the weekend buzz

“New Amsterdam Market's Winter Night Banquet, Sustainable Fishing at the 92Y, and Brunch Begins at Bar Henri”

Friday: A Winter Night Banquet with The New Amsterdam Market

The New Amsterdam Market, a relatively new market that brings local farmers, artisans, purveyors, and producers together at the foot of Manhattan, is one of my favorite markets in the city. I’ve missed the market in these winter months (it will be starting back up again in May), so I’m very happy to discover their first benefit event in their new Banquet Series. A Winter Night Banquet—An Exploration of the Region and its Seasons—is being held March 12th, presented by New Amsterdam Market with benefits going to their School of Regional Cookery.  

Chefs Sara Jenkins of Porchetta and Odessa Piper of L’Etoile in Madison will be utilizing farmers, producers and purveyors of the New Amsterdam Market to prepare a multiple-course regional and seasonal meal. These spectacular chefs will be working closely with friends of the market such as W&T Seafood, The Wild Food Gathers Guild, Queens County Farm, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, Saxelby Cheesemongers, Mast Brothers Chocolate and Red Hook Winery.

Help build the market and support it’s continued success by attending this event, Friday March 12th at 8pm. Tickets are $300 for Supporters, $500 for Sponsors and $1,000 for Benefactors. Seating is limited, so visit newamsterdmmarket.org to purchase tickets.

The event will be held in the restored dining room of 265 Henry Street in a historic Federalist row house that dates to 1830. Ticket holders will be invited to observe the evening’s preparations in the kitchen beforehand and even help with preparing the meal, if desired. Sponsors and Benefactors are invited to come early and take part of a guided tasting of A Plate of East Coast Oysters at 7:00, immediately preceding the Banquet.

—Jason Caslow

Saturday: Off the Hook: Local Sustainable Seafood at the 92nd Street Y

The Greenmarket’s Educated Eater series is hosting a paneled discussion about an often-overlooked affiliate of the greenmarket. Off the Hook: Why Local Seafood is Sustainable will dispute myths, explain certification labels, and overall educate on sustainable fishing and the market fish.

How is fishing sustainable? Why is it important to support local fishing families? All these queries and more will be answered Saturday March 13th by a panel of experts  including Alex and Stephanie Villani from Blue Moon Fish, Christopher Moore from the office of Sustainable Fisheries at NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and Niaz Dorry of NAMA (the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance). The panel will be moderated by Colin Alevras, formerly chef of the Tasting Room and currently Beverage Director for David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants.

Off the Hook runs from 3:30-5:00pm at 92Y Tribeca. Admission is only $10 and tickets are available at 92YTribeca.org or by calling 212-601-1000.

92Y Tribeca is located at 200 Hudson Street at Canal Street.   

—Jason Caslow

Sunday: Brunch Begins at Bar Henry

The folks behind Bedford Street’s Café Henri opened Bar Henry a few months back and this relative newcomer has already garnered a following for its dependable bistro fare and distinct wine program. Wine Consultant John Slover (Cru, Blue Hill) developed the stellar wine list, created to maximize choice and minimize expense so that you can drop by for a glass without buying a whole bottle. You can buy half of a full 750 ml bottle (from the 100 bottle list), and the bar will make the rest of the half bottle available to the other customers by listing the wines on a large mirror next to the bar.

If the wine program isn’t enough of a draw, how does Sunday Brunch, with a menu of oysters, blini and caviar ($14), croque Madame ($11), burgers, omelets, and eggs mole (corn tortillas smothered with eggs, refried beans ~ mole sauce, $12) sound? Darn good, if you ask me.

Bar Henry is located at 90 West Houston Street, 646-448-4559.

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