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!

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!

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!

Hungry Filmmakers Party

On Tuesday, December 15, a special screening of excerpts from six up and coming films about our food system will be playing at Anthology Film Archives. This event is called Hungry Filmmakers. The After Party will take place at Jimmy's No. 43 at 9:00. For more information, check out this blog post by Hungry Filmmakers curator Cathy Erway.

And the Winner Is...

Jackie Beach, intrepid cook and food writer, won the popular vote at Saturday's Risotto Challenge hosted at Jimmy's No. 43. Read more from event organizer Cathy Erway. Then check out this article in The New York Times about the cook off scene.

Bacon Week and Risotto Cook Off

This week is jam packed with fun, good food at Jimmy's No. 43 because, well, it's Bacon Week! First off, tonight- Tuesday, May 19- is a Beer Pairing 101 featuring beer, chocolate, cheese and bacon for our new best friends at Food for Thought Tours.

Wednesday, May 20 marks the return of our ever-popular Bacon, Beer and Chutney Tasting lead by Josh Ozersky, aka "Mr. Cutlets", and featuring beers from B. United Importers and mustards and chutneys from Schoolhouse Kitchen.

Then, on Saturday, May 23, you gotta love Cathy Erway and Karol Lu for hosting their 2nd Annual Risotto Cook Off at Jimmy's No. 43. Check out this risotto-related posting on Grub Street. Hats off, ladies!

For more information on these events visit Jimmysno43.com.

Escape Your Winter Blues- Cook Something, Then Eat It!

All this talk about cassoulet has me searching for recipes. Luckily, Cathy Erway has been kind enough to post her lip-smacking cassoulet recipe. Take a day off, go shopping at the Greenmarket and make this cassoulet for yourself and a few cold, tired people you love. It will be the best day you'll have all winter!