If ever you thought, hey, I wonder what my fingernails say about me, then oh boy, is this the place for you.
There's a whole bunch of superstition about fingernails and how you could read into them (much like reading the lines of a palm), but the most comprehensive and awesome database I found was from this book: Burroughs' Encyclopaedia of Astonishing Facts and Useful Information, published in 1889. That's a seri...
From card counting to the evolution of the English language, we have all kinds of new classes lined up for the rest of December and into January.
You can make all your own gifts--flower bouquets, savory relishes and sweet fruit butters, recycled envelopes--and learn how to pick wine for the dinner table, meaning you'll never need to go to the mall for gifts ever again. Of course, there's way more, so check o...
I was popping a link to our tamarind chutney how-to into our course release email when I realized we're still missing out on the other 50% of my favorite Indian condiments. That being, of course, coriander-mint chutney.
It's the green one. Tamarind chutney? That's brown one.
The most important part of coriander-mint chutney is that it's actually cilantro-mint chutney, because outside of the U.S. the herb we call c...
In my classes about meat, I make a big deal about the differences between particular cuts. Brisket is tough so you need to cook it for a long time to break down the sinewy bits, while you can roast a fatty part of the chuck in the oven without worrying about it drying out. Blah blah blah, etc etc etc. This goes on forever for each and every part of the animal.
I was reading the longwindedly-named Home Product...
December's meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Social Studies will take place on Tuesday, December 6 at Public Assembly, 70 North 6th Street, in the far north (or, you know, Williamsburg).
This month's mini-lectures are all about Russia, a perfect topic for getting you in a cold-weather state of mind. It's free, entertaining, and there's lots of booze to be had--do you really need any convincin...
I always feel weird selling stuff, but it is the holidays and all, so I should remind you all that we offer gift certificates for our classes.
You can purchase them through PayPal by going to this handily shortened url: http://ow.ly/7JdZd, and you can read more here, if that's your style: http://brooklynbrainery.com/giftcertificates. As always, shoot us an email if you have any questions!
NOTE: Di...
Allison taught a wonderful class on the history of New York City cemeteries this fall, and on top of it all, she wrote an excellent summary for us to post here. You can find part one, on forgotten cemeteries like potters' fields, right here, and keep an eye out for part three very soon.
Okay, onto the knowledge:
New York City’s cemeteries are more than burial grounds for its citizens; they are a reflec...
We did a class on Indian condiments with Drake Page from The DP Chutney Collective, and it was awesome. We made so many condiments: chutneys, relish, achar, yogurt dips...we even made something spicy with mashed bananas. Here is a recipe for all you who missed the amazingness of class: tamarind chutney! Hop to it and make yourself some, it's super versatile and great.
TAMARIND CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
1/2 lb ta...
I don't spend nearly enough time singing the praises of the wonderful people who teach at the Brainery. Look out for lots of posts in the coming weeks where I do just that.
Carmen Artigas runs Viva La Vida, where she designs the most fun totes and bike baskets, working with artisans in Mexico to turn plastic into woven awesomeness.
If you're interested in ethical fashion, also check out her Facebook gro...
I was sitting in on Charlotte's Medieval History class when she mentioned the super weird phenomenon of St. Vitus' Dance, also know as Dancing Mania.
It's just what you'd think--outbreaks of uncontrolled dancing that swept through Europe during the late middle ages and even into the 1600's. Participants often did not live where they danced, or traveled from place to place, and no one seemed to be immune. The outbr...
