101 New Restos: Fall 2008

Click HERE to see my photos of new restaurants on metromix.com. I shot 4 of them...see if you can find them! (The 1st one in the slideshow is mine.)

I shot: Aperitivo, Flex Mussels, Brasserie Athinee, and Ponty Bistro

Matthew Weingarten at the James Beard House

I'm lucky to have eaten many dinners at the JB House, but few are as special as a recent meal prepared by Matthew Weingarten. Everything was beautifully crafted and well thought out, down to the autumn inspired cocktails made from herb-infused local liqueurs. The locally produced meats were even cured by the restaurant! Weingarten brought in his own slate slabs to plate on, and each was adorned with a fresh array of mossy garnishes that looked like they had just been plucked from the forest earlier that day. I was transported in a way to to the woods, as I was surrounded by plates of
Air-Dried Venison, Sweet Chestnuts and Pine-Smoked Catskill Trout topped with Shagbark Hickory Cream. Everything was warm and autumnal and made me miss the smell of fallen fruit that filled the air this time of year when I was growing up on my family's apple orchard. A beautifully designed and illustrated booklet described each course of the meal (see below). It was also our dear Kayoko's first time at the JB House, and one of her last meals in NYC before moving back to California, so I was happy we picked such a good one for her.

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Autumn Landscapes
Matthew Weingarten Inside Park at St. Bart's/ NYC

With the crisp air and bountiful harvest, autumn is a season for good eating. And for Savoy alum Matthew Weingarten, known for his well-executed American cooking, it's also a season for new beginnings as he takes on the role of executive chef of Inside Park at St. Bart's, the new dining destination in the landmark church.

AUTUMN LANDSCAPE MENU:

Hors d’Oeuvre

Wild-Foraged Ginkgo Nut Custard
Oysters and Algae
Spanish Mackerel with Sweet Chestnuts
Pressed Rabbit with Pickled Porcini and Sage
Charbay Herb-Infused Aperitif Trio

Dinner

Air-Dried Venison, Pork Liver Pâté, Smoked Beef Tongue, Duck Rillettes, and Garlic Sausage, Served with Harvest Pickles and Hearth-Baked Bread
Eve’s Cidery Autumn’s Gold Sparkling Apple Cider

Ribollita with Black Brandywine Tomato, Hardneck Garlic, Shell Beans, and Assorted Cruciferous Vegetables
Tio Pepe Fino Sherry

Pine-Smoked Catskill Trout with Winter Squashes, Mustard Apples, and Shagbark Hickory Cream
Peconic Bay La Barrique Chardonnay 2005

Wood-Roasted Squab with Braised Lettuce and Green Wheat and Rose Hip Jam
Olivier Leflaive Côte de Beaune Bourgogne Rouge 2005

Local Cheese with Rooftop Honey and Summer Preserves
Elyse Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel 2005

Hand-Stretched Strudel with Antique Newtown Pippin Apples, Toasted Walnuts, and Cultured Cream
Gordon Brothers Icewine 2006

Old-Fashioned Sweets








The menu for the evening:










Inside Park at St Barts
Executive Chef Matthew Weingarten
www.insideparknyc.com
October 2008


All Photos copyright Erin Gleeson

Sticky Bun War!

I recently photographed a sticky bun championship for Edible Manhattan.

The contestants: Balthazar vs. Bouchon

To see who won...click here!

Balthazar Bakery, 80 Spring Street; 212-965-1785
Bouchon Bakery, Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd floor; 212-823-9366

photos © erin gleeson

The Appetizing Art Show

I am excited to have some of my new Payard series be included in an upcoming group show at TRA Gallery in Brooklyn called The Appetizing Arts Show. This unique exhibition includes artists who use food as their fuel for artistic expression.

The Rising Arts Gallery focuses on contemporary art created by emerging and mid-career artists working in a variety of media, from paintings and photography to sculpture and print. Solo and group exhibitions showcase abstract as well as figurative work from a diverse body of artists from the U.S. and abroad.

TRA Gallery
November 13th-December 12th
35 Claver Place, Brooklyn NY
(Clinton Hill)
Opening Reception: Nov. 13, 6-8pm (I unfortunately cannot attend)

Obama's Coming to Dinner

Everyone knows I love a good dinner party. And if I could choose one guest in the whole world to come to my house for dinner, it would be Barack Obama. By chance, last week I watched "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", the 1967 film where a white woman brings her black fiance home to meet her 'liberal' (yet not so thrilled) parents. As Frank Rich pointed out in his Op-Ed piece on Sunday with the same title, we are at an astonishing chapter in American history. I am proud to be an American because America is a place where people of all colors, religions and backgrounds have the opportunity to dine, live and learn peacefully together. Thanks to the civil rights movement, now we can all vote together, and change history together. As Rich notes in his piece, an African American is on the brink of becoming the President of the United States of America! However, the fact that he's black is beside the point. I think he's the strongest leader and best choice for America and the world.



Here are some of the reasons why I AM VOTING for BARACK OBAMA tomorrow:

FOOD SECURITY/ ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
My food hero Michael Pollan wrote an intense and lengthy letter to the president-elect in the Times Magazine a couple weeks ago concerning food. As Pollan mentions, after cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy. Both candidates support the development of alternative energy sources, but McCain plans on giving big tax cuts to oil companies, while Barack plans on giving families a $1,000 energy rebate and starting new green energy programs which will create more jobs.

RACE:
I loved Colin Powell's video endorsement of Barack Obama. Here is a smart republican man who knows both candidates very well, has years of experience in Washington, who has decided Obama is the best choice for America. America is made up of people and families who have come from all over the world. As Americans, we are African, Italian, British, Iranian, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian. As Powell said, Obama's not Muslim...but what if he was? There's nothing wrong with being Muslim in America. Why shouldn't a 7 year old Muslim American child today dream of one day being the president? As Frank Rich points out, Obama doesn’t transcend race. He isn’t post-race. He is the latest chapter in the ever-unfurling American racial saga. It is an astonishing chapter. For most Americans, it seems as if Obama first came to dinner only yesterday. Should he win the White House on Tuesday, many will cheer and more than a few will cry as history moves inexorably forward. Click here for Obama's race speech in Philadelphia earlier this year.

THE CAMPAIGNS:
I like the way Obama's campaign has been run- it stays positive and focuses on important issues without twisting the truth. McCain's ad campaign has been fueled by fear and war, full of attack ads. Just look at McCain's commercials, vs Obama's. Obama focuses on the issues and doesn't belittle himself by making up lies about his opponent.

GOV'T SPENDING/ HEALTHCARE:
According to the NY Times, McCain's big ticket spending item is the military. Obama wants to put his biggest chunk of money into developing universal healthcare. I'd rather have more money be put towards healthcare than war/weapons. As a self-employed uninsured person, McCain's $5K offer doesn't do much for me, especially since I'd have to pay taxes on it as if it were income. I'd rather be eligible for Obama's offer of access to the government health program which would be much more affordable than my current choices.

MILITARY/ DEFENSE:
Obama has plans to fully equip troops for the missions they face, and plans to pullout of Iraq in 16 months. John McCain was a strong supporter of George Bush’s Iraq war policy and has no plan to end the war.

ABORTION:
I think gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples. McCain thinks Roe vs. Wade should be overturned. I am pro-choice and so is Obama- neither of us likes the idea of abortion, but we believe it's a woman's right to choose. Obama would make it a priority to expand programs that help to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.

GAY MARRIAGE:
I support gay marriage. Neither candidate supports gay marriage, but Obama opposes a federal constitutional amendment to ban it, as well as a California effort to ban it (Prop 8) and he supports civil unions. Obama supports gay adoptions, as do I. McCain does not.

FOREIGN POLICY:
Any candidate who would joke about bombing a country as Mc Cain did when he sang Bomb Bomb Iran to the tune of the Beach Boys is not the type of person I want leading my country. Bombs mame and kill innocent people and children and destroy towns and lives. In terms of Iran, Obama says he will sit down and talk with them about the issues concerning nuclear weapons, showing that he not only has compassion, but the communication skills a leader of this country needs. Barack Obama will engage in aggressive, smart, direct diplomacy that brings our allies together to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Obama proposes a trade policy that will protect American jobs. McCain will carry on the Bush trade policies, shipping thousands of American jobs overseas and putting Wall Street interests over American workers.

FIRST LADY:
I love Michelle Obama and think she would make a wonderful first lady. Her DNC speech brought me to tears. Go Michelle!

Tomorrow as you head to the polls, I urge you to make a choice that would be good not only for yourself and other Americans, but for the world. The whole world is watching and wishing they could vote as well! Overwhelmingly, polls show that people in other countries want Obama. So make your vote count for them. The international economy is at stake and I believe Obama would lead a nation that would create positive change for people internationally. VOTE!

Go Obama!

-Erin

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What would Obama bring to a potluck? (from the San Antonio Current)
“I’ve been using this chili recipe since college and would bring it to any potluck. I can’t reveal all the secrets, but if you make it right, it’s just got the right amount of bite, the right amount of oomph in it, and it will clear your sinuses.” — Senator Barack Obama

________________________________________________

Obama Family Chili Recipe

1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey or beef
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t ground oregano
1/4 t ground turmeric
1/4 t ground basil
1 T chili powder
3 T red-wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans

Saute onions, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add ground meat and brown. Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat. Add red-wine vinegar. Add tomatoes and let simmer until the tomatoes cook down. Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions, and sour cream.

'Top Chef' Season 5 in NYC's Grand Central Station

Last week I photographed a gathering of the new season's contestants at Grand Central in NYC for metromix.com. Past Top Chef contestants were there as well, some of which offered tastings from their own NYC restaurants.

Check out the link for more photos and interviews:

http://newyork.metromix.com/restaurants/photogallery/snap-judgment-top-chef/723052/content?photo=1

Kobe Club’s wagyu tartare on sourdough ficelle crostini

Harold Dieterle, Perilla | 'Top Chef' Season 1

Perilla's Taylor Bay scallops with spicy pickled green papaya mignonette

Padma Lakshmi

Gail Simmons

Danny Gagnon