Garden to Table Events Mark November: Sourdough Cookbook, The Inspired Landscape, Urban Farming, Culinary Culture & the Kitchen of Tomorrow
There are a number of outstanding events scheduled in the next few weeks that you simply cannot miss. Adding the cherry on top, I’m delighted to share that all of them feature some of my favorite people. (Including moi!)
First Up: The Horticultural Society of New York celebrates the release of Sarah Owens’ first book Sourdough: Recipes for Rustic Fermented Breads, Sweets and More. HSNY (yeah George Pisegna!) invite reads: “Sarah will offer a slide presentation of the botanical contributions included in this beautifully photographed cookbook. Join in an afternoon of food and wine (my aside: I’ve seen the homegrown food Sarah is cooking up - it looks delicious!) as the former Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) Curator of the Cranford Rose Garden reveals her inspiration working as a rosarian and how it has contributed to her evolution as a seasonally-inspired baker for her micro business BK17 based in Brooklyn, NY and Louisville, KY. Copies will be available for purchase.”
Sarah and Ngoc's book is hands-down glamorous elegance in its purity and scope.
She told me during our interview sitting in Union Square park basking in the Indian Summer weather, how she first met up with her incredible photographer, Ngoc Minh Ngo in the Cranford Rose Garden -- and well, the professional connection, "blossomed!" -- to Sarah’s baking and ultimately, to the collaboration on Sourdough. I’ll be writing a full review and feature on Sourdough shortly here for Garden Glamour by Duchess Designs and for my Examiner Leeann Lavin Food & Drink column.
In the meantime, do not miss this rare opportunity to see and hear Sarah talk about her transformative baking, use of healthy, local grains, and the magic of sourdough!
The book talk and tasting takes place from 3:00 pm to 6:00pm at UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art, 322 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211 Email: scourtade@thehort.org
In the meantime, do not miss this rare opportunity to see and hear Sarah talk about her transformative baking, use of healthy, local grains, and the magic of sourdough!
The book talk and tasting takes place from 3:00 pm to 6:00pm at UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art, 322 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211 Email: scourtade@thehort.org
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| Sourdough author, Sarah Owens, photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo |
Second on the events calendar: Monday, November 16, 6:30 pm is one of the events I'm involved in. I'm so proud and honored to be a part of this one. It's been more than a year in the making.
The Culinary Historians of New York (CHNY) and the NYU Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health present “Savoring Gotham: Celebrating the Making of the Definitive Companion to New York City’s Food.”
The program takes place at NYU, 411 Lafayette Street, Fifth Floor.t
A reception featuring iconic and ethnic New York foods will precede the talk, and copies of Savoring Gotham will be available for purchase.
To purchase tickets in advance, visit
Among the CHNY members who contributed the book are: Ari Ariel (area editor), Scott Alves Barton, Tove K. Danovich, Cara De Silva, Doug Duda, Megan Elias, Meryle Evans, Polly Franchini, Cathy K. Kaufman (senior editor), Michael Krondl (area editor) Leeann Lavin, Walter Levy, Renee Marton, Anne Mendelson, Marion Nestle, Jacqueline Newman, Alexandra Olsen, Linda Pelaccio, Carl Raymond, Peter G. Rose, Meryl Rosofsky, Stephen Schmidt, Andrew F. Smith, Alexandra J.M. Sullivan, Judith Weinraub (area editor).
I researched and wrote three chapters: Farm to Table, The History of Greenmarkets, and Ladies Who Lunch.
Savoring Gotham covers New York’s culinary history, but also some of the most recognizable restaurants, eateries and culinary personalities today. And it delves into more esoteric culinary realities, such as urban farming, beekeeping, the Three Martini Lunch and the Power Lunch, and novels, movies, and paintings that memorably depict Gotham’s foodscapes. From hot dog stands to haute cuisine, each borough is represented.
I researched and wrote three chapters: Farm to Table, The History of Greenmarkets, and Ladies Who Lunch.
Savoring Gotham covers New York’s culinary history, but also some of the most recognizable restaurants, eateries and culinary personalities today. And it delves into more esoteric culinary realities, such as urban farming, beekeeping, the Three Martini Lunch and the Power Lunch, and novels, movies, and paintings that memorably depict Gotham’s foodscapes. From hot dog stands to haute cuisine, each borough is represented.
A foreword by Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster and James Beard JBF Awards winner, Garrett Oliver and an extensive new bibliography, round out this sweeping new collection.
Third, is Tuesday, November 17th and it brings the talented and inspiringSusan Cohen Landscape Architect to speak at The New York Botanical Garden to talk about her first book: The Inspired Landscape: Twenty-One Leading Landscape :Twenty-one Architects explore the creative process.”The forward is by Peter Walker, an influential landscape architect and co-designer of the hauntingly beautiful September 11 Memorial gardens. (Peter spoke at the recent Landscape Design Portfolio series. I’ll cover his talk in an upcoming Garden Glamour post)
I
It’s only natural that Susan’s first book would document the era’s most creative landscape architects. After all, Susan has coordinated the award-winning Landscape Design Portfolio series at NYBG since its launch 17 years ago. Every autumn, she has singlehandedly, brought the best of the industry’s designers to speak about their work -- commercial and residential -- inspiring all of us who listen and learn…
Susan is also the Program Coordinator for the Garden’s Landscape Design Certificate Program; she also teaches courses in the program. Susan is a garden guru treasure - and I love her!
After earning a Certificate at the Botanical Garden herself, she received her BS in Landscape Architecture from City College of New York. She is principal of Susan Cohen Landscape Architect in Greenwich, Connecticut and an award-winning designer, who also lectures and writes about garden history and landscape design.
Susan and Sheila Brady will speak at the Landscape Design Alumni Series: Finding Your Muse at 1:00 pm at the Garden, Watson Room 302. Fee is $29 for Members and $35 for non-Members.
I’m so sorry I will miss this talk - as it’s sandwiched in between two talks/events I am doing. However, I promise to catch up with Susan, have her sign a book, and get a feature story for you Garden Glamour readers.
It’s only natural that Susan’s first book would document the era’s most creative landscape architects. After all, Susan has coordinated the award-winning Landscape Design Portfolio series at NYBG since its launch 17 years ago. Every autumn, she has singlehandedly, brought the best of the industry’s designers to speak about their work -- commercial and residential -- inspiring all of us who listen and learn…
Susan is also the Program Coordinator for the Garden’s Landscape Design Certificate Program; she also teaches courses in the program. Susan is a garden guru treasure - and I love her!
After earning a Certificate at the Botanical Garden herself, she received her BS in Landscape Architecture from City College of New York. She is principal of Susan Cohen Landscape Architect in Greenwich, Connecticut and an award-winning designer, who also lectures and writes about garden history and landscape design.
Susan and Sheila Brady will speak at the Landscape Design Alumni Series: Finding Your Muse at 1:00 pm at the Garden, Watson Room 302. Fee is $29 for Members and $35 for non-Members.
I’m so sorry I will miss this talk - as it’s sandwiched in between two talks/events I am doing. However, I promise to catch up with Susan, have her sign a book, and get a feature story for you Garden Glamour readers.
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| Photo courtesy NYBG, photo: Alfredo Gaskin |
Yet another big green event is the New York Botanical Garden’s (NYBG) Bronx Green-Up Program Presents a Symposium: “Growing the Urban Farm”
What: Symposium: “Growing the Urban Farm”
Who: Featured Speakers:
· Mchezaji “Che’ Axum, Director of the Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education in the College of Agriculture Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences at the University of the District of Columbia.
· Nevin Cohen, Associate Professor, CUNY School of Public Health
· Annie Novak, Manager of the Edible Academy, The New York Botanical Garden, and co-founder, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm.
· Karen Washington, Community Activist, Gardener, and Farmer. A Bronx resident, founding member of Bronx Green-Up, and a passionate advocate for urban agriculture.
After the presentations, Todd Forrest, Arthur Ross Vice President for Horticulture and Living Collections at the New York Botanical Garden, will moderate a discussion about the future of urban agriculture in New York and beyond.
NYBG Urban agriculture is growing rapidly in cities across America. Vacant lots, abandoned green spaces, and even rooftops are being transformed into productive farms that provide fresh produce and opportunities for healthy activity, income, and many other benefits for urban families. Can the unprecedented growth of urban agriculture continue? Can urban farms produce enough food to feed large numbers of city residents? What new policies must be adopted to improve and promote urban agriculture? Will rooftop and vertical gardening systems increase the productivity of urban farms? What benefits beyond food production does urban agriculture provide to the community?
When: Wednesday, November 18, 2015, 6–8 p.m.
Where: The New York Botanical Garden, Ross Hall 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx New York 10458
Admission: Non-Member $20; Member $10
To purchase tickets, visit nybg.org/AdultEd or call 800.322.NYBG (6924)
And then there's my big talk -- drumroll please -- on the Future of Food: Culinary Culture – How Food and Its Production Fuel the Kitchen: Eating, Living, & Building ~ Designing the Kitchen of Tomorrow for the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). I’m one of three keynoters at the event to be held at Hafele New York Showroom from noon to 5:45 lunch included.
It’s going to be epic.
More on this event, too.
It’s quite a busy month -- and we’re only at the halfway mark!
It's quite a garden-to-table kind of November. Which is a fitting seasonal salute as we cruise into Thanksgiving and count our harvest blessings.
Such garden glamour.