19 Charles Street a Solution for a Special Romantic Meal for Two

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Let’s face it–sometimes we just don’t have the time to spend in the kitchen whipping up a gourmet meal for a special rendezvous for two. And that’s OK, it happens to the best of us. So let’s examine the alternatives for still being able to enjoy a romantic evening together…from the most obvious–eating out to the oh-so-easy task of ordering take-out. But there is another option – having a special meal prepared and delivered to your home. A meal that has been shopped for, measured, packaged, and ships with a recipe and step-by-step directions.

Enter 19 Charles Street, a members-only gourmet meal provider for time-strapped New Yorkers. Months ago I signed up for their email after reading an article about them and was more and more intrigued as I read their weekly email listing their menu offering. Here’s how it works:
New recipes are posted Monday mornings on their website and sent via email, for deliveries the following week. You have until Friday at 5pm, or until ingredients sell out, to place your order. Every Monday and Wednesday morning, the 19 Charles Street team visits their partner farms, Murray’s Cheese, Raffetto’s Pasta, and other vendors to gather and package your ingredients for that night or the following night, depending on your order. Same-day packaging guarantees the freshest possible meats, grains, and produce.
So needless to say I had to try this. I choose a dinner that fed into a pasta craving I was having – Grass Fed Lamb Ragu with Capers, Parsley and Mint over fresh Pasta. 
 
lamb-ragu dinner.jpg

Here’s the scenario:
The door buzzes, a delivery. A perfectly packaged white bag is presented to me -19 Charles. Why thank you!
I move into the kitchen and place all of the items on the counter.

Clever; there is a check list attached to the outside of the bag:

  • Recipe Card. Check.
  • Grass fed lamb. Check
  • Tagliatelle from Rafettos. (Fresh I might add) Check
  • Parmesan Cheese from Murray’s Cheese Shop (big smile). Check.
  • San Marzano crushed tomatoes. Check.
  • Capers. Fresh Mint and Organic Parsley. Check.
  • Blue Ribbon Bakery Baguette. Check
  • Mixed Baby Lettuce. Check
  • Organic Yellow Onion. Check
  • Garlic (2 large cloves to be exact). Check
  • Jar of Capers. Check

Everything is so fresh, perfectly portioned and ready to cook–I am loving this! Not time to shop? How great to have a gourmet meal picked out and shipped to you, AND you get to cook it for complete control of freshness and timing, as opposed to take out. Here is the recipe graciously shared by 19 Charles.

Grass Fed Lamb Ragu with capers and mint over fresh Pasta

Prep: Dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Grate the Parmesan. Trim the lamb and cut into 1 inch cubes. Chop the parsley and mint. Set aside

Cook: Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook the onion until translucent. Add the garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the lamb and cook until browned. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 45 minutes or until meat is tender. Add parsley, mint, salt and pepper to taste. (Be careful not to over-salt since the capers are salty). Meanwhile cook the pasta for 3-5 minutes for al dente.

Serve: Dress the salad as desired. Serve the pasta with sauce, capers and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Stir together right before eating. Enjoy the baguette on the side.

Editors Note: And of course pour yourself and your date a generous glass of a full bodied red wine to perfectly compliment this beautifully simple romantic meal for two.

Thank you for making my life easier, healthier and making my very special guest wanting more!

More About 19 Charles Street

Whip Up a Gourmet Meal at Home with Recipe, Fresh Ingredients and Easy Instructions 

The idea for 19 Charles Street was born: It’s a gourmet grocery and farmers market delivery service where you order by recipe and number of servings. The goal is to minimize waste (you’ll receive as close to the exact amount of whatever you need) and provide the best ingredients available in NYC. The legwork is done for the customers. The philosophy is a lot like European grocery shopping — ingredients come from specialty stories as well as the market. Deliveries take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because the produce is sourced from the Greenmarket that morning.

The recipes include new spins on classics, healthy versions of comfort food, and simplified high-end dishes. 19 Charles Street has also featured guest recipes from blogs like Not Without Salt and restaurants like Bell Book and Candle.

The founders are not chefs–they are avid home cooks, and that’s the target market. These recipes are refined but not too difficult, and everything takes under an hour. The hope is that people will stay in and cook together, eat healthier food, and do their best to respect the planet. 19 Charles Street provides them with a product that can help them fulfill this goal.