Schrafft's menu, 1959

While the Library has a pretty sizable collection of Schrafft's menus, the one above is my favorite. I love that Schrafft's would use the New York Public Library as a way to advertise the two Schrafft's restaurants located nearest to the Library.

In addition to the menus in our culinary collection, the Art Division has a wonderful book of photographs of the interiors of empty Schrafft's restaurants throughout the City. It's definitely worth a look-see.

I could drink a case of you

I know next to nothing about wine, except that I like to drink it.

In an effort to increase my knowledge, I followed the advice of New York Times wine columnist Eric Asimov: drink more of it. In his blog The Pour, Asimov suggested that those who are interested in learning more about wine should go to good wine shop, speak to a knowledgeable salesperson, and have the store create a mixed case based on a set price limit. Asimov threw out $250 as a fine amount to spend for the price of an oenophilic education.

But that all takes effort. I have a couple of wine stores in my neighborhood whose selection seems well and good, but to go in, speak to someone about a mixed case, and choose a price point? I'm exhausted already.

Then one day I met a restaurant manager/wine guy. I asked him what his favorite wine store in New York was. Without hesitation he said, "Chamber Street Wines." Check one.

I went to the Chamber Street Wines website where I found a section called "$150 & $250 Cases." Check two.

In that mixed case section, not only can you choose among the two price points, but you can also choose a red-only, white-only, or mixed case. Oh, and tax is included. Check please!

I bought a red-only, $150 case, and eagerly brought it back home. I split the cost with my brothers who are the most frequent dinner guests around my table, and together we've been testing out our favorites among the bunch. It's probably the best money I've spent in a while, because not only does it allow me to drink lovely wines I've never heard of before, but it's all in the name of education.

I still don't know much about varietals, regions, or grapes, but I'm learning fairly quickly about what I do and don't like. So, while I'm still no Jancis Robinson, just give me some time.

Union Square Cafe's Black Bean Soup

Danny Meyer has a lot of fans at the New York Public Library. His book, Setting the table: the transforming power of hospitality in business, has been read by more than a few librarians who subscribe to his belief in hospitality and customer service. It's a wonderful and inspiring book, and should be required reading for anyone in the service industry.

Oh, yeah, his food ain't bad either.

Now, I'm not a Danny Meyer restaurant aficionado. I've been to Union Square Cafe once (not surprisingly with a group of librarians, and it was delicious), and I don't bother with Shake Shack unless it's slightly drizzling, and then I'm only too happy to dry off a table and chair in order to have a moment with my Shack Burger.

But this weekend I decided to try and actually cook from his Union Square Cafe Cookbook. I knew the bar nuts recipe (perfect for Superbowl Sunday), but beyond that, I was a complete novice. Considering the weather (cold) and my Sunday social obligations (umm, none), I opted for the black bean soup which requires a mere four hours of cooking time in the oven, not to mention an overnight soak for the beans.

Well, it was worth the wait. The smell that enveloped my apartment from the beans, bacon, and vegetables was, I hope, jealously inducing for my neighbors. It was that long, slow, cooking smell that reaches into the apartment building hallways -- smells that make you go mmm.

I counted down those last few minutes, pureed the soup, added more salt, a splash of sherry vinegar, and slurped it up. Danny Meyer has fans, indeed.


Black Bean Soup with Lemon and Sherry
(from the Union Square Cafe Cookbook)

1 lb. black beans
1 c. peeled and sliced carrots
1 c. peeled and sliced onions
1 c. chopped celery
3 garlic cloves
2 t. dried thyme
4 ounces slab bacon, cut crosswise into 1" pieces
1 t. kosher salt (I followed the recipe, but ended up adding a bit more salt after tasting the finished product.)
1/2 t. ground black pepper
lemon slices
minced parsley
good quality dry sherry (optional)

Soak the beans overnight, or for a minimum of six hours.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Rinse the beans well and place them in a pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then drain the beans, discarding the water.

Place the beans in a 4 qt. ovenproof pot with the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, and bacon.

Cover with 2 qt. water and add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil on the stove, then cover tightly, and place in the oven to cook for four hours.

Puree the contents of the pot. Adjust seasoning to taste.

To serve, dip one side of each lemon slice in the minced parsley and float, parsley side up, on each portion of the soup. Add a 1/4 ounce shot of dry sherry to each bowl just before serving, if desired.

Red Lentil Soup

The weather isn't the only thing frightful outside. With the economy, the mid-winter blues, and the world in general, it's enough to make anyone run for the hills. Unfortunately, it's too rainy and I'm too tired to bother.

Enter red lentil soup. It's a dish that works for this time of year, meaning it's warm, easy, and cheap. The recipe I keep coming back to is from Melissa Clark, and was published in the Times a year ago. It's so healthy and so delicious that it's a crime not to make this at least once a month. I have a backlog of red lentils that I must use up, and this recipe will be on heavy rotation until I smell the start of spring. Last night I served this alongside a salad and the delightful cheese toast that the Wednesday Chef featured a few months ago. It was the kind of quiet, simple, warm dinner that makes you happy to stay home.

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
(from the New York Times, January 8, 2008)
3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky. (I puréed the whole thing, which is why my soup looks a bit thin, although it thickens a bit on subsequent days.)

Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.