A Day at the Met

I love the Met! www.metmuseum.org. I've spent stolen hours there as a student at nearby Hunter College getting lost in it's vastness. I remember the first time I wandered into the Egyptian wing and discovered the mummies and the sarcophagi. I couldn't believe that these were actually from the tombs of ancient Egypt. Rolls of ancient muslin stood inside the glass cases, waiting for the embalmer to reach in and unravel a length or two for the next fashion victim. The Temple of Dendur still enthralls me.

I remember a room with countless silver pieces glimmering behind display cases. I remember the rich golden wreaths of the "Alexander the Great" exhibit, the vivid crimson and luminous gold of the archangel's cape in the Byzantium exhibit, the ethereal clouds in Tiepolo's paintings.

You could say, I got an education!

 

  

Well, the other day I was back at a Monday at the Met where only three exhibits were available for viewing.

 

"Punk, Chaos to Couture,"  was one of them-check out the photos I sneaked- no photography was allowed! Oops! 

Gown made of black trash bags.

Shopping bag gowns!

 

Horse and Buggy on Central Park South

 

By the time I visited the first two exhibits I was overexposed to art. There's just so much my brain can absorb in a few short hours before blurring at the edges.

 

Therefore, it was time for a New York lunch!

Marea, an Italian restaurant on Central Park South, has been touted as one of the best in the city. After all that culture, I deserved to see for myself! A dozen oysters went perfectly with the chilled Tuscan rose wine, and the raw fluke with dots of Mayer lemon sauce, pomegranate seeds and tiny mint leaves was a wonderful appetizer.

 

 

 

The halibut with morels and the tiniest potatoes you've ever seen was delicious and perfectly cooked. My friend, Susan, had the tuna tartare (wonderful!), the seared scallops (delish) and we shared the wine and oysters, confidences and laughter.

 

One of the best New York meals I've ever had!

 

Bergdorf Goodman is only around the corner from Marea and after all that eating we needed to digest. The fabled Department store is like a museum, in a way, with all the wonderful items they have on display, only with price tags. And what price tags!  

I love New York and I can't wait until the next time! Maybe I'll see you there!

Enjoy!

Maria

Upper West Side, New York City

It poured all morning cats and dogs as I drove into Manhattan for a meeting. The drives were clogged with traffic, the GW Bridge was slow as molasses and when I finally arrived at the parking garage they wouldn't honor my discount coupon! How dare they? Didn't they know what I just went through to get there?

I walked the few blocks to my meeting where I spent the next couple of hours. When I reemerged onto the street I found another New York. Instead of rain and clouds, there was sunshine and clearing skies! That's the New York City that I love!

So, instead of unfurling my umbrella and rushing back to my car, I strolled up Columbus Avenue.
Here's a peek from my walk:

What on earth....? 

 

It's a muskox wearing jewelry!

Don't you love it! 

A girl has to have her jewelry!

 

Maria

 

Have you been to Balthazar's?

I had to go to the dermatologist for a "thing" on my back. I'm such a coward, I admit, and I obsessed over it endlessly. In the end, the obsessing was worse than the cure but I just couldn't help myself.

Instead of a lollipop after my "thing" was sliced and diced(I'll spare you the rest of the details) I felt I deserved a trip to the Balthazar Bakery in Engelwood. Have you ever been? OMG! they are amazing! Breads and cakes, and tarts and cookies and endless varieties of breads, did I mention their breads?

Yes, that is a mountain of butter!!!

Cannelles, so French! So yummy!

Bread, bread, bread, bread

 

Go ahead, treat yourself. You won't regret it!

Maria

 

Mom's Bellapais Olive Bread - Eftyhia's traditional Cyprus eliopites

One of the things I remember fondly from the years I spent growing up in Cyprus was the baking. Mom would wake up super early on those days, get everything ready and cover her hair with a scarf. She would make her dough in a wooden trough set over the backs of two chairs. We were a family of six and then there were neighbors and relatives she liked to treat so she made a lot! Or at least that's the way I remember it.
Here is one of her recipes that I managed to write down. Mom cooks and bakes old school. A little of this and a little of that and let it sit 'till it rises. When I asked her how long I should leave them in the oven, "until they're done," she replied. So I baked a batch based on her instructions and recorded the measurements and time for posterity.
Ingredients

2 lbs all purpose unbleached white flour
1/2 lb white whole wheat or whole wheat flour
2 large onions grated in food processor
1 bunch fresh mint leaves minced(1 cup packed)
1lb pitted black morocco, Thasou  or Cyprus or other pruned olives
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water

Directions

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Turn off oven.

Mix white and whole wheat flour in a very large bowl.

Add onion and mint and mix well with flour.

Add the yeast mixture, Olive oil and the remaining 1/2 cup warm water.

Mix well and work until you have a soft, loose dough.

Knead the dough and sprinkle a handful of the olives on the flat surface.

Fold dough over the olives and knead gently. Repeat sprinkling of olives and folding over until you have incorporated all the olives into the dough. Take care not to completely crush the olives. 

 

Prepare two cookie sheets by brushing the bottoms lightly with olive oil . In Cyprus where we had lemon trees mom used to put lemon leaves under each of the breads. If you are lucky to live in a place with lemon trees, try it. It gives a special fragrance to the breads. Divide the dough into two large pieces. Then divide each piece into two. Now divide the four pieces into three each. You will have 12 equal pieces of dough. Shape each one into a small round loaf and place on the cookie sheets leaving enough space between the breads for the rise. You should have six olive breads on each sheet. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil.

Place the cookie sheets in the warm oven. Make sure the oven is turned off. Let the breads rise to approximately double the size about an hour.

Remove cookie sheets from the oven.

Arrange the two oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place both cookie sheets in the preheated oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the breads rise.

Lower the oven to 375 and rotate the cookie sheets. Bake until golden  for about 20 more minutes. Breads are ready when there is a hollow sound when you tap them in the back. Remove from oven  and let cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

 

Maria