Leap Day happens but once every four years, so let's all take advantage of this weird calendrical quirk and indulge in amphibians, alcohol, and astrology. It's almost February 29th, people! Don't let this one slide by unobserved like it did in 2008, when you wasted the night curled up in your Obama "Hope" Snuggie freaking out about Fidel Castro's resignation and watching Juno again.
Frog legs are a popular dish on leap day, for obvious reasons. If you've never tried Kermit, the texture is reminiscent of chicken but with a slightly sweeter flavor. Chef Jason Tilmann of Triomphe restaurant in midtown has created two special frog leg dishes to celebrate this special day. An appetizer of crispy frog legs with roasted shallot and arugula drizzled with a lemon aioli vinaigrette ($15) is a great introduction to frog legs if you believe the "everything tastes good fried" dictum. The second leggy option takes a classic French cassoulet and adds Florida Frogs legs, andouille sausage and white beans with an herbs de Provencal crust ($28).
Meanwhile, over at The Americano, guest chef Abignil Mendoza and her sisters have created an ancient Zapotec cuisine menu in honor of the leap year. The $85 prix fixe meal gets you three courses including mezcal tlamanalli—inspired by the Zapotec god of food—and a mole de segesa with corn, green tomato and hierba santa. On top of that, the restaurant will have a psychic on hand to read fortunes and tell you what's in store for the coming year.
And don't think that we've forgotten about you special freaks folks who happen to be born on a leap day. Lucky for you the Village Pourhouse hasn't either. The downtown bar has put together a special birthday party for any leap year babies turning "6" and up. Gratis champagne, birthday cake and a birthday cake shot are in store for this bash, which will take the form of a kid's birthday party replete with Wii, Rock Band, pinatas and nostalgic party games. If that's not enough, leap year babies can also indulge in a dozen free cupcakes from Upper East Side bakery Sprinkles Cupcakes.
Since we're taking the time to eat them, perhaps we should give back to the frog community by volunteering for FrogWatch USA, the flagship citizen science program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Central Park Zoo is offering free training from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. tomorrow to certify volunteers to "learn about the wetlands in their communities and help conserve amphibians by reporting the calls of local frogs and toads."
