~ Cakes By Christine NY ~

I haven't been blogging since Sept. Lots of things have been happening since my trip back from Vegas but it's too much to tell! So I'll just touch up on some bigger highlights..
So after making it to the final 15, I didn't get chosen for TLC's "The Next Greatest Baker." I was feeling a little blue about not getting chosen but I am happy for the winner (Dana Herbert). He seems like a really nice person, a great baker and God Bless him. ( :
I did a photo shoot for KokoLiving's magazine launch in February - with the theme of Valentine's Day

And was featured in Korean magazine "Mommy and I"

Got a new logo and matching business cards, courtesy of Sooki Designs. (website: http://www.sookidesign.com/ Email: heesook@sookidesign.com)

And of course, CAKES! Cakes Cakes Cakes!

Thats everything in a brief lump sum! Stay tuned for more... ( :

My cousin's been talking about this Greek Restaurant in Astoria that her friend's family owns. They have this thing on their menu where it's $22.95 per person and it's like a fish sampler. I must say, it was quite good! It's called "Psaromezedes - Fish Meze" and it includes ALL this:

Scordalia - Garlic Dip (Mashed potatoes with fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice),
Taramosalada - Red Caviar Dip (Mashed potatoes with red caviar, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice),
Pantzarosalada - Beet Salad (Freshly sliced beets and fresh garlic with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar),
Thalassinosalada - Seafood Salad (Kalamari, crab meat, shrimp and celery with extra virgin olive oil and white vinegar),
Octapodaki Salada - Octopus Salad (Fresh baby octopus with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar) and
Patatosalada - Potato Salad (Boiled sliced potatoes, green peppers and onions with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar)

Diganito Kalamari - Fried Squid (Fried tender fresh calamari seasoned with oregano, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon zest)

Octapodaki - Octopus (Char-grilled tender octopus topped with oregano extra virgin olive oil and vinegar)
Kalamari - Squid (Char-grilled tender fresh calamari seasoned with oregano, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon zest. It can be deep-fried in vegetable oil)
Garides sta Karvouna - Shrimp Char-grilled (Char-grilled large shrimp seasoned with oregano, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon zest. It can be deep-fried in vegetable oil)

Manitaria Yemista - Stuffed Mushrooms (Broiled mushrooms stuffed with crabmeat)
Solomos - Salmon Filet (Broiled salmon seasoned with oregano and extra virgin olive oil)
Psari Fileto - Filet of Fish (Broiled filet of fish with scampi sauce.)

Here is their info:
Zenon Taverna
3410 31st Ave
Astoria, NY 11106
(718) 956-0133
www.zenontaverna.com

THEN, our friend has been talking about this AWESOME German Restaurant in Glendale called Zum Stammtisch O..M...G... was the food GOOD...

We started with freshly baked hot bread..

For my main entree, I ordered the Jagerschnitzel, which is breaded veal cutlet topped with a sauce made from fresh mushrooms and veal stock. SO GOOD. (Cost $21.95 and worth every penny.)

My husband got the "3 Sausages - which were grilled and served with sauerkraut and potato salad (Cost $18.95) Also VERY good.

And our friend got the slow cooked pork leg I think? It's not on the daily menu - was a special of the day but it was SOOoo tender and fell off the bone.

Then for dessert we got the American Cheesecake and hand made apple strudel ala mode. VERY good...

Needless to say, I will DEFINITELY be going back..

Here is their info:
Zum Stammtisch
6946 Myrtle Ave
Glendale, NY 11385
(718) 386-3014
www.zumstammtisch.com

Last but not least, my husband was craving bbq so I googled "good bbq" and found that there was a bbq place out in Massapequa called "Smokin' Al's."

For appetizer we ordered the burnt ends.. REALLY good. It sat on fried onion peels.

Then for entrees, we got half a rack of the St. Louis bbq ribs and pulled pork with sides: mac & cheese, baked beans and cole slaw. Sides were all very good. I got nauseous from all the bbq sauce by the time I had a rib and mouthful of pulled pork so my husband ate the rest. I would give it two thumbs up if I got the sauce on the side. All in all - very good. Service was excellent and the price was decent.

Here is their info:
Smokin' Al's
4847 Merrick Road
Massapequa Park, NY
516-799-4900
http://www.smokinals.com

And now... time for CAKES..

Made a wine bottle cake for my girl Tracy ( : I wanted to make something that resembled what she liked - and it was a toss up between a wine bottle and a suitcase (since she loves to travel..) And since I made a suitcase before, I thought I'd give a wine bottle a shot.