A cappuccino and a bagel are usually the two things I’m thinking of when my eyes pop open on a weekend morning, and this morning was no exception. But with $200 worth of juice slowly spoiling in my fridge there was no question about what needed to happen. I poured myself a glass of BluePrint green juice. This was the juice whose taste I most feared, since it contains six pounds worth of romaine, celery, cucumber, apple, spinach, kale, parsley, and lemon. I could really taste the parsley and celery, both of which I’m not a huge fan of, but after sipping a while it mellowed out to more of a leafy green apple juice flavor. By the time I finished it, I was enjoying the fact that it’s not too sweet and is actually good for me. This drink, more than the others, made me want to buy a juicer and recreate the recipe. Read more…

I didn’t think I’d be the type of person to buy into pricey juice cleanse. It sounded like the thrill of instant, temporary weight loss packaged with woo woo wording—particularly, that juice cleansing could normalize weight, boost immune systems, reduce signs of aging, increase energy, elevate mood, and sort out a plethora of health issues from allergies to PMS. If you ask me there hasn’t been a drink that could cure that many problems since they stopped making Coca-Cola with actual cocaine.

But December and early January really knocked me off course. The keys to eating all kinds of tasty food and not feeling gross are having good habits about portion control, variety in diet, and exercise; I dropped all of that. Read more…

Nothing sends me to Hangoverland like apple brandy, but beer aged in apple brandy barrels is pure, liquid AWESOME. Golden Delicious is a dry-hopped American-style triple ale, with an appley aroma, sweet bourbon-like notes, and a tart, dry finish. It’s super smooth for 10% ABV, with plenty of carbonation. The boozy punch makes it most definitely worth $14 for a 750 mL bottle. Grab it at the always-inspirational Whole Foods Beer Room.

Recently I attempted to recreate a billionaire cocktail, my favorite drink on the menu at the famous Employees Only, without the long wait and $15 sticker shock. I pulled the recipe from the New York Times, but made a few changes. Instead of from-scratch grenadine syrup, I added some Stirrings Pomegranate Liqueur from Astor Wine and Spirits, and instead of a half ounce of absinthe substitute, I added a dash of St. George Absinthe Verte (the recipe dates back to a few months before absinthe was legal to produce in the US). At Employees Only they use housemade absinthe bitters, but I think the St. George is complex enough to stand in for the bitters—it’s just that a little goes a long way, unless you like a liquorice cocktail. The result was tart and just sweet enough, with subtle herbal notes. It’s going on the permanent menu at my place.

Have you ever walked into a situation where there was so much good stuff to eat that you felt panicky from realizing that you could not have it all? This was the state of Snackish when faced with Smorgasburg, the Saturday-only food fest on the Williamsburg waterfront that features 100+ vendors. I mean, I knew what I was in for—I’d even prepared by wearing an elastic-waist skirt, a dual-purpose headband/sweatband, and an old t-shirt that could take some food dribbles without causing major upset. Even though I was attired for serious gluttony and chugging a large bottle of water, I was soon overcome by the 90 degree heat and relentless sun. After a quick stroll around the premises to survey my options, I double-fisted some snacks and made my escape. Here’s the rundown:

Cinnamon Sugar Donut from Dough ($2). My longstanding doughnut love, Doughnut Plant, has a rival now! This doughnut was incredible—light, airy, and chewy, with a freshly fried outer layer dusted with crunchy sugar. I also got one topped with hibiscus icing, which tasted like tart berries and flowers. OK, writing this is making me yearn for more of these donuts. Moving on.

The Sydney from Asiadog, a beef frank with Thai mango relish, red onion, cucumber, cilantro, and crushed peanuts ($4). I loved the relish on this, and the dog was decent, although maybe not up to Crif Dogs’ (bacon-wrapped) standard.

Basil Raspberry popsicle from People’s Pops ($3.50). This was fine if you’re cool with raspberry seeds in your popsicle, but I would not recommend getting this at Smorgasburg. It seemed like a good idea on a hot day, but it ties up one valuable hand and quickly starts to melt on everything. It dribbled sticky raspberry rivers on my hands, the ground, and the nice man who offered to throw it in the unreachable trash can for me. Once freed from this albatross I could get back to eating.

A Switzel, with organic blackstrap molasses, ginger, lemon, and honey ($3.75). I’m a little obsessed with ginger at the moment, so this was a refreshing twist on standard summer beverages like iced tea and lemonade. It’s a bit sweet from the honey and blackstrap molasses, which is apparently a good source of iron and calcium. I bet this would be amazing with bourbon in it.

Chicarron Papusa from Solber Papusas, a grilled corn patty stuffed with pork and cheese, topped with picked onion, cabbage, sour cream and a spicy pickle ($4). You can tell I’m winding down here because I’m getting sloppy with the photography and have moved into the shade. I never understood why people raved so much about papusas, but now I get it—all the papusas I had before this one were lousy.

That was all I managed today but I shall return with back-up next time.

Smorgasburg is open on Saturdays from 9am-5pm
Williamsburg Waterfront at North 6th St. and Kent Ave.