One of the most unique food markets around is the New Amsterdam Market, downtown where the old Fulton Fish Market used to be in Lower Manhattan. Besides the history of food markets in this area, this isn’t really your standard farmer’s market (there are only a few produce stands) but more of a local food business market. The market is held every Sunday, and often has a theme for that week. Two weeks ago when I visited, it was Slow Food NYC’s Slow Food Show. This coming Sunday they will have the author of Four Fish, Paul Greenberg signing copies of his book, and a dozen local fish vendors.

Most real New Yorkers know that the South Street Seaport is a bit of a tourist waste-land, pretty but also pretty useless. It’s always seemed like such a waste to me to have one of the few well-preserved neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan serve as home to Pizzeria Uno and Abercrombie, but that’s the way it’s been for as long as I can remember. When the fish market departed, the awful stench that used to greet visitors as they walked down Fulton Street disappeared, but so did a real purpose for the area. With the exception of a little maritime museum and the historic boats you can visit on school trips (the only time I ever went), it needed another purpose.

That’s exactly why I think that N.A.M’s vision for this area is really exciting, and they’re looking for supporters and volunteers (hint, hint). There are lots of vendors that are also at the many other spots around town (Luke’s Lobster, Blue Bottle Coffee, Liddabit Sweets, King’s County Jerky and more) but there are also other weekly rotating vendors you may have never seen, such as Hudson Valley Harvest  and Morris Kitchen, who were both part of the Slow Food Show, that I discovered on my last visit.

Definitely make an afternoon out of visiting this market, and supporting a little market that has big plans to improve an entire neighborhood. There is only one more market day left in 2011, and that’s tomorrow, Sunday December 18 (did I mention the dozen local fisheries?!). You should go now before you’ll be braving serious winter weather to check it out in early 2012.

                          

I have two traditions that I keep year after year on Thanksgiving weekend. One is baking a homemade pumpkin pie, and eating it for days after the holiday. And the second is making sure to donate to a hunger-related charity at some point during a holiday weekend in honor of food. I know that many people take a moment to be grateful for what they have, and I think that’s great. But, I think we can all do better than that. There are even people that go the extra mile and volunteer in a soup kitchen, but that’s not feasible for everybody. This is one time that logging on to a website and posting a $25 donation isn’t a lazy form of support. It’s exactly what you should be doing in between online shopping, wish list making, and eating leftovers. There are so many charities to choose from locally and nationally. In NY, I normally donate to Meals-on-Wheels, or the Foodbank of NYC. But if you’re not sure where best to donate, you can always check CharityWatch or Feeding America for suggestions and a rating system on good organizations devoted to hunger issues around the country. It’s something small that everyone can do between other less-than-ideal traditions such as, stampeding chain box stores and gorging themselves on food till they fall asleep. Feeling grateful for all that you have shouldn’t end with navel-gazing at how content you are with your own life, but really extend into giving back just a little, because people going hungry in this country does not have to happen.

                          

It’s suddenly feels cold. Real cold. Not, like “Ooh, it’s such a beautiful Fall day” cold, but more like, “It’s too cold to get out of bed” cold. Once all my extremities are freezing, everything I crave is in the form of warm food. That’s why I can finally tell you about this chicken chili. I made it early last Spring. Probably on one of the last cold weekends we had before Summer hit. Then it got hot, and it seemed wrong to write about chili. Now that temperatures have dipped for good, we can talk about drinking insane amounts of hot chocolate, staying indoors and cooking things that take a long time, like chili.


This chili is just that project. It’s a weekend-thing. It’s also a great thing to make if you’re having people over. The first time I had it was at my friend Cathy’s, where she made it for our book club. (I think her’s came out better than mine, but she’s from pioneering stock and I think maybe chili is more in her DNA). If you live in the Northeast, it might be a little work to source the chili peppers. I found mine at Manhattan Fruit Exchange, in the Chelsea Market. Or, if you happen to be staying in the Mission District in San Francisco, where I’ve been for the past month, you probably won’t have a problem (finding any food item, really).

To start, put the beans up to cook, and then begin prepping the rest of the ingredients. Roast your chilis, put them in a paper bag to steam a little to help you remove the skins. Then, find some surgical gloves. Really, don’t cheat on this step. Peel the skins off the chilis, remove all the seeds, and chop them. Prepping the chili peppers and shredding the chicken (I bought an already roasted one), will take you a fair amount of time. Start during the day. Then it’s just a matter of putting it all up to simmer and cook, while you do whatever it is you do. I tend to chase my dog around around the apartment, make phone calls and check Twitter. Don’t judge.

Depending on your ability to multi-task, at some point before, during, or after the chili is complete, you must make some cornbread. Use this recipe. It’s really good, I promise. Also, make sure to prep all your toppings, cause chili is so much better with toppings (clearly, I’m not a purist). Lastly, make sure you have some folks coming over to eat with you, cause this will make a fair amount of food, and staying indoors in the cold weather is just more fun with company.

Chicken chili
Adapted from Bon Appetit

1 pound dried small white beans
8 fresh Anaheim chilies
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 large onions, chopped
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups 2% milk (whole milk or 1% would work too)
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Toppings:
Grated Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro

Place beans in heavy large pot with enough cold water to cover by at least 3 inches. Let stand overnight.

Char chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and chop chilies. Set aside.

Drain beans. Return to pot. Add enough cold water to pot to cover beans by 3 inches. Simmer until beans are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Drain well.

Melt butter in clean heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Add flour and stir 5 minutes (do not brown). Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half and half. Simmer gently until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add reserved white beans and roasted chilies, shredded chicken, and next 5 ingredients. Simmer gently to blend flavors, about 20 minutes. (Chili can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.)

Add grated cheese and sour cream to chili; stir just until chili is heated through and cheese melts (do not boil). Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with cilantro and green salsa. Serve.

                          

One morning I was on Twitter when I saw Louisa Shafia mention an event she was doing that afternoon to help support the Brooklyn Public Library. Louisa is the author of Lucid Food, a phenomenal cookbook specializing in local foods and seasonal eating. The recipes are all accessible to cooks of any level. I had known about her cookbook for awhile, but I had never picked up a copy, having borrowed one from the library in an effort to curtail my cookbook buying addiction. After learning that we share a local library (the same one from A Tree Grows In Brooklyn!), and that she’d be doing a demo sharing her knowledge of cooking with farmer’s market ingredients, I was in. Going to the library to talk vegetables was suddenly more exciting than I could have possibly imagined.


Louisa came armed with samples of all her favorite seasonal ingredients currently available at the greenmarket that we passed around, smelled, and tasted when possible. I realized there are a lot of leafy greens I have been skipping right over at the market. Hello sorrel, how have I been ignoring you all this time?! They sell locally grown Shiso leaves in Union Square? I guess I was going, but falling into the trap that she mentioned, just going straight for my favorite (safe) foods, without really seeing the bounty of what was available.

When faced with a new vegetable she said you can always ask the vendors for cooking suggestions. About 99% of the time, someone will suggest to saute it with butter or olive oil and garlic. And, truth be told, when doesn’t that work? It reminded me that, I don’t need a recipe in mind to buy something I’ve never cooked before. In fact, later that week, I (finally) had the courage to try cooking the radish greens that I had been shamefully discarding. As a child I was utterly disgusted by leafy greens, but I’ve been working hard to get over that fear even if I find it subconsciously influences my cooking from time to time. I’m pretty much cured at this point, happily eating spinach, all types of chard, kale and…now radish greens! Seriously, they were so much more flavorful than I expected. And, yes, I sauteed them in olive oil with garlic, onion, and lots of salt and pepper. Proof here.

Louisa gave so many wonderful tips about the ingredients in season right now that, I’ve listed the highlights for you at the bottom of the post. To really learn all she knows, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Lucid Food. As all my trips to the library end, I came out a bit smarter than I went in…and this time with an arm full of recipes to try. She encouraged all of us to force ourselves to explore at the market, and I’ve been heading her advice every week since.

Summer produce to try

Shiso Leaves – release the aroma by rubbing the leaves. Sometimes called Beefstake plant. Use to add a meaty flavor to dishes. Throw them in at the end of cooking, like an herb.

Garlic Scapes – they are the green end of the garlic head. Great pickled. (I like using them to make a pesto.)

New Young Garlic – sweeter than older garlic found in the supermarket. You can use the whole long stem like a leek. (I had no idea!)

Thai Basil – used in South Asian dishes, super fragrant. Combines well with mint. Try it in a stir-fry, or summer rolls.

Sorrel – used to be more popular. It’s flavor is sour and lemon-y. Will add a lemon flavor to dishes, great with shrimp, and you can make soup out of it.

Rhubarb – little too late right now for this, but when you find it, use it in sweet (compotes or pies) or savory dishes, such as paired with a fatty meat. Don’t eat the leaves, they are toxic. Contains lots of Vitamin C.

Baby Beets – sweeter and more tender than larger ones. Leaves are delicious too, if cooked like spinach. Try them in a salad, sliced thin. Lucidfood.com has a beet burger recipe.

Fava Beans – have to take seeds out of the pod, boil them for 10 minutes, then pull the membrane off. Grill them whole, or puree them like a hummus. (Note: these may be gone by now – check your market).

Sugar Snap Peas – great raw for a snack. Slice them thin for a salad.

Avocado Zucchini – it’s a type of zucchini shaped more like an avocado. Contains less water content than the usual variety.

                          

It’s officially summer. Summer makes me think of picnic-ing in the park, reading a book by the beach and running after the ice cream truck when I was a kid. That’s my idealized summer. In reality, summer for most of us still means going to work even if it’s gorgeous out, and squeezing in some outdoor time during the week. I love the concept of picnics but the closest I’ve come to one this year, was last week when I bought a taco from the Endless Summer truck and ate it sitting down by the parking lot around the corner. That’s why I’m going to do a series of posts this summer on perfect picnic food. Hopefully to encourage you, and me, to plan some meals in the great outdoors, or at least near a tree.

I made this little salad one night when it was too humid to think about using the stove and I had a lot of leftovers from the mixed greens salad I made for dinner. I threw this together thinking it would benefit from a night in the fridge and I’d have another lunch (or dinner) without cooking. It worked. I decided to make this my first post in the picnic series, because even though it’s not novel, it’s easy and hearty, no need to cook pasta or another grain. It’s the type of salad that you can and should dress the night before. It’s an all-in-one package picnic food, no need for separate bottles of salad dressing or a knife. Unless you’re the type that has a wicker basket, and a wine glass holder for the grass (I’ve seen this in person), unfussy food is the only food you should picnic with. And, if you are that person, here’s hoping the cops arrest you for so unabashedly drinking in the park.

Chickpea Salad
Make this the night before or at least a couple of hours for the flavors to combine.

1 can of chickpeas
1/2 of a large red bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a red onion, diced fine
1 garlic clove, minced
large handful of cilantro or parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2-1 teaspoon cumin (or to taste)
drizzle of honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime before serving

Rinse the chickpeas well and place in a large bowl. Set aside. Meanwhile boil 1 cup of water. Place chopped onion and garlic in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let sit for 1 minute to mellow out the raw onion, garlic taste. Strain.

Combine chickpeas with the chopped red pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro. Next make the vinaigrette by combining the vinegar, cumin and honey in a bowl. Whisk as you pour in the olive oil to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and toss well. Taste again to see if it needs more salt. Before serving, squeeze half a lime over it to brighten the flavors a bit.

                          

I went this past Saturday to visit the new food-only market from the Brooklyn Flea that opened about five blocks from my apartment. I went by to take it all in, survey the options, and try Liza Queen‘s offerings. I had read all about her years ago when she was running the Queen’s Hideaway in Greenpoint, but unfortunately it closed before I had a chance to eat there. Now, that she was back in Brooklyn cooking Vietnamese, I amazed myself by resisting the mac-and-cheese stand right next to hers, and stuck to my plan.

The market is one part prepared food stands, one part Greenmarket, so after you eat lunch you can grab a pint of strawberries or a bunch of rhubarb on your way home. I love the idea of combining these two things in one place. It’s also in a giant lot on the Williamsburg waterfront, where you can take your food to the park next to it and sit and stare at the skyline along the East River while you polish off your meal.

There were way too many things to sample in one trip. I plan on heading over to Smorgasburg every Saturday I am in the city this summer, where I will try to find a new dish or product to highlight for you. This is a really exciting market. Go hungry.

Highlights this trip:

I ate a refreshing Vietnamese cold noodle dish: Bun Thit Nuong at Danh Tu

I sampled some delicious local oatmeal: Ultimate Organic from Farm to Table

I purchased my favorite artisan jerky: Korean Beef – Kings County Jerky Co.

I learned about the health benefits of a Switzel: Black Tea Switzel at City’Lasses

Let me know your favorites as I can’t wait to go back and try many more. Word of caution, mid-day this place is packed. Do not try to take photos, stand in line for ice cream and eat your last purchase all at the same time.

                          

Last Saturday’s Bakesale for Japan was a huge success. It took place in cities around the country and together we raised a lot of money. A lot. Like $124,000 lot. I have always believed in the power of sugary goods.

This is just a quick update to let you know what a success this sale was. Our NYC organizers (Lillian and Celia) did an amazing job, and nationally this sale accomplished what it set out to do, raise some serious money to help with disaster relief efforts in Japan. NYC raised $4644 dollars alone. Not too shabby. Too bad NYC has banned bake sales in public schools, especially when they can really be a great way to raise money and get kids and parents into the kitchen.

I’m sharing the recipe for these Green Tea Madeleines, because they’re my new favorite madeleine flavor. They’re pretty much the same recipe as the Strawberry Madeleines I made last year for Mother’s Day, but using matcha powder instead of strawberry jam. I prefer the flavor of the green tea ones a little better, and they’re perfect for people who don’t like very sweet baked goods. Now all I need is an ice cream maker to put the rest of my matcha powder to good use…

Green Tea Madeleines

2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon – 1 1/2 teaspoons matcha powder
pinch of salt
1 cup of all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour madeleine pans well.

Melt butter and set aside to cool. Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer till blended. Beat in vanilla, 1 teaspoon matcha powder, and salt. Add additional half teaspoon of matcha till batter is desired color. Add flour and beat until just blended.

Gradually add cooled melted butter to mixture, beating until just blended.

Spoon one tablespoon (or teaspoon if making mini-sized) of batter into each cake shell. Bake until puffed and edges are lightly golden, about 12-15 minutes (4-5 minutes for mini-pan). Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and finishing cooling on a wire rack.

                          

This Saturday, I will be donating baked goods for the NYC support of Bake for Japan, a sale that is happening in cities all over the country to help raise funds for Peace Winds, a disaster relief charity. The sale will be held at the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene.

If you cannot make it out to the Brooklyn Flea this weekend, or have friends that would like to make monetary donations to Peace Winds Japan, please direct them to this page at FirstGiving.  It is the page that is set up to collect the funds from the Bake Sales as well as for anyone who’d like to donate but cannot make it to any of the sales.  100% of the funds will be funneled through to Peace Winds Japan. For more on Peace Winds Japan, or the Peace Winds America, here is where you can read more about these NGOs disaster relief efforts. Also check out Lillian’s sale page for an updated listing of all those bakeries and bloggers donating to the sale.

This weekend, the Brooklyn Flea will be moving back outdoors to its Fort Greene location. Come hungry, there will be a lot of sweet buys, including my green tea madeleines.

                          

I went last Saturday to find out where the best donuts are in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. It was a donut crawl organized by Nicole Taylor, from Hot Grease on the Heritage Radio Network via Twitter, where I’ve met most of my favorite food-working and food-loving people. It was perfect timing coming on the heels of the New York Times Dining Section’s round-up of doughnut shops around NYC. The slide show alone was enough to make even the most diligent dieter reconsider a ban on fried, glazed dough as an acceptable breakfast. We hit up some of the highlights in the Times’ article, but also several more. All in all four official stops with a fifth stop for a much needed salty brunch at a restaurant that also happened to offer homemade maple-dipped doughnut bites with crumbled bacon on top. Life’s tough.

I highly recommend you and at least 2 friends take this tour, especially if you pride yourself on being able to eat a lot of doughnuts. It was harder than I had imagined. Even with sharing in an effort to maximize the flavors you could sample while saving room for the next stop, a sugar coma loomed near. We took the train between each shop which helped a little bit to work up an appetite on the way to the next one. Here’s a few photos (they get blurrier at the later stops, I’ll blame it on the sugar) from each of the four doughnut shops on our tour.

If I had to pick favorites, I’d be torn as they were all so different. I loved loved Dough, our first stop, both because the doughnuts are gorgeous visually, and wonderfully dough-y, the way I like my doughnuts. The second stop, Peter Pan, which I have gone to numerous times, wins for old-school ambience hands down. I love that this place still exists, even if the cake donuts and crullers are more my Grandpa’s thing. The third stop, Doughnut Plant would win the award for novelty and probably have to tie with Dough for flavor. These things are seriously delicious. Lastly, Babycakes would win the award for coolest place to take an out-of town guest (or obviously someone who’s vegan). It’s on a hip street, the inside has a cutesy-retro vibe, and even the clientele are too cool. While we stood there was mostly fashionista/model types (i wonder if they think gluten-free means low-fat?) and one super cool old lady in a turban sitting and eating her gluten-free, vegan treat.

Sorry, I guess you’ll have to go to all 4 of them. And, if you find yourself in Williamsburg, give me a call and we can grab brunch at the 5th spot, Traif, where we’ll definitely order maple-bacon doughnuts to start the day. Big thanks to Nicole for organizing and Adrian Franks for making the poster.

The #DiscoverDonuts Tweetup Itinerary
Dough – 305 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Peter Pan Donut & Pastry – 727 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Doughnut Plant – 379 Grand Street, NY, NY 10002
Babycakes – 248 Broome Street, NY, NY 10002
Traif – 229 S. 4th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211

                          

Valentine’s day came and went once more without that fancy box of chocolates. I’m not complaining. It maybe worth noting I like chocolate more than anyone else I know, and somehow the only time I’ve ever received chocolates on Valentine’s Day, I had to specifically request them. I think the words were, “you better not come home without a box of chocolates this year”. I could be bitter, but I’m not. Instead, I’ve found the next best solution. I bake whatever I think feels festive to celebrate the holiday, and than go buy myself my own chocolates post-Valentine’s Day for half-off.

I understand that men who don’t eat chocolate may not know where to go. I do, really. I’m older and wiser now, and have accepted that some men just can’t manage to google “top chocolate stores in nyc” to find an answer in less than 30 seconds. It would be unrealistic to expect them to try and research it. I realized I was setting myself up for disappointment because I assumed guys understand that most women wouldn’t walk into a chocolate store and buy themselves a box of truffles without a reason, at least from March through January. It seems guys have been pre-programmed to think that flowers from the corner store is sufficient. And, it is. Especially, if you agree that women of NYC need to lower their (my) expectations, as the writer of this Village Voice article suggests to find love. Truthfully, I’m happy that I get anything at all, because it is the thought that counts. That, and it beats the year I got stood up by another single girlfriend.

Actually this year, I spent a very fulfilling night on Valentine’s Eve, and the next morning (get your mind out of the gutter), baking my festive treat of choice, red velvet cupcakes. It’s the kind of sweet you need a reason to bake, and this seemed like the holiday for something red and decadent. I have to admit that watching the batter swirl around in the mixer till it turns a deep red is almost more fun that eating it. Every time I’ve made a batch, the color seems so vibrant and bright, but then it turns a bit more muted once baked. Next time, I’m really going to up the red so that the color of the finished product is every bit as bright as the pre-baked version. I’m aiming for a color similar to the one Pinch My Salt’s version achieves with a whopping two bottles of red food coloring! I used a tablespoon which seems very skimpy in comparison.

A note about authenticity – there are many schools of thought on what makes a true red velvet cake, and being Southern in origin, of course there are some strong opinions on what is needed in the recipe. In case you missed it, Nicole Taylor, who’s the fabulous host of Hot Grease on Heritage Radio Network, recently discussed the key ingredients to a true Southern red velvet. (The essentials are highlighted in this article by Brooklyn Food activist Adriana Velez). I wish I had found it before I set out to make mine this year. Although, this version is close enough to authentic to please, but not so exact that a good Southern cook wouldn’t find room for improvement. Come to think of it, that’s the way I like my Valentine’s to be, thoughtful and sweet, but not so perfect that it ruins the excitement for the coming year. I’ll always hope maybe next year there will be chocolate.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cream cheese frosting is essential on these.

1 3/4 cup flour
2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/8 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon red food coloring (add more for a brighter color)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Cream cheese frosting to top (your favorite recipe)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with paper liners (makes approx. 18 cupcakes).

Sift flour, baking powder, pinch of salt and cocoa. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then food coloring, then vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with 2/3 cup buttermilk in 2 additions.

Make a well in center, pour remaining 1/3 cup buttermilk, vinegar and baking soda in center. When you see little bubbles, stir into the batter.

Pour batter into muffin tins and bake about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.