Happy New Year

Happy New Year my friends! We here at the Coffee Chase have been very busy with the holiday season that we have not had a moment to write. Now it's time to play catch up!

Queen City Cupcakes

Just before Thanksgiving, we visited Queen City Cupcakes in Patchogue.  I was pleasantly surprised when I walked through the door into a Victorian lovers paradise. The decor was mesmorizing. My senses were filled; from the smell of the baked goods, to the glorious decor ranging from Victorian to seaside delights. The shop has a room in the rear to host Victorian teas.

Red Velvet & Vanilla Cannoli Cupcake

Wedding Almond Macaron

The cupcakes are huge! They carry gluten free so that is what drew us in. They sell Macarons which they buy from Manhattan; pricey but delicious nevertheless. The sell assorted pies by the slice if that's what you crave. And yes! They do have a satisfying cup of coffee. Sadly the proprietor did not know the brand!

FYI,  for those who aren't familiar with the term macaron, it's not a typo. There is a big difference between macarons and macaroons, but they have a linked past. Macarons are airy colorful meringue sandwiches that the French call macarons. Macaroons are lumps of shredded cocoanut with a golden crust. When you break down both recipes, they are the same; cocoanut or almond, sugar, and egg whites. Although similar, when baked they are completely different. I grew up baking and loving macaroons, but I am definitly  now Team Macaron!                                                                                

Now onto Thanksgiving! We had an idyllic day with family and friends and all the trimmings. I made the dinner as I do each year. From Sherried Cream of Carrot Soup, the turkey with all the side dishes to the Creme Brûlée I made for dessert and the pies made by my son and brought by family. It was a wonderful day!

This is our before and after photos and me relaxing with my precious niece after dinner. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. All the giving is in giving thanks to the One who gives to us!

Next up, Christmas! I am so proud of myself. This is the first Christmas that I had all my gifts wrapped before Christmas eve! No backbreaking moments in the wee morning hours of Christmas trying to get it all done! I even bought a big beautiful Santa sack for $12.00 at Marshall's to hide most of the stash! I have so much fun shopping, hiding and wrapping. Now don't get me wrong, I do not like to go into the throngs of shoppers this time of year. 99.9% of my shopping is done online. I only purchase in store if I see something in passing or have no choice! I just love having all those packages delivered to my home. I get great pleasure out of googling coupons and finding the lowest prices!

Our Christmas table.

          Pups dressed for winter

December 23rd is my firstborn's birthday. This was his number day. He turned 23 on the 23rd! He had a little party with some friends, so this is where the holiday cooking started up again for me. As usual, I way overcooked, and is there ever too much chocolate fountain? Hmmm?  Next day, Christmas Eve, we went to my brother's house in the evening. We enjoyed a nice family dinner, buffet style, with my sister-in-law's family. And most importantly my beautiful niece who anxiously awaited Santa's arrival! 

On Christmas day, they all turned around and came to us. I made so much food again!  Pork Rib Roasts, Ravioli, Vegetables, Potatoes, and more!

Then we had cookies, so many cookies! I think my husband brought home six trays of cookies from the office. We made several dozen sugar cookies, ginger bread cookies; regular and gluten free. And chocolate fudge wreaths.

Then we had cookies, so many cookies! I think my husband brought home six trays of cookies from the office. We made several dozen sugar cookies, ginger bread cookies; regular and gluten free. And chocolate fudge wreaths

This was a big season for Christmas parties. I think I went to five including my husband's office Christmas party with my family pictured above!  Despite the hardships and the losses of 2016, this was a wonderful Christmas season.

We ended the year with our beautiful friends to celebrate the New Year; remembering their mom, wife and dear friend who we lost this year; now in the arms of her savior. We had food, fun, some tears, and so much laughter playing games ringing in the new year. May 2017 be a sweet year and May God bless you all this year!

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

Happy Fall Y'all!!

Autumn is arriving very slowly here on the east end of Long Island. We've still been in our flip flops and a light sweater at best. This week the temperature has finally decided to drop. I am happily ready to don my fall sweaters and boots!

Not only is fall a fashion statement for clothing, she is beautiful in her own right.  Autumn wears beautiful shades of gold, red and orange. We have no need to drive upstate New York as many do,  to see the changing of the leaves. Our blocks and roadways are bordered by magnificent trees that greet us with their glorious adornment of autumnal shades.
Then there is coffee! You see all the ads for Pumpkin spice lattes. Now I love pumpkin anything. But there ain't no pumpkin in pumpkin spice latte! The funny thing is, you see these articles criticizing the fact that Starbucks™ Pumpkin Spice Latte has no pumpkin in it.  I find this quite ironic that a writer is complaining about this. A writer should understand that the word pumpkin is modifying spice latte, therefore it is the spices used in pumpkin, not pumpkin itself! The spices being a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Check out
our recipe for Pumpkin Spice.

Recently my husband was putting his sneakers on getting ready to run out. It was a Saturday morning and I was perplexed as to where he was going so early.  He said to me that he was going out in search of a good cup of coffee! The couple of bags of coffee we had in the house, according to him and my son smelled like stinky feet or armpit!  He ran out to get one of his favorite beans, Starbucks French Roast™.

I thought how apropos, that my husband went out to chase his perfect cup of coffee on a brisk fall morning! Go grab your favorite cup of Joe and enjoy the rest of this beautiful season with us here at the Coffee Chase.

I Heard it Through the "Crepe Vine"

Yes, that is exactly where I heard about the wonderful Creperie,
Sweet 'n' Savory in Patchogue.  I had not realized this eatery opened here because it is located on Sunrise Service Road across from St. Joseph's College, not in the Village.  I was anticipating going to there location in Port Jefferson and thrilled to hear they opened in Patchogue.              

Crepe-making station

When we walked in we were greeted by a clean shiny new restaurant with leopard booth seating. A very artsy decor and an inviting place to hang out. The staff is friendly and courteous. The first thing I saw walking to the food counter was a Rice Pudding Bar! Oh my, do I love rice pudding. There had to be over a dozen varieties. I had a few samples and went with the vanilla. It reminded me of my mother's home made rice pudding which is the best I've ever had. They make it fresh every day!

Rice Pudding

  First know that this is not a strictly Gluten Free establishment. All crepes are made in the same pans. Celiacs Beware! With that said, the server told us that the staff thinks the gluten free crepes are so good, they prefer them. Now to the crepes, I had a lunch crepe that had fresh tomato, basil, roasted peppers,  and mozzarella. It was heavenly. I enjoyed it more than a good slice of pizza and this was gluten free.  My son had a mixed berry gluten free dessert crepe, and he loved it!  I had my rice pudding and their very fresh coffee for dessert. It was a good cup of coffee. Needless to say, our enthusiasm and wonderful experience was for the food we delightedly ate on our visit to Sweet 'n' Savory. There will be many more trips back to their wonderful eatery, and not just for coffee!

The 'Crepes'!

Toast of the Town!

Patchogue is a village on the south shore of Long Island. It has undergone a great transformation over the last decade or so. One only has to step onto Main Street and have a myriad of restaurants, taverns and coffee bars to choose from. At the center of it all is the majesty that is the Patchogue Theatre.

Follow the painted piano keys across the street from the theatre and you will find yourself at a wonderful breakfast and lunch restaurant, Toast Coffeehouse. The art gallery hallway welcomes you as you walk past, of all things, an electric chair! As you enter the restaurant the decor changes to a mix of art world meets industrial park/steampunk. The greeters take your number and call you as there is usually a wait. The good thing is they use the Nowait app so you can "get in line"on the app as long as you are within ten miles of the restaurant.

Art Gallery Entry and Electric chair on the right.

Belgian Gluten Free Waffle with Berries
and Turkey Bacon

 Toast has a wonderful array of breakfast and lunch items on their menu. Their omelettes are not to be rivaled; these are not your diner's omelettes!   My personal favorite is the Avocado, BLT omelette that also includes plum tomatoes, spinach, and Vermont white cheddar! I have never had a fluffier omelette. The French toast is delectable. I love the Brioche French toast served with creme fraiche and
 fresh strawberries!

Watermelon & Feta Salad

There are many choices and I haven't even mentioned the pancakes and waffles. But the best thing, for my family, is they serve all of their options Gluten Free!  That is an incredible bonus in a world where it is very difficult to eat out and truly enjoy food when you have to eat gluten free.

 I should, of course, mention their coffee, which is a breakfast blend. It is very good  and stands on it's own for a breakfast coffee. I usually find these roasts to be weak, but not this one. I have enjoyed it hot, iced and cappuccino and have enjoyed each. Toast also carries an array of delicious muffins if you are looking for something on the lighter side.

Last time we were at Toast, I ordered the seasonal special salad pictured above. It consisted of fresh watermelon, red onions, feta cheese, mixed greens, and topped off with their wonderful Raspberry Champagne dressing! It was tangy and sweet all at once. It was refreshing and satisfying. I highly recommend this salad.

The waitstaff and busboys have been some of the friendliest and most accommodating servers I have encountered. Because my son has to have gluten free pancakes, waffles, and french toast, they have gone out of their way to tell us exactly what kind they serve when he has enjoyed his meal. Both my son and I have to have sugar free syrup and they have made a point of serving that separately and informing us of a special brand they carry.  My son also cannot have milk or sweetened almond milk. The waitress was kind enough to bring him coconut milk right from the can for his coffee! I cannot recommend Toast Coffeehouse enough, not just for the incredible food but for the service as well. Patchogue is their second location. The original is in Port Jefferson. Toast has certainly become my favorite place to have breakfast!

Roast, There's No Place Like Home

I am sorry I have not been coffee klatching for awhile, but the summer flu hit me! That and a lot of running around before that with my son, Justin, who was performing in The Gateway's production of "The Wizard of Oz" at the Patchogue Theatre. For you theatre parents out there, you know that requires a lot of running around and coffee!

Ensemble (Justin center) "The Wizard of Oz"
 performing at Bellport Days

Lucky for me, a couple of doors down from The Patchogue Theatre, is one of the best Coffee Houses!  Roast Coffee & Tea Trading Company. Roast  is a micro-roaster, small family owned business. Their website states that they tend to source single origin coffee green beans from around the world, roast them, brew them and serve them as single origin brews so that their customers can taste the different regions and how they compare to one another. The days I spent at Roast, I had the opportunity to sample a variety of their beans, and they were just wonderful.

                                                       I know I started this blog in search of the perfect cup of joe, but I am finding many delicious brews along the way.  The Roast is certainly a gem among the throngs of Coffee Houses out there. I had several types of coffee while there. Among those I tasted, my favorite was Maui Mokka.  On the farm where this bean is grown, it is often referred to as the "champagne of coffee" because of the small size of the beans. But, it is also a cup of coffee to be celebrated! As the name promotes, this bean is grown only in Maui although it originated in Ethiopia.  

Mike, the Barista

One of the overstuffed sofas

Maui Mokka is a rich chocolatey tasting bean with hints of sweet fruit and wine. It is an easy brew to drink. It's not overbearingly strong, but it certainly has its' own legs to stand on.  It is a brew I highly recommend and will go back to Roast to drink.

The baristas are some of the friendliest I have met.
They are knowledgeable about Roast's beans and quick to offer a sampling of the daily brews, toast your bagel or muffin and serve you at your table.
Roast carries one of our favorite local gluten free cookies. Ms. Michelle is a wonderful baker and another great reason to visit Roast.

Beyond the the great beans, Roast is a very comfortable inviting place to go. Whether you go with a friend or two and sit at their tables and share one of the delicious pastries or muffins  or sit at one of their over-stuffed sofas with a book or laptop with a cup of coffee, you will feel right at home.  

Cafe Italiano!

I grew up in an Italian kitchen.  I am first generation American. My mom was born in Bascilicata, Italy. That is the city where the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" was filmed.  Mom didn't work outside the home. Everyday after school she would either be preparing dinner or at her sewing machine doing mending or making something.  Most times it was the former.  I learned to cook just by watching my mom all those years. She was a fabulous Italian cook.  I remember walking home from church on a Sunday morning, we could smell her sauce and meatballs down the block. Boy was I lucky!

My beautiful Mom!

When we had company on a Sunday, dinner was extra special. Mom would make lasagna. To this day, I have never had a cheese lasagna better than my mom's. It was so good and so filling! And the meats; meatballs, sausage, bracciole, and pork skin. Yup, pork skin; my dad and I loved it. For dessert, there was always espresso with a zest of lemon. I cannot have my espresso any other way! And let us not forget Stallone's cannoli.  Back then our tummies hurt after a feast of this magnitude. Oh, I didn't even mention the antipasto when there was company.  Thankfully we no longer eat this way. We lightened the load a very long time ago.

                Mom and me in the 1980's                       

Today I make lighter versions of the aforementioned foods. My meatballs are made with ground turkey, and frankly are just as tasty, sorry mom. I buy chicken sausage. I never really cared for sausages so this works for me. When I do make bracciole, I still use beef. And no, I never make pork skin. Although I made lasagna for years the way mom did, and still love it with ricotta, we have lactose sensitive folks in my home.                                                  
My favorite neighborhood and Italian restaurant is La Volpe. I have never had a morsel of bad food there. They are a family owned restaurant run by the Volpe brothers and their mom from Sicily. They serve fresh authentic Italian food. We have had many a special occasion in this wonderful eatery. We had all my old Italian relatives there for a dinner following my mom's funeral in 2008. There was nothing but praise from the group. I always avoided La Volpe's lasagna because it was not mom's. One day, I bit the bullet and ordered it, prepared not to like it. It was a dish made with Béchamel sauce instead of ricotta. When I took my first bite my mouth was filled with delight. Not only did it taste like the most wonderful lasagna ever, it was so much lighter. Franco Volpe told us that Béchamel was the original way lasagna was prepared in Italy. And this is the way I now make it most of the time! Thanks Franco!

La Volpe

La Macchinetta

Now let's get to the coffee. Yes, I did grow up on espresso from an early age. It was  made in a traditional macchinetta. It was served in those oh so small espresso cups, black with sugar and a zest of lemon. Oh, and we never called it espresso, it was always black coffee.  Mom always made 'black coffee' in this pot and she always used Medaglia D'Oro Italian Roast Ground Coffee. 

This brings me to my coffee tasting of the week. One of the many bags of beans my husband brought home on our anniversary was Starbucks Italian Roast. This is, by far, the best coffee I have had from Starbucks. I am not comparing it to the Ethiopian; that was just different. This is a dark roast that is used for espresso, but frankly, I had it as my mug of coffee every morning with a drop of cream. It was strong without being bitter and had a nice roasted flavor. The after taste was strong and intense, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Our local Italian store had some wonderful imported gluten free cookies that were just perfect for dunking with this brew. To my gluten free friends out there; I have found that Italian cookies are the best!

Ciao!

Summer Celebrations, BBQ's and Dragons Oh My!

This has been quite the busy summer season, and we are barely two weeks into July! The end of June my husband Marc and I celebrated our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Our sons planned a lovely

Unity Candle

Vow renewal table

vow renewal in our home the weekend before our anniversary. Friends and family gathered together as we relit our unity candle from our wedding, recited our vows and our Pastor prayed over us. It was truly a beautiful ceremony.

Wedding Hall!

My sons and I, and some wine

Afterwards, we all sat down for dinner in the family room that my son transformed into a wedding hall. We prepared the food at home. There was lots of laughter and good conversation. Food and wine flowed in a very relaxed atmosphere. Old friends caught up and new friends were made. 

When dinner was over, we pushed the tables back to move around freely during dessert. About dessert, fabulous dessert! Our cake was made by my friend Yvonne Schultz aka Herbie's Crumb Cake!  The cake was yellow with a raspberry and lemon chiffon filling with white butter cream. It was absolutely amazing. We were eating it for a week and it was still fresh. I did freeze the top layer as there was just so much cake. Everyone loved it. Thank you Yvonne for this wonderful gift of cake!                                

The Cake!

Have I mentioned the coffee at our party? If I haven't it is because  it wasn't worth mentioning. As a practice, I always by whole bean coffee. But for the big urn, I bought ground coffee. I picked up a bag of Columbian ground at BJ's. Apparently, I used too much, it was quite strong; like mud. Not my best coffee making hour! But no one complained. Probably because the cake was that good!!

Patriotic Pie

The following weekend was the 4th of July. We have had a lot of thunderstorms lately so bbq's were very iffy. Although we went ahead and cooked outside, we opted to eat in. In celebration of our nation's birthday, I baked strawberry-blueberry pies. One was gluten free and sugar free.

I loved the blueberry side of the pie but wasn't too keen on the strawberry side. But both pies were devoured in a matter of days so I guess somebody liked them!

Part of my anniversary gift from my husband was lots of coffee. The first one I tried was Starbuck's Komodo Dragon Blend. They describe it as herbal and complex.  It was a bold cup of joe. Definitely good for that first jolt in the morning. Again, it lacked the body that I am seeking in that perfect cup, but it was good nonetheless. I enjoyed it's earthy, herbal tones.

The Dragon 

This past weekend we went to a lovely wedding at The Mansion in West Sayville. The son of our friend Pat was getting married. The theme was completely nautical. From the bridesmaids in navy blue to the message in the bottle on each table. It was quite unique. Each guest wrote a note and placed in a blue glass bottle with a 15 etched in the glass; to be opened on the couples 15th anniversary.  As someone who has just celebrated 25 years of marital bliss,  I wish them nothing but God's abundant blessings
upon their marriage!  Bon Voyage!

"Message in a bottle" behind the coffee