Monkey Monday: food politics in action edition 26 April 2010 12:37 pm
Posted by Tracy in : consumerism,economics,food snobbery,geekery,monkeys,nyc,photos,pictures,politics,random , 2 commentsSo on Friday I was on my way to a lecture by a possible NYU Food Studies visiting prof (one of the ones I posted about last Tuesday, actually), when what should greet me at the end of my block but a Coca-Cola delivery truck with a banner on the back:
So close to home!
The fold in the top of the banner makes it hard to read, but the whole message is:
Governor Patterson’s beverage tax would increase the price on your favorite beverages up to 50%!
The last thing New Yorkers need is another tax.
and then there’s pictures of the aforementioned beverages, the name of the sponsoring group (New Yorkers Against Unfair Taxes), and web, Facebook, and Twitter links to said organization. (more…)
Recipe: Lemon Bundt Cake 22 April 2010 2:54 pm
Posted by Tracy in : America's Test Kitchen,baking,cooking,dessert,friends,kitchen gear,recipes , 1 comment so farI think this cake might be the very first one I ever made from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe (it’s either that or the fabulous huevos rancheros also in this issue, January & February 2006). In any case, I am not much of a baker or even a huge cake fan, but for whatever reason this recipe captured my imagination and I had to try it. Maybe it was the buttermilk? I don’t know, but I’m pretty darn sure that does not hurt the deliciousness of this one bit. Anyway. I dedicate this post to Ansley, who has been awesome at reminding me that she really, really wants to know how to make this delicious dessert.
Notes
This recipe is super-wordy because I am not a baker and lots of instructions are helpful to me, but I have cut it down to size on Twitter, like so:
Lemon bundt cake! 9oz butter, 2c sugar, 3 eggs+1 yolk, 3 lemons’ juice+zest, 3/4c buttermilk, 3c APF, 1 tsp powder, 1/2tsp soda, 60min 350F.
7:23 PM Sep 7th, 2009 via web
That’s a little misleading on the lemon juice, but otherwise right on. Also, it leaves out 1 tsp vanilla (oops).
The only other really important thing to know is that in addition to these ingredients you’ll need an extra tablespoon of buttermilk and 2 cups (8 ounces) of confectioner’s sugar, to make a light glaze of super-deliciousness. Armed with that information, experienced bakers can probably feel fine to ignore all my directions.
Last thoughts: the last time I made this recipe I used demerara sugar (Sugar In the Raw, to be exact) and the cake turned out a little crumblier than usual, but still delicious. I think this cake is even more delicious when it’s a day or two old; like many other baked goods, it gets denser and crumblier with time, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. (more…)
Food Systems talks at NYU Steinhardt this week 20 April 2010 7:44 am
Posted by Tracy in : cross-posting,economics,events,geekery,nyc,school,WFPA , add a commentCross-posted from the Wagner Food Policy Alliance blog, where I hope to be a more regular contributor.
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Hi there, fellow food wonks! I just found out about a few upcoming events that might be of interest. Both are happening at the NYU Food Studies department, on the 10th floor of the Steinhardt building. Update: Please email Jennifer Berg (jennifer.berg@nyu.edu) if you plan to attend. Thanks!
Carolyn Dimitri, Economic Research Service, USDA, “Perspectives on local food usage in Maryland schools”
Wednesday 21 April, 12:30-1:15 PM
35 West 4th Street, Room 1078
According to the email I got about this event, “Dr. Dimitri is an economist whose research focuses on organic markets. This talk is part of a new project on local foods in Maryland K-12 schools.” I for one have an enormous nerd crush on the USDA ERS, so I’m really excited about this talk and hope I can attend (and write a follow-up post about it). Unfortunately I don’t have as many details about the next one:
Allison Hayes-Conroy, Visiting Scholar, Bryn Mawr College
Friday 23 April, 11:30 AM-12:15 PM
35 West 4th Street, Room 1078
All I know about this talk is that “Dr. Hayes-Conroy is a geographer whose work focuses on gender and markets,” but a quick Google search about her reveals her affiliation with Bryn Mawr’s Growth and Structure of Cities department, so maybe she’ll have a thing or two to say for those of us interested in planning?
Anyway, just thought I’d pass those along. Post a comment if you’re going!
Monkey Monday: real monkeys and more! 19 April 2010 11:07 am
Posted by Tracy in : events,fun,funny,health at every size,media,meta,monkeys,news,random,video , 2 commentsFirst things first, I know this doesn’t really have anything to do with food but it makes me incredibly happy so I’m posting it wherever I can:
If you like that, you will also like this (it’s really quick, I promise!)
And now, for something less completely different. (more…)
Monkey Monday: in praise of awesomeness 5 April 2010 11:52 pm
Posted by Tracy in : baking,cooking,dessert,eating,meat,monkeys,not even vegetarian,photos,pictures , add a commentWhat kind of awesomeness, you ask? Well, mostly Peter’s awesomeness, because that’s what I have pictures to prove. (You’ll have to take my word for having made these super-delicious hash browns for dinner tonight, albeit with a mix of mostly Russet Burbanks in addition to the recommended Yukon Golds, since them’s were the taters we had in the house. Also I topped the potatoliciousness with poached eggs, and we had homemade hot cross buns on the side, but again: no pictures. Sorry about that.) Back to why Peter is awesome.
Despite its being almost painfully beautiful out yesterday, I forced myself down to NYU’s Bobst Library to work on the research paper for my food industrialization and processing class (due Wednesday, not that I’m avoiding it by writing this or anything). Five to eight pages on the science, technology, and social history of microwave popcorn? Yeah, I can do that, but I’d rather be playing outside. ANYWAY. I’d thawed out frozen fruit for rhubarb custard pie filling (my plan was to do the more-fruit-less-sugar variation, but I didn’t have enough rhubarb, so I added some strawberries), and made (but not baked) crust, which Peter had gotten rolled out by the time I reluctantly left for research-ville. Maybe, I hoped to myself, I could come home to pie, and then we could make those homemade gyros I’d been thinking of as our Easter lamb….
But no! When I got home, not only was the pie baked, but Peter was almost done making the gyros! So awesome! Check them out: (more…)
