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A Yummy September

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A YUMMY SEPTEMBER

By Liz Neumark

It started with Labor Day weekend, naturally. Laboring in the field, gathering delicious fresh veggies; laboring in the kitchen, preparing a feast for family and friends. Nothing is more fun than an all local buffet – the 10-mile menu with the bounty of Katchkie Farm and the Hudson Farmers Market.

What’s next? Jewish New Year, featuring a major food-focused gathering around the table, ushering in a peaceful, delicious and hopeful new year. There have been numerous visits to restaurants, new and old, catching up post-summer with friends; Kish KashBlue Bird from London and abcV to name a few. There were GP parties where our clients embrace our love for seasonality. Trips to Union Square Greenmarket filled in the gaps at my city kitchen along with my weekly workplace CSA bag.

Yes, there was a mid-month Fast Day, but the evening feast more than made up for the deprivation. The bagels and fish from Sables were the stuff dreams are made of (and dream I did! I’ve been back there twice for their addictive herring).

Even the canning got out of control and at months end, the inventory is at 800+ jars. Cook, can, nibble. Cook, can, nibble. The 72 jars of concord grape jelly came out perfectly, equal parts grape and sugar – it is no wonder grape jelly is everyone’s favorite. How about this new one: Salted Brown Sugar Peach Jam? And the fermenting containers of hot sauce are bubbling away. The end is in sight (perhaps). Get your requests in!

Then there is the BEST day of the year – The Vendy Awards on Governors Island: aka the Oscars of the Food Truck World. My daughter and I have a tradition of arriving early and eating our hearts out! The Vendy’s is a fundraiser for the Street Vendor Project which works stands up for vendors rights, many of whom are immigrants and people of color. Its vital work includes lobbying for increasing the cap on food vending permits. Please, support them by feasting with food truck and street vendors often. The 2019 winners are a creative and highly motivated group of entrepreneurs and chefs.

Life does happen around food, especially when we are eating together.