Tasty Travels: NYC {Part 6} + Chinese Dumplings

The remainder of my NYC travel posts have been sitting my drafts for OVER A YEAR. I think it's time to finish these up so I can move on to sharing my last few trips & events, don't you? If you've missed my other NYC posts, make sure to click the links below to get caught up! And don't forget to scroll allllllll the way to the bottom of the post for a Chinatown-inspired recipe for my new obsession... Dumplings!

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Missed Parts 1-5 of my NYC travel recaps? Catch up here:

Part 1 

Part 2 

Part 3 

Part 4
Part 5

Ok, friends. Having these NYC posts pending is giving me anxiety. It's just another thing swimming around in my already preoccupied brain and, seriously, all the thinking has given me an eye twitch that has lasted for over a week.

I didn't mean to make them go on for so long, but I also didn't realize that I had so much to share! So let's get back to where I left off -- a day of food touring with one of my best friends -- and hopefully we'll be done before my NEXT trip happens! ;)

There is nothing like having a friend or a local show you around when you're visiting a new city. {Especially if the friend is as detailed & organized as the girl who took me on my Chicago bakery hop.} So, I was so grateful that Lourdes volunteered her efforts to take me & Steve around to some of the fun foodie spots she thought we'd enjoy.

First stop: Pizza.

It's an unwritten requirement that you must have a slice of pizza when you visit NYC. And if you ask around, you will get about as many recommendations for "THE" place to go as there are pizza joints. But, in Lourdes' opinion, Bleecker Street Pizza is the spot. {And according to the signs proudly displayed in the window, Food Network agreed that year, naming it the "Best Pizza in New York".}

We happily followed her to the pizzeria, which was already filled with patrons waiting for a hot slice though it was still pretty early in the day. We ordered and managed to squeeze ourselves into a small high top that magically opened up just as we received our food. To tell you the truth, I wasn't really that hungry {I think I was still full from all the eating we had done up to this point}, but I still managed to make room for a cheesy slice which means it must have been pretty good. {Steve agreed.}

Onward!

Stop #2: CHEESE!

Next stop on the "tour" was a place Lourdes wanted to show me for no other reason than the fact that cheese makes me happy. Murray's Cheese is not just a cheese store... it is a cheese mecca. It's where cheese dreams of being sold at the end of it's journey. And if you think you know a thing or two about cheese, think again. Stepping into the shop will make you feel pretty clueless when you find yourself surrounded by every type of cheese under the sun.

The good thing is that Murray's is all about giving you a cheese education, so you need not feel overwhelmed. They can help you pick out the right cheese, will let you sample, can give you a history, or suggest pairings. They can put together a gift basket, show you which type of cheese knife slices which type of cheese, give you a perfect cheesy recipe, or sign you up for a class so you can stop asking so many darn questions. Cheese lovers... just go.

{I am sad to say I took NOT ONE picture at Murray's Cheese!!!} :(

Stop #3: Hot Dogs

Between the cheesy pizza and our visit to cheese central, I was pretty much maxed out on calories {and cholesterol} for a little while, but Steve was still raring to go, so Lourdes suggested a stop at another NYC institution that could cause quite a debate: the hot dog stand. Lourdes' choice? Papaya King.

Papaya King {who has many a "Best Hot Dog in NYC" claim on their website}, combines an obvious pairing: franks and papaya drinks. Wait... what?

I have no idea how that combination came into existence, but again, the long lines snaking their way out of it's neon sign covered glass doors suggested that it works pretty well. I sort of wish I wouldn't have been so full {and that it wasn't so cold} because their tropical drinks sounded really refreshing and delicious. {Coconut Champagne? Banana Daiquiri? Strawberry Fields? Yes, please.} Steve grabbed a dog and ate while we walked to the next stop, sounds of approval coming from him every few steps. {How he wasn't sick by this point, I have no idea.}

Stop #4: {Tiny} Cupcakes!

Knowing how much I love dessert, Lourdes thought we should stop by a well-known spot that might just have small enough portions for a girl who couldn't possibly eat another bite: Baked by Melissa.

 

This cupcake shop is a genius concept -- teensy weensy little cupcake bites made in a variety of fun flavor combos so you can sample more than one without overdoing it. Even though I definitely wasn't hungry, I couldn't turn down one of their cupcakes because they were literally one bite {about the size of a quarter} . The cupcakes were so cute that I didn't know whether to eat them or coo at them. We tried a PB & J, Mint Chocolate Chip, and a seasonal flavor, Snow Covered Pretzel.

Have you ever seen happier people to be holding a cupcake that you could practically inhale?

Stop #5: Eataly
We wandered around some more after that, attempting to walk off everything we had consumed, and then ended up in the exact place you should NOT go if you're trying to avoid tempting yourself with more food: Eataly.

Eataly is a gourmet Italian market/cafe/restaurant/bar/playground on steroids. At over 50,000 square feet, Eataly is bursting at the seams with a plethora of food experiences. The bad part: It is so large {and was quite crowded when we went} that you won't know where to begin. The good part: It's sort of categorized into sections that will help you navigate the overwhelming culinary terrain - Meats, Cheeses, Pastries, Pastas, etc, etc. There are a variety {7, to be exact} of sit down restaurants {some casual, some a little more upscale} you can choose to dine at. They are conveniently situated next to each corresponding market area, making it easy for them to procure housemade ingredients for their dishes without having to go very far, taking "fresh" to a whole other level.


Up on the roooooof.

The top level of Eataly houses a rooftop Bierreria {that, of course, brews it's own beers} that makes a good spot to hang out... that is, if you can get a seat. That's where we ended up after a bit of zombie-like browsing {we were so tired & overwhelmed by this point}, and a few handcrafted lattes to take off the chill of the outdoors. The plan was to grab a beer and make our dinner plans for the evening {more food!} while resting our feet, but I don't think we even got around to ordering with the amount of time it took to get service at the very busy bar. Luckily, we were fine with forgoing any more food or drink at that moment!

Stop #6: Dumplings in Chinatown

Lourdes decided that we needed to experience dinner in Chinatown, so we made our way in that direction and hoped that by the time we got there, got settled and seated, we'd all be hungry once again. We strolled along streets and alleys lined with exotic fruits, veggies, and meats, and buckets of live frogs and other interesting things I didn't exactly want to figure out. And then we arrived at Joe's Shanghai.

By this time, it was dark, cold, and we were ready to sit and relax with a bowl of something hot. Lourdes was so excited about introducing us to their signature dish - Soup Dumplings. After a long wait in the tiny, crowded foyer to the restaurant, we were finally seated at a communal round table with a group of other hungry people. Joe's Shanghai is an experience... it's not the type of place you go for a long, leisurely dinner or private conversation. Oh, no. It's more like a well oiled machine, designed to turn over tables and feed large groups of people quickly and efficiently. The noise level is loud, and the service is hurried!

Thank goodness we went with people who knew what they were doing. Lourdes & her boyfriend knew what to order, and we just went along for the ride. What arrived at our table soon after was a family-style portion of noodles, and bamboo steamers full of the famous soup dumplings. Lourdes kindly demonstrated how to carefully eat them without scalding oneself, which, as we soon found out, takes some technique. {Seriously, y'all. There's even a [weird] video made about it. Do yourself a favor & skip right to the 2:39 mark.}



I did like the soup dumplings, although the rest of the food was pretty average, I thought, but the experience was one that was worth having for sure!

Stop #7: Cannoli in Little Italy!
Finally, to wrap up the day, we made our way over to Little Italy... territory I was very familiar with. I happily led the crowd in the direction of the bakeries, and I introduced Lourdes to cannoli for the first time! {She's never been the same since.} Nothing like finishing off a full day of eating with dessert in Little Italy.

To say our trip was jam-packed would be an understatement... we left the city feeling like we had gotten to know her so much better, and yet, we wanted to know so much more!

Our next trip, which was about a year later, was the absolute BEST food-wise {complete with an experience that I never thought I'd have!}, and will be the last part of my NYC recap series {WHEW!}. I can't wait to tell you all about it!

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These may not be the famous Soup Dumplings from Joe's Shanghai, but they are most definitely worth discussing. Rediscovering these posts & coming across a dumpling recipe in an old magazine, I decided to attempt homemade Chinese dumplings last Sunday...

I have no idea why I didn't try it sooner!

Though these dumplings can be labor-intensive -- what with the dough and the filling and the rolling and the stuffing -- I found a way to streamline the process and have scrumptious dumplings from dough to dish in less than two hours. Bonus: These cuties can be frozen and saved for an easy meal on a lazy day.

A simple flour and water dough makes up the delicate pouch enveloping your filling of choice. Whether served pan fried or boiled, these dumplings don't disappoint!

{Shortcut} Chinese Dumplings

For dough:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

A healthy pinch of salt

1/2 cup water

For filling:

Approximately 1 cup diced or shredded zucchini

1/2 an onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken {or pork or beef or whatever you'd like}

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil
A splash of rice vinegar to deglaze the pan

Other options include: Assorted veggies, seafood, etc. The sky's the limit! I have also made these using leftovers from a hibachi dinner, cutting the prep time down ever further. I'm fairly certain there are Chinese grandmas who are feeling light-headed at the though of this abomination, but hey, whatever works.

1. In a stand mixer, combine flour and salt. Pour a little water in slowly {you may not need all of it} while mixing on low speed until a ball forms. If the mixture is too wet, add a bit more flour; if it's too dry, a little more water. It shouldn't be too sticky.

2. Change paddle to a dough hook if you have one and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. You can also do this by hand, of course, but if you're looking at a "shortcut" recipe, I imagine it's because you don't have time for this nonsense.

3. With floured hands, form the dough into a neat ball and place on a floured surface. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your filling.

1. Add about a tablespoon of oil to a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and onion and cook until the vegetables are softened and translucent. Mix in shredded chicken.

2. To the mixture, add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Mix until well combined.

3. Place the mixture in a food processor. Pulse a few times until slightly broken down, but not too mushy. Set aside.

For assembly: 

1. Divide your ball of dough into 4 equal pieces. Make sure your surface is well-dusted with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out as thin as possible. The shape won't matter, so don't stress if you have an amoeba-shaped piece of dough when you're done. Getting it nice and thin is the goal here.

2. Now we're getting real technical: Bust out a wine glass or drinking glass with an approximate diameter of 3 inches. Flip it over and use it as a cookie cutter to crank out perfectly shaped little circles. Set those aside and cover them as you go so they don't dry out. You may want to line them up on a baking sheet and get them ready for filling to make life easier.

3. Repeat the process with the rest of your dough, re-rolling scraps as necessary. I wound up getting about 30 circles out of it and still had some dough left over.

4. Put about a teaspoon of filling, or more if you can stuff it in there without ripping your dumplings {ouch, that sounds painful, doesn't it??}. Now, fold the filled circle in half and pinch to seal all the way. If you want to experiment with creating traditional "pleats", this is the time to do it. But I'm not the person to show you how because I'm just trying to get these in my belly as fast as possible. Ain't nobody got time for pleats when they're hungry.

5. Now: Make a decision. Are you going to pan fry these babies or are you going to boil them? They're good either way.

- To fry, simply put about a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add your dumplings, making sure they each have enough room. Cook until lightly golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Then, add about 3 tablespoons or so of water to the pan and cover it with a tight-fitting lid. {But be super careful because hot oil and water can be very dangerous.} Let them steam until the water is just about gone, then uncover and cook them until they're nice and crispy.

- To boil, place them in a pot of boiling water. Duh. Haha, just kidding. Let them simmer away until they float to the top and the dough becomes sort of translucent & kinda wrinkly. It doesn't sound or look gorgeous but they're so, so good.

Serve with soy sauce or an Asian dipping sauce and enjoy the fruits of your labor! {Even though you totally cheated.}

Note: You can also freeze these individually {make sure they're not touching} on a baking sheet and then pop them into a freezer bag for dumplings at the drop of a hat. So awesome.

BONUS RECIPE: I got sick of making little dough circles and was left with a small ball of dough. I rolled it out as thin as possible, placed it on a super hot pan, sprayed it with olive oil & a sprinkling of rosemary and baked it at 450 for a few minutes. The result: AMAZING homemade flatbread crackers! Genius!

Food Blog Forum Orlando Recap {Part 2}

{For Part 1 of my Food Blog Forum recap, click here.}

How do you deal with meeting new people for the first time? What's your reaction when you find yourself in interesting social situations? {i.e. Meeting people you've already read all about.}

Me? I'm a babbler.

{I know what you're thinking. Me? Babble? Never.} ;)

I start talking and then I can't shut myself up. I talk to fill the silence with timid people. I talk to "put it all out there" and be open. I talk because I want the other person to feel like they're not the only one sharing. Or oversharing as the case may be.

So, even though I consider myself quite social, I can also be quite socially awkward. At least, that's what it feels like when it's happening.

You can imagine how I felt going into Friday evening's welcome reception with 125+ of my closest "friends" that I've never met.

Disney did their best to make us all feel at ease... beautiful little bites of food circulated the room, an open bar served up some liquid encouragement for flowing conversation, and the surroundings weren't too shabby, either.

Within the first few minutes, I found myself chatting with Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes {one of the very first food blogs I ever stumbled upon}, Megan from Wanna Be a Country Cleaver {one of my more recent favorites! I totally hugged her. I'm a nerd.}, Julie from The Little Kitchen {whom I had the privilege of meeting last year at Central Florida BlogCon}, and Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil.

Can I tell you what I said to these lovely folks? Nope. Not a word of it.

I was tuned into the Babble Station. All babble, all the time. I proceeded to yammer on for the rest of the hour with various other bloggers.

Fun Fact: I spoke with Tina from My Life as a Mrs. and we discovered that we're practically next door neighbors. Like, we shop at the same grocery store and everything. I also got to meet 2 more local bloggers -- Denise from Creative Kitchen and Michelle from The Domestic Mama & The Village Cook . South Florida Bloggers represent! ;)

By the end of the reception {which, by the way, was signaled by a woman walking around the room playing a xylophone-type contraption... Oh, Disney.}, I had made my way around the room and spoken to quite a few people but still had so many more I wanted to chat with!

We quickly changed into comfier "play clothes", and made our way to the Magic Kingdom in hopes of getting to ride a few of the highlights and catch the fireworks display & the parade.

Did I tell you we recruited a new park-hopping friend to our group at this point? Erin from Eat Drink Bake Cook {For the life of me I cannot remember the order of these words. I say it differently every time.} ... she was a doll!

It was just a tad windy waiting for the boat on the dock.

So, the three of us took on the Magic Kingdom after dark. As we discovered, there were a lot of changes to the park since the last time I visited, which made it sort of difficult to navigate. {Read: We got lost. A lot.} But we still managed to get to ride a couple of the "Mountains", and even some of the attractions in the new and improved Fantasyland.

Over by the new Beauty & The Beast area in Fantasyland.

Most importantly? I got a Dole Whip.

That is one happy Dole Whip-eating girl. 

We called it a night after the parade since we knew we had to be at breakfast by 8:00 a.m. and before I knew it, my alarm was going off and it was time for the conference!

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I'm SO not a morning person. But I have to say, the whimsical breakfast spread presented by Disney definitely made losing some sleep a little less painful.

How often do you get to start your day with a light-up fruit salad?

As if glowing breakfast items weren't enough to wake us up, we also received our swag bags around this time... oh, the swag! Our sponsors and friends really spoiled us rotten. I'm pretty sure I've already gained a few LBs from exploring all the edible goodies we were given.

Swag, unloaded from the bag at home. I'm pretty sure some of the stuff isn't even pictured here.

Guess what I'll be talking about in the next post??

You guessed it: More FBF, and more FOOD! 

I'll be sharing some of the insights I gained from listening to the wonderful presenters, as well as our Disney-tastic lunch. Can you believe everything I've shared all happened within the first 24 hours of the conference weekend?? No wonder I'm still recovering!

Since I've been busy getting back into the groove this week, I haven't had too much time in the kitchen, so I'm sharing an older recipe that was popular at a 4th of July party last year that you can bust out at your Memorial Day gatherings. 

It's a Strawberry-Peanut Butter Tart, and I'm pretty sure there's no way to mess it up. Not even if you're tired from a weekend of Disney fun. It's pretty, can be made to look "patriotic", and basically tastes like a big PB&J flavored cookie. How All-American is that?

Click over to the recipe here. 

Food Blog Forum Orlando {Part 1}

I'm back from my weekend in Orlando for Food Blog Forum {well, I've been back since Sunday. I've just been too paralyzed by an excess of things to share to actually post anything}, and I'm just going to warn you: I am on a sugar/Disney/learning/foodie high.

That's kind of what happens when you're surrounded by food blog superstars and spoiled rotten at The Happiest Place on Earth. And you know I'm going to tell you all.about.it.

What you will not see in this series of posts: Pictures of people posing with oversized Disney characters, small children watching the parade with a dreamy look in their eye, fanny packs.

What you WILL see: Obscene amounts of food, pictures of me posing with food bloggers with a dreamy look in my eye, the occasional Mickey-shaped dessert.

Warning given... now for the good stuff!

Sloane {from Life, Food, & Beer} and I headed up to Orlando bright and early on Friday in hopes of getting some park time in before the reception they were holding for us that evening to kick off the conference weekend.

We arrived at The Grand Floridian Resort and got settled in so we could spend some time at the park before the welcome reception that had been planned for us by the lovely folks who put together FBF.



The last time I stayed at the Grand Floridian, I was about 8 years old. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to be spending a few days in this Victorian-themed beauty.

In true Disney fashion, no detail is ever overlooked. From the verandas to the patterned wallpapers to chandeliers and the gingerbread trims, The Grand Floridian promptly takes you back to a time and place where elegance and luxury reigned supreme.

Sloane and I decided it would be best to visit Epcot that afternoon since we weren't sure if we'd have time to get back to the park throughout the rest of the weekend, so we hopped the monorail which is conveniently located on the second level of the hotel {erm, AFTER we waited 15 minutes for a bus that would never arrive. Oops.} and immediately made our way to the World Showcase for some snacks & drinks!

We happened to be there during one of the last weeks of their 20th Annual Flower & Garden Festival, so the park was even more expertly landscaped than usual. Because of the festival, we got to see some really beautiful floral masterpieces which, of course, all had Disney themes.

There were also special food kiosks set up where you could sample small plates of global fare, and we knew we definitely wanted to hit up a few of those. But first... cold drinks! Did I mention it was a sweltering 91 degrees that day?

Our first stop was the Mexico pavilion, and though we had only been at the park for a few minutes, we were already glad to go inside to get out of the heat and cool down with a cocktail.

In doing a little Disney digging on the internet before the conference, I discovered that the Mexico pavilion houses a hidden gem of a spot that serves some pretty spectacular drinks: La Cava del Tequila.



Did I say "hidden"? Because it was pretty packed when we stopped in for a visit. Sloane opted for a beer {sticking with the theme of her blog and all} but I had my eye on the Blood Orange Margarita with Berry Foam. It was a bit too sweet for my taste, but the interesting combination of blood orange, hibiscus syrup, and of course, tequila {and LOTS of it!} balanced with a Chili-Salt rim kept me coming back for another sip as we continued our stroll through the park.

About 3 sips later, I was already feeling kinda loopy! I am here to tell you that when you drink a margarita before you eat a solid lunch, you get pictures like this:

And let strangers convince you to have your picture taken like this:

And decide to "Gator Chomp" next to a landscaped crocodile: 

You also think it's cute to do the obligatory totem photo op in Canada:

And stop to pose with faux donkeys because.... well, why not?

Thank goodness for a nearby food kiosk in China selling Vegetable Buns... had I not started to get a little food in my belly, things could have gotten real ugly, real fast. We also tried some Lasagna Primavera {pictured over at Sloane's recap post} at the Italy kiosk, and of course, I asked to stop for dessert in France where we picked up a pretty Raspberry-Lemon Curd Macaron.

As much fun as we were having, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the evening's festivities because after a day spent walking "'round the world" in the hot Florida sunshine, freshening up was definitely necessary!

In my next post, I'll be sharing more about meeting some of my all-time favorite bloggers {and some new faves, too} and our adventures in some more of the parks.

Plus, I'll be sharing more pics of food. Always more food.

Meanwhile, here's a little easy to make snack, inspired by my {potent} margarita!

Juicy orange segments are dipped in dark chocolate, then sprinkled with a mixture of salt and chili for the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and spicy. And since it's fruit, there's no need to feel guilty about indulging in a few slices! {At least that's what I'm telling myself.}

Chocolate Dipped Orange Segments with Chili-Salt

1-2 oranges, peeled, segments carefully separated
3-4 ounces favorite dark chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon chili powder*
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt*

1. Prepare a sheet pan or plate by lining with a sheet of parchment paper.

2. Place peeled orange segments on a paper towel to soak up excess juiciness. This will help the melted chocolate adhere better to the slices.

3. In a small dish, mix together chili powder & salt.

4. Dip peeled orange segments in melted chocolate, then place on parchment paper.

5. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with a pinch of chili-salt.
*The measurements above are, of course, optional. You can put as much or as little chili and salt as you'd like. I found a pinch of the mixture to be just enough for a light dusting.

6. Allow chocolate to set {for faster setting, place in freezer for 6-8 minutes}.

Enjoy!