Good Things by David

I can still remember when I first stumbled upon  Fante's back in 2000.  We had just moved to the Philadelphia area and in those days if I wanted to purchase good-quality extra virgin olive oil I had to go to the Italian Market  on 9th St..  Little did I know that Fante's was located in the heart of the market, so when I encountered the store I decided to explore it further.  The first thing I noticed upon entering was the wall of photographs of famous celebrities who had visited the store.  The second thing I noticed were the gleaming copper pots with their shiny tin linings.  Mauviel & Baumalu copper pots were hanging from racks and stacked on Metro shelves by the entrance.  It wasn't until I walked toward the back of the store that I found the baking area; it was unlike any other I had ever visited.  The plethora of cake pans in all shapes and sizes, the French tart pans, bri...

As I was getting our lunches ready this morning, I realized I hadn't blogged about one of the typical ones I make during the week.  Putting together a workday lunch in the morning doesn't have to be complicated or too involved.  If you plan just a bit ahead of time, a good, healthy lunch can be quickly prepared before you head out the door in the morning.  As you can guess, I don't allow 'grabbing something on the way to work' at my house, so brown bagging is what we end up doing every single day.  Ordering in at the office or going out to get something from the prepared foods section at the supermarket can get expensive and the choices are not always too healthy.  Sandwiches are made on a weekly basis at home, because they are quick to assemble and hold well through the morning.  I always try to have leftovers from the night before so that we can enjoy them the next day.  If, for instance, we have chicken...

A healthier alternative to traditional french fries, oven frites combined with sweet vidalia onions and spicy jalapeño peppers make a great accompaniment to fried eggs.  This is such a simple, laid-back way to cook for a weekend brunch because most of the work is done by your oven.  Many people seem to love the combination of eggs and potatoes for breakfast and I, for one, am one of them.  I love having something delicious to dip into my runny egg yolks, so why not a few oven frites that are crispy and tender?  Trust me, it's positively satisfying to enjoy this dish on those lazy Sunday mornings with some freshly squeezed orange juice or perhaps a mimosa if one chooses. Cut up your potatoes and place them in a very hot oven, then begin setting out a nice table.  If you're having weekend guests, the enticing aroma wafting through your house as the potatoes cook will absolutely wake them from their slumber.  This is not the time to be placing y...

The Italian Market on 9th Street in Philadelphia offers great food for everyone to enjoy year round.  I've been shopping here for a number of years because of the variety of vendors, specialty stores, restaurants & cafes that supply the city with delicious food.  This historic market is one of the oldest open air markets in the country, and although it is primarily Italian, many other purveyors of fine food offer their products from all over the world.  There is so much to choose from and one never tires exploring what's fresh & in season.    There are traditional bakeries that sell wonderful breads & pastries made from the best ingredients and old world recipes; think cannoli, sfogliatelle, cioccolatini, amaretti, biscotti, panettone and countless others.  If you want to sit down for an espresso ristretto or a c affè macchiato there are a couple of wonderful cafes with outside seating.  These a...

Antique Row is a great area to shop for collectibles and one-of-a-kind items in Center City Philadelphia.  Located on Pine Street, between 9th & 11th streets, many vendors cater to the most discriminating collectors by offering high-quality antiques & vintage pieces, while others specialize in handmade crafts, toys and even kitsch (I mean this in a good way) for the every day.  There is a bit of everything to suit various tastes and it's a place I've been shopping at for a number of years.  If you like hard-to-find pieces of Americana, such as blown glass, silverware, Federal furniture, rugs or china, they can be found down this street; one vendor in particular stands out.  What I love about the area is that everything is approachable and the sellers are knowledgeable, friendly and willing to offer great advice. It is here that I first became 'bitten' by the collecting bug.  It was back in 2000 when I began frequenting the area a...