By Kate Collinson

While many island-dwellers turn their nose up at the thought of crossing the river, the city views and larger spaces gives the Brooklyn restaurant scene a serious advantage. Catch the N train across the Williamsburg bridge or take a romantic stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge for great views of the city lights.

Mesa Coyoacan, Williamsburg 

372 Graham Ave (between Conselyea St and Skillman Ave)

Rumor has it that the waitstaff at this Mexican eatery have a very high sexiness rating, so careful your date doesn't have a wandering eye! The food and decor are fantastic (try the fish tacos), but beware the Jalapeno Margherita - unless your spice threshold is particularly high!

River Cafe, Brooklyn  

1 Water St

For the best view of the Manhattan skyline, you can't go past this riverboat romantic restaurant. Arrive early evening to watch the sun set over the Statue of Liberty and finish with a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge amongst the stunning lights of Manhattan.

Aurora Willimasburg, Williamsburg

70 Grand St (at Wythe Ave)

A gorgeous outdoor garden with vine-covered walls makes the Aurora Williamsburg just a bit more special than it's Soho sister. Best for its homemade pastas, try the Pasta Al Ragu.

Rose Water, Park Slope 

787 Union St (at 6th Ave)

Don't judge this restaurant by its exterior, inside is a cozy relaxed space with a sundeck area which serves up some of the tastiest food in Park Slope. If you're famished, try the value-for-money five course tasting menu for $60. The vegetarian baked polenta is also a standout, while the $14 prix fixe brunch is a local favorite.

El Almacen, Williamsburg 

557 Driggs Ave (at N 7th St)

Some say this is the best Argentinian fare in New York, with an adventurous and creative menu. It's certainly a great date spot, featuring an outdoor area decorated with cups of flowers and candles. Don't go past the blood sausage, grilled corn on the cob or the avocado fries. And just look at this luscious, juicy steak!

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A simple side dish to whip up in minutes, Honey Kissed Creamed Carrots is a very good complement to grilled meat or fish dishes, like this pan-grilled steak with sauteed mushrooms.

Honey Kissed Creamed Carrots

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of carrots
• 2 tablespoons sweet butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup almond milk, cream or reg milk (depending on how many calories you prefer)
  
• Toasted Onion Flakes (store bought)
  

Directions:

1. Boil carrots
2. Drain carrots and add to blender or food processor
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend together to cream the carrots, add more milk/cream as needed
4. Option: top with Toasted Onion Flakes,
   

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A really good steak only needs salt and pepper, and that is just what this beautiful rib eye steak called for. The meat market at Chelsea Market has amazing cuts of steak, and this beautiful rib-eye steak can easily feed two. I served this steak with a side of sauteed-mushrooms with sliced scallions, and honey-kissed creamed carrots. (see next post)

Pan Grilled Rib-Eye Steak

Ingredients

• 1 large rib-eye steak, 3/4" - 1" thick
  
• olive oil
• coarse sea salt and pepper to taste
• mushrooms
• 3 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons of butter
  
• salt and pepper
• 1 scallion cut into rings
  

Directions

1. Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before cooking to bring to room temperature.
2. Preheat cast iron skillet over medium high heat, the pan should be very hot
3. Rub a bit of olive oil on one side of the steak, add course sea salt and fresh pepper
4. When the pan is nice and hot, add the seasoned side of the steak to the pan, and let cook about 4 minutes
5. While this is cooking, add olive oil, salt and pepper the to unseasoned side facing you.
6. Turn the steak over (you can turn down the heat to medium) and cook for another 4 minutes for medium rare, or more if you prefer it medium well.
   

Cooking the Mushrooms

1. In a separate skillet, over medium heat, add olive oil and butter
2. When melted, add crushed garlic and saute until golden
3. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until all water has evaporated and mushrooms turn golden brown.
4. OPTION: If you have red wine on hand, you can add a few tablespoons after the water evaporates, to prevent the mushrooms from burning, and to give it a nice flavor. 
5. Add scallions, and pour mushrooms and any liquid remaining over steak. Serve while hot
   

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Sometimes simplicity is all that is needed, especially when flavoring layer techniques are applied. Here taste and texture perfectly complement each other in this salad mix of radicchio, which has a slightly bitter note, paired with the sweetness of cherry tomatoes, and the texture of ricotta salata, a mild, milky-white, firm cheese. And to bring this all home, a simple salad dressing of drizzled extra virgin olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, a dash of your favorite sea salt, a bit of pepper, and sniped fresh dill (chives can also be used).  The combination of salt, the acidity of lemon juice and the binding fat of the olive oil and cheese, perfectly balance and mellow out the mild bitterness of the radicchio.

Pair this salad with a meat dish such as Cheese Stuffed Meatballs, a seafood dish like this seductively prepared Crab Stuffed Poblano Pepper in Walnut Sauce, or Mushroom Cheddar Tarts for a sexy breakfast in bed.   

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By Kate Collinson

It seems that spring is finally here and what better way to celebrate than dining at one of New York's open-air restaurants? I cannot wait to dust off those silk dresses, sandals and cotton shirts.  And if your date is a dull bore, dining on the street is the perfect opportunity for some people-watching. 

Barolo, Soho

398 W Broadway (at Spring St), NYC

An outdoor classic in Soho. While it may be considered on the pricey side, you can't get much more romantic than an outdoor garden filled with trees covered in white festive lights. And the food is fab! Try the Granny apple ravioli with lamb ragu.

Mermaid Inn, East Village 

96 2nd Ave (at E 6th St), NYC

With three locations, there's no excuse not to try this seafood haven with on-street seating. For those on a budget, try the happy hour-and-a-half $1 oyster specials or the Sunday Lobsterpalooza.

Extra Virgin, West Village 

259 W 4th St (at Perry St), NYC

Despite the meticulously prepared food, scoring an outdoor table on a sunny day at this popular neighborhood spot makes for the perfect weekend brunch. Don't be fooled by the name, it's just as good for a sexy dinner. Try to resist filling up on the fresh baked bread before you've even started your appetizer.

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Ever wonder how top Chef's plate dishes to WOW their customers? Well here's a Chef's secret revealed. It requires a bit of background on the elements of ART. Used by artists in various media, including Chefs and food stylists, the elements of art are the building blocks used to create visual presentations: Color, Line, Shape, Form, and Texture. The same principals can be applied to the creation and presentation of your Seduction Meals.  Take this incredible sexy presentation for Miso Clam Soup as an example. The contrast of black and white accessories creates a startling presentation, enhanced by Asian exotic flowers and a beautifully, well balanced soup that reveals, texture, color (albeit subtle), and space the way the soup is filled to a certain level of the dish. A perfect example of the elements of art applied.


CREATIVE CREATIONS

Color.
Nothing makes a statement like color. Seductive Red, Vibrant Yellow, Sexy Blue, Royal Purple, and the contrast of Black and White. Color can make a bold statement using contrasting colors or a more sublime approach working with one or two color. We love the presentation of the Miso Clam Soup above. Here is an example of working with two color tones: Braised Pork and Crispy Yukon Gold Potatoes. Both so elegant and seductive! 

Form
Form refers to the shape, visual appearance, or configuration of an object. It is the manner or style of arranging parts for a pleasing effect. It is the organization or placement of the basic elements including line, color and shape. Here is a lovely example of how form, height, layering and line are used to visually stimulate a presentation: Pommes Dauphine Capped with Caviar . 

Line
In terms of food presentation, you can use lines as a plating mechanism by arranging food along a straight line or in a row. A creative presentation is simply enhanced by arranging a meal in a line, often times using a flat plate. Here is an example where we used the placement of a mound of rice in the center of a dish and lined the tomato shrimp on each side: Spicy Tomato Shrimp with Risotto and Peas.

 Shape
When plating a dish, we can give it a distinct shape by creating a sexy silhouette. This can be done in a number of ways, including  the use of rings and molds or by playing with the basic shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle and so on. Here we have round Mini German Chocolate Cakes with the added form and height of sugary, coconut pecans, presented in a straight line for extra pizzaz! 

Texture
With the right kinds of food, texture is everything. Texture is the tactile quality of a surface---smooth, rough, grainy, sticky, fuzzy, and so on. Spicy Tuna Tartar is all about texture (and taste). In addition to seeing the texture, this dish is further enhanced the use of bold, seductive color and its abstract form. 

For further inspiration pay special attention to Food magazines and TV Shows. Also take note when you go out to eat. Learn from the masters. What does your favorite chef do to grab your attention and seduce your palette.  Go ahead, unleash your inner Picasso, you'll have so much fun with this!

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Spring has arrived and there is nothing more romantic than sharing breakfast outside on a clear day. Well, OK, perhaps breakfast in bed is more romantic but this is a very close second. Here we prepared soft boiled eggs, cracked open, with a luscious runny yolk, served served with buttered toast that is cut into long strips like the size of fingers ---called "soldiers" (a British expression).  You want the eggs to be soft boiled and runny, so that when you dip in the toast soldiers, you can pull it out dripping with the delicious runny yolk. So simple. So good!  

If you want a more robust breakfast you can serve this with roasted potatoes, creme fraiche and caviar.  All you need to prefect this scene is a pot of coffee and cream, your favorite jam, and the NYTimes crossword puzzle. Bon appetit!

Some tips on how to make soft boiled eggs and how to serve:

• Use large eggs and cook no more than 3.5 - 4 minutes after the water begins to boil, for a runny yoke
• Remove the from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature (about a 1/2 hour - or you can run them under hot water for a few minutes)
  
• Cold eggs straight from the refrigerator is the main reason eggs crack when boiling
• Do not use a pot that is too large - find one that easily fits the 2 or 4 eggs you will boil, otherwise it will take too long to boil to perfection and the eggs can bang into each other or the sides, further causing potential for cracks.
• Fill the water about 1 inch from the top of the egg. Add salt to the water.
  
• A gas stove boils water faster than an electric stove
• When the eggs are done, drain the hot water and run under very cold water for 30 seconds or more to stop the cooking process, and to be able to handle the egg.
  
• Place the egg in the egg cup / server and with the backside of a tablespoon, crack the top of the egg and peel away the shell to open up the egg for dipping. Dig in!
  

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Matcha, the finest green tea in the world, specially grown from shaded tree bushes, is made by grinding the entire tea leaf into powder. All of those nutrients and benefits stay right in the cup for drinking (more than 10 times the nutrients and benefits over other green teas). This ensures that Matcha drinkers consume a higher concentration of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibers than other tea. Matcha is generally expensive compared to other forms of tea, although its price depends on its quality. Grades of matcha are defined by many factors such as treatment before processing, stone grinding, and oxidation.
The cultural activity called the Japanese tea ceremony centers on the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. In modern times, matcha has also come to be used to flavour and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream and a variety of wagashi (Japanese confectionery)

The below healthy and delicous Japanese dessert recipes were featured at last week's International Resaturant and Food Service Show in New York by Aiya America Inc.


Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs Aiya Cooking Matcha
• 1 cup Tofu
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 3 Tbs Sugar
• 2 Tbs Condensed Milk
• Mint to garnish

Directions

1. Add the sugar and condensed milk to the heavy cream and whip until soft peaks form. Dry the tofu of excess moisture, add to the mixture and stir together.
2. Dissolve the matcha for cooking in a small amount of warm water and add to the mixture from step (1). Place the mixture in the refrigerator to set.
3. Mix the ice cream 2-3 times while it sets. Once completely set, scoop the ice cream into a bowl and garnish with mint.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Rice Flour
• 1/2 Tbs Aiya Cooking Matcha
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1 Egg
• 3 Tbs Sugar
• ·Handful of Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. Bring the butter to room temperature to soften. Combine the dry ingredients and sift together.
2. Add 1/3 of the sugar to the softened butter and mix. Repeat this 2-3 times until all the sugar is well incorporated into the butter. Lightly beat the egg and add to the sugar and butter mixture.
3. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the mixture from step 2. Fold in the chocolate chips and let the batter rest for several minutes.
4. Roll the batter into small balls. Flatten with the palm of your hand and place them on a cookie sheet.
5. Set the oven to 340ºF and bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 300ºF and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a rack and enjoy their delicate, flaky texture!

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This dish can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or as a complement to eggs for an extravagant breakfast in bed. You can use black or red caviar based on whatever your budget allows. I use Salmon roe for its larger, firmer bead and juicy sweetness--and its favored cost.  Salmon roe caviar cost about $20 a tin, much less expensive than Buluga, Servruga. I also like the mildly salty flavor of this caviar.

I usually buy caviar from Hanson's Caviar Company in the Hudson Valley. Their Keta Salmon Caviar is harvested from the Alaskan Chum Salmon. This roe is large with a golden-orange color, firm texture & clean burst of crisp salmon flavor.

Roasted Potatoes, Caviar and Creme Fraiche
Serves four / cut in half for two

Ingredients:

• 12 Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 1/8 cup of olive oil
• pinch of salt
  
• Creme Fraiche
• 2 - 3 oz tin of Keta Salmon Caviar
• fresh chives
  

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash potatoes and pat dry. Cut in half lengthwise, place halves in a bowl and hand mix in the olive oil and salt, and evenly coat the potatoes.
   
3. Place the potatoes on a cookie tray or roasting pan. If a potato has a rounded bottom and will not sit flat, cut a sliver off the bottom to allow an even flat base.
   
4. Cook potatoes for about 30 minutes until potatoes start to brown to a light golden color. Remove from oven and set aside to cool (about 7-10 minutes)
   
5. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, take a spoon and gently dig out an almond-size groove from the center. We do this so the creme fraiche will sit "in" the potato and not roll off. 
6. Place 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of creme fraiche in the center of the potato (depending on the size of your potato and what it will hold)
7. Using an ivory spoon (or other non-metal spoon) top each potato with a generous scoop of caviar
   
8. Using a pair of sciossors gather a bunch of chives in one hand and snip over the potatoes to garnish
9. Serve immediately
   

Serve with champagne or white wine for a celebratory feast.  By the way, you can replace the baby yukon potatoes for thick-cut home-made potato chips for a sexy twist. 

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Imagine amorous sparks flying through the air based on the food you serve. Well...if you believe in magic and historical tales of aphrodisiacs and wanton behavior; this is your lucky day. We put together a list of the top ten Aphrodisiacs to consider when preparing a romantic meal for two. Foods with a reputation for stirring the imagination and fanning the flames of desire. Remember...the mind is the most powerful aphrodisiac and if you believe.... then so be it!

The top ten aphrodisiacs for seduction are:

1. Oysters
One of the quintessential aphrodisiacs of love, oysters are said to titillate the imagination and arouse one's sexual desire, mostly when eaten raw. The very act of slurping a raw oyster can be sexy. It probably helps that oysters are linked to one of the most notorious lovers of the world--Casanova who supposedly ate over 50 raw oysters a day to boost his libido. Here is a wonderful recipe to try for your next Seduction Meal: Char Grilled Oysters with Roquefort Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette.

2. Caviar
Caviar is another highly sensual food. Delicate seafood balls of seduction that pop in your mouth with each bite. Sexy indeed. Caviar is said to increase blood flow to the genitals so how could you not have sex on the mind? There is nothing like a candle light dinner, a special caviar dish, and champagne or vodka to complement this extravagant meal. Price also plays a role in setting this aphrodisiac apart as something very special to share with a loved one. A very enticing appetizer or midnight snack with your loved one: Yellowtail Tartare with Payusnaya Caviar.   

3. Lobster
Lobster the tastiest crustacean
Here is a recipe by Chef/Co-Owner David Burke, David Burke & Donatella, NYC called Angry Lobster on a Bed of Nails. A recipe that will certainly stirred the imagination. 

4. Avocado
Originally called ahuacate, the Aztec word for testicle, name was changed to avocado to make it easier for Americans to pronounce. Avocados are sexy and nutritious. With summer approaching, here is a sensual seafood and avocado seduction meal: Chllled Avocado Seafood Soup.

5. Asparagus
Will this food help put you in the mood for love? If you believe in the power of suggestion, perhaps. The asparagus strongly resembles the male genitalia--so much so that eating a spear of asparagus dipped in melted butter (especially with your fingers), for some can be a very erotic experience.  Here is a very simple recipe for Asparagus with Lemon. Serve with a side of melted butter, dip, and bring to your mouth and indulge!

6. Chocolate
Ahhh.. Chocolate. The gift of the Gods and a world-wide tradition on Valentine's Day.  Chocolate does create a chemical reaction in our bodies-- it makes our brain secrete endorphins which is linked to the sensation of happiness and pleasure. Possibly the number one, most ordered chocolate dish in restaurants around the world: Chocolate Molten Cake. Created by Chef Jay, this recipe is truly a Seduction Meal... how could it not work its magic?  Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with Raspberry Sauce

7. Chili Peppers
Sexy. Sensuous. Red. And full of Heat! It makes your face flush, promotes sweat at the brow and makes hearts flutter. Sounds like love! And chili peppers also release endorphins when eaten so imagine the double whammy of a chili-spiced chocolate treat?? So how about these "LOVE Cupcakes" - Pequin Chili Chocolate Cupcakes.

8. Truffles
Perhaps this is more of a contemporary aphrodisiac...truffles can be found enhancing the flavor of many dishes in today's top restaurants.     If your lover lists steak as his or her all time favorite meal, here is a very simple grilled Steak dish with a light, earthy but enticing truffle enhanced flavor.   Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Black Truffle Butter Buttons.

9. Figs
Reminiscent of the curves of a women - figs are fleshy, plump and luscious. One of my all time favorites. Here we have a recipe that was created by Chef John: Burrata Bruschetta with Grilled Figs - as he says "Bringing Sexy Back"! 

10. Honey
known as the nectar of Aphrodite, honey is a natural, luscious sweet treat associated with increasing sexual desire. Due to its runny, smooth texture and sweet, glistening, sticky nature, it truly is a sensual substance. We end with a recipe that boasts two aphrodisiacs: Honey and Pomegranates: Honey Roasted Hens with Pomegranates.     

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