Our Favorite Beers of 2010!

We take great pride in carefully selecting the best of American and imported craft beers. AOL City's Best agrees; Here is a short and by no means decisive list of some of our favorite beers from 2010:

Amager Porter
Avery Depuceleuce
Ballast Point Sculpin
Barrier Rembrandt Coffee Porter
Bear Republic Ryevalry
Birra del Borgo Te Ale
Brooklyn Detonation
Cantillion Iris
Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
Cigar City Maduro Oatmeal Brown
Fantome Saison
Greenport Hopnami
Pretty Things 1901
Pretty Things Hedgerow Bitter
Shmaltz Geektoberfest
Sixpoint Gorilla Warfare
Sixpoint Signal
Soogard Julebuk
Southampton Keller Bier
Southern Tier Oaked Unearthly
Stillwater Autumnal
The Bruery Rugbrod Rye
Troubadour Magma

Eat and Drink Well!

3rd Annual Cassoulet Cookoff

Via http://www.ediblemanhattan.com/20101222/jimmy-no-43s-3rd-annual-greenmarket-cassoulet-cookoff/

Start:
January 22, 2011 1:00 pm
End:
January 22, 2011 4:00 pm
Cost:
20.00
Venue:
Jimmy's No. 43
Phone:
212-982-3006
Address:
43 E. 7th Street, New York, NY, United States, 10003
Amateur and professional chefs join forces for the Greenmarket Cassoulet Cookoff! The event benefits Greenmarket, so all entries must feature ingredients from local farms such as Violet Hill Farm, Flying Pigs Farm, or 3 Corner Field Farm, to name a few. Tickets are $20 and available at the door only; all proceeds will be donated to Greenmarket. Think your cassoulet stands a winning chance? Send Jimmy an email at foodkarma@gmail.com to register.

Peace And Happy

We want to wish everyone a Peace and Happy.

Enjoy your holidays!

http://www.ediblemanhattan.com/20101223/peace-and-happy-from-edible-manhattan/

Wild Foods Dinner

We're hosting a Wild Foods Dinner with our favorite wild food gatherers Les and Nova, this Sunday, for a post-New Amsterdam Market dinner (check them out in this recent NYT article!).
You'll get the opportunity to mix with vendors and staff of the New Amsterdam Market and celebrate the end of the season. Les and Nova will bring their wares- things like wild mushrooms, Jerusalem artichokes, wild watercress- and we'll make a meal using other New Amsterdam vendors like Nordic bread, sausages from Brooklyn Cured, and pork from Mosefund Farm. A selection of local New York State Wines and craft beers will be available.
Tickets ar $55 and can be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/7784.

The Winners of Battle of the Belgians!

We had a great time this past Saturday.... Thanks to all the people who helped make this event a success!

The results are in, and the winners of the battle are:

Popular Choice:
Best American: Stillwater Cellar Door
Best Belgian: Hanssens Oude Gueuze
Best in show: Vapeur de Bises

Judges Choice:

Saison
Belgian: Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux
American: Stillwater Cellar Door

Gueuze
Belgian: Hanssens

Abbey/Trappist
Belgian: Chimay/Westmalle/Rochefort --- all equally excellent
American: Barrier Double

Sour
Belgian: Rodenbach
American: Ommegang Zuur

Hoppy
Belgian: Vanberg Hop Ruiter
American: Bear Republic Ryevalry

Special
Belgian: Malheur & Scaldis Refermentee
American: Allagash Interlude

Unique
Belgian: Orval
American: Goose Island Sophie

Special thanks to Anna Mumford for the video!

Battle of the Belgians - Jimmy's 43 from Letitia Productions on Vimeo.

Battle Of The Belgians This Saturday!

We are so excited for Battle of the Belgians this Saturday, and will be pouring lots of rare and special beers. We believe that Belgian beers are the basis for so much of what's happening in the American craft brewing scene and we'll be featuring these beers on all our draft lines. So many American breweries are moving toward Belgian styles and expanding their portfolios: Green Flash's collaboration with St. Feullien moved the brewery away from big American hoppy beers and into the Belgian styles, Sixpoint brews a terrific selection of Belgian styles with an American slant, and Allagash's use of wild yeasts has made them one of the top American breweries. We'll be featuring beers from these breweries, and a bunch more. The full draft line-up is:
-Ommegang Zuur
-Allagash Interlude
-Pretty Things Baby Tree
-Sixpoint Belgian Rye
-The Bruery 3 French Hens
-Green Flash/ St. Feuillien L'Amite
-Avery The Reverend
-Stillwater Stateside Saison
-Bear Republic Ryevalry
-Barrier Dubbel
-Sly Fox Ichor
-Goose Island Sofie
-Flying Dog Raging Bitch

We'll see you there!

FoodWorks: A Vision to Improve NYC's Food System

New York City Council
Speaker Christine C. Quinn

cordially invites you to the release of

FoodWorks:
A Vision to Improve NYC's Food System


Monday, November 22, 2010
10:00 AM
(Doors open @ 9:30 AM)
Food and Finance High School
525 West 50th Street, Room 173
New York, NY 10019


Please RSVP by November 17th to events@council.nyc.gov
or (212) 788-6871.

The Battle of The Belgians

On Saturday December 4, 2010 from 12 -5 PM, Jimmy’s No. 43 and Beer Menus will be hosting “Battle of the Belgians”, an expo-style event that will explore the vast diversity of Belgian-style beers. Belgium has over 4,000 breweries, most very small. We are bringing together a rare glimpse of the best Belgian beers and bringing in some healthy competition from the best new American Belgian-style beers. We’ll have over 30 Belgians in bottle and our draft lines will all be dedicated to American-made Belgian-style beers including Allagash Hugh Malone, Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Wild, Barrier Belgian Dubbel Down, Sixpoint Belgian IPA, Saint Feuillien/ Green Flash collaboration L’Amite, Victory Saison du Buff, Bear Republic Ryevalry, Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza, and others. Representatives from Chimay, Duvel, Maredsous, Shelton Brothers, 12% Imports, B. United, Boon, Rodenbach, Troubador, Saison Dupont, Scaldis, and others will be pouring rare bottle selections. This is a fantastic introduction to Belgian-style ales, and also an opportunity for connoisseurs to revisit old favorites. There will be three food areas: cheese, charcuterie, and chocolate sourced from East Village Meat Market, Salumeria Biellese, Coach Farms, and Taza Chocolate.

Tickets to this event are $60 and can be purchased at http://www.beermenus.com/deals/22-ticket-to-battle-of-the-belgians.

Schlenkerla Beer Dinner

Jimmy’s No. 43 is extremely proud to be hosting a very special Schlenkerla beer dinner on Monday, November 15th 7 PM. Chef Wolfgang Theil, from the historic Schlenkerla brewpub in Bamberg Germany, is preparing a traditional four course meal using locally-sourced ingredients, specially paired with four select beers. Tickets are $55 (includes drinks, food, tax, and tip) and can be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/135282. The menu will include:

Handmade Schlenkerla Smoked Sausages with sweet cabbage and dark bread,
paired with Schlenkerla Smoked Wheatbeer

Traditional Franconian potato soup with bits of bacon,
paired with Helles Schlenkerla Lager

Bamberg style onion with mushed potatoes and smoke beer sauce,
paired with the classic Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

Marinated fruits with “Nurnberg style Lebkuchen”,
paired with Schlenkerla Oak Smoke

To begin the festivities, Jimmy’s No. 43 will be running a Schlenkerla raffle: every Schlenkerla beer you purchase in the weeks leading up to the dinner gets you a raffle ticket. Five lucky winners will get a private sausage-making lesson led by Chef Wolfgang Theil!

St. Feuillien and Green Flash Collaborate!

Dominique Friart from St. Feuillien visited Jimmy's No. 43 this week! We will be pouring their collaboration with Green Flash Brewing this weekend! Two small Belgian and Californian breweries team up for a great beer!

Check Out This Interview on FoodieLink!

Our own Jimmy Carbone was interviewed by FoodieLink on craft beer and The Good Beer Seal.

http://www.foodielink.com/articles/2010/08/interview-good-beer-seal-co-founder-jimmy-carbone/

NYC Brewer's Choice

Thanks to Beer Menus for this great write up of NYC Brewer's Choice. We're happy to be a part of it!

On September 30th meet craft brewing pioneers and innovators while you enjoy and learn about their select, rare, and small-batch beers. Brewer's Choice will take place in SoHo at City Winery, an exciting venue that is an operating winery, concert venue, restaurant, and tasting space. There will be a keynote speech on the main stage with Goose Island Brewery owner Greg Hall as well as presentations by Ben Granger of Bierkraft, and Sam Merritt of the Civilization of Beer. Brewers will have tables with beer and food pairings setup. Guests will be able to walk around the City Winery and meet brewers while tasting their pairings. Beers will be paired with gourmet food provided by Sigmund Pretzels, Brooklyn Larder, Jimmy’s No. 43, Jacques Torres Chocolate, Saxelby Cheesemongers, Salumeria Bellese, High Plains Bison and many more.

Learn more and see the list of brewers.

Example beers- All beers at the event will be unusual, small batch, and hard-to-find beers picked by the brewers just for this event.

Greg Hall of Goose Island Brewery will be featuring beers from the Matilda line.

Phil Leinhart of Brewery Ommegang will be featuring the new Belgian Pale Ale (BPA).

Kelly Taylor of Kelso Brewing will be previewing some of his new beers, which will be announced soon.

Example pairings

Dieu du Ciel brewer Luc Boivin will have Montreal-style smoked Brisket from the Mile End Deli in Brooklyn paired with his beers.

Shane Welch of Sixpoint Craft Ales will be pairing the new Pumpkin Saison with a selection of housemade sausages and charcuterie from Resto.

This Thursday with Karen Rivara!

We're excited about the Shuck and Talk this Thursday with Karen Rivara and Slow Food NYC! If you're interested in taking a day trip on this beautiful Labor Day, consider checking out the Shellfisher Preserve!

You can still purchase tickets here!


Directions to Shellfisher Preserve:

From Southold Village east:
Route 25 (Main Road) to Bayview (left after Hart’s hardware at the Gulf gas station), then follow directions
from * below

From New York City :
Take the Long Island Expressway to the last exit. Merge onto Rt. 58 Take 58 past traffic circle to light at
intersection of rt. 105 and 25. Continue straight on route 25. Travel east past village of Cutchogue and hamlet
of Peconic. After Corey Creek Vineyard (on right) make the next right onto South Harbor Road, then make first
left onto Baywater Avenue, past the firehouse, then bear right at the second road onto Bayview and follow the
instructions below.

*Continue on Bayview, pass Cedar, Victoria, and The Cove condominiums, and then make next left onto
Jacobs Lane (note that there is a white gazebo on the triangle of grass at this intersection). Take Jacobs to a
four-way stop sign; turn right onto North Bayview Road. After a minute or so you will see Reydon Drive on left;
Shellfisher Road is the next one on left- look for four identical green plastic mail boxes on left; Shellfisher Road
is shortly after those on curve. It has two brick wall "gateways" facing the street with signs that say "Shellfisher
Road" and "Access by Permission Only."

Drive slowly here- less than 15 mph. You will pass three homes (including the one on corner of N. Bayview and
Shellfisher). Then you will pass through old chain link gates (permanently opened); The underground hatchery
is directly to the left as you drive through the fence. Bear left at rock monument and continue down this road to
reach nursery system at aquaculture dock and greenhouse on Southold bay.

Aeros Cultured Oyster Company Phone# 765-1808, Cell Phone # for Karen Rivara is 516-446-7138

Belgium Comes To Cooperstown

Oh boy! A real beer festival - "Belgium Comes To Cooperstown" - at Brewery Ommegang. Our own Jimmy Carbone, Ray Deter of d.b.a , and Dave Brodrick of Blind Tiger represented The Good Beer Seal at Brewery Ommegang this past month. What a great beer festival! Check out this gorgeous shot!

NYC Brewer's Choice!

Jimmy's No. 43 is happy to be a part of the featured event of New York Craft Beer Week this year, NYC Brewer's Choice! Check out this cool write up on Thrillist!

Jimmy's No. 43 is on Twitter!

Follow us on twitter @JimmysNo43 for up to date beer changes, event news, and special events!

Shuck and Talk with Karen Rivara and Slow Food NYC

September 9th will feature an evening of local Peconic Pearl oysters, New York State wines, and local craft beers. We’ll have 800 oysters in stock and will be serving them on the menu throughout the night. $0.25 of each oyster sold will be donated to the Peconic Land Trust.

And in the back room from 7:30 - 10:00 PM, Jimmy’s No. 43 is teaming up with Slow Food NYC, oyster grower Karen Rivara, and the Peconic Land Trust to bring you “Shuck and Talk”, a very special evening of local oysters, beer, and sustainability education.

Karen Rivara is responsible for bringing back the Peconic Pearl oyster to Long Island Sound. She runs the only commercial shellfish hatchery in the Peconic estuary, and will be discussing her role in the preservation of Long Island Sound, and demonstrating how to shuck an oyster!

Tickets are $35 a person and can be purchased at the door, or online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/7784. This ticket price includes one drink, and a plate of oysters. $10 of each ticket sold will be donated to Slow Food NYC.

$10 Tuesday Tasting- West Coast IPAs

This week's $10 Tuesday Tasting featured six West Coast IPAs: Lagunitas IPA (CA, 5.7%), Two Brother's Resistance IPA (IL, 6.9%), Anderson Valley Hop Otttin' IPA (CA, 7%), Ballast Point Sculpin IPA (CA, 7%), Sierra Nevada Torpedo (CA, 7.2%), and Green Flash Imperial IPA (9.4%). Crowd favorites included the Sierra Nevada and the Greenflash. Join us next Tuesday for an extra special Wild and Sour Beer tasting, which will be held in the back room and feature 6 rare sour beers! This is sure to be a do-not-miss tasting!

$10 Tuesday Tasting- East Coast IPAs

This week's $10 Tuesday Tasting featured a selection of six East Coast IPAs: Greenport Harbor Disorient IPA (NY, 6.2%), Sixpoint Bengali Tiger (Brooklyn, 6.8%), Heavy Seas Loose Cannon (MD, 7.25%), Smuttynose Big A IPA (NH, 9.2%), Stoudt's Double IPA (PA, 10.6%), and Southern Tier Oak-Aged Unearthy (NY, 11%). Crowd favorites included the Smuttynose Big A IPA and the Southern Tier. Be sure to check out next week's tasting to try some West Coast IPAs!

Jimmy's No. 43 at Cooperstown

Our own Jimmy Carbone made a visit to Ommegang Brewery for Belgium Comes to Cooperstown, arguably one of the best beer festivals on the east coast. He recorded two episodes of his radio show "Beer Sessions". You can hear these two episodes August 24 and August 31 on the Heritage Radio Network. You’ll hear some great interviews with nano- brewers Sean Lawson (Lawson’s Finest Liquids) and Brian Strumke (Stillwater Artisanal Ales) and the gang from Ommegang including President and CEO Simon Thorpe and brewmaster Phil Leinhart.

Cooperstown is, historically, a hop growing region. This photo of hops was taken at the Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown, not far from Ommegang. We had a great time in Cooperstown and are excited to share the experience with our listeners. Tune in to Beer Sessions Radio tomorrow for a great discussion on hops with our friends from We Dig Plants and Ben Granger of Bierkraft. Keep tuning in to "Beer Sessions" this month for previews of our Ommegang interviews and other surprises.

Japanese Craft Beer Tasting Last Week

Last week, our $10 Tuesday Tasting featured a selection of 6 Japanese craft beers including Ise Kadoya Genmai Ale, Ise Kadoya Pale Ale, Baird Angry Boy Brown Ale, Baird Kurofone Porter, Hitachino Real Ginger Brew, and Hitachino Espresso Stout. All of them were delicious, but the crowd favorites were the Hitachino Ginger Brew, a delicious ale brewed with real ginger in the mash, and the Baird Kurofone Porter, a delicious chocolatey porter. All the bottles are available on our menu! Join us tonight for an evening of six different East Coast IPAs! We start at 7:30 sharp.

Wines with Georgia Blume

Thanks to Georgia Blume from T. Edward Wines for this great write-up!

Yesterday I spent some time at Jimmy’s No. 43, an East Village cavernous hangout with an extensive selection of artisanal beers, fresh local cuisine supporting the Slow Food movement, and a carefully crafted wine list made up of Neal Rosenthal and T Edward Wines.

I pulled our new Cotes de Brouilly out of my bag and offered some to Jimmy, and he in turn brought out a plate of roasted pork and boiled potatoes from an upstate farm, as well as some almonds. And just like that, a perfect wine and food pairing was created…

Domaine de la Roche St Martin Cote de Brouilly is produced by one man, Jean Jacques Bereziat. He makes less than 500 cases of Cotes de Brouilly a year and takes care of all the vineyard management and winemaking himself. The small domaine sits atop Mont Brouilly, where 60 year old vines of Gamay grow on blue volcanic soils. His wines are considered among the best of Cru Beaujolais.

Aromas of red berries, volcanic minerality and smoke continue on the palate with a tingle of the tongue. The old vines lend to a great concentration of flavor in the wine. After a bite of salty pork the apparent strawberry and red cherry notes become almost juicy, but are well balanced by bright acidity and soft chalky tannins that complement the texture of the potato. A hint of black pepper on the finish, a persistent length, followed by a crunchy almond to clear the palate for the next sip…perfection.

Meatopia A Huge Success!

Thanks so much to everyone who came to Meatopia on Governor's Island yesterday! We had a great time eating delicious food and drinking the absolutely fantastic Sixpoint Signal! We'll be serving the Signal on draft this Tuesday night, so be sure to stop by and sample our very special July Good Beer Month brew!

Check out some photos from our friends at Metromix below and by following this link.

The Happy Hour Guys at Jimmy's No. 43

The Happy Hour guys stopped by Jimmy's No. 43 and talked to us about food, beer, and community. Check out the great video below.

Six-Point "Secret" Meatopia Beer

Yesterday, the owners of some of the Good Beer Seal bars stopped by Six Point to brew the very special smoked "Meatopia" beer. Ray from d.b.a., Patrick from Rattle'n'Hum, and Jimmy and Chris from Jimmy's No. 43 were there, joined by Rebecca from Working Class Foodies and Walker from Edible New York. They were lucky enough to see Cathy Erway working on her rooftop garden, and she prepared a delicious lunch for them after the brewing session. Check them out below stirring the mash!

Hot Bread Kitchen Cook Off At Jimmy's No. 43

Check out this great video of the Hot Bread Kitchen cook-off at Jimmy's No. 43... Just one example of all the great cook-offs and fundraisers we have here!

Jimmy's No. 43 at the Shuck N Suck

There are so many interesting food events in NYC this summer. but an oyster Shuck N Suck? We serve great local oysters every Wednesday and Thursday, so when we heard about the NYC Food Film Festival's Shuck N Suck event, we knew we had to participate. Eddie, our ace shucker, can compete with the best in the city (in fact, he is so good, he was hired by the NYC Food Film Festival to lead volunteers Wednesday morning in the cleaning and preparation of the 6,000 oysters that will be shucked later that night). And Jimmy? He's an eater - he had to beg but got the gig - and will be one of the "Suckers' Wednesday night... Jimmy's No. 43 will also be Chef-In the cooked oyster menu - fried oysters, grilled oysters, oysters with grits.... Delicious!

How Do We Create a Menu?

Last week, Jimmy took a couple hours to run a cooking demonstration at St. Mark's Church Greenmarket. He made a simple lunch of fried baitfish (Spearing) from Shinnecock, Long Island with some sorrel from Yunos Farm upstate.

It was a very tasty lunch! This is how we like to cook and create our menu for the day- Walk around the market, look at the options, and pick the freshest ingredients!

Pie Lovers Unite!

Last Saturday, we hosted a fundraiser for our great friends at BK Farmyards. Pie Lovers Unite! A Fundraiser for BK Farmyards Youth Farm at the High School for Public Service brought together 20 pie enthusiasts to compete for bragging rights for the best sweet and savory pies in the city. The pie masters included Growing Chefs/ Eagle Street Farm, Four & Twenty Blackbirds, and many others. The judges included Matt Timms, cookoff guru, Katy Keiffer of Heritage Radio Network, Anna Broussard of the French Culinary Institute, and Amy Zavotto of Edible magazine.

The judges choice was awarded to Annie Novak and Chris Bondie for their savory swiss chard pie, and the people's choice went to Betty Brooklyn for her savory mini short rib pies. Thanks to everyone for making this a great event!

Farm Distribution In NYC

Last week, Jimmy's No. 43 hosted a very special event attended by NY State farmers, NYC restaurant food buyers, representatives of non-profits and foundations, and farm distribution experts.

Farmers in northern New York had expressed concern over the lack of distribution opportunities in NYC restaurants, so we invited them to come down and have a discussion. Lucy's Whey, Fatty Crab, Fatty Cue, Print, Joe Doe, Co., The Spotted Pig, and Bobo were all in attendence. Stay tuned for more! We are about to create a new distribution network for farmers up north!

Vegetarian Dinner and Beer Pairing with Dan Shelton

A very special thanks to Shelton Brothers Importers and all the folks who made it out to our Vegetarian Dinner and Beer Pairing with Dan Shelton. Dan was full of great anecdotes, and spoke directly to his love for well-made and flavorful session-strength beers.

Dan brought Tuatara Pilsner, which echoed the finish of Taras Boulba and presented two interpretations of Saaz hops. Also on hand was Theillier La Bavaisienne (an amber biére de garde) and Blaugies Saison d'Epeautre, both of which were crisp, refreshing, and under 5% ABV. For dessert, we had the Dieu de Ciel Péché Mortel, a fantastic coffee stout which Jimmy kept drinking all night!

Ray Deter of d.b.a and Dave Brodrick of Blind Tiger were in attendance, and stayed on after the dinner to drink other Shelton Brothers gems like Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calbaza and Dieu de Ciel Equinoxe du Printemps. Truly a great night for New York City craft beer!

Bacon, Beer, Cheese, and Chocolate... Yes Please!

In honor of Pig Week 2010, Jimmy's No. 43 hosted an amazing tasting featuring craft beers, handmade chocolates, artisanal cheeses, and delicious bacons! Hosted by NYCDAT heads Mary Izett and Chris Cuzme, and the irreplaceable Josh Ozersky, we got an outstanding turnout and a great and comprehensive review from Chaz Kangas. Check it out here!

"PUT 'EM UP" - Canning, Fermenting, Freezing, and Drying with Author Sherri Brooks Vinton

Canning, fermenting, freezing, drying – home food preservation is an economical, enjoyable, and delicious way to savor local, seasonal edibles all year round. Join eater and author, Sherri Brooks Vinton, as she demonstrates a variety of these techniques with recipes from her new book, “Put ‘em Up!” Eaters will walk away with all the knowledge they need to safely and confidently put up their own tomatoes, pickles, jams, jellies, salsas, chutneys and more. Books will be available for sale at the event. Proceeds from this event will benefit The Food Systems Network NYC.

When: 6:00-7:30 p.m., Monday, June 21st

Where: Jimmy's No. 43, 43 E. 7th St.

Working Class Foodies at Pig Week Kick Off!

A very special thanks to our friends at Working Class Foodies, who made a special trip to Jimmy's No. 43 to videotape our Pig Butchering Kick Off Event on Sunday, May 9th. This is one of the best videos ever made at Jimmy's No. 43! Thank you guys!

Jimmy's No. 43 A Big Hit at the Obie Awards Last Night

We served pulled pork on toast at the Obie Awards last night. Big hit!

Mike Yezzi, of Flying Pigs Farm, at Jimmy's No. 43!

Last night, we were proud to host pig farmer Mike Yezzi, of Flying Pigs Farm, for "Meat" The Farmer, part of Pig Week 2010! Thanks to everyone for their support of this great week!

Jimmy's No. 43 Welcomes The Piggery!

We are proud to be hosting 4 CSA's this summer!

The Piggery is our heritage pork and charcuterie CSA. It is run by our friends Heather and Brad, whose farming methods are based on the principles of sustainability, convenience, and deliciousness. Brad is an expert charcuterer who makes all the cured meats and pates, right on the farm.

On Sunday, we helped to celebrate their new, ambitious CSA. They brought a pig, and demonstrated how to carve it into all your favorite cuts- pork chops to pork belly, snout to tail! We also had a bunch of great bluegrass bands playing!

We will be cooking all the different cuts on the Jimmy's No. 43 menu this week... Stop by to taste this delicious, sustainable pork!

Avery's Depuceleuse a Huge Hit at the Srong Beer tasting!

An awesomely notable stand-out in the "Strong Beer Night" Tuesday Tasting (hosted by Brandon of American Beer) was the fourth beer in Avery's Barrel Aged Beer Series: The Depuceleuse.

It is a limited release 100% Brettanomyces fermented beer brewed with cherries sent to mature in zinfandel wine barrels in the barrel-aging cellars of Avery (Boulder, Colorado). After being laid to rest for a year, Avery Brewing Company deemed it worthy and bottled it on March 31, 2010. The resulting beer was DEFINITELY worth the wait.

To quote Avery's press release, "...Depuceleuse is a forceful departure from the mindset of traditional beer style and features a harmony of intriguing flavors. Seductive to the core, she lies patiently in the bottle awaiting the day to deflower virgins of the funky flavors of brettanomyces!"

While there are not enough good words to do this beer justice, too many words would demote the experience. One just had to be there. If you have a chance to try this beer it is highly highly recommended! Jimmy's No. 43 blog team gives this beer three thumbs up! Thank you Avery. Thank. You.

Consider Bardwell Cheese At Jimmy's No. 43 Last Night

Last night, we hosted a great event for Slow U, a meet and greet with Consider Bardwell Farm. Here is the crew from left to right: Angel Miller (Co-owner and Literary Agent), Rachel Schaal (Coordinator of the Vermont Cheese Council) and Peter Dixon (Co-owner and Cheesemaker), setting up for an awesome night of beer and cheese!

The Silence of the Lambics

Saturday's sour and lambic event was a great time... We served beers from many of the true lambic producers in the world including Oud Beersel, Cantillion, De Fontein, and Hanssens. Thanks to our friends from Union Beer and B United for making it happen!

One of our favorites was the Oud Beersel Framboise, pictured below along with one from The Bruery in California. Stop by and check them both out off our menu!

Jimmy's No. 43 at the Go Project Benefit

Check out this great review of our Jimmy's No. 43 table at the Go Project Benefit. (Scroll down for the pictures).

We're not suprised.... We had some of the best food and the best staff! The fabulous Melissa and Alexis served beer-cooked pulled pork!

Consider Bardwell Farm for Slow U at Jimmy's No. 43

Angela Miller, of Consider Bardwell, will be running a tasting and a presentation of her experiences making cheese. Buy tickets and check out the full post here.

Today, We're Hosting the Slow Food Regional Meeting!

The heads of the regional Slow Food chapters from Central NY, Westchester, South Jersey, NYC, East End Long Island, Huntington and the Hudson Valley are here today for a special lunch meeting. We're serving a local field green salad with spicy watercress, roasted pork from Dickson's, and Ronnybrook panne cotta with honey and walnuts.

Great lunch at Jimmy's No. 43!

Silence of the Lambics!

Saturday, April 24th from 1-4 PM, Jimmy's No. 43 and GreatBrewers.com will be featuring the newest up-and-coming trend in the craft beer scene: sour beers. There will be a selection of sour and Lambic beers for your tasting pleasure as well as a variety of snacks. Don't miss this amazing tasting event!

Some of the brands that will be available (this list is ever-growing!):

Cantillon
Drie Fonteinen
Oud Beersel
Hanssens
Lindemans
Girardin
Allagash
Jolly Pumpkin
Duchesse de Bourgogne

Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased at Jimmy's No. 43 or online here.

Thursday nights Tasting Table & Jimmy's No. 43 prix fixe dinner was a great time... We offered four courses of oyster dishes and a beer to match. Check out the menu below.

First Course
3 East End Oysters
Helles Lager, Schlenkerla (Germany)

Second Course
Strozzapreti with East End Oysters, bacon, and spring onions
Angry Boy Brown Ale, Baird (Japan)

Third Course
Grass-fed prime rib with East End Oyster sauce and caramelized pan drippings
Righteous Rye, Six Point (Brooklyn)

Fourth Course
Dark chocolate and Imperial stout torte
Double Chocolate Stout, Youngs (UK)

$10 Tuesday Saison Tasting A Success!

Thanks to Mike Lovullo of Union Beer for leading a great Saison tasting on Tuesday! The tasting featured Saison Dupont, Ommegang Hennepin, St. Somewhere Saison Athene, Jolly Pumpkin Bam Boire, The Bruery Saison Rue, and Avec les Bons Voeux de la Brasserie Dupont. The crowd's favorite? St. Somewhere Saison Athene. Check out their facebook page and become a fan!

Be sure to check out this week's Tuesday tasting, Biere de Garde, the french take on farmhouse ales, presented by Shelton Brothers.

Great Review of last week's Scandinavian lunch with Trine Hahnemann

Our friend Joe DiStefano from Serious Eats stopped by last week to help out with our special Scandinavian lunch with chef Trine Hahnemann, author of "The Scandinavian Cookbook". Read his great review of the event here. Thanks to Joe, and everyone else who came out for this great event!

Our favorite Belgian brewer, Yvan from Brasserie de la Senne

Yvan stopped by on Saturday with our friends from Shelton Brothers Importers. Yvan is friends with some of our other favorite breweries, including Mahr's from Germany, and Tournay in Belgium. Yvan told us some of his favorite beers are Stouterik and Taras Boulba Thanks for coming by Yvan!

Tasting Table Prix Fix Dinner, April 8th

Tasting Table and Jimmy's No. 43 are teaming up and offering a prix fixe Oyster and Beer pairing dinner for $45 a person.

The menu includes raw East End oysters paired with an Italian beer "Del Borgo Te", pasta with oyster sauce, bacon, and spring onions, paired with the new Irish brewpub Porterhouse's Oyster Stout, prime rib with oyster sauce, paired with the Japanese Angry Boy Brown Ale, and a dark chocolate and imperial stout torte with Ronnybrook whipped cream, paired with Allagash Odyssey, an oak aged strong Belgian black wheat ale.

There will be two seatings for this event, one at 7 PM, and one at 9 PM. This is a don't miss event; call us to reserve your spot, seats are going fast!

Local Oysters Now Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday!

Oyster Night has expanded to 4 nights a week! We will be offering local oysters Wednesday through Saturday nights, along with a selection of local craft beers.

This weekend we will have Wellfleet oysters, from Wellfleet, MA. Delicious salty start, with a superb sweet finish. Some of the best oysters we've had yet!

Smørrebrød at Jimmy's No. 43

Last Sunday, we had the wonderful Danish guest chef Trina Hahnemann here for a special Danish lunch. Smørrebrød is a traditional Danish style open sandwich, with a tradition dating back to the 19th century. When working in the fields, farmers would bring rye bread with a spread of either butter or fat for their lunch. Lake, workers started putting on leftovers for dinner, like boiled potatoes, fish, or cold cuts, and ate them with very cold beer and aquavit. In the 1920's, the sandwiches became very elaborate, and started to appear at parties and restaurants. Restaurants with dancing would serve smørrebrød because it took less time to eat and left more time for dancing!

To eat smørrebrød, start with the fish, move on to the meat, then eat the cheese. And drink a cold beer!

The Jimmy's menu featured smørrebrød with herring and beetroot salad, smoked mackeral, egg and shrimp salad, salmon with horseradish, chicken salad, meatballs, lamb roast, and potatoes with radishes, chives and spring onions. We also featured a special Danish cask beer from the Wintercoat Brewery; their Double Hop IPA.

Be sure to check out Ms. Hahnemann's beautiful cookbook, "The Scandinavian Cookbook".

$10 Tuesday Tasting- Farmhouse Ales and Saisons

Join the Jimmy's crew for a farmhouse ale and saison tasting! $10 will get you tastings of all the featured beers; we will be offering all of them a la carte on our menu.
Tuesday, April 6th.

Brisket on Toast

One of the favorite dishes at Village Voice Choice Eats was Jimmy's No. 43's own brisket on toast! Click here to see all the favorites!

Meet 5 Brewers

Five brewers visited Jimmy's No. 43 tonight as part of a major trade tasting this week in New York City. Union Beer Distributors (aka greatbrewers.com) hosted a tasting for the trade of over 50 brewers. Brewers in attendance at Jimmys No. 43 tonight were:

Hitachino Nest (Japan)- espresso stout on draft.
The Porterhouse (Ireland)- oyster stout on draft
Harviestoun (Scotland) brought two beers-
Haggis hunter pale ale in cask
Old engine oil (porter/old ale blend)
Grado Plato (Italy) brought 3 different beers in bottle including the chestnut ale
Birrificio Piccolo (Italy) Seson with chinotto herbs

Upcoming Special Events

March 24 from 5:00- 8:00 PM Meet Five Brewers

Five Excellent Beers. Five Exemplary Brewers.
Join Jimmy's No. 43 for a rare event featuring the brewers of Hitachino, Harviestoun, Grando Plato, Birrificio Piccolo and The Porterhouse. One draft and one bottle from each brewer will be available in this informal, walk around tasting. Pay as you go.

March 28 from 1:00- 4:00 PM

Danish Chef, Trine Hahnemann presents a special pre-Easter/ pre –Passover lunch at Jimmy’s No. 43 featuring a contemporary Scandanavian smorgasbord. Open faced sandwiches with fresh ingredients like roasted lamb and fresh marinated herring, elderflower cocktails, and Danish craft beers will be available as well. A la carte pricing.

$10.00 Beer Tastings on Tuesdays

Tuesdays are the new Friday.

Or at least, they feel pretty good at Jimmy's No. 43.

On Tuesday, Jimmy's is offering $10 beer tastings with a variety of themes. Here's a quick list that was posted on Ten Weeks, Ten Dollars a Day. And don't forget tomorrow night's Beer and Cheese Pairing with Anne Saxelby!

Tuesday March 30th – Michael Lovullo presents IPAS from the west coast, the east coast, and Belgium – 7 – 9pm

Wednesday March 31st – Flying Dog brewery night with cheese pairings – 7 – 9pm

Tuesday April 6th – Saison and farmhouse ales – 7 – 9pm

Tuesday April 13th – BR from Shelton Brothers presents Beir De Garde – 7 – 9pm

Tuesday April 20th – All About Porters – 7 – 9pm

Tuesday May 11th – 12 percent importers ( specialty belgium beers ) plus beer and bacon tasting in the back room

Tuesday May 18th – Beer, Cheese and Kimchi tasting with Anne Saxelby

Keep checking back for updates on our Upcoming Tasting Events!

March 16 and 17th- British Brews and American Cheese

Cultures collide with delicious results next week at Jimmy's No. 43. Here's a little explanation:

On Tuesday, March 16 starting at 7:00 PM, Anne Saxelby will bring a trio of British inspired, American farmstead cheese to Jimmys No. 43. The cheese will be paired with tastes of three British beers for $10! You can read more about this pairing event on Anne Saxelby's blog.

On Wednesday, March 17... well, do we even need to mention that it's St. Partick's Day? Jimmy's No. 43 will be showcasing specialty UK beers at the bar because, let's face it, St. Pat was a Brit. Check out our mention in Time Out New York.

Now for those of you looking for a reason to imbibe two nights in a row (and two weeknights at that!) let me clue you in on a little known Finnish holiday called St. Urho's Day. On March 16th, Finns commemorate St. Urho driving the grasshoppers out of the Finnish vineyards. (Finnish vineyards? Really?) Finns celebrate this day by wearing green (for the grasshoppers) and purple (for the grapes) and- since they're Finns- drinking. While many revere this tale as historical fact, others think it sounds a little too familiar. Those "others" would be the Irishmen in Northern Minnesota whose St. Patrick's Day revelries were thwarted by the Finns who had gotten to the beer the day before. If you want to celebrate in true Finnish style- wear purple and green on Tuesday and giggle to yourself as you snatch an Irishman's beer! (Don't worry, you'll make it up to him with a drink on Wednesday)

Events Wrap-Up

There have been some great events at Jimmy's No. 43 in the last couple of weeks, but don't take our word for it- here are some quick wrap-ups:

Sour Beer Night was last Tuesday, bringing beer lovers out for some sour beer treasures. Run Dangerously gave us a nice write up. Click here to read about the event.

Souperama went off without a hitch last Saturday, serving up soupy fun and raising funds for Harbor Hope and The Fresh Air Fund. Check out this great photo recap of the event on Metromix.

Like sour beers? Stay tuned for a big lambic tasting Saturday, April 24th. More information to come...

American Beer Screening and Growlers of McNeill's!

Tuesday, March 9 is a great night to love beer.

First, at 5:00 PM you can tune in to Beer Sessions on the Heritage Radio Network (tell all your friends you listened to the show before iTunes picked it up- which should happen next week!). Civilization of Beer mastermind, Samuel Merritt will co-host with our own Jimmy Carbone as they interview Beerlord (aka Toby Egan), Ben Wiley of Brooklyn's Bar Great Harry, and Brandon Moore of American Beer Distributing.

Then, at 7:30 PM, you can head over to Jimmy's No. 43 to see a screening of American Beer, the true story of five friends visiting 38 breweries in 40 days. Brandon Moore will at the screening as will the filmmaker, Paul Kermizian of Barcade. $20 gets you admission to the screening (seating is limited) and a growler of McNeill's (or a pint of something else).

Growlers? Does this mean...? Yes. Jimmy's has growlers!

The Piggery CSA

When people think "community supported agriculture", they usually think about vegetables and maybe dairy. Now it is time to think "pork"!

Starting in June, a new CSA will be at Jimmy's No. 43 every Thursday from 4:00- 7:00 PM. The Piggery raises pastured, heirloom breeds and provides charcuterie for CSA members. You can sign up on The Piggery's website, or call 607-342-2245 for more information.

Look for more our CSA kick off in May, with special events and inspired menu options!

Souperama This Saturday

Soup lovers get ready! This Saturday, March 6 from 1:00-5:00 PM at Jimmy's No. 43 is the First Annual Souperama- a charity event to benefit Harbor Hope and The Fresh Air Fund. $20 at the door will benefit those charities and get you many delicious soups to sample.

Cathy Erway wrote a post about the upcoming Souperama on Not Eating Out in New York and it has also gotten the attention of Serena at Seriously Soupy. Click and read. Then we will see you on Saturday!

March 2 is Sour Beer Night and Jimmy's on the Radio!

It's another busy week at Jimmy's No. 43. No rest for the wicked! So, let's get up to date...

Tonight is Sour Beer Night at Jimmy's No. 43. Sour beer is difficult to make and hard to find. Tonight, connoisseurs can enjoy an informal tasting featuring a selection of sour beers from Jolly Pumpkin, Cantillon, and others from the Shelton Brothers portfolio. Just last Wednesday, Eric Asimov wrote a great article in The New York Times about the best Belgian and Belgian inspired beers. Jolly Pumpkin's Oro de Calabaza was Number 1. There will be lots of Jolly Pumpkin on hand at Jimmy's and Oro de Calabaza will be available tonight, as will other beers that made Asimov's list.

Also making an appearance tonight... Jimmy Carbone will co-host a new beer-centric radio show on the Heritage Radio Network. Beer Sessions makes its premiere tonight at 5:00 PM. Here's the show description:

Every Tuesday, Jimmy Carbone plays host to an audio ale salon alongside a rotating corps of co-hosts including Sam Merritt (founder of Civilization of Beer) and Ray Deter (owner of d.b.a.). Beer loving raconteurs will offer toasts, share craft beer news, and swap anecdotes about their lives on the front lines of the craft beer movement. Beer Sessions is sponsored by The Good Beer Seal, an association of independently owned and operated bars in New York City that serve, promote, and support good craft beer. Feel free to email questions, toasts and your personal beer lore to our hosts at beersessions@gmail.com.

You can tune in to Heritage Radio Network for the live stream at 5:00 or check back to the Beer Sessions page for archived programs. Once archived shows on the HRN site, you will find a link to it right here on this blog.

Happy Tuesday and remember to drink good beer!

Tonight! Miso Oden at Jimmy's No. 43

Our friends who brought you the Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki are back. This time they are bringing Miso Oden.

What is Oden?Oden is the authentic Japanese style “pot-au-feu” cooked in soy-flavoured dashi broth. Basic ingredients are daikon radish, konnyaku, boiled eggs, and processed fish cakes. Japanese mustard is often used as a condiment. Paring with Sake, Shochu, and beer, Japanese people enjoy Oden especially during winter.

What is "Miso Oden"? Using special miso called "Hatcho Miso" for the broth, "Miso Oden" is the most unique regional variation of Oden. Hatcho Miso has a lot of UMAMI, unique smoky flavor, and less sweetness comparing with other miso. Although the broth's color is very dark, the flavor is mild.

Enjoy Miso Oden for $10/ plate ($2.00/bowl of rice) and take advantage of Jimmy's great beer list tonight, Monday March 1 from 7:00- 10:00 PM at Jimmy's No. 43.

SOUP!

Jimmy's No. 43 participated in a recent soup and bread event. We made a creamy potato, roasted onion, yogurt soup. It was the first to sell out! Martha, the founder of the group posted our recipe on her site Soup and Bread.

It seems we aren't the only ones into soup these days. Organizers have been slaving away to bring you the First Annual NYC Souperama! On Saturday, March 6 from 1:00- 5:00 PM soup-lovers should find their way to Jimmy's No. 43 for a day dedicated to delicious soups and the people who make them! $20 at the door will benefit Harbor Hope, a non-profit organization developing educational cooking programs for those with special needs, and The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, providing free summer experiences to New York City children from disadvantaged communities.

Approximately 15 soups will be scored by a panel of judges. Judges include:

· Cathy Erway, author of The Art of Eating In and Not Eating Out In New York.

· Jake Schiffman from The Food Network

· Gabrielle Langholz, editor of Edible Manhattan and Edible Brooklyn

· Sherri Brooks Vinton, food writer

Participants will compete for a wide range of prizes including cookbooks, cooking tools and more. Attendees will have a chance to vote on their favorite soup to be awarded People’s Choice. If you are interested in participating, there is still time to enter. Email foodkarma@gmail.com for specifics.

Cathy Erway Interview and Aphrodisiac Dinner for Singles 2/11

Cathy Erway has been a ubiquitous presence in the New York Cook Off scene. It shouldn't be any surprise that her blog -Not Eating Out in New York is one of our favorites. Cathy's book, The Art of Eating In, is hitting the shelves and she is celebrating with an Aphrodisiac Dinner for Singles at Jimmy's No. 43 on February 11. (See sidebar under Upcoming Tasting Events for details!) If you don't know her- check out this brief interview, then hit her blog, then buy the book!

How weird did it seem to your friends when you stopped eating out, now over 2 years ago?

Pretty weird, but then my friends already knew me :). It was strangers who were most shocked when they heard that [I was not eating out anymore], and would always exclaim, I don't know how anyone could do that!

Were you a writer before you started noteatingoutinny.com, or were you inspired enough by the concept to become a writer?

I always wanted to be a writer, but paying gigs didn't seem to be falling on my lap too easily. That's why I started a blog, to self-publish my food writing, and not get paid for it either!

Do you have a day job? If so, what?

I work as a freelance writer; I do copywriting, and some writing for publications like Edible Brooklyn on the side. A flexible schedule was all mastered so that I could take food photography in daylight!

How did you come up with your 5 course aphrodisiac menu? (See menu below) Oysters and pomegranates seem natural for Valentines, but why have you included beef cheeks?

The menu is roughly based on a five-course meal that I cooked for a group of ten at my place one night, which is recalled in the book. It was an elaborate prank between me and three friends to invite someone whom we had a crush on to dinner, and hopefully woo them with aphrodisiac foods, which are featured throughout the menu (pomegranate, basil, etc.). We didn't tell any of this to our guests though, and as it turned out, none of us got lucky, nor had a very good time -- at least, until the other guests had left and we were left to ourselves again, to just have fun. Anyway, the food was really good at least!

As an off shoot of your "not eating out", you became a leader in the amateur cook off movement in Brooklyn. What was the first cookoff you participated in? Do you compete to win? What are some other cook offs that are coming up?

The first cook-off had to be a Chili Takedown way back in '07. I made something with chicken and hominy, and did not win. Since then I have never thought very seriously about trying to win the cookoffs, but just have a great time with the other chefs, hosts, and generally awesome people who show up to eat.

There is just one seating for Cathy's Aphrodisiac Dinner for Singles- a five course prix fixe dinner for $25/ per person (tax, tips and drinks not included). Seating at 7:30 followed by a reading and Q and A with Cathy in our Back Room. The menu for the Aphrodisiac Dinner for Singles includes:

Oysters
Risotto with spelt (freekah), arugula, pinenuts and basil
Braised beef cheeks w/ pomegranate and butternut mash
Spiced fennel salad
Almond pudding with amaretto crumbs

Thanks for talking to us, Cathy, and best of luck with your new book!

Diana Pittet's Great Cheddar Adventure

Diana Pittet returned from 8 months traveling the world to visit cheese producers bursting with knowledge to share. On February 3 she hosted a talk and tasting the the back room at Jimmy's No. 43. The tasting featured 5 English farmhouse cheddars and a real English cask ale.

Here's a virtual taste of the evening:

Keen’s Cheddar -An unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese made by the Keen family at Moorhayes Farm in Somerset for over 100 years.

Montgomery’s Cheddar - An unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese made by Jamie Montgomery in Somerset.

Isle of Mull- An unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese made by Jeff and Chris Reade on a remote Scottish island. The soil and climate in western Scotland is different from Somerset, resulting in a more acidic and fruity cheese.

Sparkenhoe Red Leicester- An unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese made by David and Jo Clarke. It’s savory and satisfying and much younger than the clothbound Cheddars, only four or five months old.

Stichelton- An unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese made by American Joe Schneider in Nottinghamshire near Sherwood Forest. It’s syrupy, toasty, and savory. It sure looks like Stilton but don’t call it that! That would be against the law!

And to drink:

RCH Brewery’s Pitchfork (Somerset, 4.3%)- it is not everyday you get to try a real English cask ale!

Farnum Hill Cider (New Hampshire, 6.5% to 7.5%) - This cider may be made in New Hampshire, but it’s still the taste of Somerset and a great companion for Cheddar.

Wild Meliades (Hudson Valley, 12%) - A uniquely produced organic apple wine. crafted by Enlightenment Wines. "Wild Meliades" is unfiltered and sulfite-free, with sophisticated floral notes produced by the complex interactions of an airborne wild yeast ecosystem, which develops independently in each 5-gallon cask. Every cask offers a one-of-a-kind experience, unmatched in depth or subtlety; this particular cask was brought to Jimmy's 43 by request and is not available anywhere else.

Aw Shucks!

It turns out that a lot of people love oysters. Thursday nights' Local Oysters Local Beer Night is a happy, salty night at Jimmy's No. 43. However, last Thursday night Karen Rivara and Jim Markow came by to shuck a mind-boggling number of oysters and talk about the time and care it takes to get an oyster from its watery home to your mouth. Luckily, Nora Mulrooney of Amateur Foodie Adventures was kind enough to write about the evening from her perspective.

Jimmy's No. 43's Local Oysters Local Beer night also rated a mention on Metromix's list of New York City spots to enjoy oysters! Check out the photos and lists here.

For more information, check out The Peconic Land Trust website to learn about the natural lands and working farms of Long Island.

Oyster Shuck Off

Every Thursday Night is Oyster Night at Jimmy’s No. 43 (6:00- 10:00 PM). The Thursday menu features local oysters and highlights local beers. On January 28, from 7:00- 9:00 PM, the back room at Jimmy’s will be the setting for an Oyster Shuck Off. Oyster growers Karen Rivara and Jim Markow will talk about growing oysters and demonstrate their oyster shucking skills with 600- 800 Peconic Pearls and Mystics at their disposal. $20 per person.

In recent years, wild oysters on Long Island had disappeared. Pollution, algae, storms and other environmental factors had destroyed their numbers and their habitats. Now, thanks to the efforts of growers like Karen Rivara, Jim Markow and the Peconic Bay Land Trust, we are witnessing a rebirth of the wild oyster. Come to Jimmy's and find out more about how oysters get from the grower to you. In the mean time, check out this short video featuring Jim Markow:

Vegetarian Beer Dinner

Gerry Visco, of NY Press fame, came down to last week's Vegetarian Beer Dinner at Jimmy's No. 43 and was kind enough to write about it. She also took some pictures. Five vegetarian plates were accompanied by five Sixpoint beers. It just goes to show that eating well goes hand in hand with drinking well!

Sausage Favorites

Jimmy's No. 43 and our Greenmarket Sausage Week was mentioned on tumblr. In case you missed it- we created Sausage Week to showcase Greenmarket farmers and their products.

We served dishes like:
Flying Pigs Farm sweet italian sausages, beer braised apples, local polenta.
3 Corner Field Farm lamb merguez, roasted with olives. lemons, briased radicchio.
Tamarack Hollow Farm's kelbasa, with braised carrots and cabbage.
Cassouelt with Greenmarket sausages, duck, white beans

Some of our favorite Greenmarket sausages:
1. Flying Pigs Farm kielbasa.
2. Violet Hill Farm bangers
3. 3 Corner Field Farm lamb sausages, all kinds.

Cassoulet Wrap-Up and a Recipe!

Food writer and friend, Cathy Erway posted a great recap of the Cassoulet Cook Off on Not Eating Out in New York. She was also kind enough to include her Moroccan inspired cassoulet recipe!

Just before the Cook Off, I received an email:

"i am french and from the south so i know cassoulet and i was wondering if you are doing this only this week end and if it's possible to enjoy it only during the special event ???? i mean is it possible to eat your cassoulet saturday night for example ???"

Well, my French is rusty, but...

Bien sur, mon ami! Il y a cassoulet à la carte pendant l'hiver a Jimmy's No. 43. Bon Appétit!

I hope that answers your question!

Cassoulet, Cassoulet, HOORAY!

This year's Cassoulet Cook Off was a blast. Greenmarket supporters and cassoulet lovers responded to the foodie buzz and came out on Saturday to taste and taste and taste again. Cathy Erway was there, as was Metromix's Kelly Neal. The big news of the day, however, is that Theo Peck of The Food Experiments (also known as "Mr. Cook Off) won the Judges' award. Nick Suarez, another cook off favorite and Peck's partner-in-crime at The Food Experiments, walked away with a more than respectable second place. The People's Choice award went to Emma Feigenbaum and Sandy Gluck. For a fun read and cassoulet wrap up, check out Theo Peck's blog Carnivore Hearts Herbavore. Congratulations Cassoulet Kings and Queens!

I am From Massachusetts

Last year, a friend and his partners had planned to open a brewery in a depressed town in western Massachusetts called North Adams. So I offered some insight, from a local's perspective.

Some local color:
Let's see, history... history... we learned a lot about the history of Massachusetts. History, being about words, must offer a choice selection of words that could be fitting names for the beers of this new brewery venture.

The "Once Great State" Ale
The "We Banned Slaves, But Still Bought Their Cotton" Lager
"No Irish, No Catholics -Real, Olde Tyme, Yankee Porter"
"Thrifty, and Proud of It" Pale Ale
"Snow Shoveling Zen - Japanese Style White Ale"

Ethan Frome, the novel, was set in this part of western Massachusetts. He was a miserable guy stuck with a wife he hated, lusting after her younger sister who came to live with them. His big thrill was hitching up the horses to a sleigh in a snowstorm and zooming down a dangerous hill. For much of the year in western Massachusetts, the weather is cold and the earth is hard. Ethan Frome thought he got lucky when his wife had to travel to take care of a sick relative. Somehow, her beautiful sister stayed behind to look after her husband, Mr. Frome, but he still missed out on any possible pleasure, because the growing season is short and the old Yankee/Boston ethics too repressive.

Some fun taunts for the land of Red Sox fans! Happy New Year!

Cassoulet Cook Off- Saturday, January 16 from 1:00- 5:00 PM

In the dead of winter, there is little that is more comforting than cassoulet. Beans and sausages are the backbone of this hearty meal, but the rest is subject only to the chef's imagination! Duck, goose, pork, tomatoes, carrots...if you have some cassoulet, you know you are being well fed.

Last year, Ed Yowell (Slow Food and Greenmarket board member) suggested the Cassoulet Cook Off. One thing that most of the Greenmarket farmers (who raise meat) have in common is that they make (or have made) sausages from their animals. There are so many good sausages at the Greenmarket: 3 Corner Field Farm - lamb sausages, merguez, chorizo, Italian; Flying Pigs Farm - pork sausages, includign my favorite chorizo; Catskill Merino - lamb sausage, inlcuding an interesting spiced sausage; and pork sausages from Tamarack Hollow and Ted Blew. That's just at Union Square! There are many more!

The Cassoulet Cook Off is a benefit for the Greenmarket. $20 at the door buys you a sampling of 15 different cassoulets from pro and amateur chefs. Vote for your favorite! There will be drink specials at the bar on small production beers from B. United Importers. For example, a Reissdorf Kolsch and Schlenkerla Helles Lager will be only $5 a glass!