There are a few items I avoid making from scratch, and pizza dough is high on the list. It always seems like something you need to perfectly calibrate and since I live in New York it has always seemed like someone else around me could make it better.

But anything you fear is worth trying to conquer, so I made my way to Rosemary’s Pizza to try and get a taste of how they make their crust. I am a huge fan of this style of dough because it feels like the middle ground: not too thin that it falls apart but not too thick and doughy that the rest of the ingredients are drowned out. It turns out pizza dough is a simple process that just requires a little practice. So what are you waiting for?

Cooking, Food, Restaurants, Video, BlogAli RosenOctober 18, 2018pizza, doughComment

Make Mezze Your Appetizer Plan

I hate to sound old enough to say I've enjoyed following someone's career, but apparently today I'm going to. I have loved watching whatever Eden Grinshpan does next. She is a barrel of laughs and a breath of fresh air wherever she goes. I first interviewed her when she had a show on Cooking Channel. She has since moved on host Top Chef Canada and now she has opened her first restaurant, Dez. It combines all of her Israeli, Middle Eastern and other travel experiences into one spirited and flavorful fast casual spot.

And since I can't possibly pick a favorite I decided instead to pick her brain about mezzes. It's an all-encompassing word but it can help outline one of the best appetizer plans possible.

Cooking, Food, Interview, Restaurants, Travel, Video, BlogAli RosenAugust 9, 2018mezze, What Is?, Israel, Israeli, Middle Eastern, carrots, hummus, eggplant, appetizerComment

The Easy Secret to India's Best Street Food

I lived in India for a year and its food will always have a special kind of hold on me. But one snack in particular is near-impossible for me to resist: Bhel Puri. It's an Indian street food snack that you can find everywhere. When made well it has the perfect ratio of sweet, tangy, spicy and crunchy. It is every kind of flavor packed into one delicious bite.

So when I tried Floyd Cardoz's version I knew we needed his recipe. I have loved his cooking for years but I am so in love with his newest spot Bombay Bread Bar. It brings me back to my time in India but with a New York twist.

Watch the video below or follow the recipe to make your own!

Blog, Chefs, Cooking, Food, Recipe, Restaurants, VideoAli RosenJune 12, 2018India, Indian, tamarind, chutney, snack, mango, cilantro, peanuts, cuminComment

A New Look at New England Cuisine

No one knows New England like Matt Jennings. He has lived and cooked all over, from his former restaurant Farmstead in Providence to his current gem in Boston, Townsman. And now he has taken all of that knowledge (and more from his global travels) to create a book, Homegrown, that is a celebration of all things Northeastern.

Food, Interview, Restaurants, VideoAli RosenNovember 28, 2017New England, Matt Jennings, cookbook, Boston, Rhode IslandComment

Rice Balls with a Cheesy Surprise

I'm such a sucker for rice balls of any kind. But what about if you could make rice balls even better by injecting a bit of cheese into the proceedings? We went to Trappizino to get their recipe for suppli, a rice ball that has a surprising cheesy interior.

Video, Restaurants, Recipe, CookingAli RosenNovember 7, 2017Italian, rice, cheese, appetizer, recipeComment

The Dish: Bessou's Chawanmushi

Comfort food exists in every culture. But you're missing out if you haven't had it in a Japanese context. We went to Bessou to get their take on chawanmushi. This silky egg custard can warm any day, and it gives context to a restaurant that is all about bringing Japanese comfort food to the forefront.

Chefs, Interview, Restaurants, VideoAli RosenOctober 26, 2017The Dish, Japanese, eggComment

5 Questions for Tom Colicchio

You might know Tom Colicchio from his long running stint on Top Chef or from his many restaurants in New York and beyond. But we sat down with him on the occasion of a rebranding of his sandwich shop, "Wichcraft, And he delightfully answered questions on everything from his favorite city he's filmed in to the brain drain of chefs in big cities.

Video, Restaurants, ChefsAli RosenJuly 19, 2017Tom Colicchio, 5 QuestionsComment

Gabriel Kreuther's Smoked Sturgeon Tart: The Dish

Chefs, Restaurants, FoodAli RosenJune 13, 2016Gabriel Kreuther

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