Saturday, July 25, 2009

Steve's Key Lime Pie

As far as I can see you only go to Red Hook for a few reasons; a home furnishing trip to IKEA, the Latino food carts by the ball fields, and Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pie. Let me tell you, these pies are awesome.

Kevin and I woke up on Saturday anxious to get out in the city but with no destination in mind. We hopped on the free water taxi at Pier 11 by the South Street Seaport which takes you directly to the new IKEA in Brooklyn. There has been a recent controversy that will require riders to pay up for the ferry during the week unless they can provide proof of a purchase at IKEA. But for now, Saturday and Sunday are still free with the ferry departing every 20 minutes or so.

We followed the signs that pointed to the pie and finally arrived at an old warehouse on the pier. A Swingle (key lime pie dipped in chocolate and frozen on a stick) was reason enough for the trip across the river but we got our 8 inch pie for $15 to take home and it was delicious with its crumbly graham cracker crust. Not overly sweet as I feared, and it has a natural limey flavor.

KEY LIME PIE, infatuation that shouldn't exist,
KEY LIME PIE, indulge and I am in your debt.
KEY LIME PIE, inspire me with foolish love,
KEY LIME PIE, your green filling makes me inept.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Arab – African Street Festival

The Annual Arab-American and North-African cultural street festival earned my presence in the Village this past Saturday afternoon. Vendors lined the street offering a variety of products, exhibiting original crafts, displaying Arabic literature, and playing regional music. But you know why I’m there, to sample the food! Middle Eastern and North African foods can refer to a wide range of cuisines and often utilize similar ingredients and cultural tastes. The dishes frequently contain flat breads such as pita and chickpeas or beans. Many dishes do not include meat, making Middle Eastern cuisine a great option for vegetarians. This is how I fell in love with Falafel. Falafel is a fried ball made from spiced chickpeas and/or fava beans, originally from Egypt, and usually served in pita-like bread called lafa. This is always a perfect fast food option fresh from the streets.