As the temperature in Brooklyn inches closer and closer to 60 degrees and we begin to shed our layers of clothing once again, it’s time to emerge from our cold weather cocoons. Here’s to the rebirth of spring and the rituals that keep us sane: gardening, nurturing the mind and body and learning to live sustainably.
We’ve heard all the jokes before: The sidewalks are so clogged with strollers that they’ve become impassible. Bars are about as hip as a windbreaker, are perpetually overrun by the under-5 contingent, and you’ll be shushed if you curse in public. There are no restaurants other than high-chair strewn pizza parlors, making it ludicrous for North Brooklynites to bother leaving their adult environs and subject themselves to the mercurial whims of the F train. Wary travelers take note – there’s a lot more to Park Slope than Gerber Organic.
Why is it that pumpkin-flavored food items are always better in theory than in practice? Here’s a pumpkin-flavored thing that doesn’t disappoint: Pumpkin.
The Census Bureau estimates that poverty afflicts at least 13% of the country, including one in five people in Brooklyn. Income impacts nutritional health throughout life, and poor nutrition, especially prevalent in low-income neighborhoods, is a direct cause of heart disease and diabetes. Now, the slow food, urban farming and organic movements act as catalysts for a healthier America. Here are the policy changes, present and future, necessary for a healthier Brooklyn and beyond.
Amaranth was brought to the New World by West African slaves, and is a staple of Caribbean cuisine, appearing in Callaloo and also as a juice, in soups, and in places elsewhere occupied by spinach. I used mine in a frittata with goat cheese; for the recipe, read on.
Despite its tiny size, the Sunset Park Greenmarket has a sizeable proportion of produce geared towards the Latin market, with crates of fresh peppers (poblanos, jalapeños, cherry peppers), tomatillos, squash, epazote, and other herbs both foreign and flavorful. Find out what I did with this amazing array of fresh herbs and veggies with a recipe for guacamole and papalo.
Like a fresh version of the tamale, the South American humita is a custard-like mixture of ground corn kernels, packed in its own husks and steamed on top of stripped cobs, sweet and sometimes spicy, often made with quesillo or queso fresco. Stop by your local Farmer’s Market, grab a few cobs and get started on this homemade treat.
