Thursday, December 19, 2024

America Best Street Food

 




MO'S BURGERS

117th STREET & MALCOM X Blvd.

HARLEM, NEW YORK







AMERICA'S BEST STREET FOOD

"MO'S BURGERS"

HARLEM, NEW YORK










AMERICA'S FAVORITE FOODS

And SECRET RECIPES

BURGERS TACOS BURRITOS

FRIED CHICKEN - MEATLOAF

And MORE





Friday, November 22, 2024

Burger Scholar George Motz Burgers

 





GEORGE MOTZ 

"HAMBURGER SCHOLAR"

HAMBURGER AMERICA






GEORGE MOTZ "HAMBURGER SCHOLAR"

HAMBURGER AMERICA BURGERS

GREENWICH VILLAGE, NEW YORK





HOW to MAKE The PERFECT BURGERS




The BADASS COOKBOOK

BURGERS TACOS BURRITOS

SOUP STEAKS BBQ & More ....







Mr. George Motz is rguably our foremost scholar of hamburgers and their history, Motz has made documentaries, hosted television shows, and authored several books about burgers, and has even taught a hamburger seminar at N.Y.U. So when he announced, last year, that he would be opening a burger joint of his own, New York’s center of hamburger gravity shifted—subtly, but perceptibly—toward the red brick building on the corner of MacDougal and Houston where Motz had signed a lease. The restaurant, which opened in November, all kitted out with chrome and Formica, is a retro fantasia bearing the same grand, unifying, hand-on-heart name as his first film, and his first book: Hamburger America.

“Like a haiku, the best burgers benefit from an imposed limitation of form,” he wrote in his “Great American Burger Book.” Motz believes in beefinessas a hamburger’s foundational attribute, something to which all other elements —the bun; a sauce, perhaps; a considered minimality of toppings—ought to work in dedicated service. There are just two burgers on the menu at Hamburger America. The Classic Smash, in which a baseball of freshly ground beef is smeared into lace-edged flatness on a searing hot flat-top griddle, can be ordered with melty American cheese or “all the way,” with diced onion, a few dill pickle rounds, and a slash of mustard. The signature George Motz’s Fried Onion Burger uses an Oklahoma technique of covering the beef with a heap of sweet onions sliced paper-thin, and smashing the onion-topped meat into the griddle. After the burger is flipped, the onions caramelize and char between the meat and the griddle, all but disappearing, while giving the patty a haunting sweetness. It’s served with no condiments, no dressings—just a slice of American cheese, as both lubrication and salt, and two salutatory pickle rounds on the side. 

The burgers, an impressively affordable $7.25 apiece, are on the smaller side—a hungry diner could easily down two or three before pausing for breath. They are also available with double patties ($11.50), though it seems foolish to disturb the single patty’s perfect ratio of bread to meat. Despite all the fanfare, I found the onion burger a little bland—a few shakes of hot sauce liven it up, though doctoring it at all feels a bit sacrilegious. But the Classic Smash is fantastic, strong and correct. You don’t need to know the history of burgers to be taken with its honest flavors, its modest size, its firm handshake of pickle and onion and good ol’ American ground beef. It’s a hamburger you trust, a hamburger you’d feel good about taking your daughter to prom.





GEOrGE MOTZ in ACTION

At The GRILL

HAMBURGER AMERICA


In addition to the two hamburgers, there are fries, of course (thin and crisp, but oversalted on one visit and not quite salty enough on another), plus a handful of simple, school-lunch-ish sandwiches, including tuna salad made with sweet pickle relish, and a deeply satisfying peanut-butter-and-jelly. There’s an unfussy grilled cheese (American, on buttered bread), and a secret, off-menu sandwich that I’ve seen described elsewhere, inaccurately, as a patty melt. In fact, it’s a grilled cheese with a smash-burger patty inside it, and it’s singularly terrific. There’s a milk menu, your choice of plain or chocolate or coffee (a Rhode Island specialty, made with Autocrat-brand coffee syrup, sweet and bitter); the latter two can be topped with a squirt of seltzer to make a very decent egg cream. The best seats in the house are at the L-shaped counter—especially the stools right in front of the burger station, where Motz himself is likely to be captaining the griddle. He’s tall and muttonchopped, with a medusa-like shock of silver hair. A cartoon version of his grinning face is the restaurant’s logo, silk-screened onto the breast of yellow T-shirts, sewn as a patch on the sleeves of crisp white chefs’ shirts, and laser-etched onto the blade of Motz’s own “Smashula,” a custom tool he wields theatrically to flatten and flip each patty. 

On one of my visits to Hamburger America, no fewer than three employees mentioned, unprompted, that the hot ham sandwich was the sleeper hit of the whole menu. They did not lie. I watched as Motz piled a tidy mountain of meat, freshly thin-sliced, onto the flattop, draping two slices of lacy Swiss cheese overtop. He left the whole thing to warm under a metal cloche until it was melty and rich, then transferred it to a butter-toasted burger bun. As Motz wrapped the finished sandwich in parchment paper and slid the plate to me across the counter, he asked if I was from the Midwest. I said that I was from Chicago, and he shook his head. “Almost! It’s a real Milwaukee thing, this sandwich,” he said, before turning his focus back to the whack-a-mole of the griddle, full of patties in various stages of historically accurate smash. Looking it up later, I learned that hot ham and rolls has, for generations, been a Sunday tradition in southeast Wisconsin, when families line up at their favorite bakeries for an easy, affordable post-church meal. 




CLASSIC CHEEESEBURGER

At HAMBURGER AMERICA



The servers sold the pies hard, too: “It’s the best Key-lime pie you’ve ever had,” one said as she hovered around the perimeter of the counter, taking orders and clearing empty plates. (A seating area in the back, with proper tables and yellow-upholstered booths, is self-serve, with ordering done at a fast-food-style register kiosk in the center of the restaurant.) But I saw few slices of pie in front of my fellow-diners, and even fewer hot ham sandwiches. Smash burgers are having a moment right now, having been dragged into the spotlight by the riptides of social media. With Hamburger America, however, Motz aims to engage with history, not with trend-seekers. “This is the way burgers were made in America at the very beginning. The progenitor of every burger we have ever seen, made, or tasted,” he writes in “The Great American Burger Book.”

Motz is interested in the hamburger as an object and a foodstuff, but he’s just as invested in the restaurants that serve them, especially the counter joints and luncheonettes where burgers are the star of the show. His “Hamburger America” book and documentary are about places and people: family-owned businesses, recipes and techniques that span generations. With its throwback fixtures and hand-painted signage, the restaurant is obviously designed to feel like the sort of place that belongs in a Motzian chronicle. The walls are crowded with ephemera: old menus, newspaper ads, photographs of clapboard drive-ins and mid-century neon signs, a few souvenirs from Motz’s own résumé of burger residencies and pop-ups. Over the booths in the back of the restaurant hang three especially large photos, shot by Motz himself. One, depicting the interior of Edina, Minnesota’s Convention Grill (opened in 1934), is a near-perfect echo of Hamburger America’s own counter. Motz’s restaurant may be a pastiche as much as it’s a temple, a meticulous facsimile of the time-worn and the beloved, but at least he’s not stingy with the credit.






MAYOr MIKE BLOOMBERG

At HAMBURGER AMERICA

GREENWICH VILLAGE, NEW YORK














SINATRA SAUCE

The COOKBOOK

COOK LIKE FRANK

HIS FAVORITE ITALIAN RECIPES












Sunday, November 17, 2024

Pasta and Peas Recipe Soup

 

PASTA & PEAS 

"THAT'S ITALIAN"




PASTA & PEAS

"LOVE IT"




Pasta & Peas. We Love it ! The we being Italian-Americans, is a beloved dish of Italian enclaves all over America. It's a dish that fits into the category "Cucina Power" meaning - food of the poor, made with the most inexpensive ingredients, like here with just Potatoes, canned Peas, MACCHERONI (pasta) a bit of Tomato, Olive Oil, onion, and some grated cheese.

Yes the grated Pecorino or Parmigiana Reggiano, or Caciocaavallo Cheese are not inexpensive. If a family could afford the cheese, it was used sparingly. If they could not afford it, they would do without the cheese, and that was that.



PASTA & PEAS - RECIPE 

Ingredients :

1 heaping cup small diced pancetta (about 6 ounces)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups small diced yellow onions

¼ cup chopped garlic

Pinch crushed red pepper

¼ cup tomato paste

2 quarts low- or no-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

2 sprigs rosemary

1 parmigiano or pecorino cheese rind

1 tsp salt, or to taste

½ tsp black pepper, or to taste

1 pound pasta shells + salt for water 

4 cups peas or baby peas, defrosted if frozen (about 20 ounces)

Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

Extra virgin olive oil, for serving 


Instructions:

Step 1:

Prep all ingredients according to specifications above.

Step 2: Cook Pancetta:

Place pancetta and oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.

Slowly cook it until it becomes crispy and most of the fat has been rendered. (This could take 15 to 20 minutes.)

Remove pancetta with slotted spoon and set it aside to drain on paper towels.

Remove all but about 3 tablespoons of rendered fat from the pot and use for other purpose or discard. 

Leave enough fat to cover bottom of pot.

Step 3:

Add onions, garlic, and crushed red pepper.

Cook for about 4 minutes, or until onions have softened a bit, stirring occasionally.

Step 4:

Move onion mixture to one side of pot.

Then add tomato paste and cook it for about 30 seconds.

Pour in 2 cups broth and stir to loosen and scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pot.

Step 5:

Add remaining broth, rosemary, cheese rind, salt, and black pepper and stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Cover pot, increase heat to high, and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and simmer, partially covered, for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until all vegetables have softened. 

Step 6:

Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water for half the time noted on the package.

Step 7:

Once the vegetables have softened, remove the rosemary spring and any remaining cheese rind and discard.

Then, add the partially-cooked pasta, peas and reserved pancetta to the pot and stir well.

Simmer until the pasta is al dente while stirring, then turn off heat and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Step 8:

Ladle soup into bowls and top with some pecorino cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. 






FAVORITE ITALIAN DISHES

And SECRET RECIPES 













CLARA Makes PASTA & PEAS








ANNA'S PASTA & PEAS

Note : In this video recipe for PASTA & PEAS,
Anna does not use tomatoes.

In Clara's recipe for PASTA & PEAS, Clara uses tomato,
though, she states you can make it with or without tomatoes.


BASTA !!!









Monday, September 9, 2024

Anthony Bourdain at Hirams Hotdogs NJ

 



HIRAM'S

FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY








TONY Goes to HIRAM'S

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD HOT DOG STAND

HIRAM'S - Minute 2:30 of Video

Anthony Bourdain

PARTS UNKNOWN

NEW JERSEY Episode







HOT DOGS at HIRAM'S






TONY BITES IN

A CHEESSEBURGER





TONY LIKES IT !





TONY'S ORDER

CHEESEBURGER, FRIES, BEET

And a HIRAM'S HOT DOG

HIRAM's, FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY








The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

BURGERS & CHILI DOGS

CHILLI & BBQ SAUCE

TACOS - BURRITOS

GUACAMOLE & MORE








TONY LIKES IT !





SERVICE WITH A SMILE





ANTHONY BOURDAIN

At HIRAM'S

"I COME HERE for MY SOUL"

"Some THINGS Should NEVER CHANGE"












Saturday, September 7, 2024

Anthony Bourdain Food Trail NewJersey NJ

 



Anthony Bourdain at HIRAM'S





HIRAM'S

Fort Lee, New Jersey



1. HIRAM'S ... 1345 Palisades Avenue, Fort Lee, NY tel (201)  592-9602


Hiram's, famous for their Hot Dogs, is a classic Jersey Joint. Hiram's was a large part of Tony's childhood, the historical Hiram’s Hot Dog Stand. Hiram’s prides itself on tradition and has rarely changed its menu items and service traditions since 1932, providing a truly nostalgic and comforting environment.

Tony orders two hot dogs, but these are not your ordinary hot dogs; they are “Rippers.” They are deep-fried hot dogs, causing them to tear in the middle of the casing and provide a perfect catalyst for mustard or any other condiment you want to add to its center.



"RIPPERS at HIRAM'S"

Rippers are Deep Fried Hot Dogs, invented at Rutt's Hut, Clifton, New Jersey. Rutt's Hut, Hiram's and a few other Hot Dog Joints around New Jersey serve them, and Tony, just Loved them, especially at Hiram's where his father brought Anthony to hundreds of times over the years. Needless to say, Hiram's and their Tasty Hot Dogs had a special place in Tony's heart. It's stop # 1 on The Anthony Bourdain Food Trail.





2. FRANK'S DEL, Asbury Park, NJ

Owner Joe Maggio, whose dad founded Frank's Deli, an Asbury Park institution, in 1960, is still taken aback that Bourdain chose to eat at his modest, no-frills place. “He travels all over the world, and then he comes to Frank’s,” Maggio said. 

Bourdain came, as many do, for a classic Jersey sandwich. He sat at table No. 9 and ate sandwich No. 4 — fresh home-baked bread stuffed with an absurdly generous amount of provolone, salami, pepperoni, boiled ham, capicola, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Plus, Bourdain requested, hot peppers. 

"He was very nice, very polite, very cordial," Maggio said — and wore old jeans and a winter jacket. "I think his jeans even had a rip in them."

He continued, "My wife and I are big fans of his. We watch the show all the time. But I can tell you that I wouldn't eat bird's nest soup." 

Go: 1406 Main St., Asbury Park; 732-775-6682


FRANK'S DELI

TONY'S FAVORITE - The #4


The # 4

Salami, Ham, Capicola, Pepperoni, 
Provolone & Hot Peppers










TONY & His BROTHER

KUBEL'S at BARNEGAT LIGHT

New Jersey



3.  KUBEL'S - BARNEGET LIGHT


At Kubel's, Bourdain reminisced with his dining companion, his brother, about the fun times they and their mom and dad spent “down the shore." 

"I remember this place with nothing but fondness,” Bourdain told his his brother. “I mean, I can’t remember a single bad memory here.”

And, of course, he remembered the clams he so loved to eat. "No matter where I find them now," he said, "they always bring me back here."

Bourdain ended up feasting on a lot more than clams with his brother. He managed to polish off fried clam strips, clam chowder, steamed garlic clams, lobster mac and cheese, fish and chips, and a few glasses of beer. "I don't know how he did it," a young server marveled.

Martyniak still gets a kick out of telling the story of the snowy morning Bourdain came to check out Kubel's — before opening time — and the bartender, a 19-year-old who had no clue who Bourdain was, politely asked him to "come back in an hour."

Fortunately, Martyniak knew who was at the door — and rushed to let him in. 

"He was very nice," Martyniak said. "He entertained the bartender more than the bartender entertained him." 






LUCILLE'S LUNCHEONETTE



4. LUCILLE'S LUNCHEONETTE ... Warren Grove, New Jersey

He (Bourdain) took a seat at the bar — "That's where all the action is," Karen said — and breakfasted on scrambled eggs, scrapple, home fries, house-made chili and blueberry pie, made from scratch. And, yes, he ate it all.

By the way, it was the first time that the man who had eaten just about anything — raw sea eyeballs, turkey testicles, cobra heart and warthog anus — ate scrapple, a heavenly mush of pork scraps and trimmings.

 1496 Route 539, Warren Grove; 609-698-4474







LUCILLE







LUCILLE'S LUNCHEONETTE



TONY & RUTH'S STEAKS



Toi=ny & Ruth's Steaks

Camden, New Jersey





5.  TONY & RUTH'S STEAKS, Camden, New Jersey

Bourdain grabbed one of the four rundown stools at the counter, and ate ... What? "I don't remember," said Ruthie, not one to get too impressed by a brush with celebrity — though the episode shows him eating what appears to be eggs, rice and beans. Ruthie did recall, however, that his mouth was going full-speed, gabbing, not eating. “He didn’t eat much,” Ruthie said. “All he did is talk, talk, talk.” 

Jose Orgiz, a Camden resident who immigrated from Puerto Rico 52 years ago, would have recommended the cheesesteak sandwich, the fare that brings him there just about every day. "I love it, and I love it here," he said. 

Go: 837 N. Eighth St., Camden; 856-964-8193





A CHEESE STEAK

At TONY & RUTH'S STEAKS








AMERICA & TONY'S FAVORITE RECIPES

The BAD ASS COOKBOOK

BURGERS - CHIL DOGS - RIBS

SOUP - STEAKS

TACOS & BURRITOS





DONKEY'S PLACE




Camden New Jersey




6.   DONKEY'S PLACE .... Camden, NJ


Philadelphia is the city that birthed the cheesesteak sandwich. But according to Bourdain, the best cheesesteak to be had is not in Philly but on the other side of the Delaware River, in Camden, specifically at Donkey's Place, a funky 75-year-old bar, today run by its founder's grandson Rob Lucas. (It's called Donkey's because Rob's grandfather, Leon Lucas, was a boxer whose punch was said to be like the mighty kick of a mule.)




CHEESE STEAKS

DONKEY'S PLACE


Cheesesteak is pretty much the only item on the menu at Donkey's — and the family hasn't messed with the recipe in three-quarters of a century. 

“We haven’t changed anything in 76 years,” Rob said. “The sandwich is all we do, so we got to do it right.”

What makes Donkey’s cheesesteak — thinly cut steak, sauteed onions and American cheese that Donkey's serves on a poppy-seed Kaiser roll — so darn good? "The onions," Rob said. "We cook them all day," 

Donkey’s sandwich “should be a national landmark,” Bourdain declared, sitting on one of the stools at the bar. “This sandwich is unbelievably good, a thing of beauty."

DONKEY'S PLACE ... 1223 Haddon Ave., Camden; 856-966-2616,










The KNIF & FORK



The KNIFE & FORK

ATLANTIC CITY NJ



7.  KIFE & FORK, Atlantice City NY

“It was paradise,” Bourdain said about Atlantic City. “American’s first dream vacation, a democratic dream designed in the beginning for everybody.” And the Knife & Fork Inn, the city’s second-oldest restaurant, was there through it all, he noted.

Knife & Fork opened in 1912 originally as a men’s dining and drinking club. Today it is a beloved Atlantic City jewel that is chock full of history and scrumptious food.



LOBSTER THERMIDOR


An OLD-SCHOOL CLASSIC

The KIND of THING TONY LOVED
















The OLD HOWARD JOHNSON'S

ASBURY PARK NJ

Sadly closed, you can stills see the Awesome Jetsons Like Structure

It Wass one of Anthony's Favourites









2.