10/23/15 1:20pm
HugueJoe2

Hugue Dufour and a crack a team of other Queens chefs, and myself take over the Beard House.

Queens has hit the culinary big time! Of course some, myself included, would argue that the borough has always been a big deal when it comes to food whether authentic regional Chinese cuisine, stellar Mexican seafood cocktails, or brunch at an haute bizarre Canadian steakhouse. There is perhaps no greater hallmark of culinary fame though than recognition by the James Beard House, which is presenting the First Annual Queens Cooks this Sunday evening, and has been kind enough to ask me to act as emcee for the evening’s festivities. (The dinner is sold out, but you can put your name a on a cancellation waitlist by phoning 212-627-2308).
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04/17/13 11:03am
Peppery baby arugula gives this BLT a nice zing.

Peppery baby arugula gives this BLT a nice zing.

The other day I stopped by LIC Market for a late lunch. I was eager to try Chef Alex Schindler’s  fish sandwich special. Sadly they were out of it by the time I arrived. As I perused  the list of other, presumably less special, sandwiches my eye fell upon the BLT ($9). The bacon, lettuce, and tomato is one my favorite things to order in a diner. It’s a comfort food classic. I’d heard raves about LIC Market’s BLT, but really how good could it be? The answer as I soon found out that day, is very good indeed. Let’s take a closer look.

Creamy avocado co-stars with thick-cut bacon.

Creamy avocado co-stars with thick-cut bacon.

The combination of  bacon, lettuce, and tomato—savory salty and refreshing—is tasty enough on its own. When you use thick cut premium bacon instead of the supermarket stuff and spicy arugula instead of iceberg things start to get exponentially more tasty. What really makes this sandwich though is the avocado. The creamy chunks of alligator  pear become even creamier next to the hot bacon. I closed my eyes for a moment while eating it and I could swear it wasn’t avocado but fluffy scrambled eggs. Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious. I still can’t wait to try that fish sandwich though.

LIC Market 21-52 44 Dr., Long Island City,718-361-0013