Brooklyn Summer Ale with Adelegger. Nutty, malty and concise, this alpine cheese is from Germany. Its nutty flavors and harmonious finish will pair nicely with the citrusy aromas and malty overtones of the Summer Ale.
Martin Johnson runs The Joy of Cheese, a series of informal cheese and beverage classes that take place at a variety of Manhattan and Brooklyn venues as well as at the 92nd St. Y. He is also Cheese, Charcuterie, Beer and Wine Manager for Gastronomie 491, a new market/cafe on the Upper West Side. He blogs TheJoyOfCheese.com.
Brooklyn Silver Anniversary with Brescianella Stagionata. Buttery, gamey and funky, this cow’s milk cheese is from Italy; its complex flamboyant flavors will balance the gentle sweetness of the Silver Anniversary.
Martin Johnson runs The Joy of Cheese, a series of informal cheese and beverage classes that take place at a variety of Manhattan and Brooklyn venues as well as at the 92nd St. Y. He is also Cheese, Charcuterie, Beer and Wine Manager for Gastronomie 491, a new market/cafe on the Upper West Side. He blogs TheJoyOfCheese.com.
[Flatbread Spring Salad from Slow Supper @ Cylburn Mansion.]
After a great weekend in Philly with my family I hopped into the car with Meg, our Event Producer, and my partner in Mash voyages, and headed for Baltimore. Hersh’s Pizza was our first stop on this rainy evening, but a tour of the kitchen and the 950 F Italian wood-fired pizza oven warmed us right up. After meeting Josh, Chef and Owner of Hersh’s and sampling some of his great pies, I was eager to start cooking the menu we collaborated on for our Local 2 Ways dinner. Charm City stood up to its name as the skies cleared on Tuesday, and the Baltimore Mash hit the ground running with the speed of a lookout boy from HBO’s The Wire. Max’s Tap House, just a block from the harbor, provided a perfect Mash HQ. We sat outside sipping cask ales before heading off to Birroteca to try another modern Italian take on the pizzeria. After living so many years in Italy, it is always nice to find good Italian food in a new city. (continued below)
Birrotecca may be known for its pizza, but the confit calamari and the house-cured meats were out of this world. I have never had calamari as tender in my life. The Duck Prosciutto was like stepping into a Peking duck house with subtle notes of star anise, so good I changed our Sunday Slow Supper menu to feature it as one of the courses. Another menu adaptation occurred when I tasted the passion fruit buddino. My mouth went wild with the most amazing puckering tartness, followed by a smooth tropical sweetness; I knew we had to incorporate it in our dinner.
Early the next morning I headed back to Birroteca to meet up with Executive Chef Cyrus Keefer, the mastermind behind these dishes, along with Aja Cage the buddino goddess/Pastry Chef. We tweaked the menu, adding some local ginger to the dessert (candied and as a cookie), and planned to meet at the market on Sunday morning to get vegetables for Slow Supper. Then it was off to Hersh’s to prep with his team for Local 2 Ways. I was excited to cook for a group of family members and 45 other guests all seated upstairs in the private dining room. Many beers where paired with an outstanding array of food, from pizza with to crab sformato paired with Sorachi Ace. For a glimpse at the whole menu check out BrooklynBreweryMash.com. As my mother praised her son to anyone who would listen, guests mingled and stayed long after their last sips of Brooklyn Black Ops.
After saying my goodbyes to the team at Hersh’s, we boogied over to Metro Gallery to catch the Soul Clap & Dance Off with my buddy Jonathan Toubin on the ones and twos. I can safely say that Baltimore hipsters could give our Williamsburgians a run for their money. Many a dancer was left in the dust, sipping Summer Ale as their consolation, as number 11 shimmied his way to the top securing himself a roundtrip ticket to New York to compete in the Soul Clap and Dance-off Finale. Follow me on vine to catch a glimpse of those dancing skills and some super duper outfits.
I knew Baltimore had some great restaurants but I was in for a treat at Chaos Cooking when I found out it was hosted by the executive chef of Moonshine Tavern. John and his lovely lady had a roof deck that overlooked the stadium with the harbor in the distance and a kitchen fully equipped to handle the chaos that ensued. Chefs and amateurs alike doled out delicious dishes and john made racks of lamb with parsnip puree and a rich demi-glace that left us all fighting over the last chops. We sipped Brooklyn and broke bread with new friends until late in the evening.
Saturday was the highlight of my trip as I headed over to the 15th Annual Kinetic Sculpture Race, one of the wildest events I have ever seen. Riders in crazy outfits took to the streets in giant whimsically constructed vehicles for a 13 mile race combining water, mud, hills and other obstacles. I watched these crazy creations hit the water then headed for The Wine Source for a cheese and beer pairing.
The Cylburn Mansion could have been a set from the Adams Family with the beautiful Nuit Blanche installation casting ghost like shadows on the walls. Instead it became our Slow Supper space. Tucked away in the Arboretum the Cylburn estate is a city landmark that inspired a meal rich in Baltimore history. Cyrus, Aja and I prepared a menu paying homage to the local bounty of Baltimore and the surrounding area. As the band played, and representatives from Slow Food Baltimore, the center for a livable future spoke, glasses clinked, and lights flickered in this old mansion a midst the background of beautiful Japanese maple trees, we almost forgot we were in a bustling city. Needless to say, it was a charming way to end our BmoreMASH.
Brooklyn Local 1 with Shushan Snow. Buttery, gamey and sweet, this bloomy rind sheep’s milk cheese is made in upstate New York; its creamy complexity will pair nicely with the effervescent qualities of the Local 1.
Martin Johnson runs The Joy of Cheese, a series of informal cheese and beverage classes that take place at a variety of Manhattan and Brooklyn venues as well as at the 92nd St. Y. He is also Cheese, Charcuterie, Beer and Wine Manager for Gastronomie 491, a new market/cafe on the Upper West Side. He blogs TheJoyOfCheese.com.
Brooklyn Pilsner with Adelegger. Nutty and concise, this Bavarian alpine cheese is made of cow’s milk. Its gentle, well-articulated sweetness will pair nicely with the complexity of the Pilsner.
Martin Johnson runs The Joy of Cheese, a series of informal cheese and beverage classes that take place at a variety of Manhattan and Brooklyn venues as well as at the 92nd St. Y. He is also Cheese, Charcuterie, Beer and Wine Manager for Gastronomie 491, a new market/cafe on the Upper West Side. He blogs TheJoyOfCheese.com.
Brooklyn Local 2 with Avonlea. Complex, smoky and sharp, this cheddar comes from Prince Edward Island. Its savory notes are the perfect match for the subtle sweetness of the Local 2.
Martin Johnson runs The Joy of Cheese, a series of informal cheese and beverage classes that take place at a variety of Manhattan and Brooklyn venues as well as at the 92nd St. Y. He is also Cheese, Charcuterie, Beer and Wine Manager for Gastronomie 491, a new market/cafe on the Upper West Side. He blogs TheJoyOfCheese.com.
[Daddy Long Legs performs at You Can't Drown The Loud Sounds, a benefit for Norton Records.]
Epicenter of the Honky Tonk, former stomping ground of Elvis, The Man in Black, Willie Nelson, and home to Jack White (we stayed two blocks from his estate on Franklin Pike) Nashville is definitely a music town, but its budding culinary scene is nothing to stomp your feet at either. I can’t recall exactly how many “Wagon Wheel” covers I heard in my week stay, but I loved every one of them. Nashville has a sense of nostalgia that is evocative — music runs through this city whether you are at the Honky Tonk’s on Broadway like Roberts, or the three-tiered towering venue Mercy Lounge on Cannery Row. Music is not the only thing that trickles through this city. Nashville and the rest of Tennessee are home to over a dozen breweries, some of which I had the pleasure of visiting, others I settled for getting to know via a pint glass.
Our Mash Headquarters, M.L Rose Craft Beer and Burgers was the perfect spot to sample many of the local brews. My Fat Bottom Brewing Ruby Red had just the right bite to wash down the Brooklyn Burger special, with Brooklyn Brown Ale caramelized onions, crispy bacon and NY State cheddar cheese. Boasting a tap selection heavy on local and domestic breweries, I got intimate with some of my new Tennessee favorites and was eager to go visit Yazoo and Jackalope breweries, as well as Bosco’s Brew Pub where my buddy Drew prepares the daily specials to accompany their award winning beers.
Our week kicked off quickly and remained burger-centric with a Wednesday night collaboration dinner at Burger Up with Chef Philip Shyatt and his team. After four courses, seven beers, and the last bites of crispy cream bread pudding and sips of Brooklyn Black Ops, guests continued to drink and chatter long into the evening. Thanks to our new friend, a wine maker from Sonoma, so inspired by our beers that he brought a variety case of different styles and vintages from his vineyard to share with those lucky enough to linger after the meal, it wasn’t Vin Santo but made for a nice after dinner treat. I would have stayed out and partied with the gang over at 12 South Tap Room but it was time to get some rest for our Slow Supper dinner with Brandon Frohn and his team from Mason’s, the new chef-driven restaurant in the Loews Hotel.
I met Brandon in the maze that is the back of house kitchen for Loews Hotel and got to work making minted gnocchi and my braised lamb ragu. Although we were prepping in a beautiful full-equipped hotel kitchen, we were serving on site at the Peter Nappi Studio located in the old Neuhoff meat packing plant built in 1906, six blocks from downtown Nashville located on a rock bluff overlooking the Cumberland River. This boutique, home to the highest level of Italian boot craftsmanship, was a truly magical space to host our Slow Supper event benefiting Slow Food Nashville. Holly Williams, country artist and lover of all things gnocchi, graced the stage with her husband for three incredible songs, setting a laid back and boisterous tone for the evening. Ghost bottles abounding, we served smoke-wafting boxes of deviled eggs, seared scallops with Sorachi Ace, and a dessert reminiscent of my childhood featuring Flintstone push-pop sorbet made with liquid nitrogen and a sweet potato beignet with an oat and chocolate cremoix. As diners ate their frozen ice-cream shards, we relished in the warmth of the room, and picked out our dream pairs of shoes, but the price tags made it hard to do more than dream.
After working with two young talented chefs I was starting to understand the new Nashville food scene. Chock full of recommendations, I was excited to hit up some of Nashville’s favorite digs, while experiencing some of the newer gems popping up in Germantown and other newly developed neighborhoods. Nashville is undergoing a transformation much like that of Brooklyn, and many young chefs are finding themselves running off the beaten path to spots with rustic sincerity and attention to local sourcing, simple techniques and good homestyle flavors. Nashville seems as comfortable dishing out artisan extruded pastas as they do meat and three plates, and Rolf and Daughters along with City House have the Garganelli to prove it.
But if elegant home-style Italian is not your thing rest assured Monell’s has a seat for you at a big round table with a slew of wide-eyed strangers, awaiting their southern traditional Sunday meal, every day of the week. The shear quantity of plates that began to hit the table was astounding. Our only instruction was to pass to the left, as biscuits, grits, greens, beans, collards, mash, suckatash, corn pudding, brisket, gravy, fried chicken, meatloaf, banana pudding, pickles, chutney, and many more dishes hit the table in a whirlwind of food that would give even thanksgiving at my house a run for its money (and we feed 35 people). After this special family experience at Monell’s it was time to dance off my meal to the sounds of Jonathan Toubin at his NY Night Train Soul Clap & Dance-Off. Any chance I get to hang out with Jonathan is a good night. Besides being one of the kindest and most engaging people I know he knows how to spin a 45 and keep a crowd moving like no other, especially when they are competing for a free trip to NY, courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery.
The music didn’t stop there, Sandy Relief benefit for Norton Records in Brooklyn was a mash up of Brooklyn and Nashville talents Daddy Long Legs, A Bones, The Ettes and Weekend Babes. This line up at Mercy Lounge was killer and we stomped and stomped till the house came down. High Watt, on the top floor of the Mercy complex, which is also the home to a Sunday rock and roll church group (better attended then most concerts I go to) was the locale for Found Footage festival which is always a solid hour or two of laughs, and guest starring the beautifully awkward comedic genius of Kate Berlante.
Top this exciting week off with an impromptu stop at Taqueria San Luis for the biggest tamales ever (basically banana-leaf-wrapped pillows) with two scoops from Jeni’s ice cream in a Black Chocolate Stout float featured at our Togather literary series on Sunday, and I was holding my sides almost as hard as I had at our comedy event the night before. Nashville, I can’t wait to come back, my only regret, being too full for Princes Hot Chicken. Next year, Nashville. Next year!
Brooklyn Local 2 with Gubbeen. Buttery, grassy and just a touch funky, this cheese is made in County Cork Ireland. Its flamboyant overtones will pair nicely with the muted sweetness of the Local 2.
Martin Johnson runs The Joy of Cheese, a series of informal cheese and beverage classes that take place at a variety of Manhattan and Brooklyn venues as well as at the 92nd St. Y. He is also Cheese, Charcuterie, Beer and Wine Manager for Gastronomie 491, a new market/cafe on the Upper West Side. He blogs TheJoyOfCheese.com.
[Text by Nichon Glerum]
[Photos by Nichon Glerum and Maria Teresa Salvati]
On a cold but sunny Saturday, Slideluck London celebrated its fifth show by throwing a smashing Slideluck event for the grand finale of FORMAT Festival, in Derby’s charming old Chocolate Factory.
Between 6 and 7pm the 200+ (international) guests arrived by car, train, and the special Slideluck London coach. All were welcomed with Format chocolates, Brooklyn Brewery beers and – as more guests arrived- an ever growing number of delicious potluck dishes on the buffet. All indulged themselves on velvety smooth carrot cupcakes, colorful salads, broccoli pies and much much more. Mothersmilk was also on the menu, although only for one very special little guest!! Zac, born only days before the event, is the beautiful newborn of featured artist Fjona Hill.
Then, the guests sat down to watch the slideshows as curated by Monica Allende, photo editor of The Sunday Times Magazine and founder of the pioneering photography section, Spectrum.
Brooklyn Beers kept everyone’s throats chilled, hot water bottles warmed peoples hands, and an overwhelming display of visuals and audio was overflowing the audience.
In the break people could play and have their picture taken in Kitty Walkers industrial cardboard city photobooth.
After part two Director Maria Teresa Salvati announced the winner of the Blurb award, selected by her and Louise Clements, artistic director of Quad and Format festival. Alfonso Almendros is the lucky Slideluck artist that will go home with a £350 Blurb Gift Card!
Then she announced the artists that would be featured in Spectrum, as selected by Monica Allende. Monica was originally going to pick one, but, overwhelmed by the outstanding works, decided to give 7 photographers the chance to shine at this amazing platform. They are: Fan Shisan, Alfonso Almendros, Rafael Arocha, Alexander Aksakov, Arantxa Cedillo, Jean-Marc Caimi & Valentina Piccinni and Bryan Schutmaat.
After the slideshows and a little break, it was time to taste the sound of The Developer: a unique multi-artist residency responding to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site at John Smedley, especially created for FORMAT13.
As icing on the Slideluck-cake, a raffle was held, in which lucky winners took home prizes not only from sponsors such as Viewbook and Gup magazine, but also 7 beautiful prints kindly donated by participating artists.
All in all, the evening offered a relaxed vibe, with the guests mingling to discuss love, life, art and the universe. Slideluck London was a great succes, thanks to all that were part of it!
A massive thanks to the director Maria Teresa Salvati; the super-efficient and creative producer Nichon Glerum; Pedro Lopez Paz, who helped with all the technical aspects of this edition and was a super hero in organising the coach from London; and Kitty Walker who jumped in to support the whole team wherever needed and who designed built the wonderful cardboard industrial city used for the photo booth. Also, this night would not have been possible without the help of the amazing team of Format: Louise Clements, Federica Chiocchetti, Michael Sargeant, Sebah Chaudhry, Jill Carruthers and all their fantastic volunteers that helped us out. We thank our partners and sponsors Viewbook, GUP magazine, Blurb, Feature Shoot, Format Festival & Quad, Develop Photo, Lily Vanilli, Duckrabbit, and of course Brooklyn Brewery.
After tasting her peanut and sesame mole at Underbelly restaurant in Houston where I had the pleasure to cook with Chris Sheppard and his team, I knew I wanted to make mole with Daniella Soto-Innes. I didn’t know my wish would come true so soon. After a great tour of Brooklyn brewery and a guided tasting of most of our draft lines we grabbed a growler of Brooklyn Black Ops first running’s (the sweet liquid before hops are added to the wort) and headed to meet up with our buddies at Mast brothers Chocolate for a tour of the facility. I knew I loved their chocolate but I didn’t realize how in line Mast Brothers approach to chocolate making was with our Brooklyn Brewery philosophy towards our beer. Mast uses the best ingredients sourced responsibly from over five cooperatives scattered across Latin America and Africa. Only toasted cocoa beans and sugar ever enter into their chocolate base. Like the Brewery they use real ingredients, no fillers or substitutes, take no short cuts and focus on a strong base to apply their creative fancy.
As we watched the beans being separated from their shell we noticed large bags filled with the remains covered in cocoa powder. It was a sign form the mole gods. Upon Daniela’s request, we left our tour with a five pound bag of the scraps that would normally make their way to a local farm to feed some lucky pigs. With our new prized possession we were eager to shop for our missing ingredients. Luckily Williamsburg is chock full of Mexican bodegas so our search for tomatillos, cilantro, plantains, pepitas, pasote , passillo, ancho, poblano, cascabel , mulato and guajillo chillies was not difficult. After our tour of Grand avenue bodegas we headed for my house, arm weighed down with our bags full of goodies.
Mole is derived from the combination of many ingredients but in essence it is the melding of five elements left to simmer for a long period of time so all the flavors combine harmoniously into one seriously rich sauce: Heat and depth (Chilies), Sour (tomatillos), sweet (cane sugar or dried fruit), Spices (Cinnamon, coriander mustard seed, etc.) and thickeners (assorted nuts and tortillas). These ingredients sit atop a base of sautéed garlic and onions. Traditional moles have upwards of 20 ingredients and there are countless varieties, although the moles of Mexico originate from Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tiaxcala.
Daniela and I decided against the traditional route and set out to make four funky varieties of mole and an adobo base. Our mild Pink mole started with a white mole base of peanuts, sesame seeds, and, pine nuts, orange juice, and coconut milk, but soon became scarlet with the addition of red beets. While that simmered away we started our green mole with spinach, our Brooklyn “Black Ops” mole with Mast Brothers beans (which would be our base for the Plantain mole), and our adobo. As the windows steamed up, pots began to bubble, aromas began to meld and my mouth began to water. We toasted a variety of nuts and our spice mixture, roasted dried figs, and added them to our various pots. Mole has so many layers and nuances, it is kind of like the kitchen sink recipe, or a good pantry cleanser. As our moles simmered away almost brimming over with all their ingredients, we toasted tortillas, lit them on fire and added them in. Mole is not a delicate sauce, it is cooked hard, much to the complaint of my girlfriend who can still not see the bottom of a few of her Le Creuset pots. Once the mole is adequately cooked it is transferred to a blender (or traditionally a mortar) and blended into a paste. This paste is then returned to the pan and cooked down even further until it reaches the perfect consistency. Most moles are intended for use in a specific dish. Pink mole goes great with red snapper, mole verde with roasted pork, but the world is your mole when it comes to pairings and matching with different dishes from braised lamb to roasted vegetables. With all the pairing options in the world, I was happy to relax With a Brooklyn Brown Ale in hand, a cup of mole verde and a plate of blue corn chips to dip into the still cooling sauce.
If you want to sample one of our moles for yourself join me at the Brooklyn Kitchen 4th annual Meatball slap down hosted at the Brooklyn Brewery on April 7th, where my Black Op’s braised lamb meatballs will be smothered in Daniela’s mole verde.
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