We just received this late-breaking press release, and it was too delicious to keep to ourselves... more ›

Why spend $1.59 on a can of Campbell's soup when you can get one for free on Craigslist? Someone in Brooklyn is offering up this Andy Warhol muse for the bargain price of zero dollars, and they'll even meet you in a convenient location for the exchange. They write: more ›

William MacFarland was a product marketing manager for Campbell's at the time Andy Warhol turned their soup cans into a now-iconic work of art. In 1964, MacFarland took pen to paper to write this letter to the artist (full transcript below)—sent to 1342 Lexington Avenue, site of the first Factory. In it Warhol is told that MacFarland wishes he could afford one of his paintings, and then informs him that, "I have learned that you like Tomato Soup. I am taking the liberty of having a couple of cases of our Tomato Soup delivered to you at this address." Wonder if Warhol repaid him with a painting... [via NYMag] more ›

The big Pop Burger location that opened on East 58th Street last winter has gotten a threatening letter from lawyers because of a wall-length mural depicting Andy Warhol's famed Campbell's soup cans. What's funny is that it's not the Warhol estate who sent the C&D, but the Campbell corporation, who contend that customers will think that the burger mecca is "affiliated with or sponsored by Campbell in some way." Speaking to the Post, a Pop Burger rep went ape on the 139-year-old soup company: "Who knew that Campbell's Soup still existed? The only reason they are probably still in business is because Andy gave them a place in pop culture history that will forever be celebrated as some of the best art work ever created. And as for their request—come and try to take them down. They don't have a can to p - - - in or a window to throw it out of regarding the legality of their request." more ›

Everyone knows that ramps and bacon go well together. Everyone who knows about ramps, that is – and if you don't, get down to the Union Square greenmarket or the Park Slope Food Co-op sometime in the next few weeks before they disappear for the year! more ›

If you're wandering what to do with the rhubarb that's starting to appear in stores lately, try pairing it with these shortbread cookies filled with nicoise olives. Alternating sips of rhubarb soup with crumbly, salty bites of olive cookies is a wonderful way to start a spring meal. Recipe after the jump. more ›

The New York Times had an article on gelatin clarification last fall, The Essence of Nearly Anything, Drop by Limpid Drop by Harold McGee. The idea is that you can create a perfectly clear broth that tastes like anything – chocolate, ranch dressing, brown butter, whatever you like. All you need is enough fridge and freezer space to set up a gelatin clarification system. more ›

At this point, it's hard to tell whether Ed Begley, Jr. is more famous for his decades of acting or his decades of environmentalism. Sure, he's logged over 200 appearances on stage, film and television, including his Emmy-winning breakout role on St. Elsewhere and his priceless turn on Arrested Development. But his funniest performance is arguably his self-effacing cameo as a hardcore green activist in the classic 1999 Simpsons episode "Homer to the Max", in which he's shown driving a nonpolluting go-cart powered by his "own sense of self-satisfaction." Off screen, he's embraced this role of ardent environmentalist with an infectious positivity and seemingly tireless commitment to reducing his own impact on an increasingly injured ecosystem. The many green improvements to his largely solar powered, energy efficient home have been documented in the amusing and informative reality show Living With Ed, and now a newly published book offers a wide range of changes readers can implement to make their lifestyles more sustainable. Called Living Like Ed, it's as inspiring as it is handy, and Begley will be at the Strand bookstore at 7pm tonight for a reading and book signing organized by Environmental Defense. more ›

For a pair of diners with zero romantic involvement, Soba Totto proved the perfect refuge from the relentless Valentine’s Day spirit. Thanks to owner Ryuichi “Bobby” Munekata, the man behind upscale yakitori joints Yakitori Totto and Torys, Soba Totto is one of the few Japanese spots in town offering both top-notch soba and top-flight yakitori. In a begrudging acknowledgment of the so-called holiday, two juicy skewers of hatsu, or chicken heart, were ordered. more ›

Frank Bruni, the Times’s top restaurant critic, awards the new 2nd Avenue Deli one star today, which isn’t bad considering it is, despite all the history, still a deli. We popped in there for food and photos just before it reopened at its East 33rd Street location and found the sandwiches (pictured) as monumental as ever; a second visit turned up no sign of the free bowl of gribenes (chicken skin fried in chicken fat) that the owner Jeremy Lebewohl had promised free at every table. more ›

Okay, it's freezing. Not just freezing -- bone chillingly bitter. We've been at our desk for hours now and still can't manage to fight off the chill from our morning commute. This kind of weather makes us crave warm, cozy comfort food -- hopefully at least one of these options is close enough to you for a quick dash out, or even better, to deliver to you. more ›

Everyone is abuzz about the latest art world scandal, and here's what is known about the life of the Warhol painting at the center of the controversy.

1981: Andy Warhol creates a number of his "Dollar Sign" pieces, using the same theme with different colors and sizes. Medium: polymer paint and silkscreen ink on canvas. more ›

This soup is of Georgian origin, where pairing red beans and walnuts appears to be some sort of national pastime. It's a rustic soup, lusciously creamy and actually good for you, too. (Unless you overload on the olive oil, that is. Since we don't specify quantities on that, it's entirely your call.) more ›

On any given night, visitors to The Stanton Social may encounter Executive Chef-Owner Chris Santos making his post-rush rounds through the dining room, or they might not: Problem is that the rush at the restaurant, which can feed (between its bar, lounge, and dining room) up to 200 people at a clip, sometimes just doesn’t let up. The 36 year-old Santos, who says he “feels 39,” is known for food that ditches ornate, mother-sauce heavy... more ›

Yesterday Imus returned to radio, which means somewhere Al Sharpton was talking about it. Happy with the changes, but not quite certain the controversial cowboy will stick to them, Sharpton announced at a press conference yesterday that: "I can only wait and see if his deeds will follow up his words. I know the statements that he made we will continue to monitor as we'll monitor others." He also commented on the new sidekicks, saying,... more ›

East and West Village sweet tooths went into withdrawal last weekend with the abrupt closure of both Mary’s Dairy ice cream and chocolate bars. The plucky little parlors had developed a loyal following since scooping out their first location in a former West Village leather shop. They soon became a favorite pit stop for lithe model-types who swore by their tasty fat-free soft serve, which, according to the Times, succeeded in avoiding “the chalky taste of similar products.” Reached by phone this morning, the co-owner of the parlors, who insisted on being referred to only as Mary, blamed the usual suspects in her Dairy’s demise: “We have very loyal customers who all say they’re going to miss us, but it just comes down to Con Ed and rent.” First Con Ed came for the ice cream – can Christmas be far behind? more ›

This is meant as a direct response to the question - what do you do when you come across a monstrously large sweet potato that stares you in the face and demands to be bested? more ›

Diamond asked the residents of New York City's most diverse nabe about their food preferences and solicited recipes. Her project, which is being presented by the Queens Museum of Art, runs through October 14. The goal of "This Is What Eat," is to "unite and empower its readers through food." Based on the diversity of recipes it seems to be a resounding success. The dishes run the cultural gamut from red beans and rice and macaroni cheese to shrimp ceviche and Belgium Chicken Soup. more ›

Mid to late August is the perfect time to catch two locally grown vegetables at the top of their game. At the very beginning of the month, bush lima beans are most buttery and vibrant. The very last weekend in August is also the best time to try Long Island corn. It is around Labor Day weekend that local corn is its sweetest and most flavorful. more ›

Tod Seelie’s stunning photographs chronicle the wild lives and raw vistas of the international DIY counterculture. On his must-read weblog Sucka Pants, he adds cryptic comments about his travels and other observations about life as a starving-artist Brooklyn cycling photog. Seelie has been spending the first part of his summer with the Miss Rockaway Armada, a collective of artists, dreamers and misfits who, for the second year running, build and sail a group of vessels down the Mississippi River. We recently spoke with Seelie from the trip about how the adventure has gone so far. more ›

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Brooklyn’s sprawling Chinatown, concentrated on 8th Avenue from 62nd to 42nd Streets, has an array of bakeries, dim sum houses, noodle take-out shops. Mixed into the neighborhood are some Malaysian restaurants, Vietnamese sandwich shops, and even a branch of the chain Hong Kong Supermarket. Lower Sunset Park rents and smaller, rentable square footage make it ideal for a crop of modest, decent restaurants. Because it’s less touristy than Manhattan’s Chinatown, it is also a great area to get lunch, dinner, or both in a less frenetic, and less theatrical, setting. more ›

Blimpies, Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, and Starbucks. All these chains have popped up in Greenpoint along Manhattan Avenue since last year. Today, Manhattan Ave. gets an Original Soup Man (aka the Soup Nazi). Gothamist stopped in to sample the wares and went with a bowl of the lobster bisque. We didn't even have to ask for bread, as the franchises seem to give you bread and a choice of fruit for free (sorry, George Costanza). On the downside, the soup was salty and expensive at $9.95 +tax. While pricing like that might fly in midtown Manhattan, it seemed somewhat outrageous for Greenpoint. more ›

We caught Pete and J earlier this year at the Living Room and their sound fit and filled the space perfectly. They put their own twist on folk rock that you can check out this Saturday when they play the venue again. But first, get to know your friendly neighborhood troubadours... more ›

PARTY: The L Magazine celebrates their fourth year and 100th issue tonight at their Fourth-Annual Centennial Party. There will be complimentary tequila and goodies from Brooklyn Industries and Crumpler. Come, drink, celebrate and don't think about the hangover you'll have tomorrow. more ›

It's a gorgeous day out (high of 76 degrees!), so we're going to echo our earlier suggestion for an outside Saturday event. Head to Chinatown for the Taste of Chinatown, where you can try a number of different Asian foods for $1-2. According to a menu, the dishes include "Peking Duck, Shrimp Salad, Green Curry Chicken, Thai Spring Roll, Papaya Salad, Banana Sticky Rice, Thai Iced Tea, BBQ Pork/Duck/Ribs, Fried Squid, Grilled Beef Papaya Salad, Lobster Balls, Vegetarian BBQ "Roast Pork," Shark Fin Soup, Oyster Flavored Jerky, Vietnamese Sandwich, Mango Pudding." more ›

- Passover is here, so naturally it is time for matzo brei, there was even a brei off at Makor over the weekend. While we are at it, here is a take on matzo ball soup for the excellent Cooking for Engineers. more ›

Holly Schlesinger is the booking power behind Invite Them Up, the East Village's most popular weekly comedy show, but she's also got a flourishing career in the field of television. She's worked on Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist, Home Movies, is the creator of O'Grady, and is currently working on Adult Swim's Lucy, Daughter of The Devil. And it all started with a college internship. more ›