Archive for Foodie Events

FFF | July 26, 2011
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Surviving the meat-wave! Meatopia 2011 brings hot chefs and hotter temps

After much hype, anticipation, and hard work, Meatopia 2011 arrived this past weekend on the cusp of a heat wave in New York City. Scorching temp’s weren’t enough to stop carnivorous New Yorkers from converging on Pier 5 at Brooklyn Bridge Park to taste the meaty creations of over 40 top chef’s and wash it down with ice-cold Amstel Light.

You may remember that I participated in this event last year, which was fun and tasty in its own way, but this year’s event was unprecedented. With chef’s like Michael White, Ludo Lefebvre, Floyd Cardoz, Brad Farmerie, a gorgeous waterfront location, and enough food and space to avoid lines, it was really a meat-eaters paradise.

The French Culinary Institute was a Meatopia partner and sponsor and we supplied the chefs and event organizers with rock star student volunteers to help make the event a success. I was tasked with coordinating our students and had a heck of a day running around, placing students, helping chefs, carrying boxes of meat, taking respites in Pat LaFrieda refrigerated trucks, and drinking 30 bottles of Fiji water.

All the hard work paid off when the doors opened and the sun started to set, allowing me to roam around tasting everything from chicken hearts, black pudding waffles, and a bite of an entire steer that had been roasting for over 30 hours! (see pictures below). The highlight of the day came from my friend, Chef Bobby Hellen of Resto. He thought to bring a kiddy pool, loaded it with ice water, and allowed my co-workers and I to rest our hot and tired feet. THAT was the VIP area :)

Check out some of my photos from this crazy, delicious day below!

Category: Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure | Tags: , ,
FFF | July 17, 2011
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Summer at FCI: Hot dogs, photo shoots, meat masters, chocolate paintings, & more!

The City may quiet down in the summertime, but things are busy as can be at FCI. I knew when I took this job that I would have the opportunity to meet some great chefs and be exposed to carefully and artfully prepared food, but I had no idea how exciting, educational, and down-right fun it would be. As you may have noticed, I’ve been working quite a bit and attending to Fun Fearless Foodie a lot less, but as you will see from my photos below, it’s been for good reason! Here’s a taste of what I’ve been up to this summer:

We kicked things off with the 4th annual Hot Dog Eating Contest, a fundraising event for the Friends of the FCI Scholarship Fund. Chef Instructors raced to see who could eat the most slider-sized dogs in 3 minutes (the winner, below, scarfed down 13!) and students had to devour a 30-inch dog (plus bun!) as fast as they could to determine the winner. While it was hurl-inducing watching this go down, the crowd was amazing and they all put on quite a show. Plus we raised over $6,000 for a very important cause!

Chef’s Franklin Becker and Hung Huynh (Top Chef season 3 winner) of Abe & Arthur’s here in NYC stopped by the amphitheater to teach students about cephalopods, the delicious sea creatures we know as octopus, squid, and cuttlefish, or sepia. We watched them do a variety of preparations, like the smokey and spicy sepia a la plancha (pictured below). We also got a special showing of Hung breaking down a whole chicken into 10 pieces in 16 seconds. WOW. Hung is opening up a new seafood restaurant around the corner from Abe & Arthur’s in the meatpacking district called CATCH which is slated to open late summer.

Chef Zac Pelaccio, FCI alum and leader of the Fatty Crew, partnered with Heritage Foods USA to demonstrate how to break down and use a whole goat for a how-to video for home cooks and chefs to promote the upcoming Goat Month. Male goats are in abundance for farmers thanks to their efficient ability to tend to their lady goats. As such, most male goats are slaughtered out of necessity and Heritage is trying to raise awareness to this delicious lean protein and connect farmers and chefs so they can both benefit. More to come on Goat Month in October.

Chef Craig Koketsu, executive chef of Fourth Wall Restaurant Group, which includes top NYC spots Park Avenue Summer, The Hurricane Club, and Quality Meats, did a demonstration on 5 ingredient cooking and showcased how you can achieve big flavors from a few simple ingredients. He served up a delicate and fresh baby chioga beet salad with labne yogurt, pickled ginger, and toasted sesame (below), as well as some ufra biber-spiced prawns with a sweet and spicy coconut sauce. He was able to demo and serve 6 perfectly executed dishes in 2 hours for the crowd, all while sharing his culinary wisdom.

When we’re not busy coordinating chef demonstrations, we’re doing some very important R&D, like the beer and food pairing curriculum development meeting pictured below. Sampling some diverse craft brews and figuring out what flavor combinations work best is tough work, but someone has to do it.

FCI Dean of Pastry Arts (and one of my personal favorites) chef Jacques Torres spoiled us with a chocolate-themed demo, with everything from chocolate mousse to this artfully crafted chocolate painting below. The canvas is made with white chocolate, the frame is dark chocolate that he rolled crumpled foil over to achieve that textured design, and the paint is made from chocolate too! He made it all look so simple. His charming and hilarious persona made for an unforgettable afternoon.

I spent a very long Sunday in the kitchen with FCI alum and food stylist Krista Ruane and a team of some very talented stylists and photographers working on a shoot for Pat LaFrieda’s new website. We cooked and photographed over 10 beautiful, quality cuts of meat that day, as well as prepared sides and composed dishes like the delectable looking hot dogs below. It was so great to be back in the kitchen and working on a styling shoot, one of my real passions. I am so lucky that this is something I can still be apart of!

To finish on a sweet note, executive pastry chef Salvatore Martone from L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at the Four Seasons delighted our pastry students with a sugar-themed demo where he showed of his sugar pulling and candy making skills, as well as showed us how he creates their most famous dessert, a sugar sphere filled with a lighter-than-air passionfruit mousse and dark chocolate sorbet. Chef Sal was kind enough to make samples for all of us and we savored every bite. This photo can do no justice to the beauty of this dessert in person, simply amazing.

And Michael Laiskonis, executive pastry chef at Le Bernardin, packed the house with a standing-room only crowd to see his take on plated desserts and hear how he finds inspiration. He also taught us about molecular gastronomy and how he uses techniques like reverse-sphereification to create components like apricot spheres (below). 

Needless to say, it’s been a busy summer, and it’s just getting started. Check back soon for more tasty photos and stories from my crazy delicious life!

Category: Culinary School, Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
FFF | March 27, 2011
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Team Martha shares perfect pie tips + rhubarb raspberry galette step-by-step

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When I stopped by “Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts” Pop-Up shop this weekend I got a first hand look at the new book (which is a must-have) and had the opportunity to talk pie with Sarah Carey of Everyday Food and Shira Bocar of Whole Living as they made mini rhubarb and raspberry galettes.

Here are some of their tips for making simple free-form pies:

  • Free form pies, like galettes and crostatas, are versatile and easy, and should be in every home cooks arsenal. They don’t require a pie or baking dish and can be made as big or small as you like. Simply shape the dough around your filling by hand, brush with an egg wash, and dust with a sweet or savory topping.
  • When making free-form pies, cut out square shapes from your dough (see photos below) instead of circles; this gets you more bang for your buck and prevents wasted dough scraps.
  • If your dough is soft or warm after shaping your pies, don’t put them straight in the oven; this will cause them to open up and send your filling all over the place. Instead, chill them in fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour and then bake away.
  • Mini galettes are the perfect make-ahead dessert for a party; assemble them on a sheet tray lined with parchment, wrap in plastic, and store in the fridge until ready to bake. They cook fast and will keep you with your guests instead of in the kitchen.
  • You can fill a galette with just about anything—sweet fruits or savory vegetables—but it’s important to remember how juicy your filling is. If working with juicy fillings like berries or tomatoes, use cornstarch as your binding agent. If working with firmer fillings like apples, stone fruits, or squash, use flour, which has less starch, to hold everything together.

Now that spring is here, rhubarb and raspberry galettes are the perfect dessert to celebrate the season. Check out the step-by-step photos of Shira assembling the galettes below and click here to get the recipe from MarthaStewart.com.

Step 1: Make your filling. This has fresh raspberries, rhubarb, sugar, & cornstarch.

Step 2: Roll your dough into a rectangular shape and cut out square shapes.

Step 3: Place a generous amount of filling in the center of each square.

Step 4: Working in a circle, fold the edges over the filling, pinching to seal the edges.

Step 5: Brush the top of the dough w/ egg wash and sprinkle w/ coarse sugar. Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes, then 375 for 15 minutes more.

Category: Foodie Events, How To, NYC Foodie Adventure, Recipes | Tags: , , , ,
FFF | March 27, 2011
3 comments

“Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts”: book review and Pop-Up recap

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If there’s one thing Martha Stewart knows, it’s pie, and nowhere is that more apparent than in her latest book, Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts, a tribute to America’s classic dessert. The team at Martha Stewart Living has put together a compendium of pie and tart recipes, beautifully organized into the categories classic, free-form, sleek, dreamy, rustic, layered, dainty, artful, holiday, and savory.

Crispy, buttery, and sweet plum crostata

There is literally something for everyone in this book. From the fool-proof chocolate cream pie to the sophisticated and artful shingled-leaf brandy apple pie, novice and professional bakers alike will find inspiration and learn a thing or two. The book includes a section entitled “The Basics” that features an ingredient and equipment glossary, illustrated techniques for things like lattice tops and double crusts, and basic recipes for crusts, creams, and more. This book will become my go-to on the subject and I look forward to smudging it up with butter and chocolate stained fingertips for years to come.

Pies were going fast!

To promote the launch of the new book, Team Martha hosted a Pop-Up shop in New York City’s Greenwich Village this weekend where they sold autographed copies of the book (which I’m now the proud owner of) along with mini-versions of some of the pies featured within. I traveled downtown on Saturday afternoon to meet my wonderful friend Erin and partake in the pie madness.

The shop was packed and by the time I arrived they had already sold out of some of the more popular varieties. After picking up my copy I snagged a chewy chess pie while they lasted then headed to the back to watch Sarah Carey and Shira Bocar of Everyday Food and Whole Living (respectively) demo mini rhubarb and raspberry galettes and answer questions.

The two of us held court in front of the adorably dressed duo and got some really helpful tips on all things pie. Check out my next post to get some great tips and watch Shira assemble these adorable sweet treats (plus get the recipe!).

Gift with purchase: chewy chess pie-full of butter and caramel goodness!

Sarah Carey showing us how she makes pie dough

I’m thrilled that I was able to attend the event, and even more excited to get baking and try out some of the delicious recipes. Look out for a strawberry galette with basil whipped cream, chocolate mouse tart with hazelnuts, and cheddar crust apple pie on Fun Fearless Foodie soon.

How much is that pie in the window? Priceless apparently, these weren't for sale

Cookbooks for sale

Want to pick up your own copy of Martha Stewart Pies & Tarts? Spend a lot less than I did and order one from the Martha store, where it’s on sale for $13.29! http://shop.marthastewart.com/Martha-Stewarts-New-Pies-and-Tarts/A/0307405095.htm

You have to love that they were using beautiful multi-colored eggs from Martha Stewart's own chickens

Category: Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure, Reviews | Tags: , , , ,
FFF | November 19, 2010
4 comments

Fall Harvest Buffet at FCI

Does it get any better than a buffet? I mean, really?  For many, buffets conjure images of gluttonous patrons lined up for the third time at the sizzler or a low-end Vegas casino, but these people have never been to a buffet put on by a class of FCI students, for if they had, they would sing the praises of extra helpings and stretchy pants.  Every class that goes through the culinary arts program at FCI is tasked with planning and preparing a buffet for the school during level four of our six-level program.  I have been looking forward to my very own buffet since week two and was giddy with anticipation for the last two weeks as my classmates and I prepared for it.

While our chef instructor, the awesome Chef Phil Burgess, is responsible for selecting our theme and final dishes on the menu, we as a class were able to suggest theme ideas and dishes that we would like to work on.  I was over the moon when Chef Phil told us that our group would be doing a fall harvest theme, a theme I had suggested, as it meant putting our own spin on Thanksgiving, my favorite food holiday ever.  After getting together to brainstorm menu ideas and logistics, we set our menu and got to work.  We had two weeks, or six classes, to get everything prepped and prepared for the big night.

Departing from our classic french cooking regimen was a really nice change of pace as it gave us all a chance to express our creativity in the kitchen and test out new flavors and techniques.  The amount of food we prepared was really incredible, and each night it seemed as if we had so much to get done it would never happen, but somehow we hustled and got it all done, and had fun too!  Our buffet was served this past Saturday night and turned out to be a glowing success, if I do say so myself.  Everyone worked together and our finished products looked and tasted great.  As an added bonus, I was able to work side by side with my foodie partner-in-crime Erin from Food and Femininity (we can thank Erin for some of the great pictures below).

Seeing as how Thanksgiving is right around the corner, I wanted to share our menu with you to showcase how we reinterpreted Turkey Day and hopefully inspire you to try something new this year.  I am going to be sharing a select few recipes from our buffet throughout the next week so look forward to how-to’s for things like Baked Brie Bites, Prosciutto Fig & Blue Cheese Triangles, and Chocolate Ganache & Pistachio Cakes.  Of course, if there is something on the menu you would love to get the recipe for please shoot me an email at tokeeffe@funfearlessfoodie.com and I will be happy to share.  Don’t miss the tasty photo gallery below!

Fall Harvest Buffet

Venison Sausage Butternut Squash Purée, Thyme-Roasted Apple Spheres

Pheasant Pâté Pistachio, Ham, Shitake Mushroom

Beet Leaf-Wrapped Terrine of Roasted Squash

Fig, Prosciutto & Roquefort Phyllo Triangles

Baked Brie Bites Caramelized Onions, Cranberry Citrus Compote

Lobster & Potato Hash Canapé Roasted Shitake, Sauce Americaine

Duck Confit & Cashew Pot Stickers

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail Pistou Dipping Sauce

Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese & Beet Salad Orange Mustard Vinaigrette

Deep-Fried Turkey Herb Jus

Cassoulet Pork, Duck, Lamb, White Beans

Roasted Leg of Lamb Red Wine Demi Glace

Roasted Cauliflower Blue Cheese Drizzle

Fennel & Pancetta Ragout

Roasted Carrots & Cipollinis

Brussels Sprout Gratin

Duo of Mashed Potatoes Garlic Confit, Classic Puree

Autumnal Ice Cream Sandwich Bar Sage Ice Cream, Butternut Squash Ice Cream, Salted Caramel Sauce, Maple-Roasted Apple Spheres, Candied Hazelnuts &Walnuts, Brioche Buns

Pistachio Cake Chocolate Ganache, Whipped Cream

Cheese Course Clothbound Cheddar (cow), Chabichou (goat), Epoisses (cow), Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog (goat)

Mulled Cider

Pomegranate Lime Spritzer

Category: Culinary School, Foodie Events, Seasonal | Tags: ,
FFF | November 16, 2010
4 comments

It’s time for tea at new Harney & Sons shop in SoHo

Like samples? Pick a flavor, any flavor, from the vast tea wall

I had the pleasure of attending the preview party for the new Harney & Sons Tea Shop in SoHo last night (perk of being a Food Arts intern), a celebration of the 40 year old fine tea company’s foray into the New York City retail marketplace.  Harney & Sons has long been known for their impressive selection of high quality teas,  supplying restaurants, hotels, and big-hat-wearing-ladies tea parties with classics like Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and Oolongs, but also with unique blends from China and Ceylon sourced by Mr. Harney himself.  The launch of their new tea shop in SoHo, located around the corner from FCI on Broome and Crosby, has been long awaited and will hopefully find a warm welcome in the trendy neighborhood laden with coffee shops and boutiques.  Timing couldn’t be better, with cool temperatures here to stay, nothing sounds better than a hot cup of tea.

The event itself was a real pleasure.  Held inside the vast shop,  people from throughout the food and beverage industry mixed and mingled amongst the sky-high shelves of assorted teas, sipping champagne and enjoying a delicious assortment of tea-infused foods. Tea-cured smoked salmon was served on crispy rice crackers, portobello and shitake mushrooms were wrapped in flaky strudel, and an assorment of cheeses infused with fragrant tea leaves kept guests intrigued. The food was primarily catered by chef’s Lee Morton and Roberto Bonefont from the upstate Harney cafe in Millerton, NY.  There was also no shortage of sweets, a delicate assortment of gluten-free brownies and crumb cakes from Tu-Lu’s bakery in NYC paired perfectly with a cup of tea, and made me believe that gluten-free can taste good. Tea flavored Berskhire Ice Cream from SoCo Creamery was served in mini cones which made for an adorably tasty presentation. Thank you to Alex Harney for the details.

While primarily a retail shop, the new Harney & Sons SoHo also features a tea lounge where guests can sit and enjoy a cup of tea, nibble on scones and other small treats, and take a break from the hustle and bustle in a comfy banquette with soothing lavender hued walls.  Perhaps the most impressive thing about the space, other than it’s sheer size, is the almost endless wall of teas behind the tasting bar that allows patrons to speak with a tea specialist and try a sample of whatever intrigues them.  This is a wonderful way to give tea connoisseurs and novices alike an opportunity to try before they buy.

I’ve never really considered myself to be a tea drinker, my morning routine for years has been a cup of coffee with cream and sugar, but coming from European roots, it’s always something i’ve enjoyed from time to time.  In fact, just last week I was working a food styling gig with Lauren Braun Costello at The View and Lauren had come back from a meeting with Whoppi Goldberg with a handful of tea sachets from Harney & Sons that she had me smell because the scent was so intoxicating.  Turns out it was their Paris tea, a black tea with beautiful scents of vanilla and citrus that made me want to slip on a beret and say bonjour!  Last night I picked up a tin of Paris tea sachets (a great value at $8 for 20 sachets) and am going to let the scents from the City of Light start off my day and see how it goes.

If you are in SoHo, or fancy yourself a tea-themed adventure, stop in the shop to sample their ample varieties, pick up a beautiful tea pot, nosh on scones, or buy a tin of their Holiday tea as the perfect hostess gift for your next holiday party.  Regardless of your mission, you won’t leave disappointed.

Harney & Sons SoHo opens today at 433 Broome St. and will be open daily from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.  Visit their blog, follow them on Twitter, or do the old fashioned thing and call 212-933-4853 to learn more.  Not in NYC? You can order their teas online by visiting www.harney.com.

Check out the gallery below for a peak at last nights event!

Have one of the tea specialists pour you a "cupa"

Dave Arnold and the FCI crew were on hand mixing cocktails

Bourbon and tea combined in this cool and warming cocktail made by Dave Arnold

Some of the many teas available for sale

Have a seat and enjoy some tea and scones inside the tea lounge

I loved the light fixtures inside the tea lounge


A soothing cup of Paris tea


colorful and unique tea pots for sale

Category: Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure, Reviews | Tags: , , ,
FFF | October 19, 2010
One comment

Gail Simmons’ Pantry Project: My first taste of food styling

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A few weeks ago I received a call from my favorite person, Phil Gutensohn, the career services counselor at FCI that has helped me land all the great opportunities I’ve had since coming to NYC, and he had on his hands yet another fantastic last minute foodie job that he thought I would be great for. Lauren Braun Costello, FCI grad and food stylist to the stars, was doing a shoot for AOL’s KitchenDaily.com segment Pantry Project hosted by Gail Simmons (of Food & Wine and Top Chef fame) and the team needed an assistant in the kitchen.  I of course jumped at the opportunity and was thrilled to get a chance to not only work with Lauren and Gail, but to get a first hand look at what goes on in the life of a food stylist.

For those of you who are scratching your heads and asking a “food what?”, a food stylist is exactly what it sounds like, someone who makes food look good.  Anytime you see food photographed in magazines, on websites, or shot on camera for commercials, cooking shows, and segments on morning TV, a food stylist is behind the scenes making sure the image you see is inviting and looks good enough to eat.  It’s not all smoke and mirrors either, what you see is real food, carefully executed. The food styling team prepares the recipes just as instructed by the chef or author and works hard to make sure it is picture perfect, from every sprinkle of sugar to each slice of pie.

For the Pantry Project shoot, Lauren was working as the culinary producer and had another FCI grad, Erin Merhar, leading the styling duties. Erin, myself, and fellow assistant and FCI alum Emma were tasked with working in the kitchen to produce the food that would not only be shot by the photographer for the website (called beauties), but also to cook some of the dishes Gail would be using in her demo (known as swap outs). You know when you are watching cooking shows and the host is explaining a step in the process and says “I actually have some already prepared…”, we are the magic little elves that prepared it.

I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you more about the kitchen we were cooking in.  One of the producers from AOL offered up her apartment building in Chelsea to play host to the shoot as they had a beautiful community kitchen that served as the perfect backdrop, and along with the room she also allowed the crew to use her studio apartment as storage, test kitchen, and photography studio for the week-long assignment.  My best guess is that the whole apartment was 500 square feet, maybe. Her galley kitchen housed everything we would need, but with very limited counter space.  I included some photos below of the kitchen and apartment so you could get a visual idea of what we were working with.  Sure it was a tight fit, but if you learn anything in culinary school it is how to work in a tight space, so the three of us were more than prepared to make the most out of what we had.

The basis of The Pantry Project is to show people how to make the most out of items they have in their pantry that they never use or have no idea what to do with.  Remember when you bought that bottle of fish sauce for your adventurous foray into Asian cuisine? Well, Gail will show you three ways to finally get rid of it and make something delicious in the process.  The concept is brilliant, in fact one I’ve thought about trying but have yet to have the time/money/resources to devote to it.  Until then, Gail Simmons is on the job and doing a fantastic one that at.

The first episode from this new season to “air” on KitchenDaily.com features a very timely and seasonal ingredient, canned pumpkin (not that pie filling stuff).  This is actually one of the first ingredients I got to work with when I joined the team and am not only excited to share the recipes with you, but to see how it all came together for myself.  Gail’s demo recipe for this fall favorite is a warm and comforting Pumpkin Bread Pudding made with sweet toasted brioche, cranberries, and a hint of rum. This dish is so simple to prepare I am convinced anyone can make it and it tastes fantastic.  It is the perfect thing to serve at a fall brunch, thanksgiving potluck, or really any time you want a sweet and spicy taste of autumn.

Watch Gail prepare Pumpkin Bread Pudding here, and check out her equally delicious pumpkin recipes that include Pumpkin Rosemary Soup with Bacon and Parmesan, and Pumpkin Cheesecake with Honeyed Walnuts and a Graham Cracker Crust.

This beautiful photo of the Pumpkin Bread Pudding was taken by photographer Francis Janisch and styled by Erin Merhar, compliments Kitchen Daily

Did you see the toasted brioche in the video, I made that!

This may have been my first taste of food styling, but I can already tell that it’s a food job I have a serious interest in learning more about.  Food styling allows you to combine cooking with artistic creativity and can be applied to almost any industry and media application.  I look forward to assisting on future projects and working on my eye for plating and design, and when I finally find some free time to get back in the kitchen to experiment I will share my novice attempts with you here!

Category: Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure | Tags: , , ,
FFF | October 1, 2010
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This little piggie’s going to Pig Island!

Attention all you pork-loving city kids, this weekend on Governor’s Island all your wildest, pig eating dreams are about to come true.  On Saturday, October 2, Governors Island will be transformed into a pork-lover’s paradise known as Pig Island, a culinary festival featuring local food, NY State wines, Six Point Craft Ales, and live music, all in celebration of babe, piglet, and all their friends.  Brought to you by Jimmy Carbone and his Food Karma team (organizers of Meatopia BBQ NYC) the event is a featured component of Eat Drink Local and NY Craft Beer Week.  And if it’s anything like Meatopia, it’s bound to be a good time.

I am thrilled to be involved with another steller foodie-event and will be on hand tomorrow working in the public beer garden they will have set up, featuring craft brews and grilled brats and sausages for all to enjoy.  The event itself requires ticketed admission (tickets are $85 and are still available online and limited number will be available day of), which gets you entrance into the festival and tastes of all the porky-goodness being served up by the impressive list of over 20 NYC chef’s.  According to the event’s website, “all participants will work with locally sourced ingredients, including whole pigs purchased directly from farms, such as Violet Hill Farm and The Piggery”, participants that include Sara Jenkins of Porchetta, Jacques Gautier from Palo Santo, “Chopped” champion Michael Jenkins from Butter Restaurant, along with other barbecue masters such as Hoppin’ John Taylor of Low Country cooking fame and Sam Barbieri with the award-winning Fuhgeddaboutit BBQ Team.

It is going to be a gorgeous 65 degree, sunny day in NYC tomorrow, which will be a welcomed change from the doom and gloom we’ve had all week, so why not get your butt out to Governor’s Island tomorrow for this awesome event!  If you don’t want to splurge on a ticket, you can come and hang out in the beer garden for free and just pay for beers and sausages a la cart, listen to the tunes of bluegrass bands Roosevelt Dime and Nicky Cakes’ Soulgrass, and of course see me :)

For more info and tickets, visit Pig Island’s website.

In the meantime, check out this video:

Category: Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure | Tags: , , ,
FFF | July 16, 2010
2 comments

Cooking with Bison at Meatopia BBQ NYC

Photo courtesy Lou Castenada

Dubbed the “Woodstock of Meat”, Meatopia BBQ NYC held it’s first annual event on the historic compound at Governor’s Island this past Sunday and showcased all the wonderful ways meat can be enjoyed.  30 chef’s and restaurants were represented at Meatopia, serving up tastings featuring a variety of meats like beef, lamb, chicken, and pork prepared in their own unique style.  The inaugural event hosted by James Beard award-winning author Josh Ozersky and Taste of Tribecca and Good Beer Month founder Jimmy Carbone brought in over 4, 500 hungry, meat-loving New Yorker’s and satisfied on so many levels.

I had the pleasure of getting involved with the hardworking Meatopia gang and was tasked with coordinating one of the featured events of the day, a celebrity chef cook-off featuring Meatopia sponsor High Plains Bison (HPB). Chef Andrew D’Ambrosi of Top Chef Chicago fame went up against Michelin Star Chef Shaun Hergatt, owner of SHO Shaun Hergatt in the Financial District, in battle bison.  Each chef had 3o minutes to prepare a dish featuring a bison meat filet in their own signature style.  As the crowd gathered at the HPB tent, MC Matt Timms quizzed the chef’s on their techniques, strategy, and gave a play by play of how the dishes were coming together.

When the clock ran out it was “utensils down” and each chef displayed their dish to the panel of judges tasked with choosing the dish that best featured the main ingredient.  Chef Shaun was up first and served a sophisticated and refined seared bison filet with grilled scallions and black truffle puree, with a shaved black truffle to garnish.  Both myself and the judges thought the dish would be too overpowered with the truffles, but it was surprisingly smooth and paired nicely with the bison.  Chef Andrew followed up with his latin-inspired dish of pan seared bison topped with a chimichurri sauce and a plantain and bacon mufongo cooked in duck fat. This dish was bursting with flavor and the richness of the mufongo balanced out the leanness of the bison meat.

The judges had a tough time deliberating, but in the end it came down to the dish that showed off the bison meat to the fullest while maximizing flavor, handing the winning title over to Chef Andrew and his latin bison dish.  While Chef Shaun’s dish was delicious and executed perfectly, those luxurious truffles took away the attention from the bison with their distinct flavor.  Both chef’s were great competitors and had a lot of fun with the challenge, answering questions from the audience and sharing their thoughts on cooking with bison.

This was actually my first experience trying bison meat and I was really surprised by not only the flavor, but the texture.  It looks and tastes a lot like beef, but it’s leaner and has a lighter texture.  HPB was a great sponsor and the crowd lined up all afternoon to try samples of bison filet topped with fresh kimchi salsa from Mama O’s.  It was fun to watch everyone’s reaction as they too tried bison for the first time and realized it was a delicious cut of meat.  Bison meat is naturally low in saturated fat and is a healthier alternative to beef, plus it has a higher protein content.  HPB meat is naturally raised, the bison roam free and graze on all natural vegetation and they are never treated with hormones or antibiotics.  While not easily found in your local grocer, at least on the east coast, you can order a variety of bison cuts from HPB directly from their consumer website at www.highplainsbison.com.

I recruited some fellow FCI classmates to help me out at the event and my friend and photographer Lou Castenada brought his camera and took some great shots of the cook-off.  Check out his photo’s below and see how it all came together.

Category: Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure | Tags: , ,
FFF | July 8, 2010
2 comments

Nature’s Bounty: Photo’s from The Edible Garden exhibit

Summer has brought more than hot weather to New York City, the sunshine has also welcomed The Edible Garden exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens (NYBG) in the Bronx.  The Botanical Garden has transformed portions of its spectacular 250-acre landscape into The Edible Garden, featuring numerous vegetable gardens and multiple displays, demonstrations from food and gardening experts, celebrity appearances during four festival weekends, and exciting programs that demonstrate the bounty, economy, and nutritional value of edible plants.

I ventured uptown to the Bronx last Wednesday to explore the celebration of growing and preparing great food and was mesmerized by both the simplicity and beauty of the exhibit.  The Container Garden outside of the Haupt Conservatory (which is closed until November) featured a number of fruit and vegetable plants that were full of fresh produce.  There was also a Culinary Herb Garden, created by Martha Stewart, which filled the air with fragrances from herbs like curry plants, basil, and sage. Kids can also get in on the fun at the Children’s Vegetable Garden where they can learn how food goes from farm to table.

Wednesdays also happen to play host to a Greenmarket at the NYBG featuring fresh, locally grown produce and baked goods. While the number of vendors is nothing to compete with the Union Square Greenmarket, there was a nice variety of fruits and vegetables available for purchase. I picked up a bag full of produce, but my favorite vendor was hands down John King from Millport Dairy in Lancaster County (pictured below).  After nibbling on his assortment of cheeses I settled on the Monterrey  Hot Jack and have been enjoying it all week.

The serenity and fresh scents that surround you as you explore the gardens is something that must be experienced first hand, but I did my best to capture some of the beauty on display in the photo’s below for you to enjoy.  Understanding where our food comes from provides us with a sense of security about what we are eating, but seeing how it grows and what it’s like in the rawest of forms helps us as cooks to know how the flavors of fresh food work together.

Click on any photo below to open up the slide show:

If you are in the New York City area I highly recommend visiting this exhibit before it closes on October 17, weekday admission is less expensive than on the weekends ($10 vs $18), but you will find an impressive lineup of celebrity chef’s stopping by their kitchen stage on saturdays and sundays. To learn more about the exhibit, the NYBG, and how you can purchase tickets, visit their website at www.nybg.org/eg


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Category: Foodie Events, NYC Foodie Adventure, Seasonal | Tags: , , , , ,
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