New York Food Blog

​'Tis the season of cooking... but don't let yourself get caught without a proper manual. Housing Works Used Book Cafe is celebrating the holiday season with a cookbook sale, which runs through this Sunday.

Ever wonder what people were eating at the turn of the century? Brooklynite Sarah Lohman does every day. Her blog Four Pounds Flour chronicles her "retro-innovative" exploration of what people ate back in the day, from slave staples to French Huguenot desserts. Sound like the next big food blog-turned-cookbook deal? Um, yeah...

Cameron Nordholm/flickr

​The New Amsterdam Market is back this Sunday, just in time for the pre-Thanksgiving frenzy.

What would you give for this man's jacket?

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Some people throw their underwear onstage at Tom Jones (or Guy Fieri). Others stand in line for hours to get a copy of their favorite cookbook signed. If you're a die-hard fan of some of the chefs this city has produced, now's your chance to own a piece of them forever.

Eric Harvey Brown

Professional pastry chefs Catherine Carlisle and Diana Holland's miniature chocolate cakes.

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Brooklyn was awash in sugar-shocked hipsters yesterday, some 350 of them packing the Bell House for its first-ever Brooklyn Chocolate Experiment. The consensus among some at Sunday's event was that, although Gotham food competitions are nothing new, the extent to which they're being dominated by ringers just might be. Out of 22 contestants, at least five teams included a professionally trained cook. That said, given that some chocophiles found the cover charge a bit sharp for the current economy ($20 in advance, $25 day of event), they didn't mind the appearance of pros on the scene.

Our weekly dining and drinking newsletter features all the coolest epicurean events in the city. Sign up for it here!

Vegetarian Delights with an Emphasis on Greens ($55)
Indian Culinary Center
November 16
Not even the staunchest of carnivores can refute the appeal of vegetables prepared using the spices and flavors of India. Learn to make such standards as homemade paneer for Paneer with Bell Peppers, as well as Spicy and Tangy Potato Curry, Spicy Roadside Style Chickpeas, Cauliflower with Fresh Ginger and Peas, and Pooris (fried puffy bread). A tasty and healthy Carrot Halwa rounds out the menu for dessert.

Matsuri's Japanese Hot Pot and Sake Pairing ($35)
Matsuri, The Maritime Hotel
November 17
Chef Tadashi Ono is celebrating his new cookbook Japanese Hot Pots with a new fall/winter Hot Pot menu at the restaurant, as well as a pairing dinner featuring hot pots and sakes from all over Japan. Tadashi and co-author Harris Salat will be on-hand to discuss the traditional one-pot meals, made of savory broths, fresh meats and produce, and classic Japanese ingredients, as well as to sign copies of the book.

Courtesy Jeff Orlick and iwantmorefood.com

​ There are way too many expensive, low-quality food events in this town (ahem, Dumpling Festival), but Jeff Orlick's food crawls are neighborly, casual affairs--free (except the cost of food), and focused on seeking out sheer deliciousness. Orlick runs a blog, Jeffery Tastes, and organizes group meals around Queens. You might remember his five-borough pizza tour this summer, which was written about in the Daily News and called out one of our very favorite, unknown Brooklyn pizza joints, Luigi's.

Naima Rauam

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Manhattan bid goodbye to the Fulton Fish Market in November 2005 -- although the last olfactory traces remained long after. Take a stroll through memory lane with Remembering Fulton Fish Market, an annual exhibition featuring watercolors by artist Naima Rauam.

kthread/flickr

​The Brooklyn Flea will be journeying over the East River on November 27 to hold its second-annual holiday market in the old Tower Records space through December 24. Which means that for almost a month, office workers in Soho and its environs will have greatly expanded snacking options, courtesy of such vendors as McClure's Pickles, Salvatore Bklyn, and Liddabit Sweets.

Our weekly dining and drinking newsletter features all the coolest epicurean events in the city. Sign up for it here!

Organic, Shaken & Stirred: Step Up to the Green Bar! (free)
Counter
November 10
You've greened your kitchen; now it's time to green your bar. Join Paul Abercrombie, author of Organic, Shaken and Stirred, for a lesson in organic cocktails. Learn a few eco-friendly drink recipes featuring Cuca Fresca cachaca and Bluecoat gin, and get a signed copy of Abercrombie's book. Sample-size drinks are free, with full-size drinks on sale at the bar.

How To Roast a Lamb: An Evening of Food & Wine with Michael Psilakis ($85)
Astor Center
November 10
Michael Psilakis brought Greek cuisine out of tavernas and into the fine dining scene. Let the self-taught chef show you how to roast a lamb, Greek-style. Using fresh, healthy Mediterranean ingredients, you'll not only learn how to prepare a four-course menu featuring lamb, but will also get to taste it on the spot, paired with wines from the list at Anthos.