Tag Archives: pickle

Flip Burger @ Bloomingdales 59th Street NYC

5 Feb

It was the first snow storm of 2014… We wanted to get out of the house, but did not want to manage the snow and cold outside. I suggested: “Let’s just take the subway and it can take us right underneath the belly of one of my favorite department stores in NYC – Bloomingdale’s. Deal??“ They all agreed…

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The day BEFORE the storm… but the same cast of characters.

When we arrived it was already 3PM and we were HUNGRY!!! Who can shop while hungry?? I sure can’t. So we looked at the store directory but there were many options to choose from. Let’s just go checking them out floor by floor as we encounter them and we’ll decide what works best, OK?

Flip was the first option available… right up the stairs from the level where the 4-5-6 subway leaves you. When we discovered it was a burger joint, Tere and my mom were discouraged as, more often than not, burgers means meat burgers only. But we were in NYC after all and I said to myself… “Madelyn, read thru all the burger options before dismissing this restaurant”. And there they were!!!! VARIOUS, not just one, various vegetarian options!!!!

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I wish I had taken a picture of the menu for you… I was sure I was going to find it online, but unfortunately that is not the case. The menu presented a veggie burger and a Portobello Mushroom burger option, my favorite. We sat down and ordered… You could have your pic of bread, burger, and toppings. The vegetarian options come with 2 toppings included beyond the lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. My burger was a Portobello mushroom burger on a whole wheat/multigrain roll with goat cheese and avocados. YUM!!!

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They also have fries to accompany your burger… we went for the thin crispy fries and the sweet potato fries. They were both superb… But I should warn you, those thin fries don’t seem to ever end. The more you eat, the more they seem to be in your plate. I ate and ate and we still brought the leftovers back home with us.

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Even though Flip @ Bloomingdale’s is not a vegetarian place… in true NYC fashion they have meat-free options for us vegetarian gals. Who wants to go shopping on an empty stomach?? Not me for sure… and the next time I visit Bloomie’s, I know I’ll have a craving for a burger.

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Pickled Red Onions

7 Mar

Onions are the cornerstone of my cooking… I rarely cook without onions. But my onion of choice is mostly the yellow onion. Red onions, on the other hand, are not part of my usual grocery shopping list. They’re more like a treat.

However, I love to add red onions to my salads… very thinly sliced red onions are perfect to give that little something to a huge plate of greens. But I have noticed not everyone is a fan of onions in salads like I am. The times I have tried to add red onions to the salad course at the Yoga Center, I have been received with resistance. They’re too pungent… they’re too strong… my breath will stink afterwards… are some of the critiques I have received.

So I’ve had to become creative when delivering my onion news to those non-believers… How about a pickled onion?? The flavor of onion, but mellowed out to satisfy the skeptics.

Here’s how I do them…

 

PICKLED RED ONIONS

1 red onion, sliced as thin as possible
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs warm filtered water
1 tsp salt
  1. Place the sliced onions in a bowl with a cover.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Toss to coat.
  3. Allow the onions to soften in the vinegar/salt mixture.

Now you can certainly enhance this basic pickle technique. I have added lime juice instead of vinegar. I have added fresh parsley and sometimes even a clove of garlic. You could add some pepper too…

The basic premise is that by marinating the onions in vinegar and a little bit of water, the onions will soften and the flavor will soften as well, making them the perfect addition to your salad.

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