I <3 My Utensils

I love my non-disposable utensils. I have a very convenient and lightweight bambu spork which you can see in the pictures at the bottom of this post. I also have a set of sturdy Papyrustick chopsticks made from recycled paper that my sister gave me for my birthday. Both came into play in these meals.

I also love The Cloisters. They make you feel like you aren't in New York anymore. I'm also a sucker for tapestries with unicorns woven into them, stained glass, illustrated manuscripts, and simple stone columns. In the courtyard cafe right next to the herb garden, we decided on a salad. Damian ate the meat while I grabbed the spork out of my bag and ate the greens, dried cherries, candied walnuts, and creamy dressing. A foamy latte helped wash it all down and gave me a chance to linger, holding the warm cup in my hands, and admiring the bees hanging out on the thistles in the overgrown yard.

Our next culinary stop was Village Yokocho. It's mostly small dishes, so it's great fun to go with a group of people (we had five at our table), and order a ton of things to try. We had too many things for me to list, but the best part for me was a deep fried creation put together kind of like an its-it. They took two slices of lotus root, put ground shrimp between the two slices, then breaded the outside and fried it. And I ate it all with the chopsticks I carry in my bag. At the end of the meal after we walked out and were standing on the street, I suddenly realized that for the first time ever, I had accidentally abandoned my chopsticks on the table. Running back up the stairs I glanced anxiously at the table where we'd been sitting, which had been cleared and was already set for the next people. I was envisioning sifting through trash bags in the back kitchen, but instead, the waiter was standing there with my chopsticks safely set aside. Who says New Yorkers aren't the nicest people in the world?

At The Cloisters:

Mustard at Village Yokocho: