The New Amsterdam Market/City of Merchants

So my post on profiteroles has gotten significant airtime and now it is time to upload another review. This post was originally supposed to go up last week, but unfortunately life and reality television got in the way. I hope you will still continue to follow my blog after I admit that I am a die hard follower of the NY and NJ Housewives sagas.

Despite my weakness for trashy television, I always demand quality food and it was at the City of Merchants, which I attend on Sunday, May 18, 2010, that I was able to get a tummy's worth of delectable treats. The City of Merchants was a fundraiser for the New Amsterdam Market and despite my recent tight budget, this was one dining experience I was not going to miss! Particularly since the ticket paid for itself in food, beer, wine and dessert!

Last year I discovered the New Amsterdam Market and immediately fell in love. Ironically the Market was only several blocks from my apartment and I never knew about it until I read a post on Grub Street (another new favorite of mine). Ever since the Fish Market left Fulton Street, the area has been left unused and the founders of the New Amsterdam Market are now attempting to bring back a year long market of local purveyors and food artisans. In their own words, the New Amsterdam Market is,

"To be comprised of retail and wholesale vendors including butchers, grocers, mongers, farmers and provisioners, bakers and distributors, brokers, importers, and sellers of cooked foods, New Amsterdam Market will follow a local tradition, set by the market halls of old New York." www.newamsterdammarket.org

For those local to New York, this post may be the first notification you receive about the New Amsterdam Market and I hope you will attend. For those who do not live regionally, I hope this post will inspire you to source locally and perhaps get creative with some of the ingredients featured below.

ICED TISANES!

Refreshing iced chamomile and mint Tisanes by McEnroe Farm of Duchess County, New York.

HOUSE-CURED HAM AND CHEESE!

House-cured ham and cheese sandwiches with, what I am guessing to be, an amazing butter/tarragon spread, by Brooklyn's Marlow and Daughters. These mini sandwiches were so good I had three and even used my last ticket to get one, thereby forfeiting ice my right to cream. Fortunately my friend Lineka gave me a spoonful of her's!

GRILLED KIMCHI-CHESSE SANDWICHES!

Above are kimchi grilled cheese sandwiches by Mother-In-Law's Kimchi and Saxelby Cheesemongers. Although I did not get the recipe, I would imagine the kimchi would be good with a mild cheddar or any other mild cheese. Delicious and perfect with beer!!

FRIED FISH!

When I was a little girl I refused to eat fish. My Greek Grandfather, Efstratios, would insist that I eat all sorts of fish, head to tail, explaining that it would make my brain grown. Not sure how large my brain is, but my stomach has grown plenty and now one of my favorite foods is baby fried fish. (If you ever having a craving like I do for baby fried fish, the ones at Uncle Nick's on 9th Avenue and 51st are really good.)

ICE CREAM!

This ice cream came all the way from Vermont (I think) and it was great! I had a craving for strawberry ice cream and this definitely hit the spot. As you already read, I ran out of tickets and could not get my own, but fortunately Lineka was gracious enough to give me a spoonful of her's. I am a salt freak and she has a sweet tooth, so the friendship works well.

EDIBLE BOTANICALS!

Earlier in the morning on the day of the event there was to be a sale of wild, edible botanicals. Unfortunately they were unable to forage enough to sell, but we were allowed to sample. Who knew you could eat cattails! (Cattails shown on the left.) After sampling some amaranth and water mint, which really cleared by sinuses, I did a bit of foraging of my own and was able to find wild strawberries, dandelion greens, a mulberry bush and an apricot tree! The funny thing about New York City is that you never know what you may find, from strawberries to crack dens, we have it all!

As the date approaches I will do another post/reminder on the New Amsterdam Market with photos from last year. The first one this year is on June 27, 2010 and it will be located at 100 Peck Slip, in lower Manhattan. They are usually on Sunday and are monthly. For more information and the schedule go to www.newamsterdammarket.org.

Happy Eating!