The funny thing about this time of year (for students anyway) is how quickly your life goes from absolute madness to an eerily quiet calm. Last week, I was knee-deep in finals week, i.e. excessively long research papers and excessive sleep deprivation. Anyone who saw me can probably attest that for most of the week, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. You know how it goes: so much work, so little time. Anyway, by Friday all my papers were turned in and I could let out a nice, big sigh of relief. The next morning, before I could process being done with school for the semester, I was off to NYC!
As soon as I heard Rosa Jackson was offering a cooking class in New York, I knew I had to drop everything and go. Rosa was one of my favorite people that I met in Nice. We met a few months after I first arrived, when I asked if I could be her assistant. I had been following her blog for a while and I read all about her market classes, short classes in which students tour the Cours Saleya market in the morning and go back to Rosa's apartment and make provencal deliciousness in the afternoon. Being Rosa's assistant was awesome: I got to attend all her classes, learn tons about Nicois cuisine, and of course, eat delicious things (I'm not sure which part was the best...hmm....). When I found out about her class, I insisted on coming to assist her. Words are inadequate to describe the joy of reconnecting with my friend and tasting all my favorite provencal recipes (pissaladiere, bourride, lemon tart) again. And the class was, of course, a delight.
I was only in New York for a couple days, but of course I also had to meet up with my favorite NYC eating partner: Lanny. This time I had nothing on the agenda, and Lanny suggested meeting for breakfast at the Clinton Street Baking Co. and Restaurant. I had never heard of it, but I trust Lanny's opinions on food so I agreed to meet him there. Whatever doubts I may have had were whisked away with the wind when I saw the line of people waiting outside the restaurant. Lanny and I only ended up waiting about 20 minutes (which also allowed me ample time to consider what I would get!). We decided to split everything and got: a buttermilk biscuit with butter and jam, the blueberry pancakes, and huevos rancheros. Wow. Seriously. WOW. That was one hell of a breakfast! The people at Clinton Street Baking apparently know what's up. The buttermilk biscuit had the perrrrfect amount of butteriness and crumbliness and deliciousness, oh I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Every element of that breakfast hit the spot so completely, you have to try it for yourself to understand.
Lanny, ready to dive in to the deliciousness
lone buttermilk biscuit, waiting to be devoured
Have you ever seen a more perfect buttermilk biscuit?
amazing blueberry pancakes, apparently voted #1 in NYC by NY Magazine
huevos rancheros: warm tortilla topped with eggs, cheese, salsa, guacamole, and jalapeno sour cream (AMAZING!!!)
If I have never told you before about my love for buttermilk biscuits... Now is the time! Looks delish.
ReplyDeletewhat a way to end the semester!
ReplyDeleteI just went here like a month ago! Pancakes were amazing... as well as the eggs benedict. Probably the best I ever had.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read this, I clicked the link to learn more about stuffing my face with delicious looking pancakes. Aman and I are gearing up for February!!
ReplyDeleteIn all the excitement of pancake overload, I forgot to comment!
Great commentary and pictures as usual! I can't wait to try this place out, hopefully with you. :)
Students are lucky in that their headless chicken moments actually END! ;) Lovely breakfast, great companion-- perfect day, eh? :)
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