Field Trip

Two locals to James Beard it up

POSTED: Thursday, June 24, 2010, 4:11 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Field Trip | Food Events

Michael Schulson of Sampan (124 S. 13th St.) will cook a wine-paired dinner at NYC's James Beard House on the evening of Tuesday, August 3; tix are $130 for Beard members and $170 for the hoi polloi. The following week, on August 12, Joe and Amy McAtee of Doylestown's Honey will take Beard for a spin with a feast designed around produce from Pennsylvania's late-summer harvest, with wines hand-selected by Amy. Same ticket rate applies to this dinner, too. Both menus after the jump.

Michael Schulson: Modern Asian 08.03.2010 07:00 pm

Hors d'Oeuvre Chilled Oysters with Cucumber Water Cured Salmon with Scallion Pancakes Edamame Dumplings with Sake Broth Salt and Pepper Frogs' Legs with Blue Cheese Dressing Oxtail Dumplings with Kimchi Vinaigrette Kobe Beef Tartare with Soy Tapioca Simonnet-Febvre CrÃ©mant de Bourgogne Brut NV Sake Fizzes with Chilies Signature Sampan Wine Coolers Dinner Kampachi with Soy, Truffles, and Celery Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte RosÃ© NV Egg and Scallions with Crab, Parmesan, and Uni Urban Riesling 2009 Soy-Braised Mushrooms with Corn, Summer Truffles, and Heirloom Tomatoes Pierre Valetin Hautes CÃ´te de Beaune 2007 Pineapple ConsommÃ© with Elderflower GelÃ©e Wild Striped Bass with Pickled Ramps, Asparagus, and Ponzu Pierre Valetin Hautes CÃ´te de Beaune 2007 Berkshire Pork with Kimchi Cucumber, Arugula, and Mustard Truchard Syrah 2004 Peanut Butter Cup with Cornstarch Ice Cream and Caramelized Nuts

Honey: Pennsylvania Summer Harvest 08.12.2010 07:00 pm

Hors d'Oeuvre Bay Scallop Ceviche with Watermelon, Black Sesame, and Chile Threads Marinated Melons with Homemade Duck Prosciutto and Red Shiso Foie Gras Torchon with Preserved Wild Strawberries, Sea Urchin, and Black Pepper Crisps Kennett Square Mushroom Bruschetta with Shellbark Hollow Farms Goat Cheese and Black Garlic Seared Venison Loin with Crispy Preserved Lemon Risotto, BlueberryâBalsamic Compote, and Fennel Pollen Mumm Napa Brut RosÃ© NV Dinner Amuse Bouche > Grilled Pennsylvania Noble Cheddar Sandwiches with Peppered Tomato Marmalade and Red Mustard Sprouts Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad with BasilâMint Yogurt, Feta Croutons, Black Olive Powder, and Sumac A to Z RosÃ© 2007 Chilled Corn Soup with Pocono Trout Tartare, Smoked Trout Roe, Corn Shoots, and Spiced Popcorn Pine Ridge Chenin BlancâViognier 2007 Crispy Four Story Hill Farm Suckling Pig with Soy-Cured Egg Yolk, White Miso Emulsion, Mousseron Mushrooms, and Summer Truffle Conserve Alma Rosa Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2007 Chicken-Fried Skate with Monkfish Liver RÃ©moulade, Pickled Melon Rind Salad, and Smoked Hot Paprika Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut NV Grilled Anson Mills Lemon Corncake with Blueberry Ice Cream, Marcona Almond Butter, Blueberry Compote, Almond Brittle, and Cinnamon Pinnacle Ridge Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2007

Felicia D'Ambrosio

Posted 2010-06-24 12:04:29

That Michael Schulson, so handsome. 

Is there an ethereal glow around the Honey duo or is that just a mangled clipping path?

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 4:11 PM Permalink | Post a comment

There's chefs in them thar hills: Katz, Solomonov and Woolsey cook the Poconos

POSTED: Friday, June 18, 2010, 10:27 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Field Trip | Food Events | Photos

Chefs need to get away sometimes, too. But that necessarily doesn't mean they take a break from cooking.

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Last weekend we were invited to stay a gratis night at Skytop Lodge, an old-school Poconos resort a little over two hours away from Philly. The occasion? The resort's Philly Chef's Weekend, featuring David Katz of MÃ©mÃ©, Michael Solomonov of Zahav and Peter Woolsey of Bistrot La Minette. Skytop and its executive chef, Stevan Sundberg, have run this three-day event — during which Philly-based chefs do cooking demos, run a cocktail reception and add dishes onto the resort's regular dinner menu — for some time now. It provided an opportunity for this tight threesome, all of whom own the restaurants where they cook, to get the hell out of Dodge for a few days, as well as to promote their respective spots to an out-of-town crowd. When we told people we were headed to Skytop, we were met with two distinct schools of referential description: "That place is totally Dirty Dancing!" and "That place is totally The Shining!" We weren't sure how we felt about either — this is a mini-vacation, I don't need the tough-but-fair Dr. Houseman harshing my buzz, bro — but were relieved to discover it's a damn fine place. Open since the 1920s, the 2,500-acre resort has its own golf course, pools, biking/hiking trails and lakefront, plus the proper amenities for unorthodox activities such as lawn bowling and clay pigeon blasting. (For what it's worth, Katz is kinda ill with the double-barrel shotgun. Keep it in mind, Yelpers!) It was hot as hell, but we still adhered to the old-school jackets-required policy for dinner, which kicked off with an outdoor cocktail reception — Katz, Solo and Woolsey each prepared little finger foods (goat cheese/balsamic/watermelon bites, spiced lamb tartare and chive-studded salmon rillettes, respectively) for the occasion and chatted up resort guests about their restaurants. Then it was onto dinner, during which the Skytop kitchen staff plated up additions to the menu designed by the trio — Solo put together a clever toad in the hole situation with shrimp and morel mushrooms; Woolsey served seared scallops over a classic, straight-ahead piperade; and Katz went old-school with it, with a filet entrÃ©e accompanied by green beans, fried oysters and a twice-baked potato. In between spending QT with their wives and kids, watching World Cup, catching drinks and debating hypothetical bigwig chef death matches ("Boulud or Ducasse?"), Katz, Solo and Woolsey all expressed that the were amped to get out of their kitchens for a spell — it's events like this, and the upcoming Zahav Jersey Shore dinner that all three are participating in, that provide a low-key respite from the fire and knives that tend to populate their every waking professional moment. This became especially clear during our exit caravan from Skytop, which involved us getting kind of lost (totally our fault) making pitstops at a Polish grocery store and a kitsch-as-hell barbecue spot. The crew loaded up on candy and pastries and various meat products, tore it all apart with the quickness and provided pointed opinions about everything, mouths full all the while. Chefs — they're just like us.

Marie DiFeliciantonio

Posted 2010-06-19 12:22:16

I'm loving the new camera piece.

Tweets that mention There's chefs in them thar hills: Katz, Solomonov and Woolsey cook the Poconos :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-06-21 12:21:41

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Meal Ticket, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: There's chefs in them thar hills! Cooking it up in the Poconos: http://bit.ly/crkVzP cc @MemeRestaurant @zahavrestaurant @BistroLaMinette [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 10:27 PM Permalink | Post a comment

$35 to glory at Headhouse Square market

POSTED: Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 5:30 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Dirty Dishes | Field Trip

Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio

Feed your head

There's no getting around the fact that local sustainable/organic produce costs more than the flavorless, nutrient-poor, shipped-from-Chile stuff in the supermarket. But that doesn't mean you can't afford to eat the grub your body loves -- check out my photogenic haul from Sunday's Headhouse Square farmers' market, above. $35 purchased the following:

Two quarts of ripe, ruby New Jersey strawberries;
One bunch local asparagus;
Two zucchini, all from from A.T. Buzby Farm
One bunch dinosaur (Tuscan) kale and one bunch baby Russian kale;
One big bunch French breakfast radishes, from Blooming Glen Farm (They're back! With tons of stuff!)
Giant pile of petite snow peas from Culton Organics (2 lbs.)
Another bunch of fresh-dug radishes, these from Queen's Farm (home of the epic oyster mushrooms)

All this was $35 and will last two of us, plus the occasional drop-by friend in need of a snack, through the week. Headhouse is the only reason to get out of bed at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Get on it.

Carolyn

Posted 2010-05-18 13:10:09

Totally agree. I spent a little less on a quart of strawberries, a loaf of polenta bread, two types of cheese (one for $5 or two for $8 at Patches of Star, so ... natch), four apples, a head of lettuce, two gigantic tomatoes, and an overpriced yet delicious lemonade. Worth it.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 5:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

New outdoor farmers' market joins Reading Terminal fray

POSTED: Wednesday, May 12, 2010, 9:07 PM

Filed Under: Field Trip | Food News

Come get some

This Sunday, May 16 will see the debut of a local, outdoor farmers' market adjacent to the famed Reading Terminal Market at 12th and Arch streets. Operating 9 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sunday from May 16 through mid-November, the market is the fruit of a partnership between RTM management and buy-local organization Farm To City, who collaborated to secure a dozen local farmers vending vegetables, berries, tree fruit, herbs, Piedmont beef, pastured chicken, cow and goat's-milk cheeses, chocolates, honey and flowers. This weekend's kickoff will feature a slew of longtime RTM merchants literally rolling out a vintage welcome wagon stuffed with specialties to greet local farmers and producers, as well as live bluegrass tunes by Special Delivery.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 9:07 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Mike Stollenwerk to fish on at James Beard House

POSTED: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 7:15 PM

Filed Under: Chef Salad | Field Trip | Food Events

Fish (1708 Lombard St.) and Little Fish (currently closed; relocating) have won walls of awards for their chef-owner, Mike Stollenwerk. Now the chef will go on the road with his seafood skills to cook a command dinner at the James Beard House in New York City on Wed., August 25. Passed hors d'ouevres, including classic vichyssoise with wild blue point oysters and a white corn waffle with chile and lobster, will precede four seated courses: look for octopus carpaccio with navel orange, dried black olive and arugula and vitello tonnato dressed up with celeriac, fava beans, chanterelle mushrooms and lobster vinaigrette. Tickets are available by calling 212-267-2308; $130 for JBF members, $170 for non-members. Take a look at the complete menu with wine pairings by Palateur importer and Fish sommelier Mark Monaco, after the jump.

Chef Mike Stollenwerk â¢ James Beard Dinner â¢ 8/25/10

Hors d' oeuvres

- Peeky toe crab fritters

- Tuna ceviche, sherry vinegar, red beet, egg yolk

- Classic vichyssoise, wild blue point oyster

- White corn waffle, chile, lobster

Champagne J. Dumangin Fils, Block 31, Premier Cru Rose, France, NV

Main

Octopus Carpaccio, naval orange, dried black olive, arugula

Fuzelo, Vinho Verde, Portugal, 2008

Maine scallop, duck mortadella, pickled mustard seed, cress

Ca'Vegar, Bianco di Custoza, Lake Garda, Italy, 2008

Skate wing, truffled spaetzle, melted leeks, parmesan broth

Monzio Compagnoni, Terre di Franciacorta, Lombardy, Italy, 2005

âVitello Tonnatoâ, celriac, fava bean, chanterelle mushroom, lobster vinaigrette

York Creek Vineyards, MXB, Spring Mountain, Napa, 2006

Dessert

Frozen lemon bar, marcona almond nougat, richter farms raspberries, ginger tea

Janos Puklus, Tokaji Aszu, 5 Puttonyos, Hungary, 2002

June 22: Stollenwerk goes old-school at fish :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-05-26 15:31:03

[...] Stollenwerk will cook at the James Beard House this August; here’s the menu for that dinner. [...]

matt

Posted 2010-11-22 23:47:12

mike is the best chef i've had the honor to work for. most creative and dead-on palette in the city.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 7:15 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Newer, greener pastures for Tastykake

POSTED: Thursday, May 6, 2010, 6:27 PM

Filed Under: Field Trip | Openings | Photos | Weird Regional Foods

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"Nobody bakes a cake as tasty as a Tastykake," goes the jingle. Now, nobody bakes a cake in a greener facility, either. Tuesday, May 4 was the ceremonial ribbon-cutting of Tastykake's new LEED-registered digs at the Navy Yard, a move that purportedly makes Tasty Baking Company the world's "greenest" bakery. The facility's enviro-friendly practices include water conservation and daylight harvesting; the building was fashioned with recycled building materials and energy-efficient HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). Tastykake delivery trucks of the past and present led the procession from the old address in Hunting Park to the new state-of-the-art facility. As I meandered the grounds, inhaling intoxicating sweetness and gazing longingly at the stream-lined production-to-packaging center churning out thousands of treats (tours for the public are scheduled to begin in spring 2011), I heard many snack lovers relishing in Tastykake's Philadelphia loyalty. After all, they've been here for 88 years. Admittedly, the company would need a compelling reason to leave this city — but like all businesses, it's still a numbers game. The decision to stay in town was bolstered by both the continued interest of the city and state through public and private funding. "The opening of the new bakery, and its place as the greenest bakery in the world, is the successful culmination of our manufacturing strategy to transform the brand,â said Charles P. Pizzi, President, Tasty Baking. Even as Pizzi looks to the future, he says he holds on to tradition; remaining in Philly always seemed to be the plan. "The Liberty Bell belongs in Philadelphia, and so does Tastykake," he said. Amen. Now can I get a Krimpet please?

Posted by Marie DiFeliciantonio @ 6:27 PM Permalink | Post a comment

IN SEASON: A.T. Buzby strawberries

POSTED: Monday, May 3, 2010, 3:49 PM

Filed Under: Eat This Immediately | Field Trip | Product Placement

A.T. Buzby Farm

Fruit worth fighting over

The Headhouse Market opened on Sunday, May 2 with a bang of fresh produce, hand-made sausages and cheese, flowering plants and a heavy dose of farmer worship. Three Springs Fruit Farm rolled out crates of overwintered apples and gave away cool reusable bags to folks who signed up for the mailing list; Aimee Olexy herself presided over the onion jam and lamb sausage with golden raisins Talula's Table had on offer and that irascible Tom Culton of Culton Organics showed up with another funky headdress, as well as freshly-dug ramps that sold out immediately. However, none of these worthies drew the elbow-jabbing swarms that A.T. Buzby Farm commanded; and the reason is red: strawberries. The New Jersey family farm had boxes of the ruby fruits on sale for $5.50 each or $10 for two, and once you bit into the perfectly ripe flesh, it was truly spring. Red all the way through, these first juicy achenes of the season smack you in the tongue with sweet summer taste memories. In addition to boxes of the fruits, Buzby also had strawberry hanging baskets on offer for $22. Properly cared for, these plants will yield fruit all summer long. Get it before some yuppie takes out your knees for the last basket.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 3:49 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Zama commits to the world's only sustainable bluefin tuna

POSTED: Friday, April 30, 2010, 4:39 PM

Filed Under: Field Trip | Food and Politics

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The spicy tuna maki you eat for lunch today could be nothing more than a curious relic from the past in 20 years. Bluefin tuna, that unctuously marbled behemoth that makes such nice sushi, is on the verge of population collapse due to the tremendous overfishing its stocks have endured since new fishing and freezing techniques made it commercially viable in the 1960s. A recent global summit just rejected a proposal to ban the bluefin's international trade, but environmentalists are pushing to have it added to the endangered species list before it's too late. New York magazine quoted bluefin expert Sergi Tudela as saying, "Right now we still have a catch quota which is still almost twice the level needed to recover the stock." The stigma attached to serving the fish has well-known sushi palaces edging away from it; Nobu in New York took it off their menu two weeks ago, and Morimoto followed suit, says local chef Hiroyuki âZamaâ Tanaka. At his eponymous restaurant at 128 S. 19th Street, Tanaka serves the world's only 100 percent sustainable bluefin tuna, the Kindai bluefin. Lab-grown at Kinki University in Japan, the Kindai represents more than 70 years of research — the fish, which can grow to 700 pounds, is only on its second and third generation presently. "The taste is more delicate," says Zama. "And there are no flaws, like parasite holes. I can provide a high standard all the time." At a retail price of $5 per piece for sashimi, Kindai bluefin is almost double the price of wild bluefin, but Zama believes that will change. "It's new stuff, only on the second generation. When it's new, it's expensive, but the next five years will be a different story. When they first farm-raised salmon [and] striped bass, it was the same thing ... they are now standard and the price is steady." Zama received a monster Kindai bluefin from supplier Samuels & Son and butchered it for his restaurant. Check out the slideshow above.

chef@sptr

Posted 2010-04-30 17:53:21

thank you zama

PhD Positions at The Civil Engineering Department at Clemson … | Civil Engineering Addict

Posted 2010-05-01 03:08:29

[...] Zama commits to the world's only sustainable bluefin tuna :: Meal … [...]

Marie DiFeliciantonio

Posted 2010-05-01 15:48:53

serious knife skills.

Meal Ticket's 2010 in Pictures: April :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-12-31 14:48:55

[...] - Zama commits to the world’s only sustainable tuna [30apr10] [...]

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Busman's holiday to Bartram's Garden with the P&K gang

POSTED: Thursday, April 29, 2010, 2:00 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Field Trip

BartramsGardens.org

Stock up on native flora while you drink up on Pub & Kitchen's (1946 Lombard St.) field trip to Bartram's Garden's spring plant sale this Sat., May 1. The P&K crew is so keen on America's oldest living botanical garden that they're running a shuttle bus from the restaurant to the historic 18th-century site, where they'll pour complimentary Yards Saison for shoppers browsing native edible plants, fruiting shrubs, perennials and trees from noon-3 p.m. Visitors may also tour John Bartram's house, barn and the cider press carved from bedrock, as well as take in the meadow, parkland, wetlands and riverside trail of the Quaker naturalist's estate, just a ten minute drive from Center City.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 2:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Get goaty at Talula's Table today

POSTED: Monday, April 19, 2010, 6:30 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Field Trip | Food Events

Kids are cute but their rectangle pupils areunnerving.

Jaded and childless urbanites that we are, we're not often jealous of our suburban neighbors. But not only does Kennett Square have miles of mushrooms and bucolic Brandywine River scenery, it has taste mecca Talula's Table (10 W. State St., Kennett Square). Today the gourmet market is hosting a cheese happy hour featuring a grip of East Coast goat cheeses complemented by sips of local craft brew. From 4-7 p.m. owner and fromageophile Aimee Olexy will share bites of goat cheeses from Amazing Acres (Elverson, PA), Shellbark Hollow Farms (West Chester, PA), Pipedreams Farms (Greencastle, PA), Cherry Glen Farms (Boyds, MD) and Vermont Butter and Cheese, among others.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 6:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

First Gigs: Jeff Ziga, Little Baby's Ice Cream
If you don't know Nutella is bad for you and your kids, then you are a total idiot and a bad parent.
An edible guide to Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival
Notes from the Weekend: May 13
Bar Crawl: What's new at Ortlieb's
Afternoon Snacks: Richard Blais's Ikea Burger, Waffle "tacos," Coffee nerdery, The U.N. wants you to eat more bugs
Extra! Extra! Lobster openings, chocolate closings and lots of free stuff
Spike TV's "Bar Rescue" turns Swanky Bubbles into Sheer
Real Talk: 50 Things They Never Told You About Being a Chef
Hell's Kitchen casting in Philly

About this blog

Founded in October 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. We don't do restaurant reviews here — those are handled in print, mostly by our critic (and Meal Ticket contributor) Adam Erace. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? Just want to say hello? Please shoot a note to caroline@citypaper.net.

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