Rachel Wharton
I’m looking forward to Louisa Shafia’s Monday night Persian dinner pop-ups at Porsena. For the forthcoming fall travel issue of Edible Brooklyn she wrote about her first-ever trip to visit Iran to visit her family on her father’s side and to learn more about the food culture of the country. Much of the food she’ll cook for the series will come directly from that trip. She describes Iranian food as “’a garden in the desert,’ where staples like rice, beans, yogurt and lamb get a bright splash of acidity from sour oranges or rhubarb, a crisp crunch from pistachios or fried onions and a heady floral scent from roses or quince.” Do I need to say anymore? But if you do need further encouragement, just read her piece.
Ariel Lauren Wilson
After reading Shafia’s essay about meeting her family in Iran in the most recent issue of Edible Brooklyn, these pop-ups have been at the top of my must-do list. Guests can expect a range of dishes that reflect the wild diversity of the country approved by the cookbook author herself.
Gabrielle Langholtz
I go to the gym about once a year and I’m eating a chocolate bar while typing this, but I’m nonetheless super jazzed about the Juice Summit for trade and press next Tuesday. I’ve been asked to emcee but other than some quick remarks will be there to soak up — or should I say drink in — information. I’ve always loved fresh vegetable juices (celery-beet-carrot-ginger-lemon has been my go-to combo for years; I’ve recently started adding kale too) but I had never gone on a juice cleanse until writing this piece on Blueprint. I’m the type of person who eats more calories at breakfast than this cleanse allows in a day, but my the first afternoon I was aglow with energy and by day three, forkable food looked about as appetizing as a pile of laundry. I’m long since back on solid foods, but can’t wait to hear Tuesday’s panelists chew on everything from pro gear to business trends. Maybe I’ll even cancel my dinner plans after…or not.
Amy Zavatto
There are two drink-centric events coming up that I look forward to every year: Cider Week (Oct. 24-Nov. 2) and Whisky Fest (Oct. 29). After having done a really great day-trek last July to several Hudson Valley cider producers, like Doc’s Draft, Orchard Hill, and Aaron Burr, I’m pretty excited to have all of them and more in one room to taste through such different incarnations of this super-artisinal New York product that’s making such a big comeback. And Whisky Fest? Well, I’m a die-hard whisk(e)y fan in all its myriad incarnations — Scotch, Irish, American, Canadian, Japanese, and this annual festival is really one of the best places to taste some of the most outstanding spirits in the category. Forewarning: If you go, eat a good breakfast and a good lunch; whisky tasters tend not to spit like wine tasters — and you’re not going to want to miss a drop or a dram. Slainte!
Eleonore Buschinger
People often say I was born on a bicycle. Whether it’s raining, snowing or shining I’m on it. Whether it’s to get a bagel two blocks from my house or dumplings in Sunset Park, I’m riding. My bicycle and I have a special relationship. And lets be honest, I always feel less guilty to indulge myself in a second (third?) piece of pie when I know I’ll be riding my bicyle back home. Once I even crossed France by bicycle from North to South and ate cheese all along the way. So to say that I’m thrilled about Rennsserlaerville Cycling Festival is not exaclty doing justice to how I’m feeling right now. I can’t wait to experience the bounty of the Catskills via my bike. A bicycle food tour — couldn’t get any better…
Featured photo credit: Eleonore Buschinger
