Gotham Gal

Roaming around Brooklyn

Fred and I decided to take a journey to Brooklyn.  We just wanted to drive around and see what is happening.  We started by taking the BQE all the way out to Sheepshead Bay.  Driving out there brought back memories.  I used to drive every day to Kings Plaza in Marine Park/Marine Basin to go to work at Macys.  On the way home I'd usually take the back roads instead of the highway and it was how I really got to know the neighborhoods.

I wanted to check out Roll-n-Roaster which has been around for over 40 years.  This is an area of the world that few Manhattanites get out to.  The place was packed with the local community.  Not much better than one step above McDonalds but just a classic. 

You can tell from the sign that it has probably evolved over the year with pizza and other items.  The classic is their roast beef sandwich, onions rings, a lemonade and milkshake.  BTW, you can order anything you want with cheese on it.  We stuck with classic but no shake.

After we left we drove over to the main strip, Avenue U, and stopped in the Donut Shoppe.  The place is more like an old run down one counter diner.  I was hesitant but we were not the only people who stopped into buy donuts.  We tried both a glazed and jelly powdered donut.  Melt in your mouth.

We drove from there all the way over to Prospect Heights on the back roads.  Driving through each different section of Brooklyn is just awesome.  One of the most unique diverse areas of the world.

I just love New York.

 

The cost of food

I read a really interesting article in the December/January issue of Monocle called Milked Dry by Sophie Grove.  She wrote about the cost of food. 

More and more people are interested in knowing exactly what they are eating.  There is a wave of consumers who want to buy local which I hope turns into a tsunami.  That means buying from their local farmers for fruits, vegetables and grains at the greenmarket and their butchers that source meat locally including purveyors who are making food that has no additives in it.  I am one of those consumers.  

There is no doubt that the cost of buying food like this is expensive.  You are paying for the cost of producing food in small quanities on family farms.  The upside is that you know what you are eating.  This concept is the return of Main street where people would stop at their cheesemonger, their bread maker, their butcher or their vegetable stand until someone came up with the idea of a one stop shop grocery store.  That was when everything changed.

Here are some interesting statistics that Grove noted in her article.  In 1930 we spent 21% of our disposable income on food, in the 1950's it dropped to 17% and now it hovers around 6% (3.9% for eating out).  The policies have been oriented towards lowering prices creating cheap mass manufactured food. Those policies have also led to obesity and heart disease. 

It won't be easy but I'd like to see us slowly turn back that clock.  Smaller portions with more vegetables with high quality meats that aren't injected with hormones.  Create more farming jobs that provide locals with their food supply and pay them what they deserve for healthy products.  It is good for our health and it is also good for the econmy. 

the changing world of Food

I am seeing a variety of business plans in the food space.  I believe some make sense for now while others are are a reach.  Of course that is my own humble opinion.  Many of them might be stepping stones to changes that will take place in an efficient cost effective way while others are just huge labor, low margins businesses that I don't see myself getting involved in.  Regardless, it is exciting to see so many people thinking about the food we put on our table and particularly understanding what we are consuming.

Mark Bittman wrote an op-ed post a few weeks ago about what his ideal label would like.  Everything should be told about what we are eating. I agree with that.  I would like to know if the food is being sourced from a reliable source, that the ingredients are fresh, if they treat their employees with care, if they give to non-profit organizations, if they are not full of articial ingredients, etc.  I could go on and on. 

Here is what I do know that this is not an app business.  This is something that has to be read at the point of sale, right on the box.  People are not going to walk down an aisle and scan their product or look it up while they shop.  There are just some things that will remain the same such as shopping down a supermarket aisle and when you reach for a product you should be able to find out information right then and there on the store price tag/label.

Another thing is that information helps stores accumulate data about what their customers are buying.  That is powerful information.  Maybe they would find out that they are selling 3 types of crackers much better with a quicker turn than the 5 they carry now when they make that information available to their consumer.  It will allow the store to make better buying decisions for their customer and in turn becoming better businesses.

I am invested in a company doing just that.  How Good.  When we saw Bittmans article, Alexander the CEO wrote a letter to the NYTimes stating that we were doing just what Bittman was hoping to see. Yet to be published but we will see.  Just in case it doesn't, I have inserted the letter below.

There is a lot ideas and businesses that are looking for funding to grow and I don't see many of them actually being able to scale.  How Good...I believe that this one is a winner in the food space for the consumer and the companies that use their technology. 

Here is Alexanders leter to the editor of the New York Times:

To the Editor:

A special thank you to Mr. Bittman for his excellent article encouraging Americans to think critically about how our food is labeled. It’s especially personal for us- our organization HowGood, Inc. independently rates the sustainability of food products. We’ve been working on our label since 2006, and we’ve been buying different milk ever since.

We believe that there is one critical question shoppers should ask themselves: how good is the food that I’m buying for my family, my environment, and the world? We agree with Mr. Bittman that in order to answer that, we have to take a company’s commitment to environmental friendliness, labor relations, and animal welfare into consideration. We can’t neglect growing practices, food processing, and ingredient sourcing. And we certainly can’t leave out nutrition.

For the past six years we’ve researched all these metrics and more to come up with a simple score for over 105,000 food products. The score is embedded into the price tag of every product that passes our baseline for “good.” (And in case you’re curious and in need of a sobering fact, that’s less than 50% of whatever is in your basket).

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of food labeling is one that Mr. Bittman fails to touch on- the ability of sustainable food labeling to fundamentally change the food industry. We’re in this business because we believe that legitimate change happens when people power and purchasing power intersect. A food product rated “great” averages an increase in sales of 26%. That’s a huge loss for its competitor, who is forced to recognize that their customers actually care about sustainability. When that company calls us asking what changes they can make to increase their rating, we feel pretty good for the day. And when no one calls us anymore, because shoppers and their food choices have edged out animal cruelty, poor farming practices, and refined foods, our job will be done.

Mr. Bittman concludes that the main point in sustainable food labeling is: let’s get started. We already have.

Sincerely,

The HowGood Team
www.howgood.com

Kitchensurfing chefs cooking for those in need #Sandy

Nothing Restores Humanity Like a Hot Meal

Hurricane Sandy did a number on New York. While much of the city is returning to normal life, parts of the city are devastated.

At Kitchensurfing, we had an interesting week. But the best part of the week was being inspired by the chefs in our community. We got a call on Thursday from chefs that were headed to the Rockaways to prepare hot food for those in need. We sponsored them and we were shocked to hear the return report. We’ve decided to use our skills to help support our chefs that want to help.

Support Chefs for Sandy

In several communities around New York, people still don’t have power, and many are homeless. There’s emergency relief in place and it is not enough.

A hot meal is humanizing in a way that little else can be. There’s looting, people are afraid, it’s cold, and this week is bringing more bad weather. Kitchensurfing stands for a kind of grassroots hospitality and a belief that breaking bread with someone can right many wrongs. We’re jumping in to help with things that the internet is good at: connecting people together to share and pool resources.

Specifically:

1. We’re looking for supporters to make small financial contributions towards food costs as our chefs work the kitchens.
2. We have Kitchensurfing chefs donating their time and skills prepping hot dishes for hard hit areas.
3. We’ve fronted the cost of transportation to shuttle hot food. We’re going to be partnering with others to shuttle.
4. We’re subsidizing the ingredients cost for these chefs
5. We’ve got multiple commissaries that are donating their space for our chefs to come and cook together

Support Chefs for Sandy

Park Slope

I have tooled around Park Slope many times over the past 20 years.  Our kids had their pediatrician there at one point.  The neighborhood has changed like all the neighborhoods in and around all the NY boroughs have changed in 20 years. 

My friend and I try to do a trip somewhere in NYC a few times a year and this time we picked Park Slope.  We were both interested in checking out the Park Slope Food Co-op.  Our first stop was lunch.  We went to Bierkraft.  Love this place.  Multiple beers on tap including a menu of fresh made sandwiches.

We both had a beer.  I had the Greenport Harbor Ale and she had the Lowenbrau Buttenheim Kellerbrier.  I rarely drink beer (particularly at lunch) but beer on tap like this is so delicious.

We got a few sandwiches.  Nice presentation on the wrapping. 

This is the vegetarian with roasted marinated eggplant, mozzarella,basil almond pesto, black olive, arugula and hot pepper relish.  We also had a few pickled celery stalks on the side which were amazing. I'd like a vat of them for my fridge.

We strolled around and stopped into Fleishmans, the neighborhood butcher.  Kind of love the sizing chart here.

Then to the Park Slope Food Co-op.  This place has been open since 1973 and now has over 15000 members.  There has been controversary on and off around this place as long as it has been around.  If you belong, you must work there at least so many hours a week.  That allows them to price the goods at a much lower mark-up.  We took a look around.  It has a very organic feel.  I remember when we lived in Alston MA during college and there was a food co-op down the street that I checked out once.  Pretty sure this is not my kind of thing. 

Grabbed the last shaved ice of the season at the People's Pop before they close shop for the season.

Now this is my kind of place, Brooklyn Larder.  Located in Prospect Heights which is right next to Park Slope. 

I have wanted to open something like this for 5 years if not more.  I could sleep here.  It took a lot for me not to buy up the entire store. 

Not only are the products beyond well curated but the clean precision and visual placement is fantastic.

Had a piece of this pistachio cake and a cup of coffee before we jumped back on the subway back home.  I am going to attempt to duplicate this.  Tasted like a really good lemon pound cake but with pistachios. 

Next trip? 

More on Chicago

I came to Chicago because Jessica is working on her photography thesis.  I was happy to come along.  All the restaurants I chose was because you could make a reservation.  There are many that I wanted to try but I did not want to deal with waiting.  Like NYC, the new places do not take reservations.  I am not a fan because I really hate to wait and particularly when you travel I like to know what we are doing after a full day. 

The first night we went to The Savoy.  Cute restaurant with a bar atmosphere in the back which is where we sat.  They have tons of cocktails all with absinthe and it seems to be the thing to get there.  So we did.  This is called Isle of Man which is like a Manhattan.  Really not my thing so a few sips and I was done.

We split the tuna tartare with yuzu sauce and fried wontons.  Pretty good. 

Oysters came out next.  Took quite awhile go get these.  We were actually wondering if they had put in the order.

I had a maple mustard glazed salmon with root vegetables and brussel sprouts.  Quite good. 

Jessica has the pan seared halibut with black forbidden rice, shitake mushrooms. shishito peppers and a grilled tomatila salsa.  Also really good.  A great neighborhood place located in Wicker Park. 

We got up the next morning and walked over to the Museum of Contemporary Art.  This piece in front is fantastic by Martin Creed. I hope they keep it there permanently. 

There were a few installations.  This one is a piece by Jimmy Robert.  The type written words say Against Angst on a crumbled piece of paper.  An interesting exhibit.

We went to a photography store and got a few things Jessica needed before going back for her shoot.  It is really great watching what she does.  Her whole thought process behind what she is trying to show and learn from is very cool.

That night we went to Piccolo Sogno Due for dinner.  Definitely an older persons crowd.  Jessica had to be the youngest in there by easily 20 years.  We split a few appetizers to start.  Crudo with grapefruit.  Nothing great.

Mare.  Seafood roasted in the wood oven with arugula salad and tomatoes.  Prawns, octopus, clams, mussels and calamari. 

I had a whole roasted turbot which they filleted for me.  Seriously buttery but since we had indulged in a bottle of the Sagrantino di Montefalco everything just tasted delicious.

Jess has the monkfish which was fine too.   

A little dessert and back to the hotel to bed. 

Women Winemakers Dinner

This summer we were drinking some Turley wines and my friend commented that women make better wines because they have better palates. She decided to create a dinner in the fall build around wines from women vintners.  The party took place in the basement tavern of the 1770 House in East Hampton. 

We kicked off the meal with a white from the Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Winery in Rioja.  The winery has been in the family since the middle of the 19th Century.  The current winemaker is Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia, the grand-daughter.  What was interesting about this wine is that over the course of just 20 minutes the wine changed in taste and texture. 

I enjoyed my wine with a half a dozen oysters. 

The next two wines we had were paired side by side.  There was one wine from the Burgundy region, Gevrey-Chambertin.  Having a hard time reading the label.  The story goes that this family had a very successful wine business for years.  The father and then the son took it over and their wines were just not that good.  They gave the daughter a shot and the entire business changed.  This particular wine was really good.  Clean, flavorful and just easy going down. 

We had this next to a pinot noir from Penner-Ash.  The winemaker, Lynn Penner, had always had a passion for making wine.  She worked at Stags Leap and the Rex Hill Winery in Oregon before opening up her own winery.  A rich wine that definitely got better once it had opened up. 

Had a few spicy green chili chicken wings for the table to share.

The burger is the thing to get in the tavern. 

We also had the menu from upstairs to choose from.  Little too heavy for me, at least that night.  I had the suckling pig with celery root puree, roasted carrots, cabbage and a spicy jus.  I could have easily shared this.

More wines. Olga Raffault, 2007 Chinon.  Located in the Savigny-en-Veron district.  Originally run by Olga who died a few years ago is now run by her grand-daughter Sylvie and her husband. 

Martinelli.  This vineyard sits next to the Turley vineyard.  They became friends and now work together.  Helen Turley makes amazing wines.

Nothing like a cheese plate at the end of the evening.  I could just keep it to myself.

Of course a little ice cream with candle in it for the birthday crew.  Fun event.  Didn't love any of the wines but had a great time and loved the whole concept. 

2012 High Line Chef's Dinner

This is the smaller event that the High Line does every year.  Always happy to support the High Line.  This particular event took place at Colicchio & Sons where 8 other chefs set up their wares.  Have to say, I am kind of over this foodfest.  It is nice to taste a little of this and a little of that from all the different chefs but it is time to come up with another event....for everyone.  Everyone does it and I bet the chefs are sick of it too.

Regardless it was a good line-up.  Crispy chicken skin with tetilla and onion berries.  Totally different.  This was from Ken Oringer of Toro who is opening up soon in the Meat Packing area.

Orange duck shwarma on scallion pancakes with plum sauce and basil.  Love the schwarma.  James Tracey of Colicchio & Sons.

Smoked spice-rubbed pork sandwich on a ciabatta roll with a red onion jam and mustard sauce.  Ralf Kuttel of Rocket Pig.

Pork Kakuni Banh Mi in a pork bun.  Larry Finn of Morimoto.

Sweet chili crab dumplings with cilantro oil and heirloom bell peppers.  This was my fave.  I have to remember to get back to Perry Street.  Cedric Vongerichten of Perry St.

Soy cured salmon with cilantro creme fraiche and lime.  Anthony Ricco of Spice Market.

Muffuletta.  House made salami and mortadella, black olive tapenade, pimento peppadew relish and jack cheese on a sesame seed bun.  Marc Meyer of Cookshop.

Ruby red shrimp and calamari salad with avocado-cilantro sauce.  Dan Silverman of the Standard Grill.

Fun desserts from Stephen Collucci of Colicchio & Sons.  Chocolate with bananas and caramel popcorn pizza

S'mores pizza.

Pistachio spiced apple pizza with vanilla mascarpone.

Sweet goat cheese with black mission fig pizza. 

One more dessert.  Brown butter sour apricot semifreddo.  Brooks Headley of Del Posto.

Fun night.  Josh came with us which was a nice treat. 

A fundraiser using Chef Charles through Kitchensurfing

I have been using the same caterer for over a decade.  I love working with Thom.  I literally shoot him and email and tell him the dates and we are set.  He just sends me the menu sometime before the event, I sign off and that's it.  I can literally show up 10 minutes before the event knowing that everything is perfect. 

I know that is not the norm as many people don't know where to go or who to use...so that is where Kitchensurfing comes in to play.  I am investor in KS so obviously I have to move out of my box and give it a whirl for some events here and there.  This week we had a fund raiser for Fred's fraternity at MIT and Chef Charles provided the food.  Absolutely delicious.

The menu was chorizo in puff pastry (take on the classic pigs in a blanket and one of my faves), vegetable samosa with chili tamarind and cucumber raita, braised pork Vietnamese summer rolls with sweet plum sauce, herb & pretzel crusted chicken & bacon lollipops with a cilantro lime aioli, mushrooms stuffed with herb goat cheese and truffle oil and last but not least spinach & feta cups.

A fun event seeing a lot of faces we have not seen for years.  Chef Charles made the event seamless which at the end of the day is truly the key to entertaining in your home. 

 

MEPA

New York City is ever changing.  Years ago the Meat Packing Area (MEPA) was a location filled with transvestites and butchers.  Little did anyone know, or at least it wasn't publically written about, a man named William Gottlieb slowly bought up many of the buildings in the meat packing area.  He had a vision.  The vision started with Pastis.  Then he died. 

What has happened since then has been a mixed bag.  The area has changed dramatically as there are maybe one or two butchers left but the community board has not done a great job (IMHO) of not letting the area become a shop of chain stores.  Perhaps the owners of many of the buildings are happy to get the most they can for the rent and those type of chains are the only ones that can afford those rents.  Even the restaurants are all mediocre.  It is beginning to remind me of Columbus Avenue in the 80's.  What happened there is eventually the store fronts ended up going empty because there was nothing unique about the area anymore and the big stores could care less about pulling out and leaving the leases.

Certainly there are a few special stores that you can't find anywhere else in MEPA but I just saw a huge sign that Patagonia is opening on 14th Street.  Regardless, currently next to the Standard there is an open air marketplace with attached kiosks of food and retail.  They did a great job.  It isn't claustrophobic.  There is open spaces to sit and walk. They did a nice job. 

Supposedly there will eventually become a two story farmers market on Gansevoort.  Fingers crossed. Happy to see something good happening in the area...