Dear Local Gourmands,
Here are the staples of fall cooking that I look forward to each year: butternut squash, apples (of course), braised purple cabbage and Brussels sprouts. There is nothing cozier to me than returning to old favorites (friends and food) who have dispersed for a frantic summer only to return to the table when the weather turns and we begin to burrow. It’s dinner party season again, and I’m dreaming of chestnuts and stuffing like I do every fall. But as the last of the summer produce trails the end of the parade, I’ve been training my eyes on the gems that stand out at the market amidst the predictable vats of hot cider and sweet potatoes. Last year my discovery of the fall was buckwheat honey which has a color so dark you can barely see through it even when the jar is held against the light. The flavor is equally robust– the culmination of a full season in the sun is packed into the final harvest for the bees. Like my other fall favorites, this honey is rich with a deep flavor– qualities that make food feel comforting when it’s cold outside. My discovery this year hit about two weeks ago. Delicata squash: a revelation. Look for the oblong bright yellow squash streaked with green stripes. Simply steam and see for yourself.
Jeanne
Through October 31, 11pm-3pm
Bon Appétit Supper Club and Café
221 W.57th St
Give your fave bodega a break this week and stop by the Bon Appétit Café for a star-studded lunch menu that will blow lettuce off your regular BLT. Feast on Mario Batali’s empanadas, Michael Psilakis’ lamb burger with fries, or Charlie Trotter’s curried chicken and potato tart. Francoise Payard’s flourless chocolate cake or Pichet Ong’s strawberry rhubarb coconut cupcake will handle your afternoon sweet tooth. See a full menu here.
Tuesday, October 28, 6:30-8:30pm
The Gastronomica Forum:
The Taste of Fame – Chefs, Diners, Celebrity, Class
The Astor Center
Tickets $25
The Gastronomica Forums bring the pages of this influential food journal to life and deepen the discussion around key topics in food, culture, and society. For this quarter’s Forum, moderated by Editor-in-Chief Darra Goldstein, author Gwen Hyman, along with a few important New York City chefs (including Andrew Carmellini, Café Boulud and A Voce alum), will discuss the phenomenon of celebrity chefs and explore the roles played by consumers and producers in restaurant culture.
Wednesday, October 29, 12pm
A Baker’s Odyssey by Greg Patent
Beard on Books
James Beard Foundation
A Baker’s Odyssey is a rich collection of recipes and culinary history, all gleaned from Greg Patent’s exhaustive research in the American home kitchens of immigrants from around the world. Through his travels across the country, Patent learned the secrets to traditional baked goods originating from thirty-two different nations. From Scotland and Austria to India and Thailand to Mexico, Norway, and West Africa, the recipes represent the best of each culture’s beloved culinary traditions. Patent provides detailed information on the origin of each recipe and its ingredients, and gives a real sense of the cultural heritage behind each dish.
Wednesday, October 29, 7pm
Local Ricotta Tasting
Jimmy’s No. 43
Wednesday, October 29, 6-10pm
Taste of Greenmarket
Enjoy Greenmarket-inspired fare presented by NYC’s finest chefs, celebrate the leaders who are making farm fresh, locally grown food available to all New Yorkers, and bid on fabulous silent auction prizes. All proceeds from ticket sales and auction items will benefit CENYC’s Greenmarket program in its efforts to preserve family farms, bring fresh produce to all five boroughs and educate children about our food systems. Chefs presenting tastings of signature dishes from their favorite Greenmarket ingredients include: Dan Barber of Blue Hill, Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Marco Canora of Hearth and Insieme, Peter Hoffman of Savoy, Bill Telepan of Telepan, Mary Cleaver of The Green Table, Aaron Sanchez of Centrico and Paladar, Alex Guarnaschelli of Butter, and many more. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets.
Friday, October 31, 7pm-11pm
Saturday, November 1, 12pm-4pm; 5pm-9pm
Brewtopia
Brewtopia: the Great World Beer Festival is one of the world’s largest beer events and New York City’s longest running beer festival . The Great World Beer Festival features breweries and beer companies from around the world. Purchase tickets .
Saturday, November 1, 9pm
Night Shift NYC Launch
Housing Works Bookstore Café hosts the book launch of Nightshift NYC. The authors will be joined by contributing night shift workers for a reading and presentation, Followed by book signing and reception. Nightshift NYC presents the narratives of those who sleep too little and work too much, revealing the soul of a city hidden in the graveyard shift of 24-hour commerce—when the sun goes down and the lights come up. Russell Leigh Sharman and Cheryl Harris Sharman spent a year interviewing and shadowing fry cooks and coffee jockeys, train conductors, cab hacks, and dozens of others who keep the city running when the sun goes down. The book also features the photography of Corey Hayes.
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Of note a few weeks down the road…
Wednesday, November 5, 6pm
The Greenmarket Revolution: From Farm to City
CENYC at Arsenal Gallery
CENYC Executive Director Marcel Van Ooyen will moderate The Greenmarket Revolution: From Farm to City – An Uncommon Ground panel discussion at the Arsenal Gallery on November 5, 2008 at 6:00 PM. Panelists include renowned chef Dan Barber, farmers market expert Bob Lewis, and co-founder of the Added Value sustainable development project Ian Marvy. The Arsenal Gallery is inside Central Park at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue. Please note that seating is limited and that RSVP is required. Call 212.360.1296, e-mail rsvp@parks.nyc.gov or view the flyer below for more details.
Tuesday, November 10
Casserole Party
http://casserolecrazy.com/the-casserole-party/
Thursday, November 13, 6-9pm
Appetizing Arts: an exploration of food as fuel for artistic expression
The Rising Arts Gallery
35 Claver Place #1, Brooklyn, NY
shuttle or C train to Franklin Ave
www.tragallery.net
Brought to you by Conscious Craverswww.consciouscravers.com
Appetizing Arts is a hand selected exhibition of several artists’ interpretation of Conscious Cravers’ mission. Included in the show are images of food and eating utensils, evocative representations of where our food is grown and harvested, the people who prepare the food we eat and what it’s like to be a farmer. We look forward to seeing you–artists, chefs, educators, farmers, foodies, friends– at this event. We believe Appetizing Arts is a unique opportunity to discover new ideas about food, art and life!
