Retif - Sizzle in Hells Kitchen : ethnic recipes from restaurants of New York Citys Ninth Avenue neighborhood

Said one famous actor, I come to the neighborhood to eat because Im safe here. No one cares who you are or what you doeveryones the same.

When I moved to Manhattan a decade ago, I had heard of a great food shopping and eating areaNinth Avenue. Unsure as to what to expect but being a devoted foodie, I set out to discover what all the talk was about. Surely, it couldnt possibly compare to the marketplaces and restaurants in Paris, Rome, Cairo and other great food centers, could it?

My adventure began early in the day as I set out to explore the myriad shops and eating establishments. My initial skepticism evaporated immediately when I discovered that I was in a microcosm of the world. Not only were there French, Italian and Mediterranean cuisines and cultures, but also Ethiopian, Russian, Thai, Iraqi, Druze, German and more. I felt overwhelmed, in a good way, with the variety and abundance of international culinary products.

As I spoke with neighborhood merchants and residents, I was delighted to learn that I was in the middle of Hells Kitchen, a place known around the world through movies, television, theater and books. Emphasis had always been put on the areas colorful history and characters but little on its ethnically diverse foods. My leisurely shopping day initiated an insatiable appetite to not only indulge in the eating experience but also capture the recipes, traditions and stories. So, on Ash Wednesday 2001, the concept for this book was born. I had no idea where the road would lead but I was ready for the journey. And what a wonderful journey it has been!

Before I delved into the recipes and resident conversations, I had to know the basics. Hells Kitchen could not be limited to Ninth Avenue, so how much territory did it cover and what were the boundaries? Also, how in the world could a neighborhood come to be known as Hells Kitchen? As I began my research, my first surprise came with the puzzled looks on the faces of those living and working here. Their question was always the same: Why do you want to know these things? Were born here, work here and die here. Its simple. Thats when I realized they take the magnitude of this treasure for granted. Yes, they love it and stay generation after generation. They know it is special to them but dont assume it would be special to anyone else.

While there are no distinct boundaries, Hells Kitchen is considered to lie between West 34th and West 57th Streets and from Eighth Avenue to the Hudson River. On the eastern boundary, the neighborhood overlaps the Times Square theater district. On the southeast side, it overlaps the Garment District; on the northern edge, Hells Kitchen is two blocks south of Central Park and on the western edge is the Hudson River.

In the seventeenth century, this area was known as Bloemendael and was an idyllic Dutch setting with landed gentry. While there are different versions as to how it became Hells Kitchen, the most common anecdote goes back to the late 1800s. A veteran policeman, Dutch Fred the Cop, and his rookie partner watched a violent brawl on West 39th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues. Shocked, the rookie exclaimed, This is Hell! to which Fred matter-of-factly responded, Hell is cool compared to this. This is Hells kitchen! The name remains, although it is sometimes referred to as Clinton or Midtown West.

At that time in Hells Kitchen history, Ninth Avenue became a flourishing pushcart marketplace known as Paddys Market. Droves of people came from all over Manhattan to shop in open-air markets for spices, oils, breads, fish, poultry, meats and produce. The stage was set, and today this immigrant neighborhood continues to be one of New York Citys major food venues for chefs, home cooks, restaurant-goers and anyone who loves to eat.

A walk in the area offers innumerable ethnic food shops and restaurants. Both locals and tourists flock to the neighborhood, assured that a rare, indispensable ingredient or a favorite dish will be foundperhaps a special butcher cut black pepper, or oxtails, or a special tapa from Spain or a delectable brandade from France!

Many people shop the day away and then slip inside a restaurant for dinner in the country of their choice. Surrounded by authentic cultural decor, diners are transported, reliving childhood or favorite travel memories. How often Ive heard, This avgolemono is exactly the way my Greek grandmother made it... This doro wat reminds me of that Ethiopian village... That Italian villathe bagna caudadelicioso! Tastes, aromas and reminiscences!

Blessed with generations of ethnic diversity, strong community and a cornucopia of food and drink, Hells Kitchen has also been blessed with location. Because it overlaps New Yorks Theater District, HK restaurants are packed with avid theatergoers both before and after the shows. When I asked Lidia Bastianich why she chose this site for Beccos, she responded, I wanted to serve customers the freshest ingredients in delicious dishes while still getting them to the show on time. Oftentimes, theatergoers are so involved in their eating adventure that they are unaware of Broadway actors and celebrities at the table next to them. One famous actor told me, I come to the neighborhood because Im safe here. No one cares who you are or what you doeveryones the same. A perfect summation of the nature of the areaespecially with so many different cultures.