Trying to keep the costs of Blogher10 down, I chose not to stay in the conference hotel. My husband’s family felt strongly that I should not become a CouchSurfer and while they are not the boss of me, I do spend a lot of time with them, so instead I choose to find lodging through Airbnb.
After searching through many options, I came across one that offered breakfast and had glowing reviews. I love to eat at any opportunity so I booked it. Little did I know that coincidence was about to play a role in my trip. Turns out, I choose to stay with foodies! And not just any foodies –the kind of foodies who started their own cookies/chocolates/confection business. Talk about luck! Some people get a nice BnB. I got a BnB with caramels!
Christine and her husband Jason started Christineats last December after many years of dreaming about the concept. Currently, they (and their partner Carrie) do it part time around other jobs. Christine is the General Manager of BondSt Sushi and Jason owns a home audio/video sales and installation company.
Christine is a singer and when she moved to NYC she started waitressing to make ends meet. Four years ago she met Jason through the website Nerve.com. Two and a half years later, their wedding reception included Christine-made wedding cakes, so beautiful they were featured in the Knot. Nerv did a good job connecting these two. The couple is well matched. “I like food, and Christine is an amazing cook,” Jason said.
Their apartment is a testament to their love of food. Pots and pans dangle from a ceiling rack and four bottles of kayo corn syrup sit out on the counter, ready to be taken down the street to their commercial kitchen. Hanging on the wall by their kitchen sink are two recipes that Jason wrote in second grade.
Their tasty truffles, caramels and bite-sized cookies are all hand-crafted. Most contain alcohol making the Christineats brand a little naughty and a whole lot of nice. Unusual cookie/mini-cake flavor combinations include peanut butter and marshmallow cookies, and mini X and O shaped banana cakes with peanut butter frosting. A drunken oatmeal raisin cookie features raisins soaked in alcohol. Coconut whiskey, tequila, makers mark and grand mariner are just a few of the libations included in the truffle recipes.
I tried the first bourbon caramel. Studded with peanuts, the combination of flavors was salty and sweet. The peanuts were a meatier texture against the chewy caramel. The pistachio caramel was bursting with nuts and tasted sweeter than the peanut version. My favorite, the sea salt caramel is also one of their best sellers. The sea salt has a pleasant crunch and provides the perfect level of saltiness to the sugary caramel.
The truffles were elegant and beautifully presented in miniature bags wrapped with a blue bow. The white chocolate and milk chocolate varieties were smooth and creamy with just a hint of underlying alcohol. I expected the dark chocolate truffle to be the same, but it had a surprising kick. Spiciness burst from the candy and coated the roof of my mouth. I called my husband Kevin to say goodnight and the alcohol faintly lingered on my tongue after I hung up the phone. The next day I found out that the taste explosion was from red pepper tequila. One week later, as I write this post, I fondly remember that truffle and like a chili-head, wish I could re-live that kick again. [Note: in the photo to the right, the slightly smushed dark chocolate truffle is my fault -- I got too eager with my food styling.]
Christine and I chatted while she cut caramels for a special order. With well-received current product lines, she has already turned her attention to more seasonal varieties. Keep an eye out for Halloween truffles including a white chocolate Vampire’s bite with a red cherry kirschwasser ganash. Want to try Christineats goodies? They are available online and at Dean and Deluca’s at 40th and 8th Ave.
The recipe below isn’t for a Christineeats treat but instead features a homemade banana bread recipe passed down from Christine’s mom and adapted by her sister. Christine comes from a family of scientists and applies her scientific talents to baking and candy making. A few years ago her sister compiled family recipes into a book and gave it out as a holiday gift.
Overall, I had an amazing airbnb experience. Even without the chocolate and caramels, Christine and Jason were gracious hosts. Their confections just added to an already sweet trip.
Lessons learned (and a few side-notes):
–Between you and me, other than the money, I don’t know what the difference is between staying in someone’s spare bedroom for free (CouchSurfing) and paying for that option (Airbnb). I checked out both sites and they both feature people who look nice and safe. Both sites allow users to rate their experience, provide reviews, list as a friend, etc. Personally, I had a great Airbnb experience. I have friends who swear by Couchsurfing. I guess it all comes down to how your in-laws feel about it.
–Sadly for NYC Airbnb users, Jason & Christine’s extra room will soon be out of commission. Christine is pregnant and due in January. My cute bedroom with the lovely red curtains and matching pillows will become a nursery. (Christine and Jason, if you send out truffles to announce the birth, please add me to the list)!
–When making the recipe below, I added chocolate chips because Kevin believes everything tastes better with chocolate chips (as evidenced by my scones, chocolate chip cookies, and oat cookies . Despite adding chips to just about everything, I still struggle with chips that sink to the bottom of the cake. Any suggestions to get my chips to stay on top, please add them to the comments.
Like what you’ve read here? Want to add your story and recipe to Amiable Life? Email me at amiablelife@gmail.com!
Banana Bread Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 ¾ cup flour
1 ½ cup sugar
2 medium very ripe bananas
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans
Directions & Recipe Notes:
–Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
–Mix the above ingredients together until well blended. Divide into pans and cook for one hour.
–According to Christine, you have to use overripe bananas. Once the bananas pass into the brownish stage, freeze them in their skins. When you are ready to use them for cooking, take 2-3 off of the bunch and let it sit out to defrost, turning into banana sludge. It will smell and taste awesome and Christine says it’s key to the recipe.
–Sometimes a ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin spice is added to the recipe. It’s up to your taste if you want to include it.
