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…

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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:

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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…

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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!

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

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

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!!!).

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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.

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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.

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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.

look at the light

Painting by Dennis Wojtkiewicz

Even though I bought a million books over the holidays with great intentions to amp up my reading, I’m here at my computer gazing at images.  Of food.  Of course.

You can find more from this artist here and here.

wandering, escaping…

I’ve been a refugee upstate the past couple of days, as earlier in the week I was stuck in the darkness for a couple of days in NYC…  What a lovely time to be upstate!

Saturday was a day for foodie fieldtrips, and what a fun time.  I started, of course, at the Hudson Farmers Market.  I picked up some staples for the week, trying to not get carried away and buying more than I will realistically cook.  It’s an ongoing battle.

Early afternoon I joined a neighbor to visit Omi International Arts Center in Ghent for a book signing and marmalade tasting by Elizabeth Field for her first book, Marmalade: Sweet and Savory Spreads for a Sophisticated Taste.  As a baker, the unpredictability of marmalade, jellies and jams makes my hair stand up on end, but the recipes are compelling and I’m always willing to try some new recipes.  And who better to inspire me than a woman who did her Master’s dissertation on marmalade???  Ms. Field also has an article in the New York Times today on – you guessed it – marmalade.

Since it was such a lovely day and I didn’t feel like working on the garden anymore, my OH and I jumped in the car and drove down to Ancram for the opening of Hillrock Estate Distillery.  Located in the beautiful hills in the Ancram area, this beautiful distillery was built in the past couple of years to take advantage of the terroir – they grown their own barley and rye.  They hope to have their official organic designation next year, and pride themselves on being the only field to bottle bourbon.  Our informative tour was led by Tim Welly, who is in charge of the bourbon production under the guidance of master distiller David Pickerell (formerly of Makers Mark).  While I’m sure it’s incredibly challenging, it sounds like a cool job!  The tour of this gorgeous facility ended with a tasting, and since I like just about any bourbon that’s in front of me, it was tasty.  However, at $80-85 a bottle, I’ll have to save my pennies to have a bottle of my own…  They estimated that they may have had a thousand visitors yesterday, their first day, so it’s a great start for our latest local producer.

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The weather has turned chilly so I’ve been baking and cooking warm comforting autumn-y foods.  I might recommend these delicious recipes:

Autumn Lasagne with Butternut Squash, Sage and Kale from Handpicked Nation

Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese from The Kitchn (this dish was going into the oven as the lights went out)

Couscous with Chickpeas, Fennel & Citrus from The Kitchn (I fed this to the friends who had offered the escape from NYC)

Parmesan-Rosemary Crackers from A Little Saffron – every bite is cheesy deliciousness.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eating Well – every once in awhile I have a flareup of “healthy” eating…

Pumpkin Spice Cookies from The Kitchen – cake-y goodness

Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Guinness cake from The Kitchn – Make. This. Cake.

Happy Eating!

couch potato

I know I should be cooking, but instead I’m either watching the Olympics or sitting in front of my computer gazing/grazing/staring.  I don’t have a lot of energy to do things when it is wicked hot & humid.  I’m obviously not from the South.  Or the North East.  So I look at art online.  I love this:

by Swedish artist Fideli Sundqvist

You can find more of this work here or here.

I think I may drag myself into action to witness? experience? the Marina Abramovic open house on Sunday 8/12.  I love a little huge art happening in our own town.  Actually, the whole town will be happening with the Hudson Music Festival this weekend – I don’t know where to begin.

I wonder if there will be snacks…

food to-do’s:

OK, it’s just way too hot for me to want to move around.  However, if you are freshly showered and wanting to do something other than wilt on your back porch, check out these options over the next month or so:

Monday July 23rd – Acres Co-op Meeting at the Chamber of Commerce, 1 Front Street (7pm).  This might sadly be a dissolution meeting, but as one of the board members said, it could be an opportunity to continue the discussion on the availability of good food in Hudson. (update: Co-op wasn’t dissolved!)

Thursday July 26th – Eat (and Drink) for Books – Support the Library at various restaurants in Hudson.  Loads of restaurants in town are participating – just look for the balloons out front and mention you are there to Eat for Books.  It’s a fabulous idea!

Saturday July 28th – Friends of the Farmer Festival at Copake Country Club in Copake Lake.  For those of you with the $$, there’s a Hootenanny fundraiser the night before.  Come on – don’t you want to say that you’ve been to a hootenanny???

Saturday July 28th (I think) – the Annual Tivoli Pie Contest on Tivoli Yard Sale day.  There is never any advance p.r. – you just have to know that the Annual Tivoli Yard Sale day is the last Saturday of July, and the Pie Contest happens on the front lawn of Tivoli Bread & Baking.  I hope.  I might just be spreading rumors.  Show up with a fork in your back pocket, just in case, at 12 noon.  There might be pie.

Sunday July 29th – the Austerlitz Historical Society 2012 Blueberry Festival in Old Austerlitz.  Eat. More. Blueberries.

(update: how did I miss this?)

Monday August 6th – Taste of Hudson Valley Bounty dinner – great opportunity to taste food from local farms prepared by local chefs

Next month is county fair month: the Dutchess County Fair August 21-26 and the Columbia County Fair August 29 – September 3.  You know you are going there to eat fried things.

And then there will be Taste of Hudson…

Well.  This blows all ideas of eating lightly and simply sweating off the pounds, doesn’t it?

everybody is talking about food these days…

I love it!

Chronogram highlighted local food trucks in its most recent issue and Hudson in an earlier issue, including bits and pieces of our food scene.

The Chatham Courier/Register Star highlighted Chatham Brewing earlier this week, and that they are outgrowing their Chatham garage – stay tuned for future plans.  Bring your growler to the Hudson Farmers Market on Saturday mornings to taste their latest offerings – but don’t wait too long as they often run out!

The Register-Star covers more and more of our food happenings and arrivals in our area.  They recently heralded the arrival of European goat cheese producers at Hudson Valley Creamery out on Route 9 in Livingston.

The Albany Times-Union recently announced the opening of Crimson Sparrow later this month – our newest fabulous restaurant that will surely get some of our citizens up in arms about prices…

For talk about everything food in the upper Hudson Valley – I love the review on local dairy products listing Nettle Meadow’s Kunik cheese as the best – check out the Chef’s Consortium.  Daniel B. (of a FUSSYLittleBLOG) wrote a piece on Coach Farm milk, also for Chef’s Consortium.  Berman is not a chef but he’s definitely an eater, with a definite point of view.

I always want to take a road trip to a restaurant when I read Rural Intelligence.  Sign up for their newsletter or Like them on Facebook to stay on top of things in our larger neck of the woods (including the Berkshires).

Sam Pratt talks about everything, right?, and keeps a handle on our own local food scene here.  The Gossips of Rivertown keeps tabs on architecture and food and etcetera, including the recent rather tragic news that Acres Co-op Food Market is not opening this summer after all. Scott at Upstate’s Downtown / Word on the Street  has covered the big plans at 347 Warren and even included the architectural renderings.   My heart is a-flutter.

Last, but certainly not least (no, really!), Susan Simon Says has moved to our lovely town and now eats and writes in Hudson – a great resource for delicious seasonal meal planning.

I’m hungry again.