Recipe: Rösch Bakehaus Pretzel Bread Pudding with Rougaroux 13 Pennies Praline Sauce

by Chef Aimee Tortorich

One of the best desserts that you will find in the Deep South is bread pudding. In Louisiana, we take our bread pudding seriously, and rightly so. So simple to make, but celebrated by all, it is no mistake that this dessert canvases menus across the state.

We like sticking to the basics: bread, custard, and rum sauce. No crazy fillings, just bread pudding done right. For our version, we decided to use pretzel bread from our friend Jim Osborne at Rösch Bakehaus. After having a surplus of pretzel buns left over from Brats & Brews at Great Raft Brewing last fall, we decided to give it a shot. The finished product was stunning. A little salt, a bit of sweet and a lot of love made it a perfect bread pudding. Check out Rösch Bakehaus for pretzel bread that is sure to make a difference in your next bread pudding!

Rösch Bakehaus Pretzel Bread Pudding with Rougaroux 13 Pennies Pecan Praline Sauce

Pretzel Bread Pudding
Yields 30 servings

20 bratwurst or hamburger sized pretzel buns from Rösch Bakehaus
1 ½ quarts heavy cream
20 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
1 tablespoons of cinnamon

Praline Rum Sauce

2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup Rougaroux 13 Pennies Praline Rum from Donner Peltier Distillers
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups pecan pieces

Praline Pretzel Bread Pudding served at a holiday party

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F.

Crumble pretzel buns with hands into small pieces and set aside. Mix together egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar until smooth. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to egg and sugar mixture. With your hands, mix custard with pretzel crumbled until it resembles oatmeal consistency. Bake uncovered until middle is set and top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

For rum sauce, heat brown sugar and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add rum, cream, cinnamon and pecan pieces and simmer until thickened. Serve over bread pudding.

Praline Pretzel Bread Pudding served at a luncheon in New Orleans

Duck, Duck, Whisk: A Coffee Cake Recipe to Quack About

by Sarah Grimball, intern

I hosted Christmas at my house for the first time this year. My uncle came bearing an unexpected gift: duck eggs. I did some research; and it turns out that duck eggs are awesome not only for eating, but for baking. You can use them the exact same way that you use chicken eggs: scrambled, fried, poached or for baking. They have twice the nutritional value of a chicken egg and stay fresh longer due to their thicker shell. They’re also more rich, with higher levels of Albumen – also known as egg white -- which makes cakes and pastries fluffier and rich in flavor. Not wanting to waste my opportunity, I had to make a delicious coffee cake.

Fresh Duck Eggs

As previously stated, this was the first time that I had ever looked at a duck egg, much less cooked with one. The eggs have a different look than a regular ‘ole chicken egg. Off-white and sometimes speckled with brown spots, they are a lot larger than your typical egg. I noticed that the egg was a lot harder to crack because of its thick shell, and the yolk was an orange color that was totally unlike any chicken egg I’d ever seen. I’ve made plenty of cakes before, but the colors and textures here were so new and unlike anything else. 

A slice of Duck Egg and Brown Butter Coffee Cake with a cup of Jay D's Single Origin Coffee

If you are new to baking, it is important to note that you want to make sure that your ingredients are at room temperature. Using room temperature eggs means that the eggs will disperse more evenly into the batter and allow for even cooking and a lighter texture. To quickly bring your eggs to room temperature, soak them in a bowl of warm water for 10- 15 minutes.

Duck Egg and Brown Butter Coffee Cake

Yield: 12 Servings Time: 1 hour

For the Cake: 

½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 large duck eggs at room temperature
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cups sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

For the topping:

3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 3/4 Tbs cinnamon
2/3 cups chopped walnuts

For the icing:

½ cup Powder sugar
2 Tbs milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and butter and flour a 9" circular baking pan. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, in another separate bowl, mix together the sour cream and vanilla. Turn the mixer on low and alternate between adding the flour mixture and sour cream mixture. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan.

To make the topping you will need to simply combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and walnuts in a bowl and stir to mix well. Sprinkle half of the mixture on the batter and then pour in the rest of the batter into the pan. Finish by sprinkling the rest of the topping mixture onto the cake.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. While the cake is cooling mix together the powder sugar, milk, and vanilla. Drizzle the icing onto the cake and enjoy.


These types of cakes are typically accompanied by some type of beverage such as tea or coffee. We of course are biased towards Jay D’s Single Origin Coffee; so when it came down to tasting it, we paired it with that. Let us know if you are going to try out this recipe or try to get your hands on some duck eggs at your local farmer’s market. We’d love to see your creations on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Jay D's Bites: Jay D's Louisiana Molasses Mustard Deviled Eggs

by Chef Aimee Tortorich

Summertime in the South is the perfect time for outdoor celebrations, and what better way to celebrate than to invite your friends over for some superb snackage. These bite-sized beauties are the perfect appetizers for any get together. We took a modern spin on this traditional dish by using a different cooking method than simply boiling the eggs, and adding Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard to the mix. 

The vibrant flavor with subtle acidity and sweetness will be sure to impress your tummy and your guests. The best thing about this recipe is the versatility. Top your deviled eggs with nothing or everything. The picture below shows the deviled eggs topped with pickled shrimp, pickled mustard seeds and a slice of serrano; but you can top yours with everything from fried crawfish to cracklin'!

Jay D's Molasses Mustard Deviled Eggs:

Jay D's Lousiana Molasses Mustard Deviled Eggs topped with
pickled shrimp, pickled mustard seeds and Serrano peppers.

makes 12 deviled eggs

12 large eggs

¾ cup of Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp truffle oil

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Separate the egg whites and yolks into two small bowls and set aside.  Spray an 8-inch Pyrex pan with cooking spray and add the egg whites to the pan.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, or just until whites are set.  Once set, remove from oven and let cool uncovered.

Whisk yolks until smooth.  Coat a nonstick pan with cooking spray and set on medium heat.  Add yolks to pan, stirring until they are set (about 4-5 min). 

Transfer yolks to a food processor and add molasses mustard, salt, pepper, olive oil, truffle oil and mayonnaise.  Pulse until smooth.  If mixture gets too thick, you can always add a little more olive oil until it’s creamy.  Transfer the yolk mixture to a pastry bag with a star-piping tip.

Loosen the egg whites from the Pyrex pan with a spatula gently. Turn the whites over onto a cutting board and cut with a 2 in. ring mold.  Pipe yolks onto whites and garnish with paprika, green onions or anything else you desire. 

8 Delicious Reasons You Should Get On Our Mailing List

by Sydney Blanchard



As you may or may not have heard, Jay and the Bite and Booze team have been hosting small intimate multi-course dinners for up to 12 people, and it's been a blast so far.

The way it works is this: we plan an incredible menu, usually centered around a theme. We create an Eventbrite page and share it with a small group of insiders, people who have attended our previous events.

Then, if we have tickets left, we'll send an email out to our newsletter subscribers letting them get in on the action. If we still have tickets left after that, we resort to social media.

The week of the event, we email ticket holders the location of the dinner.

It's kind of exclusive, and kind of secretive, and that's what makes it so much fun. You never know who else you might be dining with!

So go ahead and sign up for our newsletter to get the inside scoop on upcoming dinners. We hope to see you there!

Bloody Mary from our Valentine's Day Brunch

Jay D's Molasses Deviled Egg topped with picked shrimp

Soda bread from our St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Smoked sausage and sweet potato hash from our Valentine's Day Brunch

Blood Orange sorbet palate cleanser from Rue Rusike's Forage & Cook dinner

Chocolate molten cake with figs and edible flowers from the Forage & Cook dinner

Pork chop and colcannon at the St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Dominican style red beans and rice with stewed chicken and fried plantains, from a private dinner

Dock & Dine: Bite and Booze does Orange Beach Brunch at Fisher's Dockside

Fisher's Upstairs

Fisher's Upstairs

There are plenty of places to get great Gulf seafood in the resort destination of Gulf Shore and Orange Beach, but Fisher's is stepping things up a notch. Their downstairs oyster bar is great for families, large groups, and anyone looking to have a few good bites and a good time. Fisher's Upstairs is a completely different feel. It's fine dining, but Chef Bill Briand says you should feel just as comfortable in shorts and flip flops as you feel in a button up and tie. The attention to detail in the atmosphere is absolutely impeccable and I can't wait to experience a dinner upstairs. It will happen for sure, but for now I'll settle for brunch at the dock. I know, life is hard.

A couple of $3 mimosas, a bushwhacker, and some delectable dishes from Chef Bill and I was set for the trip back home on a Sunday afternoon. We started out with a tour of the upstairs restaurant and then he treated us to some excellent Gulf smoked tuna dip and deliciously fried crab claws.

The fried crab claws and smoked tuna dip at Fisher's Brunch

Creamy, crispy, and fresh all at the same time... that's what to love about a friend oyster. Gulf oysters are one of my favorite things to eat. While I typically favor them raw, when they are masterfully fried it is hard to go wrong. The Fried Oysters Benedict featured some of the succulent fried oysters with wilted spinach, poached eggs, and hollandaise. This sort of brunch dish can set any Sunday morning right!

Fried Gulf Oysters Benedict

Grits and grillades are a hearty Southern brunch favorite. The pan fried veal covered in a thick gravy over creamy grits is an automatic score in my book any day. The gravy really may have been the star of this dish. As great as the grits and veal were, the rustic brown goodness tied it all together.

Grits and Grillades

Fisher's smoked brisket hash brings another comfort dish to the table which can do no wrong. Served in a cast-iron skillet, the brisket is smoked in house then cooked down with some peppers, onions, and home potatoes before getting topped off with sunny side up eggs. This dish is like a hug for your hungover soul.

Smoked Brisket Hash

Fisher's makes me happy to eat bread pudding again. Okay, I'm usually pretty happy to eat bread pudding. But in Louisiana you can barely go out to eat without seeing it on a dessert menu. While bread pudding typically boasts delicious sweetness, it rarely presents something new and refreshing. But not here. Fisher's bread pudding is light and creamy. The toasted coconut brightens the entire dish. You will definitely want to save room for this on your trip!

Toasted Coconut Bread Pudding

Cameroon: Street Food Bite and Booze of the 2014 World Cup

Next up on the street food guide to the FIFA World Cup 2014 is Cameroon (playing Mexico at 11 am cdt). This country doesn't have much in the way of booze choices or "easy-to-make" street food, but they have a lot of different types of cuisine due to their population made up of over 200 different cultures and linguistics. Referred to as a mini Africa, they have varied climates, ecosystems and cultures in one small concentrated area. So what's for eats in Cameroon?--Scotch Eggs and a bottle of "33".

Photo Credit: Bon Appetit

Scotch Eggs are relatively easy to make and sound pretty delicious. I'll definitely be making these next time I want to kick up my boiled egg game. Traditionally battered in corn flakes, the Scotch Egg is made by battering and frying a boiled egg. You could also tempura fry them, coat them in panko crumbs, or even batter them with some crushed up Zapp's chips!

Photo Credit: Beer Beer

In Cameroon, booze options are few and far between, but what the locals really love is "33" Export Lager. A basic, balanced lager perfect for sipping throughout a hot day. While this lager is similar to an American adjunct lager, it does have some fruity notes. It's also known for it's super fizzy qualities and its snow white head.

New Web Series from Visit Baton Rouge stops at Restaurant IPO

So funny story... back in the day when I served as the Public Address Announcer for the LSU Soccer team I had the pleasure of meeting Mo Isom. Actually, I knew about her from the year before because she was one of the top recruited goalkeepers in the country coming out of high school and at the time I was dating the starting goalie for the team. Needless to say my girlfriend didn't feel too great about her job security. I was actually in the PA booth calling the game when Mo scored a goal from 90 yards out in 2008. Once the ball goes in, if you listen for the announcer yelling "GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL," that's me!

These days Mo is traveling the world doing motivational speaking and many other great things. This summer, Visit Baton Rouge put together a web series exploring places that stand out in Baton Rouge's cultural landscape. Everything from arts, entertainment, museums, dining, plantations, and more are uncovered, and Mo is the host that takes us through the journey. Of particular interest to me is the dining portion which brings Mo to Restaurant IPO to get in the kitchen with my good friend Chef Chris Wadsworth. Check them out here making the signature Bayou Eggs dish and being pretty funny. Bon Apetit.

"Month of Salads" Post VI: Chimes Covington's Caesar with Blackened Salmon

Blackened Salmon over Caesar Salad at The Chimes in Covington

While on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain to film a teaser for a beer documentary, our crew wound up at the Chimes in Covington for an interview with our fixer and Craft Brands Manager from Champagne Beverage, Vanessa, and their beer buyer, Shane. After the shoot we settled in for lunch where keeping true to my "Month of Salads," I opted for the Caesar with blackened salmon. I've long been a fan of the Caesar salad at the original Chimes in Baton Rouge. The salad in Covington lived up to expectation with the hard boiled eggs, grape tomatoes, parmesan cheese and theirs signature creamy Caesar dressing. The blackened salmon had a great burst of flavor from the spices while being served rare on the inside just like I ordered it. If you're a big fan of the Chimes in Baton Rouge, I definitely suggest that you make the trip to Covington and see that location. It is impressive to say the least. I also had several beers while at the Chimes including a Voo Ka Ray IPA from Chafunkta and the Woot Stout from Stone. Balancing out the beers with a salad and a nice piece of fish is something I could almost get used to!

Amazing Freakin' Tacos: Bob's Taco Station

Bob's Taco Station in Rosenberg, TX

Tacos in Texas are better. I admit it. It is a food group that we don't do extremely well  in Baton Rouge. Sure, Taco de Paco slings some tasty tacos from their truck, and yes you can now find some pretty decent breakfast tacos at Kolache Kitchen, but they still just aren't quite the same. And for anybody truly wondering, go check out the tacos at La Morenita on Florida or La Tiendita on Siegen. But then again, take a trip to some taco stands in Texas and you'll really understand. One such joint is Bob's Taco Station in Rosenberg outside of Houston. It has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for good reason. It is an authentic taco joint with no frills, bells, or whistles. Just tacos. Really. Good. Tacos.

Amazing Tacos at Bob's Taco Station

They have other plates to choose from, but I opted for an assortment of three tacos to really get a taste of the namesake dish. I began with the Bacon, Egg, and Potato taco (right). While nothing revolutionary with ingredients, the fresh tortilla marvelously wrapped up the filling and I scarfed it down like a bear on the salmon run. The Chorizo and Egg taco (left) equally impressed me. The spanish flavors of paprika and other spices filled up the flour tortilla and I soon entered breakfast taco heaven. Fortunately, all of Bob's tacos were served all day long, so I also ordered the Barbacoa taco. Along with cilantro and chopped onions, the cooked down beef highlighted my favorite taco of the afternoon. The superb flavor matched the character of the joint and the authenticity I expected. This, my friends, is a taco spot worth visiting.

Remarkable Root

Amuse at Root

Few restaurants in south Louisiana have gotten the buzz that Root in New Orleans mustered in 2012.  With a plethora of dining options in the Big Easy, it can be difficult for a rookie eatery to burst onto the scene, but Chef Phillip Lopez managed to do just that and more.  Root brings to life modern cuisine in Nola, rooted in traditional flavors and techniques.  But then they are twisted, mangled, and stretched.  They expand culinary palates and challenge even the most sophisticated taste buds.  Every dish plays with textures, flavors,  and art.

I had the chance to dine at Root recently, unannounced, and somewhat incognito.  I didn't get any special Bite and Booze treatment, nor did I ask for any.  I wanted the real experience.  I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype.  Unequivocally, it did.  Joined by Lindsay and Kimmie, a couple friends from New Orleans, we drank, we dined, and we enjoyed.  Now for some food porn: admire this, and know that you can eat it yourself at Root!

Charcuterie selection featuring "Face" Bacon, Chocolate Espresso Cured Lamb Bresaola, and Cochon de Lait Porchetta

Louisiana Pickled Shrimp: Shrimp Stuffed Deviled Eggs, Truffled Egg Yolk Mousse

Palate Cleansing Sorbet made with Liquid Nitrogen

"KFC" Korean Fried Chicken Wings, Pepper Jelly Glaze, House-made Kimchi

Moroccan Goat Boxes, Winter Tabouil, Bergamot Goat Cheese, Compressed Cucumber Salad

Pumpkin Schumpkin: Indian Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream, Roasted Sesame Praline, Colombian Coffee Cake, Smoked Hay Peanut Butter Panna Cotta

Sweet Corn Caramel Flan: Salted Corn & Caramel Ice Cream, Vanilla Milk Foam, "Cracker Jacks"

I'm happy that I avoided the scallops in the cigar box.  Not because they aren't appetizing... I'm sure they are!  But rather because it is the dish that everyone had told me about.  The dish that I got 6 or 7 glimpses of while sitting in the dining room.  I could pretty much see it and taste it without having to order it.  But the dishes that I did order were sensational.  I'd gladly go back.  I'm also excited for Chef Lopez's next venture, Square Root, which will feature small seatings and outrageous tasting menus on Magazine Street.  Be on the look out for that in 2013!

Restaurant IPO Coffee Dinner and National Coffee Day

Good Morning

Chef Chris Wadsworth took on a new challenge with the attitude of an expert who had been there before.  Actually, he had.  In 2010, while serving as the Executive Chef at Nottoway Plantation, Chef Wadsworth won the annual WYES Cooking with Community Coffee contest.  He created a five course meal using ten different Community Coffee roasts.  Invited to cook again in 2012, Chef Wadsworth, who now runs the kitchen at Baton Rouge's latest smash hit, Restaurant IPO, decided to one up himself.  Or maybe two up.  He created a seven course tasting menu utilizing fourteen different Community Coffee roasts.  Since tomorrow, September 29th, is National Coffee Day, I thought I'd share the meal with you.  Chris decided to title the meal "A Day at the Office" in reference to The Office Bar that sits upstairs as well as the incessant need for coffee during a routine day at the office.  The dinner also came paired very well with wines from Republic National.  All of the pairings were fantastic despite me not really getting into them here.  

Warm Up

Cleverly naming his seven courses by activities in one's daily grind, we began with the Good Morning: creamy Louisiana grits accented with Breakfast Blend roasted grillades and garnished with a sunny side up quail egg and French Roast drizzle.  These may have honestly been the best grits and grillades I've ever had.  The pork had plenty of flavor and bolstered the grits with its fork tender form.  The use of the coffees came in huge as the drizzle had an elegant bittersweet combination that played well off the richness of the egg.  After this course, I couldn't wait to see what would come next.   Course two quickly came to be known as the warm up.  It featured a soup of garden carrots pureed in a blend of mirepoux and local honey laced with Cinnamon Roll Roast and highlighted by a Colombian Roast infused oil.  The soup brought about a sweetness from the carrots and honey in a refreshingly clean and palate pleasing way.  After the richness of the first course, this soup definitely warmed us up for what was still to come.

Getting Dressed

During any day, one of the first things we do is get dressed.  The Getting Dressed course rightly had a unique salad dressing of its own.  The dish featured baby mixed greens with baked Hazelnut goat cheese and pears tossed in an Almond Amaretto dressing.  The coffee balance had to be very delicate with the salad an Chef certainly pulled that off.  The goat cheese was crusted in ground up coffee that actually worked extremely well to deliver a unique flavor while not being overpowering.  The pears and greens worked very well with the dressing that had just a hint of the nutty sweet coffee roast.

Off to Work

After getting dressed it was off to work for the patrons at the WYES Cooking with Community dinner.  Our fourth course consisted of Pecan Praline smoked duck breast accompanied by a Medium Roast berry compote and crispy duck cracklins.  While the duck had been cooked past the ideal medium rare stage, it didn't present a problem with this dish because of the smoked flavors.  The duck didn't dry out and combined with the berry compote, made one heck of a dish.  Not to mention any time you have duck skin cracklins, you can't complain one lick!

Lunch Time

Lunch time came during the day at the office, and it most definitely did not disappoint.  This course tied with the grits and grillades as my two favorites, and it's not hard to see why.  The plate had a prime beef medallion rubbed with Cafe Special and topped with a 5-Star Hotel Blend demi.  It came served over a sweet potato hash and garlic braised spinach.  The steak's magnificent medium rare center cut apart with a butter knife.  The charred coffee rub on the outside lit up the steak with flavor while the sweet potato hash, cooked up with bacon, and the spinach were excellent choices with which to surround such a prize piece of beef.  I could eat this every day.

Break!!!

Our break came with a little play on a palate cleansing sorbet.  The Chocolate Almondine popsicle was one of Chef Wadsworth's more daring creations, but it certainly worked.  It had plenty of chocolate and coffee flavors in a frozen treat.  I only wish it would have served in between the duck and the steak courses to further accentuate the play on a sorbet rather than as a second dessert.  While it may not have cleansed the palate like a smooth fruity sorbet would have, it also would have broken up the two protein rich courses and the two sweet desserts.  Despite that, the popsicle worked brilliantly as a risky play to serve at a seven course wine dinner, and I applaud the chef for pulling it off!

The Drive Home

The meal ended with the way a day at the office ends: the drive home.  The Chicory and chocolate molten lava cake overflowed with Vanilla Nut ganache and came topped with Irish Cream ice cream scooped table side.  The cake had a moist brownie batter type center with chocolate and vanilla flavors, but the real highlight was the ice cream.  

The entire dinner seemed like a huge hit for everyone in attendance.  Chef Chris Wadsworth made a bold and daring dinner with seven courses and fourteen coffee roasts.  His attitude is refreshing for a chef that is new to Baton Rouge but really trying to make an impression.  He ended the dinner by saying he didn't cook this dinner to win the Cooking with Community contest.  He cooked this dinner to win it again.  After eating it, I'd be surprised if he doesn't. 

Barney Greengrass??

Barney Greengrass in NYC

On the Upper West Side of Manhattan resides a Jewish Deli that has literally stood the test of time.  Open since 1908, stepping into Barney Greengrass is like opening the pages of a history book.  The interior looks like it may not have been updated since at least the 70s, but that's okay.  The "Sturgeon King" still gets plenty of love from New Yorkers and people all over the world.  Their specialty is Atlantic fish, so I thought it to be a little odd that I got invited to eat there for breakfast, though it soon make sense.  I met Sharon from The Daily Meal at Barney Greengrass and she gave me a quick overview of the menu.  The salmon and sturgeon specialties were served fresh, smoked, and cured with eggs or to top on bagels.  Sharon ordered the fresh Nova Scotia Salmon and advised me to go with an order of scrambled eggs with lox.

Scrambled Eggs with Lox at Barney Greengrass

Lox is salty cured salmon that in this case has been chopped up and added to a batch of scrambled eggs.  While the Scandinavians introduced the dish to North America, the Jewish immigrants of NYC made it famous.  The salmon is brined in salt, sugar, and other spices in the same fashion that the famous Jewish corned beef and pastrami are.  It definitely added a delicious twist to a scrambled eggs dish.  The salty fish flaked apart and flavored the well seasoned eggs.  I could have eaten a second plate.  Fortunately for me, Sharon decided to share some of here salmon for me to eat on my bagel!

Nova Scotia Salmon with Cream Cheese on a Bagel

I guess it makes sense that I would eat a bagel in New York.  And I'll admit, I definitely enjoyed it.  The bagel with cream cheese and delicious salmon hit the spot along with the lox-packed eggs.  I can see why Barney Greengrass came so highly recommended.  It certainly isn't for the atmosphere or ambiance.  It is for the traditional, quality food that brings you back to the way things used to be.  Before modernist cuisine and molecular gastronomy hit NYC, this food belonged to people from centuries ago.  And I'm glad I've eaten some!