Congratulations! Your book "the art of eating in" is now out in paperback.what special events are you planning to promote the book?
Thanks! Well, I've had this idea of having a book swap and book launch party for a while, so I'm really excited to throw this at Jimmy's. Other than that, I wanted to keep active in the fun food activities I've been doing for a while and just give my book away as a goody bag or prize. So, I recently cooked a guest chef dinner with my friends at Whisk & Ladle Supper Club, and I'll be doing a guest chef stint at Ted & Amy's Supper Club on Feb. 23rd. (Check out the menu!) I'll also be giving a cooking demo for the first hour at Choice Eats on March 29th. More cooking and talking appearances to come in the spring, too.
How will the cookbook swap work? What cookbooks will you bring to swap? What cookbook would you like to own?
I recently moved and realized that I don't need the boxes and boxes of good food books I own. So I want others who will enjoy them to have them instead. I'll start out the swap pile by unloading a huge bunch of these. Anyone can bring a book, take a book, bring more, take more, and at the end of the night, any leftovers will be taken to Housing Works Bookstore to donate. I'd love to get my hands on NOMA (a Scandinavian cookbook named after the restaurant), which I've heard such great things about. I will be, however, giving away some really good books just because I've read and enjoyed my share of them and it's time to pass them onto someone else. There will be lots of cookbooks and food literature... but I'm hesitant to name any specific ones because I wouldn't want the authors to feel snubbed!
One of the most unusual chapters in your book is about the freegans. Is there still a thriving freegan movement in Brooklyn?
There is indeed. I think that this and many ways of using thrown-out goods will continue as long as we continue to have such a wasteful society. Whether or not it will become popularly accepted is another story, but I think the movement is more about exposing the problem of waste rather than trying to convert everybody to freeganism.
Brooklyn and Manhattan food scene currently has many cook-offs and food events. What are some of your favorites that have taken place recently or are upcoming?
The last cassoulet cook-off had to be one of the best cook-offs at Jimmy's ever! Not only was all the food really impressive, but the positive atmosphere and spirits of everyone was just off the charts. I actually won third place at the World's Greatest Jerk-Off recently, too, so that was a pretty good day. Looking forward to more and stranger challenges!
I see a new blog-lunch at Six Point. Any new plantings for spring?
I haven't dared to plant anything just yet, with the snow turning on and off all the time. I am looking forward to planting some nice leafy greens like mache and some brassicas as soon as it gets a little warmer in the spring.
