Eat Cetera: New Amsterdam Market, Beer Dinner, 500 Wines, Pulino's Breakfast
4 photos
<strong>New Amsterdam Market:</strong> Spring is ON, and the season's bounty is starting to roll into town. The first <a href="http://gothamist.com/tags/newamsterdammarket">New Amsterdam Market</a> of the year will open for business this Sunday outside the old Fulton Fish Market on South Street in Lower Manhattan. Though it may resemble a greenmarket, the <a href="http://www.newamsterdampublic.org/">New Amsterdam Market</a> goes further to develop connections between specially selected farmers and bakers, butchers and cheesemongers. It won't be back on a weekly basis until June, so now's your chance to stock up.<br/><br/>We're told that this special market will be named Floralia after the old pagan celebration of spring greenery and flowers. Returning to the New Amsterdam Market are such vendors as Sullivan Street Bakery, Brooklyn Cured, Narragannsett Creamery, Liddabit Sweets, Mast Brothers Chocolate, and Kombucha Brooklyn. Newcomers include Terra Firma Farm (specializing in eggs), Pie Corps (selling savory and sweet rustic pies), Fingerlakes Farm (a cooperative featuring meats and dairy from the Finger Lakes region), Kings County Jerky (made with beef from local farms), and Anarchy in a Jar (featuring local & seasonal jams and preserves). <br/><br/>Other market fare will include mixed grilled meats prepared by the Marlow & Sons team, vegetarian specialties from Great Performances, herbal ice-creams by the Bent Spoon, andâin honor of May Dayâa wooden Maypole, garnished with greenery and ribbons and secured with sailor's knots.<br/><br/><em>11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 100 Peck Slip</em>
<strong>Beer Dinner:</strong> The beer and food pairing dinners at the cozy <a href="http://www.jimmysno43.com">Jimmy's No. 43</a> in the East Village are always a fun time. Next Wednesday, on May 4th, Guest Chef Joshua Stokes of Grill-a-Chef will create a four-course duck pairing menu, using Hudson Valley Duck and seasonal ingredients. Rare Goose Island beers will complement the meal, including the limited Three Sistersâ beers: Lolita, Juliet, and Madam Rose.<br/><br/>The menu includes appetizers such as Duck Terrine with Black Olives, Radish "kraut"; Syrian Spice Crusted Duck Skewer, Pomegranate Glaze, Muhammara Dip; and Z'atar Duck Pie, Green Garlic Lebne. The first course is PEI Mussels, Duck Bacon, Goose Island Broth with Poached Rhubard, served with Orwashers Beer Bread. And for the main course: Slow Roasted Caraway Duck, Brooklyn Cured's Duck Sausage. Homemade Kraut, Purple Mustard, Roasted Apples. Dessert's a very tempting Salted Stout Caramel Custard.<br/><br/><em> May 4th, 43 East 7th Street, (212) 982-3006, <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165694">tickets</a> cost $60, which includes tax and tip. </em>
<strong>500 Wines: </strong>How many varieties of wine are too many? If your answer is <em>there can never be too many</em> and/or <em>come to bed with me</em>, you'll want to mark your calendar for next Thursday May 5th when Wine Enthusiastâs <a href="http://www.toastofthetown.com/">Toast of the Town NYC</a> takes over Avery Fisher Hall with more than 500 wines, spirits & beers. A portion of the proceeds from your $109 ticketâwhich gets you three hours of food and drinkâgoes to benefit RiverKeeper, New Yorkâs clean water advocate. There will be food from 35 local restaurants, including BLT Fish, Bar Basque, db Bistro Moderne and Plein Sud. You can check out a list of the participating vineyards and restaurants <a href="http://www.toastofthetown.com/tott_ny.asp">here</a>.<br/><br/><em>Thursday May 5th, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, <a href="https://tix.extremetix.com/Online/?siteID=2976&cartID=c19e2854-08da-4143-9be9-74e35acc5fc1&SalesRef=TOTTWEB&eventID=28501">tickets</a></em>
<em>(<a href="http://colormekatie.com">Katie Sokoler</a>/Gothamist)</em><br/><br/><strong>Pulino's New Breakfast:</strong> Pizza for breakfast? You are an adult now and no one can stop youâin fact, if you go to Keith McNally's handsome LES restaurant <a href="http://gothamist.com/2010/03/16/pulinos_keith_mcnallys_latest_open.php?gallery0Pic=4#photo-4">Pulino's</a>, everyone will <em>encourage</em> you. Their breakfast egg "pizze" have been on the menu for a while now; they come with two sunny-side up eggs on either side of the round pie, staring at you reproachfully until you heartlessly jab your fork in to pop the yolk. (The Salsiccia, made with eggs, sausage, bacon, mozzarella and white cheddar, is a Gothamist favorite.) But it's not all about the pizza.<br/><br/>Every time we've been to <a href="http://www.pulinosny.com">Pulino's</a> it's been for a late night snack, and we've become addicted to the Mozzarella Burrata with roasted tomatoes on the vine and balsamico. So when went in for brunch as McNally's guest last weekend, we were jazzed to find it on the menuâit's unbelievably fresh, as if a portal to Italy opened up in your mouth. And as a new addition to the daily breakfast/brunch menu, chef Tony Liu is making focacce daily in the wood-burning oven, and putting together breakfast sandwiches such as the verdure and caprino (roasted peppers, squash, young onions, plus fresh goat cheese, $8) and bologna (eggs, mortadella, roasted peppers, fontina, mustard and arugula, $9). They've also added fresh pastries and breads straight from McNally's other joint, Balthazar ($3 each).<br/><br/><em>282 Bowery, (212) 226-1966</em>