Category Archives: Food and Drink

Food and Drink

New Stuff on the Avenues

DNA Footwear the Brooklyn shoe and boot chain is going in on Seventh Avenue in place of the laundromat between 3rd and 4th Streets. I was so excited about that I had to call my daughter as soon as I saw the sign on Saturday.

Y’know, they sell Uggs. Enough said.

Into Serene Rose, Here’s Park Slope reports, will go a coffee shop. I don’t know if that means a diner coffee shop or a cafe. We shall see.

Also according to Here’s Park Slope, there’s a restaurant merger on Fifth Avenue between 11th and 12th, a real classic diner that’s been there forevah is merging with Green Kitchen, which serves healthy dishes. The old diner menu will be available, too.

Best of both worlds?

Food and Drink

What Kind of Take Out Food Would You Like To See in Slope?

An OTBKB reader and fellow Park Sloper wrote to me yesterday about her desire to open a food establishment in the Slope. She wants to get feedback from neighbors about what they’d like to see:

“Good morning my fellow Park Slopers. I am opening a new food spot in the Slope and I wanted your opinion. I want to make a place that you will definitely want to come back to. I am looking to open up on 7th Ave (can’t give you an exact location yet, but it will be below 10th Street).

“What is something that you want to see eating wise? I am doing this for you so any and all ideas are welcomed. The spot will not be a full blown restaurant, but rather a grab and go spot with some seating areas.”

Note: Respond here or you can send me an email at louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com and I’ll get it to her.

Civics and Urban Life, Food and Drink

Red Cross Tips for Avoiding Thanksgiving Hazards

Today I spoke with Chi Kong Liu, assistant director of web services at the American Red Cross, about the hazards of Thanksgiving and ways that you can avoid fire and other disasters on this day.

He told me that Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires, 90 percent of which are caused by unattended cooking. That’s why the American Red Cross came up with this list of ten tips for keeping your Thanksgiving fire-free:

1.  Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food and keep a fire extinguisher handy. If you leave the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

2.  If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.

3.  Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

4.  Keep anything that can catch fire—potholders, wooden utensils, food wrappers, towels or curtains—away from your stove top.

5.  Make sure your sleeves are out of the way when cooking. Wear tighter fitting clothing with shorter sleeves.

6.  Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

7.  Never hold a child while cooking, drinking or carrying hot foods or liquids.

8.  Turn the handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents.

9.  Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

10. If you are deep frying your turkey, before filling your fryer with oil, take into account how much the oil level will rise with the turkey in the fryer to prevent overspill. Also make sure the turkey is completely thawed in the refrigerator for 3 days. Frying a frozen turkey will splatter violently.

Visit www.nyredcross.org/fire for more fire prevention tips or take an online Turkey cooking quiz.

Food and Drink

Everyone Loves Pies, Farmer’s Market is Open and More

If you’re not making your own pies for Thanksgiving here are a few suggestions:

Wednesday at the Farmer’s Market at Grand Army Plaza (yes it’s open!) Bread Alone is selling pecan, apple and pumpkin pies for $10 each! Get over there soon.

Everybody’s talking about Four and Twenty Blackbirds but you better get over there before they sell out. Tuesday people lined up at 7AM. They will open at 8AM on Thanksgiving and stay open until they sell out of: Salted Caramel Apple, honeyed pumpkin, bittersweet chocolate pecan, bourbon sweet potato…yum.

Lady Bird Bakery is another great bet. Remember when it was Two Little Red Hens? Well, they still have great pies including double crust apple, apple cranberry, Fall medley, chocolate pecan, buttermilk chess…

Cousin John’s will be open on Thanksgiving selling cran-pear, chocolate pudding, key lime, pecan, lemon meringue, mince meat, peach custard…

Food and Drink

Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving

Here are five local restaurants that will be serving Thanksgiving dinner in the area. Per person charges range from $50-$75 (and kids are less). Go to the websites of these restaurants or call them for more information about reservations, rates and menus.

Rosewater will be serving butternut squash soup, rosemary charred smoked turkey breast, seared fluke, baked polenta, pumpkin and apple pie and chocolate pecan bread pudding…

Stone Park Cafe will be serving Pennsylvania natural turkey dinner – roasted breast, confit leg, pan gravy; grilled pork chop– spaghetti squash, pork belly, smoked cranberry bean ragout, pickled mustard seed; pan seared grouper – root vegetable puree, marinated greenbeans, caviar mustard beurre…

Sette Enotecha e Cucina in Park Slope will be serving first courses of pumpkin, apple puree, asparagus fondue with crispy pancetta, artichoke bottoms filled with mushrooms & fontina cheese, wood oven baked clams, spinach salad with poached pears, hazelnuts & gorgonzola cheese, papardelle alla Genovese – (Braised lamb & shaved parmesan cheese) Pansotti filled with butternut squash, goat cheese & apricots – (In a butter & fresh sage sauce), asparagus & mushroom risotto with fresh mascarpone cheese, and of course: oven roasted turkey breast with chest nut & golden raisin stuffing – (Served with sauteed spinach & honey glazed sweet potato)…

Paolo Santo will be serving autumn vegetable soup, quinoa salad, pomegrante with sunchoke and watercress, dark meat braised in Mole Poblano or white meat with traditional fixings…

Purple Yam in Ditmas Park will be serving but instead of the traditional turkey, Purple Yam will celebrate Thanksgiving with chicken slow cooked in bamboo tubes with young coconut juice (buko) and tamarind leaves as its souring agent.  Back home in the Philippines, this is an old and forgotten cooking technique which we are trying to revive.  For my birthday party in Manila this past October, we flew in Mrs. Remedios Sugon of Bacolod to show us this lost art of packing into bamboo tubes the chickens and its flavoring agents of lemongrass, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and native sour leaves known as libas and cashew leaves…

The Farm on Adderly in Ditmas Park is serving Thanksgiving but they are booked. They are taking names for a waiting list so it might be worth a try to get into this cozy, delicious restaurant.


Food and Drink

First Impressions: New Food in Park Slope

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King of Cupcakes on Seventh Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets: First impression: nice people and a delicious red velvet cupcake in this family owned shop that is very brightly lit and pink.

A pop up soup place in Cousin Louie G’s ice cream place. First impression: A variety of good looking soups. Haven’t tried it yet.

The new restaurant where Mac’s/Elementi/Snooky’s used to be will be an Italian/pizza restaurant. First impression: They’re doing an expensive renovation in there and it’s got a brand new exterior.

Crespella Crepe and Espresso Bar on Seventh Avenue next to Smiley Pizza. First impression: Lovely redesign of that new space. Haven’t tried the coffee.

Bagel Market on Seventh Avenue near Union Street: First impression: they serve pastrami and corned beef. Looks crowded already

Food and Drink

Freddy’s Bar Signed Lease for New Fifth Avenue Space

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Freddy’s Bar, the beloved Prospect Heights bar and performance space, which was in many ways the epicenter of Atlantic Yards activism is reopening on Fifth Avenue between 17th and 18th Street in South Park Slope.

For those who don’t remember, the original location was demolished in the name of eminent domain. In other words, because it was in the footprint of the Atlantic Yards project, it was deemed a blight to the neighborhood. Ha!

Seems that the previous owner of Freddy’s is no longer involved in this brand new endeavor and that the Freddy’s staff members have taken over.

The new owners are Donald O’Finn, previous manager and bartender, Matt Khun and Matt Kimmett, both previous Freddy’s bartenders. According to O’Finn, “they are all  highly responsible for the success that Freddy’s enjoyed at it’s past location.”

O’Finn adds that the new Freddy’s team signed the new South Slope lease on the evening of Oct. 21, 2010. That’s last night so this is hot off the presses, folks.

Says O’Finn: “The opening of the doors is contingent on the speed and accuracy of both the State Liquor Authority and the Department of Buildings, as well as the embrace of Community Board.”

Let’s hope it all goes quickly. Good luck to all of you.

Food and Drink

Breuckelen Gin Outta Sunset Park

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I just watched a video about the Breuckelen Gin Distillery on 19th Street in Sunset Park. Brad Estabrook, the owner, says that he decided a few years ago that he wanted to make something by hand and settled on gin because that’s what he likes to drink.

The name caught my eye because it’s Breuckelen, of course, but also because I wondered if it was Dutch style gin, which I tasted at one of Pastor Meeter’s herring festivals at Two Boots.

I still don’t know if it’s Dutch style, no word about that on the site. The site does, however, have loads of information about how they set up the distillery and how they prepare the gin, which is made from local New York grains.

When Estabrook was laid off from his job in finance back in the dark days of December 2008, he had all the motivation he needed to work full time on his artisan distillery.

“The last year and a half have been a lot of work, sweat, and stress, but we are finally open,” he writes on Breucklen’s website. “We are currently producing and selling our Breuckelen Gin.”

I know it’s available at The Greene Grape in Fort Greene:

As of tomorrow, Friday, October 15, Breuckelen Gin, distilled in Sunset Park, is in!  $35 for a 750ml bottle, call us at (718) 797-9463 to reserve yours.  Because this week’s wine is a spirit, we’ll open a few surprise bottles tomorrow, Friday, October 15 from 5-7pm for our regular wine and cheese tasting.

Cheers. Or should I say proost in Dutch?

Food and Drink

Oct 30: Prospect Farm Harvest Fest & Soup Cook-Off

Did you know there’s a 5,000 sq ft community-run urban farm on Prospect Ave between Seeley and Vanderbilt Streets in Windsor Terrace called Prospect Farm.

On October 30th, they are are having a one year anniversary party, Harvest Fest and Soup Cook-Off (rain-date October 31st) at the Prospect Farm 11AM until 4PM. It will be a great way to learn about Prospect Farm’s work, member info, games, music, food, soup cook-off judged for prizes, raffle and more.

Yeah!

Food and Drink

Bklyn Bloggage: food & drink

10 baking essentials: A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn

Apple strudel and apple picking at Hurd Orchards: A Kitchen in Brooklyn

Tips for lunch bringers: 2  Cooks in the Kitchen

Cooking and eating with friends: Community Cooking Club

Brunch at Lilla Cafe: Eat It

Ditch Plains Drop In at Bklyn Bridge Park: Eater

New cheese class: Stinky Bklyn

Bab al Yemen in Bay Ridge: NY Times

The Mama Rosa Hate Parade: Effed in Park Slope

Gross pink goop=Chicken McNuggets: Gizmodo (via Brokelyn)

Grand Canyon on 7th Avenue: Here’s Park Slope

Food and Drink, Shop Local

Hello, Goodbye: Restaurants and Shops in Park Slope

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When it comes to restaurants and shops in Park Slope, sometimes we must say  goodbye to old friends and hello to new ones:

Good bye to:

Artesana Home, the imported rug, furniture and jewelry store, has been a fixture on the corner of 2nd Street and Seventh Avenue in Park Slope for 11 years. Fare thee well.

Long Tan, the longtime Thai eatery on Fifth Avenue between Union and Berkeley is leaving its spot. Fare thee well.

Total Wine Bar on Fifth Avenue between St. Marks and Warren Street, seems to be totally gone. Fare thee well.

Paper xoxo, the card, stationery and specialty design shop is closed. Her online business is still OPEN.

Zana, the cafe/pastry shop right near the Seventh Avenue F train station on Seventh Avenue is gone, gone, gone. Fare thee well.

Hello:
Taro Sushi on Flatbush Avenue at St. Marks Place is open and looking good. Welcome neighbor!

Naruto Rame on Fifth Avenue between 1st Street and Garfield Place is open and serving very tasty soup! Welcome neighbor!

An exspresso cafe is replacing Zana, the above-mentioned cafe/pastry shop near the F Train station. Welcome neighbor whoever  you are!

Food and Drink

Etsy Cooking Club with “2 Cooks in the Kitchen”

2 Cooks in the Kitchen will be the hosts of the first Community Cooking Club at ETSY’s DUMBO headquarters (55 Washington Street in Dumbo between Water and Front Street, suite 512). on Wednesday, October 6th at 6:30PM.

Eleanor Whitney from 2 Cooks will be making lunch dishes suitable to bring to work or school! Apparently tickets for this event are getting scooped up quickly, so make sure to get your $10 CCC ticket online today before they’re all gone!

On the horizon:

On Wednesday, November 10th at 6:30 PM the Community Cooking Club will be hosted by  food writer and cook Cathy Erway of the blog Not
Eating Out in NY and the subsequent book “The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove.”

Food and Drink

Long Tan, Longtime Park Slope Thai, Is Closing

Long Tan, that attractive Thai eatery on Park Slope’s Fifth Avenue, is closing after ten years in business. I’ve had many a meal there (even one birthday party for my husband) and I always enjoyed their curries, their Pad Thai and their delicious wide noodles (Pad See Ew).

The lanterns and bright colored interior always made it a fun place to eat and drink (ginger martinis!). I especially liked their outdoor patio, a pretty place for alfresco dining (and drinking: ginger martinis!).

Apparently, a new cocktail place is coming in a few months.

Best of luck to the Long Tan people! We’ll miss you.

Food and Drink

King of Cupcakes Coming to Park Slope

Coming soon to a space on Seventh Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets in Park Slope: King of Cupcakes. The expensive-looking, well-designed signage has the look of a national chain. Their single-page and uninformative website says they’ve been in existence since 1979.

It does say that they’ll be selling cupcakes, of course, cookies, pies, pastries, bagels, gelato and “the best damn coffee in Brooklyn!”

I like their attitude.

Civics and Urban Life, Food and Drink

Bklyn Bloggage: food & drink

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Apple muffins the old fashioned way: A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn

Sweet corn bruschetta: A Kitchen in Brooklyn

Octoberfest on Fifth: All About Fifth

Would the city shut down your kitchen?: NY Times

Buttermilk Channel is a Michelin BIB pick: Eater

Brunch at Broken English: Eat It

Pig roast of the day: Ditmas Park Blog

The best cheap sandwiches in Brooklyn: Brokelyn

Dude, where’s my coffee?: Brooklyn Based

Food and Drink

Schedule of Food Demos at Park Slope Farmers Market (on Fifth Ave)

The Fifth Avenue BID and Community Markets are launching a weekly cooking demo series with local chefs at the Park Slope Farmers Market on Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 5th Streets (not to be confused with the one at Grand Army Plaza). Starting Sunday, Sept 15 from 2-3:30, local farm ingredients will be used to make specialties from some of your favorite nearby eateries. The schedule, so far, is as follows:

–September 26: Fumiko Akiyama of Kappa Sake House will use local produce and seafood to make two kinds of miso soup.
–October 3: a chef from Belleville will demonstrate how to make some of their Parisian Bistro fare.
–October 10: Irene Lo Re of Aunt Suzie’s will use farm-fresh ingredients to make her famous Southern Italian/Brooklyn specialties.

Additional demos are being planned. Stay tuned to the blog: All About Fifth for more details or go to communitymarkets.biz.

Food and Drink

Tonight: Park Slope Restaurant Tour

No tricks, all treats.

I once said of the Park Slope Restaurant Tour that it looked like trick or treating for adults because there were so many people on Seventh Avenue lined up at various restaurants to sample free food. Although they weren’t wearing costumes and carrying bags of candy, they looked like they were having a lot of fun.

Don’t miss the 3rd Annual Park Slope Restaurant Tour tonight. You get to sample food from more than 30 area restaurants in one night! Stroll along 7th, 6th & 8th Avenues for delicious freebies from participating restaurants. Collect “Return Visit” coupons and get a discount when you visit the next time.  Thursday September 23rd 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

Go to the Buy in Brooklyn website for a full list of participants.

Food and Drink

Sept 23: Park Slope Restaurant Tour

Yet another thing to do on Thursday night! But this is so fun, so easy and so tasty I recommend it to all:

The 3rd Annual Park Slope Restaurant Tour. Sample food from more than 30 area restaurants in one night! Stroll along 7th, 6th & 8th Avenues for delicious freebies from participating restaurants. Collect “Return Visit” coupons and get a discount when you visit the next time.  Thursday September 23rd 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

Go to the Buy in Brooklyn website for a full list of participants.