Happy Friday, Noshers!  Got any fun plans for this New Year’s Eve?  As for me, I’ll be on a flight back to NYC – hope they have some festive New Year’s Eve celebrations on the flight!  This week’s fun fact is an interesting one:

Image via Arm & Hammer

Today is National Baking Soda Day.

I love baking soda, not only for its integral importance in many baked goods, but also because it has so many uses! My favorite use – deodorizing the fridge!

What’s your favorite use of baking soda? Please share!

Greetings from Singapore!  Hope you’re enjoying this last week of 2011!  Just wanted to share this rapidly-prepared prawn noodles at a typical Singaporean hawker center – enjoy!

What’s your favorite noodle dish?

Greetings from Singapore!  After an almost 24-hour flight (including a special Christmas menu, thank you Singapore Airlines!), I’m here!  I just wanted to share this video of one of my favorite beverages here – teh tarik.  Teh Tarik translates into “pulled tea,” and from this video you’ll see how this yummy tea got its name:

Stay tuned for more!

Have you heard of teh tarik before?

Happy Friday, Noshers!  To those of you who celebrate Christmas, hope you have a wonderful holiday this weekend!  This week’s Fun Fact is a little surprise…

Mmmm, my favorite Singaporean dish – prawn laksa!

I’m taking a short trip to Singapore!

Yep!  So definitely stay tuned because next week I’ll be posting some delicious video footage of my Singaporean eats, from halfway around the world!

Welcome to my 3rd post in my Taking Questions series!  Question #3 comes from Lauren of Oh Lordy!. I met Lauren for the first time this past April in New Orleans, and she is just as sweet as can be – definitely check out her blog!  She asks:

“What has been your favorite meal when traveling?“

Wow, this is a tough one!  As you know, I LOVE food, and I LOVE traveling – so there have been so many memorable meals.  I’d say my absolute favorite meal was in a small village in the Lazio region of Italy:

Yes, this place really exists! (Image Source)

Situated atop a plateau, Civita di Bagnoregio boasted a hearty population of 14 when I visited in 2006.  As I was with 2 other friends, we increased the population by more than 20%!  To get there…

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Not the finished product, but the key ingredient – butternut squash!

One of my late-stage CSA prizes was a beautiful butternut squash.  I had eaten butternut squash multiple times before but had never prepared one before, and let’s face it – the solid husk was a bit intimidating.  What was one to do?  Well, I like the sweet taste of this mild veggie, and I LOVE soup, so this recipe from Allrecipes.com was right up my alley – a sweet but hot curry butternut squash and pear soup.  Perfect for these brrrrrr cold days!

You will need:

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Happy Friday, Noshers!  Any weekend plans? Last minute shopping perhaps? Check out my Holiday Gift Guide for inspiration!  Today’s fun fact is sooooo mouthwateringly delicious, I had to double-check to make sure it was real!

Some Chocolate Covered Strawberries, perhaps?

Today is National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day!

Yes, you read that correctly!  Haha! Enjoy!

Today is the LAST day to enter my SodaStream giveaway!  You can enter once/day via twitter!

Welcome to my 2nd post in my Taking Questions series!  Question #2 comes from Evelyn S, who asks:

“Where in NYC can I get THE BEST baked apple dessert (tart, strudel, pie, cobbler, etc)?”

Photo from Serious Eats

Well, BEST is definitely a matter of opinion, but my favorite dessert in NYC (besides my apple pie – I make an awesome apple pie, if I do say so myself! ) is the Chausson Aux Pommes from Balzathar Bakery in Soho.  It literally translates into “Apple Slipper,” and is a French equivalent to the American apple turnover.  The one at Balthazar is especially flaky, buttery and full of apple filling – and if you happen to get one fresh out of the oven, you’ll just melt in euphoria.  Add to that the ambiance of this tiny bakery pick-up locale, and you’ve got yourself a winner.  Pick up a Chausson Aux Pommes from Balzathar Bakery and a hot tea, and stroll leisurely along the hidden streets of Soho.  You can thank me later!

What is your favorite apple dessert? Any recipes to share?

Have you entered my SodaStream giveaway yet?  You can enter once/day via twitter! The giveaway will close tomorrow night, so make sure you get your entry in!

On an unseasonably warm day a few weekends ago, an eating buddy and I partook in the $35, all-you-can-eat brunch at FOUR, the restaurant/lounge located within Yotel.  Located on the outskirts of Times Square, we weren’t sure exactly what to expect at FOUR.  However, the temptation of all-you-can-eat at a fair price was calling my name, so off we went!  Once seated, we perused the menu to strategize our eating plan:

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‘Tis the season for holiday cheer and thankfulness!  I am SO thankful to all of you who have followed along with Big Apple Nosh this past year!  In celebration of the season, I’ve compiled a short list of items I would love to give and receive.  The list includes many of the most treasured/delicious/useful food and cooking items that I’ve enjoyed in 2011.   At the very end, I’ll be giving away one of these coveted items, so be sure to keep reading!

1.  Your “I don’t actually use my kitchen, but I want it to look pretty” friend:

Nest 8 Bowls – (I don’t currently own these)

I first saw this bowl set live at the MoMA Design Store here in NYC, and let me tell you – they are as cute and clever in person.  Now for practical purposes, I’m usually a proponent of stainless steel bowls for baking (they are sturdier and are easier to rid of grease if you’re making meringues or something equally finicky).  However, I must admit these bowls would dress up my kitchen counter way better than a stainless steel bowl would!  They are “bowls for show,” one might say.

2.  Your “I actually DO use my kitchen and want something practical, thankyouverymuch” friend:

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