Breaking News! Peter Pan Donuts available at Farmacy!!!

I think it's just a weekend thing, but at 10am today, Farmacy (513 Henry St., at Sackett St., 718-522-6260) had Peter Pan Donuts available for sale, fresh from Greenpoint's most awesomest bakery. How happy this made me! The husband lived mere blocks from Peter Pan when we were dating, so I was able to get them whenever I wanted, but now that we're a train ride away, indulging in the delicious treats is a rarer occurrence (perhaps for the best, but nevertheless, disappointing!). Today we had a glazed, red velvet Old Fashioned (eaten immediately and therefore no photographic evidence exists). It was perfect, especially with a glass of cold milk. Farmacy keeps on getting better and better. Make sure to check it out - it's worth the trip!

Dinner at Karloff

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A friend and I checked out the new Karloff (254 Court Street, between Kane & Degraw, no phone) recently, and had a really good meal and a really nice time there. It's very casual, kind of open-space barn, country-kitchen feeling, with a counter where you can place orders to go and get ice cream, and lots of blond wood furniture and floor planks. The menu is written on a big chalkboard in front, where there's also a big communal table that seats about 10. There is table service, and our servers were super friendly and halpful when consulted about what was being offered that night. They were out of the pierogis (D'oh!) but that just encouraged us to branch out and try some things we might not have otherwise.

We started with the Beet & Cabbage Salad with walnuts, dill, carrots, cauliflower and red onions. It was fabulous. So many great flavors and textures, bursting with freshness and crunch. I loved it!



We then shared two entrees. We ordered the Chicken Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and found it to be lovely. It was moist, if a bit on the mellow side flavor-wise, and had a good texture - not dense or rubbery at all. The potatoes were ok - again, they needed more butter and salt, but they were passable.



We also got the Beef Stew with Barley which was also very good. Nice, big chunks of meat in a savory tomato-based sauce, with carrots and green beans as well. The barley made for a great combination - slightly nutty and earthy, and hearty. Good for a cold, winter night.



We also got desert. I know, so decadent! We got the Apple & Lemon Blini, a la mode. These were excellent! There were small pieces of lemon rind dotting the entire dish, which provided an interesting balance to the sweet apples. The crepe-y dough was delicate and the ice cream was creamy and had a real vanilla flavor that is sometimes hard to come by.



I think that once Karloff works out the few kinks, they'll be a great addition to neighborhood dining. It's nice to have something different, instead of yet another Thai or Sushi or American Bistro to choose from. Go Karloff!

Ice Cream from Wheeler's Black Label Vegan Ice Cream

I had the good fortune of getting a pretty container of Vegan Ice Cream treats from Wheeler's Black Label Ice Cream Company. They're actually located in Boston, but they contacted me to announce that coming this summer they'll be serving their frozen vegan bon bons somewhere in the vicinity of McCarren Park. So naturally I said I'd give 'em a try!



In side the colorful box was an assortment of ice cream lollipops, some covered in plain dark chocolate, others included nuts. They were beautiful, nestled together, arranged in little paper cups.



I was given three different flavors, although they produce many more. My favorite of the bunch was the strawberry flavor. With chunks of real strawberries, it had the truest flavor, and was sweet & tart in all the right amounts.



There was a vanilla that was OK. Not quite vanilla, but nice in it's own right. The nuts were also a nice touch, slightly roasted, they added an earthy quality. There was a third flavor that I couldn't quite place (and they didn't provide an insert describing what they'd sent me). It was almost like nutmeg or cinnamon, some kind of astringent spice. It was good, if a little unusual.



So, keep your eye out for Wheeler's Black Label coming soon (hopefully) to McCarren Park, or thereabouts. Let me know if you spot them!

More Ice Cream from Blue Marble

Yay for me and all the other folk who live in Cobble Hill & Carroll Gardens. Blue Marble (196 Court St., between Congress and Warren St., 718-858-0408) opened up a third shop in the spot formerly occupied by Tasty D-Lite. AND they have Soft Serve, my favorite way to eat ice cream in the summer. I had to get over there right away to sample some of the new stuff. I ordered a Mini Twist (of Chocolate & Vanilla) on a sugar cone and while $2.90 might be a bit pricey, the ingredients are high quality and local whenever possible, the shop's owners are committed to being as green and it's an independent business as opposed to a soul-less chain. PLUS they are pairing up with Bpeace, an awesome organization that helps women in countries ravaged by war & conflict open up businesses of their own, to set up a shop in Rwanda. I'd rather spend the extra buck knowing it's going to good use.



Look how cute that is!!! It was good too. You can get it with Nunu Chocolate nibs as a topping but I chose simple for my first taste. The chocolate had more flavor than the vanilla, and they were smoother than I prefer soft serve. I like it best when it's more frozen and granulated, and I still prefer their plain frozen yogurt, but come summer, this will be perfect!

Pizza & Ice Cream!

While I tend to steer clear of places that have long lines outside them, Grimaldi's Pizza (19 Old Fulton Street, between Front St. & Water St., 718-858-4300) is so good, I might have to make an exception more often. If you arrive at 11am, you can be sure you'll be a part of the first wave to be seated when they open at 11:30am. Inside, it's a bustling place, with red & white checked tablecloths, photos and newspaper clippings about Frank Sinatra lining the walls in frames, and about 8 waiters, all running this way and that, trying to get everybody's orders in. The huge oven can be seen from all the tables and you can watch while your pizza is made to order.



There's a lot of hype about this pizza, but I believe it stands up to all the hyperbole with delicious, well-made, tasty pizza. The crust is perfect, crispy & thin, but still just doughy enough, and never soggy. The cheese is so fresh and has the best melty consistency, and the sauce is well-seasoned and not sweet at all. This pizza has pepperoni slices on it which are the smaller version, but slightly thicker than usual pepperoni slices and spicy enough to add a little heat. Fresh basil leaves dot the entire pie. Of course, they have lots of options for other toppings. Also, if you can't stand the lines, you can call in your order and pick it up to go.



Afterward, if it's a nice day, take a walk down to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory at 1 Water Street (or 2 Cadman Plaza West, depending on your map) for dessert (718-246-3963). There are usually 6 or 8 flavors on the menu and all are available on a cone, in a cup or made into a milkshake. It's some of the creamiest, most delicious ice cream out there, made even better by the lovely views of the Brooklyn Bridge from the pier.



These cones are displaying a single scoop of the wonderful coffee ice cream on sugar and wafer cones. Deeee-licious!

Ice Cream & Frozen Yoghurt at Blue Marble Ice Cream

There's little else like cold treats on a hot day. While there's a lot of buzz about all the new frozen yoghurt places opening up, within feet of each other on a small stretch of Court St., you should ignore all of that and head to Blue Marble, (420 Atlantic Ave., between Bond & Nevins, 718-858-1100, www.bluemarbleicecream), a lovely little spot that feels like the country, and uses all natural and organic ingredients, as well as biodegradable spoons and bowls. They serve mostly ice cream, but they do offer sorbets and a delicious plain frozen yoghurt called "Culture", made by Ronnybrook Farm. It was terrifically tart, and paired with strawberries and hot fudge sauce on top it was heaven in a bowl!



On another visit I tried the Mocha Chip on a cone. It was creamy goodness; a wonderful combination of coffee and chocolate, with lots of big chips of chocolate throughout. The cone however, was...interesting. I inquired and was told that the cones they use are organic. They definitely tasted differently, a little like cardboard, but maybe it's just a matter of getting used to the better-for-you ingredients.



My friend got two scoops of the Pistachio Almond, which was an amazing combination of flavors. So creamy, lots of pistachios, and it wasn't that crazy green color that pistachio often is either.



Blue Marble has another location Underhill Ave. in Prospect Heights. If you find yourself in the vicinity of either of these shops, I recommend you make your way there pronto, treat yourself and support this awesome business.