NEW YORK, NY :: MARDI GRAS 2013 // beard foundation, daniel delaney bbq, ducks eatery, calliope, astor bake shop, maison premiere
12 Feb
Mardi Gras came to NYC, so I celebrated Fat Tuesday at the James Beard Foundation House! The 2hr reception featured six different food establishments from NYC & Brooklyn:
- Maison Premiere of Williamsburg
- Delaney BBQ of Brooklyn
- Calliope of East Village
- Ducks Eatery of East Village
- Astor Bake Shop of Astoria
- Resto of NYC!
Needless to say, there was a lot of food and tons of alcohol… but Mr. Beard supervised the entire night #authorityfigure #respect
Maison Premiere of Williamsburg:
FOOD
- Seafood Tower: Impressive. I cannot even begin to explain how much work went into this tower of seafood. The shells were cleaned and trimmed… then refilled with seafood- can you say quality?
DRINKS
- Maison Absinthe Colada: I thought absinthe was illegal in the USA, and if it still is… now I know why. The colada was by far my favorite drink of the night; hints of absinthe covered in pineapple? Yes, please.
- Frenchmen’s Roulette: Fragrant and strong all at the same time- definitely not a drink for lightweights!
FOOD
- Brisket: Hunks of semi-fatty brisket that oozed with flavor and juice into a thick piece of bread- needless to say, crowd pleaser.
- Pork Ribs: You know the ribs that just fall of the bone? Well these were those ribs on steroids; I ate sweet, smokey, tender ribs the length of my forearm every time they passed in my direction.
DRINK
- Pickle Back: I saved this shot for last. Straight whiskey? Pickle juice? What? But to my surprise, it has become a new favorite… and I may or may not have had two.
FOOD
- Scallop Crudo with Blood Orange, Grapefruit, and Arbequina Olive Oil: Possibly my favorite dish of the night. Fresh scallops, the right amount of citrus… and oil that makes you appreciate an olive.
- House-Smoked Sablefish with Pickled Beets and Sour Cream
FOOD
- Smoked Lamb Merguez Sausage Corn Dogs with Buttermilk Curry and Preserved Stone Fruits: I mean, if you’re going to do a corn dog, this is way to do it. Thick batter with a lamb link of sausage in the middle.
- Country Gumbo with Aged Smoked Duck, Pickled Oysters, Black Garlic Roux, and Young Fennel: A true representation of the south with hints of luxury served by the spoonful.
DRINKS
- 7th Ward Slick: Strong combination of awesome (the awesome included Yoo-Hoo; and yes, they still exist). I especially liked the spice on the glass to cut the flavor of the alcohol.
SWEETS
- Red Velvet Cupcakes: DELICIOUS! Mini red velvets with cream cheese frosting! They were so moist and had hints of flavor bursting throughout the cake.
- King Cake: Do you know the significance of a trinket found in King Cake during Mardi Gras?? Find out below :)
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NIGHT:
- I was crowned Queen of Mardi Gras by Astor Bake Shop when I picked up a piece of King Cake with an almond inside! Luckily I was with my friend Liz (fellow blogger and southern belle) who told me the almond was significant… otherwise I wouldn’t have thought twice about it!
- Fellow Super Foodspotter, Howie and I finally got to meet in person at the Mardi Gras event! #6DegreesofRestaurantSeparation
OVERALL:
The Chefs truly out did themselves; palates were pleased, taste buds were tickled and drinks were constantly being poured.
Couldn’t have had more fun with such good people and amazing food! I mean, where else would friendships be made over pickle back shots (whiskey with a pickle juice chaser)?
Happy Mardi Gras from the Queen!! xoxo
To attend a James Beard event, sign up here!
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