Thanksgiving Menu Planning

After a harrowing back and forth about where we were going to spend Thanksgiving this year we decided to cook a full Thanksgiving dinner for my mom and sister at their house in Queens. This of course is pending their oven is in good working order as Julie mentioned it hasn’t turned on since they moved in. Worst case scenario we’ll host in our tiny LES studio which fares just fine for me.

Spending a few hours recipe searching I sought out the simplest and easiest dishes I could find because I’ve stopped feverishly cooking the way I used and so am not as ambitious or confident with my kitchen skills.

For starters I’ll begin with a Kale Salad with apples and walnuts courtesy Food 52. They’ve got a decent roster of menu ideas you can choose from if you’re panicking for inspiration like I am.

While the fam munches on raw kale (something my mom probably has never tasted considering I never grew up with the green thing) I’ll prep the Simplest Roasted Turkey for serving. Brining the day before will be a familiar salty taste that is also probably bland enough for unfamiliar turkey-eaters like my mom.

Cranberry sauce is a staple on the Thanksgiving table and although I’ve seen enticing recipes with bourbon and sherry and all sorts of alcoholic additions I found a basic recipe on Smitten Kitchen that I think I’ll stick to.

I chose three sides that will unfortunately take up time in the oven but I figure if I baked and roasted before the turkey and warmed it up after the turkey right before serving it should be fine. I’m not a huge fan of cauliflower (gassy town!) but this recipe with lemon brown butter and sage salt sounds irresistible. Match that with Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Ciabatta Stuffing with Chorizo and I think we’ve got ourselves a championed series of sides.

And to top it all off, we’ll finish the meal with a caramel apple pie, courtesy The Best Remedy. I’ve made enough apple pies in my hayday but never a caramel apple pie. I may switch the crust for a classic recipe I’ve always use by Dorie Greenspan but depending on my mood I may be adventurous and try a new crust recipe.

After all is gluttonously consumed we’ll probably watch Korean soap operas, go bowling, or go to the arcade. Or better yet, SLEEP!

 

A Boozy Dessert Bar is Coming to Brooklyn

If you’ve ever gorged on gourmet hot dogs, pupusas, lobster rolls, donuts, ice cream and other offerings at the gluttonous food market Smorgasburg or you’re a self-appointed rolodex of Brooklyn based artisanal baked goods with a weapon of a sweet tooth, then you’re privy to the gloriousness that is Kumquat Cupcakery and First Prize Pies. In a few months, the queens of maple bacon mini cupcakes and Mexican chocolate cream pies are merging their efforts to open a boozy dessert bar in Brooklyn named “Butter and Scotch”.Seasonally driven using the best ingredients found in the bar and the kitchen alike, Butter and Scotch will offer seamlessly paired plates and cocktails. I’ve been victim to too many bitter aftertastes chugging wine with cakes and thanks to Allison and Keavy I will suffer no more. Think a strawberry syrup that functions both as an in house liqueur and ice cream topping. An accessible and balanced menu like this will make you want to stuff your face and croak in heavenly bliss.

They are currently looking for the perfect location in Brooklyn and hope to open late spring / early summer of next year. Until then you can find their cupcakes and pies at Smorgasburg.

Fall Trip to Dia:Beacon & Fishkill Farms

On Sunday Karen & Kat gathered a posse of city slickers to rent two cars and drive up north to spend a beautiful fall day at Dia:Beacon and go apple picking at Fishkill Farms. Angel and I usually spend our Sundays together running errands, lulling about the house or the neighborhood and visit family to watch tv and play with babies. This was a great fun way to continue to relax on the lord’s day with friends, art and apples.
Our first stop was an unexpected encounter with Beacon’s 2nd annual Car Show. There must’ve been at least a dozen blocks along Main Street scenically lined with a myriad primed and primmed vintage cars. The boys of our group were far from disappointed to discover this isn’t purely a cheesy art and apple picking trip, no sir. It was a gawk and drool over Mustangs and 50’s Ford pick ups kind of day. My favorite were the tiny two seaters that resembled buggies but bubblier and slicker.

Upon entering Dia:Beacon I felt the surge of relief and peace expected from having visited this totem to Minimalism multiple times over the last few years. It was a wonderful reminder of my love and passion for art, reinvigorating my brain cells to think about why Minimalism is THE ultimate art form, its viewer always engrossed and self-conscious, it’s subtle tweaks coming center stage as in the white paintings of Robert Ryman. Silence speaks here and I can’t stop looking at it, around it, within it, second guessing it. Minimalism is indulgent and I as view savor every taste of it, it’s deliberate process, it’s calculated measurements (Sol Lewitt!), it’s dance with perspective and angles and awkward stance within three dimensions. I love it!

Apple picking at Fishkill Farms brought back the devil child in all of us. We stomped on apples and threw them for a distance match (they were all the molden ones already fallen on the floor), climbed on trees embracing our lack of agility (except for Angel who picked and climbed with ease) and compulsively added piles of apples to our stack despite knowing they’ll just be sitting on the counter for a few weeks. Surprisingly we were done after about 20 minutes and were ready for the next thing. We found grass, picnic tables, tasteless burgers and perfectly grilled corn. Oh and let’s not forget the dozen cinnamon sugar coated donuts and hot apple cider. We basked in the sun, ate our prized apples, attempted headstands, and chatted away.

We’re vowing to take more all day trips like this. It’s the greatest escape.

Oct 21 // Sugar Sweets Festival Baking Competition

The 3rd Annual Havemeyer Sugar Sweets Festival is a bake sale and baking competition celebrating Brooklyn’s sweet makers while raising funds for our favorite community museum, City Reliquary. This is the perfect opportunity to not only gouge yourself in sugary edibles but test your most boldest recipe during the competition. I’ll be a judge during the event and I very much look forward to sampling your goods (that’s what she said).City Reliquary is also looking for bakers to donate goods for the fundraiser, whether it be cookies or pies or cupcakes or sables or cheesecake, show your support and let me buy it off you.

October 21st // 10 – 4pm

Havemeyer & Metropolitan, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

More details here.

Oct 7 // Brunch for Barack with Brooklyn Supper and The Chan Deck

This Sunday, Veronica is hosting a Brunch for Barack on her STUNNING rooftop in Long Island City with the folks behind Brooklyn Supper. For $30 you’ll be helping cover ingredients on the menu, which sounds delicious: Creamy slow scramble eggs, apple slab pie, buttermilk biscuits with braised pork belly and sausage gravy, and a very special bubbly Barack breakfast cocktail. There will be a computer station for you to donate to the reelection campaign, check to make sure you’re registered to vote, and share resources to ensure our dear president gets a second term.

There are about 10 seats left so RSVP on Zokos to save your spot!

Feastly Potluck Meetup // Aug 19 // @ Dekalb Market

It grosses me a bit that I haven’t posted anything on my own blog since May. My brain has been that scattered. I’ve been that busy. My life has been that chaotic and uninteresting. After awhile I just abandoned the blog altogether and didn’t feel myself worthy to post anything. It was fear and laziness and anxiety piled atop each other and it become nauseatingly frustrating. But here I am to make a new announcement and hopefully get my crinkly fingers typing again for updownacross. Bare with me por favor.

Have you heard of Feastly yet? It’s an online platform that essentially helps you host dinner parties, a tool that connects cooks and eaters together as an alternative to the hectic NYC restaurant dining experience. At least that’s the goal. They launched in DC earlier this year and I’m joining the team to utilize my mad community development skills to bring Feastly to New York and more importantly, Brooklyn. Brooklyn is where the homes are, Brooklyn is where all the foodies are, and Brooklyn is where all those curious tastebuds go searching for new experiences to eat and meet new people.

I’ll be reaching out to all my foodies folks to host and eat throughout the city and I hope you’ll join me for our very first potluck for cooks interested in learning more about the platform. It’s a potluck and a meetup so RSVP here and dress to impress!

NYC Cooks Meetup with Feastly

August 19 // 6 – 9pm

at Dekalb Market

138 Willoughby Street

 

Feed Your Baby Food from the Farm

Lauren and I go way back, like four years or something crazy like that. We met on a double date kind of thing and then I ran into her camping out at Queens County Farm (yes, Queens has a farm). It was right when I was about to launch Greenpoint Food Market and she was stoked to use it as a medium to sell her wicked boiled peanuts and bourbon pecan pies. She sold in many of the markets with her plaid tablecloth and vintage apron, and we even had a catering stint together under the moniker Three Blind Catering.

Lauren’s a tall southern hospitality guru and has since then attended French Culinary Institute, worked the grueling farm stands, tested recipes in the Saveur test kitchen and last but not least, launched a company making and delivering food for babies in the heart of Greenpoint.

Farm to Baby is the latest iteration of the current local, farm fresh, farm-to-table sustainability food movement to hit New York. Lauren takes produce from local farms and cooks up something healthful and delicious, grinds it all up, jars it in cute little mason jars, and delivers it to your baby’s mouth. Launching NEXT WEEK in North Brooklyn she’s on a mission to make it easy to choose the right food for your baby so he/she doesn’t develop mutant toes and brain dysfunctions due to pesticides and whatever weird stuff your kid will experience consuming food and culture in New York.

Read this interview with Lauren, forward to your mommies and mommy-to-bes and try not steal a spoonful when the babe isn’t looking.

What is Farm to Baby in 140 characters or less?

New York City’s first fresh, local and upright food for babies made by hand and delivered right to your door.

What’s the mission and goal that drives Farm to Baby?

Our primary concern is creating the best ever food for babies. Nutrition, flavor, texture and variety are paramount. Making it as easy as possible for parents to feed their children the best nature has to offer is what matters most to us.

Why should parents switch to Farm to Baby food?

Parents concerned with providing their kids with the best nutrition available will recognize the value of a fresh food for babies. Plus, numerous studies have shown that the varied, seasonal menu that Farm to Baby provides makes for less picky toddlers. Finally, parents can trust that Farm to Baby avoids synthetic pesticides and herbicides and plasticizers like BPA and phthalates, which means better, safer food for their babies.

Who makes the food?

I do! I make it all by hand in a certified kitchen. I went to culinary school at The French Culinary Institute and studied nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Where do you source the produce?

All of our food is sourced from local farms. We work hard to find farmers who use the best growing practices. That means that our produce is free from synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. What’s more, these farmers are good stewards of the land, ensuring the health of our planet for the next generation.

Why food for babies? Why not food for dogs, or hipsters, or old people?

Because babies deserve better.  It shouldn’t be hard for parents to feed their babies food that tastes good and is good for them.

What are your pick up/delivery locations?

We’re scouting convenient pick-up locations throughout Brooklyn right now and asking parents for feedback on their ideal locations. We want to make it easy for parents to get fresh and healthy food for their babies.

Where and when are you launching?

Our first deliveries will go out March 2nd in Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

Feed Your Baby Food from the Farm

Lauren and I go way back, like four years or something crazy like that. We met on a double date kind of thing and then I ran into her camping out at Queens County Farm (yes, Queens has a farm). It was right when I was about to launch Greenpoint Food Market and she was stoked to use it as a medium to sell her wicked boiled peanuts and bourbon pecan pies. She sold in many of the markets with her plaid tablecloth and vintage apron, and we even had a catering stint together under the moniker Three Blind Catering.

Lauren’s a tall southern hospitality guru and has since then attended French Culinary Institute, worked the grueling farm stands, tested recipes in the Saveur test kitchen and last but not least, launched a company making and delivering food for babies in the heart of Greenpoint.

Farm to Baby is the latest iteration of the current local, farm fresh, farm-to-table sustainability food movement to hit New York. Lauren takes produce from local farms and cooks up something healthful and delicious, grinds it all up, jars it in cute little mason jars, and delivers it to your baby’s mouth. Launching NEXT WEEK in North Brooklyn she’s on a mission to make it easy to choose the right food for your baby so he/she doesn’t develop mutant toes and brain dysfunctions due to pesticides and whatever weird stuff your kid will experience consuming food and culture in New York.

Read this interview with Lauren, forward to your mommies and mommy-to-bes and try not steal a spoonful when the babe isn’t looking.

What is Farm to Baby in 140 characters or less?

New York City’s first fresh, local and upright food for babies made by hand and delivered right to your door.

What’s the mission and goal that drives Farm to Baby?

Our primary concern is creating the best ever food for babies. Nutrition, flavor, texture and variety are paramount. Making it as easy as possible for parents to feed their children the best nature has to offer is what matters most to us.

Why should parents switch to Farm to Baby food?

Parents concerned with providing their kids with the best nutrition available will recognize the value of a fresh food for babies. Plus, numerous studies have shown that the varied, seasonal menu that Farm to Baby provides makes for less picky toddlers. Finally, parents can trust that Farm to Baby avoids synthetic pesticides and herbicides and plasticizers like BPA and phthalates, which means better, safer food for their babies.

Who makes the food?

I do! I make it all by hand in a certified kitchen. I went to culinary school at The French Culinary Institute and studied nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Where do you source the produce?

All of our food is sourced from local farms. We work hard to find farmers who use the best growing practices. That means that our produce is free from synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. What’s more, these farmers are good stewards of the land, ensuring the health of our planet for the next generation.

Why food for babies? Why not food for dogs, or hipsters, or old people?

Because babies deserve better.  It shouldn’t be hard for parents to feed their babies food that tastes good and is good for them.

What are your pick up/delivery locations?

We’re scouting convenient pick-up locations throughout Brooklyn right now and asking parents for feedback on their ideal locations. We want to make it easy for parents to get fresh and healthy food for their babies.

Where and when are you launching?

Our first deliveries will go out March 2nd in Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

Eat My French Coconut Pie

One of my favorite ladies in the world is Nicole of the art and food blog Contemporary Confections. It’s been awhile since we’ve been in touch but last I checked she doing diggin’ up activities like curating an art show and teaching boot camp at Prospect Park. She don’t play around and I’m stoked to join her tomorrow as she judges pies in honor of MLK. I’ll be submitting french coconut pie. You like the sounds of that don’t you? Come thru to culturefix in LES tomorrow 2- 5pm!

 

Tomorrow // Something I Ate // Food & Art Series

My dearests Sam & Kat have produced another rendition of Something I Ate to take place tomorrow night at Acme Studios in Williamsburg. I’ll be on site throughout the day and night helping out with set up and install and then eating & drinking a whole lot. More details below, you should join us. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

Creative minds converge for this event with food being the principle medium. Presented at ACME Studio in Williamsburg, artists will document 7 days of their personal eating experience, from zero to x “meals” a day, culminating in a collaborative menu with Skimkim Foods. The idea is that from food, we derive pleasure, satisfaction, energy and inspiration (or vice versa) and these elements, whether cognizant of them or not, ignite our creative fires. With “Something I Ate”, we intend to share various artists’ true perception of food & sustenance in everyday life.

Each artist will pinpoint a defining meal, ingredient, or experience and Sam Kim of Skimkim Foods will present her seasonal, local interpretation including drinks from SNAP Liquor & Sailor Jerry Rum. Also, enjoy a Hot Buttered Rum by A.F. Rapoport Ltd.

Music will be provided by Dances With White Girls curating a fun aural environment.

Featuring Menu Collaborations by Artists: Jillian Leedy, Sidney Lo, John D’Aponte, Kristen Wentrcek and Sam Kim from Skimkim

Curated by Jose R. Mejia

Menu:

• Curry-infused Broth, Roasted Apple & Turnip, Fennel Fronds
• Turkey Leg Pretzelbread Sammies w/ Cranberry Whole Grain Mustard  & Gravy (Tin Mustard)
• Orange Ginger Pork Dumplings w/ Fermented Black Bean Sauce, Orange Zest & Radish, Deconstructed
• Beet Risotto w/ Butternut Squash & Bacon Vinaigrette, Microgreens
• Papadum & Faux Gras Napoleon w/ Pear Chutney, Parsley & Watercress Pesto
• AsiaDog CornDog Thanksgiving!

And at the bar:

• SNAP Coquito – Puerto Rican version of eggnog! Cold & creamy.
• Rum Fashioned – A spicy rum version of an Old Fashioned w/ an orange twist.
• Dark & Tempetuous – SNAP w/ ginger beer & lime.
• Hot Buttered Rum, A.F. Rapoport – Hot & buttery. Perfect for warming you up.