I brought these black radishes home from the market for the precise reason that they were so difficult to love. Do you have a friend or family member like that, who constantly seems to wage war with you in a bet to lose your loyalty? We have relationships with food all the time, believe it or not. Maybe you’ve been having an affair with the same chicken salad sandwich from that deli for weeks, and maybe you’ve long since parted … Read More
The morning after superstorm Sandy swept through New York City, and the damage was being surveyed, I got hit with a serious cooking bug. I’m sure I’m not the only one. The storm’s aftermath has put many people in this region in dire circumstances comparable to those during the Dust Storm, with basic necessities such as food and shelter compromised for the past week. I saw people with pitchers draining out their cars on the cold, damp streets in Red … Read More
The sugar plum fairy has certainly arrived for the season, and I’ve been eyeing so many types of plums at the markets lately. Like heirloom tomatoes, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, each bursting with not-too-sweet juice. But what to make with these fetching stone fruit? As I come up with ideas, I wanted to invite readers to share their own photos of the same ingredient on a new app called Capture.
There come times when you’ve just got to get out of dodge. But, if you’re like me, after maybe a day or two of this blissful relaxing and twiddling your fingers uselessly, creating knots in your hair for no reason, realize that you’ve just got to cook something. Often, this need is subsided by indulging in a fine, luxurious restaurant’s fare — an open kitchen all the better to vicariously cook there, too. But let’s say you do this, and … Read More
just fon-don’t Somebody’s got to be a Scrooge. It’s only been a few short weeks after giving thanks, but I’ve already made a list of holiday gifts I’d have to say, “No, thanks” to, and imagine that many other moderate to serious cooks would, too. We, the avid, maybe obsessive foodies who liken ourselves to chefs, appreciate that so many try to give us the perfect gift to further our hobbies with for the holidays. It’s not about disrespect. But … Read More
Happy holidays, and here’s to another delicious year. Last year, I had fun rounding up my favorite food books of 2009. I’m happy to share a new batch of books that have made cooking and eating a lot more interesting for me. I know, so many “best-of” lists to buzz about this time of year, so many not-so-new reasons to go buy something. In case you didn’t get what you wanted this year, here are some suggestions, from my kitchen … Read More
I recently wrote a post on Brooklyn Based about Where To Get Your Gobble Gobble, a round-up of sustainably-minded turkey farms and purveyors in the region that are now offering their best for the big, birdy holiday. But as I was walking through the Greenmarket today, I thought, these vegetables are pretty fascinating, too — and I’m never short of finding a new one with each stroll. So, since we all know the most exciting part of the Thanksgiving meal … Read More
So, last week, I launched a new site to start off a new chapter in my writing about food. Have you seen it yet? It’s called Lunch at Sixpoint, and it’ll cover gardening and growing food as well as cooking it at home. Or, not exactly at home. At the office kitchen of Sixpoint Craft Ales, a brewery in Brooklyn that was founded by my boyfriend. Lunches at Sixpoint began as a casual, occasional affair — I’d be at the … Read More
It’s summer. There’s produce, plenty of it local. It’s coming to supermarkets, restaurants and Greenmarkets throughout New York City. But one place you won’t hardly ever find it at is a bodega, those convenient, often round-the-clock shops where you can get toothpaste and telephone cards or tonight’s dinner of ramen and chips. Unfortunately, this is the only type of grocery store that exists in increasingly more communities here. That’s why the Healthy Bodegas Initiative was formed in 2005, aimed at … Read More
I’ve heard there’s long waiting lists to become a member of many CSAs around the city. Park Slope’s is packed, Greenpoint-Williamsburg’s maxed out, and Crown Heights’s, new as of last year, filled up so early that another CSA sprouted up in South Crown Heights this year. So if you’re on one of those lists, here’s some good news. Many CSAs in New York City still need members this season, and I dare say, you need to get in on this … Read More