Hallelujah! Something’s happening in the old Cassette space, making Franklin Street a little less sparse. The past several weeks we’ve seen Brooklyn Label paper up their windows, Mr. Souvlaki bit the dust, Mrs. Kim’s is “renovating”, and Jimmy’s packed up before year’s end. Gowanus’s Threes Brewing will be opening a temporary bar and beer shop at 113 Franklin Street (at Kent) starting today, and it will run at least through the end of the month and possibly longer. Continue reading →
It was big news earlier this year when our neighborhood whole-animal butcher, The Meat Hook, left their space in the back of the Brooklyn Kitchen and moved a little further into Williamsburg. The new Graham Avenue space, which opened on February 26th, is bigger, brighter and allows for a bit more interaction between their fabulous butchers and us customers. I stopped by recently to get some groceries and catch up with owner Brent Young. Continue reading →
The long-awaited sandwich store offshoot of beloved local butcher The Meat Hook is now open in Williamsburg at 495 Lorimer Street!
Sandwiches are around the $10-$13 mark and include such specialties as Roast Beef with Hash Browns and Crispy Pig Face with Chipotle Mayo, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime.
Gothamist gives us the full down-low on the goods here but it’s worth noting that they’re running a Father’s Day Special of Steak and Bottomless Beer from 4-7pm TODAY!! Continue reading →
River Styx (21 Greenpoint Ave.) is launching an exciting new dining series called ‘Native Cuisiner’ where visiting chefs and food personalities will cook meals to showcase the food of their homelands. Continue reading →
New website, Walkscore, gives Greenpoint a 94/100 rating for walkability in NYC, but also ranks it as the 58th most walkable neighborhood in NYC. This site says that Washington Heights, Harlem & Crown Heights are all more walkable, but don’t you think they should factor in the increased chance that you’re going to get jacked for your iPhone as a walking factor? Or what about street harassment? I’m not sure the ranking system is cohesive enough.
Joe Lentol is getting the MTA to bring us more G & L trains next Summer. Thanks, Joe, now let’s see if we notice a difference.
The Atlantic did a piece about New Yorkers moving to Jersey City that described moving there as much more welcoming than when you move to NYC neighborhoods that are gentrifying so quickly that there’s an inherent rivalry between new transplants and longtime residents. Greenpoint was described as “totally bipolar” because of this dynamic.
According to a recent survey conducted by NYC’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Greenpointers have less sex partners than most New Yorkers. It also probably means that there are more non-cheating couples in our neighborhood than most of Queens and downtown Manhattan.
And finally, North Brooklyn’s freshest butcher, the Meat Hook, will open a sandwich shop at 495 Lorimer next to Gimme Coffee in January. According to their email blast, expect “cold beer” and “sandwiches like momma used to make, if momma was drunk.” Yum. (Grub Street)
Fellow block & lot and rooftop chefs: Burger season is upon us. Let 2013 be the year you took your burger to the next level. Your patty prep is key to getting compliments around the grill from your homies! There are a lot of things you can add to your beef before you grill to make it tasty. Start with quality beef. And try some of the following additions to the mix. Just remember to go easy with quantity. If you are using butcher beef, you don’t want to overpower a complimentary flavor with the natural flavor of fresh beef. The following five ways to prep your ground meat are tried and tested, so give these ideas a chance for your next rooftop BBQ.
Beef From The Butcher
Half & Half Use 50% ground pork with 50% ground beef. I hear a lot people say this is a Greek version of the hamburger, but my Italian grandmother made her meatballs this way, too. If you do want to go Greek, add some parsley and minced onion and squirt a little lemon on the patty right before you take it off the grill. Otherwise keep it simple with the mixture with good amount of fresh ground salt & pepper.
Soy Sauce Use a tablespoon of soy sauce for every 8 ounces of meat, mix thoroughly. I like to use my hands for all ground beef mixing. Your fingers can mix more efficiently than any stationary tool. Squeeze the beef in both hands in a big bowl. Add some fresh ground pepper, but no more salt. Don’t forget that the soy sauce is all the saltiness that you need. Continue reading →
It was a busy weekend in Greenpoint. The Fowler ArtsOne Year show was a great start on Friday night. The artwork was impressive for a mixed group show, which doesn’t surprise me because of the many talented artists who have studios there. Plus the raffle extravaganza, with over 20 prizes generously donated from local shops and restaurants made the night a lot of fun! I can’t wait to blow my $2o Word gift certificate!
On Saturday night Project Collective had an art and music bash to raise funds for the Brooklyn High School of the Arts. Any party on a perfect evening at The End is amazing because the killer views from the roof deck are spectacular.
Old Fashioned & Pulled Pork Sandwich
I usually don’t like to rush the weekends but I couldn’t wait for Sunday when The Richardson had its Templeton Rye event. For $6 you got a Rye Cocktail plus a Pulled Pork Sammie from Edan Farms prepared by Tom from The Meat Hook. While I was shoving my second sandwich in my mouth (that’s 2 cocktails and 2 sandwiches for $12!), Tom, the pulled pork genius, explained that he braised smoked pork butts overnight with bacon. I call this sandwich divine perfection. It was the best pork sandwich I have ever had and I eat pulled pork any chance I get. MORE PLEASE! Peter, one of our Greenpointers writers, was the champion after eating a whopping three! Go Peter!!!
Local Polish kielbasa can’t be beat, but for a selection of fresh, unique artisanal sausages featuring recipes from all over the world, you should stop by The Meat Hook on the eastern edge of Greenpoint.
The Meat Hook is a sustainably focused, fully stocked butcher shop helmed by three incredibly talented butchers: Tom Mylan, Brent Young and Ben Turley. Just three fun, likable guys obsessed with meat, making sausages…and picking on each other.
Food. Curated. featured them in their local food video this week. Watch and see:
The Meat Hook is located on 100 Frost Street, under the BQE. Hope you head over this week and try something in their meat case! They carry beef, lamb, pork, chicken, poultry and rabbit from small, local farms.
