goodness

Since I’m just back from vacation, I’m happy to be back in my kitchen.  However, I’ve been reading (a lot) about a particular eating space that has just opened up…  and as soon as I wish to splash out a little, I know where I want to go.

Fish & Game: An Ode to Hudson’s Tasty Past in Rural Intelligence

Where Basic Ingredients Rule in the New York Times

Zak Pelaccio Cutting the Fat, Glazing Turnips Instead in the New York Observer

Straight from the field to the plate in the Times Union

Our Man in Hudson in A Cook Blog (Edible Hudson Valley)

Perhaps once the fuss dies down a bit?

eating elsewhere

the rooftops of Jerusalem

I was out of town for a couple of weeks, and as usual, eating. While we went to some gorgeous places for dinners, the lunches were my favorite.

a spread at a restaurant in the Muslim quarter

fish at a restaurant in Jaffa

I always love dessert

goats milk yogurt and cheeses at Nataf, in the hills outside of Jerusalem

falafel with pesto and goat cheese

eggplant and garlic pizza in Tivron, north of Haifa

borekas

more borekas, and some turkish delight

The Levinski market in Tel Aviv on Fridays was fantastic

dried fruit

favorite garenim: sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds

spices

more nuts and seeds

a corner shop at the Levinski Market

We definitely should have spent more time here…

As beautiful as all of this was, I am happy to be back in my kitchen again.  What are you cooking these days?

food and drink doings

Tap New York is this weekend at Hunter Mountain.  I am sorely tempted to attend “New York’s largest craft beer festival” but then how would I ever stagger home???

Chronogram did an article on Hudson Valley Breweries, and I find I’ve only been to one of them: Brewery Ommegang.  But really, where is their mention of Crossroads Brewing Company or Chatham Brewing or Browns Brewing???  They are all delicious…

***

This weekend (meaning Saturday 4/27) check out the “Colossal Cookbook Sale” at the Library, from 10am – 2pm.  Here are my treasures:

Because I needed more cookbooks…  And just in case my to-read pile wasn’t big enough, I got my hands on the last copy at Tractor Supply of this beauty:

***

If you get a chance to eat out this weekend, note that 3FortySeven Warren Street is opening up (sans Tortillaville until May).  I can’t wait until BackBar becomes official…

***

Next weekend is a big food weekend here in Hudson NY.

The Hudson Farmers’ Market is back outdoors starting Saturday May 4th, 9am – 1pm at Columbia and North 6th Street.  It’s been great to watch it expand over the years – it makes me happy.

The 3rd Annual Ramp Fest Hudson happens at the Basilica on Saturday, May 4th, 12 – 4pm.  Get there early.  Remember that my loss (I’m out-of-town) is your gain (there will be more to eat).  Be nice to the photographer Smith.

AND there will be a wine AND chocolate tasting at Verdigris.  In our town of yummy options, Verdigris is a haven filled with treats of all sorts.  The question for me -always- is where do I begin?

You have one week to build your endurance for this food-filled weekend!

***

Now, can anyone tell me what this crazy van on North 6th Street is about???

***

I’m off for a couple of weeks to the land of palm trees and hummus.  No worries – I will continue to eat well…

foraging for a festival

Ramps are about to become an endangered species:

The 3rd Annual Ramp Fest is happening Saturday, May 4, 2013 from 12 – 4pm.  Chefs from Hudson, the Hudson Valley and NYC will participate by making all sorts of lovely tastes featuring ramps.  Don’t be crazy and show up at 3pm – you will not eat.  I am devastated that I will be out-of-town that day.  Since at the previous two fests I seemed to try everything at least twice, that means that there is more food for you.

sigh.

I will have to do my own foraging.  I once thought I had found *a* ramp under a tree in our yard – but I am quite sure that whatever I found was not edible.  We can usually find ramps at the Hudson Farmers’ Market, but they’re not out yet (it’s too cold).  However, I consistently find dandelion greens in my ever-so-organic lawn (meaning, I don’t do anything more than mow it).  Last year I tossed dandelion greens with a simple vinaigrette and it made a great crostini.

This year I think I may try a dandelion soup with chives from a recipe I found on Chefs Consortium – it looks lovely and sophisticated.  Once I uncover my garden from its lasagna garden layering and let the sun shine through, I will surely have purslane and that often makes a nice little side salad.

The anticipation that accompanies Spring is sometimes overwhelming, no?

reading and eating

Officially it’s Spring but it’s still cold outside, and I haven’t seen the self-serve spinach stand pop up at Eger Brothers (corner of 23rd/9/10 just outside of Hudson).  However, it feels like things are really heating up, at least online.

This weekend the thing to do is go to Verdigris Tea & Chocolate Bar for their latest chocolate tasting – and this is a chocolate and chocolate tea tasting!  Hmmm….  curious.  The tasting is Saturday 3/30 at 5pm at Verdigris, 135 Warren Street.  Call ahead, just in case – I would hate to steer you wrong.

If you haven’t yet bought your Easter candy, head now to Vasilow’s Confectionery, who recently had a nice feature in the Daily Freeman.  I’m always torn between the malt balls and the great variety of licorice…

Haven’t you been curious about Verdigris’ former space at South 3rd?  Michael Davis of 3FortySeven gives us the scoop on what’s been happening inside the future Fish & Game.

And while Zak Pelaccio and Lady Jayne are working out the details on Fish & Game restaurant, he wrote a great guide to eating and doing in Hudson.

The Crimson Sparrow has gotten a couple of great mentions lately, in the Times Union and in Chronogram.  And they’re involved in a friendly face-off with Berkshire chefs in the ChefX Dinners, happening April 7 at Crimson Sparrow with Berkshire chefs, and April 29 in Great Barrington featuring Hudson restuarants The Crimson Sparrow, Helsinki Hudson, Grazin Diner, Swoon Kitchenbar and Local 111 (from Philmont and YAY for a female chef!!!).

***

I’ve eaten my matzo brie and matzo crack, and it’s about time for hot cross buns and way too much Easter candy…

Maple Weekend(s) 2013

Woo-hoo!  It’s maple syrup season again and it is time to stock up on my year’s supply of maple syrup…

We have not one, but TWO weekends to visit area sugar shacks and buy way too much maple syrup.  As the owner of a gallon, I can talk.  Get into your car either March 16-17 or March 23-24 and head out to learn more about maple syrup production and buy direct from the producer.  Information can be found about the NY State Maple Weekends online and on Facebook, but you’ll have to dig a bit to find producers in Columbia County.  They’re here, just not on the list.

Be sure to check out Black Berry Hill Farm out in the Bell’s Pond area (call first please!).

And the Register-Star recently highlighted the production by a Hudson Farmers’ Market favorite Farm at Millers Crossing.

***

And then what?

Sometimes I boil a couple of brand-new empty bottles (I like ones that looks like flasks) and then fill them with liquid love to share.  People in warmer climes are appreciative.  However, you know me – I like to eat.

I can recommend the healthy Maple Scones for breakfast or tea.  They’re almost savory, and a co-worker suggested that a glass of bourbon might complement them well.  My thoughts exactly.  I can also strongly recommend this Maple Parsnip cake.  You need to buy almond meal, but between that and the parnips practically melting in the cake, it’s almost better than carrot cake – no cream cheese frosting required.  I served it with whipped cream slightly sweetened with a bit of maple syrup.  Of course.  Olive Oil granola is also a great favorite, as the sweetener is – you guessed it – maple syrup.

***

You know what else goes with maple syrup?  BACON.  Have you tried the bacon from Swoon available at Lick the Market?  Good grief, get yourself down there (253 Warren, Friday/Saturday/Sunday) and buy some Swoon Bacon.  Then cook all of it.  And eat.  Don’t even try to save any for later… (Er, no picture available because we ate it all).

still hibernating…

I have a mild cold this cold weekend, so I’ve stayed home with my box of kleenix, catching up on reading when I’m not napping.

Or planning what I’m up to next.

Next weekend, the 2nd Farming our Future gathering is happening at Taconic Hills High School on Saturday, 2/23/2013 from 9am – 4:30pm.  I went last year.  This is a good community of local people talking about food.  And we must keep talking.

Chef Hugh Horner (The Restaurant at Helsinki) will host his next Eat Food or Die podcast rescheduled for Monday 2/25 at 2:00pm.  This month he will be talking about Hudson Valley farms and the food community – how timely!  If you can’t catch it live, go to WGXC.org for replay.

Want to support WGXC but feel you have no money to give?  Every Monday is Macchiato Monday at Swallow Espresso & Coffee.  Donate at least $3 to WGXC at Swallow on a Monday *in the month of February and get a free macchiato.  Caffeination and crazy community radio – it’s win-win!

Not local but still pertinent: have you kept up on the case of the 75 year old farmer against Monsanto regarding the ownership of seed?  It’s reaching the Supreme Court this season – you can catch up on details here.  While the case started with soybeans, it will have far-reaching consequences for our whole food chain.

Hopefully by March I will be willing to spend more than mere minutes outside.  Maple Syrup weekend(s) are coming up this year March 16-17 and March 23-24, 2013.  We have no producers in Columbia County willing to open up to the public (in a way, I don’t blame them) although I’ve seen the tell-tale tubing in the forests in the Ancram area.  Maple Syrup Road-trip!

In the meantime, I’m staying warmly inside.  This morning I made popovers – nothing like eggy bread with butter and very strong coffee on a cold winter morning.