Check Out Vegetopolis at Pig Island This Saturday

I had a special request for the organizers of Pig Island, which is holding its third annual event this Saturday on Governors Island: “Can I do a vegetarian-only tent at the festival?” It was absurd, unlikely, and frankly, bewildering given that this is an event to celebrate whole pigs from local farms, which twenty-five of the best city’s chefs carve up and portion into unique tasting bites to serve to the crowds. But they said, “Sure!” And I’m very proud … Read More

Fried Fiddleheads, and Other “Sustainable Spring” Recipes From Bloggers Who Rock

Last week, I called upon food bloggers to enter a spring-themed recipe contest. Believe me, I could not have been more impressed by the posts that followed. True, there were only four but I’ve always thought that quality far trumps quantity — in recipes, in life, and in food blogging (and live cooking) contests, as it were. Congratulations to the following blogs who made do with spring ingredients in the following tasty tidbits. And see who won below!

Food Blogger Contest! Post a Spring Recipe to Win Classes at Ger-Nis

These past few warmer weeks, I haven’t been able to get the song, “Here Comes the Sun” out of my head. Spring means a lot of things to a lot of people, whether it’s cleaning or getting out of dodge with your “fling.” But to me it means a few things: asparagus, pea shoots, dandelion greens and a general presence of chlorophyll. Those are all just around the corner and coming to a Greenmarket soon. So in anticipation of that, … Read More

Reason For Not Eating Out #37: Going Back to School

When Taylor Erkkinen and Harry Rosenblum opened their Williamsburg store for kitchen appliances and cookware in 2006, they’d had a notion about cultivating a community around cooking through occasional classes and demos. But who knew that the educational programs they would hold at the store would soon become The Brooklyn Kitchen’s biggest draw, with classes frequently selling out a day after being announced?

Pancetta, Egg and Fried Sage Pizza (at Pizza a Casa with Mark Bello)

What’s more wakeup-worthy than bacon and eggs? How about Italian pancetta, yolky free-range eggs, and fried sage atop a homemade crust? Followed by six other tantalizingly-topped slices of the good stuff, all freshly baked by yourself with some expert guidance? Actually, I’d say that’s a good recipe for an afternoon nap. Whichever the case, these pizzas were all delicious, and the occasion that spurred them (and that nap) is chef Mark Bello’s Pizza a Casa class.

Savory Chickpea Flour Pancakes (at the Indian Culinary Institute)

Chef Geetika Khanna did not have to make the best tomato curry-drenched lamb and turkey meatballs at the Curry Takedown to make me sign up for a class of hers. She didn’t even have to introduce herself to me at the event, proving to be as friendly a culinary expert as the rarity goes (in this world of Gordon Ramsays). When a class called “Simple, Healthful and Economical Weeknight Indian Meals” appeared on the calendar for the Indian Culinary Center, … Read More

Urban Chicken Raising 101

Two weekends ago, I woke up early to tend to the hens. Okay, so they were not my own; and I only got up early because I had to get to the Bronx, where a chicken raising workshop was held. Part of the Edible Garden educational series by the New York Botanical Gardens that was sponsored by Just Food, it was a beginner-level crash course in keeping America’s favorite poultry for companionship, eggs, and more benefits which I’ll get into … Read More

The Year of the Ox (Dumplings)

Chinese New Year is coming up, and as with every holiday save for maybe President’s Day, that means one thing to me: FOOD! Great food. Excesses of food. And the first food that comes to mind for this one is dumplings. But instead of throwing a dumpling party like I did last year, forcing my friends to roll up their sleeves in the wrapping process, the talented food writer Winnie Yang and I are going to teach a class on … Read More

Come on a Food Photography Safari with me

There’s no place like Brooklyn for the holidays. I’m sticking around this year, except for a Christmas trip over to Jersey. And if you’re also kicking it in NYC, then there’s plenty of fun to be had. Specifically, this fantastic day of food and photography that my friends at Photojojo, the Whisk & Ladle Supper Club and I are collaborating on.

4 Things Everyone Can Learn from a little Pig Butchering

Okay, so maybe that’s a pretty big pig. Last week, I shared with you four lessons I learned in the geeky, futuristic world of high-tech food science. Perhaps I should have preceded it with this post, on a much more primitive practice: butchering. Still, it requires no less skill, experience and serious passion to hack up a hog than it does to turn sauces into silly string. I’m grateful to have learned these lessons at a sold-out pig butchering class … Read More

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