Old Friends, New Foodie Traditions!

Greetings, fellow foodies!

Recently, a few of my friends and I started a new tradition of a monthly ladies' brunch. We've only had two meetings so far, but this past gathering was so wonderful that I just had to write about it! We met at Pantano's in Merrick -- or so we thought. It turns out that the location had moved about three miles down the road to Seaford -- but boy, was it worth the extra drive! After a few wrong turns and two drive-bys, I finally found the the new location and joined my friends inside. I was not expecting the outpouring of amazing food and genuine hospitality that followed in the next two hours! From the moment I walked in, I was instantly drawn to the high-backed leather booths and the all-around cozy feel of the decor. I joined my party at a table near the window and after a warm round of hellos, I attacked the steaming pot of coffee waiting on the table and tucked into the menu. I love menus. They're like candy to me. I could literally pore over a good menu for hours if given the chance! This menu was a delight. I was amazed by the sheer multitude of panini offered, and as a bonus -- breakfast was served all day! Always a plus in my book -- sometimes a girl's gotta have french foast at 9 p.m.! After drooling over this amazing collection of culinary genius, I finally decided on the "Buon Giorno" Panini: a lovely combination of egg, potato and cheese on "crispini" as they called it (a lovely crunchy bread.) This was my first time in this particular restaurant, so I had no idea what to expect. I was already impressed by the creative menu and the easy friendliness of the staff, so I was really looking forward to sampling the actual food! After what seemed like mere minutes, our dishes were brought out and I just marveled at the presentation. One of my friends even stopped to take a picture of her selection: the "Panwich" -- which was a bacon-batter pancake stacked with cheese, egg and even more bacon on top. Impressive, and lovely :) My panini? A true delight! I love brunch because it dabbles in two different meals without pledging allegiance to just one. My panini was no exception. The potato was reminiscent of a hash brown, but with a delicious crispyness and just the right amount of seasoning. A velvety layer of melted cheese came next, followed by the eggs. The eggs were scrambled perfectly, light and fluffy, and an amazing complement to the crunch of the crispini bread. Just amazing. I fell into my food zone, and for the next few minutes, all I could focus on was the simple deliciousness of a classic, reinvented. I never would have thought to put an egg and potato hero into panini form -- but I'm sure glad the chef at Pantano's did! Foodie bliss, achieved.

However, I believe the best part of any meal is the company, and on this particular day I was blessed with the laughter of good friends and the gift of delicious food all at the same time. And as an added bonus, our server welcomed us to stay for well over an hour after our bill had been paid. There truly is nothing better than enjoying food, friends, and laughter at a nice, leisurely pace :) I just can't say enough great things about Pantano's! My friends and I are quickly leaning toward making this our official monthly gathering place for our ladies' brunch -- and I'm looking forward to sampling more of the amazing cuisine we were lucky enough to discover. If you're in the area, I highly recommend you check them out! Pantano's in Seaford, NY (new location!) Visit with a group of friends or just for a nice, quiet dinner. For more information on Pantano's, just click on the link below. I'm sure you'll be just as pleased as I was with this amazing foodie find! :)

http://www.pantanofoods.com/

Snow Day = Food Frenzy!

I don't know about you, but when I'm snowed in for the day all I can think about is food! We here in the northeast have just been slammed with winter storms this year, and we've had a fair share of snow days as a result. Whether you work in an office or you're still a student, the minute that phone call/e-mail/text hits about closings due to inclement weather, a certain excitement takes over, and suddenly you're a little kid again. Gotta love those instant days off! :) For me, after the giddy spell passes, my next thought is, "What should I bake today?" Cookies, bread, cupcakes - the sky's the limit when the snow starts to fall!

A recent snow day of mine was kicked off with a lovely cup of homemade hot chocolate, made with Scharffen Berger cocoa. If you've never sampled the chocolate bliss that is Scharffen Berger - I highly recommend you treat yourself to this little luxury as soon as possible! An early Valentine's Day present from my boyfriend, the comforting vintage art of that sweet tin called to me as the snow continued to fall one snowy morning. It didn't take me long to decide what to do: Snow Day item No. 1 would be a good, old-fashioned cup of hot cocoa. I'm not talking about the tasteless stuff in those instant packets either. Just add water? No way! Making your own hot cocoa only calls for a few ingredients - and even though it might take a few more minutes of your time, the tasty reward is worth the extra effort! Here's my recipe for a heavenly cup of cocoa. If you can't find Scharffen Berger cocoa powder, then you can just use any other kind of unsweetened cocoa powder and simply add sugar to taste. Treat yourself to a warm mug of this decadent hot chocolate on your next snow day! :)

Snow Day Hot Cocoa

3 tablespoons Scharffen Berger sweetened cocoa powder, plus a pinch for garnish
2 tablespoons water
8 ounces milk
freshly whipped cream (optional)

Mix cocoa powder and water together until a smooth paste is formed. Set aside. Warm the milk in a saucepan on medium low heat, whisking occasionally - do not allow the milk to boil. When milk is barely simmering, remove from heat and add the cocoa paste, stirring to remove any lumps. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with extra cocoa powder.

Makes 1 8-ounce serving.