July 2003
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Month July 2003

Entries 2 Total

Tomato Pasta Salad

Jul 17, ’03

This is one of my favorite dishes to make in the summer when all kinds of tomatoes are in season. For this recipe, I use beefsteak tomatoes, a round and bigger type, because they’re not as juicy as the heirloom ones. I toss them with pasta shells to mimic the shape of the sliced tomatoes and then I add some boiled baby Yukon potatoes to make it heftier. It’s a great dish to pack in a Tupperware for the beach–all the carbohydrates will keep you alert even if you’re under the sun all day.

Ingredients:
pasta shells
beefsteak tomatoes, diced
baby Yukon potatoes
fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Cook the pasta in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain and shock in an ice bath to stop its cooking.
2. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and quarter them to smaller pieces.
3. Combine and toss all the ingredients in a big bowl and season to taste.

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Sparks Steak House

Jul 9, ’03

210 East 46th Street between Second and Third
212/687.4855
$200 for two, with a bottle of wine, without tip
♥ ♥ ♥

My older brother lives in Manila and whenever he visits New York City, he has one request: eat a nice slab of steak at Sparks Steak House. When mafia boss Paul Castellano and mobster Thomas Bilotti were gunned down in front of the restaurant in 1985 under the orders of John Gotti, it forever put it on the map as one of New York City’s institutions. It’s less violent today because the crowd is mostly made up of the younger finance bunch who want to splurge before signing a business deal, but commoners like me can still enjoy a juicy sirloin steak with a bold glass of red wine.

Avoid peak dinner times and reserve a table for 9pm or later, especially on weekends, because you’ll spend less money at the bar while you wait. (We once waited an hour drinking at the bar even with an 8pm table.) You might not be related to any one in the Gambino family, but you’ll feel like royalty after you treat yourself to one of the Ceetta Brothers’ cuts of meat.

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