I've long loved Baked Alaska, that very old-school combination of cake, ice cream, and meringue toasted to a crisp, but I'd never thought about its history before Victoria of Edible History mentioned it during her talk on the history of the restaurant in NYC.
I was surprised to learn the dish was much older than I'd imagined, having been in existence since at least the 19th century. And though its exact orig...
Click the class title for details!
At the Brainery (190 Underhill Ave, Prospect Heights)
Handmade Holiday Cards & Gift Tags: December 9 + 23
Holiday Floral Wreaths: December 11
Tapestry Weaving: December 20
Kokedama: Make Your Own Living Moss Balls: December 22
At Hiho Batik (184 5th Ave in Park Slope)
Holiday Cloth Napkins: December 1
Throw Pillows: December 8 + 15
Make Your Own Dreamcatche...
So many of our friends and teachers had books published this year, and we're sharing those with you below along with a couple of classics from our teachers. They range from science to cooking to culture and more - enjoy browsing!
Gowanus: Brooklyn's Curious Canal by Joseph Alexiou
Discover the forgotten origins of this infamous New York waterway and learn about how the Gowanus has affecte...
Batik is an ancient form of fabric dyeing, where wax is applied to a fabric in order to resist the dye later applied to the piece. When the wax is washed out, the places where it was applied remain the original color of the fabric, creating a neat design.
If applying hot wax, dyeing fabric, and then somehow removing the wax doesn't sound like the most apartment-friendly art, you'd be right. Thankfully there'...
On Thursday, December 10, we're teaming up with the Brooklyn Historical Society to explore the history and production of chocolate. Led by Brainery teacher and Master of Social Gastronomy Sarah Lohman, a panel of chocolate makers will discuss chocolate's origin story, from your favorite chocolate bars to the finest truffles. Tastings included!
Sign up here!
If you're just looking for a cool present for your very best friend, office secret santa, or your cousin who just moved to NYC, be sure to pick up a gift certificate that can be used toward any class at any time.
Gift certificates can be sent electronically directly to your recipient on the date of your choosing, or you can choose to print a pdf to gift in real life. Plus they never expire!
We're partnering with the awesome local batik studio, Hiho Batik, to bring you lots of hands-on classes all fall. All classes take place in their lovely Park Slope store, and you'll learn the art of batik, a wax-resist dyeing technique, and create your own custom work to take home. Check out this post for more information on the batik process.
December 1 - Holiday Cloth Napkins
December 8 and 15 - Th...
This weekend is the 13th annual Open House New York, a wonderful event where some of New York City's best-known (or, sometimes secretive!) architectural spaces open their doors for exploration. Some locations require visitors to RSVP in advance for tours, and while those spots go quickly, there are lots of wonderful places to visit throughout the weekend with open access. We wanted to highlight a few of our favori...
On Tuesday, October 20, the Masters of Social Gastronomy will embrace the Halloween spirit by taking on foods that go bump in the night. Learn all about the fascinating connection between monster myths and culinary history, a rye fungus that caused mass hallucinations (and may have led to the Salem Witch Trials!), and famous cannibals from around the world.
Get your ticket now!
This fall, our friends at Turnstile Tours are offering a series of free tours of the Essex Street Market. I signed up for the inaugural tour last week and was lucky enough to spend an hour meeting market vendors, hearing their stories, and eating my way though the historic market, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
We met a wide variety of vendors at the market; they owned everything from ...
