Embracing The Beautiful Benefits Of Flowers At Il Fiorista

 Located in the heart of NoMad in NYC, Il Fiorista is a beautiful restaurant, floral boutique, and education center that celebrate the various ways in which flowers can be incorporated into our lives.

Serving multiple purposes as a restaurant, floral boutique, and education center, Il Fiorista is a beautiful space located in the heart of NoMad where guests can take flower-themed classes ranging from floral arrangement to cooking classes and enjoy delicious food showcasing flowers and herbs. Come explore the benefits of flowers beyond the aesthetic. Il Fiorista offers an amazing 4-course Prix Fixe Chef's Dinner (the menu changes weekly) on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

First Course: Octopus or Spring Radish

You can't go wrong with either the Octopus or Spring Radish to kick off the Prix Fixe Chef's Dinner. The beautifully-plated Octopus features nasturtium with snap peas and dukkah. While the Octopus was a bit chewier than my liking, it paired well with the Greek yogurt and the spices. The other option - Spring Radish - is another healthy dish with sliced radishes over a bed of creamy tonnato, miners lettuce, and fenugreek.

Second Course: Tagliatelle

The second course of Tagliatelle features homemade pasta cooked perfectly al dente, and tossed in sunflower pesto with caraway and sweet peppers. The plate was cleared before I knew it.

Third Course: Scallops

The entree of plump, juicy Scallops is served over saffron fregola with amazing green sauce - don't mind me if I lick the plate clear! The scallops are seared perfectly on both sides, and the crunchy green garlic and mini onions balanced the dish well. The other option for entree was Hanger Steak, served with hedgehog mushrooms, romanesco, and peony.

Fourth Course: Tiramisu or Chocolate Semifreddo

No matter how full, there is always room for dessert! At Il Fiorista, you won't get the traditional Tiramisu that you may be familiar with - it's even better. The Tiramisu features rhubarb with sprinkles of crunchy pistachio with subtle elderflower scent. The Chocolate Semifreddo was my personal favorite - on top of refreshing yet rich chocolate semifreddo are pieces of shortbread cookies with kumquat and lavender. If Fiorista perfectly fuses flower into its dishes to pave an incredible culinary journey for the diners.

Taste Of Italy At Fiaschetteria Pistoia

 Embark on a culinary adventure to Tuscany when you dine at Fiaschetteria Pistoia, which is open for outdoor dining at both locations in East Village and West Village, as well as available for delivery on Caviar, Seamless, and Grubhub.

As the weather gets chillier, I wanted nothing more than to "carb load" - and what better way than to feast on delicious, fresh pasta from Fiaschetteria Pistoia? The restaurant - which has two locations in Manhattan - specializes in authentic, traditional Tuscan cuisine with a menu that includes everything from chicken liver and burrata in the antipasti section to truffle and beef ragu pasta in the entree section. Most of the ingredients are imported from Italy, while the recipes hail from a long-time family tradition headed by 'nonna.' Both locations in Manhattan is open for outdoor heated dining, but I opted for the delivery option to enjoy the food in the comfort of my home.

Pici Freschi Cacio e Pepe

Simple yet absolutely mouthwatering, the Pici Freschi Cacio e Pepe is an explosion of flavors in your mouth. The chewy hand-rolled spaghetti is smothered in creamy, buttery, and cheesy pecorino sauce and topped with black pepper. I especially loved the texture of the pasta.

Tagliatelle Tartufo Nero

Another standout is the Tagliatelle Tartufo Nero. The al dente egg pasta is flavored in creamy sauce similar to Cacio e Pepe, and topped with generous shavings of fresh black truffle.

Pappardelle al Ragu'

Moving on to the red sauce is the classic Pappardelle al Ragu' in slow cooked beef ragu bolognese style. The rich beef ragu sticks on to the wide pappardelle pasta so that you get all the deliciousness in one bite.

Maccheroni Sull ’ Anatra

The Maccheroni Sull ’ Anatra is comparable in style and taste to the Pappardelle al Ragu', but I actually preferred this option more because I am a sucker for duck! The slow-cooked duck ragu is extremely tender - almost reminding me of pulled pork.

Gnocchi al Ragù di Salsiccia

A little bit on the heavy, greasy side, the Gnocchi al Ragù di Salsiccia features these chewy potato dumplings in rich sausage tomato sauce. I think the texture of the gnocchi would have been elevated if they were cut bigger or lightly pan-fried.

Spaghetti con Bottarga

The Spaghetti con Bottarga was a surprise winner on my book. The spaghetti is on the thinner side, perhaps resembling more angel hair, and lightly dressed with olive oil, garlic, and red peppers. The bottarga mullet roe emanates subtle ocean flavor - some might call it fishy, but I absolutely loved it.

My Favorite Stay-At-Home Snacks And Eats As We Bid Farewell To 2020

 As the unforgettable year 2020 comes to an end (finally!), here are some of my favorite stay-at-home snacks that you can enjoy with your friends and family during the holidays.

Chips Ahoy Popcorn - Cookie Pop

Cookie Pop is made of authentically cookie pieces and drizzled to perfection for a satisfying bite each time. The combination of CHIPS AHOY! cookie pieces with the popcorn makes for the ultimate snacking treat. This treat is a cookie lover's absolute dream.

Ginger Chews - Reed's

These one-of-a-kind candies are custom made in the South Pacific Islands and stay true to Reed’s ginger roots and original recipes. A perfect treat to slip in stockings, each piece is made with fresh organic ginger and pure, local ingredients.

Coconut Cashew Crisps - Simply Nature

Simply Nature's Coconut Cashew Crisps are a gluten free, paleo and vegan treat that will satisfy your snacking needs. These simple snackable cookies are available in Chocolate, Sea Salt Caramel, and Vanilla.

Ramen - Vite Ramen

Vite Ramen is perfect for anyone else who wants a fast, complete meal that you can feel good eating anytime, any way you want it. Savory comfort food that’s fast to make, delicious, and designed for maximum nutrition with evidence based science. Make your next meal better for you in just 3 minutes.

Tomato Sauce - The Jersey Tomato Co.

The tomato sauce line offers Jersey tomato-based products, which emphasize vine-ripened, garden-fresh taste and naturally healthful attributes. The flavors include Marinara, Tomato Basil and Spicy, with their brand-new Roasted Garlic flavor about to launch. The Jersey Tomato Co. sauces are naturally low in sodium, with no fillers or additives resulting in a clean label product, gluten free, Non-GMO, naturally low in sodium, vegan, and certified Kosher, and they have no added sugars, no citric acid, and zero preservatives.

Plant-Based Dressing and Mayo - O'dang Foods

O’dang Dressings are plant-based and available in both vegan and vegetarian options. The eight flavors are: Greek Tzatziki, Lemon Caesar, Roasted Red Pepper, Garden Herb Ranch, Southwest Ranch and Honey Mustard, in addition to the newest flavors Classic Mediterranean and Balsamic Feta. O’dang also offers an egg-free, dairy-free mayo. A brand new innovation, the mayos are available in three flavors: Lemon Garlic, Cucumber Dill and Roasted Red Pepper.

Mushroom Jerky - Pan's Mushroom Jerky

Founded in 2008, Pan’s Mushroom Jerky originates from a decades-old family recipe that’s been updated with new flavors and simple, organic ingredients. Available in four mouth-watering flavors, Zesty Thai, Applewood BBQ, Original, and Salt and Pepper, Pan’s has a delicious umami taste and satisfying texture that’s perfect for meat-eaters, vegans, and everyone in between.

Toddler Purees with Bone Broth - Serenity Kids

The new line of purees from Serenity Kids is in keeping with the brand's motto - every bite counts. Serenity Kids’ new savory Toddler Purees with bone broth are a great source of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, that help growing little ones learn to enjoy complex flavors and sets them up for healthier eating. These Toddler Purees are ideal for kids ages one to three. The new line’s varieties include: Turkey Bolognese, Beef Pot Roast, and Turmeric Chicken. Serenity Kids only uses ingredients without any antibiotics, added hormones, pesticides, fillers, GMOs, or major allergens.

Organic Poultry - Farmer Focus

Founded by 6th generation farmer Corwin Heatwole, Farmer Focus is on a mission to promote and protect generational farming by partnering with independent family farmers to responsibly raising organic poultry. By shifting decision making and ownership back to the hands of farmers the Farmer Focus business model creates a sustainable livelihood for generational farmers. Headquartered in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, every product is traceable back to the nearly 70 family farms that bring organic, humanely raised and high-quality poultry to your table.

Pasta Sauce - Yo Mama's Foods

Yo Mama’s Fresh Sauce Collection features each of its world famous gourmet sauces in one convenient box. Each flavor is handcrafted and slow-simmered with Fresh Non-GMO Tomatoes, Premium Italian Olive Oil, Fresh hand-cut Basil, and Fresh Garlic and Onions. The sauces are made from only whole, natural ingredients, so you can rest assured that they are slimming, healthy, and of course, completely indulgent.

Grain Free Tortillas - Mikey's

Mikey’s, the pioneer in frozen gluten and dairy free foods, introduces the vegetable-based superfood tortillas. They are crafted with clean, high-quality ingredients and superfoods like spirulina, turmeric, and hemp protein, redefining the classic flour-based tortilla. Mikey’s Superfood Tortillas are all vegan, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, and non-GMO Project Verified. These exciting tortillas are perfect for today’s consumer looking to incorporate more vegetables, antioxidants, and immunity-boosting ingredients into their diet while still enjoying their favorite foods.

Seasoning - Savvy Goose

Savvy Goose Foods is a new line of seasonings and rubs designed for the home cook. It features a complete line of 10 various dry rubs and seasonings with flavors like Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt, Pitmaster Rub, and Cajun Voodoo Seasoning.

Cereal - Envirokidz

The mission of Envirokidz is not only to make delicious organic food for kids, but to help save animals and the planet. That’s why each box features real life animals – animals who the company supports every time you choose one of the cereals, bars, or oatmeals.

Penne Straws - Pasta Snacks

Penne Straws are a plant-based, low-calorie, gluten free, pasta-shaped treat featuring a delicious crunch, seasoned to perfection, and available in five tasty flavors. Cinnamon Churro, Lemon Garlic, Mac ‘N Cheese, Marinara, and Sweet Pepper. The snacks are crafted from durum wheat semolina flour and farro, a higher protein grain for a more nutrient-dense product and baked with fine seasonings.