Tasty Travels: NYC {Part 4} & Citrus Shortbread Cookies

Follow along with my NYC travels {in order!}:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

After a good night's sleep, we woke up hungry and ready for, well, food. Duh. Steve wandered a few blocks from the hotel while I got ready, and he returned with some tasty bagels from Leo's which was conveniently just around the corner. Perfect for getting carbed up for all the walking that was about to ensue!

Love their branding.

Since we survived the first day and night of our vacation, we decided to celebrate by doing some more wandering. This time we managed not to get lost and put ourselves in a perilous situation.

First stop: A peek at the filming of the Today Show. I used to watch Today every morning. To the point that I felt like I knew Matt, Ann, Natalie, Savannah, and Al personally. {I stopped watching when Ann -- my absolute favorite -- parted ways with the show. Boo.} It was chilly, but we managed to stay warm enough to catch a few minutes of Al Roker & Savannah Guthrie shooting a quick segment out on the Plaza.

We walked around and saw Rockefeller Center by day... still very neat, but not quite as magical as it was the night before decked out in twinkly lights and illuminated by the giant tree.

As if we hadn't had enough trees or brisk fresh air {is there a such thing in NYC?}, we decided to make our way to Central Park -- one of the top places on my list of must-see city sites. After a quick stop at a tiny corner store to grab a hot cup of coffee, we started our stroll.

Central Park is one of my absolute favorite places I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. It is such a paradox... a welcome inconsistency in the busy, bustling city. Sure, there's movement and activity in the park itself, but there's something pleasantly eerie about the sense of calm that Central Park elicits in the middle of a place known for moving at warp speed.

There are so many little nuances to the park -- hidden nooks and crannies that are waiting to be discovered, statues and exhibits to stumble upon unexpectedly, gorgeous vistas to happen upon that seem to be affixed onto a metropolitan backdrop of skyscrapers in the distance. Central Park is a little oasis smack dab in the middle of the city.

If my waxing poetic hasn't already tipped you off, I was charmed to pieces. Given the opportunity to have an extended stay in the city, I could probably spend an entire day meandering around Central Park.


Oh, hi. I love it here.

With a wholesome nature walk in the park checked off our list, we moved on to browse a beauty of a less organic nature: The Plaza Hotel.

What do you think of when you hear "The Plaza"? Home Alone 2: Lost in New York? Opulent celebrity weddings? Bride Wars? The Eloise books? Yeah, me too. Since I figured I'd never be back here for an extended period of time {Hint/Foreshadowing: I was wrong.}, I wanted to get lost in The Plaza's fanciness, whether or not I had to literally drag Steve along its shiny marble hallways or not.

Since it was around Christmastime, The Plaza was decorated even more beautifully than normal with wreaths, and trees, and festive floral pomanders. It was dreamy. {And so worth having a pouty husband who couldn't care less about crystal chandeliers in tow.}

We hit the pavement once again and, while I already had Steve in a fancy frame of mind, I thought I'd take a quick look at the elaborately decorated store windows on 5th Avenue... something I had always wanted to do.

I didn't want to torture the hubs with girlie site seeing any longer, so I suggested we take a little break to rest our tootsies at a place I had read about in my trip research a few weeks before: The Knave Care & Bar at Le Parker Meridian. {I didn't say I was done being fancy. At least there was food involved here.}

So, this place... such an unexpected spot and exactly what I needed to relax from the break-neck pace we had been keeping. The Knave is literally a nave which I thought was super geeky play-on-words-cool. You walk in from an unassuming street entrance and find yourself standing in the middle of what looks like part of a cathedral; swathed in rich velvet curtains, low lit with medieval-looking chandeliers, and filled with cozy tufted booths.

We chose a snug little spot to sit and were immediately greeted by a friendly server who asked what we'd like. I had read that their prices were steep {$6 for a latte}, but being a sucker for atmosphere and experience {and knowing that we weren't planning on dropping a big chunk of change anywhere else for the remainder of the trip}, I happily ordered the Cafe Mocha. The server's eyes lit up at the mention of my order... she proceeded to tell me that The Knave is known for their mochas and that she quickly became addicted to them when she first started working there. Good choice! 

My coffee arrived -- complete with foam art & a delicious little shortbread cookie -- and while I can't say it was the best coffee drink I've ever had, I enjoyed sipping away while Steve and I planned out the rest of the day as the sound of Bach's Cello Suite No. 1- Prelude {my favorite, surely they knew I'd be there} floated through the room.

I sort of didn't want to leave...which seems to be my personal theme when it comes to NYC.

In Part 5 {yes, there's still more!}, I'll be telling you all about my second favorite spot in the city and take you along on a little food tour that was put together by one of my very good friends.

It's easy to get caught up in all the frills of the finer places in the city. While it's true that I enjoy luxuriating in the lavish from time to time, some things can be just as elegant and special without all the fuss. Take these shortbread cookies, for example.

Inspired by the little cookie that was served with my Mocha, these little melt-in-your-mouth bites are a reminder that sometimes simple really is best. Buttery, and just sweet enough with a delicate orange scent, these Citrus Shortbread Cookies are pure perfection with just a handful of every day ingredients.

 

Citrus Shortbread Cookies
Adapted from Joy of Baking

1 cup butter {2 sticks}, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt


1. In the bowl of a stand mixer {or with your hand mixer}, cream together softened butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest, and mix well.

2.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and salt.

3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until it's fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl every once in a while.

4. Scoop the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk. {I like to fold the plastic wrap over onto the dough and lightly roll the dough out to the thickness I want the cookies to be to save myself some time later when I'm ready to cut out the cookies.}

5. Refrigerate the dough for about an hour, or until firm.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before you are going to use it. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

7. Using a cookie cutter of your choice {I actually use an inverted champagne flute because it's the perfect round size... I should probably invest in a cookie cutter of that size.}, cut out desired shapes and place onto the lined cookie sheet.

8. Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until the cookies look "set" and the edges are slightly golden. {Don't let them get too brown.}

9. These are crumbly little bites, so let them cool down before removing them from the cookie sheet and cooling them completely on a rack.

Bagelicious

Some recipes are just worth every ounce of trouble they take to make them. This is one of them.

Bagels. So simple. So well-loved. So delicious.

As soon as I took a bite of one of these homemade bagels {fresh out of the oven, no less}, I knew that I would never be able to eat another frozen bagel as long as I live.{Ok, so I probably haven't eaten a frozen bagel since college, but still.

Front to back: Sesame, Onion & Italian Herb, Parmesan, Sea Salt

It completely boggles my mind that 5 ordinary ingredients that can be found in my pantry more often than not are responsible for these little beauties. It's all about technique with these because, really, there's nothing to 'em.

Now... that said, bagels {and yeast breads in general} aren't something you want to just make on a whim. They take a few hours and a lot of counter space. You will most likely curse at some point while you are making them. {Maybe twice.} You will also wonder why you began such a project when you have five million other things that you should be doing instead. But nevermind all that... the moment you smell them baking away in the oven you will know that you did the right thing.

Not to get all deep or anything, but making bread by hand gives me such a sense of satisfaction. Since I STILL haven't been able to remove the very stuck paddle attachment from my stand mixer, I had to knead the dough by hand. For 10 minutes. Ten very long, long minutes.

Ten minutes may not seem like a very long time to you, but there aren't too many things throughout my day that take 10 full minutes of undivided attention. I am almost always multitasking. Kneading dough by hand does not allow for mutitasking if you're doing it right. And that's exactly what I like about it. It's 10 minutes I get to do nothing but think and knead. The way people have been thinking and kneading for hundreds of years. I wouldn't be surprised at all if some of the best ideas in the world were thought up while kneading bread. Maybe I'll just keep my stand mixer the way it is, stuck and all. ;)

Whether you use a little help from modern technology or decide to give these a go the good old fashioned way, they're definitely worth making at least once. What recipes that you make give you a sense of accomplishment? I'd love to hear about them!

Jo Goldenberg's Parisian Bagels
Recipe from Melindalee.com

• 3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting 
• 2 packages dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups hot water {120-130 degrees}
• 3 quarts water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons barley malt syrup {or substitute sugar in the same amount}
• 1 egg white – beaten with 1 teaspoon, water
• Toppings of choice, if any {coarse sea salt, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried onion, etc.}

1. Make the Dough
In a mixing bowl {or the bowl of an electric mixer} measure 3 cups of the flour and stir in all the remaining dry ingredients. Pour in the hot water, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon {or with the flat paddle attachment of the electric mixer at low speed} and beat for about 2 minutes.

Add the remaining half-cup of flour, a little at a time, stirring by hand. When the batter becomes thick and heavy, attach the mixer’s dough hook {if using} or lift the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface for kneading by hand.


2. Knead the dough: Knead the dough at medium low speed on the mixer – or by hand {using a push, turn and fold motion, energetically} for about 10 minutes – or until the dough is firm and solid when pinched with the fingers. Add flour as needed if the dough is sticky in your hands, or sticks to the sides of the mixing bowl {if using electric mixer}.


3. First Rising: When dough is kneaded enough, place it in an oiled mixing bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature until it has doubled in volume – about 1 hour.


4. Prepare Water Bath: Near the end of this rising time, bring the 3 quarts of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the malt syrup or sugar; then, reduce the heat and leave the water just barely moving – at a slow simmer.


5. Shape the Bagels: When the dough has doubled in volume, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and punch it down with extended fingers to remove excess gas.

Divide the dough into 10 pieces {each will weigh about 3-4 ounces}. Shape each piece into a ball. Allow the balls to stand and relax for a few minutes – then flatten each one with the palm of your hand.


With your thumb, press deep into the center of the bagel and tear the depression open with your fingers. Pull the hole open, pull it down over a finger and smooth the rough edges. It should look like a bagel! Form all of the bagels and place them on your work surface.6. Second Rising: Cover the shaped bagels with wax paper or parchment paper. Leave them at room temperature just until the dough has risen slightly – about 10 minutes (this is called a “half proof”).


7. Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with shortening (or use a non-stick baking sheet, or line a baking sheet with “Silpat” or similar material) and sprinkle the baking sheet with cornmeal.


8. Water-bathe the Bagels: Into the gently simmering water prepared earlier, slip one bagel at a time {use a large skimmer, and gently lower them into the water}. Simmer only 2 or 3 bagels at a time – do not crowd the pan. The bagels will sink and then rise again after a few seconds. Simmer gently for one minute, turning each bagel over once during that time. Lift each bagel out of the water with the skimmer, drain briefly on a towel, then place each bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels are simmered, drained and on the baking sheet.


9. Bake the Bagels: Brush each bagel lightly with the egg-white-water mixture first, then sprinkle the topping if desired – or leave unadorned, for water bagels. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. When the bagel tops are a light brown, turn them over to complete baking. This turning-over step will keep the bagels in a rounded shape, instead of their being flat on the bottom. When brown and shiny, remove the finished bagels from the oven. Place the bagels on a metal rack to cool.