Ssam Bar

An Engagement Story

This post doesn’t really involve food, though it takes a detour to Jean-Georges by way of Ssam Bar. Instead, it concerns two prominent figures from this blog who you’ve known and loved for as long as I’ve known and loved them; namely, Diana, my close friend and former roommate, and Mark, Craig’s close friend and film school classmate. We introduced these two back when Craig and I first met; specifically, we introduced them over drinks at Pastis after Diana came to dinner with my parents. Since then, we’ve shared many meals, we’ve travelled together and, last Monday, we celebrated their engagement.

…

An Engagement StoryRead More »

Ssam Bar Brussels Sprouts

“This is a coup,” said Craig, eagerly chewing a caramelized, spicy, salty, and sweet Brussels Sprout. “This could get kids eating Brussels sprouts all over the country.”

The recipe comes from superstar chef David Chang and it’s a knock-out. It’s a knock-out at his restaurant and it’s a knock-out at home. The components marry in such a way that you’ll start tap-dancing up your wall and moon-walk across the ceiling. I skipped the Rice Krispies bit because I couldn’t find Japanese five-spice powder, but it still came out fantastic.

The recipe was printed in last month’s Gourmet and you can read it online here. I also tried his recipe for the apple salad with bacon but that didn’t fare as well. The bacon I used–which actually wasn’t bacon at all, but a D’Artagnan cured pork belly that I sliced into my own lardons–didn’t produce enough fat to make the dressing. But the peanuts were a tasty snack later. And honestly, if you make a ton of those Brussels Sprouts no one will want anything else. They’re a meal–a feast–unto themselves.

Scroll to Top