We hope by now you’ve had the chance to read our holiday issue. The 160-page whopper includes stories from all four of our titles. A tamale tour of Bushwick, a look inside the city’s truffle mafia, winter teas you can forage and one man’s accidental entry into oyster farming are some of my personal favorites.
One detail I’m especially proud to share is a map. We’re privileged to be able to experience the world in miniature by living in New York, and food and drink are often gateways to cultures and lands that we might not visit otherwise. For a guided tasting, we consulted eight writers (mostly of international backgrounds) to direct us to their approved versions of a favorite seasonal dish. Their selections, as featured on the above map, span the globe and come paired with their personal essays. They include:
- “A Pie Beyond Words” by Ruth Temianka
Myers of Keswick
634 Hudson St., New York
“Each Christmas, the shortcrust mince pie was the one testament to the inner fires of post-Victorian convection that stirred my grandmother.” - “Tracing the Origins of My Dad’s Jew-ish Apple Cake” by Dan Nosowitz
Breads Bakery
18 E 16th St., New York
“I now suspect that our family’s tradition is ‘Jewish’ in the same way that some recipes label anything stir-fried as ‘Chinese.’” - “My Dad’s Apple Pie with a Side of My Mom’s Soy Sauce and Rice” by Cathy Erway
Four & Twenty Blackbirds
439 Third Ave., Brooklyn
“There’s not much my parents agree on, except for good food.” - “In Bushwick, a Rare Frenchman Who Has Never Bought a Kings Cake” by Gus Reckel, as told to me
L’imprimerie
1524 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn
“Contrary to the cultural norm, Gus Reckel has never bought a galette des rois — he’s only made them.” - “For the Hindu Festival of Lights, a Pudding to Remember” by Amrita Gupta
Samudra
75-18 37th Ave., Jackson Heights
“Growing up in Bangalore, celebrating Diwali meant making gajar ka halwa: a pudding made from grated carrots, milk and sugar.” - “The Gift of Gluttony” by Cristina Cosentino
Leonetti Pastry Shoppe
82 Glen Cove Rd., Greenvale
“Shaped like a giant mushroom, panettone has flaky consistency is something like a cross between croissant and donut dough.” - “A German Holiday Stollen by Way of Long Island” by T.W. Barritt
Alpine Patry Shoppe
59 Route 111, Smithtown
“It is as much a part of the festive kaffeeklatsch as the coffee itself.”
