The New York City Wine and Food Festival
Last Friday evening, I had a really fun experience and took part in the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. This is the only festival in New York which brings together both legendary culinary icons from around the globe and America's most beloved television chefs. And now in its second year, the festival is already one of the most important food events in the country. Much more than a celebration of fine wine and delicious food, the festival is also a campaign to help those in need. All proceeds benefit the Food Bank for New York City and Share Our Strength, two terrific organizations dedicated to fighting hunger in this great city. Last year, the 2008 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival raised over one million dollars for these two important charities. I was very proud to be a part of this wonderful cause.
1 At five PM, I gave one of the opening demos of the festival. I cooked a menu from our new Dinner at Home cookbook - out next week. Anna Kovel, who was instrumental in the creation of this great book, assisted me.
2 Lauren Shakely - my publisher at Clarkson Potter and Kate Tyler, publicity director, Clarkson Potter
3 Lee Brian Schrager of Southern Wine & Spirits of America - Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival founder and director - introducing me
4 We were filmed during the demo, held at the New School’s Tishman Auditorium
5 The audience was very, very nice - 500 came.
6 The dinner of duck breast with fig sauce, braised red cabbage, grated potato cake, and hazelnut brittle over ice cream, was really good.
7 Later that night in Dumbo, under the Brooklyn Bridge, hamburgers were the focus of many of New York City's finest restaurants.
8 The big tent under the bridge
9 Minetta Tavern was one of the first burgers we ate - it was very good.
10 Little brioche buns are tender and light in contrast to a very tasty burger.
11 Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson - genius chefs at Minetta Tavern, Bathazar, and Pastis - cooked what I thought was the very best hamburger at the Burger Bash. Of course, it was the first of ten I tasted!!!! In the smoke of the Minetta Tavern tent, Riad and Lee, smiled despite the 'fog.'
12 Here I am with Rachael Ray - we were very popular photo subjects, as you can imagine! I met Rachael Ray there - she was surrounded by many bodyguards - I had only my trusted Roc!
13 The Spotted Pig's burger was topped with blue cheese - yum!
14 The buns were cleverly toasted.
15 The only non-hamburger served that night were the hot dogs of the famous Crif Dogs in the East Village.
16 This one is called the Chihuahua - a bacon wrapped dog covered with avocados and sour cream.
17 Two of the sponsors of the Scripps Networks - they are the best! Scripps Networks owns the Food Channel and the Fine Living channel.
18 Burger aficionado, Kyle Huebbe - commercial real estate broker
19 The gang from Shake Shack - their burger was good!
20 Susan Magrino and her friend, the famous Chef Alain Ducasse - he was doing research, I suppose.
21 Jessica Aufiero works for the Susan Magrino Agency - my public relations team - she is really into food and wine.
22 The inimitable Bobby Flay - he looked good.
23 Another good photo of Alain Ducasse
WOW! that really looks nice and delicious food. Wish I was there.
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | October 15th, 2009 at 1:28 am
Good morning Martha!
Want to take this opportunity to Congratulate you on the partnership between Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Sandals.
Good luck and God bless
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | October 15th, 2009 at 1:44 am
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I toast all of this wine and food to what has just become four years of following 'all things that are good!'
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For a thank you note to the Founder of MSLO , go to http://andyjspencer.blogspot.com/. I thank you Martha for being a most interesting lady!
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October 14, 2005 -- October 14, 2009
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A and the W's
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Posted by: andreaandweims on Twitter | October 15th, 2009 at 1:58 am
hello! love your work and always inspired by your eye-candy filled magazine of deliciousness and decor!
would love to be friends or swap links!
xxoo
Posted by: amber renee | October 15th, 2009 at 3:22 am
i knew there was a reason why i should have stayed an extra week in nyc! well, i got to visit harvest fest at stone barns and a taping of martha show and dinner at home will arrive in the mail soon, not too bad...
Posted by: liisamarja | October 15th, 2009 at 4:33 am
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HaLLOOOweeeN IDEA FOR CHARITY
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Dress ALL of your animals as characters from the new movie WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE and provide a charitable tour through your property to see them.
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Proceeds would go to a CHILDREN'S CHARITY and copies of Maurice Sendak's book, Where The Wild Things Are, would be handed out at the event in support of YOUTH LITERACY.
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The media would love it! I envision much, thinking of this kids' holiday celebrated in Stewart style.... AND think of the memories you'd make with those costumed animals of yours!
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Andrea and 6 Wearing Tuxedos
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Posted by: andreaandweims on Twitter | October 15th, 2009 at 9:02 am
love your work and always inspired by your eye-candy filled magazine of deliciousness and decor!
Posted by: animated banner maker | October 15th, 2009 at 10:06 am
As much as I love hamburgers and 'devoured' your pictures, I think I'd like to give the hot dog with avocados and sour cream a try. I can hear my sister gagging already, hehe. I'm such a tease!
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These festivals really are nice for raising money for good causes. I'm all for them and it is nice to know that you contributed again to yet another good thing. Thanks for the photos. Trish
Posted by: Trish | October 15th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Now this looks like fun!
Posted by: Maureen | October 15th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
This looked like alot of fun, Martha - smokey tent and all! [giggle] I got to see the size of the tastable burgers, and now I understand how you could be able to taste all ten varieties!
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As we've mentioned before in previous blogs, with your presentations of worthwhile benefits for those in need and my supporting comments, the need right now IS at a premium (and in families that are 'close to home'!) The Lord sees the teeniesttiniest gesture that any of us attempt to help others. As we plant those seeds, sometimes we feel helpless, as we can't ultimately see them thru to a happy end. We just then have to rely on Him to germinate that seed of kindness, and nurture it and grow it, so that it ultimately blossoms. We're the instrument many times and don't even know it!
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God bless you, my Martha friend!
=^..^=
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(...here we go again! - another p-e-r-f-e-c-t tho't for the day, as I flipped today's page over:)
"Sow a thought and you reap an act; Sow an act and you reap a habit; Sow a habit and you reap a character; Sow a character and you reap a destiny."--Samuel Smiles
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | October 15th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Hi Martha, What a wonderful festival in New York City to help those in need. It's so great to see that you were a part of it as well as many other celebrities. Your recipe from your new book certainly looked delicious. Everyone in the photos looked like they were having a terrific time. Sure would have been fun to be there. Thanks again for taking us along through your fantastic blog. Loved that carrot bread on your show today. Am anxious to try making it. Listened to 'Ask Martha' today and as usual it was very inspiring. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | October 15th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Dear Martha,
I work at Barnes & Noble in Paramus. I'm so exited, that you're coming to our store this Saturday! Your newest cookbook is fantastic. Love the recipes ,and the pictures are fabulos.
For years I was the Lead at the Cooking and Self Imrovement department, handsellig my other favorite "Great Food Fast."
Shortly after your "New Classic" came out I got a frantic call from a customer. She was planning to make your Vietnamise Chicken Salad and she was telling me : "I can't find the recipe anywhere and my friends are coming..can you call Martha?? ..Call the publisher..Call the show!!!..." I took her phone number and assured her I would try to solve the problem. I took the book to look up the recipe. It wasn't on page 208 as it was stated in the index.. It wasn't in the chicken section,or in salads. On my break I flipped through the whole book..nothing...Than just on a hunch I checked
your old Classic cooking and sure enough it was there on the page in your other book... I called the customer telling her ,"The good news is I' ve found the recipe, the bad news is it's in the Old Classics... " She exclaimed with joy, "I have that book too Thank you, Thank you."
Posted by: Judit K Alteslaben | October 16th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Very Good, I am sure it was an excellent event. The smoke is great--did everyone thinking they were at a campfire outing? Should of had those hot dogs on a long stick--and marshmallows as well. Thanks as always.
Posted by: Margie | October 16th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Burgers are so much fun. One can get very creative with the toppings. We held the American Wine Society Michigan at our house this year and we had a Burger Bar. I had Beef & Salmon Burgers and so many different toppings & buns that everyone had exactly what they needed and many things they didn't know they needed. Maybe you can do another burger show next summer.
Posted by: EmpressV | October 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
My brother is incarcerated and only has use of a microwave. He asked me to get hima microwave cookbook which I did but it has items he is not able to get. I read that you showed the ladies how to cook when you were incarcerated. Can you share any recipes? Why not make a cookbook for inmates? I'm sure it would be a best seller!
Posted by: Lori | October 17th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
i could only dream of attending an event like this,but hey i,ll dream,and maybe one day i,ll find myself there.haha.leonado di caprio moment.you never no.
Posted by: lee lawson | October 18th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Wish I could be there. I think it's a great idea, to combine fine wine and food and charity. Charity is very important to me, I focus on it obsessively on my blog at http://www.ladylux.com. So happy that the festival is focusing on this while also having a lot of fun with the food.
Posted by: LadyLUX | October 19th, 2009 at 3:57 am