The Big Cheesy: I've got two FREE tickets with your name on them!

Are you:

• A self-professed grilled cheese-o-holic?
• In NYC this coming weekend?
• Feeling lucky?

If so, I've got two FREE tickets for you and your lucky "plus one" to attend Saturday and Sunday's *already sold out* grilled cheese competition, The Big Cheesy.  Can you fathom a better scenario than wandering from station to station, sampling grilled cheese sandwiches?  And, after you've stuffed yourself like a sausage, your vote counts towards deciding who will reign as "People's Champs Award" for the best grilled cheese sandwich in NYC.  Cool, eh?  (Participants include:  Melt Shop, Murray's Cheese Bar, 'wichcraft, Lucy's Whey, Keith Klein's Milk Truck, Say Cheese UWS, Sons of Essex, and Sixpoint Brewery.)

Winner winner, grilled cheese dinner!  Send me an email (Lindsay@TheLunchBelle.com) detailing your favorite grilled cheese sandwich in NYC - including where I can get it - and, tomorrow at 3pm EST, I will choose a winner based on how much your description makes my mouth water!  Good luck!

Photo: Openhouse Gallery~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Update on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 3:01PM by The Lady Who Lunches

...and we have a winner, folks!  Congratulations, Danielle, for making my mouth water the most with your incredible description of your favorite Milk Truck sammie:

The food truck: A roving culinary carnival. A masterful amalgamation of artistry and delicacy. Creation. Perfection.

"A grilled cheese sandwich is a simple thing," but Milk Truck grilled cheese is anything but. Each handcrafted sammie is a storied work of art, every bite more savory than the next.

I am drawn to the simplistic beauty of the Milk Truck Classic, the perfect blend of toasty bread and gooey cheese. Aged Wisconsin gruyere and cultured butter meet on Levain pullman bread from Balthazar, melting into each other in a way that can only be described as miraculous. 

While the Classic can easily stand on its own, I like to add some spicy pickles to the mix for some extra spunk. Three thin slices find their home inside this crisp beauty, and add indescribable flavor to each bite. 

In the summer of 2012 I chased the Milk Truck around NYC in search of grilled cheese heaven. On July 15th I finally met my love in the World Financial Center food truck lot, and we have been inseparable ever since. 

I hope you and your lucky guest enjoy two free tickets to this weekend's sold out grilled cheese competition, The Big Cheesy!  Congratulations!!

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Tweet tweet! A modern cookie bake-off - enter NOW!

IN THE TWITTER KITCHEN: A MODERN COOKIE BAKE-OFF

Hosted by: Hearst Magazines and Social Media Week

Location: Art & Culture Content Hub at Hearst Magazines, NYC

Thursday, February 16 at 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Can you write a cookie recipe in 140 characters or less? Give it a shot: Everyone attending this panel discussion will have a chance to enter a Twitter-length recipe. Audience members will get to taste and vote on the best cookies of the bunch. The winner will go home with $250 and a gift bag from Food Network Magazine! The event kicks off with a live debate about the role of social media in the home kitchen: Can we trust recipes and tips from Twitter and Facebook or are traditional outlets still the most reliable sources?

To enter: Register for the event and use #SMWbake and tweet your cookie recipe for our judges! Deadline to submit recipes is February 10^th, 2012.

Speakers:

• Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan Founding Editor, Apartment Therapy: The Kitchn
• Katherine Alford Vice President, Test Kitchen, Food Network
• Kelsey Nixon, Kelsey's Essentials, Cooking Channel
• Kat Kinsman, Managing Editor, CNN Eatocracy

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Konstantino Jewelry Giveaway!

Whether you're a dude who's looking for the perfect Valentine's bauble for your lady friend - or a girl, like yours truly, who wants to treat herself - I just got wind of the most PERFECT bling-y giveaway!  Are you ready?

What:  Konstantino Jewelry Giveaway from Voskos Greek Yogurt

When:  begins today, 2/1, through Tuesday, 2/7 (winner announced on 2/8)

Where:  Voskos Facebook Page

Voskos Greek Yogurt, deliciously creamy and America’s first nationally-distributed Greek Yogurt brand, is partnering up with Generales & Generales Fine Jewellers, to give away a beautiful pair of Konstantino earrings via a Facebook sweepstakes. Entrants can register for the piece, valued at $775, on the Voskos Facebook Page.  

The sweepstakes will run from February 1st, 2012 until February 7th, 2012. It is open to United States residents 18 and older, and void where prohibited. The winner will be picked at random and will be announced the morning of February 8th, 2012. The earrings will be shipped express, just in time to be a unique, beautiful Valentine’s Day gift!

Perfect for you or for a special someone, the earrings are handcrafted in sterling silver with 18 karat gold accents in an intricate Byzantine design. They feature a round cabochon pink tourmaline center and a pearl drop.

How GORGEOUS are these?

Good luck!  And, as Kevin Lee, my newest obsession from the RHOBH, would say, "Bling Bling Bling Bling Bling Shi Shi Shi, Dahling!"

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

'Falling' for Fall: celeb-signed cookbook contest + Marc Forgione's cobbler recipe

From pumpkin lattes on the menu at your local Starbuck's, to the visibly crisp chill in the air, Fall has officially made her debut.  The 3-week countdown to Halloween begins on Monday and, just beyond that, Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the entire year, follows just a short 3.5 weeks later. 

So, in anticipation of 'the annual day of gluttony,' I wanted to spotlight the brand new cookbook from Macy’s Culinary Council, aptly titled, "The Macy’s Culinary Council Thanksgiving and Holiday Cookbook."  Comprised of more than 80 holiday recipes written by the Council's thirteen highly esteemed, all-star chefs (think Marcus Samuelsson, Emeril Lagasse, Cat Cora, to name a few), the cookbook also includes the history of Macy's legendary Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will celebrate its 85th anniversary this year!

**CONTEST**  Being that the cookbook will not be released to the public until mid-October, I wanted to host a contest for you, my dear readers: the winner will receive a SIGNED copy of The Macy’s Culinary Council Thanksgiving and Holiday Cookbook!  To enter, please send me an email (Lindsay@TheLunchBelle.com) with the subject, "Macy's Thanksgiving."  The winner will be lucky email #6.

~

Just to whet your appetite and give you a little tease, I wanted to include this mouth-watering recipe from Council member, Marc Forgione.  By the way, if you think this dessert sounds amazing, check out some of the cocktail recipes (courtesy of Marcus Samuelsson, Emeril, and Marc Forgione) leaked from the cookbook over at Betty Confidential!  Score.

Honeycrisp Apple and Dried Fruit Cobbler

“This is a lighter take on the traditional cobbler. Instead of baking the fruit for a half hour to crisp the topping, I bake the topping separately, and then gently sauté the fruit for just a few minutes to make a warm compote.”  Marc Forgione

Serves 6 to 8

TOPPING

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

FRUIT

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, halved, cored, and sliced or chopped
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
• 1⁄2 cup dried cherries
• 1⁄2 cup dried figs, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 1⁄4 cup fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips

Vanilla ice cream for serving

Freshly cracked black pepper for serving (optional)

METHOD

For the topping: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a food processor, combine the flour, both sugars, and the oats and pulse a few times to mix. Scatter the butter cubes over the flour mixture and pulse just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Sprinkle the mixture in a thin, even layer onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in the cinnamon, and then return to the oven. Bake until the mixture holds together in clumps and is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes longer. Remove from the oven. (The topping may be prepared up to 24 hours in advance; let cool completely, and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Just before serving, return the topping to the baking sheet and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm, 6 to 8 minutes.)

For the fruit: While the topping is baking, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook just until it begins to brown and smells nutty, about 2 minutes. Add the apples and brown sugar and toss to combine. Add the water and all of the dried fruits and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook until the apples begin to soften and the liquid in the pan is reduced to a syrup, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the mint.

Transfer the fruit mixture to a large gratin dish and sprinkle the topping evenly over the surface. Alternatively, divide the fruit mixture evenly among 6 to 8 compote dishes and sprinkle an equal amount of the topping over each serving.

Serve immediately with the ice cream. If you like, offer black pepper at the table to sprinkle on top.

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

I hate Irene, plus a CONTEST update

Dear readers,

Well, I'm speechless.  As you know, NYC was struck by an earthquake (or, rather, the aftershock from an earthquake) on Tuesday, and we're about to be pounded by a hurricane this weekend.  I can't tell you how many "email alerts" I've received from work, my apartment building's management company, and everyone in between about 'how to prepare for Irene' and 'what to expect.'  Where the hell does one buy a battery-powered cell phone charger, anyways?  At your local Verizon or AT&T store?  Your guess is as good as mine.   

For those of you on the East Coast, how are you preparing for the weekend's dismal forecast? 

Here is what I plan to stock up on before the clock strikes 'Irene':

• Flashlight
• A couple of jugs of water
• Non-perishable food items: great excuse to eat chips, candy bars, gummy bears, canned bean dip, spray cheese, and all of the other crap that I *try* to avoid on a regular basis
• Smut magazines: US Weekly, People, Glamour, and maybe even Cosmo (if I'm feeling extra smut-y)...no time like the present to catch myself up on all-things " Wedding Kardashian" (I know, shoot me)
• Cash: hopefully $50 will do the trick - the end of the month always kicks my arse.

While I'm the subject of this weekend, I wanted to bring up the contest that I posted on Wednesday.  Unfortunately, due to the impending forecast and the fact that the MTA will be partially and/or fully shutting down mass transit services, Saturday and Sunday's Cool Cravings and Cupcake Cakewalk will be postponed until a later date.  Once I receive the new details, however, I will start the contest from scratch (as only four of you responded - what's up with that?).

Be safe this weekend, dear readers! 

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Photo: someecards

*CONTEST* plus 'Cool Cravings & Cupcake Cakewalk'

*UPDATE* Unfortunately, due to the impending forecast and the fact that the MTA will be partially and/or fully shutting down mass transit services, Saturday and Sunday's Cool Cravings and Cupcake Cakewalk will be postponed until a later date.  Once I receive the new details, however, I will start the contest from scratch (as only four of you responded - what's up with that?).

Are you bummed about the fact that you’re staying in the city this weekend?  Well, cheer up.  Because the team over at Openhouse Gallery, a New York pop-up space, has something very sweet in store for you: allow me to present “Cool Cravings and Cupcake Cakewalk,” back-to-back foodiEVENTS that are taking place this Saturday and Sunday!

Here are the deets:

Cool Cravings: Openhouse Gallery and Clean Plates, the healthy food guide and one of my most favorite websites, have partnered to bring together eight frozen dessert artisans from around NYC, ranging from vegan soft serve – coconut-based and dairy-free ice cream – fruit-filled shaved ice – to all-natural juice pops.  The lineup includes: Brewla Bars, La Cremeria, The Juice Press, Raw Ice Cream Co., The Shaved Ice Shop, The Soft Serve Fruit Co., Stogo, Sky Ice, NibMor, VitaCoco, and Hint Water.

• Date: Saturday, August 27^th
• Time: 2pm – 8pm
• Where: 201 Mulberry Street (between Spring and Kenmare Streets)
• Purchase your tickets HERE!

Photo: The Soft Serve Fruit Co.Cupcake Cakewalk: don’t be fooled by the name of this event – because it ain’t no “cakewalk.”  It’s actually a competition!  Fighting for the title of NYC’s best cupcake will be: Alice’s Tea Cup, Billy’s Bakery, ChikaLicious, Duane Park Patisserie, Robicelli’s, and Sun in Bloom (a Clean Plates-approved vegan/gluten-free cupcakery).

• Date: Sunday, August 28^th
• Time: 2pm – 8pm
• Where: 201 Mulberry Street (between Spring and Kenmare Streets)
• Purchase your tickets HERE!

Photo: Billy's BakeryA portion of the proceeds for “Cool Cravings and Cupcake Cakewalk” will go to Wellness in the Schools, a not-for-profit that inspires healthy eating, environmental awareness, and fitness as a way of life for students NYC’s public schools.

Contest: are you feeling lucky?  Good, because I’m feeling generous!  And since I am so excited about these festivities, I’m giving away tickets to each event.  One lucky reader will receive two tickets (one for themselves plus a guest) for Saturday’s “Cool Cravings” – and another lucky reader will receive two tickets (one for themselves plus a guest) for Sunday’s “Cupcake Cakewalk.”  **FYI: Contest is limited to folks who will be in the NYC area this weekend, 8/27-8/28, and are available on both Saturday and Sunday.**  

So, are you ready to play?  To enter, please send me an email with “dessert” in the subject line: Lindsay@TheLunchBelle.com.  The two winners will be the 7^th and 8^th emails that I receive!  #7 will get two tickets to Saturday’s event; #8 will get two tickets to Sunday’s event.  Good luck!

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle