at the sign of The Pink Pig

Holidays, 2014

This has been the season.

Some Holidays: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine: Wilfrid December 30, 2013]

After shopping at Grand Central market and the French Butcher on Second Avenue, it was a quiet holiday season for me, ten years ago--curled up with the big, fat English translation of Benjamin's Arcades Project.'

Well, except for Christmas Eve, anyway.

Little Elm, "To The Bone": The Year Of Liebrandt

[Pigging by Wilfrid: December 23, 2013]

Where to begin?  First, eating his food at Atlas, circa 2001 , distracted by Judge Andrew Napolitano (of Fox News) at the next table?  Or before that, with stories of him cooking at one of my most treasured restaurants, Richard Neat's Pied-à-Terre--as recounted in his new biography, To the Bone?

 

Perhaps best begin last Wednesday evening, when I was introduced to him for the first time at a book signing.  I was introduced as Kim Davis, to which he unblinkingly replied, "Yes. Wilfrid."  Oh, well...

Towards The Holidays: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid: December 23, 2013]

After the indulgences of Thanksgiving ten years ago, I turned to some sober home-cooking.  Salt cod (prepared the quick--but absolutely reliable--way*), served with braised cabbage, then next evening with onions and black olives. The cheese was a Bobolink, aged in Zinfandel must; the wine was a 1998 tempranillo from Valencia, details now lost.

And then I got back on the dining out bandwagon.

A Further Burger: Fritzl's

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  December 16, 2013]

Have we over-burgered recently?  After wading through half Time Out's list of the city's best new burgers, I kind of felt that way, especially as they ranged from good to...really hard work.

But no reason I shouldn't hail a promising specimen you might otherwise overlook.

The Cheese: Cantelet

[Pigging by Wilfrid: December 16, 2013]

I picked up a nice hunk of Cantelet at a reasonable price at Union Market in the East Village. 

And I think it's okay to be conscious of cheese prices when costs are soaring.  I saw admittedly rare British imports at almost $60 per lb at Bedford Cheese this week.  Wow.  I mean, it's cheese, folks.

Snooth Goes La Crema

[Free stuff by Wilfrid:  December 17, 2013]

Snooth has another virtual tasting coming up on Tuesday evening, December 17, at 8.30pm ET.  California is featured this time, comparing La Crema's Monterey and Sonoma versions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 

Find out how to participate right here.

A Game Binge In London: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  December 16, 2013]

No sooner had we given thanks than I was packing for a pleasure trip to London, the first in a few weeks, at least. First, though, I managed to make--and, I presume, eat--a cassoulet the day after Thanksgiving.

I also squeezed in a dinner at Hearth, at which I tried the game terrine (Canora, always a master of charcuterie), roast squab, braised lamb shoulder with beans, and the standout braised veal breast with sweetbreads then on the menu. An Aglianico to accompany.

Philadelphia: Sbraga

[A Pig at Large by Wilfrid; photos by Signed by Philippa: December 13, 2013]

South Broad Street isn't one of the quainter parts of Philadelphia. It's broad, brassy, lined with theaters, sparkling with lights. And as we proceeded down it on a Saturday evening, snow began to fall.

Aw, pretty. But we were glad to get inside the high-ceilinged but snug and bustling modern restaurant created and named for a former Top Chef winner, Kevin Sbraga.

Philadelphia: Reading Terminal Market & DiNic's

[A Pig at Large by Wilfrid; photos by Signed by Philippa: December 12, 2013]

I've been to Philadelphia often enough over the past ten or fifteen years, but I had never made it to Reading Terminal Market. More fool me.

Oh, another indoor food market; produce and a few cheesesteaks, I thought.  It's much more than that. In fact, can we have one in New York?