering how bulky the sandwiches are (we’ve taken half home almost every time). All specialty sandwiches and Panini are $7.25, and regular deli sandwiches start at $5.25 (but only include lettuce, tomato, onions and dressing, not cheese or other veggies). Yeah it’s just a sandwich shop, but among so many others, it’s a really good one.

The Mouse House Kitchen gives the Halfmoon Salad and Sandwich Shoppe 4 out of 5 stars!

When Raw is Right

We at the MHK experienced a revelation a few weeks ago when we discovered that, at the right time of year, you can eat raw corn, straight off the cob. And it’s sweet and juicy and delicious. Who knew? Nobody from CA I’ll wager. It has to be fresh, and luckily we are surrounded by farms here in Upstate NY, so the markets get the good stuff for a few months in the summer. This recipe showcases the corn’s natural sweetness, by complimenting it with tomatoes and basil, and contrasting it with salty salami, tangy quick-pickled onions, nutty parmesan, and spicy red pepper flakes. We based it on a recipe from here; it’s a tasty salad perfect for picnics and backyard cookouts. Enjoy!

Raw Corn Salad

(serves 4)

½ cup thinly sliced red onions

2 tbsp. white vinegar

1 ½ tbsp. salt

4 medium ears of corn, husked, silks removed

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

¼ tsp. black pepper

10 thin slices sopressata salami (or other salami), coarsely chopped

¼ cup shredded parmesan

Put the onion slices in a bowl with the vinegar and salt. Let stand for 10 to 12 minutes. Cut the kernels off the corn cobs. Add the corn to the bowl and mix well. Add the tomatoes, pepper flakes, basil, olive oil, and soppressata. Mix lightly to combine. Sprinkle cheese on top. Serve and eat!

The Convenience of ShopRite Home Delivery…Not So Much

I may have made mention of this before, but I love grocery shopping. I love the tactile and aromatic experience of handling fresh produce; I love the fluorescent-lit aisles that seem to go on forever; I love the sometimes good, sometimes terrible music that descends from overhead; and until I began bringing children along with me, I always felt relaxed at the supermarket. It’s the weekly chore I actually look forward to doing. I know some people loathe grocery shopping the way I loathe doing laundry, or cleaning, or vacuuming, or emptying the dishwasher, or mowing the lawn, or just about any household task you can think of. Relatively recently some supermarkets began offering online shopping and delivery of groceries, a convenience that certainly sounds like a helpful and useful means of getting food into your house. Extenuating circumstances prevented the MHK from visiting the supermarket this weekend, but since we needed food for the week, we decided to check out ShopRite’s home delivery service. The results? Let’s put it this way – you’d have to really, really hate going to the grocery store to deal with the nonsense that befell us throughout the experience.

Initially everything was smooth – the web site is easy enough to navigate; you set up an account, and you start shopping. You can browse by category – bakery, produce, meats, deli, etc. – and it continually breaks down each category into more specific ones until you find what you need. Or you can type anything into the search box and it will take you there. You can add a note to any item, should you feel the need; for example, I ordered a garlic bulb, but in the notes I requested one without bruises and with a short stem. If you order half a dozen fresh bakery bagels, you can specify the flavors you want. They didn’t have completely everything I was looking for, but for the most part, I filled up my cart with just about everything I needed. I selected a delivery time (they only have so many slots during the day, so the earlier you order, the better chance you have of getting them when you want); you can choose to pay online with a card, or give your card to the driver and pay on delivery. And if you spend a certain amount ($100 I think), there’s no delivery charge. So far, everything was just fine.

A few hours after I placed my order, they called me. They had a list of 4 or 5 things that I had ordered that were out of stock. She offered me alternatives for some, but not all items. I was a little annoyed – if something is out of stock, the web site should indicate it. But it was ok, I selected some replacement items and that was that. Except it wasn’t. 10 minutes later she called back. One of the replacement items was out of stock too. And she had to check on a new out of stock item now as well. Ok, I made some decisions, and that was that. Except it wasn’t…again. The phone rang for the third time in 25 minutes – yet another issue with an item that she thought was there but wasn’t, and it turns out that one of the original out of stock items was in stock, but not in the same variety I wanted. By now I had turned sour and annoyed at the process – the lady assured me that was the last call, and my food would arrive on time. Fine, good, see ya.

Fast forward to the evening – my selected delivery time was between 7-9pm (I ordered late so it was the only available slot that day). At about 7:40 my phone rings – guess who. She asked if the delivery had come yet (it had not) – apparently two bags were left at the store instead of being put on the delivery van. Did I want the driver to come back to get them after he delivered my other groceries, or did I want to pick them up myself, or have them delivered tomorrow? Those were the three options I was presented with (I thought of a fourth option for her, but I didn’t say it out loud). I asked if he would go straight back to the store and straight back to my house – she said she had no idea, depended if he had other deliveries or not (she was clearly annoyed at having to even call me, no sympathy or what I would call even mediocre customer service at all). I said I needed the food that night, so I guess the driver would have to go back and get it. She muttered some response and hung up. Makin’ you want to call them right now, isn’t it? The driver showed up at 8:45 – he was nice enough; I told him about the two missing bags – he said he’d go right back to get them, he had no more deliveries. He returned 20 minutes later with the bags; I tried to give him a nice tip (all this nonsense wasn’t his fault), but he said they can’t accept tips. He was the only ShopRite employee I felt good about giving my money to, and he couldn’t take it. Head-shaking, I know.

I sorted through the bags, making sure I got everything I was supposed to. Guess what – nope. I had ordered a pint of ice cream – one of the phone calls was about them not having that one in stock, so I ordered a replacement. It didn’t show up in the bag, making Mrs. MHK quite annoyed. They didn’t charge me for it, but still – ice cream was ordered. I had also ordered half a dozen bagels – they brought 12. They only charged me for 6, but still – the incompetence, even though this one worked in my favor, is prevalent.

Needless to say, we will not be using ShopRite’s home delivery service again. What was supposed to be a convenient means of grocery shopping turned into a huge pain in our mousey asses. So before you poo-poo having to go grocery shopping, keep in mind that it could be worse.

Insalata Estiva

An Italian summer salad really hits the spot on a muggy evening; particularly this one, based on a recipe from foxnews.com. The freshness of the ingredients is key – tomatoes that are just ripe, a quality mozzarella, and prosciutto makes everything awesome, right? We used jarred hot banana peppers, but mild ones would be fine, if you are opposed to the spicy. You get sweet from the tomatoes and cukes, salt from the prosciutto, great texture from the cheese, a little bite from the peppers…it’s a tasty summer meal. Enjoy!

Italian Summer Salad

(serves 2)

2/3 cup fresh unsalted mozzarella chunks
Kosher salt
1 minced garlic clove, pressed to a paste with a little salt on a cutting board
1 Tbsp chopped banana peppers
1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 tsp red-wine vinegar
2 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
8 slices prosciutto, roughly torn

In a mixing bowl, lightly salt the mozzarella. In another bowl, combine the garlic paste, peppers, and white vinegar. Mix well and let everything sit for 5 minutes. Add the cucumber, wine vinegar, and tomato to a third bowl. Add the pepper mixture, olive oil, prosciutto, and mozzarella. Mix well. Eat!

Something for Everyone at Mangia

Many people equate the term “family-friendly” in the restaurant industry with “mediocre food.” In many cases that’s very true, but it doesn’t apply to Mangia in Slingerlands. (Interesting aside: if you were to see a restaurant called “Eat,” you’d probably never even think of going there. But if you see one called “Mangia,” which means the exact same thing, you’d probably check it out. Weird.) We had been to their other location in Albany a couple of times and enjoyed the food a lot, but after it closed, we neglected the Slingerlands location for many years. But after two recent visits, not only are we comfortable reviewing the restaurant, we are also comfortable bringing our little ones there.

The relatively small dining room features dark wood booths and tables, with natural light streaming in from windows facing New Scotland Ave, along which a covered patio section sits. The somewhat dim interior does have a beacon of anticipated deliciousness – the wood-fired pizza oven. Huge orange flames are visible from the entryway, behind the open kitchen.

Both the lunch and dinner menus contain essentially the same offerings, although for lunch Mangia features a variety of panini sandwiches, and the portions are slightly smaller for lunch than dinner. Appetizers include bruschetta, fried artichokes, arancini (fried rice balls), roasted meatballs, and eggplant al forno, along with fairly traditional soups and salads like tomato bisque, Caesar salad, and antipasto. But there are a few salads that did look seasonal and interesting like the panzanella with farm bread, mozzarella, and tomatoes; the insalata Portobello features greens with grilled Portobello, sun-dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and goat cheese; and the spring salad also looked good with field greens, raisins, sun-dried strawberries, pine nuts, and baked mozzarella.

We tried the chopped salad and a calamari special. The salad was presented beautifully, a composed mound of Romaine chopped with tomato, cucumber, red onion and Romano crisps, tossed in a Gorgonzola dressing, and topped with avocado, cashews and crumbled Gorgonzola. The dressing was proportionally accurate, no glops of excess dressing clouding the other ingredients, which tasted fresh – the sweet tomatoes and cucumbers meshed nicely with the tangy cheese, crunchy cashews, and buttery avocado. The calamari was tossed in a sweet chili sauce and served over arugula and peppadew peppers. The squid was just a bit soggy from the sauce, which was pretty sweet, but when mixed with the peppery arugula and the slight heat from the juicy peppadews, it was a great combination of flavors.

We were served freshly-baked rolls that were absolutely amazing – one could make a meal of those with a salad, easily. Hot from the oven, they were crisp on the edges and ridiculously chewy on the inside, and were served with olive oil mixed with balsamic vinegar; a nice touch.

The real downside of our last visit was that we were not shown the sandwich and panini menu, and didn’t even know they had one until we saw other customers being served panini. But the menu did look good, with offerings like the vegetable stack with fried eggplant, squash and zucchini with mozzarella; the chicken, bacon and avocado Panini, the sliced sirloin with onions, peppers and blue cheese on ciabatta, and the stuffed Portobello burger.

Mangia’s entrees are also fairly traditional for Italian food – pastas with marinara, pesto, pomodoro, carbonara, and a la vodka sauces are offered, along with grilled chicken, shrimp, and sausage; other entrees include lasagna, chicken piccata, salmon, steaks, halibut, and chicken marsala.

But the real reason to eat at Mangia is the pizza. Anytime you have a wood-fired oven, it’s hard to make a poor-tasting pizza, and Mangia doesn’t disappoint. They offer a few pre-conceived combinations, but with 39 toppings to choose from, you can make your own masterpiece. On recent visits we had three different pizzas: pepperoni with ricotta, mozzarella, provolone and blue cheese; prosciutto with sun-dried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella; and sausage with pesto and blue cheese. All three were extremely delicious. Those wood-fired ovens make the perfect crust – thin but sturdy, with just the right amount of chewiness. The ingredients all tasted fresh and looked beautiful coming out of that super-hot oven. Other interesting toppings to consider include eggplant, zucchini, caramelized onions, hot cherry peppers, pine nuts, and barbecued chicken.

Mangia knows its clientele – it’s situated in an area with a lot of families, but they did not sacrifice anything for a kid-friendly environment. All you really need to know is just by looking at the first item on their kids’ menu: sliced apples with peanut butter. I mean, for parents of a toddler, how much more can you ask for? It’s only $3, and for the peace and quiet it brings, it’s worth so much more. The MHK highly recommends that all restaurants that welcome children offer this menu item. They also have pizza and pasta for the little ones, plus really good chicken fingers – these are not frozen with that thin bread-like coating on the outside. These are freshly made and taste like grandma’s fried chicken (if your grandma is Paula Deen or someone like that).

Mangia’s prices are fairly reasonable, especially for lunch. Soups, salads and appetizers range from $4-$14 (some of the salads are offered in lunch or dinner-sized portions), pizzas run $12-$15 generally, but the price goes up with every topping you add; sandwiches will set you back $9-$12; pastas range from $7-$20 (again you can choose portion size on several of them), and entrees go from $14-$22. The kids’ items are all $6 or less.

Quality food in a family atmosphere – if that’s what you’re looking for, look to Mangia.

The Mouse House Kitchen gives Mangia 4 out of 5 stars!