Buon Italia's Ricetta Risotto ai Quattro Formaggi

Dear Friends,

 

I hope everyone had a fantastic New Year celebration. I relaxed this year and visited my family in New England and then came home with my husband to spend a quiet weekend at home with our cat Abby. I was very happy to see my cats Puffy and Tigger at my family's home. We opened up presents there, cooked together, and watched movies for about four days.

 

One of the places I shop at annually for gifts for my family is at Buon Italia in New York City located in Chelsea Market on the west side. They have so many wonderful shops there for everyone on your list! Everything from stylish apparel to delicious grocery items baked goods. Buon Italia offers a vast array of fine, imported Italian grocery items, from olive oil and caviar to coffee, tea and cookies. It is sometimes so difficult to choose what you'd like to purchase, if only you had a wheel barrel to wheel everything you'd like home!

 

Below is a recipe I found on their website that I'd like to share with you. It looks so delicious to make as a side dish for dinner. I'll be making it myself very soon!

 

Try it at home and tell me how you like it.

 

RICETTA RISO AI QUATTRO FORMAGGI

(Rice with Four Types of Cheese)

 

 

Ingredients

 

300gr rice

 

200gr soft cheese

 

1 oz (30g) mozzarella cheese—cubed

 

80gr butter

 

1/2lt meat broth

 

Salt

 

1 oz (30g) Provolone cheese—cubed

 

pepper

 

3 tbs grated parmesan cheese

 

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

 

Butter

 

Directions

 

Slice thinly onion, sear with a bit butter using a medium-pan.

When brown pour rice, stir some minutes with a wooden cookware and let rice brown; cook rice adding hot broth.

Add all cheese and mix together.

Season with salt, when rice is tender take away from heat, add butter and grated parmesan.

Mix well and serve.

 

Original recipe is found here on Buon Italia's website.

My Trip to Zabars in NYC

Dear Friends,

During this week's gorgeous weather, I took a trip to Central Park West, one of my favorite places in the city. My favorite areas to visit are the West Village, Central Park West and Chelsea. I also love Little Italy for dining and of course the San Gennaro festival in September. Little Italy especially means a lot to me because my great-grandparents used to live many years ago on Mulberry Street during the turn of the century.

I was so happy that I was able to visit Zabar's, an historic gourmet and kosher grocery store on Broadway and 80th street. Zabar's also has a cafe next door and an online shop where you could by items and gift baskets! I have been this wonderful grocery store for many years. I especially appreciate that their staff is so gracious and the food items are consistenly top notch!

A few days ago, I purchased the Norwegien Gjetost, my favorite cheese. It is a caramel colored goat cheese and also considered to be a Scandinavian staple food. You can purchase the Ski Queen Original Goat Cheese on Amazon. I also purchased mint coloring and flavoring for soda. I intend to make mint green hot chocolate with steamed milk and a mint green cream soda for St. Patrick's Day (along with cupcakes with green icing and sprinkles, pictures to follow)! The company's name is Monin. You can purchase their gourmet syrup flavors on their website. Their website includes signature recipes for the syrups! In addition, I purchased Walker's Scottie Dogs Shortbread. I will post about an activity I did with the shortbread in a few days. Lastly, I purchased a chicken curry pate that is sold in Zabar's deli department. This again is my favorite spread for crackers and toast!

Le Sirop de Monin Green Mint, available at Zabar's

Be sure to visit Central Park West in New York City and you cannot skip out on shopping at Zabar's!

Best Always,

Historic Greenwich Village Shops

Dear Readers,

Below are some amazing shops I visted (or want to visit soon) on my recent trip to Historic Greenwich Village. In my opinion, this is the most unique, quaint and special places within Manhattan. See for yourself by taking a trip there!

McNulty's Tea and Coffee:
I go to this unique coffee and tea shop for loose and bagged teas as well as coffee beans from around the world including Scotland, England, China, parts of Africa, Sri Lanka, India and more. They sell rare and fine teas and coffee for everyone in your family. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly and they will always help you to find what you are looking for from flavor, strength and price range. This shop is located on Christopher St near Bleecker St.

The Meadow:
I have not visited this shop yet but I intend to soon to purchase a chocolate item and their sampler gourmet salt collection. This shop sells gourmet, imported salts, chocolate, bitters and more.

Myers of Kewsick:  
I cannot believe I did not find this shop sooner. Located on Hudson St, this quaint British grocery shop offers popular grocery items you would find in England. I missed certain grocery items so much after I came back to the US and I am so happy I can enjoy the same foods again so soon! For the holidays, they sell traditional British Christmas pudding and make fresh sausage on the premise daily. The shop also offers your Beitish favorites such as sticky toffee pudding, jelly babies, crisps, digestive biscuits and HobNob biscuits.

Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks: If you are a chef, food writer, historian, love to cook or are a foodie all around, you must visit this amazing shop filled with vintage cookbooks of every kind! This shop also sells vintage and international postcards as well as various maps of Greenwich Village. If you are looking for a specific cookbook that is vintage or out of print, the owner or the person working will kindly help you and will even try to find the cookbook or item elsewhere. This cozy shop also sells books that focus on mannerisms for the table and vintage recipe pamphlets from old TV shows. They also sell vintage signs to decorate your kitchen with.

The Bathroom:
I am so glad I found this adorable shop! I purchased luxurious bath items for my mom, grandma and mother-in-law. They sell domestic and international bath items, many that are rare or hard to find, for men and women. Their bath products include soaps, creams and more from countries such as Italy, France, Portugal and England. The people who work their are very friendly and helpful and they wrapped each gift item in individual bags with tissue paper and red ribbon. This shop is located on Charles St.

Museum of Natural History Photos

Dear Friends,

I decided to visit the Natural History Museum in NYC this past Monday. It had been over twelve years since I had visited the museum. My favorite part was learning and reading about the asian historical artifacts and seeing the dinosaur fossils. There is much to see and do at the museum. I highly recommend the Hayden Planetarium (I visited there back in 2005).

This dinosaur was massive

The museum is at 79th street, Central Park West. Take the B or the C subway to get there from uptown and downtown.

April NYC Trip

Hey Everyone!

This past weekend I went into NYC with my boyfriend and my family.  The weather was beautiful outside so we were very lucky.  I am looking forward to going into the city soon for the car show and to visit the Museum of Natural History.  Here is my itinerary from this past weekend's trip:

• Kinokuniya Bookstore (Bryant Park) for cards, books & Totoro plush :-)
• Rockefellar Center
• Pellegrino's, Little Italy on Mulberry St.
• La Crepe Parisienne, for a nutella and banana crepe
• Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum
• View from the Empire State Building *it was cold up there, bring a jacket if you visit this spot*
• Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum
• Scarlatto for Dinner
• Red Ribbon Bakery inWoodside, Queens

Pellegrino's Review [Little Italy]

Surpasses them all!

Nothing beats this authentic, classy Italian restaurant in the heart of Little Italy. I have been coming to this restaurant for over five years and am often recommending this restaurant to friends and family, and they too have eaten here on multiple occasions. The food is always prepared exceptionally well, paired with decent prices. I personally recommend the rigatoni alla vodka with shallots & chopped mushrooms and the pasta fagoli.  And do NOT skip the phenomenal desserts! If you come to Little Italy, you must dine at Pellegrino’s. You will be undoubtedly satisfied!