by Patty Kahn

As Account Director of the Lifestyle Division at Bullfrog & Baum, I am lucky to work with natural, organic and sustainable clients. In an effort to keep on top of trends, I am constantly reading the latest information on alternative ways to relieve stress, sleep better and lose weight. This might be why moving into 2009 I felt a need to be fitter and healthier than I have been to date. 

If past years are any indication of my success, by mid-January I would have been back to late nights and burgers.  According to statistics, I am not alone as this is the case for about 80% of the population.

However, it is the end of February and I am still going strong. I thought about why this year was different and I feel it is one [or all] of the following:

Nutritionist: I signed up for a six-month course of one-on-one nutrition, which I think is keeping me honest and has genuinely changed my palate. Her approach helped me understand the importance of quality ingredients and sourcing. I still crave, but now I dream about wild salmon instead of fish and chips. This is really one of the best investments I have made.

Kombucha:  Placebo or not, I love this drink.  I am the perfect consumer as I believe most of what I read on the label and with Kombucha I might just have found the elixir of youth. It also contains a minimal amount of alcohol, which I think might help.

Rescue Remedy:  I have used Rescue Remedy when I travel for as long as I can remember and often use Rescue Cream in the winter, so I was already sold when Rescue Energy was announced. This product peps me up without having the side-effects of caffeine

Heart Monitor: Before this device I wondered why there was never so much as a bead of sweat on my brow at the gym.  The heart monitor showed that I had not really been doing any work. It was a sad realization that I had just been going to watch Bravo without the disapproving stares of my boyfriend.  This weekend, I actually ran for four miles at the gym, which I have never done before! 

I won’t be so strict with myself forever, but for now I am enjoying it and feeling good.

What I'm:

Reading       The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan            

Listening      The Audacity of Hope   

Watching     Kitchen Nightmares and Mistresses on BBC America 

Drinking       See above

New York, N.Y. (February 19, 2009) — SAVEUR, the award-winning epicurean, travel and spirits title announced that it will be the lead media sponsor of Tales of the Cocktail, the industry-noted culinary and cocktail festival taking place in New Orleans from July 8 – 12, 2009. Uniting the world’s top mixologists, authors, bartenders and chefs for five days of cocktail-specific events and seminars in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter, Tales of the Cocktail will work with SAVEUR to develop an on-site program that showcases the cuisine and cocktails that the Magazine readers have come to depend on and admire.

“We’re excited to partner with Ann Tuennerman on this cornerstone event in the spirits community,” said Merri Lee Kingsly, Publisher of SAVEUR. “Alongside SAVEUR’s wine and spirits editor, Dave Wondrich, we will showcase the magazine’s dedication to the industry with programming throughout the five-day event.” 

Tales of the Cocktail is produced on an annual basis by The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to benefit hospitality industry members. The Society’s mission is to preserve the and rich history ranging from dining and drinking to restaurants and bars, while educating locals, visitors and the hospitality industry alike. The annual event serves to bring together the mixologists, bartenders, authors, chefs and restaurateurs that have and continue to have a profound impact on the history of New Orleans. 

“I'm thrilled about the partnership for Tales of the Cocktail 2009,” said Ann Tuennerman, Founder and Event Producer of Tales of the Cocktail. “With its stunning photography and in-depth coverage of international culinary and beverage trends, SAVEUR is the perfect partner for this event.”

About Tales of the Cocktail

Tales of the Cocktail, a culinary and cocktail festival features award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers in the New Orleans French Quarter at five days of cocktail events such as dinner-pairings, cocktail demos and tastings, seminars, mixing competitions, design expos, book-signings and much more. Measuring their success in garnishes, Tales of the Cocktail 2008, used 8085 mint leaves, 6 cups of Goji berries, 280 liters of lime juice, 350 liters of lemon juice, 2340 jalapeño slices and 6 thousand pounds of ice and for more than thousands of sippers!

About SAVEUR:

SAVEUR seeks out stories from around the globe that weave together culture, tradition, and people through the language of food. On every page the magazine honors a fundamental truth: cooking is one of the most universal and beautiful means of human expression. As a National Magazine General Excellence Award winner and a many-time winner of the James Beard Foundation Award since 1995, SAVEUR consistently delivers unique editorial and stunning photographic coverage to a passionate readership.

It is perhaps because of these uncertain times that I find myself thinking about some of my most memorable food experiences and dishes.   Most involve family or good friends around a table, but some have been standing in the street at a window or in front of a street cart.  Somehow just thinking about them from time to time is comforting.  Here are some, in no particular order or preference, but all equally mouth watering and each one brings a smile to my face.  I should also reveal that I am a bit of a chicken nut.  I even traveled to Bourg-en-Bresse, in France to seek out the revered blue-footed poulet de Bresse, the first livestock in France to be granted AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) status.  Jacques Pepin once said his measure of a chef is their roast chicken and since then I’ve adopted his theory.

• The tomato aspic at Cibreo in Florence.  Life changing.

• Watching those garlicky escargot, slabs of foie gras and roast chicken with sumptuous jus at L’Ami Louis in Paris going in and out of the kitchen was like watching a ballet.  The portly French chef in the kitchen window was right out of central casting.

• The 12-course meal at Osteria del Teatro in Cortona one snowy New Year’s Eve.  We ate and drank so much we literally spilled out onto the square at the stroke of midnight where we danced the night away to the Beach Boys of all things, as well as the customary smashing of dishes in the streets!

• Convivio has received a lot of accolades.  If you are one of the two people on the planet who remain skepticle, I am here to tell you they deserve every word of praise.  I would cross deserts and climb mountains for those chicken livers alone, never mind the pasta!

• Salted caramels in Brittany.  I think I ate three tins before we left the parking lot.

• Traci des Jardins’ poussin at Jardiniere was mind-blowing.  The plump little beauty all glistening and full of chicken richness was cooked to perfection.  (I said I had a thing for chicken.)

• Eating gauffre (waffles) smothered with chocolate and glog (whipped cream) in the street in Brussels.  My nephew ended up wearing his and had to change his shirt.

• Poulet de Bresse in cream sauce with morel mushrooms and rice at where else, but La Maison du Poulet de Bresse.  Every morsel was worth the trip.

• The lasagne Bolognese made with loving hands by Mita at my wedding in Cortona, which I learned is made with a besciamella, not ricotta and mozzarella.  This method takes the dish to new heights of creamy richness.  I only prepare it this way now and have changed the minds of everyone that eats it.

• Chef Michael Psilakis of Anthos, Kefi and Mia Dona fame makes amazing food, no doubt about it, but the meatballs at Kefi are in a league of their own.  I can’t help myself but order them every time I go there.  And did I mention the crispy chicken at Mia Dona?  In a word - amazing.

• Coffee and donuts at the French Laundry. Simply stunning and absolutely delicious.  The only meal where I took notes.

• Bolognese taglatelle from Barbara Lynch at No. 9 Park in Boston.  Bolognese on gnocchi from Todd English at Olives.  I can’t decide which is better.  Both will make your head spin.

• My mother’s steak, green beans and mashed potatoes dinner whenever someone came home from college.  Mom’s cooking was great and preparing dinner for a family of nine every night for 20-plus years was a feat and she never got any complaints.

What I’m:

Reading          On The Line

Listening to   Podcasts – Times Talks, Splendid Table, NPR

Watching      Brothers & Sisters

Eating          Anything from my crock pot

New York, NY (February 9, 2009) – Delicatessen has won the coveted best restaurant design in the Travel + Leisure (T+L) 2009 Design Awards, the worldwide competition recognizing standout design in 15 different categories. The awards are featured on www.travelandleisure.com and in T+L’s March, 2009 issue, which hits newsstands February 20.  Delicatessen was selected by a panel of judges including architect Adam D. Tihany and designer Calvin Klein who commented, “Delicatessen is young and alive; it has wonderful style in an unpretentious way.” T+L’s Design Award winners will be honored at an event at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach on February 18, 2009.

Mark Thomas Amadei, co-owner of Delicatessen was thrilled to hear the news saying, “It was an honor to even be considered for such an award given the roster of prior winners and the resume of the jury.  Anurag Nema is a brilliant young designer and collaborating with him on this project was a fantastic experience.   Our common passions for modern design and classic New York architecture were expressed seamlessly throughout Delicatessen. The juxtaposition of the modern and the classic at Delicatessen is a celebration of Manhattan, a city that is constantly re-inventing itself while holding firmly onto it roots”

Founder Anurag Nema and Partner Orit Kaufman of NEMA Workshop, a cutting-edge interior design firm based in New York City worked with Amadei on the design for Delicatessen’s striking interior. The dining room features elements such as stainless steel and glass garage doors which retract above the ceilings, and walls made of antique barn wood planks reclaimed from old barns in Vermont. Delicatessen’s two downstairs spaces, “minibar” and the “Courtyard” Lounge, feature an enormous glass atrium, a large-scale mural by local artist Juan José Heredia, and an intimate low-lit bar. The interior of Delicatessen combines NEMA’s trademark style while retaining the individuality and authenticity of its SoHo location.

“We strived to celebrate all facets of New York through the design of Delicatessen, so this is not only an amazing recognition of our work, but also holds particular significance for us as New Yorkers.  It is always a concern for us to create communal spaces that honors the culture of the specific area, and Delicatessen is a key example if this,” said Anurag Nema. “Taking into account the size of most New Yorkers apartments, we wanted to create a space that inspires, seduces, relaxes, and comforts so the space is inviting at all times.”

Delicatessen is located at 54 Prince Street. The restaurant offers seating for approximately 130 guests, two full-service bars, and a 40-plus seat sidewalk café. Delicatessen is open seven days a week from 10:30am until midnight Sunday-Wednesday and until 1am Thursday-Saturday.  For more information, please call 212-266-0211 or visit www.delicatessennyc.com.

by Amanda Hathaway

I don’t know about you, but if I hear that one more favorite magazine or beloved restaurant has gone out of business thanks to our current economic times, I’m going to climb into bed and never come out. I’m not just mourning the entities themselves – but sad for the friends – writers, chefs, staff – who are losing their jobs… It fills me with an overwhelming feeling of, What can I do?

At the same time as all this is going on, I’m preparing to put my beloved cat of 16 years, Jitterbug, to sleep any day now. I’m consoling myself with thoughts of what a great, long life she’s had and how much love she’s experienced and how lucky I’ve been to have her. I also know that I’ve tried to savor every moment with her – and not let one go by without giving her lots of love, petting and cat treats.

The death of a beloved pet is inevitable. The death of a beloved restaurant isn’t. There is a way to extend their lives even during such dark days. The magic key is loyalty. Now, more than ever, your favorite restaurant needs your patronage. Instead of squirreling away all your money in fear that an economic tsunami will hit and wash everything away – which, for most of us, won’t happen – take a moment to enjoy your friends and family at the table of a favorite eatery - and go there regularly. This will help to ensure that they are still around for all of us to enjoy when the economy picks up again.

In the case of the magazines and newspapers… I can only cross my fingers that my favorites can stay in business as I can’t imagine a subway ride without Saveur or Imbibe. And where’s the fun of lounging on the couch on a Sunday without the New York Times – especially since I’ll already be missing the warm snuggle of my cat curled up on my lap.

What I’m:

Reading         William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair

Watching       House

Eating           All my favorite foods

Drinking         All my favorite spirits