good things: the food edition

I'm home, nursing a puffy lip and a pair of sutures. For all the criticism, the NHS is really pretty efficient.

But while I'm very much in Aberdeen at the moment, my stomach is in Manhattan (or longing for it, at least). One of the best parts of my stateside visits is that I rediscover that food can be enjoyable. Here are my top pics from NY:

5. Greasy pizza by the slice after an equally indulgent viewing of Mamma Mia
4. Black fusilli with scallops at Sette Mezzo (Oprah's favourite spot in Manhattan)
3. Homemade rhubarb pie, Fort Green greenmarket
2. Cream cheese and spinach egg whites at Lou Lou in Fort Greene
1. Brûléed grapefruit at the Pod restaurant

Now, about the grapefruit - On average one would expect to pay about 50 cents (or 48p if you're a poor sucker in Scotland like me) for a nice pink one. So why pay $5.50 for just half of one, three mornings in a row? Encrusted with a sugary brûléed shell, the grapefruit goes to a whole new level, and makes one feel like a healthy Amélie. Jules and I liked it so much we spent a morning hunting for a brûlée torch to make our very own.

The recipe is simple, if a little time consuming:

Cut a grapefruit in half and scoop the contents from both halves, removing all that annoying clear skin in between (is there a name for that stuff?) and returning the fleshy leftovers to one half shell. Alternately (but less attractively), just slice in half and split the sections with a paring knife. Next sprinkle some raw sugar over top and, in absense of your own brûlée torch, just stick it under a hot broiler for a minute or two and Voila! the breakfast of champions and champion shoppers alike.