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Lobster Spaghetti

With a bottle of OPP care of Andre´ Mack

Great neighborhood spots are hard to come by so when you find a spot like Jeffreys Grocery, get involved and be prepared to stop in at least once a week (at the least).  Chef Milley and Tran on the ones and twos; SBTRKT and Foster the People, opening up for Kanye, Biggie and Nicki Minaj on the greatest play list of all time and Chad serving up tasty cocktails with a little charm and sex appeal that keeps the bar stacked until close.

What better way to eat a brisket (see below) than with a Smuttynose Winter Ale or Six Point Little Wisco in tow?  The not so simple P in OPP stands for Pinot Noir and it goes down silky smooth when you’re just chilling or just as well as with your lobster spaghetti.  Nothing quite says you’re a baller like a Plateau Royal and a magnum of Domaine De La Pepiere Muscadet.  Trust me on that one and don’t be scared.  Come and ask to sit at the Chef’s table and tell them I sent you.  Promise you won’t regret it.

Yours Truly,

Jeffreys Grocery – A Gabriel Stulman Production

Plateau De La Mer

Beef Brisket Deliciousness

Roasted Sturgeon

With salsify, parsley root and red wine-braised chestnuts

© Toure Folkes 2012

A Taste Of Things To Come

I started this blog to give the stories behind my pictures and have been deploringly horrible about posting anything and so there it is, me voicing my resolution out loud.  I’ve played around with some ideas for a new format and I look forward to sharing it with you.

Happy Holidays and many thank to all of you who have been checking in over the past year!  I promise to post to the point of ad nauseam this coming year with more pictures from photo assignments, travels and visual chronicle of the interesting things I may come across in the everyday.  Much Love, Peace and Prosperity!

Toure´


© Toure Folkes 2011

Dim Sum Brunch

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a head to head throw down between, Chef Shuai Wang of Joseph Leonard and Eric Tran of Jeffrey’s Grocery vs. Brunch, taking place over two consecutive days on Saturday October 1st and Sunday October 2nd.

I’ve personally been bitch slapped on the palate by Chef Tran and Chef Wang on the regular so was eagerly waiting in anticipation what would happen in this head to throw down of the ages.

The first round of things was manageable enough, starting off with Dashi Eggs, crispy stuffed taro ball, steamed dumplings and scallion pancakes. I was full but determined that I could take on the challenge without having to throw in the towel and leave in a wheel barrel. Little did I know what Chef Shuai and Chef Wang had in store over the next few rounds.

It happened around the 3rd round when I was getting thrown on the ropes by the house made pork sausage that I got sucker punched like Victor Ortiz in the Mayweather fight by a Vietnamese stuffed crepe and kimchi brussel sprouts. “You’re welcome,” as Chef Shuai Wang would say. Ill advised to try and step in the ring with Dim Sum Brunch alone. I never stood a chance.

“Everybody loves bacon, even vegans.” – Chef Shuai Wang

House Made Pork Sausage

chow fun, sweet soy glaze

Dashi Eggs

miso glazed mushrooms, dashi créme with five spice pork belly bao in background

Steamed Shrimp Dumpling

pickled ginger

Vietnamese Stuffed Crepe

confit pork shoulder, bean sprouts, rice noodles, cucumber cilantro sauce and butter lettuces

© Toure Folkes 2011

San Gennaro

The Feast of San Gannero is an annual outdoor festival and religious ritual in honor of martyr saint, Januarius that takes place in Little Italy from September 15-25. The festival’s roots go back to 1926 when thousands of early Italian immigrants, inhabiting Little Italy would gather to pay tribute and indulge in ethnic fare.

There’s not much of Little Italy left but the festival remains and Mulberry Street shuts down for ten days from Houston to Canal Street, filling up with pop-up carnival attractions and rides, wide-eyed bus loads of tourists, old school guido’s in mesh shirts and booths flush with trashy street food. Growing up in New York, San Gennaro was one of those things you learned to avoid or indulge in to feed your guilty pleasures. Lucky for us Torrisi decided to change the game and invite friends from some of the top restaurants in New York including The Breslin, Joseph Leonard and Sorella.

‘Hooks Cheddar Falafel’
Representing Little Wisco Mafia (Joseph Leonard, Fedora, Jeffreys Grocery)

‘Jelly Filled Donut’ and ‘Pork Tonata’
April Bloomfield (The Breslin, Spotted Pig, John Dory Oyster Bar)

‘Chinese-Style Ribs’ from Parm (Coming Soon) Familia Torrisi

‘Carnival Blondie’ San Gennaro Special
Emma Hearst (Stellina, Sorella )

“Cannoli, Over here!” Rubirosa

© Toure Folkes 2011

Hanson Dry


‘A Peck of Pink’
Seagram’s Gin, a cube of lemonade and hammered black pepper, salt rim

Hanson Dry has quickly become one my favorite neighborhood spots to grab a cocktail. Located on Fulton Street in Clinton Hill, Hanson Dry sits at the perfect intersection of where longtime residents and young professionals new to the neighborhood collide in perfect harmony.
The inside is mid-modern, cocktail bar décor yet not so pretentious looking that you wouldn’t feel comfortable enough just going in for a quick beer after work. Being a whiskey lover, I was immediately drawn to ‘The Tux’ (rye whiskey, maraschino liqueur, a Pernod rinse) but house signature cocktail, ‘The Hanson Dry’ (gin, vanilla liqueur, Angostura bitters), quickly erasing any and all distaste for gin.
Recently the folks at Hanson Dry (Chris and Kathryn Buckley) have started doing a monthly food and cocktail pairing, with Chefs, Nahvae T. Frost & Dave Townsend.
All of the food on the menu was locally sourced, including the produce, which came from either rooftop farm, The Brooklyn Grange, or Liberty Gardens, an organic farm in Cooperstown, PA.  Some of the highlights for me were Lamb Merguez with Ratatouille and the Battenkill Valley Panna Cotta, paired with sexy after drink cocktail called A ’56 with Dry Vermouth, Zwack and plum bitters.  My mouth is already watering in anticipation of the next dinner.
- Toure´Folkes

Brooklyn Grange Lettuces with Shaved Zucchini and Salvatore Brooklyn Ricotta, Summer Corn Fritters in a Lime Vinaigrette


‘Helen’s Backyard’
Hendricks Gin, basil syrup, lemon, lime

© Toure Folkes 2011

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