You’ve been talking about natural wines for sometime now and I hadn’t had an experience of them until I went to Atwater and the Seneca lake wine region. I am blown away by the two that I got to try there. I have become a fan. I’m not fan of the flavor of yeast and most wines but these wines are perfect this way. Bring such a layering wonderful flavors. Thank you for turning me onto this because I wouldn’t have tried it without some prompting! The wine at Atwater that’s so amazing is the Petillant Naturel Diamond/Zweigelt. I just kept saying wow with every sip!
I'm a regular at the Union Square Greenmarket and do as much of my produce shopping there as I possibly can. One summer about ten years ago, I spent a couple of days a week working for Berried Treasures. It was physically demanding and grueling for me, but the owner, who was in her 50's at the time, had to get up at probably 3am, load up the truck, drive 3 hours to the market, set everything up, work the stand alongside us from 8 until 6, often without a break, load the truck, do her restaurant deliveries, then drive three hours home. I used to worry about her falling asleep at the wheel.
When people complained to me about the prices for her truly exceptional, deeply delicious produce {OMG her sweet tart TriStar strawberries, her candy like English peas, her lemon cucumbers, her juicy cherry tomatoes!} and told me they could get the same thing in the supermarket for cheaper, I would politely, silently listen and nod my head sympathetically while shifting back and forth on my aching feet and legs.
This past month I bought a couple of pints of local strawberries there and they were hugely disappointing, watery and insipid. I guess this wasn't the year for them.
You lead a charmed life, David. This newsletter just makes me smile and happy. I will be 82 on Wednesday and am unable to return to New York, but this is a wonderful alternative!
It's chocolate but looks red because of the very low light in the restaurant. There's a better picture of it here on their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/CusCoctvDzI/
The Ithaca farmers market is one of my favorite places to shop and spend time on a Saturday or Sunday morning! Not sure how it compares to other markets in France or here in the US. but I love it nonetheless. Hope you enjoyed it too!
It was a lot of fun to visit the Ithaca Farmer's Market. It's different from the markets in Paris since the Ithaca market was about 30% stands selling different kinds of foods (from different cultures and cuisines) and in France, the markets generally don't have places to sit and eat, although you can buy food to go. Also the market in Ithaca was actual farmers, which you find in the French countryside, but in Paris there are usually a few actual "producteurs" (people who grow the food) and mostly négotiants (middlemen) who get their goods from Rungis, the wholesale market outside of Paris.
I put what he recommends that I'd like to check out in Google Maps, you find the place, scroll down and to the right until you see Save and hit that, and then you have the chance to make a note. That way it's just the places I know I want to go to, and not another list that I have to remember where I put and what I actually wanted to go to
Great letter from NYC. Loved the way you covered the neighborhood. Appreciated the gentleness of the criticisms. You should have had the patty melt at Commerce Inn.
Thank you, David for this NYC newsletter. I've gone to Robert several times, 3 times with French friends. Besides the great service and good food and fantastic views, it's always been quiet, a rarity in NYC restaurants. I also appreciated your excellent explanation of the high price of strawberries.
This was an incredible food tour of NYC. It made me miss US food and its variety. BTW, I’m the person who accosted you with my husband the other day at the Metro station Faidherbe-Chaligny. I hope we didn’t scare you, too much. We were coming from a wedding reception and feeling good on a beautiful Paris day and I was just so happy to finally run into you in the neighborhood. Keep up the excellent work.
Nice to meet you - and yes, it's easy to forget about the wide variety of foods available in the U.S. So many different cultures in one place, especially in New York City!
Even in West Michigan the local strawberries at the Farmers market are north of $5 a basket. On the positive side - they are SMALL and intensely fragrant and flavorful. So I savor each one and am grateful for local produce (even though the availability window here is tragically narrow by California standards….)
Wow, another mouth watering newsletter. You did not disappoint, great descriptions and photos. I was hungry when I started reading, I’m full now. Thanks for sharing😎
Whew!! I just don't know where to start!! The food from NYC looks incredible, as always, and I really enjoyed the shout out to Ithaca as a former resident of the area. Great to see pictures from the lake, glad that you enjoyed the Farmers Market. It's always a destination when I visit along with Moosewood. Thanks for this great compilation.
You’ve been talking about natural wines for sometime now and I hadn’t had an experience of them until I went to Atwater and the Seneca lake wine region. I am blown away by the two that I got to try there. I have become a fan. I’m not fan of the flavor of yeast and most wines but these wines are perfect this way. Bring such a layering wonderful flavors. Thank you for turning me onto this because I wouldn’t have tried it without some prompting! The wine at Atwater that’s so amazing is the Petillant Naturel Diamond/Zweigelt. I just kept saying wow with every sip!
I'm a regular at the Union Square Greenmarket and do as much of my produce shopping there as I possibly can. One summer about ten years ago, I spent a couple of days a week working for Berried Treasures. It was physically demanding and grueling for me, but the owner, who was in her 50's at the time, had to get up at probably 3am, load up the truck, drive 3 hours to the market, set everything up, work the stand alongside us from 8 until 6, often without a break, load the truck, do her restaurant deliveries, then drive three hours home. I used to worry about her falling asleep at the wheel.
When people complained to me about the prices for her truly exceptional, deeply delicious produce {OMG her sweet tart TriStar strawberries, her candy like English peas, her lemon cucumbers, her juicy cherry tomatoes!} and told me they could get the same thing in the supermarket for cheaper, I would politely, silently listen and nod my head sympathetically while shifting back and forth on my aching feet and legs.
This past month I bought a couple of pints of local strawberries there and they were hugely disappointing, watery and insipid. I guess this wasn't the year for them.
You lead a charmed life, David. This newsletter just makes me smile and happy. I will be 82 on Wednesday and am unable to return to New York, but this is a wonderful alternative!
Thanks for this long post, David! Would you please tell me what the filling was in the multi-layered
devil's food cake from Claud? Merci..
I don't know what the frosting is but these 2 did a little deep-dive into how the cake is made (probably!) https://www.instagram.com/thepancakeprincess/reel/CsTwCaeAFgi/
Merci David...I think I will stick with Flo's devil's food cake & a chocolate frosting I love;
but, what I was really wondering was what was the red filling shown in your photo of
Claud's cake? Strawberry, raspberry? Appreciate the advice. Kate in non-flooded Boca-
adjacent. Miami really got the worst of it.
It's chocolate but looks red because of the very low light in the restaurant. There's a better picture of it here on their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/CusCoctvDzI/
Merci, David. Hope your newest cookbook is progressing nicely. Cheers, K.
I adore Russ and Daughters and so much mentioned here!! Fabulous newsletter David! Cheers!!
The Ithaca farmers market is one of my favorite places to shop and spend time on a Saturday or Sunday morning! Not sure how it compares to other markets in France or here in the US. but I love it nonetheless. Hope you enjoyed it too!
It was a lot of fun to visit the Ithaca Farmer's Market. It's different from the markets in Paris since the Ithaca market was about 30% stands selling different kinds of foods (from different cultures and cuisines) and in France, the markets generally don't have places to sit and eat, although you can buy food to go. Also the market in Ithaca was actual farmers, which you find in the French countryside, but in Paris there are usually a few actual "producteurs" (people who grow the food) and mostly négotiants (middlemen) who get their goods from Rungis, the wholesale market outside of Paris.
How interesting! I love getting your insights about life in France and the US, not to mention everything cooking-related!
So much fun to read! You are such a Bon Vivant!
Could you print a list of names and addresses please?
I put what he recommends that I'd like to check out in Google Maps, you find the place, scroll down and to the right until you see Save and hit that, and then you have the chance to make a note. That way it's just the places I know I want to go to, and not another list that I have to remember where I put and what I actually wanted to go to
Great letter from NYC. Loved the way you covered the neighborhood. Appreciated the gentleness of the criticisms. You should have had the patty melt at Commerce Inn.
Next time...with you!
Thank you, David for this NYC newsletter. I've gone to Robert several times, 3 times with French friends. Besides the great service and good food and fantastic views, it's always been quiet, a rarity in NYC restaurants. I also appreciated your excellent explanation of the high price of strawberries.
This was an incredible food tour of NYC. It made me miss US food and its variety. BTW, I’m the person who accosted you with my husband the other day at the Metro station Faidherbe-Chaligny. I hope we didn’t scare you, too much. We were coming from a wedding reception and feeling good on a beautiful Paris day and I was just so happy to finally run into you in the neighborhood. Keep up the excellent work.
Nice to meet you - and yes, it's easy to forget about the wide variety of foods available in the U.S. So many different cultures in one place, especially in New York City!
Thanks for educating me about dining scene
Loved pictures and descriptions
Well done David!…did you sleep😇
Even in West Michigan the local strawberries at the Farmers market are north of $5 a basket. On the positive side - they are SMALL and intensely fragrant and flavorful. So I savor each one and am grateful for local produce (even though the availability window here is tragically narrow by California standards….)
Wow, another mouth watering newsletter. You did not disappoint, great descriptions and photos. I was hungry when I started reading, I’m full now. Thanks for sharing😎
Whew!! I just don't know where to start!! The food from NYC looks incredible, as always, and I really enjoyed the shout out to Ithaca as a former resident of the area. Great to see pictures from the lake, glad that you enjoyed the Farmers Market. It's always a destination when I visit along with Moosewood. Thanks for this great compilation.