What’s New: Food Update

There is a little Indian convenience store next to my Sunday restaurant favorite, Dosa Diner, in Hicksville, Long Island. In this store you can find a ton of cheaply priced pantry staples, many aligned with Hindu vegetarianism. It is worth a stopping by– their products are tremendously cheaper than the very same items sold at significantly smaller net weights in health food stores with far less interesting packaging. Load up on exotic spices, lentils, oils, salts and amuse the store’s staff, who are very helpful. On my trip I bought some curry powder and some “Jelly” by Rafhan, a vegan “Jell-o” alternative. Though the Jelly was a bit liquidity, it held its own with a spoon. And the website from the Pakistani brand is an interesting read: Rafhan cornflour is extremely popular amongst housewives to make their soups, gravies and curry more thick hence more appetizing! Go housewives, go!
I used Jen’s Schmooed recipe for tofu “fish” sticks because I had a hankering for tartar sauce really. I love tartar sauce, especially this simple recipe, which gives me an ample amount of the white wonder. The baked sticks were good but next time I will fry them up, incorporating the dry ingredients into a batter. The next day the skins came off too easily. Along side, some sauteed kale with lots of garlic. There’s nothing like wilting down a big bunch of greens and watching the dusty dull green leaves brighten up. This will last me only two lunches unfortunately!
I had been meaning to return to Champs Family Bakery for some time now! Finally having a bit of cash in my wallet, I stopped in to treat myself. I picked up a lone cupcake for $2.75 to motivate me to walk home faster. It was a S’mores cupcake with a graham-ish cake base, vanilla buttercream, a piece of graham cracker and a Dandy. I am officially treated.