friday finds :: 5 things we love

It's a weekend chock full of farm fresh and foodie events and activities throughout the city, eat up!

1. Ice Cream Festival & Tomato Tasting at New Amsterdam Market :: This Sunday from 11am to 4pm celebrate summer in Manhattan with some of the best ice cream this city has to offer. Vendors include The Bent Spoon, Robert's, Early Bird Cookery, Marlow & Daughters, MilkMade Ice Cream and Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream. From 12-3pm, there will also be a Tomato Fest Benefit going on where you may taste an astounding variety of tomatoes at their prime. All proceeds will be donated to the New Amsterdam Market and to the New York City Food Systems Network: couldn't ask for a more delectable way to support some great causes! 

2. Epicurious Farmers Market Tour :: Head over the Union Square Greenmarket today and tomorrow to check out Epicurious.com's stand where you can browse countless summertime recipes on their new iPhone app, taste-test a little chocolate and receive a free eco-friendly tote bag to boot.

3. Kelvin Natural Slush Co. :: Because it's going to be steamy weekend here in the city (and because the guys in the truck are pretty darn cute), scout out the Kelvin Slush truck around town and grab a gourmet, all-natural icy treat that's bound to remind you of childhood summers.  Choose a unique flavor base like Spicy Ginger, Tangy Citrus or Green & Black Tea and then pair it with real pureed fruit and fresh herbs.  The strawberry-basil-tea combo comes highly recommended. Find the truck's location on Twitter - @kelvinslush

4. Brooklyn Kitchen Labs :: If you're wondering what to do with all that mouthwatering seasonal produce you picked up at the greenmarket (post-Epicurious's farmers market tour) or at New Amsterdam Market, a class solely devoted to tomatoes or to canning and preserving might be your answer.  Just this week, I took the canning class with Kelly Geary of Sweet Deliverance.  Her tri-star strawberry jam, and the step-by-step techniques demonstrated to make it, rocked!  Check out upcoming class listings here.    

5. Sam's pick of the week - burrata :: Why do we love this silky, creamy type of fresh mozzerella? Because it’s scrumptious and what could be better paired with the juicy crop of heirloom tomatoes that’s hit farmers markets across the city. The opportunities are endless with these two ingredients. Take some toasted ciabatta bread or any crusty Italian bread, sprinkle it with garlic, rub in the juice from the tomato so the flavor absorbs, spread on a generous amount of burrata and eat! Also works well with pasta dishes, homemade pizza and even tossed into a salad. 

*Who's Sam?!  Please meet our newest contributor, Samantha, who's a budding young foodie and clearly knows good cheese when she tastes it.  She'll be including a favorite food or ingredient - and some ideas of what to do with it - each Friday.

And to leave you with a morsel more of weekend eating inspiration, here are a few photos one of my clients was kind enough to send me.  Check out Chris's awesome array of summer's best after a very successful trip to the greenmarket...and his gorgeous heirloom tomato, basil and feta tart that followed.  Delicious (and sneakily healthful), thanks C!  Have pictures of some delectable, seasonal dishes you've been cooking up?  Send over your favorite summer food photos (and the recipe if you've got it) and we'll post one each week with your name on it!  For the remainder of summer, each week's chosen entry will receive a free copy of my new book, The Cheater's Diet!  Email your pics to: marissa@nourish-nyc.com   

*photos courtesy of: eater.com, thebrooklynkitchen.com, coolhunting.com, epicurious.com, prouditaliancook.blogspot.com, Chris! 

Madison WI - a local food lover's dream

If you're seeking some local food inspiration, look no further than Madison, WI. I had the opportunity to spend a recent weekend touring (and eating) my way through Madison. The scenery was beautiful and it was incredibly inspiring to see a town and a community so committed to and excited by eating and shopping locally and sustainably. Every coffee shop my good friend Katie (a Madison transplant) and I passed by touted fair-trade brews. Countless bars around town served up local beer and it seemed that every restaurant takes pride in featuring local farmers and ingredients right on the menu. This trend clearly has taken hold in cities and towns across the country, but it was interesting to be somewhere where eating (and drinking) locally and seasonally is a focus of so much of the community. Katie kept gushing about Madison's weekly farmers market and now I know why. It's a serious event. It's packed and expansive (and I thought I was spoiled by NYC's Union Square market!). The Dane County farmers market is up and running every Saturday and features

(Katie shopping it up at the market!)

produce, fresh pasta, local meats, unbelievably good cheese and fabulous bakeries like Cress Spring who was recently featured in the NY Times for their use of locally sourced and ground whole grains. Interesting that Cress Spring's natural fermentation methods allow their bread to by easily eaten by individuals with wheat allergies. The bread runs out fast, but I did sample a few of their baked goods like the raspberry-pear tartlet and I can see why the bakery's so popular.

Aside from the greenmarket, Katie took me on a fabulous culinary tour of Madison. Here's a rundown of some of the wonderful locally-driven restaurants and delicious meals we had.

Harvest - Our weekend dining commenced at Harvest, one of Madison's top seasonal restaurants. Word of advice if you go, start your night off with one

of their signature cocktails (trust me, they're worth a few extra calories...walk around the city and you'll easily work them off). The Elderflower Gimblet (St. Germaine, vodka and prosecco) was hands-down incredible. To get a nice sampling of the menu, Katie and I shared a beet salad with ricotta dressing and hazelnuts, grilled squid with spicy olive tapenade and a homemade cavatelli pasta with roasted cauliflower and breadcrumbs. I am a huge fan of sharing dishes -- it's the easiest to get a lot of little tastes in without overdosing on calories.

Marigold Kitchen - To prep for a big day of touring the

greenmarket and walking throughout the city, we hit up one of Katie's favorite brunch spots, Marigold Kitchen, close to Madison's capitol. A simple, energizing breakfast of chili poached eggs with rosemary toast, manchego and a few thin slices of prosciutto along with some fresh fruit and of course local coffee was a great start to a long day. Interesting omelets, sandwiches and daily specials with seasonal produce also speckled the menu.

Ma-Cha -- By late afternoon, a quick pick-me-up snack was an absolute necessity. We popped into a newish tea house and art gallery, Ma-Cha. Co-owner Anthony Verbrick greeted us with huge jars of dried tea mixes to sniff and choose from and a tasting of house-made mini asian buns (pork and sweet potato-ginger). The space is adorable, the tea and snacks were awesome, info about tea's health properties and proper brewing was bountiful, and Anthony was incredibly helpful and patient as we sniffed our way through at least a dozen jars of loose tea leaves! He also happens to be a great resource for local restaurant suggestions. If I were a student in Madison, Ma-Cha would for sure be my secret study haven of choice.

Katie and I finished the weekend off with a Madison-esque dinner (one that involved a bit of cheese, a burger -- yet again shared -- and some local beer) and a great Sunday brunch at a teeny-tiny spot close to downtown. I will withhold the name so Katie can continue to hit it up as she pleases and actually snag a seat. I will say however, that my omelet with butternut squash and roasted red peppers was ridiculously good.

I'll sign-off with a brief mention of the oddest (but so delicious) food item I taste-tested in Madison: cheese curds -- little pieces of cheese that form when the milk separates into liquid and solids. They're typically from cheddar, have a mild flavor, "squeak" when you eat them and have proven to serve as a great snack with a few crackers or an apple or pear.

Thanks KP for such a culinary-inspired tour of Madison!

What's in Season Near You?

I spent a good amount of time sauntering through NYC's farmers market in Union Square this past weekend and I can confidently say that summer produce is finally on the horizon (fingers crossed with this gray, rainy weather we've been having). Depending on where we live however, summertime, seasonal produce may vary. Just because peaches are out by the bushel in early July in Virginia, doesn't mean you'll find them at your local greenmarket in Vermont. Weather and agriculture is certainly unpredictable, but I think it also makes the shopping experience that much more exciting, intriguing and creative (well, it often forces you to be more creative!). Go with what your geographic area gives you and you won't be disappointed in terms of flavor and taste. Wondering what's in season near you during June, July and August? Checkout Epicurious.com's fantastic Farm-to-Table Seasonal Cooking guide -- seasonal recipes, tips, 10 of the nation's best locavore restaurants, AND a peak-season map for produce around the country. See what's happening right now in your state. For NY, we've just hit strawberry season. Sugar snap and shell peas, rhubarb, asparagus, radishes and spinach are on overdrive at the greenmarket. Eat up! Here's one of my favorite early summer recipes that plays up the perfect pairing of strawberries and rhubarb in an indulgently healthful dessert.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Serves 10-12

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

3 cups chopped rhubarb (about 1" pieces)

4 cups strawberries (halved or quartered, about 1 1/2 pints)

1 tsp lemon juice

1-2 tsp vanilla extract (my secret ingredient)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

2 tsp. cinnamon

Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, toss the sugar, cornstarch, rhubarb, berries, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix well and transfer to a lightly buttered 13x9 glass baking dish. Mix the remaining ingredients to form coarse crumb and sprinkle over the fruit mixture. Bake at 350º for 30 to 40 minutes or until the crumb topping is lightly browned. Serve warm with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or frozen yogurt.