Categories
treats

The Soft Serve Fruit Co – Win a $20 gift card!

I was invited to taste the new The Soft Serve Fruit Co in the Upper East Side. I wasn’t sure what it was, because I’m bad at reading my emails. It looks like frozen yogurt, but it’s fruit —(fruit puree, water and cane sugar). Their whole shtick is “Cholesterol free, Fat free, Dairy free, Gluten free”. I don’t usually eat sweets or treats and this was really tasty. The right amount of sweetness. Not too much.

They have a toppings bar so could fuck up any healthy thing you were going for. The picture is of their Crunchy Salty (pretzels, chocolate chips, hot peanut butter over banana soft serve). It was really yummy.

You can win this $20 gift card they gave me. The contest is to send me a quick photo or drawing of how hot, sweaty and desperate you are for a frozen treat (that you are willing to let me republish). Best photo wins. Contest ends June 3, 2011 . Send pics to jason@mightysweet.com …I sound like a filthy old man.

The Soft Serve Fruit Co – 1379 3rd Ave (btwn 78 & 79th St) New York, NY 10075
…they are opening up a Union Square store in June!

Categories
fast food

Shamrock Shakes Back in NYC

One of my bosses just told me last night that he saw Shamrock Shakes at two different McDonald’s in the city. I went to see if he was pulling my leg. It’s true. They’re there! …6th Ave between 22nd & 21st Street, Manhattan.

Every year, we always wonder where we can find Shamrock Shakes. Now they’re back almost everywhere I see. I guess it’s like the McRib. They’re bringing back those rare McDonald’s items that people are always searching for. Why not? Although it’s interesting that I haven’t seen any promotion for this.

I haven’t had a Shamrock Shake since in maybe 28 years. It’s weird saying that. I thought it was going to taste like green flavor. It’s more like mint and the cream on top makes it almost like a sherbert. But all together, it’s almost like Chocolate Chip Mint Sherbert Shake.

550 calories for a small shake. I think it said a large is over 1,000. I also ordered 20 McNuggets (over 900 calories, plus sauces). I don’t think I’ve eaten like this in 28 years.

Categories
product treats

Alvbro Chicken Shaped Lollipops

Aaron and Leonore brought over these Alvbro chicken-shaped lollipops to one of our cookouts. They found them at a neighborhood Latino grocery. I thought it was going to taste like chicken. Instead it says peach and pineapple flavor on the bag …I think it taste more like chicken.

Look at that thick back on the cartoon girl on the bag. That’s some J.Lo shit right there.

I’m not sure what this is, but apparently it was brought to the cookout.

Categories
promotion

Ocho Loco 8cent Zeppoles @ Led Zeppole

This sounds like a good deal…

Who: http://www.8coupons.com/ & http://www.ledzeppolenyc.com/

What: 8coupons OCHO LOCO!  Zeppoles or Fried Oreos for 8 cents!

When: Monday, June 28th, from 2-8pm

Where: Led Zeppole is located at 328 East 14th Street (between 1st and 2nd)

Why: Because everything tastes better fried!

How: Text yourself the special OCHO LOCO! coupon from 8coupons.com and show your phone on 6/28 to redeem

Link: http://www.8coupons.com/discounts/led-zeppole-new-york-10003

The Catch: Sorry, limit 1 per person!

Categories
treats

Pinisi’s Ghost Pepper Chocolate Cupcake

My upstairs neighbor, Ken, kindly let me try some cupcakes from Pinisi Bakery in the East Village. There’s a Beet Flour & Tapioca cupcake with Tofu & Vanilla icing, a Red Velvet cupcake and holy dang –a Ghost Pepper Chocolate cupcake (See this video to watch some crazy dude eat a Ghost Peppper, aka Bhut Jolokia, aka world’s hottest pepper). Rumor has it that some guy threw up after eating this spicy cupcake because no one warned him what it was.

I had some spicy pepper fans to taste. We all agreed the Ghost Pepper Chocolate cupcake wasn’t overly spicy …I suppose because we could eat it in the first place.  However, it did leave a nice lingering Bhut Jolokia-flavored burn in the mouth. We all really dug it. Well worth $3.

Pinisi Cafe & Bakery – 128 E 4th St (btwn 1st & 2nd Ave) New York 10003

Categories
treats

Thank U Berry Munch – Girl Scout Cookies

I’ve been waiting so long to try these new Girl Scout Cookies, Thank U Berry Munch. It has pieces of real cranberries in it. They’re no freezer-frozen Thin Mints though. Why does it take so long to get Girl Scout cookies from Connecticut? Why did I buy them from a troop in Connecticut? …You can get them immediately at one of the Cookie Cupboards, like the one near my work at 43 W 23rd St. 6th floor (btwn 5th & 6th Ave) for a limited time.

Categories
concert/event treats

Young Lions with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, author John Wray and cupcakes by Kate Brown

Thanks to Carolyn, I attended last night’s Young Lions forum at the New York Public Library to listen to author John Wray interview Vampire Weekend’s frontman, Ezra Koenig and enjoy cupcakes by two-time Brooklyn Kitchen Cupcake winner, Kate Brown. The cupcakes were beautiful. I ate two and a half. Loved the banana with the fluffy peanut butter whiskey buttercream icing. You touch the icing and it doesn’t stick to your fingers …like magic (johnson).

My Notes: 1) Ezra Koenig seems a bit shy and timid, contrast to John Wray’s suave alpha-male presence and wine glass swirling. Ezra reminded me of my indie rock college friends at Florida. He became more relatable.

2) Much discussion on the band’s image of coming from a privileged background (being Columbia grads) and how Vampire Weekend gets a lot of shit for that. They make a good case that people do expect creative artists to come out of some hard life. Ezra often suggests that he does come from a working class family, not that I think he needs to defend himself.

3) He used to rap in high-school & college with the pseudonym, “Ezra-Factory.” …meaning a factory making Ezras or a factory producing dope rhymes or associating with Factory Records.

4) A discussion on how lyrics are usually very general in pop music and not very specific like in rap or story songs –meaning you can write about love in general or you can write about a specific person, like Bruce Springsteen in love with his Air Jordans. This was a relevant topic for me. I had just thought about Rusty’s songs and wondered if it could ever be popular with all the quirky name-dropping, specifically this song I uploaded in the morning. Ezra seemed to want to lean in on being more specific on his latest songs.

5) He defended his use of African/World beats in his music. It makes sense to me. Everything is always borrowed from someone and in many ways Vampire Weekend is very original at this time and moment. Plus, how many of friends’ parents played Paul Simon’s Graceland on cassette when they drove us to school. We all grew up on it.

6) Afterwards in the men’s room, Ezra Koenig commented, “ughh, I ate two cupcakes.” Well it was either him or his friend next to him. I almost joined in on the conversation, but realized that would be awkward because we were all taking a leak. Anyway, I think we all ate too many cupcakes.

I don’t know a whole lot about Vampire Weekend, but I’ve always been interested in their sudden success. Ezra seems like a very normal person, just doing what he’s doing. Not trying to be anything other them himself. He seems genuine and I commend him for that as an artist.

Just like the food forum I attended last year with Rocco DiSpirito, Amanda Hesser, Marion Nestle, and Julie Powell (author of the book turned hit movie, Julie & Julia), the Young Lions puts on some great events. If you’re interested, check out their membership page and help support the NYPL.

Brown Paper Bag Bakery – cupcakes by Kate Brown

Categories
bar/drinking concert/event

Chocolate & I, New York – Food For Art. Art for Thought.

Last night, I was invited to the press party for the week-long Chocolate & I, New York event presented by Migration of Senses. I lured by the promise of drinks and I get to eat chocolate? Well there were no chocolates for me to eat, no vender booths that I expected. There was an art exhibit.

And here I was a little confused. Some art made sense as far as food goes, like the candy dot paintings and the chocolate dripping piece. Some didn’t, like the LED wind blowing lights and the digital shadows that poked each other. They were all interesting and pretty cool, but I didn’t know what it had to do this food blogger. So I got my hands on some Tanteo chocolate-infused tequila and Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout, then proceeded to pet a music-playing box to calm it down. I spoke with the artist, Elim Cheng, about it and asked what it had to do with chocolate. She said it had to do with the feeling of what chocolate does to you. In this case, comforts you. In that moment, I think I got it. It could have been tequila though.

As for the drinks, the tequila and beer did have a chocolate taste to them. However it was more reminiscent of chocolate scratch n sniff –a faux chocolate taste. They were decent drinks. But since texture is such a big factor in what chocolate is to me, I missed it here.

There are different themed chocolate tastings each night this week, ranging from $25-65.  All sound intriguing. I wish I could have witness one of them. The art exhibition is free to view.

Check the Chocolate & I, New York website for more info and schedule of events.