GrowNYC's 'Concord Crush' Happy Hour at Project Farmhouse

By Liz Neumark

FRIDAY NIGHT AT PROJECT FARMHOUSE WAS A BACCHANALIAN TRIBUTE TO THE CONCORD GRAPE!

According to GrowNYC: “New York State is the second largest producer of Concord Grapes in the United States. Not only are Concords grown in the ‘Grape Belt’ across Lake Erie significant to New York State’s vibrant agricultural composition, they are crucial to the economic stability of communities there. They are also delicious!

To revitalize this iconic Northeastern fruit, Greenmarket has reached out to some of the best chefs, restaurants, and mixologists in New York City. Throughout the month of October, Greenmarket highlighted Concord grapes, as well as the delicious dishes (from appetizers to desserts) and drinks created in New York City restaurants, and capped off the month with a ‘ConcordCrush’ Happy Hour at Project Farmhouse on October 26th, where New Yorkers sampled Concord-infused cuisine.”

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Representing Great Performances (or shall we say Grape Performances!) were Chefs Monica Ng and Saul Bolton.

Chef Monica, who is the Executive Pastry Chef for the company and oversees the creation of countless desserts, breads and treats daily, created a Concord Grape Marble Cheesecake. Chef Saul, Michelin Starred for his landmark restaurant in Brooklyn and oversees, The Norm at Brooklyn Museum for the company, created a Terrine of layered Hudson Valley Duck Rillets, Smoked Breast and Foie Gras served with Concord Grape Gelee, Concord Grape Raisins and toasted sweet-salty Walnuts.

Photo Credit: ©Amanda Gentile

10TH ANNUAL LATKE FESTIVAL

By Shelley Clark

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE…LATKE SEASON!

This year’s Latke Festival on December 3 at the Brooklyn Museum will mark the tenth edition of the event produced by Great Performances as a fundraiser for The Sylvia Center, the nutrition education non-profit that helps young people develop the healthy habits that will lead to happier, more productive lives.

The festival, dedicated to the potato pancake and the myriad creative interpretations it can inspire, has become one of the New York City Holiday Season’s most eagerly anticipated – and delicious – annual events.

New for 2018 is an additional winning category. In addition to the Best Latke, as determined by a panel of distinguished food expert judges and a People’s Choice Best Latke voted on by the evening’s guests, there will be Best Traditional Latke, also decided upon by the official judges. This year the panel will see the return of Alicia Glen, the deputy mayor of the City of New York and David Berliner, CEO of the Brooklyn Museum, who will be joined by some notable newcomers, including: Actress Debi Mazar and her Chef husband Gabriele Corcos, the hosts of the Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin; former longtime Editor-In-Chief of Food & Wine and now Executive Director of Speaking Broadly, Dana Cowin; Editor-In-Chief of Gastro Obsura, Alex Mayyasi; and CEO of Four Freedoms Park,

There will also be a number of new restaurants joining Latke Festival veterans such as Benchmark, the 2017 winner for Best Latke with their Plantain, Sweet Potato and Tortilla Latke with Ancho-Braised Chicken, Pickled Onion and Crema and Shelsky’s of Brooklyn, the People’s Choice Winner with a Latke Reuben Caraway Seeded Latke Stuffed with Riesling Braised Sauerkraut and Swiss Cheese, Topped with Corned Beef, along with The Norm, Burger & Lobster, Dizzy’s, Kulushkat, and Velselka. Among the newcomers to the 20-plus restaurant roster are Bricolage, Baoburg, Dutch Boy Burgers, FONDA and White Tiger.

Tickets for the 10th Annual Latke Festival are $75 for General Admission and $110 for VIP perks such as an exclusive lounge. They can be purchased via Eventbrite.

Food Tank

Ending Food Loss and Food Waste Together

By Sarah Prawl

AT GREAT PERFORMANCES, WE STRIVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING FOOD WASTE AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, WHILE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON FOOD WASTE REDUCTION, RECYCLING AND FOOD RECOVERY INITIATIVES.

We are always excited to partner with organizations which align with our mission, and were proud to partner with Food Tank for the second annual NYC Food Tank Summit at New York University’s Tishman Auditorium and feed another sold-out (and hungry) crowd.

Focusing on topics pertaining to Food Loss and Food Waste, The Summit featured 35 speakers and panelists, as well as an engaging dialogue with audience members. Together, everyone tackled tough subjects pertaining to food loss and waste such as systematic challenges, the role restaurants and companies play in fighting food waste, solving food loss on the farm, and fighting food loss and waste from within communities. Going to the core, the discussions educated everyone on the connections between sustainability, food waste, racial justice, public health, etc., and how they all directly affect each other.

To learn more about Food Tank and how you can get involved in the fight against food waste and food loss, click here.

The challenge was set before us! Create an innovative menu and dining experience for the World Science Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center with the following guidelines:

-Serve room temperature foods, family-style
-Preset food on the tables before the guests came into the room
-Incorporate “science” themes and elements, but still maintain recognizable elements
-Create an interactive component
-Design a unique after-party collaborating with Celebrity Chefs for a Science Dessert Party

We embraced every element and came up with the following menu.

FIRST COURSE
Peekytoe Crab and Avocado Salad Pumpernickel and Cherry Tomato Panzanella, Meyer Lemon, Mint
Set on Mini Petri Dishes (see recipe below!)

SCIENCE FAMILY STYLE, ROOM TEMPERATURE DINNER
Baked Potato with Broccoli and Cheddar Soup Served in Test Tubes
Artisanal Bread with Infused Oils and Pecorino Espuma, Foamed to Order
Cold Fried Chicken with Blue Cheese Powder and Red Hot Gelee
Torched Tuna and Swordfish Mosaic, Torched with Hand Torches in front of Guests on Salt Blocks
Mini Croque Madame with Fried Quail Egg
Vegetable Frittata with Hummus and Black Olive
Baby Beet Salad Dill Yogurt, Grapefruit “Caviar”

BUTLERED DESSERTS TO COMPLEMENT CELEBRITY DESSERT CHEFS
Dragon’s Breath Popcorn
Fruit Tartlets
Rice Krispy Lollipop
House Made Nutter Butter

SPECIALTY DRINKS
“The Science Project” Prosecco, Cointreau, Brandy, Grenadine, and Dry Ice Pellets
Red and White Wines in Beeker Carafes

Photographs courtesy of Sean Smith

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Peekytoe Crab Salad

Ingredients:
8 ounces peekytoe crab meat, picked
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 tablespoon chervil, chopped
1.5 teaspoons Thai birds eye chili, seeded and minced
Zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, chili, and zest and juice of lemons.
2. Place crab meat in a separate bowl. Pour oil mixture over crab meat. Add chives and chervil.