You may know him from his many television appearances (Chopped, The Best Thing I Ever Ate and the new 24 Hour Restaurant Battle) or from one of his highly-regarded restaurants (Town and Country), and now Geoffrey Zakarian has yet another venture: The Lambs Club, which just opened this August in the Chatwal Hotel in the Theatre District.

Find out about The Lambs Club (it’s an homage to a renowned theatre club that was housed in the same building as the current restaurant) in this week’s Q & A with Geoffrey Zakarian in Hauteliving.com

The Lambs Club/The Chatwal New York Hotel/132 West 44th Street/212-997-5262

Chorizo adds a ton of flavor to so many dishes, especially ones that include garlic and tomatoes.

I love the combination of clams and chorizo. Here, a sultry rendition that pairs well with a spicy red wine and some grilled bread. You can easily serve this as an appetizer or as a main course with salad.

For the recipe, visit my post on Dean & DeLuca.

Even though my toddler still has a few years until she heads to school, I still get that “back-to-school” feeling at the end of each August. I’m actually looking forward to packing her lunches one day, and I know many parents are currently thinking about lunch options. Which is why I want to share this new product with busy parents out there (and of course others who love jelly).

The French company Bonne Maman, the maker of fine preserves and jellies (black current & mandarin are two of my favorite flavors!), is now making grape jelly. Inspired by Americans’ love of grape jelly, the company decided to make a premium rendition using muscat grapes. Parents can now feel good about the jelly they pair with peanut butter for this classic kids’ sandwich, as Bonne Mama doesn’t use high fructose corn syrup, glucose or the preservatives found in many popular brands.

I buy Bonne Mama products at Fairway in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Look for it at your favorite grocery store or visit Bonne Maman to purchase.

I’ll skip lunch any day for desserts at Le Bernardin. And the egg pictured above? It contained a divine combination of chocolate, caramel and salt, a definite hedonistic favorite and a must-eat dish. Pastry chef MIchael Laiskonis is a master who loves what he does and it shows in his creative desserts. Read more about my dessert-lunch at Le Bernardin in Haute Living.

Underground dining…it sounds so enticing, doesn’t it? You get to taste the most inspired food made by chefs who love what they do in a secret location.

Check out my article on the closed-door restaurants of Buenos Aires in the Boston Globe.

The owner of Po: Steven Crane

I love Cornelia Street, the charming one block street in the West Village. For such a small street, it’s packed with good restaurants, especially Po, the restaurant where Mario Batali basically got his start.

Check out my interview with Po’s Steven Crane in Haute Living, then book a table by the window for a romantic night out.

My daughter was excited. Admittedly I was, too. We were standing in line at Jacques Torres Ice Cream in DUMBO, and my cheerio-loving daughter was about to try vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate-covered cheerios, a dream dessert for this 2-year old. I had my eye on the sorbet: raspberry, lemon or blueberry? I opted for raspberry, not too sweet and oh so refreshing on that sultry summer day. The toddler verdict: the cheerios were a hit.

There are mixes here, too, for brownies and cookies. I am no one for store-bought mixes, but when they’re created by Jacques Torres why not give one a whirl? Thus I bought French Kiss cookie mix to make at home. I am waiting for a cool day to bake, and I will let you know how they turn out. Until then, learn more about Jacques Torres in my Q & A with him in Haute Living, or stop by one chocolate master Torres’ stores for a scoop of your own. Or better yet, take home a pint.

Jacques Torres Chocolate/350 Hudson St, Greenwich Village/212-414-2462
66 Water St, Brooklyn (DUMBO)/718-875-9772
285 Amsterdam Ave (73rd & 74th)/212-414-2462
The Chelsea Market; 75 9th Ave at 15th; 212-414-2462
Jacques Torres Ice Cream/62 Water St, Brooklyn (DUMBO)/718-875-9772

To buy Jacques Torres products online, visit Mr. Chocolate.

I love cooking with what I can find in my cabinet and refrigerator. I don’t have to get stressed about running to the store for a certain ingredient. Which is why I believe having a well-stocked pantry is key to getting dinner on the table, especially when there’s a young love bug, aka my toddler, in the household. Running out to grab a certain spice I might have forgotten can be a whole chore with a toddler in tow. And sometimes I actually come up with some of my best dishes this way, rather than following an old standby.

My favorite items to keep stocked include: chicken stock, olive oil, red wine, tomato sauce, onions, garlic (there are so many variations of dinner you can make with these staples). I also happened to have some chorizo, which is one of those ingredients that can elevate a dish. I recently interviewed Eric Ripert, and chorizo is one of his favorite ingredients, too. It adds a bold flavor to dishes. All of the above led to a dish I made the other night: chicken stewed with chorizo, which I served with pasta. I cooked it in my favorite pan: Le Creuset Dutch Oven.

Chicken chorizo stew

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
Freshly-ground pepper, to taste
4 breasts of chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 chorizo, cut into small pieces
3 cups chicken stock
1 large can tomato sauce (or stewed tomatoes)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 cups red wine
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
pasta of your choice, which you should cook as the stew is simmering

Make the stew
Mix flour, paprika and pepper together in a bowl. Cut chicken into chunks and dredge in the flour mixture. Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Brown chicken for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove, then add onions, garlic and chorizo. Cook until onions are translucent. Add chicken, chicken stock, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine and bay leaf. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions. Spoon stew over pasta, then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with bread and red wine.

I bought chorizo (and many of my staples) at Fairway in Red Hook
500 Van Brunt St/Red Hook, Brooklyn/718-694-6868

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to have been invited by the Wisconsin Cheese Board to dinner at Brasserie 8 1/2. After enjoying what I think was an 8-course dinner (with all that wine, how could I keep track?), I decided to include the chef in my Haute Living Q & A.

Read about Chef Julian Alonzo of Brasserie 8 1/2 in Hauteliving.com, and find out some of his favorite places to eat when he’s not working.

The Beacon in Sag Harbor

If you’re heading to the Hamptons, you just may want to dine on Sam McCleland’s creative seafood dishes, and take in the amazing view. It’s located in Sag Harbor, which is probably my favorite town out east.

Read my Q & A with Chef McCleland in Haute Living.