Funny Food Book Review

Hello! Yes, I'm back. I apologize for the lengthy absence. Will you forgive me if I give you a good reason? Like...I had a baby!!! So, what better way to jump back into the food blogging world than with a review of the new book from Welcome Books, "Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts"? I was recently offered a copy of this book that combines my love of food with my new role of parent (how did they know?). I'm sure I'll need lots of ideas and inspiration when the time comes to make breakfast for my little one and this super cute book has tons of colorful & interesting ways to make eating healthy in the morning fun.



Written by husband and wife team Bill & Claire Wurtzel (a jazz musician & and educator, respectively), what grew out of a life-long love of having fun with food, their focus now is on helping families find new & creative ways to eat healthy food in simple, easy ways. Every page is filled with photos of whimsical depictions of faces, people and scenes in chapters titled Eggs, Waffles & Pancakes, Oatmeal, Cereal & Fruit, and Toast, Bagels and Snacks. But this is not your average 'play with your food' book, they take making pictures with your food to a whole new level. Take a look!




Mona Lisa:



They even include Step-By-Directions:



This book is sure to be a fun way for you and your kids to make and eat healthy meals together. You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or at Amazon.com!

From Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts by Bill & Claire Wurtzel. Welcome Books. Photographs © 2012 Bill Wurtzel. www.funnyfood.us

Food News!

Milk Bar (670 Vanderbilt Ave., at the corner of Prospect Pl., 718-230-0844) is hosting another one of their special Wednesday night pop-up dinners this evening. $25 gets you dinner plus beer and wine. Tomorrow's dinner will be hosted by "Not Dining Out in Brooklyn" author Cathy Erway. The menu looks super tasty and is sure to be a lovely time. Click on the link for more details.

On Saturday, May 21st, Fairway Market (480-500 Van Brunt Street) is hosting a Customer Appreciation BBQ in their parking lot. There will be tons of food, drinks and entertainment. The fun starts at 11am and lasts until 3pm. There will be raffles and give-aways as well!

And next Thursday, at The Brooklyn Museum, Chocolatier Jacques Torres, along with filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus will be on hand to present Kings of Pastry, a film about France's prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France competition which takes place every four years. It's never been filmed before and is sure to be quite a spectacle. Not sure if there will be free chocolates, but admission to the movie is free with admission to the museum.

Dinner at Hill Cafe

I was lucky enough to be invited to dinner at Hill Cafe, (17 Putnam Ave., off Fulton St., 718-230-3471) a new-ish spot in Clinton Hill that serves a French-Moroccan influenced menu in a dark & cozy space. There are only a few tables opposite the bar, along with a larger table by the front window. They also have a backyard garden, which I'm sure will be lovely in the warm weather, but I didn't get a chance to take a look.

The menu lists items ranging from pasta, seafood to vegetarian dishes & meats. I decided to get the Half-Roasted Free-Range Chicken with BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes and a side of veggies. I was really impressed with this dish. The sauce was -excellent-. The chicken was tender and juicy, the potatoes smooth and the veggies simply steamed and slightly buttery. I also chose a side of Fried Sweet Plaintains which were served with a slightly spicy harissa sauce. Tasty!



My friend ordered the Baked Halibut Filet with an olive-pistachio tapenade, asparagus and artichoke in a tomato & tarragon broth. The fish was mild but the broth and veggies in it were delicious. She also got a side of Kale which was also lightly sauteed and spiced with red pepper.



For dessert we picked a Raspberry Crumble from the list of specials. I was a bit disappointed with this. I was expecting it to be warm and it was not. It also reminded me of pound cake, and did not have enough crumble for my taste, and not enough raspberry. The citrus sauces were tangy and flavorful though, and I expect that the regular desserts (chocolate mousse, apple tart) would be quite good.



I loved the chicken, enjoyed the meal as a whole, and found the service to be warm and attentive. If I lived in the area, I would make this a regular spot for sure.