One Last Date

Yesterday, in true Carrie Bradshaw style, I dressed up and went out for a date with my favorite city. Seeing as it was the last Sunday I will spend here in who-knows-how-long, I thought it only fitting to put on a pretty dress and step out into a truly beautiful summer day to soak up as much as a physically could (literally – I had planned to walk through Central Park from 81st street all the way down to the edge at 59th but had to hobble out at 72nd due to an ill-fitting ballet slipper). It was a day that could have been made for an Indian summer but had been displaced in August. The air was clear and dry, the wind was blowing and swishing my skirt all around, the air smelled sweet, and the sky was a patchwork collage of bright blue sky and dark parcels of grey cloud that cast a shadow every now and then. A gem of a day in what has otherwise, in terms of the weather, generally been a coalmine of a summer.

The day began with a trip to the West Village where I wanted to seek out what I’d been saving myself for for weeks – a perfect burger. So, with that intention I set out for the Spotted Pig, the gastro pub owned in part by Mario Batalli and Chef Alice. They charge $17 a burger and the place is always packed so, I thought, what better place to binge? Until, that is, I plunked myself down at the bar and looked at the menu: Charbroiled burger with Roquefort cheese and shoe strings.
“Excuse me, does the burger come with anything on it besides the cheese?”
“No.”
“Can I put other things on it?”
“No, she won’t do it.”
“She?”
“Yeah. She’s really strict about the menu.”
“But who is this magical ‘She’?”
“Chef. Won’t do it.”
“Well, Can I order sides of things that could hypothetically be put on a burger like onions and lettuce?”
“No.”
“Wow. Ok, Umm…let me look at the menu again.”
At which point I slipped off my stool and snuck out down the stairs, abandoning my untouched drink on the way. Now, I’m all about a good indulgence every once in a while but if they’re going to ask you to pay $17 for a burger, you better damn well get what you want. Even if you think I’m going to compromise the integrity of your burger by adding some lettuce and onion – you should just feel sorry for me that I am ignorantly ruining everything rather than refuse. Too snotty…even for me. And whatever happened to the good old rule that it’s ok to eat unhealthy things as long as you do it with a veggie…hence the ever-popular choice of lettuce for hamburgers. It may not actually make it better for you but at least you feel like you’re being kind of responsible by eating the lettuce, too. Right?

So, out I stepped, as hungry as before in search of a decent alternative to satisfy my burger craving. I settled on a burger joint down the street that wasn’t as gourmet but looked accountable. Ok, there were peanut bins. And checkerboard linoleum floors. Not the best burger I’ve ever had but it definitely hit the spot. Next stop was the Met.

I figured, what better time to finally give in and act like a tourist than my last weekend in the city? The place was packed. There were entire paintings I missed just because I couldn’t see around the crowd of people surrounding it and I didn’t have the patience to wait. There were lines of people curling out of the bathrooms, the subway was jammed until 42nd street, and even the 9 blocks I spent in the park felt like a tourist attraction. They. Were. Everywhere. I ached for the isolation of the village, where the tourists are, at least, confined to Bleeker Street.

But, no matter. I floated on, through the park, which is truly beautiful. A masterpiece of urban design. When I got home, feet aching, hair a little disheveled, tired but also invigorated by the beautiful day I’d just been a part of, I couldn’t help but to climb into bed for a quick reprieve. I woke up with an insane desire for greenery and so I set about making a nice dinner of veggies. I whipped up two of my favorite side dishes and served them side-by-side for a good hearty dinner that left me satisfied and smug about how healthy I’d been…kind of. Zucchini and green beans are two vegetables that I nearly always have around, just because they’re so delicious on their own and, thus, too easy to make even better. I also had some left over Parmesan from the potato and squash torte and some shallots. So, I made zucchini with Parmesan and green beans sautéed with shallots.

Zucchini with Parmesan
1-2 zucchinis, cut into ¼ inch rounds and then halved
1/3 cup grated Parmesan (more if you prefer and depending on how much zucchini you use)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Combine zucchini, olive oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl and toss to coat
2. Heat sauté pan over medium-high heat and add zuchhini
3. Saute, stirring every couple minutes until zucchini is lightly browned on both sides
4. Take off the heat and sprinkle Parmesan over zucchini, stirring and tossing to coat. Serve.

Sauted Green beans with Shallots

½ pound of green beans, ends trimmed
½ cup finely chopped shallots
½ tablespoon of unsalted butter
½ tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon salt (emit if using salted butter)
¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add green beans. Boil for 2-3 minutes depending on preference for crispness. Drain and transport the green beans to a large bowl of ice water. When cooled, drain again and set aside.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat
3. When butter is melted, add shallots to pan and sauté until just starting to turn golden.
4. Add green beans to sauté pan and sauté until shallots are just browning and green beans are heated through. Serve.