My Life In Meals: Bagels, pizza and comida cubana

Sorry, friends, for the brief hiatus. Without further ado, here are three lovely food items I've eaten in the past two days.

1. Spinach bagel with sundried tomato cream cheese from Murray's Bagels
Sometimes I forget why people are so obsessed with bagels. They're really just bread, after all. And then I bite into a real bagel, and I remember how comforting a good doughnut-shaped piece of bread can be.

I ordered the special of the week: a spinach bagel with sundried tomato cream cheese. It was not at all like you're picturing – some artificial green and red breakfast item that looks like it's Christmas themed. The bread itself tasted like a fresh plain bagel with real spinach leaves added in, while the cheese had a few actual large chunks of red tomato but, aside from that, was creamy and natural.

So. Much. Cream Cheese.

It was a Sunday around noon when I went to grab my bagel, and boy, was the place packed. I felt overwhelmed trying to make my decision and place my order in haste, but I'm glad I did. The thick layer of cream cheese spread in between an already hefty bagel made chewing an actual exercise. (I legitimately felt my jaws getting a work out, but truthfully, I didn't even mind.)

2. Pernil especial from Sophie's Cuban Cuisine
I took a bite out of some fried sweet plantains the other night, and they made me think of home. But they were from a Mexican restaurant and only decent at best. The taste, though, made me crave rice and beans. I wanted a real Cuban meal.

Every day on my way to work, I pass Sophie's Cuban and wonder to myself, is it any good? Is it authentic? Will the food taste like it does in Miami?

Look at dem plantainz.

While I can't say that my one sample (today's lunch) gave me enough experience to answer any of those questions, I can tell you that the Special Roasted Pork sandwich (a.k.a. el pernil especial) is worth a try. It's made to order, fresh and warm, right before your eyes. Not just roasted pork with onions, it's topped with sweet plantains (as good as I'd hoped for!) that make it deserving of being called especial. The Cuban bread is slathered with mayo, as it very well should be, but the especial also comes with the addition of Sophie's special green sauce – which I shall warn you is spicy and made with jalapeños, according to the Internets.

3. Artichoke pizza from Artichoke Basille's Pizza
Tonight I tried a $5 slice – so worth the Lincoln – of the pizzeria's signature artichoke pizza. It has a buttery crust, topped with a rich cream sauce that's essentially spinach and artichoke dip, plus large chunks of artichoke embedded into the Mozzarella. It's thick and large enough that one slice counts as a full meal, and I suggest cutting it straight down the middle so you will have two slices that you can hold in your hand and fit in your mouth.

I could eat this for dayz.

I discovered that Artichoke's actually sells its frozen signature pizza in markets around the city, so I might have to pick up a box and finally put my oven to good use.

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Note: I covered a lot of ground last week, and I've yet to thoroughly blog about it because I've been busy working, gallivanting about the city, eating to my stomach's content, and most importantly, sleeping and/or complaining about being exhausted and not getting enough sleep.

Until I get around to writing about the things that truly deserve to be written, I shall leave you with this image of a vegetable bouquet...

Yes, that rose is made out of a tomato.

I did that Sunday brunch thing in New York

Tonight is not a night for introductions. Let's cut to the chase. I ate some good food and drank a good drink in Greenwich Village yesterday. Here's the nitty gritty of it.

1. Baker & Co.
My friend asked if I wanted to join her for brunch on Sunday. My response: "Do I ever say no to an opportunity to eat?" Her choice was an Italian spot in the West Village that opened only two months ago, and when we arrived at Baker & Co. on Bleecker Street, she noted her damn good Yelping skillz. No crazy line, a menu with reasonable prices, and all in an impressive setting.

We sat in the backyard "garden," or better put, an adorable box. A few outdoor tables enclosed by an awning and makeshift walls have become a quaint setting given its charming lighting and potted greenery. But what made the experience so special was the eggs benedict – the best I've ever had the pleasure of eating (my friends agreed).

Thank you for existing.

Mine came with proscuitto and mozzarella, delicately poached eggs, and a crushed truffle Hollandaise sauce. Theirs had lump crab meat and avocado. The English muffin was toasted to perfection but also fresh and spongey. (Yes, that's a good thing. It's nearly midnight, and I could go for some right about now.)

2. America's First Cappuccino
Our stroll through the Village continued, with our final destination being Washington Square Park. Along the way, our mission was to find coffee. As we passed the historic Cafe Wha?, which turned out not be a cafe, we nearly lost hope.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a place called Caffe Reggio claiming it had "the original cappuccino." Whatever that meant. I didn't pay much attention to it, until I observed a mural on the wall above a separate pizza parlor along the same street making the same claim about Reggio's cappuccino. You don't get your own mural space like that unless you're legitimate.

I conducted a quick Google search, read the Wikipedia page, and discovered it was the first cafe in the United States to serve cappuccinos. On display in the restaurant is the original espresso machine that the Italian founder purchased, which was made in 1902 and used in the U.S. once the cafe opened in 1927.

What do you think of this silver monstrosity?

We all ordered the iced hazelnut cappuccino – because it was too warm out for a hot coffee, but how can you pass up an authentic cappuccino in its own home? It tasted so real, the rich flavor of the coffee beans evident but not overpowering. Not at all like what you'd purchase at Starbucks.

I drank a cappuccino in the place it got its American introduction.

Sitting there sipping on our iced drinks, we learned that not only were we sitting in front of the famed machine made at the start of the 20th century, but also we were located across from the brownstone where Little Women author Louisa May Alcott lived.

Sugar bowls lay on each table.

It made us wonder, "What if we had passed it by entirely?" "How many firsts and other historic sites had we already ignored?"

New York City surprises me every day. But I keep my eyes open for more of those surprises. Because I know they're in store.

LOTD: Never not shop at Trader Joe's

I've been in New York for two days now, and my immediate life plans have changed. They now involve getting a refund on my dorm for the summer, permanently moving into Chelsea Market, sleeping there at night and eating there all day. To combat all the food consumption, I'll be getting exercise as I pace back and forth in front of the Food Network elevators.

Well, that was my life plan yesterday. Today, I realized that, as incredible as Chelsea Market is (so incredible that I plan to return tomorrow), inhabiting it on a 24/7 basis would mean limiting myself – because New York City offers a whole world (er, city) of food. And I only have two months to eat it all.

Here's what I've learned and experienced so far in the city that offers a liquor delivery store (yes, I saw one today and was impressed).

1. I can choose restaurants on a whim.

Lemongrass rice with tofu is part of the Thursday special.

I spend as much time staring at menus and picking out restaurants as the next girl (excessive amounts – see recent TIME article about us millennials), but apparently in New York, I can do just as well without all of that.

On my way to my (intended) first destination, which would entail purchasing food for my dorm (a.k.a grocery shopping), I made a spontaneous decision to purchase food for my stomach. I saw a sign that said on Thai Thursdays (today), the spot offers $10 meals of lemongrass rice, mixed greens, and Thai iced tea. I immediately thought, "Lunchtime!" The restaurant was called Dee Daa, and it seemed like a straightforward fast casual concept. It's an Americanized version of a Thai restaurant. Like the Chipotle of Southeast Asian cuisine.

The food was not super authentic, but it was quick, affordable, and seemed decently healthy. It was also tasty (not exploding with flavor like most Thai dishes do, but rather carefully balanced). They deliver, which is a huge plus, and offer a discount for locals, and I'm currently dreaming about that iced tea. Next time I want to try the pad see ew with kale.

2. Always shop at Trader Joe's. Never not shop at Trader Joe's.
That's the #LOTD (Lesson of the Day). My main mission today was to go grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, about a 20-minute hike from my dorm. Being the incredibly ridiculous, food-obsessed person that I am, I for some reason decided to post-game my lunching and pre-game my grocery shopping by walking into another grocery store.

Across from a Fairway Market, which I'd presume to be affordable, I noticed a specialty grocery store that literally had the word "fancy" in its name. So I was curious. As soon as found these, I got sucked into the shenanigans, despite the high price tags:

Happy Hippos: I first discovered these in the Land of Milk and Honey

I walked out of the store with those Happy Hippos and three items that Trader Joe's later showed me were a stupid mistake.

• Unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze almond milk: Half the price at TJ's
• Extra creamy hummus: Couldn't resist because I've been trying to find something comparable to Israeli hummus, but I soon found out that the particularly creamy Mediterranean-style hummus at Trader Joe's was featured in the Flyer and on sale this week.
• 1 50-cent banana: Bananas cost only 19 cents at TJ's.

3. I'm going back to Eataly.

Tagliatelle from the Pizza/Pasta mini restaurant at Eataly

A ginormous gourmet Italian food market with accompanying mini restaurants, Eataly is in the Flatiron District, right across from Madison Square Garden. I went today with my friend, who called it an Italian food theme park. When you enter, you realize there's so much to look at and don't know where to begin. Fresh pasta? Meats? Cheeses? Focaccia bread? Gelato?

I definitely plan on returning for some grocery shopping, but tonight I specifically ate dinner there. The pasta was the freshest I've ever tasted. Whenever I finally get myself to Italy, I hope that's what everything tastes like. I ordered the tagliatelle with short rib ragu (who comes up with these things?!), and I tried a bite of my friend's lemony ravioli sprinkled with pistachio nuts.

And then I returned home for dessert – chocolate I bought at Trader Joe's. I can always count on TJ's.

I tried making something. And succeeded!

Chia Seed Pudding

My breakfast this morning :)

In case you haven't heard, chia seeds are basically G-d's gift to humanity. They're the superfood of all superfoods. They give you more energy, suppress your appetite, provide antioxidants and calcium, and the list goes on... 

I purchased a pack of chia seeds when I went to Publix yesterday (one of the few times I've stepped outside my house since returning to the United States lolz) and decided to prepare a chia seed pudding – which I've often heard about and even seen but never eaten. 

Eating it for breakfast felt like a great way to start my day. It was light, sweet and creamy, cold, fresh, and clean. It's easier than easy to make, which is why I highly recommend everyone try it. It was much tastier and more fun than your average pudding or yogurt, with the convenient bonus of all the health benefits.

Today I also found this Buzzfeed list of other great recipes I can try out with the remainder of my chia seeds, including a few things I can do with all the pudding I made. I'm excited to try them out soon.

Here's the recipe I found on FoodNetwork.com...

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chia seeds

Raspberries

Directions

1. Whisk the almond milk, yogurt, syrup, vanilla, and salt until blended. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand for 30 minutes. 

2. Stir to distribute the seeds. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Spoon a serving into a bowl and top with raspberries.

Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis for Food Network Magazine

I underestimated Israel.

I underestimated Israel in more ways than one – but since this is a food blog, we'll focus on the cuisine.

In my last blog post, I said that I hoped I'd have a few things to share about the falafel and shawarma upon my return. The truth is, I discovered that Israeli food (essentially, Mediterranean cuisine) is so different from what you'd find in the States, so fresh and flavorful, and so tempting, that I could probably dedicate an entire blog to the topic. But for now, we'll stick with this one post.

Things That I Tried For The First Time (In Forever)

1. Halva: A sweet sesame seed paste that sounds terrible but tastes great and is rather multi-purpose (i.e. It's like Frank's Red Hot – I put that sh*t on everything.)



OK, this was actually the only halva I didn't enjoy, but after that I was an addict. // Photo by Lara C.



2. Shakshouka: A tomato-based pepper and onion dish with poached eggs. It's reminiscent of huevos rancheros, but with more ranchero than huevos. It really does taste as good as it looks. I actually tried mine wrapped in melawach, a fried bread that's similar to Naan.



That's shakshouk// COURTESY NEW LEAF EATS

3. Sabich: This can be eaten as a sandwich or salad, but I had the pleasure of enjoying mine as a ginormous salad bowl at Cafe Greg in a random mall in Nahariya. Fried eggplant, hard boiled eggs, potato, and Israeli salad smothered in tahini sauce... All I wanted to do was sit there for the rest of my life munching on that eggplant.



WANT. NOW. // Photo by Lara C.

Things That Are Better In Israel

1. Eggplant: I'm pretty sure I have tears in my eyes as I type this. WHY isn't the eggplant as good in America? This is why we can't have nice things :(
2. Dairy products: Cottage cheese, yogurt (labneh), etc. It's ALL. SO. GOOD.
3. Falafel: I held out on ordering falafel for at least half the trip – because I thought to myself, "How can it really be that much better over here?" But once I took a bite of my falafel pita in Jerusalem, I cried out, "Why have I not been eating falafel in Israel every day?!"
4. Shawarma: The meat is tender, juicy, and full of spices, but I think what really makes it so great is all of the salad toppings that go inside your pita. There's a much wider variety of options, and they all taste fresher. It adds depth to the meal and warmth to my heart :)
5. Hummus: I'm not sure what the distinction is, but I'm going to venture to say it's the texture. It's definitely creamier, lighter and airier. Maybe they take more care to blend the chickpeas smoothly than the mass produced versions sold here?

Things That Brought Back Memories

1. Bamba: Essentially the peanut-flavored version of cheese puffs, they bring happiness to my soul.
2. Bissli: They kind of remind me of Fritos and come in all sorts of flavors, from barbecue to falafel to pizza. Not my fav to be honest, but they still make me feel like I'm back in elementary school.

And now for the superlatives...

1. Craziest Thing I Put In My Mouth: Milk chocolate with popping candy (like Pop Rocks!)
2. Best Meal, Hands Down: First night (but really every night) at the Dan Jerusalem Hotel



In this buffet hall at the Dan, I laughed, I cried, and I ate myself silly. // COURTESY DAN JERUSALEM 

3. Best Dessert Eating Partner: Lara
   
4. My Version of Crack: Halva
5. What I'm Still Craving: Laffa/Melawach/Bread Products
6. The Epitome of My Trip: Baklava (plus knafeh)



I purchased an insane amount of Baklava at the Shuk in Jerusalem and ate it for dayzzz // Photo by Lara C.

Since I've gotten back home, I've spent more time than a sane person should researching Israeli markets, the best Mediterranean restaurants in the area, the specifics of the menu at nearby Aroma Espresso Bars, and recipes for some of my favorite meals I had.

I think that's because I have a small void in my heart after leaving Israel, and all I can do now is fill it with food.