Le Grand Fooding, Craft Beer Week, Vendys, and more!

Earlier this week, Little Scarlet told you about some of the events going on in the city this weekend. But it turns out there’s a lot more than previously reported! Check out this day-by-day breakdown for when to be where.

Friday, September 24

So there isn’t really too much happening exclusively on Friday, but this Friday marks the beginning of two very exciting food events: Le Grand Fooding and NY Craft Beer Week!

Le Grand Fooding

Oh yes, San Francisco’s best come to New York in an epic, gastronomic throw-down! It’s Alice Waters’ organic, locally grown, idealist school of thought vs. the foul-mouthed, rock 'n' roll hedonism of Nate Appleman and David Chang. Hmm, which one sounds like more fun? Okay, so maybe we’re a little biased, but hey! this is a New York blog, right? Right. And don’t think the west coast has cornered the market on local food, we’ve got Dan Barber!

Either way, one thing’s for sure - no matter which coast you think is better, a ticket to Le Grand Fooding ($50, legrandfooding.com) promises a night of food from some of the most celebrated chefs in the country, with drinks courtesy of Veuve Clicquot and Belvedere, and wines from the Rhône Valley. Plus, it’s for a good cause, with proceeds from all ticket sales going to benefit Action Against Hunger. Tickets can be bought for either Friday or Saturday night, and a small number of tickets will be held available for walk-ins.


NY Craft Beer Week

Over the last couple of years, people have come to appreciate beer with a passion (and hint of snobbery) that was previously reserved for wine and very fine scotch. If you’re a die-hard brewing enthusiast, you probably know what all of the fuss surrounding craft beers is about. But if you’re the sort to cling to your Pinot Grigo and wonder why people bother with beer in the first place, NY Craft Beer Week will change your life! From September 24-October 3, there’s an event scheduled for practically every hour of the day, with parties, cask ale festivals, and special paired dinner menus at restaurants like Eleven Madison Park, Craftbar, and Blue Smoke.

Craft Beer Week Passport, with snacks from Jimmy’s No. 43 - just a sample of what to expect during Craft beer Week!
Beer-braised beef with arugula and horseradish-crème fraiche on brioche - now that’s a bar snack Little Scarlet could get used to!

To really maximize the festival, pick up a Passport for yourself ($10, nycbeerweek.com/passports or at any of the venues listed here). A Passport entitles you to $3 beers at all of the venues listed, from generic basement bars to beer bars even Garrett Oliver would frequent.

A lot of the venues are offering special year-round discounts and promotions, but why wait? Check out our coverage from last year, and then get out there this week and sample the best of what this great city has to offer!

Saturday, September 25

Stone Street Oyster Festival, and Oyster Frenzy
Saturday brings two oyster festivals to New York - one at Ulysses’ down on Stone Street, and one at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. Both are in beautiful, historic locations, and both will have great tastings and live music. But Grand Central’s Oyster Frenzy will have a shucking and eating competition - and Little Scarlet loves anything competitive!

Sunday, September 26

NYC Apple Day Festival

The name here says it all. Stop by Orchard Street, between Broome and Grand (11 am-5 pm), for apple muffins, apple cider, and bushels of the original forbidden fruit! And just for kicks, here are some bits of New York, apple-related trivia:

Apple Factoid #1: Back in the 1700s, this stretch of the Lower East Side was owned by an apple farmer named DeLancey, giving rise to Orchard Street and Delancey Street.

Apple Factoid #2: Ever wonder why Broadway curves at 10th Street? In 1815, city planners agreed to bend the road here so that it would preserve the apple orchards of Henry Brevoort and other farmers.

NYC Dumpling Festival, Sept 25

Life is full of tough choices – vanilla or chocolate, scrambled or over-easy, pumpernickel or rye… And this weekend, you’ll be faced with yet another tough choice: gyoza or mandoo?

Try dumplings from all over the world this Saturday at the NYC Dumpling Festival. From 12-5 in Sara D. Roosevelt Park (right across from the Bowery Whole Foods), get your fill of pierogi, gnocchi, bao, and more! Dumplings are sold in exchange for tickets, which are purchased from one central, ticket-selling location – tickets are $20, and each ticket is worth four dumpling servings from any booth.

And if you’re more of a sprinter-style eater than a marathon-paced grazer, enter the 7th Annual Dumpling Eating Contest! Can you beat last year’s record of 66 dumplings in 2 minutes?

Whether you enter the Eating Contest or just show up to enjoy the party, remember that these dumplings sell out fast, so make sure you get there early!

Celebrate Oktoberfest on the Hudson

With the great German beer gardens in Queens and the East Village, it’s easy to have an “Oktoberfest” celebration any time of year, but this weekend you can go to a real (& seasonally appropriate) Oktoberfest bash!

With summer’s balmy temperatures a not-too-distant memory, it’s amazing that we’re far enough into September to celebrate Oktoberfest, but here we are and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it! (Long-time readers know how much I hate the heat...) To celebrate, New York’s first annual Oktoberfest on the Hudson is happening this Saturday, September 18 on Pier 81 from noon-4h30.

Celebrate Oktoberfest with German classics like giant pretzels and a variety of bratwurst, plus a German folk band - “with dancers”! - and all the lederhosen you can ogle. And if all that dancing and salty deliciousness makes you thirsty, help yourself to some of Germany’s excellent beers. Admission is $10 (food and drink not included), and a $15 admission ticket also includes a Hudson River cruise from 2-3.

New York’s First Annual Oktoberfest on the Hudson: September 18, noon-4h30 pm, Pier 81, W 41st Street & the Hudson River. $10 ($15, including cruise), buy tickets online here.

Free Van Leeuwen Ice Cream - today only

Today only, members of Gilt City (NYC discount website) are entitled to a free ice cream cone from any Van Leeuwen ice cream truck! Signing up for Gilt City is easy and free, plus they’ll send you discounts to cool stuff in the city.  You can follow them on Twitter (@GiltCityNYC) - or better yet, follow Van Leeuwen on Twitter (@VLAIC) - to find an ice cream truck location near you.

With flavors like Earl Grey, hazelnut, red currant, and ginger (alongside the obligatory chocolate-vanilla-strawberry), this is one free scoop you won’t want to miss out on!

Sorry, Ben & Jerry’s – your Free Cone Day is great and all, but this girl’s heart belongs to Van Leeuwen.

Epicurious Entertains NYC: Sept 29-Oct 3

Great news! The “Epicurious Entertains NYC” event is back!

What’s that? You didn’t go last year? Well, to fill you in, Epicurious Entertains NYC is a week-long event starting September 29, with cooking demonstrations, tastings, and celebrity chef dinners with the likes of Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich, Madhur Jaffrey, and Karen DeMasco. And to make this event even more enticing, this food spectacular moves out of the sterility of the convention center and into the glamour of “The SoHo Mansion” (aka, some lucky person’s private residence) in downtown Manhattan.

Daytime events include lunches with samplings from Porchetta, neighboring La Esquina, and Brooklyn’s darling Pies ‘n’ Thighs. And if you’re a fan of “Cooking with Dexter”, you’ll love the “Cooking with Kids” class on Saturday. Or you can take some time off and revel in the excitement of football season with a spread prepared by Hill Country’s Elizabeth Karmel – that’s right, barbecue!

If you’re more of a night owl, though, perhaps you’d enjoy a dinner lovingly prepared by that Italian grandmother you always wished you had, Lidia Bastianich? Or maybe you’d like to stay on the cutting edge of New York’s dining scene by getting a sneak peek at menu items from Marcus Samuelsson’s new restaurant, Red Rooster?

But tickets to this exclusive food event go fast (last year, they sold out in 48 hours), so now’s the time to jump on this if you want to go. Ticket prices range from $35-$150, and can be bought at ovationtix.com.


Epicurious Entertains NYC: “The SoHo Mansion”, 214 Lafayette St (@ Kenmare St).
http://www.epicurious.com/community/events/epicuriousentertainsnyc

Ice Cream and Beer Pairing at Jimmy’s No 43!

Had enough of tired wine-and-cheese parties? Stop by Jimmy’s No. 43 tomorrow, August 25, for the annual August Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Beer Pairing! The pair behind NYC Degustation Advisory Team, Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett, will lead you through six pairings of craft beers and local ice creams and sorbets. Selections vary from year to year, but past tastings have included Hefeweizen and raspberry sorbet, Reissdorf Kölsch and cucumber-jalepeno sorbet, and a root-beer float-inspired oatmeal stout with vanilla ice cream.

Tickets are $35 and tasting sessions are either from 6h30-7h45 or 8h15-9h30. Buy your tickets online at brownpapertickets.com!


August Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Beer Pairing: Jimmy’s No. 43, 43 E 7th St (b/w 2nd & 3rd Aves), 212.982.3006. $35, buy tickets here.

2010 Vendy Award Nominees Are Up!

2010’s Vendy Award nominees have been announced! In case you’ve been living under a rock, you know that New York is literally crawling with street food vendors, selling everything from ubiquitous halal meat and ice cream to more upscale and off-beat treats like lobster rolls and schnitzel. True, New York City doesn’t have anyone competing in Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race” (equal parts food competition and “Amazing Race”?), but that’s alright: we’ve got the Vendys!

And what’s the point of the Vendys, you ask? Well, it’s the ultimate street food showcase and a great way to show thanks and respect to the sidewalk chefs who have you covered from morning coffee to mid-day falafel fix to late-night dessert cravings. Mario Batali has called it “the Oscars of food for the real New York”, and one lucky cart will take home the coveted “Best Street Food Vendor” award.

The Awards are presented during a big street fair-type event on Governor’s Island on September 25, from 12-5. Tickets aren’t exactly cheap (general admission starts at $85), but part of the ticket price gets donated to benefit the Street Vendor Project (and is tax-deductible) and the rest of it goes toward an open bar (wine, beer, and soda) and all-you-can-eat fare from the five finalists. Tickets sell out really fast, so jump on this immediately – and show up hungry!

Click here to learn more about this year’s five finalists:

• Bistro Truck, serving along 5th Ave between 16th and 17th Street (Moroccan-Mediterranean Bistro)
• El Rey de Sabor, serving at 49th and Park Ave, 60th and 3rd Ave, and 43rd and 6th Ave (Puebla-style Mexican)
• King of Falafel and Shawarma, serving the outer borough of Queens at 30th St and Broadway, Astoria (Middle Eastern)
• Patacon Pisao, serving along 202nd between 9th and 10th Aves (Typical Venezuelan street food)
• Schnitzel & Things, serving all over Manhattan – check their Twitter feed for current location @schnitzeltruck (Austrian cuisine with a new American twist)

6th Annual Vendy Awards: Governors Island, 12pm-5pm, buy tickets here. Governors Island ferry is free (schedule and directions).

Some thoughts on Restaurant Week (ends Sept 6)

Restaurant Week in New York has been extended through Labor Day (September 6), which has a lot of people excited. And for good reason, right? I mean, when else can you eat a meal for under $35 at such wonderful restaurants as Les Halles, Café Boulud, Le Cirque, and Nobu? Prix fixe menus at $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner are pretty great deals in this town – but you get what you pay for.

Restaurant Week can be a great way to visit restaurants beyond your neighborhood, comfort zone, and price range. But far too frequently, a Restaurant Week meal can turn into a real disappointment. Maybe the restaurant’s signature dish isn’t included in the Restaurant Week Menu. Or the portions are noticeably smaller than they ought to be, or the food comes out luke-warm – or even worse, it tastes like it took a trip through the microwave. All too often, Restaurant Week yields meals that are sub-par for the restaurant, with the house’s attention and kitchen’s efforts focused more on regular diners and à la carte menu items.

Obviously, this isn’t the case everywhere and Restaurant Week does have its perks. But if you’re worried about getting fleeced, a little research can help you take advantage of Restaurant Week prices without rolling the dice on your meal. Over the last two years, the restaurant industry has been hit hard, and many restaurants developed “recession specials” just to survive. Fortunately for New York’s hungry diners, not only did a lot of these restaurants survive, but their specials did too. Some of these specials are still in their original form, while others have been reincarnated into new bar menus, weekly one-night specials, and secret-code arrangements with organizations like BlackboardEats.com and Tasting Table.

With just over three weeks left in Restaurant Week (yes, that sounds silly), go ahead – make that reservation, visit that restaurant you’ve been eying. But remember, if you look in the right places, New York’s “restaurant week” never really ends. Just make sure you keep seeking out those new places and foods!

Guac Rock - Meet the Queen of Guacamole!

Do you like guacamole? Of course you do, who doesn’t? If you love guac and live in New York City, Guac Rock has the answer to all your guac-lovin’ prayers! For just $20, sail up and down the East River, listening to awesome music by North Highlands, The Beets (Doug Funny flashbacks, anyone?), and Dry Feet, while chowing down on delicious guacamole.

But hello celebrity sighting! Little Scarlet just so happens to be friends with the self-proclaimed Queen of Guacamole, Marcia Bunda. And as one of three winners of Guactacular 2010, Marcia will be making (and serving!) her award-winning guac on board The Jewel – so you’d better be on board when she sets sail at 7 pm from the Skyport Marina on Monday, July 19.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door – click here to purchase one!

Guac Rock, departing aboard The Jewel at 7 pm, Monday, July 19 from the Skyport Marina (East 23rd St and FDR Drive)

New Amsterdam Market is Back! Also this weekend: Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic!

Looking for something to do this weekend?

The New Amsterdam Market makes its triumphant seasonal return to the South Street Seaport this Sunday, June 27. Here, you’ll find everything you need for the perfect picnic: breads from Amy’s Bread, Balthazar, and Eli’s Bread; a huge variety of cheese from cheesemongers like Beekman1802, Cellars at Jasper Hill, and Cooperstown Cheese Company; along with plenty of fresh fruit from local farms. Also keep an eye out for ice cream from The Bent Spoon, and chilled bottles of hard cider and wine – just what you’ll need to keep from swooning in this latest heat wave!

If you want to make a full day of it, get to the New Amsterdam Market right at 11 am so that you can make an early beeline for the ferry to Governors Island, where you can enjoy your picnic among the 19th century former military forts and barrack housing. Sound a little too tame for you? Then, don your fanciest summer garb, and head over to the Third Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic!

Ladies, wear your biggest hats and be sure to bring a pair of binoculars so you can see the polo match up close and personal. The people-watching isn’t bad either – Prince Harry will be competing again this year, and last year’s celebrity attendees included Madonna, Kate Hudson, Marc Jacobs & Lorenzo Martone, and LL Cool J. The match begins at 3 (rain or shine!), but the event starts much earlier (and ferry lines for Governors Island are notoriously long). The event is free to attend, and food and drink will be available for purchase (champagne by Veuve Clicquot and concessions by Blue Smoke, Box Frites, and El Verano Taqueria).


New Amsterdam Market: 11am – 4pm, cash only, South Street Seaport, http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/

Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic: Governors Island, 3pm-4pm, Governors Island ferry is free (schedule and directions)

Malaysian Restaurant Week hits NY Metro Area

Sam Sifton (Chief Restaurant Critic at The New York Times) has introduced a new feature to The New York Times’ online Diner’s Journal called “Hey, Mr. Critic!”, where he answers readers’ pleas for help finding restaurants for special occasions, often involving specific criteria. One lucky reader was answered last week in a quest to find curry laksa, a Malaysian chicken soup that was new to me. Mr. Sifton’s excited response pointed to a previously published New York Times article about Malaysian food in New York. The article’s title, “From Asia, Rapture in a Bowl”, really says it all – after reading the piece, this fragrant, spiced, “curry noodle soup” has immediately catapulted to the top of my “must try” list!

The article Mr. Sifton cites (written by Julia Moskin) names a couple of places to visit in Chinatown and Queens, but if you’re hoping to find curry laksa a little closer to home, you’re in luck – if you act fast!

Malaysian Restaurant Week is here in New York (who knew??), and it ends on Sunday, June 20. Various restaurants in the New York metro area are offering special Malaysian menus, highlighting this country’s unique cuisine – brightly colored and highly flavorful, Malaysian food brings together the best of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cuisines.

Take a look at the list of participating restaurants here – and if you try anything fabulous, be sure to mention it here on Little Scarlet!

Crab Boil at Back Forty Returns!

Tomorrow starts the third year of Back Forty’s weekly Summer Crab Boils!

If your favorite thing about summer is lining tables with newspaper, rolling up your sleeves, and getting covered in Old Bay, then make Back Forty your new summer home. Back Forty’s weekly crab boils will happen every Tuesday night from June 15-August 31, with a special end-of-the-summer bash Sept 1-3. Tickets have to be purchased in advance ($42 per person, not including drinks, tax, or tip), and go on sale at 10 am the Wednesday prior.

Tickets can only be bought through Brown Paper Tickets, and you buy your ticket for a particular time slot between 6:30 and 9:30 pm. The 6:30 and 8:30 time slots are for seats out in the garden, which I highly recommend.

In addition to piles of hard shells, your ticket includes buttery, garden sides, corn bread, and cobbler for dessert. And if you need something to wash it all down with, Back Forty has a great selection of draft and bottled beers from local breweries.


Back Forty, 190 Ave B (near 12th St), 212.388.1990

Big Apple Barbecue Block Party!!

The countdown is almost over! The Big Apple BBQ is about to begin! Just 30 minutes to go!

The BBQ runs from 11-6 both today and tomorrow, rain or shine, in Madison Square Park. Last year, the streets around Madison Square Park closed down as tens of thousands of people came out for some of the best professional barbecue in the country, for $8 a plate. Barbecue vendors from all over America set up their stands on the park’s perimeter, while desserts from Blue Smoke are sold inside the park ($4) along with a variety of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages ($2-$6). Snapple (a sponsor of the Big Apple BBQ) gives out free (non-alcoholic) drinks throughout the day, though, so if you time it right, you’ll never have to pay for a drink.

The best strategy is to gather a group of friends, pick up a map of the event from one of the information booths, choose your first target, and hop in line. Get one or two orders of whatever that vendor is selling, and go directly into your next line, eating while you wait. If things work out, you’ll be able to happily graze all day!

Now, it’s true that today’s weather forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms, but you know what that means? Shorter lines!

Check out some pictures from last year’s event, and get ready for an awesome day of drinkin’ beer and eatin’ hog!

Chris Lilly, of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q (you must eat here!!)

Ribs, ribs, ribs!

Peace, love, and barbecue: the ultimate trifecta!

Pie Flight at Four & Twenty Blackbirds

There honestly isn’t much I love more in this world than a piece of really great pie. Except for maybe three pieces of really great pie!

Brooklyn’s Four & Twenty Blackbirds bakery is offering pie flights this week, through Friday: three pieces of homemade pie for $10.

“Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye / Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie...”

And not just your generic apple pie, either. Sisters Melissa and Emily Elsen learned the art of pie-making from their grandmother, and have opened Four & Twenty Blackbirds with a repertoire of close to three dozen varieties of pie! These butter-crust dessert pies are made using seasonal ingredients, so make sure you get there before your favorites are gone. Selections vary daily and are available mostly by the slice (whole pies can be ordered ahead), but with summery choices like peach berry, lavender blueberry, and blood orange & rhubarb, it’s hard to go wrong! Savory pies and tarts will be added to the lineup soon, making Four & Twenty Blackbirds a one-stop shop for all your flaky, buttery pie needs.


*Note: Cash Only, closed Mondays; open T-F: 8-7, Sat: 9-7, Sun: 10-6

Four & Twenty Blackbirds, 439 3rd Avenue (at 8th St), Brooklyn NY, 718.499.2917

World’s First Food Truck Drive-In Movie

How many times have you killed the last few minutes before lunch by stalking your favorite NYC food trucks online? (thank God for Twitter!) You know, checking to see if they’ll be in your neighborhood that day or if they’ve already run out of your favorite special dumpling/burrito/ice cream? How often do you find yourself walking home from work or the gym, and you spot Schnitzel & Things or the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck stopped at a red light and it’s all you can do to keep from banging on the passenger window and holding up traffic while you get your fix?

If any of this sounds familiar, then Little Scarlet has great news for you! This year’s NYC Food Film Festival is introducing “The World’s First Food Truck Drive-In Movie”.

On June 26th, the “largest collection of the region’s food trucks ever assembled” will meet under the Brooklyn Bridge for a drive-in movie. Except this time, it’s the food that will drive in – everyone else will be showing up on foot. Just picture it: all of New York’s most fantastic food trucks all in one place, all day long!

Food service starts at noon and the movies (all food-themed) begin at sundown. Admission is free, but luckily the people over at NYC Food Film Festival know how out-of-hand an event as awesome as this can get and are using a gentle crowd-control tactic – you’ll need a ticket to get in.

There’s a limited number of tickets, but they really are free (although donations to the Food Bank for New York City are welcome when you “purchase” your ticket), so act quickly! Here’s the link, and hope to see you all there!

Rumor has it the founders are hoping to have at least 50 vendors show up, but they haven’t released any names yet. While we’re waiting, tell Little Scarlet what your favorite NYC food truck is! Leave a comment for your fellow readers about what makes it so great - and be sure to check back here later for a full list of expected vendors once it’s made available.

Grillin’ on the Bay 2010

New York City’s only officially sanctioned barbecue competition is happening this Saturday, March 27 out in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The 5th Annual Grillin’ on the Bay barbecue competition is sanctioned by the New England Barbecue Society and will (pardon the pun!) pit 30 pitmasters against one another in four categories: fish, chicken, pork ribs, and “chef’s choice”.

But the best part is that Little Scarlet has been asked to judge this extravaganza!

Will 2010’s competition see reigning champion barbecue team Transformer BBQ be crowned Best Overall for the second year in a row? Or will 2008’s winner Smoke in da Eye reclaim their title? Come see this Saturday and watch how it all plays out!

Grilling starts at 11 am, admission is free, and the food (and beer!) is pay-as-you-eat. But that’s not all, the Brooklyn Chili Smack Down will also be happening that same day - same location and everything! The Chili Smack Down will begin at 1 pm and is $10 for all-you-can-eat chili - at least until they run out. For a full list of competitors and full event schedule, click “Read more” after the jump.

Official website: www.grillinonthebay.blogspot.com

Location: St. Mark School, corner of E 18th Street and Avenue Z, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

Time: 11 am - 4 pm, Awards at 4:30 pm



View Larger Map

Taste of 7th Street

Ever wanted to travel around the world? For only $18? Well, keep dreaming, but at least with “Taste of 7th Street”, you can eat your way around the world for $18!

This weekend, February 27-28, marks the first inaugural “Taste of 7th Street” food festival. Walk your way down East Village’s 7th Street from 1st Ave to Ave A and eat your way from Venezuela to Italy, Maine to Tucson. If you live in the area, chances are this is already one of your favorite blocks, and if you haven’t been, this is the perfect opportunity to go!

You can buy your ticket to the “Taste of 7th Street” event on Scoop St.’s website (http://www.scoopst.com/) for half of the original $35 price, and in return you’ll be given a one-time use ticket for signature items at five of the great dining establishments on the stretch of 7th Street between 1st Ave and Ave A: Porchetta, Luke’s Lobster, Butter Lane, Caracas, and Xoom. Visit them all in the same day, or spread it out over the full weekend - the choice is up to you!

Little Scarlet has raved about Luke’s Lobster and Porchetta in the past, both of which are offering their signature sandwich as part of the “Taste of 7th Street” festival, and your “Taste of 7th Street” ticket will also entitle you to an arepa from Caracas, cupcakes from Butter Lane, and a 24oz fruit smoothie from new(est) kid on the block, Xoom. But that’s not all. Your $18 ticket will also get you a discount on beers at the best bars on 7th Street: Jimmy’s No. 43, Burp Castle, and Standings Bar. Standing head-and-shoulders above your average dive, these bars proudly carry the Good Beer Seal, demonstrating a true passion for craft beers and cask ales, as well as a commitment to being a nice, local place to drink great beer with friends.

This weekend-long celebration of local establishments is a food-lover’s dream, and there are only a limited number of half-price tickets available, so act fast!

For more details and additional ordering information, click here.

**update** - As of 24 Feb, this event is sold out - 830 tickets have been sold (wow!) but feel free to come out anyway and taste what 7th Street has to offer!

**update #2** As of 25 Feb, Scoop St will be releasing 170 more tickets this morning, so get on it!

Mardi Gras!

Celebrated as “Carnival” in Brazil, Italy, Spain, and France, here in America, no one does Mardi Gras better than New Orleans!

If Louisiana is a little too far away for you, try some of these recipes from Little Scarlet to bring the taste of New Orleans to you:

1. Red Beans and Rice: this simple stew adds kidney beans and salty, smoked ham to Creole cooking’s Holy Trinity - serve over rice with hot sauce for the table and you’re good to go!
2. Shrimp & Andouille Sausage Gumbo: packed full of okra, sausage, and shrimp this spicy Creole stew is just the thing to set your Mardi Gras off right.
3. King Cake: a ring of braided bread, filled with cinnamon, pecans, and topped with the official colors of Mardi Gras - green, purple, and yellow. Don’t let your Carnival be without one!

Sometimes the last thing you want to do is prepare a meal for a big holiday, and Mardi Gras is a great time to head out on the town. Visit Mara’s Homemade in the East Village for a true taste of New Orleans spice and flare! Be sure to take advantage of tonight’s special Mardi Gras menu with gumbo, barbecue, a live crawfish boil, and King Cake. With no closing time tonight, Mara’s is serving food & drinks until the last customer leaves, so grab your friends, a bucket of crawfish, and a round of hurricanes - Happy Mardi Gras, everyone!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day - one of those holidays that is loved and loathed in equal measure.

Some people see it coming months in advance and lay out ridiculously elaborate plans, while others move through February blissfully (or perhaps willfully) unaware of the approaching holiday. But then suddenly, it’s just a few days before The Big Day and you’re scrambling to come up with a last-minute plan that seems impressive and thoughtful!

Whatever your reason is for the eleventh-hour planning frenzy, whether your relationship just started or you simply forgot it was coming, Little Scarlet has you covered. Here are Little Scarlet’s two favorite “last-minute” ideas for Valentine’s Day (and if you don’t happen to live in the New York metropolitan area, they’re versatile enough that you can whip them up in your own hometown).

Idea #1: The Grand Gesture

Fancy restaurants are often the first thought for most couples on Valentine’s Day, but there’s something even more romantic about someone going through the effort of preparing a home-cooked meal for you, especially if it’s paired with good wine and candles!

This year, let Brooklyn’s Red Hook Lobster Pound do the heavy lifting for you. For $140 ($115 without wine), they will provide you with a 15-qt lobster pot with a steamer insert (a great gift by itself if your valentine happens to be a lobster lover!), two 1.5-lb lobsters, a bottle of champagne (or other wine, if you prefer), and chocolates. And if you’re lucky, the rest of the package (“Morning After Green Chorizo Sausage” from The Meat Hook and 10-oz of Crop to Cup coffee) will be a welcome addition!

Call for reservations (646.326.7650), or e-mail (redhooklobster@gmail.com) - hurry, these are going fast!

To round out this Valentine’s Day lobster dinner, Little Scarlet recommends serving smashed red potatoes as a side. To make, simply halve baby red potatoes and boil with the skin on for ten minutes or until cooked, then drain most of the liquid (reserving a few tablespoons) and smash the potatoes with the back of a fork until they are broken. Mix in sour cream and some of the reserved potato water, and top with fresh dill.

Idea #2: “U R 2 CUTE” (Valentine’s Day for the kid in you)

If you’re looking for a more low-key Valentine’s Day, or if your sweetheart has a soft-spot for lace doilies, paper cut-out hearts, and conversation hearts, Peanut Butter & Co. has the perfect date for you! Their “Sweetheart’s Snack” menu goes for the low rate of $35, but the cuteness factor is immeasurable.

Reservations are recommended - 212.677.3995

Four heart-shaped sandwiches are served with potato chips and carrot sticks, alongside big glasses of plain or strawberry milk, complete with a twirly, heart-shaped crazy-straw for two. Candy conversation hearts and a PB&J pretzel sundae (vanilla ice cream, peanut butter pretzels, and melba sauce) finish off the meal, and they’ll even throw in a jar of Peanut Butter & Co.’s all-natural peanut butter as a keepsake. Although their peanut butter is so good you won’t want to keep this on your shelf very long!