Food related, sort of...

Just got back from seeing Half Nelson, the best film of the summer. My old company, THINKFilm is distributing the film, and I hope that my friends there get big fat raises when the film is a hit. Half Nelson is the kind of film that I want to work on. It's the kind of film that I wish I helped distribute. It's about story, character, emotions. The stuff that makes you feel. It's not about the stars, the production design, or the director. Please go see it.
I couldn't help but think about the product placement situation in the film. They had very few noticable brands. When the credits rolled, there were a few clothing companies thanked. I can only think of one visible brand name, Blow Pops. Because I've only worked on studio films, I don't know how clearances are handled on smaller films that are acquired. In my daily experience on this new film, American Gangster, I've had a hell of a time trying to get name brands cleared because it's a drug related film. In fact, the only brands that I've been helpful in clearing are all smaller local companies. Luckily, they both have great products. Boylan sodas and Manhattan Special espresso sodas have signed clearance releases. Manhattan Special even gave us a free case of sodas. As a result, if I drink a soda, it's only going to be those kinds. I will never willingly pay for a Coke, Pepsi or Cadbury Schwepps product again. They suck! Pictured above are the Indian sodas I bought in Curry Hill. Thums Up is Indian Coke, so I wonder if there are pesticides in the soda.
On other films, Coke and Pepsi are used freely because they probably have a product placement deal with the studio. In fact, the crew is probably provided with free sodas and water if there's a product placement deal with the company. This helps out a lot when you've got a 300 person crew and the movie stars are taking up 20 million bucks of the budget.
On the last movie I worked on, the remake of Mostly Martha (it will be called No Reservations when it comes out), Catherine Zeta Jones starred. She is a huge mogul not because of her acting or even her marriage, but because of her advertising deals. There was a photo shoot for some prop food magazines and in every photo, her hand with her watch was noticable. She's being paid to wear that watch, folks. Ironically even though she's paid to advertise Elizabeth Arden cosmetics, we couldn't get any freebies, set dec had to buy all the make up in her bathroom. CZJ also wouldn't hold a certain store's bag in a scene where her character goes shopping because it wasn't in her deal. That kind of sucked because set dec saved a lot of money by creating a deal where items from the store were free if she held a bag.
I also heard a funny story on that last J. Lo/Marc Anthony movie. One of them is sponsored by Coke and the other one advertised Pepsi, so neither of them could be near the other's soda. Or something like that.
I'm kind of torn about product placement, sometimes I don't even notice it, other times it bugs me. What's your opinion?
One more story before I call it a night. As I was walking home, a neon "Chinese Food" sign on a silver street food cart caught my eye outside of the old Tower Video store. So I walked over there and checked out the menu. Fried chicken wings, egg rolls, teriyaki bowls, dumplings, and TACOS?!! I asked the guy, why tacos? And he said because lots of people like tacos. And I said, but that's not Chinese food. Why would I eat a taco at your cart instead of going to the Taco Bell up the street? Why not make them Chinese taco, do like a Mooshu chicken, or teriyaki in a tortilla?
He just kind of stared at me so I bought a pork bun. It was smaller than what I've gotten in Chinatown, but it did hit the spot.
And I realized that just like in Half Nelson, you really can't help others if you can't help yourself. And sleep would help me very much.
Time to hit the hay,
Liza

Westfair Fish and Chips at Camp Carol

Presidents may visit Camp David for R&R, but I go someplace much more exclusive, Camp Carol. Visiting my friend Carol in Connecticut is one of my favorite day trips. Not only does she live in the same town as Paul Newman, but she's always got some adventure in store, generally including food. I've been lucky to visit twice this summer for terrific company, swimming and seafood lunches at Westfair Fish and Chips.
Both times we went for the fried clams and the lobster roll. Now some people prefer clam strips because they are cleaner tasting, but we prefer the whole body. The bellies and whatever else they dredge in flour haven't been gritty yet and while some might consider the mushy bellies gross, we prefer to call it creamy.
The lobster roll is as fresh as can be because they're pulled from the tank right after you order it. I didn't hear any screaming from the pot or when the cook dips the warm pieces into clarified butter than stuffs it into a hotdog bun, so I'm sure they used the knife method if you're worried about my morals. Last weekend we got the steamers which I've actually never had. Let's say we were comparing clam eating to porn, fried clam strips is to Skinemax as fried whole clams is to Playboy as clam steamers is to Hustler. Eating steamers is hardcore! There's this little tube with a dark skin covering it that looks like an uncircumcised penis. I hear it's really called a siphon, but it's another reminder that you're eating a bottom feeder which is why you have to dip it in the provided clam juice in case there's any left over grit.
Then you can dip it into the butter or spritz with lemon. It's a bit of an aquired taste and feels kinda dirty but it's kinda delicious!

Westfair Fish & Chips
1781 Post Rd. E. (Rte. 1)
Westport; 203.255.3184
Check out clam love if you're enjoy New England seafood shacks.

Bing a ling

bing
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

This is a picture of my new obsession. Actually, I've been obsessed with bing for an entire year. Carol introduced me to her friend Melissa who lives in Chinatown and is a fabulous designer. Long story short, Melissa told us about these awesome Chinese treats called bing. This is from an email from July 11, 2005: If you are anxious to give the Bings a try, the bakery (if one can call it that) is located downstairs in the Triple Eight Mall underneath the Manhattan bridge. As for my favorites, there are only three varieties available -- cabbage, spicy mustard greens and pork. The number of black sesame dots on the Bing indicates what's inside. There is a sister bakery in Flushing which has a couple of additional combinations like spicy chicken and spicy pork. I have yet to try either. Keep in mind that there is no English menu. The Bing, which look like sesame studded donuts, are on a tray on the counter.
Marvelous Melissa goes on to tell me the heating directions and other tips in the email, but when I tried going to the hidden restaurant in that mall under the bridge, I was confused, because all I saw was noodle soup, so maybe that place was just always out of them. Later, I read a piece in the NYTimes about the bakery in Flushing that makes them, and a new location in Manhattan that had yet to open. Well, they've opened and everyone is talking about them on the new Chowhound.com.
Last night Melissa had a tasting party, and I was lucky enough to finally eat bing! Imagine the yummy sesame bread from the Eldridge St. Dumpling House stuffed with delicious fillings of savory pork and cabbage, spicy chicken, beef, all kinds of goodness that you'll just have to try.
I'm addicted. In fact, I'm leaving the office now so I can get a bing for dinner. The store is right across from the IFC Center at West 3rd and 6th Ave and the chowhounders said that they're giving a free bing for every one you buy. See you there!

This bothers me

budlight
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

Can anyone tell me what this means? I don't understand it at all. What are those rings around the bottle and the people? Does it mean that Bud Light is watery? What's worth it in New York City? In other towns is it worth it?

Just Can't Get Enough

Pies and Thighs is so damn good, I know my days are numbered before it gets so crowed or they run out of food and I won't be able to go. They opened in April, so I think by October, I'll have to find another place to go for awesome Southern food. That's why I had to visit for breakfast to get my fill. Ted and I started with a donut to stave off the hunger. Generally, I like a doughy Krispy Kreme style donut better than that cake variety, but now I'm confused. Pies and Thighs donut is so brown and crispy on the outside and the cake inside is tender and delicious, maybe I like cake donuts more now. I also love that they save the donut holes and sell them, too. Waste not, want not!

I actually wanted to get the fried fish and grits, but they were out of fish, so I got the gravy and biscuits. My order was piled high with sausage chunks. They were spicy and delicious on top of their wonderful biscuit. The gravy was just the way I like it. Thinner that the way it's served in Texas or Virginia, so it soaks into the biscuit. Now the biscuits and gravy was good, but it was a little much. I could feel my blood thickening with cholesterol and it felt good.
But I had to soldier on, and I'm glad I did. Ted ordered the hash with eggs and potatoes. Their version is the best I've ever eaten. When I think hash, I think of dog foody mystery meat with potato cubes from a can. I used to love that stuff as a kid, but I wonder if I'd still like it after the tv dinner experience.
The pork was the left over stuff of their pulled pork sandwiches. Smoky and moist, the taste is out of this world. Their potatoes are roasted and their skins are sweet and the starch is almost creamy. I can't tell you how good this place is, you just have to try it.

Times change

IMG_0155
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

Work has been crazy busy, and it's starting to get to me. I'm breaking out and this was my lunch today. One of my challenges today was looking for the 1970s tv dinners with the aluminum foil tray. They don't exist anymore because everyone uses a microwave. I didn't have time to stop for lunch, so I just ate one of the turkey dinners I bought to slip into the boxes the graphics department made. Was the food better when I was a kid? I used to love these things. I don't have to tell you that the dinner was really salty except for the green beans and the brownie dessert.. The brownie was the best thing, then the green beans. The potatoes were awful, they didn't heat up well and they tasted like sawdust. The meat, gravy and stuffing were way too salty. Yuck!

Baby melons

The Greenmarket is one of the places that makes me love New York, but I also love hearing about the dark side of the market. You can read about some of the controversies on Nina Planck's website . She used to be the director of the Greenmarket, but got fired. Some of her ideas are that smaller farmers should be able to sell at the Greenmarket and that everything should be local, including the butter that goes into the baked good, for example. She a purist and an idealist. As a result, she has started up her own farmers markets called the Real Food Markets. I went to the one on Lafayette at Petrosino Square, but it was rainy and the second week that it was open, so it was basically 3 vendors and a bit pricey. I'm on her email list though and every week it sounds like it's getting bigger. Personally, I just want stuff to taste good and wish it was cheaper, but I appreciate the Nina Planck's of the world.
This morning I went to the Greenmarket at Tomkins Square Park and bought the usual summer staples: corn, lettuce, tomatoes, peaches... Then I saw the watermelon and knew I had to have one. I was going to get a yellow on the inside, stripey on the outside melon, but this group of 3 Chinese men were thumping all of those melons and I didn't feel like butting in. So I went with the red "sweet baby". I did some thumping and I know it's supposed to sound hollow, but they all sounded the same to me. Is the thump supposed to be in the key of C? B minor?
So I asked the Chinese guy next to me. His response to my thump was Maybe. So I called my mom and she wasn't home. My dad was like, huh? what? Mommy will be home in an hour. We talked about about when mom was sick and dad bought a watermelon to cheer us up. He cut into it and out poured red liquid because it was rotten inside. That sucked as well as symbolized everything that was going wrong at the time.
I just cut into my little melon and while the disappointment wasn't as profound as when Dad cut that rotten one, it sorta sucked because the flesh isn't sweet on this baby. The taste is well, watered down, and it doesn't have that distinctive sugary taste. It's okay, I'll make watermelonade with my lemon of a watermelon, but it's not good enough for my watermelon, cilantro, feta salad.
I just spoke to my mom and she said that the thump should sound like a "pung!" I have no idea what she's talking about, but she also said that the vine should have fallen off cleanly. My vine was still attached. I picked a melon before it was ready.
Dammit!

Sweet Red Bean Fish


I finally did another video. This is a sneak peak of episode 3. Who knows when it will be finished!

Crazycakes

Friday was my boss' birthday, but he didn't didn't tell me until late in the day when I was running around town like a headless chicken trying to fetch the actor's prop wedding rings. So I ignored the boss' declaration and decided that his birthday would be on Monday.
On Sunday I was eating ice cream (I had watermelon sherbet; Ted had black sesame ice cream) at Sundaes and Cones (95 E. 10th St. bw 3rd & 4th Ave.) and spied the perfect present. An ice cream cake, of course! There's a computer on the counter with a slideshow of the ice cream cakes styles. I really wanted to get the "Poop on grass" motif, but I really wanted people to try the ice cream. So I went with the "Balls". Little balls of ice cream formed a circle on the top surrounding the Happy Birthday phrase.
Sundaes and Cones used to be in Brooklyn, but the owner who happens to be Chinese decided to bring his fun flavors to Manhattan. Similar to the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, S&C makes the Asian classics: green tea, ginger and red bean ice creams. But they also make more. Much more.
My second new favorite flavor is corn! Wouldn't that be funny in a poop on grass cake? It's quite tasty actually. Think about it. Corn on the cob is sweet. You put butter on corn. Butter is made of cream. Ice cream has cream in it.
But like I said, I really wanted the office people to try the stuff, so I chose the my #1 new favorite, black sesame, ginger, and mocha chip for the cake layers. The sesame lends a nuttyness and natural saltiness to the sweet cream, while the ground up seeds add a bit of flavorful grit that's yummy. The ginger is mostly sweet cream, but every now and again you hit a spicy piece of candied ginger. The mocha chip I threw in there for the mainstream peeps. Derrick doesn't like chocolate, but I still had them add chocolate crunchies in between the ice cream layers. It turned out really good, I thought. Reaction was mixed, but I had fun watching people think about the flavors. And the boss liked it, so he said.
Sundaes and Cones asks for cake orders (8"cake $28) a week in advance but they said they could do it for Tuesday August 1. That's MY birthday. So we had an early afternoon cake and an tea time cake. I told Erik when I started this job that I wanted this heart shaped cream puff cake from Choux, the other creampuff factory. I was fascinated by the mixture of cream, chocolate and puff pastry that I saw on their postcard. I have to say, I enjoyed the ice cream cake just a little bit more. I mean, there were surprises with the choux cake. Namely it was much smaller in real life than the picture; it was hard to cut; there was a fresh strawberry layer; and they misspelled my name! I loved this little cake, but I found the pastry part a little stale and the chocolate layer a bit rubbery. I wonder if that's because you have to order it a week in advance. Do they make it a week in advance?
Either way, I still enjoyed it and it was so pretty.