As the city awakens from its Winter sleep, it’s time to renew our appreciation of everything it has to offer. For this issue, here’s a look at classic foodie establishments including a gourmet food shop, an up-and-coming food truck, and a happening vegetarian restaurant.
A Haven for Cheese Enthusiasts
Right now, on Valley Shepherd farm in New Jersey, a lamb is being born nearly every fifteen minutes. This is just another layer to the hectic environment as milking season begins, when the sheep are milked twice a day from now through the summer. Their milk will be taken to the cheese room to be treated before being packed into a mold and transferred to the cave that’s modeled after the traditional aging atmosphere perfected by European cheese mongers. One hundred feet deep with twelve-inch thick concrete floors, walls, and ceilings, the cave nurtures Valley Shepherd’s cow, sheep, and goat cheeses for months as they ripen. Their cheeses have been farmers’ markets favorites for years, and after the success of their hole-in-the-wall shop in SoHo, Brooklynites finally have steady access to their goods in the Park Slope outpost at 211 7th Avenue.
The small, welcoming shop is a crash course in foodie favorites, packed with local products like Sour Puss Pickles and Brooklyn Raaka chocolate, freshly baked breads, Ronnybrook milk, and of course Valley Shepherd’s cheeses, pastas, and lamb sausages. The cheese case is visually stunning, but to the fromage novice the gourmet offerings may be intimidating. For those looking to experiment, start off with a sampling across the board of a cow, sheep, and goat cheese. A unique cow’s milk favorite is the Perlitta, which has been aged for two years and has a sharp bite with a bit of crunch to the texture. The Tartufo Shepherd, a sheep’s cheese with pecorino and black Tuscan truffles, is one of the best in the shop. As for a prime goat cheese, try the wonderfully named Gottogetagoat, which is similar to a gouda. If you’re looking for a softer cheese, the Scentsation has a delicious full-bodied flavor from its wash rind treatment and spruce bark wrap throughout the aging process. It’s slightly pungent, but not stinky.
Springtime is a great season to check out Valley Shepherd’s offerings, since the cheese will be at its freshest and seasonal offerings like ricotta and lamb cuts will be on hand. A wine and cheese party is the perfect way to celebrate the warming weather, and the shop has everything one needs to complete the soireé. Or, take it to go with a sandwich for a picnic in the park. At the time of this writing, the five choices included one with brie, granny smith apple, arugula, balsamic, and olive oil, and ham with mustard, arugula, pear and their Melter Skelter cheese that’s similar to Swiss. I’ve only just grazed the surface of what’s in store on 7th Avenue, since there’s a new discovery to be made with each glance at the stocked shelves. Don’t miss out on the fresh buttermilk, Poorfarm maple syrup, local honeys, fill-your-own olive oil, or pretzel croissants, but come explore on your own to see what you can find.
My Dog Ate My Barbecue
Perhaps you’ve seen Ashley and Matt Weavil around Brooklyn before. Restaurant veterans of over ten years, Ashley currently waitresses at Buttermilk Channel and Matt works at the Farm on Adderly. Inspired by both restaurants’ community feel and commitment to local, seasonal products, the couple decided to start out on their own with a food truck called The Fat Beagle. Drawing from Matt’s culinary upbringing in North Carolina, their focus is Southern barbecue with a creative twist. They have been bringing it to life since last Fall with pop-up events throughout Brooklyn. Their debut at No. 7 in Fort Greene treated guests to classics like pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, and small bites like sweet potato fries, fried pickles, and cornbread with honey butter and sorghum. An unexpected favorite was their vinegar fried chicken sandwich with bacon and jalepeno. In December, the Fat Beagle arrived at Sycamore for lunch in the Weavils’ neighborhood of Ditmas Park. The star of the show was Q in a Cup; layers of baked beans, coleslaw, pork, and cornbread served in a mason jar.
As they prep for the truck’s arrival, expect more pop-up events around the borough. They’ll be testing recipes to whittle down the menu, which will rotate throughout the year to support a seasonal and local philosophy. Their hope is to work with bars looking for food trucks in their backyards as a primary location, but look out for them on the streets by mid-2012. Check out their website, thefatbeagle.com, for updates as their journey develops.
Mob Mentality Takes Over Downtown Brooklyn
Obscure history buffs will know what Maimonide of Brooklyn (MoB) is all about before even glancing at the menu. Maimonide, the ancient philosopher and doctor, was one of the first to figure out that there was a connection between eating fruits and vegetables and good health. It should come as no surprise, then, that MoB is a vegetarian restaurant near Atlantic Terminal at 525 Atlantic Avenue. It is the venture of hotelier, Cyril Aouizerate, who is the co-creator of Mama Shelter in Paris, and is a surprisingly seamless blend of Brooklyn and Parisian culture. One part trendy eatery, one part family-friendly dining, and one part hipster hotspot, MoB combines the best of both worlds between cheap eats and fine dining. The restaurant itself has a cozy neighborhood feel to it with an unpretentious atmosphere (complete with a comic book detailing their story and celebrating the Brooklyn and vegetarian lifestyle) and the prices to match, but the quality of the food and impeccable service make you feel as if you’re treating yourself to a high-end meal.
Take a seat at one of the large wooden communal tables or in the outdoor garden and browse the unique menu centered around their MOBs, a dish similar to a deep-dish pizza slice or an open-face sandwich. A piece of dough shaped like the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge is piled with fresh fruits and vegetables, which is served in a special serving tray cast in Paris that’s imprinted with all of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods. Most MOBs are a grouping of ingredients meant to help a particular ailment, like the Brainiac with sautéed sour apple, baby beets, sunchokes, and walnut wasabi oil, or the Glowing Skin with kalamata olive and sunflower seed tapenade, grilled zucchini, avocado, tomato, and orange. Other highlights are the Rock MOB with a creamy white bean, fennel seed, and almond milk base topped with escarole, pear, and basil, or their sweet MOBs, like the Energizer with raisin and date marmalade, honey roasted pear, toasted almonds, and coconut whipped cream. All of their offerings have a skillful balance of textures, and salty and sweet ingredients.
While the MOBs are the stars of Maimonide, the rest of the menu is not to be ignored. Their starters include a creamy corn soup with popcorn, oven baked mushroom and chick pea nuggets with honey mustard, and two versions of their vegetarian saucisson. Both their fruit saucisson of fig, date, hazelnut, and pistachio and their fennel and sage saucisson of sundried tomato, porcini mushroom, and sunflower seed with aioli are hung, dried, and sliced like traditional sausage. For dessert, don’t miss their vegan carrot cake with chestnut cinnamon frosting. Keep a look out as the year goes on for events taking place at MoB as well. As the venue develops, it’s sure to be a vegetarian staple in the heart of Brooklyn.
