Mangia: Recent Episodes
Azul Flores
NYC's iconic gourmet eat in/take out/catering/events co. since 1981. Mangia is the original Italian farm-to-table eatery in the heart of Manhattan. We are here to share news about our community, recipes, cooking tips and much more.
We like the rustic look of scones in general, and these, in particular. They are just plain inviting-rich brown in color and shot through with lots of dark raisins, some of which poke through the top. The small amount of whole-wheat flour adds a hint of nutty flavor. A drizzle of honey makes these especially good.
You can also serve them for lunch or at tea. Halve and top the scones with thinly sliced prosciutto or shavings of manchego cheese two possibilities, among lots of others, that play nicely off the sweetness of all those raisins.
The mascarpone's creamy, buttery taste complements the strawberries that figure in both the muffins and glaze. Although mascarpone was once considered a specialty item, it is frequently sold in supermarkets now.
Serve these lovely-looking, sweet-tasting muffins for summer breakfasts, but of course, do not stop there. They make a superb dessert served with slices of fresh or roasted pineapple or topped with gelato or sorbet. These muffins will disappear as soon as you put them out. When strawberry season is in full bloom, it's a good idea to make several batches and freeze them.
This muffin is a favorite of many of our customers, our literary agent, Carla Glasser, among them. The poppy seeds lend an Old-World charm. There is nothing Old World about mascarpone, Italy's cream cheese, though. It's stylish and delicious, and something we like to bake with because, like the buttermilk we use in all our scones, mascarpone contributes texture and tang.
A note about poppyseeds: Like nuts, they can turn rancid if stored for too long at room temperature, or if kept at too high a temperature. To ensure freshness, keep the jar in the freezer.
We can't call these "healthy" muffins despite the amount of bran we use in them. We can call these good, moist, honey-flavored, and raisin-filled, though, and we know a basket of these at breakfast makes a great start to any day.
The dark molasses in these muffins lend a rich, burnt-sugar taste and almost chocolate-like color to the crumb. Lots of fresh ginger, plus some ground, ensures deep flavor. And even though real gingerbread contains no rum, there is light rum in this batter, making these truly unique. Remember this recipe at Thanksgiving, serve the muffins with the turkey dinner, and see if anyone can identify that hint of Caribbean flavor. A word about grating fresh ginger: We find it easiest to grate it on a small hand-held flat grater, as opposed to the larger box grater, which tends, even when you use the side with the smallest holes, to pulverize the root. You need ¼ cup grated for this recipe, which is quite a bit. Select a firm piece of ginger. Ginger that is soft to the touch is not as young or fresh as it could be (the color of the flesh is darker), and it can be a chore to grate.
If you think coconut muffins run a distant second to Mangia's other, more traditional muffins, like blueberry or bran, think again. These fly out the door. They are sweet and tender little bits of coconut cake, really, baked in a muffin pan. Special for breakfast, they are superbly served alongside a pot of black tea and slices of lemon. They are also grand with a scoop of ice cream, for dessert.
Like our Cheddar Scones, these muffins can be served over the course of the day, starting with breakfast. These are just the thing for a fall picnic or informal buffet. If you are looking for a simple, chic snack, split these in two, top each half with paper-thin slices of prosciutto or smoked ham, and serve a little chutney or chow-chow on the side. A reminder for whenever you plan to serve them: Make them with real Cheddar, the only acceptable kind.
There are no nuts or raisins-no distractions, in other words in these carrot muffins. Lots of carrots, spices, honey, and even apples enliven this batter. We have customers who, unfailingly, have one of these and a coffee to go day after day, week after week. That said, we can also attest to the fact that these are popular with soup or salad at lunch and as an afternoon treat. These are tasty toasted, too, with a little cream cheese, if you dare. Because they are moist to start off with, they also happen to freeze well.
These are the perfect summer muffin, delicious and pretty, with a juice-stained golden crumb. In berry season, make several batches of these; then freeze the overrun. You will be happy you did, especially when the season, so short-lived, has come and gone. Luxe as is, these become decadent with a dab of mascarpone on top. And don't limit them just to breakfast. They are special any time of day.
We make our blueberry muffins with fresh blueberries only. So earmark this recipe for early summer, when the first crop of berries comes into the markets. You might be wondering what an apple is doing in the batter. It's adding moisture to an unusual muffin batter- one with two kinds of flour, both brown and white sugar, buttermilk, and the subtle flavor of mace. These are tender and luscious. You won't even need butter.
Our banana muffins are bestsellers and have been from the day Mangia opened in February 1982. They are filled with golden raisins and pecan pieces, but the real twist is the walnut oil we add for flavor. It is an extravagance, but well worth it. If you don't have walnut oil, use safflower or canola oil. The flavor of the muffins won't be the same, but the moist crumb will be every bit as tender. For maximum flavor, use bananas that have ripened until the skins have become black; they are unsightly, but also very sweet.
These are elegant and sophisticated, and just peppery enough to make a fine accompaniment to soups (two particularly good matchings are suggestions below), vegetable salads, or cut-up sweet fruits. These and the smoked salmon and chive variations are also excellent with omelets or frittatas, making them ideal choices for brunch or grown-up lunches.
If you are looking for a savory scone that is more family-friendly, try the bacon variation that follows this recipe. We're keen on those topped with a rough-cut marmalade, like orange or ginger. A drizzle of maple syrup on a still-warm split bacon scone is very good, too.
The name comes from the appearance, not the texture, which happens to be lovely a tender crumb studded with currants, golden raisins, and candied lemon peel. The sprinkling of granulated sugar before baking ensures a handmade, old-fashioned finish. A basket of these, with a jar of jam or honey, makes a wonderful gift, especially during the holidays.
When autumn arrives, and with-it pumpkins ripening in the fields, we like to offer these seasonal scones. You don't have to prepare fresh pumpkins to make them: Canned pumpkins work just fine. Moist and not too sweet, these are tasty in the morning, especially on Thanksgiving. Or serve them with the turkey.
When you bake a batch of these, your kitchen, perhaps even your whole house, will be perfumed with the aroma of cinnamon. Lots of pecans make these rich and crunchy. While we consider these ones of our "every day" scones, they are special enough for holiday mornings. Thick strawberry jam, the kind with chunks of berries, makes a superb topping.
A prep person in the kitchen from Puebla, Mexico, showed us this fun and very flavorful family-style recipe. The ancho chile powder adds a smoky flavor and a dried chile scent. As for the oregano, if you have access to a market with Latino products, look for Caribbean or Mexican oregano. It has a hint of mint that makes it worth the search. The touch of crème fraîche-hardly a Mexican tradition was our addition. It resembles crema dulce, the Mexican sweet cream that you would add if you were in Puebla, and lends a note of soothing creaminess. The tortilla chips provide just the opposite: crunch. This is a south-of-the-border original, spirited, and very good.
A classic Mediterranean pairing-potatoes and chorizo-are combined here with chicken and peas to make a full-flavored, hearty bowl that can be served as a meal in itself, or as a prelude to a dinner of simply grilled or roasted fish. Chorizo, one of our favorite ingredients, should be good and garlicky- well seasoned, in other words. Look for it in butcher shops and larger supermarkets in the pork or sausage section of the meat department.
If you are making this in advance, be sure to add the roughly cut parsley right before serving so that you get the most out of its vibrant color and fresh flavor. When it comes to adding fresh herbs, Mangia's rule of thumb is the rougher the cut, the more the herb contributes.
Chicken and rice soup is one thing. Chicken and wild rice soup is another. This is a wonderful winter soup-just the one for the holidays and it can be made almost entirely in advance. All you will need to do before serving is combine the separate components, heat the soup through, and season it with fresh black pepper a seemingly innocent final touch that lends a sizable amount of warmth.
If chicken soup can be regal, then this one is. Sophisticated ingredients-sundried tomatoes and oyster and cremini mushrooms, plus porcini mushroom oil-make this especially flavorful. The porcini mushroom oil is a must; it lends a singular, concentrated flavor. There is no substitute. Look for it in specialty food stores and after opening, store it in the refrigerator. (Once you have a bottle, you will find other ways of using it.)
This makes a special Sunday lunch or early supper on a cool fall or winter weekend, served with a bottle of crisp white wine and Caesar Salad. It can be made in advance up to the addition of the porcini oil, which happens right before serving.
These were one of the first cookies we offered when we opened in 1982, and they are still an all-time favorite. The better the chocolate, the better the cookie. Even though we call these chocolate chip cookies, the chips are chunks.
When made classically, bisque is a thick, creamy, super-rich seafood soup. At one time, a cup of bisque set the stage for still richer things to come. Times have changed, though, and so have people's preferences, including our own. We kept the seafood, but cut way back on the amount of cream, with no loss to either texture or flavor. Easy to prepare and slightly retro but still very au courant, this stands beautifully on its own, as a main-course bowl. Or use it as a first course and pull out all the stops: Capitalize on the bisque's intriguing pink color by garnishing the bowls with snipped chives, the blossoms still attached. A roasted or grilled fish entree to follow would work just fine.
Thesis remarkably rich tasting and full-flavored, more like a stew than a soup, thanks in large part to the generous amount of roasted tomatoes that serve as the base. You can prepare the tomatoes and make the soup base 1 day in advance. Then it is just a matter of reheating the soup and adding the scallops. The key to keeping them tender is to add them right before serving. With crusty bread and fruit and cheese, this makes a stylish light lunch or supper.
This very American fish chowder has a rich flavor without a cream base. The small amount of cream that is added at the end is there to "finish" the soup, to enrich and smooth it. This chowder is not about cream; it's about fresh salmon, corn and potatoes, and bacon. Serve it as a warming main dish, in bowls or in cups, followed by a crisp, clean-tasting salad. The flavors are fullest if you serve right after adding the cream.
These are beautiful party cookies and a delicious challenge for the experienced cook or cookie maker. The effort, including two different baking, will be worth it when you see just how lovely looking (and tasting) these are when finished. Delicate hazelnut dough cutouts are topped with strawberry or apricot preserves, ringed with piped almond paste, and then drizzled with melted chocolate. You have several options for making these: You can make 6 dozen of the same cookie; make the same cookie two different ways, varying the shape and filling; or bake half the recipe, freezing the remaining dough for another time. If you are new to making elaborate, multistep cookies, the last option may be the one to begin with.
To make the full recipe, about 70 cookies, you will need 3 or 4 large baking sheets, some parchment paper, and plenty of time. A final reminder: If you are making only half the recipe, remember to halve the almond topping and filling measurements as well.
This rich shortbread crust serves as the base for our Espresso Bars. The dough is simple to put together and even easier to handle: You roll it out between sheets of wax paper, then use the paper to transfer it to the baking pan. You need to make the dough at least 1 day in advance of finishing the bars because it needs to freeze overnight extra step, but a necessary one that prevents shrinking. And unlike most other pastry doughs, this one you bake while still frozen solid. If you are baking for a party or the holidays and want to avoid as much last-minute preparation as possible, you can make this dough up to 3 days ahead.
Lots of hazelnuts and butter, plus chocolate, explain why these cutouts are so addictive. There is no other way to say it: These fly out the door.
We started baking these bars in November 1996. They were an immediate hit then, and they still are. Mocha-flavored chocolate on a rich shortbread base is a great combination. The instruction in the recipe for wrapping the still-hot pan of pastry in plastic wrap is admittedly unorthodox but necessary. When the pan is enclosed so that it is airtight, the topping steams and achieves a lovely, custard-like texture. These bars are tailor-made for entertaining and have the advantage of being made in advance on account of the pastry. We know these bars keep for 3 days, but if your household is like either of ours, you won't have them for that long.
There are chocolate chip cookies, with a rich twist-white chocolate chips and dried cherries. These are splendid at teatime or for dessert.
You achieve the domed shape of these buttery peanut butter shortbread cookies by using a small ice-cream scoop. The dough is tender and soft, and your hands won't work nearly as well as the scoop. Purchase one at a kitchenware store, and then you will have it when the urge to make these calls, which could be often. (The scoop should be 1 ½ inches in diameter.) Like almost anything made with peanut butter, these are resoundingly popular.
These were on our menu when we opened in February 1982, and are still a great favorite. Lots of butter, sugar, currants, and granola, in addition to rolled oats, make these rich and satisfying. They look fabulous in a glass cookie jar, if you can keep them around long enough to store them. Fortunately, they are drop cookies and therefore easy to make.
These cutout cookies are wonderful, particularly at Christmastime when you can use prized seasonal cookie cutters. You will not believe how wonderful your house will smell when you bake these. Another plus is that the dough can be prepared in advance. Make it up to 1 week ahead and freeze. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator, then let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.
Crystal sugar has larger granules than granulated sugar and is used for decorating. While optional, it makes these look pretty. The sugar can be purchased at baking supply stores and some supermarkets.
While these rich-tasting, golden scones are a natural accompaniment to either a bowl of soup or a salad at lunch, they also happen to be wonderful for breakfast, with crisp bacon and eggs. They are also excellent, as are the Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano variations on this theme, served with baked ham and assorted mustards and chutneys. You can substitute smoked Cheddar for the sharp that is called for, but whichever Cheddar you use, it should be of good quality not orange, which indicates that it has been dyed.
This classic scone, one of the first we ever made when we opened in 1982, is still one of our most popular. Buttermilk, which we use in all our scone recipes, creates a more tender crumb than regular milk does and adds a slightly tangy flavor. The golden raisins make them just sweet enough and add visual appeal. Fresh out of the oven, these are irresistible topped with softened butter, a fruit preserve, or, for a special treat, mascarpone cheese at room temperature.
Mascarpone-rich Italian cream cheese helps to make this a tender loaf, and bittersweet chocolate and crystallized lemon or orange peel combine to make it unusual. The lemon peel-chocolate combination will get your attention because it is different; the orange peel with chocolate is more of a classic pairing of flavors but is no less fine. Serve a slice of either version of this elegant loaf with a cup of rich coffee, and you are in for a treat. The crystallized peel is sold in bakery supply stores. Citron, which figures in many fruitcakes (to the dismay of some otherwise dedicated fruitcake eaters), is not a substitute.
As quick breads go, carrot is popular and zucchini bread is even more so, which makes this one, with carrot and zucchini, an odds-on favorite. Many versions of zucchini cake contain walnuts, but not this one. It does have the requisite moistness of all well-made zucchini breads and a lovely spicy taste, though. If you are looking to gild this lily, spread a little cream cheese on each slice for a smart accompaniment to any tea tray in the late afternoon.
Ordinarily, banana bread is exactly low in fat! But with no butter, only a little oil, unexpected ingredients like cocoa powder and raspberry preserves, and a lot of mashed bananas, this unusual rendition of an exceedingly popular quick bread is lower in fat than more traditional recipes. You need really ripe bananas for this. Choose the ones with the skins that are almost black-in other words, the ones waiting to be thrown out. They provide the flavor, which there is a lot of in this tender cake.
A note about storing this cake. Because it is low in fat, it will dry out if stored for any length of time. If you need to hold it overnight, wrap it well in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature.
The butter makes it rich; the cake flour makes it tender. Dried fruits lend not only lovely color but also a tart sweetness and texture. Serve this stylish loaf for breakfast, with a cup of tea in the afternoon, or à la mode for dessert. You can even toast it if you wish. Like our other loaf cakes, this makes a great gift.
Sticky" says it all. If you love caramel, this is the recipe for you. Like Chelsea Buns these are made from yeast dough. Letting the dough rise, then punching it down, is time-consuming. The beauty of this recipe (and Chelsea Buns, too), however, is that the yeasty, butter-rich buns can be baked the day before and reheated for a delectable breakfast treat.
We make Chelsea Buns every Friday but only on Fridays-and customers literally wait in line for them. Buttery, rich, and satisfying, the buns are made with yeast dough, which takes time to prepare. You'll find the time well spent, though, when you taste one of these still warm from the oven. If baking your own is too much, come in early on a Friday morning and get in line! That said, though, we seriously recommend that you make your own, because once made, they store in the refrigerator very successfully for several days. As morning pastries go, they are definitely worth waking up for.
We were reminiscing one day about the peanut butter sandwiches of our youth, and the idea for a peanut butter muffin came into being. If you are feeling nostalgic for things past, or are simply in the mood for something that is sure to please, make a pan of these. They are really good with bacon or grape jelly.
Remember this recipe when you are putting together a lunch to go- be it a brown bag for school, a picnic basket for an outing, or a picnic hamper, the kind with all the bells and whistles, for a concert in the park. Peanut butter may not be a sophisticated taste, but it is universally loved.
You may have seen today’s guest’s art being featured in publications like The New Yorker, The New York Times, Apple, or have seen some of his beautiful murals painted in the streets of NYC and in all of our 3 Mangia stores! Today we are joined by fellow New Yorker, fine artist, illustrator and DJ, John P. Dessereau!
Looking for the best restaurants and overall places to eat in NYC or L.A? Look no further than “OMG IT”S BOMB”! Sharing all the best eats, Ron talks to us all about all things food in the city, food photography and what its like to be a food blogger!
Today we are joined by professional Breathwork Coach, Jacob Sokol. Talking all things breathwork, his company Sensophy and his work with helping people unload their stress and charge their energy with meditation.
Shelly and Enny talk to us about ARTiClass, a series of workshops provided by Agora Gallery in Chelsea, New York. A collaborative and interactive group-based art workshop with engaging art instructors, Inspiring creativity with art!
On today’s episode, we are joined by the Managing Director at the Marketing Department of NYC&Co, Janette Roush. Discussing all things about the official destination marketing organization for the five boroughs of New York City, NYC & Co.
All the way from Sweden, international model, entrepreneur, fitness trainer, and most recently, podcast host, Ebony Anderberg talks to us all about the modeling industry, creating her own fitness Boot Camp, and more.
From wedding to aerial photography, today we are joined by New York based photographer, Paul Seibert (@thebeholdingeye on Instagram). Sharing his story on how he entered the world of photography and some advice to those who would like to start out as well.
Today we talked to one of our own Mangia family members and Pastry Chef at our 57th street location, Nikola Pociask. From how she became a professional Pastry Chef, to how is it like working in the food industry in the middle of a global pandemic.
Our socials:
Instagram - @Mangia_nyc_official
Twitter - @Mangia_NYC
Facebook - Mangia NYC
Guests:
Instagram - @Nikola_Pociask
On our first Mangia The Podcast episode we are joined by the founder of the art and flower studio, Floratorium, Carlos Franqui. Talking about their amazing flower installations and what goes in to it, to how it is working during a global pandemic in New York City!
Our socials:
Instagram - @Mangia_nyc_official
Twitter - @Mangia_NYC
Facebook - Mangia NYC
Guests:
Instagram - @Carlosfranqui
Instagram - @Floratorium
The iconic gourmet eat in/take out/catering/events co. since 1981, Mangia brings to you Mangia The Podcast. Sharing news about our amazing community, recipes, cooking tips, and much more.