FOOD 101: Pastilla, Bastilla, Bisteeya, B’stilla

Alluring and delicious. Photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog.   Pastilla, pronounced “bastilla” in the Arabic of North Africa, is a traditional Moroccan dish that crossed the Straits of Gilbraltar from Andalusia, Spain. It is transliterated from the Arabic pastilla, bastilla, bisteeya, b’stilla or bstilla. It all means “delicious,” says Hannah Kaminsky. Traditionally served…
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RESTAURANT: Fast Casual Indian Food At Baluchi’s Fresh

All of this awaits at Baluchi’s Fresh, and it’s all absolutely delicious. Photo courtesy Baluchi’s Fresh.   Baluchi’s Fresh promises to change the way New Yorkers think about Indian food. Established by the son of a New York-based Indian restaurant family (including Devi, the first Michelin star Indian restaurant in the U.S.), it brings fresh,…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Ají Sauce

Hot sauce lovers should take a closer look at ají sauce, a standard in Ecuador and Peru. Aji amarillo is one of the most common types of chiles in the area, and is also one of the most important ingredients in the two countries. While, like all salsas, there are as many variations as there…
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BOOK: Dumplings All Day Wong

A dumpling lover’s treasure. Photo courtesy Page Street Publishing.   We loved chef Lee Anne Wong on the first season of Top Chef. She’s out with her first cookbook, Dumplings All Day Wong, focusing on Asian dumplings. Says Chef Lee Anne: “Biting into a hot, fresh, juicy dumpling can be a transcendent moment, the kind…
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PRODUCT: Motto Sparkling Matcha Green Tea Drink

First there was the buzz about green tea and its antioxidants. Now, the buzz is about matcha, a powdered green tea that has long been used by Buddhist monks and Samurai warriors to prepare for meditation and to improve mental clarity and concentration. It’s also the tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony, chanoyu. Motto,…
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