On Saturday, Tim and I braved the torrential downpours and visited the Saxelby Cheesemongers at the Essex Street Market in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This place started as an arcade style market developed by the Ashkenazi Community near the turn of the last century. Now, being gentrified like much of the area, this market is once again becoming a bustling, friendly community market.
Tim and My primary reason for going was for Saxelby. I had heard about them, and visited their website and subsequent blog, and decided that the three women that own and operate this shop, definitely deserved my business. I was not let down. They have cheeses from all over the country, from farms that the proprietor, Ann Saxelby has either worked on or visited, making the cheeses especially close to their heart. And good in our tummies!
Though the booth is petite, their selection is hand picked and excellent. When you have such a limited amount of space, you make sure that every offer you have is above and beyond. Tim and I decided on a rich blue cheese
that would rival some of the best I've had.
I like the handwritten description and weight.
They were incredibly helpful and had some wonderful samples available. I am most assuredly returning.
Since it was raining, Tim and I headed cross-town to the Chelsea Market to get some dwarf orange trees from the flower market, some mushrooms from the grocer, and some chocolate-pepper gelato from Jimmy's gelato. Tim LOVES ice cream and gelato, I mean he LOVES it. When we first started dating we went to my favorite ice cream in the world Handel's Ice Cream, in Ohio. Which I am pretty sure is the best ANYWHERE! And watched him down an entire pint of chocoholic chunk in record time. From that moment, I knew we must be soul mates, as much as I love ice cream I love the cone even more, so as long as he was around I could always get the cone. So when he gives something his seal of approval, he means it. Jimmy's makes great gelato, and the while they have many unusual flavors, like chocolate ginger and grape, he went for chocolate pepper, cool and creamy and sweet, with a great "back of the throat" heat. I had a few bites and it was amazing, just enough heat to make the extremely rich chocolate balance out.It's like heaven and hell all in the same mouthful. I ate the cone. Not a bad sugar cone, but not Cleo's pretzel cone. (Also, in Ohio.)
I, on the other hand got a twist cone in a cup from Tasti D Lite and was quite happy with it. The cone was nice and fresh.
For dinner that night we ordered takeaway, and takeaway CAN be healthy. I ordered steamed tofu and vegetables with the sauce on the side and an order of brown rice. The sauce was nice and spicy, and the crunch from the cashews was a great touch.
Also, I was at the Tea Lounge and they were cleaning the case. They put all their baked goods in a huge basket. I had to take a picture.
beat that basket!
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