The Food Section
FEATURED EVENT
Tofu Smackdown
Four of New Yorks top chefs show off their tofu skills as they compete for a $5,000 grand prize (and, of course, bragging rights) at the "Tofu Around the World Cook-off." The competing chefs are Erik Battes, Chef de Cuisine at Perry St Caf; Wylie Dufresne, Executive Chef & Owner of WD 50; Edward Higgins, Chef de Cuisine at Insieme; and Akinobu Suzuki, Executive Chef at Sakagura. The free event is open to the public and will take place at Astor Center (399 Lafayette Street) on Tuesday, July 22nd, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. RSVP: housetofu@dcinyc.com
EVENTS THIS WEEK (July 16 - 22)
Summer Seafood Feast
Savoy (70 Prince Street) is offering its 3rd annual Clam Bake menu. Enjoy a three-course meal complete with Littleneck Clams on the halfshell, Spanish-style lobster stew, and blueberry crumble. The menu is available nightly now through July 30th. Three-course menu: $50/person; with wine: $65/person (212.219.8570).
Feeding Baby the Slow Way
Slow Food NYC and the Astor Center are teaming up to present a Slow U seminar -- "Feeding Baby the Slow Way." Join chef and new daddy Galen Zamarra as he talks about seasonal ingredients, techniques, and recipes for baby. The event will take place in the Study at Astor Center (399 Lafayette Street) on Wednesday, July 13th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets: $45/person.
Food Reading in the Park
The latest installment of the Madison Square reading series will feature food authors Jennifer 8. Lee (The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food) and Laura Schenone (The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken: A Search for Food and Family). Books featured in the program will also be available for purchase. The free event will take place Thursday, July 17th, at the foot of the Farragut Monument (located mid-park at 25th Street).
New Jersey Ice Cream Festival
If you're down the Jersey shore this weekend and are a lover of all things ice cream, take a detour to Toms River and check out the 6th Annual New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival. The street festival will be filled with ice cream contests, rides, games, food, live entertainment, and more. Attendees also have the opportunity to choose New Jersey's best ice cream during a special tasting. The event will take place in downtown Toms River (Washington Street) on Saturday, July 19th, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Ice Cream Tasting will run from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (732.341.8738) Ice Cream Tasting Kits: $6/person.
Off the Beaten Path
Italian Wine Merchants (108 East 16th Street) is presenting a tasting and food pairing, "Off the Beaten Path Italian Wines." Discover wines from lesser known regions including San Leonardo (Sassicaias northern cousin), Quintarelli, Lazian, and others paired with antipasti. The event will take place on Saturday, July 19th, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Reservations are required. $75/person (212.473.2323).
Pig Out
3rd Ward (195 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn) is hosting its first annual Pig Roast and Dance Party. Enjoy live music, cold drinks, games, and the pig roasting skills of Tom Mylan (Marlow and Sons, Diner and Bonita). The event will take place Sunday, July 20th from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (718.715.4861).
Eating Their Words
Eating Their Words returns with another performance, this time taking stage at Country restaurant (90 Madison Avenue). The events blend the talents of a veteran chef with three established playwrights, creating original, unique dining and theater experiences. The plays are written explicitly for the evening, inspiring the chef to design a menu which will complement and enhance the play. The Country Event will take place on Monday, July 21st, at 7:00 p.m. Tickets: $295/premium seating, $325/VIP seating.
Art on the Farm
The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture (630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills) continues to host its first annual Art on the Farm month, complete with activities, exhibits, and workshops for children, families, and adults. Consult their events calendar with information on events throughout July (914.366.6200).
Week 3:
A baby cucumber makes its debut.
When I last wrote about my new square foot garden, I left you with something of a cliffhanger: What shape would the garden be in after spending two weeks away in Italy?
The good news is that when we returned home last week, everything I planted was still alive. Thanks to my neighbor, who kept each of the boxes watered, the plants had not only survived, but were actually growing. And, the seeds which I had planted for radishes, beets, chard, arugula, and frisee had actually sprouted while I was gone. The only sign of neglect were the basil plants, which beefier, but now sporting white flowers. I pinched those off (according to everything I've read about what you're supposed to do with basil).
Here's a blow-by-blow update, box-by-box (and row by row, left to right):
Box #1
The Cherokee tomato plant are looking good as the vine makes its way up the stake.
Sweet 100 cherry tomato plant is also coming along nicely.
The cucumber plants are growing very fast, extending thin tendrils to climb even higher. Small, embryonic cukes are visible!
That malabar spinach, too tall for this spot, is out. In went seeds to grow red chard. Little red sprouts are visible.
Basil is looking taller and bushier.
It's status quo for the orange pepper plant. Not too much new going on (on the other hand, it's still alive).
Arugula seeds have also sprouted.
Leaves of frisee have emerged from the seeds I planted before the trip
Greek oregano is spreading. In retrospect, this seems like a waste of space. I'm inclined to pull it out and replant with something else. Any recipe ideas for using up the oregano?
Box #2
Vintage wine tomatoes are growing.
Brandywine vine has continued to grow.
Hillbilly tomato plant, the tallest, is nearing the top of the stake. It must have almost doubled in size.
The finger eggplant continues to grow.
The rosemary is taller.
Italian large leaf basil is growing.
The spicy/globe basil is really doing well.
The beets I planted have sprouted.
Leafy radish greens have popped out where I planted French breakfast radishes. They should be ready to pick this week.
Stay tuned for more updates, or follow along as I post photos of the garden's progress on flickr.
Crafted in Germany, these sheets of fruit and vegetable papyrus are made from ultra-thin slices of real produce. Carrot paper, above, is stunning when illuminated, as are the blood orange and cucumber papers. They would look great hung in a kitchen window or make a great material for a lamp shade (for you crafty types out there). More variations, including kiwi, persimmon, and eggplant, are available, among others at Hiromi Paper, from $9.00 to $13.60 per sheet. [Found at Richard's Notes]
FEATURED EVENT
Bastille Day
Bar Tabac (128 Smith Street, Brooklyn) will once
again be hosting it's annual Bastille Day street festival complete with Ricard
cocktails, live music, and the United State's largest Petanque
tournament. The celebration spills over the next day to Cercle Rouge
(241 West Broadway), which will celebrate with a prix fixe menu
including choices like Goat Cheese and Onion Tart and Trout Almondine.
The event at Bar Tabac will take place on Sunday, July 13th from 12:00
p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (718.923.0918). The the event at Cercle Rouge will
take place the following night, Monday, July 14th, starting at 6:00
p.m. Prix fixe menu: $39.95/person (212.226.6252).
EVENTS THIS WEEK (July 9 through 15)
Art on the Farm
The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture (630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills) is hosting its first annual Art on the Farm month, complete with activities, exhibits, and workshops for children, families, and adults. Consult their events calendar with information on events throughout July (914.366.6200).
Summer Fruit Pastries
The Astor Center is
gearing up for all the great fruits of the season with "Hands-On Summer
Fruit Pastries: Tarts, Pies, Cakes, & More." Learn to make many
fruit inspired desserts, all baked to perfection, including Rustic
Apricot Galette, Peach Crumble, and Berry Marmalade. The class will
take place on Saturday, July 12th from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tickets: $125/person.
Day-A-Whey
Saxelby Cheesemongers presents another "Day-A-Whey" tour. This month's trip is to Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley, New Jersey, a sustainable family farm producing farmstead cheese, yogurt, and gelato from East Fresian sheep. The event will take place on Sunday, July 13th with the bus departing from Saxelby Cheesemongers (120 Essex Street) at 11:00 a.m. Tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets. $95/person.
The Five Senses Dinner Series
Blue Hill at Stone Barns (630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, New York) is presenting the third event in its unique series of dinners, each of which focuses on one of the five senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. The events are hosted by Executive Chef Dan Barber, along with special guests. Proceeds from the dinner series benefit the non-profit The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. The latest dinner will focus on the sense of sight featuring Glen Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art and sculptor Joel Shapiro. "Sight" will take place on Sunday, July 13th, 6:00 p.m. Seating is extremely limited; to RSVP, call 914.366.6200, ext. 110. $200/person.
Brewmaster Dinner
Tribeca Grill (375 Greenwich Street) will be hosting a dinner with Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver. The five-course meal will pair brewery selections including Brooklyn Summer Ale and Brooklyn Grand Cru with dishes from chef Stephen Lewandowski. Guests will also have the opportunity to sample Brooklyn Dark Matter, an experimental beer which is not available for commercial production. The event will take place on Monday, July 14th with a reception at 6:30 p.m. and the dinner to follow at 7:00 p.m. Reservations: 212.941.3900. $75/person.
Celebrate Flatiron Chefs!
The Madison Square Park Conservancy will be hosting its annual fundraising event, Celebrating Flatiron Chefs! Proceeds will benefit horticulture, safety, sanitation and free cultural programs in the park. The outdoor party will feature eats from celebrity chefs from neighborhood restaurants including a preview of Zak Pelaccios Fatty Cue, Douglas Rodriguezs Nuela, and cupcakes by Elenis New York. The dinner will take place at Madison Square Park (enter on Madison Avenue and 24th Street) on Tuesday, July 15th with VIP admission at 5:30 p.m. and general admission at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Madison Park Conservancy website, or by calling 212.538.9310. $250/VIP, $150/General Admission.
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