Sure, you might live in Brooklyn now, with your bird tattoos and your freelance design job, but there was a time—a time that you don’t like to talk about—when you lived in the Midwest, perhaps as a child. And in that time, you loved to eat the quintessential Midwestern mom dish: casseroles. Don’t be ashamed. Revel in your love of the one-pot dish: the flaky crust, the hearty filling, the cheesy topping. Then take that love and show the world you’re not afraid at the 7th annual Casserole Party, October 24 at the Brooklyn Kitchen. more ›

A few months ago Red Hook beekeepers were surprised to find their bees drinking juice from the local maraschino cherry factory and producing red goo instead of local, golden honey that could sell for a pretty penny. But why let the inventory go to waste? According to Grub Street, Red Hook beekeepers will be giving away free samples of the red stuff at Brooklyn Kitchen on February 12th from noon to 1 p.m., and small batches will be available for purchase. What's the over/under on how long it takes the mixologists to add it to whiskey and sell it for $15? more ›

Click on the images for all the details on the Insect Tasting Menu at the Brooklyn Kitchen, the all-season allure of Upstairs at The Kimberly Hotel, and Eating Locally, Thinking Globally at the Mae Mae Cafe more ›

Pork "is at the heart of the menu" in the Gramercy Park Hotel's new Maialino, says Sam Sifton, in a two-star review. Danny Meyer's new trattoria "looks like a Pottery Barn. But the bar is custom work: elegant and spare. It’s as pleasant a place for a breakfast coffee or lunch salad as for an evening glass of Frascati." Maialino serves classics from spaghetti alla carbonara to stracciatella, but the showpieces are the pork-inspired dishes. "Loin, belly, ribs and shoulder, these become the restaurant’s centerpiece meal, maialino al forno, which appears only to be listed as a special to avoid having a $72 entree on a menu that otherwise tops out at $32....pork at its best." more ›

This week the world-renowned butcher (or at least borough-renowned) Tom Mylan opened his chop shop in Brooklyn. The Meat Hook has been alive on the internet for some time, with Twitter and Tumblr keeping carnivores up-to-date with the progress at 100 Frost Street in Williamsburg. more ›

If you're going to eat meat, it's always good to know where it comes from. Not just how it was raised and if it was humanely slaughtered, which are both important, but where on the animal it came from. Many people (shameful carnivores?) are loathe to make this leap and prefer to think that their chops come straight from a pink styrofoam package, but for those who do, now's your chance to learn. more ›

It seems like every other weekend, Brooklyn is home to some kind of homestyle cooking competition, with a constant rotation of cupcake-offs, chili massacres, a big jerk-off, and probably some vegan tofu spread-a-thons somewhere. Prizes at these things are typically anything from homely trophies to a few cans of PBR, but the just-announced, upcoming inaugural Risotto Challenge is something special indeed: The prizes are going to be very nice. More on that below. more ›

We spent this past weekend in a tranqil cabin on a lake (ahhh). Cooking was a big part of the weekend, and although the kitchen was relatively well-equipped with the basics, we realized very quickly that there was one thing that would have made it even better -- one solid, sharp chef's knife. One sharp knife is better than several dull ones, and it can make up for the lack of other tools, like a vegetable peeler. more ›

July 19: Summer Wine Tasting more ›

If you've never played petanque, head on down to Smith Street for North America's largest petanque tournament -- the two block stretch betweeen Bergen and Pacific will be shut down and covered with sand just for the occasion. While your'e watching the action, enjoy special cocktails from Ricard and other drink specials ($5-6), nibble on grilled merguez and chicken sandwiches ($5) and groove to Jazz band Blue Orchid will provide the entertainment throughout the day. 11:30am - 8pm, free admission, sponsored by Bar Tabac, Robin des Bois, Ricard and the South Brooklyn Local Development Corporation. 128 Smith Street at Dean Street, 718-923-0918. more ›

Join Saxelby Cheesemongers for a day trip to the Valley Shepherd Creamery in New Jersey to see a sheep dairy in action. Learn about the cheesemaking process from start to finish and end the day with a picnic on the farm. 11 am to 7 pm. Tickets are $75 and are available online. more ›

Ever wonder how some of Brooklyn's finest rockers live? Design Sponge takes a look at Les Savy Fav frontman, Tim Harrington's Williamsburg apartment...and it's definitely not what we expected! Perhaps more surprising than finding out Adrian Grenier insulated his Brooklyn home with jeans, is that Harrington's got great style. more ›

EVENT: The Brooklyn Kitchen is hosting a series of live in-store cooking demos with local rockers to help celebrate the release of Kara Zuaro’s new book, I Like Food, Food Tastes Good.. Tonight, Les Savy Fav frontman Tim Harrington will school us all in ceviche while likely wearing one of his very own aprons. more ›

At half past six sharp on Wednesday, The First Annual Spring Cupcake Cookoff will take place at The Brooklyn Kitchen. This event will break the paper-wrapped baked goods up into three competition categories: the basic floor model (they’re calling it “Pure and Simple”), souped-up (“Additions”), and the Hot Rod (“Decorator’s Delight: Go crazy!” --emphasis ours). A small panel of exceptionally qualified buttercream and lavender sugar judges, including Melanie Schrimpe of Cheeks Bakery, and Jimmy Fallon agoniste Joe Garden, will be on hand to sort the entries. Ribbons will be awarded in each cupcake class, and a trophy of some kind will go home with the baker who takes Best In Show. All are welcome at the event. more ›

Something new to add to the list of kitchen gear that very well may change your life forever: the Baker’s Edge Brownie Pan. Rejoice, all you edge-lovers of brownies, blondies, snickerdoodle bars, whatever- this one’s for you. Made of cast aluminum and sporting a blocky M-shape, with interior sidewalls spaced 2 and ½ inches apart, the Baker’s Edge pan is designed to give every slice of finished product at least 2, sometimes 3, edges of corner-style distinction. The company claims that the additional surface area provided by the pan’s interior labyrinth not only creates more edge-pieces, but also optimizes their crispiness; the mad scientists over at Cooking For Engineers did a side-by-side comparison test with a standard 9”x13” nonstick baking pan. Baker’s Edge has a retail price of $34 and yields about 15 square brownies per pan, and can also be used for lasagna and gratins. With scissors, some parchment paper, and a can of nonstick spray, it is also entirely conceivable to make one giant, wavy brownie for someone you love- perfect for people whose name starts with the letter M! (or W). At the very least, the maze-like effect of this pan’s unfilled interior is enough to flummox small, furry denizens of some NYC kitchens, so even if you don’t plan on doing a lot of home baking, merely keeping the Baker’s Edge in your cupboard may be enough to slow down some this new wave of rodent intelligentsia that has been plaguing our city’s great restaurants. You never know. Buy it online, or locally at The Brooklyn Kitchen. more ›