September 4, 2008
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*LABOR DAY WEEKEND EATING*
Labor Day weekend doesn't have to mean fighting travel traffic, roasting at the beach, or sitting at home with summer-ending depression and dread while watching ugly people doing telethons and picking off your sunburn scabs. Well, not if you have good friends who know good food.
Our NJ food friends, Julia & Jamis escorted us to excellent korean in Palisades Park, NJ (near Fort Lee). There we found sizzling kalbi and spicy soft tofu bowls, and sizzling squid. The place is modest from the outside, but all business on the inside. You know it's good when it doesn't rely on an American name.
Afterwards, we returned to Julia & Jamis' home for dessert. Dessert at J&J's is always an exciting unexpected treat! You'll see why in a minute.
me & bubbyMike with Jamis. Todd & Bob. We had spent that afternoon ravaging WOODBURY COMMONS with Bob & Todd in the crowded heat & humidity, so this casual winddown was perfect.
Julia here, busy with her impeccable dessert & tea presentation.
Green tea service. Simply graceful. A bundle of grapes fresh off the vine in their backyard.
J&J happened upon the little-known BALTHAZAR BAKERY in Englewood NJ. Yes, THAT Balthazar. Allow me to walk you thru the wonderland above (clockwise from top left): marvelous Madelines; baked custard Canneles (like spicy orange mini bundt cakes), orgasmic Oatmeal Raisin Cookie; delicate decadent brulee'd Pear Tart; and a pair of classic Croissants. Bravo, J&J....BRAVO!!
Also from Balthazar Bakery, a Chocolate Almond Torte with a light dusting of powdered sugar, that was purely yummazing! Rich, moist, chewy, creamy, chocolatey, almondy, heavenly. After we all had a sumptuous slice, they insisted I take the rest home. It's business as usual, the way it went down: I politely refuse and say "oh no, I can't possibly take it...you guys keep it and enjoy it tomorrow". They insist they won't eat, it's bad for their diets, and that I simply must do them the favor of taking it off their hands. I pause for a requisite millisecond refrain and then shout "OKAY!" and run for the door with my cake.
I've also become the official "cake-cutter" at every home function I go to. I noticed no one ever wants to volunteer to cut the cake, for fear of ruining it or cutting uneven slices. So the cake usually doesn't get cut without much delay. JUST HAND ME THE FUCKING KNIFE.
Comments (10)
Damn you skinny bitches who can eat whatever you want!
@CareyGLY -
hahahahaha... He's got special genes to fit those skinny jeans!
"Just hand me the f*cking knife!" lol... you'll fit in well with my family. No one wants to cut the cake.
Dear, you're good with a knife. Black girls usually are. "I'll cut a bitch"
@WehoRoy - I'll cut you bitch.
@ElusiveWords - Skinny jeans? Jason is not one to wear his jeans too skinny cause his hips are bit wide and his legs are too short....But he does have skinny(ish) genes.
@jasonbasin - Bring it on She'naynay
*Drool....ur blog is awesome.
woot!
Wonderful as always, but I want to know if that is a New Yorker cartoon on that plate under the slice of Chocolate Almond Torte? Is that what your hubby is looking at? Tell me more!
@Tom -
hey Tom, why yes it is!! What a keen observation. Our friends served dessert on them (obviously), and the one in the picture reads: "We didn't have time to pick up a bottle of wine, but this is what we would've spent," with the couple showing cash to the party hosts.
Next time I go to their house, I'll snap a photo of each plate for you.
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