Results tagged “edlevine”

Time to dress up and play "I have my own food television show!" If you've ever thought you had it in you, now's the time. Epicurious.com is hosting a contest for the best video on holiday food and entertaining. Submit your entry by January 2, 2008 and have a chance to win prizes including Michael Chiarello cookware and Epicurious.com editors' favorite cookbooks. And if you're quick about it, the first 25 people to submit videos...

• Looking for some of the best coffee in the city? Ed Levine has a few suggestions, including some of our favorites, like Joe, the Art of Coffee and the Mud Spot.
• The Omnivore's Dilemma's Michael Pollan puts in his two cents about recent activity surrounding the Farm Bill, "However many worthwhile programs get tacked onto the farm bill to buy off its critics, they won’t bring meaningful reform to the American food system until the subsidies are addressed — until the underlying rules of the food game are rewritten."
• Congrats to Alain Ducasse, who is marrying his long term girlfriend Gwénaëlle Guéguen at the at the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz

Got a tidbit for us? Send it to the feedbag.

Saturday night’s Vendy Awards ended in victory for “Dosa Man” Thiru Kumar, the all-vegan, South Indian crêpe vendor of Washington Square South who had previously taken the runner-up title for the last two years. At the awards ceremony capping off a 5 hour eat-a-thon, Kumar was presented with the silver “Vendy” trophy by last year’s winner Samiul Haque Noor, from Sammy’s Halal.

"Travis Pickle" courtesy of Wheelhouse Pickles

Got a tidbit for us? Send it to the feedbag.

In case you missed it, earlier this week, Rebecca Charles, owner of Pearl Oyster Bar, filed an intellectual property suit against former sous-chef Ed McFarland, alleging that he had stolen recipes and design ideas when he opened his new restaurant, Ed's Lobster Bar. Here's what has gone down since then. Ed held a press conference. Grub Street describes Ed's response: “I am deeply saddened to learn that Rebecca Charles has brought an action against me,” McFarland announced. “I believe her action has no merit. I harbor no ill will and wish her safely to port.”

The story: a man walks into a clam bar and orders a plate of fried clams, and the confusion begins. “Fried clams” can refer either to squiggly strips a la HoJo’s (RIP), or clam bellies. Otherwise known as Ipswich clams, bellies refer to the shucked ball-and-chain shaped whole bivalve, minus the clam’s soft shell. In its fried form, Ipswich clams are harder to find. Regardless, there are few restaurants that serve fried clams in either form; those that do include the array of boutique oyster bars in Manhattan, and Brooklyn Fish Camp. Also in Brooklyn is the passable but nonetheless iconic Randazzo’s of Sheepshead Bay. For summer, in season clams are starting to appear on special menus: this week, Country is doing an upscale take on clam shack food, serving fried Ipswich bellies with local flounder, sauce gribiche, and frisee salad. And starting July 6th, Savoy will once again offer its special fixed-price summer clambake menu ($60, with clams on the half shell). Meanwhile, up north, the blenders and kitchens at Johnny’s Famous Reef and the rest of City Island’s fish houses are about to go into deep fried overtime. Summer is your best chance to get some real fried clams.

Down at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party Sunday it sure seemed that everybody was having a grand ole' time. It seemed bigger than ever, with people spilled into every nook and cranny of the park, filed into a long row of picnic tables on Madison, and splayed out on to the sidewalk everywhere else. Our group was made of up veterans of the previous four events, had the lay of the land and knew many of the returning players. Everyone had an opinion, but when all was said and done, we enjoyed a delicious day of barbecue.

As we mentioned earlier this week, the vendors who set up shop at the Red Hook ballfields may be at risk for losing their permit. According to the New York Times, the vendors have operated for years under a series of temporary use permits, but now they will have to place a formal bid with the city in order to remain in the space. But the vendors are not guaranteed to win this bid, so the fans of this culinary community institution have rallied behind it.

• We got ourselves a note in the inbox from the folks who run the Big Apple BBQ to let us know that Bubba FastPasses are currently on sale from now till May 25 for the June 9 & 10 event. Gothamist was all over this event last year; look for more great coverage and photos coming up soon. This year should provide a bit of a pre-show glimpse of what local pitmaster Robbie Richter has in store for his new spot Hill Country - a place that should have you very excited. Hit the site to review other pitmasters participating as well as the impressive panelists for seminar series.
• Reading on Grub Street about Cones ice cream and one patron's fight to get Dulce de Leche con Brownie stocked as a regular flavor prompted a pop-in. After spotting the flavor and knowing we needed to order it to see what it was all about, we blew our test tries on corn (not good, very different from Claudia Fleming's seminal version) and pistachio (have you had Ronnybrook ?). Walking home we reflected back that this was probably not the best ice cream we have had and was not even up to snuff with Peanut Butter Ripple the ole' Shake Shack had earlier in the weekend.
• Congratulations to Ganda, who recently grabbed Ed Levine for her “You Are What You Eat” column, on her inclusion on a food blogging panel this Fall for the Gourmet Institute. With a wide variety of panels full of heavy hitter chefs and food personalities, this is a great opportunity for a fantastic food blogger.

Maybe it was just the red carpet, but most of the people we spoke to seemed particularly excited about the new digs for the James Beard Foundation Awards, black-tie affair held last night at Avery Fisher Hall to honor some of the country's best chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary professionals. Susan Ungaro, the President of JBF, noted that originally, James Beard had moved to New York to become an opera singer, but had to earn a living until he hit the big time. He started a catering company and the rest, as they say, is history, but she noted that he would have been pretty excited to be up on that stage.

Got some Hot Sake for us? Send it our way, credit will be given...or not if you prefer.

- While browsing this NYT article about pulperías in Galicia, Spain we are reminded about how good the octopus is at the initially-jeopardized E.U. was when we went Friday. Come to think of it, the Baked Rigatoni with Milk-Braised Berkshire Pork, the Fried Smelts and the meatballs were darn tasty as well.

Much has been written about Death & Company since they came on the East Village scene a few months back. As you likely know by now, high-end cocktail people take their craft quite seriously and Phil, the head bartender here is no exception. Made with an array of well-selected spirits, juices, alternative liquid sweeteners and homemade bitters, each cocktail strives for a chilly, complex, and balanced flavor profile. Many of the drinks offered are not just trendy throwback drinks, but classic old ones refashioned and developed around the desire to showcase a particularly interesting class of spirit and/or producer. Get ready to try some Old Overholt Rye, an artisanal Mezcal, or some old-fashioned-new-kid-on-the-block Plymouth Gin surrounded in a glass by like-minded flavor neighbors. Look at this comment from when Gothamist last wrote about this spot, owner of small mescal producer Del Maguey is thrilled to learn that his product is being showcased. There is a real mutual appreciation here between the owners, customers, the bartenders and spirit makers.

- Florentine specialty gundi gets the Sunday treatment in the Daily News from Irene Sax. April Bloomfield speaks about the “fluffy little bites of love”, Iacopo Falai calls them a “woman's dish”, and Mark Ladner’s recipe from Del Posto is included. Hit DiPalo’s to find the sheep’s milk that is essential for a winning dish at home.

If you're serious about eating, you should check out the latest addition to the food blog/community scene, Serious Eats. The brainchild of Ed Levine, of Ed Levine Eats and author of New York Eats, the site bills itself as "the first website for serious eaters" with the goal in mind "to provide the best, most satisfying food- and drink-related experience on the internet." Ed is joined by other illustrious food bloggers, including Adam Kuban of Slice and A Hamburger Today, Meg Hourihan of Megnut, Adam Roberts of The Amateur Gourmet, the gang at Roadfood.com and Alaina Browne of A Full Belly. We want to extend our congratulations to the Serious Eats team on the launch of their new venture -- go check out the stories, videos, and even photo cartoons, and let us know what you think!

Capturing Rockefeller Center, by mdpNY.

- With T-day approaching, Ed Levine digs deep on pies. At this moment the first 8 posts on the front page are pie related.

Let’s start with some birth announcements.

- Ed Levine wonders aloud if there is such a thing as a "cheap 4 star" eating experience, and then tells us about his, at the Del Posto Enoteca.

- In case you somehow missed it here, on Eater, on Grub Street, or on A Hamburger Today, BLT Burger is now in its soft opening, with their official opening scheduled for Tuesday.

- Last week Ed Levine took a swipe at the Zagat designation of Telepan as Top Newcomer, alleging that is received some localized favoritism. Tim replied in the comments, and now Ed takes a staring role as the big man with a mea culpa.

-- Check out the sausage-fest at the "First Annual Male Escort Awards."

- Ed Levine has a short round up of the Il Buco annual pig roast; looks like it should be on the calendar next year.

- It's Chang-mania! Read and hear all about Momofuku's David Chang at Off the Broiler and The Villager. Then go get one of his Ssäm.