One morning at the McGolrick Park Farmer’s Market last Fall, I had the opportunity to taste a spirit I didn’t know much about. Though, coming from a half-Italian family, I was not a complete stranger to amaro. And living in a bar culture like Brooklyn’s, the spirit turns up every now and then too.
But both encounters were prohibitive. Being a kid at family parties, trying something red in color, you want it to taste a certain way (like Dr. Pepper). Amaro got quickly filed under “gross” and “adult,” which I filed under “boring.” And today, going to a fancy bar, the prospect of a sixteen dollar cocktail sometimes has me looking for the beer list, specifically “cans.”
So, running into the Greenpoint-made amaro brand St. Agrestis on that Sunday in the park cut through my personal red tape.
First off, the label is eye-catching: a simple blue print of a woman holding a branch in one hand, and a small medicine bottle in the other. Then there’s the name. How, after twelve years of Catholic school, did I not know of a St. Agrestis (it turns out St. Agrestis is not real!)? Then there’s the color. It’s a deep shade of red, not quite letting you see all the way through the bottle, but sort of half-way through.
The whole package was intriguing, as was the flavor. Which is on the right side of bitter, and the right side of sweet— it sort of approaches both, and pulls away just before either becomes too much. In any case, I felt it was cause enough to buy a bottle and to later follow up with its maker, Louis Catizone, to find out how this mysterious alcool is made. Continue reading →
Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Our featured Holiday Market vendor Alabaster wanted to be a cartoonist and a crafter. Now that she is all grown up she says, “I never wanted to compromise, so here I am, still doing it!” Continue reading →
Aren’t these cuffs gorgeous? Pick up one at our Holiday Market on 12/8 from Sunken City, a jewelry design duo – Megan Nadkarni and Sasha Odiamar – whose pieces are modern interpretations of the traditional Indian and Filipino artisanship found in their families’ keepsakes. Plus they are donating a portion of our sales towards disaster relief in the Philippines through the American Red Cross.
We chatted with these two talented ladies about how their cultures influence their designs. Continue reading →
Can you pinpoint the exact moment you decided what you wanted to do with your life? Illustrator and Greenpointer Holly Graham, whose shop Hollydoodles is a featured vendor at our Holiday Market, recalls a childhood memory that has impacted her entire life’s work:
“My grandpa once drew a dog from memory for me on this tiny piece of paper. I think I’ve been on a mission my whole life to really perfect a craft in that way.” Continue reading →
Maybe it’s because I am bird obsessed but I do love the name Wren Papers, a featured vendor at our Holiday Market that offers unique journals, stationery, prints, and jewelry, often inspired by nature. It’s named after shop proprietor Katie Jones’ mother’s last name and Katie said, “They are strong little birds.” Might I add they have the cutest little bird butts!
