Food identified with New York City origins:
Hot dogs especially with sauerkraut, sweet relish, onion sauce, ketchup and/or mustard.
Manhattan clam chowder – has a clear broth, plus tomato for red color and flavor. In the 1890s it was called “New York clam chowder” and “Fulton Fish Market” clam chowder. Many restaurants in northern Rhode Island sell both red and white chowders, while the southern coast favors clear and white chowders often served alongside clam cakes. According to Good Eats the addition of tomatoes in place of milk was actually the work of Portuguese immigrants.
New York style cheesecake relies on heavy cream. It is usually made of cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks to add richness and consistency. It is baked in a special 13-15 cm (5-6 inch) tall springform pan in many restaurants. Some recipes use cottage cheese and lemon for a distinct texture and flavor or add a drizzle of chocolate or strawberry sauce.
New York style pizza originated in N.Y.C. in the early 1900s. It is wide, thin and foldable. The traditional topping were limited to tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese with any additional topping placed on the cheese. Traditionally it is hand-tossed and light on sauce.
New York style pastrami is typically sliced thin and served generously hot on rye bread. A classic New York deli sandwich (pastrami on rye) is sometimes accompanied by coleslaw and Russian dressing.
New York soft pretzels served hot off of a vendor’s cart. May also be topped with mustard.
Italian ice a frozen dessert made from either concentrated syrup flavoring or fruit puree. There are many flavors like cherry, coconut, pina colada, blueberry and lemon.
A knish is a German, Eastern European and Yiddish snack food made popular in North America by Jewish immigrants. A knish consists of a filling covered with dough that is either baked, grilled or deep fried. Knishes can be purchased from street vendors. The traditional filling is made entirely of mashed potato but fillings may also include ground meat, sauerkraut, onions, kasha (buckwheat groats) or cheese. Modern fillings include sweet potatoes, black beans, fruit, broccoli, tofu or spinach.
Eggs Benedict a dish that consists of a half of an English muffin, topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.
Waldorf salad which traditionally consists of raw apples, celery, grapes and walnuts dressed in mayonnaise and served as an appetizer or a light meal. The salad was created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in N.Y.C.
Lobster Newberg an American seafood dish made with lobster, butter, cream, cognac, sherry, eggs and cayenne pepper. The dish was invented by Ben Wenberg, as sea captain in the fruit trade. He demonstrated the dish at Delmonico’s Restaurant in N.Y.C. to the manager, Charles Delmonico, in 1876.
Delmonico steak refers to both a cut of beef and a presentation of steak dinner prepared from it, made world-famous by Delmonico’s Restaurant during the mid 1800s.
Some dishes invented in or alleged to have been invented in N.Y.C.:
Steak Diane made from beef tenderloin. The steak is seasoned by rubbing garlic and ground pepper into it and fried quickly in butter. Often a sauce is prepared from the pan juices using butter, shallots, cream, beef stock and Worcestershire sauce.
Egg cream a classic beverage consisting of chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer. Dating from the late 19th century and is especially associated with Brooklyn, N.Y. The home of its alleged inventor, candy store owner Louis Auster. The egg cream is almost exclusively a fountain drink. The Brooklyn Egg Cream consisted of chocolate syrup while the New York Egg Cream used vanilla syrup.
A Bloody Mary which is a popular cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, and usually other spices such as Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, beef consomme or bouillon, horseradish, celery, olive, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and celery salt. One version of its origin is that it was invented by Fernand Petiot in 1921 while working at the New York Bar in Paris, France, later to become Harry’s New York Bar. Another version is that it was created by George Jessel around 1939 and according to a bartender from the St. Regis Hotel in N.Y.C., Fernand Petiot invented the Red Snapper a classy name for Bloody Mary, at the St. Regis in 1934. However there was no horseradish in this recipe. Whatever its origin the Bloody Mary is intended to cure hangovers and so is generally served in the morning.
General Tso’s chicken a sweet and spicy, deep fried chicken dish that is popularly served in American and Canadian Chinese restaurants. The dish is believed to have been introduced to N.Y.C. in the early 1970s as an example of Hunan and Szechuan style cooking. It was first mentioned in The New York Times in 1977.The Reuben Sandwich a hot sandwich of layered corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian or sometimes Thousand Island dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread. One version is that it was invented by Arnold Reuben, the German-Jewish owner of the once-famous, now defunct Reuben’s Delicatessen in New York who, according to an interview with Craig Claiborne, invented the “Reuben special” around 1914.
And then there are the street vending carts. After a bit of searching I found information about some of the cities top twenty best food carts. The way I look at it is that especially in the spring and summer there is nothing like sitting on a park bench having a sumptuous meal a la cart – vending cart that is.
The Arepa Lady – Roosevelt Ave, nr. 78th St., Jackson Heights, Queens. This lady is a former lawyer and judge She can be found here on weekends weather depending. In winters she goes to her native Colombia but come spring she can be found in her usual position on Friday and Saturday nights. She prefers the nighttime shift because the streets are less crowded but people who have tried her food faithfully come for her specialty. Two types of Colombian arepas brushed with margarine and griddled until brown and crispy. The arepa de queso is thicker and smaller with melted cheese. The flatter, wider one is arepa de chocolo which is made with a different corn batter and folded over salty grated cheese. She also serves skewered sausages and denser, smaller arepitas.
Antojitos Mexicanos at Roosevelt Ave., nr. 61st., Woodside, Queens right below the tracks of the elevated nr. 7 train. The Oaxaqueno tamale comes wrapped with a string. When the banana leaves are peeled open one sees a hot, steamy mass of fluffy corn masa with some fatty pork chunks and red chili oil. There are also smaller corn husk wrapped varieties with morsels of chicken. Another version includes stringy melted cheese with red or green peppers but the best is the masa with its moist, springy texture and toasty corn aroma.
Sammy’s Halal found on 73rd St., at Broadway in Jackson Heights, Queens. The owner Samiul Haque Noor is a former taxi driver. From his cart he serves marinated dark chicken meat chopped up on the griddle and served over fragrant Afghan-style long-grain rice with a side salad for $3.99. One can also order it with the works – a trio of sauces – one hot (red), one mild (white) and one in between (green). Sammy’s popularity has spread far and wide and in six years time he has become a five-cart mini empire, with three downtown, one in Astoria, Queens and plans to expand to midtown – Manhattan.
Khan’s located at 73rd St. at Broadway, Jackson Heights, Queens. Being next door to Sammy’s cart this may be considered as the sixth branch of Sammy’s as Sammy has taken the owner of Khan’s Parvez Zaman under his wing. Kahn’s serves delicious chicken and rice platters.
Tacos Guicho on Roosevelt Ave., at Gleane St., Jackson Heights, Queens. Alejandra Gonzalez and Pilar Juarez make a party for the people of the neighborhood every night. They serve tacos of chorizo and carnitas (with braised pork), tortas and sopas which are piled high with beans, lettuce, crema, salsa, cotija and the meat of your choice. A $2 meatless meal may be a quadruple decker chalupa – a crispy, griddled corn tortilla stacked with red or green salsa, garnished with diced onions, cotija and crema.
Hallo Berlin located at 54th St., nr. Fifth Ave. in Manhattan. Rolf Babiel was born in Berlin and has been vending sausages foe 24 years. Babiel and his brother Wolfgang serve sausages on crusty rolls 5 days a week. There are at least a dozen choices one of which is the Democracy Special combo – a choice of two wursts topped with a pile of fried potatoes, braised red cabbage, sauerkraut and excellent homemade mustard and curry sauces, plus two meatballs for $9. When the weather is good people can eat on the cart’s red and white checked foldout trays while watching the people walking along Fifth Avenue.
Tony “The Dragon” Dragonas found at 62nd St., nr. Madison Ave. Every lunch hour a line gathers. What’s on the menu? Chicken breasts, shish kebab, burgers, sausage, steak and an excellent prosciutto-mozzarella and basil sandwich. One of the favorites is the overnight marinated grilled chicken wrapped in a thick grilled pita or as a platter with yellow rice. Along with a tinfoil container with a crisp romaine salad drizzled with homemade tsatsiki – cost $6.
Carnegie John’s located at 56th St., nr. Seventh Ave. This one is owned by John Antoniou and serves grilled chicken breasts, Italian sausage sandwiches and combo platters. Some of the favorites are Sabrett hot dogs with homemade onions for $1.25 and for $4 A thick, juicy cheeseburger.
Huanji Rice Noodles at Grand St. at Bowery. There are cheung fun steamed rolled rice noodles, topped with your choice of spongy curried fish balls, pork skin or tripe and covered with sweet and spicy sauces. The cart also offers mei fun and the string-tied, leaf wrapped rice packets called joong all of which if the weather is nice can be enjoyed at the Hester Street Playground down the block while watching handball games.
The Esquites Man at Fifth Ave. nr. 53rd St., Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Esquites are a Mexican City street snack of corn kernels sautéed in butter or vegetable oil and flavored with fresh epazote, the pungent herb whose name roughly translated means “dirty skunk”. * Epazote is an herb well-known to Mexican and Caribbean cooking. The name comes from the Aztec (Nahuatl) epazotl. It is also known as pigweed or Mexican tea and is frequently regarded as a garden pest. It is most commonly used in black bean recipes to ward off some of the “negative” side affects of eating beans. Much like cilantro, it is referred to as an “acquired taste”. The herb is quite pungent and some say it smells like gasoline or kerosene. The Luis Garcia offers a quick scoop or two of esquites, a wooden spoonful of Hellmann’s mayonnaise, a sprinkling of sharp cotija cheese (a hard cow’s milk cheese that resembles feta cheese), a dusting of cayenne and a squirt of fresh lime juice all for only $2.
Dogmatic Dogs located Bleecker Street Park, Bleecker St. at Hudson St. Manhattan in the West Village. Gourmet sausages are served here in Pain D’Avignon baguettes. These spicy beef, turkey and pork franks cost $5. They are served with ketchup and mustard, creamy jalapeno-Cheddar, feta and sun-dried tomatoes or truffle Gruyere. An asparagus stuffed baguette for vegetarians. There are homemade ginger and strawberry sodas for $3 flavored with vanilla bean, allspice, cinnamon, clove and cardamom.
The Jamaican Dutchy 51st St. nr. Seventh Ave., Manhattan. Here one can find boiled dumplings, white rice, rice and peas, plantain, yellow yam and vegetables. There is also spicy, herb-rubbed jerk chicken and tender goat curry on the bone.
Xinjiang Kebabs at Division St., at Forsyth St. near the Manhattan Bridge. There is yellow sign that states lamb, chicken, beef, chicken kidney, chicken heart, grill fish ball, grill corn and more. Grilled with hardwood charcoal. One favorite is the cut up hot dog on a stick with sweetish barbecue sauce and sprinkled with cumin powder.
Kwik Meal located at 45th St., nr. Sixth Ave. Manhattan. The owner Mohammed Rahman is from Bangladesh. He’s famous for his marinated lamb with cumin, coriander, yogurt and green papaya rolled up with yogurty white sauce in a puffed pita or served over basmati rice. There is also falafel which is served with a distinctive jalapeno hot sauce. He has branched out to include two more midtown carts.
Calexico Wooster St. nr. Prince St. Soho, Manhattan. Run by three brothers from Southern California. There are tacos, burritos and Mexican-style grilled corn. There is also chipotle pulled pork. The favorite is the marinated skirt steak called c, a well spiced piece of meat cut into chunks and stuffed into a burrito $7 or in a soft corn-tortilla taco $3 and garnished with cabbage, cilantro and onion.
NY Dosas located at Washington Square.S. at Sullivan St. in the Village, in Manhattan. The owner is Thiru Kumar a Sri Lankan native whose operated this cart for the past five years. Here one can find griddled lentil and rice crepes stuffed with spiced potatoes and vegetables served with lentil soup and coconut chutney. The favorite is Special Rava Masala Dosa, a red raw rice and cream of wheat batter dabbed with chili paste and griddled to crispness.
Halal Chicken and Gyro at 53rd St., nr. Sixth Ave., Manhattan. Here one can find a never ending line. You can notice it by the bright yellow plastic bags and employees T-shirts which say DIFFERENT, TASTY. DELICIOUS. There are lamb and chicken combo platters for $6 served with a hot, red chili sauce and a white sauce.
Kim’s Aunt at 46th St., nr. Sixth Ave., Manhattan. The cart is tattooed with the slogan FOOD IS LOVE. One of the favorites is the fried-fish sandwich (choice of whiting, $3.50, or flounder, $4.50) served on Wonder bread (white or whole wheat). The fish is deep fried to a crisp golden brown and topped with tartar and hot sauces. There is also a Korean dish, bulgogi $6 which is a highly seasoned, thinly sliced beef, served over rice with a side of salad.
Alan’s Falafel at Cedar St., nr. Broadway at Liberty Plaza Park, Wall Street area, Manhattan. Here the offering is an eleven falafel balls, hummus, baba ghannouj, fried eggplant strips, grape leaf and a cold pita platter at $5.
All Natural Hot Mini Cakes at Grand St., nr. Bowery, Chinatown, Manhattan. Here Shao Chen makes his sweet confections. In a multi-holed waffle iron, the flour-sugar-and-egg batter is poured and baked for just over a minute then the sweet spongy balls are scooped out and separated with a spoon. $1 for twenty sweet puffy confections.
Chalupa Recipe
Ingredients
• 1 cup dried pinto beans
• 3-1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 boneless pork shoulder roast (1-1/2 pounds), trimmed
• 1 package (10-1/2 ounces) corn chips
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped fresh tomatoes
• Salsa
Directions
• Place beans and enough water to cover in a 3-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and discard liquid.
• In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine water, onion, chilies, garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin and oregano. Add roast and beans. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce heat to low and cook 6 hours longer or until pork is very tender.
• Remove roast and shred with a fork. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid in a saucepan. Combine beans and meat; set aside. Skim and discard fat from cooking liquid; bring to a boil. boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until reduced to 1-1/2 cups. Add meat and bean mixture; heat through.
• To serve, spoon meat mixture over corn chips; top with green onions, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and salsa. Yield: 6-8 servings.
Tsatsiki
(Greek Cucumber and Yogurt Salad)
Ingredients
• 4 cups plain yogurt
• 2 pounds cucumber (about 3), peeled and chopped fine
• 1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• quartered pita loaves as an accompaniment
Preparation
In a sieve set over a bowl and lined with a triple thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth let the yogurt drain, covered and chilled, for 8 hours or overnight. Put the cucumbers in a sieve and press out as much excess liquid as possible. In a bowl stir together the drained yogurt and the garlic paste, add the cucumbers, the mint, the oil, and salt and pepper to taste, and combine the mixture well. The tsatsiki may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Serve the tsatsiki with the pita.
