Bargains in the Bulk Food Bins
The Fairway market in Red Hook bills itself as the home of “the greatest selection of organic foods in Brooklyn.” I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that if you’re not paying attention, you could miss the organic section’s star attraction: the bulk beans and grains. Push your cart past the granola and you’ll find 47 bins filled with all kinds of rice (jasmine, arborio, basmati, sweet, sushi, etc…), beans (kidney, pinto, navy, lima, lentil, etc…), oats, couscous, kasha and more. Continue reading Bargains in the Bulk Food Bins
By Diane Erwin on May 12, 2009 | 4
Satisfying Your Cookbook Addiction for Less
A good cookbook reads like a novel, sometimes it’s an adventure story taking you to new lands, other times it’s a historical thriller uncovering a long lost recipe. But cookbooks can be expensive, sometimes running $50 or more. Though the growth of online book selling has made prices more competitive, buying used books can save you even more. Here are some money saving tips on how to find your next favorite cookbook. Continue reading Satisfying Your Cookbook Addiction for Less
By Kathryn McGowan on April 22, 2009 | 0
A Beginner’s Guide to CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture)
What if I told you there was a way for you to get delicious organic, hormone and pesticide free fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and flowers for a fraction of the cost of your local Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s/Fairway/etc? Would it sweeten the deal if you knew that everything was grown and raised locally, so consuming all these delicacies would actually decrease your carbon footprint and help save the environment? And what if your pickup location for all these tasty treats was even closer than your average organic mega-supermarket? Would you be sold? Well, I was. That is why I joined my local CSA and here’s how you can too!
Step One: Find your local CSA
In New York City, we are blessed with one of the largest concentrations of CSA’s in the country! Check out the map on Justfood to find your closest location. I live in Williamsburg Brooklyn where there are actually 3 different CSA’s all within a mile from my house! I got to choose between the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA, the East Williamsburg CSA and the South Williamsburg CSA. Ultimately, I chose East Williamsburg because I was impressed with the information on their farm share site at Hearty Roots Community Farm in Tivoli, NY and their protein partner for eggs and meat Awesome Farm.
If you live outside of NYC, and are looking for a CSA, the Greenpeople and Local Harvest sites have a ton of information about CSA’s all around the country.
Step Two: Understanding How the CSA Works
When you join a CSA, you pay upfront to purchase either a share or a half share from a local farm. Most CSA seasons in New York run from June to November and pickup is every week for the full share and every other week for half. Each CSA has individual details on pricing and pickup dates, as well as the poundage of each average share — my CSA has separate full and half share options for veggies, fruit, eggs and flowers, as well as additional options for whole chickens and whole and half butchers lambs through my CSA in particular. Each week, you would receive the fruits, vegetables and flowers that are IN SEASON — the very best quality produce that this region grows on a weekly basis. My full share of vegetable CSA runs me about $20 per week, which is MUCH less than I pay for vegetables each week. They say the average share is about 10 pounds, which is enough to feed a veggie friendly household of two lots of greens in every meal for one week — perfect! Fruit is $12 per week, eggs are $4.50 per week and flowers are $9.50 per week, etc — check your local CSA for individual pricing.
Step Three: Sign Up!
Select full or half share options for vegetables, eggs, flowers and fruit and individual pickup dates for any number of whole 4 pound chickens and full or half lambs (20-40 pounds of meat!). For most CSA’s, a small deposit is required and the full balance is due by mid-May, except for the meat where a half deposit is due at order and the balance is due at pickup.
Step Four: Eat Thrifty, Healthy, Environmentally Friendly and Adventurously
Starting in May, when the CSA gets rolling, I’ll be highlighting the bounty from each weekly share I receive of fruit, eggs, flowers and vegetables as well as chickens and lamb (that’s right—I got them all!) The interesting albeit intimidating thing about a CSA is the possibility of receiving a large amount of a strange vegetable you know nothing about. I’ll attempt to navigate through the waters of foreign produce and develop some delicious recipes with my CSA bounty that will be sure to satisfy your stomach as well as your wallet.
Now go sign up with your local CSA before it’s too late!
By Thrifty Gourmet on April 2, 2009 | 0
A V-Day Chocolate Alternative For Men
Men love bacon. Gourmets love chocolate. So what do you get if you take bacon and dip it in chocolate? Mmmm… Crunchy strips of chocolate covered LOVE for the gourmet man.
This is probably what Roni-Sue, chocolatiere extraordinaire was thinking when she came up with her unconventional and highly acclaimed Pig Candy. Bacon is deep-fried until crispy, then hand-dipped in Callebaut dark or milk chocolate. Not too salty, not too sweet, this quirky combination of flavors will leave your boyfriend’s taste buds longing for more after each bite.
Excited, curious or skeptical? Head over to the Essex Street market where you can sample Roni’s Pig Candy and other bacon flavored treats like Bacon Buttercrunch and Bacorn (bacon/caramel popcorn).
Pig Candy – Available in milk or dark. $38 per lb
Bacon Buttercrunch – $32 per lb
Bacorn – $5 per bag
Roni-Sue
Mon-Sat: 8pm – 7pm
#11/12 Essex Street Market
120 Essex St @ Delancey
New York, NY 10002
Tel: (212) 260-0421
By Thrifty Gourmet on February 2, 2009 | 0
East Village Cheese – Doesn’t Get Cheaper Than This!
The first time I shopped at the East Village Cheese Shop, I hustled out of there with my purchase thinking there might have been a glitch in the pricing system. You would too if you were faced with a 1lb wheel of Brie priced at $1.99. Insane! I went back a second time thinking the prices would be back to normal, but much to my surprise, those were the “normal” prices.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good deal, but what is a French girl to think when French cheese costs less in New York than in the country of origin? I mean, how is this logically possible? I looked into the reasons why cheese could be so cheap and apparently, quality is not an issue to worry about. So, I got with the fact that from then on, East Village Cheese would be my go-to place for cheese in Manhattan.
Forget Whole Foods and other hipster cheese shops! East Village Cheese carries an extensive cheese selection at prices you won’t find anywhere. In addition to cheeses, you can treat yourself to other yummy food items such as artisan breads, deli meats, olives, French patés and imported olive oils.
The Catch: CASH ONLY and minimum purchase of ½ lb for most items
Open: Everyday – 8:30am to 6:30pm
Address: 40 3rd Ave (bet. 9th and 10th) New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 477-2601
By Thrifty Gourmet on January 15, 2009 | 0
