Stimulus Package

This is not quite food-related, but it offers some glimpses of the Providence cityscape and a powerful take on the economic crisis. The video was made and produced by some former colleagues of mine (not featured) at The Providence Journal, David DelPoio and Scott Kingsley, who lost their jobs in recent rounds of layoffs.

Fiddleheads

From Eastside Marketplace in Providence, R.I., fiddlehead ferns, yellow and orange bell peppers and shallots, with orzo, toasted pine toasts, olive oil and grated pecorino romano from the Whole Foods on Waterman Street.


Queso Blanco ("Latin-style farmer's cheese used in tacos or burritos") from Narragansett Creamery in Providence, R.I., with pillow bread from Olga's Cup & Saucer in Providence's Jewelry District.

Photos by Keryn B. Gedan.

Brother Jimmy's BBQ

I've long been a fan of anything pickled and anything fried, so you can imagine my excitement when a friend, David Steinvurzel, recommended I order the "Frickles," with horseradish dipping sauce, to accompany my Samuel Adams Summer Ale at Brother Jimmy's BBQ in New York City. I'm not sure he thought it would specifically go with the beer's promised "background tropical fruit note reminiscent of mangoes and peaches," but it was fantastic advice.


For extra measure, we also ordered the fried okra "Beginning," as Brother Jimmy's calls its appetizers, and we were rewarded with a complimentary, ice cold scorpion bowl with plenty of vodka and sour mix. We found all this fried food and cold drinks at the original Brother Jimmy's at 1485 Second Ave., between 77th and 78th. But there are five other locations in NYC.

Photos by New York photographer Jacob Silberberg.

UPDATE: ABC News reporter Scott Mayerowitz, a former colleague of mine at The Providence Journal and an occasional guest-blogger at my Latin American politics blog, Small State, did some Zagat sleuthing about Brother Jimmy's. Here's what he dug up:

"Young and loud" but "tasty as hell," these "guy-oriented" BBQ joints serve "not-bad" eats to "beer-soaked frat boys" lured in by "cheap" tabs, "fishbowl"-size drinks and "hot little waitresses" flashing "bare midriffs"; in short, "if you're over 30, have it delivered."

CORRECTION: I'm told that the photos were taken by David Steinvurzel, who shoots for specialty foods importer Roland. The camera, a Canon 5D Mark II with a 35/1.4, belongs to Jacob Silberberg.

Colombian grub in Central Falls, R.I.

Opened in 1976, the Colombian restaurant El Paisa is perhaps the most highly regarded of an impressive string of Latin American restaurants in Central Falls, R.I. that includes Taqueria Lupita. That's no small accomplishment. This tiny city north of Providence is about 60 percent Latino, and most "For Rent" and retail signs do not bother with English translations. (Listen here to an NPR report about the city's Latino community.) On El Paisa's detailed Web site, a map appears to locate the Dexter Street restaurant somewhere south of Panama.


Sancocho de carne de res, a traditional beef and potato soup. Mondongo, a tripe soup, is also on the menu.


Picada de chorizo, chicharrón, yuca frita and papa criolla, an appetizer platter with Colombian sausage, fried pork rinds, potatoes and cassava fries.


The massive Colombian platter, known as the bandeja Colombiana, includes lean steak, fried pork, roasted plantain, boiled yucca and potato, white rice, red beans and a salad with beats. It's served on two plates.




As always, I did not shoot the best photos above. For that, you have WBRU's Vilay Senthep (above) to thank. At least on the night we visited, Vilay was more talented than the cooks. The sancocho was luke warm, for example, and you can probably tell that many of the dishes, including the empanadas, were overcooked. But it was a Tuesday night, after all, so perhaps El Paisa saves its A-Game for the weekend.

Bonus: Click here to watch a choppy video of Hillary Clinton visiting El Paisa during the Democratic primaries.

Asado in the oven

The guests at Lara and Paco's apartment in Providence included Colombians, Ecuadorians and Argentines. So not surprisingly, the menu was heavy on delicious, high quality meat and pork, prepared and presented with traditional simplicity and abundance.


For appetizers, Lara and Paco served choripán using pork chorizo from Armando & Son's Meat Market in Pawtucket, R.I., served on fresh bread with chimichurri sauce. They also prepared bacon-wrapped asparagus.




The main course was asado, a popular, relatively inexpensive, uniquely Southern Cone rib cut. Because it was raining, they roasted all the meat in the oven, including the chorizo. My wife, Keryn, prepared the salad, chopping lettuce, red bell peppers, grape tomatoes and avocado.




Among the gallons of red wine consumed was a great bottle of Malbec from Altos Las Hormigas in Mendoza, Argentina.

Ada's Creations

From Small State's "Corrections & Amplifications" department (to borrow a great phrase from The Wall Street Journal): In my brief post about Latin American eats in Providence, R.I., I gave a thumbs up to Chilangos, on Manton Avenue; El Rancho Grande, on Plainfield Street; and Taqueria Pacifica, on Empire Street, inside the AS220 cafe. That Hall of Fame should also have included Ada's Creations, on Broad Street, and the Dominican restaurant, El Macuto, next door also owned by Ada Terrero. Ada's prepared foods section features meaty treats such as chuleta (grilled pork chops) and bistec salteado (sauteed steak with onions and peppers) served with arroz y habichuela (white rice and beans). At lunchtime, a feast will set you back less than $10.

Providence Journal photo by Steve Szydlowski.

Aaron's ground lamb orzo

From my brother-in-law, Aaron Bromberg: Broiled salmon with lemon and oregano, served alongside orzo and sauteed ground lamb, chopped, unpeeled eggplant, crumbled feta (added at the end) and fresh, chopped mint.


Peanut Butter Reese's Pieces and double chocolate walnut cookies ($1.95) from the South End Buttery.

Vegetables, unchopped

Keryn's lunch, avocado, campari tomatoes, baby carrots and sugar snap peas.

Dave's mushroom ragout

Chopped button, shiitake and oyster mushrooms.


Mushroom ragout chef David Steinvurzel.








Ragout mushroom medley includes, in addition to the chopped button, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, rehydrated black trumpet mushrooms, sauteed shallots, shredded romano cheese, chopped carrots, arugula, garlic and thyme over fettuccine.




My salad borrowed some of Dave's arugula, and also included sliced radish, romaine hearts, toasted sunflower seeds and campari tomatoes.

Photography note: Dave shot several of these photos (those that are in focus, well balanced and, basically, make this tasty food look at least mildly appetizing).