Blogging While Brown 2012 - 5 Reasons I'm Happy I Went

This past weekend I went to a blogging conference called Blogging While Brown. I have to say that I couldn't have had a better experience for my first blogging conference.

I should mention some background. While I've got a lot of "blogging friends" or "internet friends" (as Husband J says), most of my real life friends have no interest in social media (outside of Facebook), don't understand Twitter and think my blogging is my cute little activity. :) I have to admit that I was looking forward to the conference because I'd be surrounded by people who understand what it's like being an internet content creator (it ain't easy!).

While I've been able to meet a variety of great bloggers, in my past blogging life I've often felt like the only one or one of very few Black or Latino bloggers writing about certain topics (like travel!).  That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but I believe in the fact that a variety of perspectives and visual representations of diverse people should be present in all forms of media including emerging media like blogs. My choice to go to Blogging While Brown ("BWB") was not only about learning more about blogging in general but also to get inspired about my role as a blogger of color in an online world that often sidelines us (just my opinion, of course).

Since I often think in lists, here are 5 reasons why I'm glad I went to Blogging While Brown:

1. I met a really nice down to earth, friendly, diverse group of bloggers.
I've not always heard the best things about blogging conferences. I've often heard from some people that the atmosphere can be cliquey, impersonal or just downright unwelcoming. I have to say that I was able to meet so many cool people this past weekend. The conference was small enough that I could have multiple conversations with people throughout the weekend but large enough that I still didn't meet everyone. Bloggers came from all over the country (shout out to my new Jacksonville, Florida  friends!) and wrote about everything from relationships and beauty to health and politics. Some folks had been blogging or writing professionally for years, and others were new to blogging. It was nice to get perspectives from all levels of experience.

Me with Erika Kendall of A Black Girl's Guide to Weight Loss, a great blog about health, exercise, body image, food justice, weight loss and more. Girlfriend has over 72,000 Facebook followers! Talk about reach!!

2. Many of the well-known and successful bloggers openly shared themselves and their experiences. 
I've often heard that when some bloggers hit "the big time", they are not so friendly at conferences like these. Yet at Blogging While Brown, many of the the most successful bloggers with well-known sites were very friendly and accessible. Case in point, one of my favorite bloggers, Patrice Grell Yursik, of the blog Afrobella.

I was such a fan girl when I met Patrice. I'm very happy that she posed with me. 

I started reading Patrice's blog years ago when looking for resources for my wedding blog for Black women with natural hair (i.e., not chemically straightened). While not the first natural hair blogger, she's really the first in that niche to translate her blogging into bigger opportunities. She has partnered with M.A.C. to produce her own shade of lipgloss and has also live tweeted from the red carpet at the Oscars. She's really taken her blogging to another level. She was so nice to me, super down-to-earth and really honest about her experiences during her panel (I missed it, but followed the tweets on the BWB conference hashtag).


3. I learned new things that will help move me forward as a blogger (and even some things I didn't think I needed).
I thought I knew a little about SEO, but I learned a ton about it from Luvvie Ajayi's SEO 101 panel. The panel on blogging and brands was probably the most helpful for the future, and I really liked the honesty of the panelists representing advertising and public relations firms (Big shout out to Jennifer Polk, VP at Edelman Digital, for our nice talk during the conference). Moral of the story for that branding panel: be genuine, honest, and ethical when dealing with public relations agencies and brands. I'll probably never want to publish a book (just being honest), but I thought many of the issues discussed during that panel were important in understanding how to export your blog to another medium. I would have loved a TV panel that talked about more than television news because I think many bloggers can become more than guest talking heads (TV hosts maybe?).

The "Your Personal Brand: It actually IS all about You" panelists from left to right: Adria Richards, Scott Hanselman, and Luvvie Ajayi 

4. The conference paid attention to important social justice issues. While many conferences focus on monetization, branding and content creation, I really did appreciate the fact that the conference emphasized the importance of blogging in moving forward social issues and alternative narratives. From addressing AIDS to community organizing, the conference tackled subjects that are affecting communities of color. I'm working on an online project that has nothing to do with travel or food, and this inspired me to move it forward because the conference reinforced to me the need for vital socially conscious and relevant information online.

5. I never knew what to expect from the engaging speakers and my fellow attendees.
From the hysterical presentation by Scott Hanselman and Luvvue Ajayi, which had me rolling on the floor to the Twitter haterade and in person interrogation of the founder of Media Takeout, Fred Mwangaguhunga, there were definitely parts of the conference that kept you on your toes and laughing in your seat.

Damon Young of Very Smart Brothas. I check out this site from time to time and enjoy the insight. I LURVED his T-shirt. :)

While the conference was great, here are some things I would change:

1. It's not cheap. Although the conference was valuable, it was not cheap ($250 before late registration). Most blog conferences aren't though, so I can't say that BWB was out there in terms of costs. They did include breakfast and lunch both days though. Speaking of food....

2. I'd love more healthy food options for breakfast and lunch. A crudite plate wouldn't be so bad. Some fruit? Help a sister out. ;)

3. I would have liked to know what speakers were going to discuss in the panels beforehand. While I didn't need a full outline, sometimes knowing what was going to be discussed would have helped me make a decision about breakout sessions beforehand.

I have a feeling the conference will be farther away next year, and I hope that I'll be able to attend again some time in the future. I was definitely re-inspired and felt energized about blogging in a way that I haven't been in a long time. At the very least, the conference made me understand my little voice here is important, even if I don't have the hits, Facebook likes and Twitter followers that others say I should to feel important and valued as a blogger.

A big thanks to my fellow conference attendees and to the conference organizers for a stimulating and fun weekend.

Kutsher's Tribeca

Having grown up in New York City, I feel like I know my way around Jewish cooking. I do not suffer a bad bagel. I eat my matzoh with butter (or just plain), and I know the difference between rugelach and hamentaschen (and by the end of this post, you will, too!). While I still haven't been to a Passover seder, I do like a good brisket. With the largest Jewish community outside of Israel here in New York, it's hard not to have access to or a basic understanding of Jewish food.

I love a good bagel.

When I heard about the opening of Kutsher's Tribeca and its attempt to re-imagine many traditional Jewish dishes in a fresh, contemporary gourmet style, I knew I had to check it out. I also knew that my dining companion had to be New Friend M, after hearing stories of her mother's legendary latkes back in December. Plus, it's Restaurant Week(s) here in New York, so the perfect time to sample a new restaurant's menu.

Kutsher's Tribeca - I love the ceilings.

By the way, big props to the staff at Kutsher's who were both friendly and knowledgeable. The service was great all around.

I was so torn about what appetizer to get. I told New Friend M that I had never tried gefilte fish before. Why? Well, much of the gefilte fish I'd seen was usually sold in these awful looking jars. Fish in a jar? No, thanks. At the same time, if stores stock it, someone must be eating it.

Something about fish in a jar just doesn't sit right with me.

Gefilte fish is essentially a poached fish ball/almost pate-like spread made of deboned minced white fish (and/or pike fish), breadcrumbs or matzo and onions. It's usually served as an appetizer with grated horseradish mixed with beets and a dash of lemon juice.

Wild Halibut Gefilte Fish

with horseradish beet tartare

New Friend M mentioned that her mother makes her own gefilte fish from scratch and that this was a pretty close second. I am a total gelfilte fish convert now. Kutsher's uses halibut instead of the traditional pike, includes bits of carrot, and there was nothing preservative-laden at all about this fish. It tasted fresh and homemade to me. The horseradish had a just a hint of bite and was not overwhelming in the least. It was not going to overpower that fish, and that made it the perfect partner.

I admired New Friend M's matzo ball soup from afar. I'm going back for this. She said it was superb. Usually matzo ball soup has more than one ball. :)

We were both hungry, and I couldn't leave there without having Kutsher's latkes especially since New Friend M loves them. I didn't get a picture of the latkes, so you'll just have to see a better version below. :)

The latkes come with a trio of caviar as shown here or with apple compote (the more traditional option that we had)

For the main course, we both had the

Wild Mushroom & Fresh Ricotta Kreplach

with walnut pesto, olive oil schmaltz, and fresh black pepper sheep's milk cheese

Despite my familiarity with Jewish cuisine, I'd never had kreplach before. New Friend M told me to imagine tortellini or dumplings, but Kutsher's version surprised us both. These were like huge filling pieces of potato filled "ravioli" (but not really...it's hard to describe). This is such a comforting dish and again made me feel as if I was eating something more homemade than anything. The cheese and the pesto worked quite well together. I had to tell myself to save room for dessert, so I left some on the plate.

Yay for dessert!

Cookie Plate

from left to right: rugelach, hamentaschen and rainbow/tri-color cookies

Rugelach is made of a cream cheese dough that is shaped almost like a mini-croissant or rolled like a wrap, and the filings range from dried fruit to cinnamon. My mom loves these, but we always bought them at the supermarket. These are the freshest rugelach I've ever had. Ever. Apparently, they are baked daily at Kutsher's. I can tell.

Hamentaschen are cookies shaped into a triangle with a fruit filling. I'm not into tri-color cookies, but I can appreciate anything with a layer of chocolate on the top. I also think they are traditionally Italian-American (maybe?).

Black & White Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

with a thick chocolate dip

I love black and white cookies, and then there's vanilla gelato wedged in the middle. Yes! Plus, chocolate sauce? Fuggedaboutit!

Zach Kutsher (the grandson of the owner of the original Kutsher's, an upstate New York country club) and his partners are on to something here. This is just good food period, and I hope Kutsher's stays around long enough for me to learn even more about Jewish cuisine.

P.S. - If you keep kosher, I don't think this place is kosher certified.

Kutsher's Tribeca

186 Franklin Street

New York, NY

NYC Bagels; Kutsher's Interior; Potato Latkes; Gefilte Fish

Mary Queen of Scots

Nope, this isn't a European history lesson. I was pretty tickled at the idea that there is a gastropub with a Scottish touch that opened last year here in New York. When I think of Scotland, I'm usually thinking of golf, tartans, kilts and pretty scenery. Food? Not so much. Since they are cousins of the English, I'm just not on the lookout for quality Scottish food. Now I'm thankful that Mary Queen of Scots (MQS) opened to show New York City what good Scottish inspired food can be.

The booths at Mary Queen of Scots are fun for a group.

The bar area

I went to MQS unintentionally twice in one week, and I can say that if this is how they eat in Scotland, I'm on my way there. My second time, I went with New Friend M, and we started out with cocktails and some of the small plates. New Friend M saw something that she recognized on the menu:

Devils on Horseback

Devils on Horseback are essentially a riff on bacon wrapped stuffed dates. Some recipes call for prunes instead of dates (I'm glad MQS went with the dates), and the stuffings vary from mango chutney to cheese, almonds or smoked oysters.

We also made sure to include a veggie (why not?). I'd had this dish only a few days earlier, but I was ready for another taste.

Fried Boozy Brussels Sprouts

with whole grain mustard

As I get older, I am so happy to have discovered Brussels sprouts. Fried and with tangy mustard? A revelation. I'm always looking for news ways to enjoy this vegetable, and I may need to try make this at home.

New Friend M had to run leaving me to stuff my face alone.

Roasted Duck Breast

with Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seed Dressing & Honey and Sage Jus

I was pretty shocked at the size of the duck. It was so thick and so succulent it reminded me more of the texture of a pork chop. MQS' duck was so juicy, and the jus added a nice sweet herb taste after a dipping. Fun!

Banofee Pudding

with Coffee Caramel Sauce and a Graham Cracker Bowl with a dollop of freshly whipped cream

I am not a pudding person, but for some reason I was in the mood for banana flavors. Usually pudding is so thick and reminds you of the type of pudding that Bill Cosby used to hawk on TV. MQS' pudding was airy and smooth as silk. Perfectly whipped cream is always a great topping.

Is this authentic Scottish fare? I'm not sure, but I'm sure the beauty of Scotland sure makes for some good inspiration.

Mary Queen of Scots

115 Allen Street

New York, NY

Interior; Bar Area

The Kimchi Chronicles

My love of Korean food has already been documented here on the blog, so when I heard that there was going to be a food show on PBS higlighting Korean cuisine called the Kimchi Chronicles, I was pretty amped. I have often wondered why Korean food doesn't get the same amount of attention as say Chinese, Japanese or even Thai food does in the U.S. (Anyone wanna take a guess?)

In some respects the host of the show, Marja Vongerichten, seems on the outside to be an unlikely candidate to introduce us to Korean food. She's the wife of Jean Georges Vongerichten, one of the most highly regarded and successful chefs in the U.S. (Maybe it's not too surprising then that she's hosting her own show?). However, Marja was born in Korea to a Korean mother and African-American father and was given up for adoption during her childhood in part because of the social hardships that many biracial children faced in Korea. She grew up in the United States and was reunited with her birth mother in her late teens. Kimchi Chronicles is part travelogue, cooking show and her personal story of cultural reconnection.

Marja Vongerichten

The show consists of a mix of cooking segments, ample eating time and historical and geographical information about Korea. Here's a taste of the show:

They cook my favorite Korean dish, kimchi jigae!

I will admit to you that I've only seen a few episodes, but I think the show is a great introduction to Korean culture and food. Is it great TV? I'm not so sure. I wouldn't say that Marja is the most engaging host, and sometimes the cooking segments seem a little forced, especially when Hugh Jackman and his wife are around.

Oh, yeah. He's in it too. If you watch it for the first time, and he shows up out of nowhere, it's a little jarring. Apparently, Hugh is a big fan of Korea, the Vongerichtens' neighbor and really wanted to participate. Okay.....

I was ready to lick the screen while watching the show. Since I am still waiting for a few invites for homemade Korean food at friends' homes or an eventual trip to Korea itself, Kimchi Chronicles is a great stand in experience and still by far one of the best shows I've seen that really teaches us about Korean food.

If you don't get a chance to see the series and want to learn how to cook Korean food at home, there's an accompanying cookbook.

I like surprise presents, everyone. Just kidding. I'm too intimidated to cook Korean food at home just yet.

Did anyone get a chance to see Kimchi Chronicles? What did you think of the show? If you've tried Korean cuisine before, what's your favorite dish?

The Vongrichtens & the Jackmans; Kimchi Chronicles book cover

Food Porn Friday - Miss Lily's

I'm hard on Caribbean restaurants, especially when I think they are not going to produce food that resembles the down-home Caribbean food that I'm used to. Haute Italian, French, etc., I'll give you a pass; but if you're going to serve Caribbean food, it better be good. Period.

When I heard about Miss Lily's opening in SoHo, I was a little wary. I'm not going to lie. I'd been to other wanna-be Caribbean restaurants and was a little disappointed. If you want good down-home Caribbean food, you go to the Flatbush area in Brooklyn or parts of the Bronx. Not SoHo. Yes, I am a little biased. :(

I stopped by Miss Lily's, and at the very least, I loved the vibe and decor as soon as I stepped in. Instead of the endless Rain-pocalypse we've been having the past several days in New York, it was actually a gorgeous day.

The Grace Jones poster. Love it!

I felt a little better when I saw my favorite drink on the menu. I love Ting (a Jamaican grapefruit soda). I practically live off it when I visit my family in Antigua. I can actually get it in markets here in New York City, but it reminds me of the Caribbean.

I looked up and saw that Miss Lily's was offering a pretty good selection of Caribbean drinks that my biased self didn't think it would.

Coconut water - essentially the clear juice from a coconut.

Irish Moss - WHAT?! Okay, Miss Lily's, I get it. I'm not a fan of Irish Moss drink. It's a mix of an algae called Chondrus Crispus (yes, we keep it real interesting herb-wise in the Caribbean), milk/condensed milk and most commonly vanilla flavoring.

Ginger Beer - It's a non-alcoholic ginger drink usually made of a mix of strained, mashed ginger, water, vanilla extract and sugar. The homestyle Caribbean way is not to have it carbonated (it's usually carbonated when mass produced). I think I'll get that next time.

Also they had pineapple soda. Remember when I went crazy for pineapple soda?

After noticing all of those drinks, I realized that Miss Lily's was serious. Bring on the Jerk Chicken then!

Clockwise from the top: rice and beans, jerk chicken, mango chutney, cabbage salad

As I've mentioned before, it's hard to have a meal in a Caribbean home without some kind of rice and beans. Usually it's red beans (habichuelas or kidney beans, if you want to call them that). I know that in Jamaica, rice and beans are often cooked in coconut milk. Miss Lily's got that right. While the rice didn't look all that great, it tasted great.

The cabbage salad was blah. Just some raw cabbage thrown on a plate. The chutney was new. Jamaican friends, is this common?

The star of the plate is the jerk chicken. I will say that the cooks at Miss Lily's know how to cook chicken. This piece was so ridiculously fresh and juicy. I'm docking a point for the jerk sauce being in a squeeze bottle though, and I guess this is where the authenticity gets lost. Jerk chicken is supposed to make your lips want to fall off from the spice, and I think it's best when the sauce is actually rubbed on the skin before cooking. That being said, for people with spice handicaps, then I guess it's good that they can control the heat. The jerk sauce was a good level of spice, but I had to slather it on for my tastes.

I'll be back to Miss Lily's. Any place that does Caribbean food well can get my business. Apparently it's a good place for some celebrity sightings, too.

Miss Lily's

132 West Houston Street

New York, New York

Touring Turkey - Hotel Sultania, Istanbul

In my old age (hee!), I've realized that I like to spend a little extra on hotels if I can. Not necessarily 5 star (we were NOT rolling up to the Four Seasons, y'all), but a little extra comfort and perhaps some quirky details aren't so bad. For the first portion of our time in Istanbul, we stayed at the Hotel Sultania, and it was definitely full of both comfort and some off-beat flavor.

Each room is named after a wife of an Ottoman sultan. The rooms mix contemporary decor with Turkish details.

Our bed

Each room is named after a wife of an Ottoman sultan. Ours was named after Sehsuvar, who was originally from the Ukraine, taken to be a part of the sultan's harem and then his wife. The hotel provides a little narrative about her.

Sehsuvar

There are some things you should know about this hotel. There's kind of a bathroom and kind of not. The basin area is actually right next to your bed and is cordoned off by a very pretty screen. I'm not describing this very well, so just check the pic below. Since we didn't splurge for space at this hotel I didn't mind. It's in the old city, where all of the buildings are rather small. We weren't going to be spending very much time in our hotel room in Istanbul anyway.

The toilet and shower have one door that serves as both the door to the shower and between the toilet area and the rest of the room. Essentially it means that one person can't take a shower while the other uses the toilet (ya know, just in case you want to do that).

Shower/Toilet area with the door closed

So there's the shower/toilet area. Kind of a racy painting, isn't it? Girlfriend is wearing a thong and pasties. I'm not making this up. I had no idea the room would look like this.

Another thing you should know is that there is lots of funky lighting throughout the room.

Underneath the bed

Around the TV

It's kinda fun to appreciate and admire, although it does get to be a pain when you are looking for the light switches to turn off all of those lights right before going to bed at night.

I will say that I really liked many of the Turkish details like this little tray.

When you open it, there are little treats.

I think it was little date bar with pistachios covered in coconut. They were good and were refilled each day. I appreciated a free snack.

Here's what I thought of the Hotel Sultania, and I'll do it in the form of a Pros & Cons list:

Pros

1. Cute decor and room - While obviously not for everyone (see above re: bathroom), I did like the room and thought it was comfortable, clean and modern.

2. Great breakfast buffet - You've already seen what I had for breakfast, but there was something a little different each day that we were there.

3. Centrally located to all major sites- Hotel Sultania is just minutes away from all of the major sites in Sultanahmet that I've blogged about so far, If you have a short time in Istanbul and want to be close to the Blue Mosque or the Hagia Sophia yet not far from the Galata Bridge, then this is a fabulous location.

4. Cute on-site gym, spa and pool - Although this area of the hotel is not that big (it's actually quite teeny), it's still nice to have. Unfortunately, they charge 10 Euro to use the sauna and hammam (Turkish bath) even if you stay there. I think it should be free.

5. Extremely helpful staff - A woman named Ozlem was the concierge and was very nice and helpful to us. She also sent an e-mail after we left asking about our stay. I appreciate gestures like that.

6. Free transfer from the airport - A free transfer from the airport is included. I have to admit that it was nice to not have to think about a taxi when we landed (not like that would have been a problem). Our flight was 1 1/2 hours late, and the driver waited. A nice perk for sure.

Cons

1. The walls are paper thin. I mean really thin. How did we know? Let's just say we heard one set of neighbors "enjoying" themselves one night. The other night, I think our neighbors (perhaps a different set?) thought Husband J was watching TV at a noise level that they didn't appreciate. Banging on the walls ensued. I have to admit that I might have agreed with them (on the noise level not the banging). We also heard some folks right outside our window. They sounded like they were right in the room.

2. Centrally located but in the middle of lots of touristy restaurants/touristy central. I guess you take the good with the bad. Maybe it was because we were there during the slower season, but sometimes we felt like we couldn't walk without having to stave off folks from the nearby restaurants and bars trying to get us to come in. I know they're just doing their job, and I also shouldn't count this against the hotel.

Not so bad cons, right? Would we stay there again? Yes. Recommend to others? Why not? I have to admit that if we do go back, I'd like to stay at the other Istanbul hotel we stayed in at the end of our trip. That's for another post. :)

Hotel Sultania

Ebusuud Cadessi

Mehmet Morak Sokak No. 4

Sirkeci, Istanbul

Touring Turkey - Turkish Food Rundown, Part 1

If I have not mentioned this before, I didn't have a bad meal the entire time I was in Turkey. Whether it was a local spot or a higher end place, everything I tasted was flavorful and often unique for me. My favorite part of Turkish food was that fact that there were elements that I recognized from other Mediterranean cuisines yet some distinctive cooking techniques (at least to me anyway). I'll highlight some of the food we ate in Istanbul in this post.

Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to really sample as many restaurants I would have liked. This time around jet lag hit both Husband J and me pretty hard. We didn't venture too far in the evenings from our hotel, but we still had some great meals at Pasazade and Imbat in the Sultanahmet (the old city) during our first three days in Istanbul. Let's talk food!

Bread. I think I could live off of bread. At Pasazade we had three types. Sesame seeds are pretty common sight on Turkish bread, especially on Simit, which is a bread resembling a wheel that's often eaten for breakfast. The rectangular bread below was spongy and perfect. Do you ever have to tell yourself to stop eating the bread before the meal comes? That was me here. We had this wonderfully unexpected spread of feta with peppers to go with it. That could have been my meal.

Meat! Although popular as a take-out option, Turks eat kofte anywhere.

Kofte with yogurt sauce

A mix of lamb and veal meatball (more like meatloaf, I guess) topped with yogurt sauce accompanied by roasted tomato & pepper

Meat and fruit. Ottoman cuisine often uses either fresh or dried fruit as part of a side dish or garnish for meat. The most common types of fruit used are apricot, plums, dates, apples, grapes and figs.

Mistanya Kuzu Firin

Baked lamb marinated with fresh spices serve on mashed artichoke + potato with a cranberry chestnut sauce

Mahmudiye

Chicken with apple, quince and apricot on mashed potatoes

I was totally expecting the fruit to make the dish quite sweet especially with the chicken, but it really melded with the herbs and spices it was stewed in. What a way to include an extra food group in the meal! I'm used to sweet and salty flavor profiles, but the balanced mix of fresh spices and fruit flavors were intriguing. I'd never had anything like this.

Vegetarian dishes are common, and veggies are often mixed with tomato, spices and served in their natural juices. Here's a prime example:

Roasted spinach roots

Pasta..well, sort of. Manti is by far my new favorite Turkish dish. I also had the best manti I had the whole trip at Pasazade. Manti is essentially folded triangles of dough filled with minced meat (often lamb) mixed with onions and spices. It's often served with a garlic yogurt sauce (Pasazade's included spicy tomato sauce) and a dash of dried spices such as oregano or red pepper powder. AWESOME!!

Of course we saved room for dessert.

I had described Helva before. This one was a lot lighter than the helva we had at our hotel. Some helvas are made with flour and others with nut butter, so drastically different textures. Pasazade's was made of semolina flour, eggs, and sugar with a comforting vanilla flavor and topped with vanilla ice cream. At least that's what the restaurant says. This helva seemed crumbly, which would be the consistency of a helva made with nut-butter (like tahini or sunflower seed butter). Who cares? It tasted great.

Irmik Helva

The ice cream was off the hook. I have no idea what they put in all of the dairy products in Turkey. All of the yogurt, ice cream, etc. were phenomenal. Husband J says it's because they don't have the pasteurization requirements we do in the U.S. What do you think?

Turkish Delight

Turkish Delight is an invention of the Ottomans (what isn't? :)). It's actually a generic name for a variety of bite-sized sweet treats made of gelled starch and sugar. Sometimes Turkish Delight will include dates, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts. They are dusted with powdered sugar, so beware if you are wearing black!

I hope you enjoyed the quick run down of Turkish food. The funny thing is that I have MORE to show you when we get to Cappadocia, which we will be next week. Turkish food has so many variations. I've got a Turkish restaurant in my neighborhood, and I'm dying to know if their manti is any good.

Pasazade and Imbat are in Sultanahmet and a little pricier than some other restaurants that will literally drag you off the street to get you through the door. Both restaurants are totally worth it and a great value given the level of food and service. Imbat has a gorgeous rooftop view, which we didn't see because it was raining at night (our great luck with weather!)

Pasazade

Ibn Kemal Sokak 5/A

Sirkeci, Istanbul

Imbat

Hudavendigar Cadessi 34

Sirkeci, Istanbul

On the roof of the Orient Express Hotel

All dishes pictured are from Pasazade with the exception of the lamb dish.

Food Porn Friday- A Vegan Afternoon with Mom

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A Happy Belated Birthday to my Mom! She's such a cutie and a young 'un. I think when she was my age I was 9. DOH! I want to take this time to publicly thank her for my love of food especially healthy, whole food. If anything, my Mom taught me balance. Indulge a little but eat great home cooked meals full of fresh veggies, and juice your vegetables if you can. My Mom flirted off and on with being a vegetarian and finally made the switch over 10 years ago. In the past several years, she's begun to become a vegan and avoid milk products in particular (although she still likes the occasional leather shoe. Can she be considered a vegan?). She's been a little disappointed that I have been incorporating meat back into my diet. I can't be the perfect daughter. :)

For her birthday, it was hard to find a place to take her. NYC is full of vegetarian places, but many of them don't have the special occasion feel to them. Husband J and I took Mom to Pure Food & Wine, a raw, vegan organic place, last year but honestly weren't feeling it. It was super expensive, and I just think I like my food cooked if it's not a salad, sushi, carpaccio, etc. Did I mention it was a little overpriced? This year I decided to take her to one of our old veggie standbys, Zen Palate, a pan-Asian vegan restaurant.

There are multiple Zen Palate locations, but I miss the old one in Union Square. It was a bi-level space with modern Asian-inspired decor. The restaurant lost the space, and now it's a TGI Friday's. Ugh! I don't hate chains (Hello, Cheesecake Factory!!!), but I had one of the most inedible meals of my entire life at a TGI Friday's. Anyhoo, another Zen Palate opened up in the same area, and I decided to treat Mom to one of our old favorites.

So, how was it? A little disappointing.

Kale & Seaweed Salad with tofu and ginger vinaigrette for Mom

She thought it was way too cold for a salad. I agreed with her. Salad should be cold, but they shouldn't be downright frigid.

Wonton Soup for me

Those definitely aren't pork wontons. Most likely seasoned gluten.

Curry Supreme for Mom

Soy with potatoes and carrots in a mild curry sauce with brown rice and a veggie spring roll. My Mom laughs at me when I take pics of food. She started eating anyway. Oh well...it's my Mom. :)

Rose Petals for me

Soy Crepes with Wolfberry Seeds (they looked like red beans) and garden vegetables (carrots, cabbage & broccoli) in rice ginger sauce with brown rice and a veggie spring roll

(There are some dishes with gluten protein and seitan as well. We both seemed to gravitate towards soy that day.)

My main course was good not great. The sauce was fine but way too thick and almost goopy. My Mom asked, "Do the same people run the place?" Unfortunately, the non-existent "I'm too busy doing other things" kind of service didn't help either. Our good memories of Zen Palate were gone with their old location.

After Zen Palate, I surprised my Mom by taking her to Babycakes, a vegan bakery in the Lower East Side. My Mom is an awesome baker and has been experimenting lately with vegan baking (I don't think the baking has rubbed off on me yet :) ). I was a little skeptical about a vegan, gluten-free, in some cases sugar-free bakery. Aren't some of those things the good parts about baked goods? Hmm...

The Babycakes Philosophy

Babycakes shop. It's teeny!

We grabbed several things to try at home.

Spelt Vanilla Cupcake (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free)

Considering that it's spelt and not even flour, I have to say that this was pretty decent. For those of you with gluten intolerance this isn't for you; but if you have wheat allergies, it might be just the trick. The conclusion that my mother and I came to was that you need to eat the cake with the frosting. They need each other. Really.

Carrot Cake with Vanilla Frosting (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free)

Not bad. The cake was actually a nice moist but springy consistency. I sent most of it home with Mom.

Agave Brownie (Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free)

Nope. Sorry. It was more like a chocolate muffin than a brownie but there was really not much of a chocolate taste at all. Actually I couldn't really figure out WHAT that taste was. I know when you're not using eggs that it can be hard to replicate creaminess, and when you're trying not to use traditional sweeteners, you start to lose some of the traditional tastes of chocolate. I think that's the case here. Not tasty (and I really wanted it to be!).

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free)

Awesome! Amazing vanilla "cream" filling. Smooth and sweet. The supple cookie was able to sustain all of that filling, and the filling didn't overpower any of that good chocolate taste. It blended well just like a sandwich. I'm going to go back specifically for these.

Any vegan bakers out there? What are your sources for good vegan baking? My Mom is always looking to try a new recipe. Any good vegan restaurants or bakeries near you?

Happy Weekend, all! Please enjoy your last days of Passover and Easter/Resurrection Sunday.

Zen Palate

There are multiple Zen Palate locations in Manhattan. We went to the Union Square one.

115 East 18th Street (between Park Avenue South & Irving Place)

New York, New York

Babycakes

248 Broome Street (between Orchard & Ludlow Street)

New York, New York

There are also locations in Los Angeles and Walt Disney World (alrighty then!)