Earlier this year Queens became the latest borough to join the Edible magazine family, a national network of about 60 magazines that cover local food trends and everything artisanal. The second issue of the Queens quarterly drops later this month, and the Daily News marks the occasion by interviewing publisher Leah McLaughlin, who moved to Long Island City three years ago. "We're not just an offshoot of Manhattan," McLaughlin insists. "We're not second fiddle to Brooklyn. Our community is incredibly vibrant and incredibly vital to the success of the region." Okay, fine, nobody's picking on Queens—but when will Staten Island and the Bronx get the Edible treatment? more ›

The case for locally produced and consumed food will once again be discussed next Tuesday at a Museum of the City of New York forum that includes Blue Hill chef/owner Dan Barber and Greenmarket director Michael Hurwitz. Another speaker is Ian Marvy of Red Hook’s Added Value, whose farm will be just one of many volunteer sites comprising tomorrow's massive Earth Day initiative called the Green Apple Festival. The forum, an affordable $12, will be moderated by Gabrielle Langholtz, editor-in-chief of Edible Manhattan and Edible Brooklyn (the new Brooklyn issue features a behind the scenes look at Williamsburg biscuit lair Egg, and a tour of Brooklyn’s many tortillerias). Looking ahead, one more tidbit of locavore news— New Amsterdam Market announced today that June 28 will be the date of the first Monthly Market for 2009; details, including a location, are forthcoming. more ›

What kinds of food does the man who buys nothing keep inside his refrigerator? More than you’d expect, apparently. An article in the new issue of Edible Brooklyn takes a close look at the good Reverend Billy’s kitchen, and finds out that the man stocks his shelves for the most part with freebies and trades: "The trash-can came out of the trash," he says, and the drinking glasses are the repurposed glass exteriors of old prayer candles. The performance artist and figurehead of the Church of Stop Shopping has been arrested more than 50 times; the article accordingly depicts a man who likes to ease his crusade-heavy lifestyle with a nip of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar in the morning. From a photo, it even seems that the Reverend might cure his own olives. The winter Edible Brooklyn is not yet online, but the hard copy can be found throughout the borough. For free. more ›

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The experts at the Italian Wine Merchants can show you how to build up your wine collection beyond those bottles that were left over from your last party. During the course of the afternoon, you'll taste eight Italian wines including vintage Barolo, Brunello, Super-Tuscans, and more while sampling assorted antipasti. $125 per person. Reservations required and can be made online or by calling 212-473-2323 x106. 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Italian Wine Merchants, 108 East 16th Street. more ›

May 12: Brooklyn Pigfest more ›

Two weeks ago, our friends over at Bostonist posted a very scary map plotting more than 50 Dunkin Donuts locations within a five-mile radius of their city’s Downtown Crossing. The actual number of New York Dunkin Donuts locations, parameters widened to include Port Authority based kiosks and airport locations, is likely to be more than a baker’s dozen for any given five mile radius. So yeah, sure, it seems America runs on Dunkin and all that, spokespersonality Rachael Ray is somewhere yummo-ing™ with a Vanilla Bean Coolatta®, and the donut war is over. Resistance is futile. Your donuts will herewith be stale and taste like cake mix. more ›

- This week in Momofuku hype, a short love note as expressed via a T-shirt and a litany of chefs cite the joint as their go-to spots. more ›

While not listed on the website, a small bird-shaped source tells us that the gigantic (website says 66k vs. 90k sq.ft. in reality) Whole Foods in the Avalon Christie on Houston & Bowery will open in April 2007, an almost 1 year delay. Same little birdie says that contrary to reports elsewhere, they will also get to build a Whole Foods wine store (maybe not liquor) to replace the one forced out of the Columbus Circle store. more ›

- Due to reading too many "Best Steakhouses in America" lists in the back of in-flight magazines we normally would shrug off a list like The World's 50 Best Restaurants as published recently by William Reed Publishing Ltd. After recognizing some American and European panelists, we are inclined to save it in order to help plan high-end dining around most continents. more ›