The Rise of Brooklyn Food Scene
Could Brooklyn be to food what Seattle was to music --- a hotbed of creative people doing new things? There are tons of artisans finding new businesses and launching new products in the biggest NYC borough whether it be from the Brooklyn Flea or the local store front. Clarkson Potter publishes cookbooks from several Brooklyn food entrepreneurs: One Girl Cookies (Dawn Casale & David Crofton), Brooklyn Brew Shop's Beer Making Book (Erica Shea & Stephen Valand), The Butcher's Guide to Well Raised Meat (Joshua and Jessica Applestone), Momofuku Milk Bar (Christina Tosi) and more!
Presenters
CHRISTINA TOSI is the chef and owner of Momofuku Milk Bar, called "one of the most exciting bakeries in the country" by Bon Appetit Magazine.
As founder of the dessert program at Momofuku, Christina helped Momofuku Ko earn two stars from the Michelin Guide and Momofuku Ssäm jump onto Restaurant Magazine's Top 100 Restaurants in the World list at #31. She has been shortlisted for a James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef Award and named to the New York Times T Magazine's "Nifty Fifty" list. Christina and her confections have appeared on Conan, Martha Stewart, Live with Regis & Kelly, Good Morning America and The Today Show among others. Christina wrote and released Momofuku Milk Bar, her first cookbook in the fall of 2011, published by Random House & Clarkson Potter. Christina lives in Brooklyn, NY with her three dogs and eats an unconscionable amount of raw cookie dough every day.
Dave Crofton, co-owner of One Girl Cookies, began his culinary career baking artisanal bread in Richmond, Virginia. “We even milled our own wheat,” Dave recalls. “Using all natural ingredients was paramount to making delicious bread.”
He moved to New York City to attend the Institute of Culinary Education, and graduated with a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. While in school, he took a part time job with One Girl Cookies to help develop and expand their line of handmade tea cookies. Upon graduation, he became a partner with Dawn Casale, the founder of One Girl Cookies.
Two years later, Dawn and Dave opened their bakery and café in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn in 2005. Since the opening day and continuing into their new cafe in Dumbo, Dawn and Dave believe in using the finest ingredients available and baking everything from scratch.
Dave and Dawn, and One Girl Cookies, have been featured in Fine Cooking, Gourmet, Food and Wine, The New York Times, Time Out New York, Bon Appetit, New York Magazine and Martha Stewart Weddings, as well as many other national publications.
Their cookbook; One Girl Cookies: Recipes for Cakes, Cupcakes, Whoopie Pies, and Cookies from Brooklyn's Beloved Bakery was released in January 2012.
Erica Shea, 28, and Stephen Valand, 26, are the owners and founders of Brooklyn Brew Shop. Built on the principles that making beer – real beer, from real ingredients – could be simple, tasty and more importantly, fun, Brooklyn Brew Shop sells stylish brewing kits designed especially for New York City's spatially-challenged apartments and ingredient mixes for seasonally-inspired beers.
Brooklyn Brew Shop has been featured on the pages of New York Times, Food & Wine, Real Simple and Erica and Stephen have appeared on the Cooking Channel, Fox Business Network and ABC News. As beer authorities, the couple has taught classes for Whole Foods Market, Williams-Sonoma, and the American Museum of Natural History and served as lecturers and judges for home beer making contests. Their kits are available at brooklynbrewshop.com, as well as nationally at select Whole Foods, Williams-Sonoma, West Elm, Urban Outfitters and independent specialty stores. Their book, Brooklyn Brew Shop's Beer Making Book: 52 Seasonal Recipes for Small Batches is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and independent booksellers nationwide.
Jessica and Joshua Applestone opened Fleisher's Grass-fed & Organic Meats in Kingston, NY in June 2004. Voted one of the “Best Butcher Shops in the Country” by Food & Wine magazine, Fleisher’s has appeared in the NY Times, Bon Appetite, Saveur and was chosen as one of Martha Stewart’s 2010 culinary “Taste Makers”.
The couple's latest venture is their shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn which opened in 2011. Both shops have become foodie destinations known for their locally-raised, pastured beef, pork, and lamb. The Applestones have expanded their operations to include a butcher training program and consulting services.
Joshua is a third generation butcher and has been at the forefront of reviving the sustainable butcher movement.
Jessica has traveled throughout the world as a writer and teacher, eating and cooking as she went. Combining two of her greatest interests, Jessica has led numerous workshops in cooking and nutrition and given lectures on sustainablity at such notable institutions as the Culinary Institute of America, Marist College and the Glynwood Center.
Peter Meehan is a former food writer for The New York Times and co-editor of Lucky Peach. He is also the co-author of the Momofuku cookbook and played a large editorial role in the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook.
Sunday, March 11
