Recent Episodes

 

Dwight Furrow, the author of American Foodie: Taste, Art, and the Cultural Revolution, talks about the philosophy of food. We discuss everything the impact of everything from automobile to Alice Waters to the Slow Food movement have shaped the way Americans think about food.
 
 
 
 

 

Inbal Baum, the Founder of Delicious Israel, joins us to talk about where foodies should eat when they travel to her country.

• Shakshouka is a popular dish in Israel
• Israeli Breakfast is a distinct and important meal
• The modern cherry tomato has roots in Israel
• Tel Aviv and Jerusalem top the list of cities you should visit
• Beach season runs from April to October
• Rosh Hashana is a great time to visit Israel
• When you visit Tel Aviv, go to the Carmel Market, the Levinsky Market
• Try the date syrup, Silan

 

 

Food for Thought

• Q: After pita bread, what is the most common food used to “wipe” humus?
• A: Raw onion.

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan

• Favorite Spot for Outdoor Dining: Milgo & Milbar
• Favorite Place to Buy Spices: Cafe Arma in Levinsky Market
• Herbs to Try: Za’atar and Hawaij (in Yemenite Coffee)
• Favorite Winery: Sphera
• Favorite Place for Dessert: The Malabia
• Favorite Food Experience for Kids: Max Brenner
• Chef to Watch: Eyal Shani
• Dish to Try at Different Places: Shakshouka and sabich

Bennet Jacobstein, author of The Joy of Ballpark Food: From Hot Dogs to Haute Cuisine, talks to us about what foodies can find at different baseball stadiums around the country.

• Hot dogs and sausages are not the same thing.
• The quality of ballpark food was elevated in the 90s as new stadiums were built and food television shows took off.
• Stadiums have highlighted regional foods.
• Gordon Biersch‘s founder Dan Gordon introduced garlic fries at Candlestick Park in 1994.
• The song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was written in 1908.
• The Yankees replaced Cracker Jacks at one point, but brought it back after a public outcry.
• 

  San Francisco Giant Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries

  Veggie Happy spearheaded the movement to get veggie dogs sold at ballpark stadiums.

• Andrew Zimmern has a stand in the Minnesota ballpark.
• Rocky Mountain Oysters are bull testicles.
• “The Big Six” are the food companies that service the major ballparks.
• As you go from ballpark to ballpark, try the hot dogs at each to see how they’re done differently.
• Proceeds from Bennett’s book go to Second Harvest Food Bank.

 

Food for Thought

• Q: In what year were Cracker Jacks first served at a baseball game?
• A: 1896 in Atlantic City.

 

Out of the Frying Pan

Here’s what Bennet recommends you try at each ballpark:

• Yankees Stadium in New York City: Chicken and Waffles.
• Fenway Park in Boston: Lobster Roll and a cuban sandwich.
• Wrigley Field in Chicago: Chicago-style hot dog with Vienna beef.
• Turner Field in Atlanta: Boiled peanuts.
• Marlins Park in Miami: Cuban dishes.
• Safeco Field in Seattle: The Ivar’s hot dog (with fish) and cream cheese hot dog.
• Nationals Park in Washington D.C.: A cauliflower hot dog and presidential cupcakes.
• 

  Chicago White Sox Chicago-Style Hot Dog

  Busch Stadium in St. Louis: The BBQ.

• Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles: Tommy Lasorda Spumoni ice cream.
• AT&T Park in San Francisco: Crab salad, lamb sausages, and Gordon Biersch garlic fries.

Try a Food Tour

More in this City

Joyce Weinberg, the owner of City Food Tours & Events in New York City, is a seasoned food industry professional with 20 years of varied experience. She has managed Fortune 500 confectionery and dessert businesses, designed and managed her own restaurant, bought chocolate and candy for Bloomingdale’s, sold gourmet chocolate throughout the United States, run her own chocolate brokerage firm and has taught restaurant design, marketing, management and strategy at New York University. She participated in the panel discussion at our 2013 Food & Travel Expo. We sat down to ask her a few questions…
 

1. What advice do you have for foodies coming to New York City?

 

If you just walk around by yourself, you’d miss a lot about what you’re seeing, what you’re eating and where you are. So, take a food tasting tour, preferably one of ours. Our guides are food experts as well as official NYC tour guides.
 
Do not go to a chain restaurant while you’re in NYC. There’s no reason to have any meal that’s less than fabulous in NY. Whether it’s a quick Banh Mi, a hot bowl of ramen or an amazing pastrami sandwich, it’s all here, accessible and you don’t have to break the bank.
 
Before you come, read up and make a list of places you want to try by neighborhood. Downtown Manhattan, in general, has more of the small, artisan places with foods to die for.
 
One night, splurge on one of our best restaurants like Le Bernadin, Anissa or Mas Farmhouse.
 

2. What is City Food Tours all about?

 
We teach people in a fun way about how buying local supports local entrepreneurs and small businesses, and how most of the jobs created in this country are in small businesses. All the guides encourage people to try new things on the tours. If a guest is hesitant, we try to find out why, and try to ease their fears. We love it when someone tries something for the first time and they end up loving it. We love introducing people to banh mi sandwiches, for example. If one less person eats at a Subway franchise and eats instead at a local ethnic sandwich shop where everything is homemade, that’s a win.

 
What people eat on our tours is healthier because there are no trans fats. There are usually no preservatives and more organic ingredients are used, so there are fewer harsh chemicals and antibiotics ingested. Even with sweets, when you eat something made with high quality ingredients, like real cocoa butter and cocoa mass, you eat less overall because you’re sated with just a little bit.
 
Using local ingredients usually means that the energy used to get them is less than if you’re buying veggies and fruits from Chile, California’s Central Valley, etc., so it’s better for the environment.
 
We try to be as paperless as possible. We support businesses that are sustainable. At the Roasting Plant, for example, they get beans in bulk. They come with minimal packaging and are put right into airtight hoppers for roasting and storing. We teach our guests about innovations in sustainability, whether it’s in local architecture, green roofs or processing.
 

3. How did you get into food tourism?

 
I got into culinary tourism more by accident than by a long-range strategic plan. I always wanted to have my own business, but I didn’t know about food tasting tours. I’ve always been interested in food and marketing. I started City Food Tours long enough ago, that we were one of the first culinary tourism cos. in the country. I didn’t know about the small, growing industry. I went to a local chocolate tasting event one night, and I thought that the expert did such a poor job, that I swore that night to start my own business teaching people about chocolate and food in a fun, anti-snobby and well executed way. The next day, I called the American Museum of Natural History to do a series of chocolate tours for their members during The History of Chocolate Exhibit, and the rest is history.
 

4. How do you keep up on everything going on in the city’s food scene?

 

I keep up by reading, eating and continually exploring the city. I hear about new places from friends, my guides and just by walking and driving around. I live in Manhattan and explore this borough and Brooklyn and Queens plus the Bronx all year round. Part of the reason why I really need to lose a few pounds!
 

5. What do you think of as the quintessential New York City food experience?

 
The Quintessential NY Food Experience: An egg cream at Gem Spa in the East Village followed by a hot dog topped with pastrami at Papaya King. Don’t forget the chocolate-dipped cheesecake at DeRobertis. And that’s just brunch!
 

RELATED: What is a food tour?

 

 

In this episode of the Find Dining Podcast,  Arthur Bovino, Executive Editor of The Daily Meal, joins us to talk to us about all things food and drink.  We discuss crowd-sourced restaurant reviews, the process for ranking restaurants, and the five best places to eat in America.
 

• The Daily Meal  started as Always Hungry in New York, which was created by Jeff Zalaznic of Carbone, Toressi and Parm
• Arthur worked as a fact checker for the dining page at the New York Times while in culinary school.
• After culinary school, Arthur worked at Pearl Oyster Bar, then helped launch Ed’s Lobster Bar.
• One of Arthur’s favorite places to eat is White House Sub  in Atlantic City
• The Daily Meal publishes an annual list of the Top 101 Restaurants in America

 
The Daily Meal’s Top 5 Restaurants of 2014 (see the entire list):

• Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA
• Per Se in New York City, NY
• French Laundry in Yountville, CA
• Eleven Madison Park in New York City, NY
• Le Bernardin in New York City, NY

 
Food for Thought:

• Q:  Where and when was the potato chip invented?
• A:  George Crum of Saratoga Springs, NY is credited for inventing one of America’s favorite snacks in 1853.
  

 
Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Best meal from the last year: Sushi from Kura
• Biggest Debate when Making the Top 101 list: There are lots of opportunities for heated debates.
• What Does the The Daily Meal look for in a Food Writer: hunger for the food business

 
Photo by Jane Bruce

 

Opened in 2003 by Chef Marco Canora and Sommelier Paul Grieco, Hearth in the East Village of Manhattan is nominated for the 2014 Outstanding Restaurant award.  The James Beard Awards will be held in New York City on May 5.  You can also listen to our interview with the James Beard Foundation about the awards.
 

 

Hearth

403 East 12th Street New York, NY 10009

(646) 602-1300

www.restauranthearth.com

 

Chef Marco Canora’s appreciation for good food flourished as a child growing up in upstate New York. In the summer months, his mother’s harvest of herbs and vegetables served as the inspiration for dishes she enjoyed during her childhood in Lucca, Italy. Marco spent hours, and years, cooking alongside her.
 
Washing dishes at a well-respected local restaurant was Marco’s first glimpse into the restaurant industry. A quick study, he moved from pot-scrubber to garde manger. After graduating from Pace University, Marco landed at Dean and Deluca’s prepared foods kitchen, where he discovered the vital role that high-quality produce plays in creating dishes. On a motorcycle trip around the country, Marco took time off the road to hone his culinary skills at Winston’s, a seafood restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, and then at San Francisco’s Backstage restaurant. Feeling the pull of home, Marco returned to New York City with a clear goal in mind: to work at one of the city’s best restaurants.
 
As luck would have it, Gramercy Tavern was looking for line cooks and offered Marco a job. Chef/owner Tom Colicchio fostered the young chef’s career, encouraging Marco to travel to Italy. Marco moved to Florence, where he worked at Fabbio Picchi’s world-renowned restaurant, Cibreo.
 
Wanting to open and run his own restaurant, Marco took two summers off from Gramercy Tavern to start La Cucina, a 50-seat seasonal restaurant in Edgartown, Massachusetts. La Cucina turned out to be an unprecedented success for Marco, earning him rave reviews and a bevy of high-profile guests including former President Bill Clinton, for whom Marco prepared a 50th birthday dinner.
 

When Marco returned to Gramercy Tavern, he was promoted to sous chef, and in 2001, Colicchio selected him to open Craft. The restaurant went on to receive three stars from The New York Times and the James Beard award for “Best New Restaurant.” While at Craft, Marco created the menu for Craftbar, Craft’s more casual sibling, and oversaw the opening of Craftsteak in Las Vegas.
 
In the fall of 2003, Marco decided to strike out on his own. He and partner Paul Grieco, a fellow Gramercy Tavern alum, opened Hearth in Manhattan’s then burgeoning East Village neighborhood. The restaurant earned a positive two-star review from The New York Times and a local following, and has since received a prestigious James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Restaurant. Considered a downtown, dining destination, Hearth offers a modern American menu influenced by Marco’s Italian heritage for dinner and brunch, along with an unparalleled selection of wine. In November 2013, it celebrated its landmark 10th anniversary, a testament to its enduring presence in the New York City dining scene.
 

In April 2007, Marco and Paul opened Insieme at The Michelangelo Hotel. The Italian word for “together,” Insieme was awarded a Michelin star for its traditional and contemporary dishes. Marco offered classic Italian dishes deeply-rooted in history and family recipes, as well as contemporary dishes that present a modern approach to the cuisine of his heritage.
 
In 2008, Marco and Paul opened Terroir, a casual wine bar just steps away from Hearth that has earned a legion of fans for Marco’s inspired menu and Paul’s quirky wine list. Three years later, they opened Terroir Tribeca, the second location of their East Village wine bar, which features a larger kitchen that allows Canora to expand on the original menu and showcase the full range of his talent. The restaurant has since expanded to Murray Hill in fall 2011, a seasonal location on the High Line in spring 2012, and to Park Slope in fall 2012; each space features a menu and design unique to the neighborhood and its history.
 
Marco has made numerous television appearances, including on Bravo’s Top Chef, Today, Martha Stewart and CBS’ The Early Show, and as a judge on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay.In Fall 2010, he was runner-up on season three of “The Next Iron Chef America,” the popular prime time series on the Food Network. His first cookbook, Salt to Taste: The Key to Confident, Delicious Cooking, was released by Rodale in October 2009 and nominated in 2010 for the James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award in the General Cooking category. Clarkson Potter will publish his second cookbook, A Good Food Day, in January 2015.

 

Co-owner & Sommelier Paul Grieco got a head start in the restaurant business. Born in Canada, his childhood was spent at La Scala, a grand Toronto restaurant offering formal service and classic Italian food in an elegant setting. As a young adult working there, he learned every aspect of restaurant life.
 

When it was time to choose a career path, the hospitality industry seemed a natural choice. Unsure if this was the right decision, Paul traveled to Italy where he immersed himself in intensive wine study and the region’s rich culture. Returning to North America and La Scala, he oversaw the restaurant’s beverage program and front-of-the-house staff for six years.
 
In 1991, adventure beckoned and Paul traveled to New York City for what he thought would be a three-month discovery trip. Inspired by the Manhattan restaurant scene, he took a job at Remi Restaurant as a dining room manager. Positions followed at several prestigious and well-known Manhattan restaurants, including Bouley, Gotham Bar & Grill, and Gabriel’s. In 1994 he opened JUdson Grill with his friend and mentor, Chris Cannon.
 
Paul then accepted a job as a waiter at the three-star Gramercy Tavern, where he learned the aspects of refined, unpretentious hospitality from partners Danny Meyer and Tom Colicchio. After working as a captain for two years, Paul was promoted to Assistant General Manager, responsible for both the annual $3 million beverage program and the restaurant’s three-star service. During his tenure, Gramercy Tavern won the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Service” and “Outstanding Wine Service.”
 
In 2003, Paul and fellow Gramercy Tavern alum, Marco Canora, went out on their own to open Hearth Restaurant in the East Village. The restaurant earned a glowing two-star review from The New York Times and continues to receive praise for Paul’s expansive and thoughtful wine list. Hearth’s Monday wine dinners, created by Paul, are instant sell-outs that explore new and established regions, vintners and varietals.
 
In April 2007, Paul and Marco opened Insieme, an Italian restaurant at The Michelangelo hotel. The Italian word for “together,” Insieme features two menus, traditional and contemporary, side-by-side. To accompany the dual menu, Paul created a wine list matching the food’s soulful spirit, offering selections from emerging winemakers and classic vintners alike. In July, Food & Wine awarded Insieme and Paul “Best New Wine List of 2008.”
 
A firm believer in the idea that wine has a sense of place, Paul opened Terroir in March 2008, just a few doors down from Hearth. The casual wine bar features wines with a singular sense of place, where history, culture, climate and geology shape the character. His singular approach earned him a spot on Wine & Spirits’ recent list of “Wine Revolutionaries,” and the title of “Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional from the James Beard Foundation in 2012. In 2010, he opened Terroir Tribeca, the second location of the East Village wine bar. In fall 2011 he opened Terroir Murray Hill, and Terroir Park Slope a year later. As always with Paul, his offbeat selections inspire a sense of discovery for guests and put underappreciated wines in the spotlight.
 

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