You asked for it, so here it is: a compilation of upcoming food-related activities in New York City that will help benefit relief efforts for Sandy. A lot of events have transpired in the last week, but there is still a lot of work to do (and fun to be had while at it). Please see below for a few links on upcoming events happening this week in NYC, and please do add any events or initiatives that you know … 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
Winter squashes can seem intimidating to cook. They have thick, hardened skins often scuffed with dirt, and their dense flesh can make for quite a dangerous job of cutting it if you’re not careful with a big knife. Their seed pockets are stringy and stick to your fingers. They take a long time to soften — or do they? Not when using these red kuri squashes, in thin slices for instance.
It’s rare when a dish is both uniquely effortless and divine; this doesn’t happen, for instance, when making a decadent, double dark-chocolate cake. It doesn’t exactly hit the same satisfaction triggers either when you toss together some greens with bacon and cheese. But when you fold all the latter three into some hot pasta, along with silky egg yolks and olive oil, there’s some jingling in the air, and the angels will be smiling down upon your kitchen from above.
I’m much more of a bean than cream person when it comes to soups. But I think you can find a happy compromise by slow-cooking white beans until so tender they’re luxuriously creamy on their own. So rather than following the formula for cream of broccoli (or cream of fill-in-the-blank vegetable), you might sate your taste buds for the mild taste and velvety texture of much the same with this soup instead. I’ve gone and added some cauliflower along with … Read More
Not everyone in the city has the time or means to go apple-picking in the fall. I know this because I’ve been searching online the past few days for an apple orchard in some autumn rural bliss conveniently located within reasonable walking distance from a Metro-North transit stop, or perhaps the Long Island Railroad, or NJ Transit. My searches thus far have proven fruitless, as it were (and kind of ironic given we’re already in “the big apple”). Instead, my … Read More
Just because cool weather and fall produce have arrived doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a good salad. I’m not sure if there’s anything that mandates a “salad” but the simple treatment of fresh ingredients, and the clean feeling you get from eating it. This salad, for instance, is served warm thanks to crisp, lightly roasted cauliflower and romanesco florets — and it has no lettuce greens. However, I like to roast the leaves from these brassicas along with them until … Read More
It’s fall-like alright — the winds are cooler, the sun sets sooner, and there are apples, pears and pumpkins to put in your ovens from local farms. It’s basically time to think about making pie. Fortunately, we’ve got some inspiration from three bloggers who’ve already gone that route, to much success. Last week, I asked local food bloggers to post their best seasonal pie recipe for a chance to win two tickets to the fifth annual “Let Us Eat Local” … Read More
Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart. I won’t finish that familiar rhyme but the first part is thankfully very much true. Each of the three components in this concise side dish are beans or bean products. This doesn’t include the drops of vinegar, which was made with rice. However, if you served this with steamed rice to make for a complete meal, you’d essentially be eating a typical Eastern version of “beans and rice.” (See what I meant about … Read More
Calling all food bloggers who love baking pies… I know there are many of you out there! This October 3 marks the fifth annual Let Us Eat Local fundraiser celebration for Just Food, the New York City-based food justice nonprofit. The event features tastings from the best restaurants in town, and toasts to local heroes of the good food movement. And this year, Just Food is introducing a pie contest where local businesses will compete with their best seasonally-inspired pies … Read More