Blog of Award-winning authors
ANDREW DORNENBURG & KAREN PAGE
May 2010
Named one of GourmetFood.About.com's "Top 10 Food Blogs"
Named one of The Fifty Best Links for Epicureans
Named to MUG 400 for "distinctive contribution to life in New York"
"Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page monitor the pulse of the food world like nobody's business. There's a fantastic database of restaurant reviews, too."
— Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma
"Page and Dornenburg also write one of the most informative and engaging food/wine blogs on the planet. Check it out."
— Bestselling author Michael Gelb
"If you asked me what I came into this world to do,
I will tell you: I came to live out loud."
— Critic and novelist Emile Zola (1840-1902)
"There is nothing under the sun better for man than to eat, drink, and be merry. Go, therefore, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with cheer.”
— Ecclesiastes 8:15
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010 — Our congratulations to our publisher Hachette, the parent company of Little, Brown, which we just learned has not one but two 2010 Nautilus Book Award winners in MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: The Landmark Speeches and Sermons of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and THE FLAVOR BIBLE: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs.
Sunday, May 9, 2010 — We are very happy to be able to share some wonderful news with you: Exactly one year ago this week, Karen received the best birthday present imaginable when our book THE FLAVOR BIBLE (Little, Brown; $35) was honored with the 2009 James Beard Book Award. But then it happened again this week, as THE FLAVOR BIBLE was just named a 2010 Nautilus Book Award winner in the category of Food / Nutrition / Cooking.
This is the 10th year that the Nautilus Book Awards have bestowed honors to recognize and reward world-changing books. Previous winners of Nautilus Book Awards include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Thich Nhat Hanh, Barbara Kingsolver, Carolyn Myss, Eckhart Tolle, Dr. Andrew Weil, Marianne Williamson, Naomi Wolf and Gary Zukav.
Nautilus Book Awards recognize books of exceptional quality and merit that “promote spiritual growth, conscious living, and positive social change as they stimulate the imagination and inspire the reader to new possibilities for a better world."
Winning a 2010 Nautilus Book Award is a tremendous honor that affirms our original intentions for THE FLAVOR BIBLE beyond simply compiling what we hoped would become an enormously useful kitchen reference. We consciously strived to create a book that also suggests how cooking can be used as a medium for both creative expression and spiritual upliftment.
The complete list of 2010 Nautilus Book Award winners will be announced during BookExpo America (BEA) in New York City on May 26th.
Thank you for helping to spread (via Facebook, Twitter, your blog and/or good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth) the good news!
"We believe cooking will continue to evolve, and not only as a means of 'doing' (i.e., putting dinner on the table, or 'problem-solving' by 'following a recipe'). Over time, we believe more people — including, perhaps, yourself — will have discovered it as a way of 'being' in the world....Ultimately, cooking offers the opportunity to be immersed in one's senses and in the moment like no other activity, uniting the inner and outer selves. At these times, cooking transcends drudgery and becomes a means of meditation and even healing."
—From the Preface to THE FLAVOR BIBLE
2010 James Beard Foundation "Who's Who in Food and Beverage" inductees David Rockwell, Susan Spicer, Leah Chase, Jessica Harris and Dr. Timothy Ryan
Thursday, May 6, 2010 — To call this a "busy week" doesn't begin to do it justice: The extended 2010 James Beard Awards Week, combined with visits from out-of-town journalists, chefs, winemakers, and friends, has filled our datebooks beyond belief. But we'll look forward to reporting on some of the highlights when we come up for air...soon, we hope!
In the meantime, if you'd like to catch a glimpse of some of the best portraits we've seen from Monday night's James Beard Awards at Lincoln Center, check out those by Hernan F. Rodriguez on Zagat.com accompanied by Kathleen Squires' insider report from backstage.
Sunday, May 2, 2010 — Looking forward to live blogging the 2010 James Beard Awards from Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall on Monday, May 3rd! Join us starting at 5 pm Eastern Time on www.twitter.com/KarenAndAndrew!
"Relative to other households, low-income households must allocate a higher share of both their income and time budgets to food if they wish to consume palatable, nutritious meals....Affordability, defined as the ability to bear a cost, is a surprisingly complex concept to measure....Economists have long struggled with the different aspects of affordability — absolute, relative, and subjective — in developing measures of affordability and consumer well-being."
—U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (November 2008)
For the record, we're both proud to voice our compassion for the time demands placed on the average American, especially in the midst of this troubled economy, that realistically prevent them from cooking a meal from scratch every night — no matter how unpopular this point of view might be among other culinary professionals (too many of whom seem to write off the problem as one of laziness). Our most recent books provide shortcuts for busy people to enhance their enjoyment (not to mention expediency) both in the kitchen and at the table. We hope that the evolution of writing about food and drink (which we see as inseparable) will include even more solutions to help Americans enjoy delicious, nutritious meals every single day.
Congratulations to Peter, who accepted his offer of admission from Purdue University, and will make the big move to West Lafayette, Indiana, in August. Peter, you should be very proud of yourself for taking this major step toward the First Day of the Rest of Your Life!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 — Happy to be home in New York City again after spending most of the past two weeks on the road (Orlando, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, etc.) — and gearing up to live blog the 2010 James Beard Awards from Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall on Monday, May 3rd!
Saturday, April 10, 2010 — On our way to Orlando, to kick off the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off festivities with a keynote on culinary creativity. Loving all the recent Tweets from people saying they're looking forward to meeting us — as we definitely feel likewise! We'll be Tweeting more at www.twitter.com/KarenAndAndrew.
Nonya Nights
Reviewing the 10-course Nonya menu at Double Crown
Coconut Laska with crab, rice noodles, and bean sprouts
Salt & Pepper Squid with green chili dipping sauce
Sweetbread Satay with pickled cucumber and peanut brittle
Oatmeal Crusted Shrimp with fried garlic and lemon
Sweet & Sour Eggplant with tofu and pickled beet sprouts
Grilled Strip Steak w/black bean dressing & Chinese broccoli,
served with Crispy Brussels Sprouts with chili caramel
Coconut Chiffon Cake with Thai basil, mango jelly and
coconut sherbet plus Toasted Marshmallow with soy ice cream
and milk chocolate crunch
A warm hello from nattily-dressed Leslie Affre,
who is married to chef Christopher Rendell
"Nonya Nights: Inspired by family-style banquet dining of Singapore and Malaysia, Double Crown's chefs have found some of the most delicious examples of cuisine born out of a mingling of Chinese and South East Asian communities that dates back to the 16th Century."
—Double Crown's Nonya Nights $35 menu
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 — Unless anyone can persuade us of a worthy challenger to this title, we hereby declare the Sunday night 10-course tasting menu at Double Crown (on Bowery at Bleecker) to be The Single Best Dining Deal in New York City.
While we're by no means new fans of Double Crown chef Brad Farmerie, whom we've previously described as having the lowest fame-to-talent ratio in all of NYC (and while he's since been cast on national TV, we think there's still a long ways to go until that ratio equalizes), we were awestruck by the dinner we enjoyed priced at a mere $35 on Sunday night.
We can't recommend this experience more highly: to jaded New York foodies who've already "been there, done that" for a taste of a new way of eating, and to up-and-coming chefs who want to be inspired to create the future of food. Everyone should run, not walk, to their phone right this minute to book their reservation for another Sunday night soon.
Double Crown is at 316 Bowery (at Bleecker) in Manhattan. Phone: (212) 254-0350. Web: www.doublecrown-nyc.com (And whether or not you need to, the truly gorgeous bathrooms downstairs are also worth a visit.)
Monday, March 29, 2010 — By the way, even if you missed Saturday's wine book signing, that's no reason to miss out on the great books that were featured there! We strongly encourage you to pick up copies of Michael Gelb's new book Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking and Gary Vaynerchuk's New York Times bestseller Crush It! (We trust that you've already got copies of our own What to Drink with What You Eat and The Flavor Bible, but here are links if not!)
What They're Saying About Michael Gelb's book Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking:
“Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking is one of the most practical and useful books about a consumer’s experience in dealing with the subject of wine that I have ever read. There is an enormous amount of terrific, and more importantly, reliable and useful information in this book by Michael Gelb. Highly recommended.”
—Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate
"There are more books on wine available now than ever before, but this one is special. In Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking, Michael Gelb has taken a totally different approach to understanding and having fun with wine by combining poetry, philosophy, art, music, and science…Gelb inspires us to enjoy a more creative approach to the art of living and drinking."
—Kevin Zraly, Author of The Complete Windows on the World Wine Course
“Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking is an essential addition to your wine library. Michael Gelb's unique "right brain" approach makes wine appreciation easy and fun. This book offers exceptional insights into the creative process and a truly delightful way to bring people together. It will bring thunder to your world!”
—Gary Vaynerchuk, Host of Wine Library TV (tv.winelibrary.com) and author of 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World
"Few things in life are as invigorating as great wine and bold ideas. And only Michael Gelb could combine the two into a single masterful book. Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking is an engaging and inspiring guide for everyone who wants to drink well and think big."
—Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind
“You want a world expert in creativity to be highly creative too and Michael Gelb is both. After revealing the creative processes of Da Vinci and Edison in earlier books, he now uncorks some of his own creative secrets in this masterful and captivating exploration of the connections between wine and insight, the mind and the senses, pleasure and wisdom. He also tells you lot about wine. Here's the full proof that in vino there really can be veritas.”
—Sir Ken Robinson, author of The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything
What They're Saying About Gary Vaynerchuk's book Crush It!:
“Anyone looking to supercharge their career should beg, borrow, and steal to learn Gary Vee’s techniques. He reinvented the rules to build a $60-million business from scratch — on his own terms.”
—Tim Ferriss, #1 NY Times bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek
“Gary Vaynerchuk has become a walking, talking (and oh, such talking!), webbing and Tweeting example of how believing in what you do and keeping it fun can step up your life in all ways. There is nobody I would rather talk sports with — or wine or life.”
—Scott Simon, host of Weekend Edition Saturday on NPR
“Gary Vaynerchuk is one of those entrepreneurs who has discovered the secret to combining passion with business. He is always an inspiration and always entertaining. You owe it to yourself to read this book!”
—Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com
“Gary is a force of nature. His authentic, raw passion and caring touches everyone. His insights into social media & his message of opportunity could not be more timely.”
—Tony Robbins
“Gary was the first person to push me on the importance of personalbrand and transparency – this was months before anyone was talkingabout it, he’s always two steps ahead of anyone else.”
—Kevin Rose, Founder of Digg.com
"The Power of Positive Drinking":
Big Wine Book Signing on March 27, 2010
Michael Gelb with his new book Wine Drinking for Inspired
Thinking, Karen with Gary's book Crush It!, Gary Vaynerchuk
with copies of our books, and Andrew at The Wine Library
Northwestern alum Jack Holm with Karen
Andrew with New Jersey chef Rusty Obra, who it turns out
had gone to school with Michael's wife Deborah Domanski!
New York magazine "Psychic Superstar" Fahrusha (who was
featured in our first eNewsletter) with Karen
Tasting the Vermont cheese made by the von Trapp family
(yes, that family!) at The Wine Library in Springfield, NJ
Sunday, March 28, 2010 — We loved seeing everyone who stopped by yesterday's event at The Wine Library in Springfield, New Jersey, which was definitely "The World's Funnest Wine Book Signing"! Where else could you hang out with bestselling authors like Gary Vaynerchuk and Michael Gelb (plus yours truly), taste wonderful wines (including the new Vayniac Cabernet Sauvignon!), sample gourmet items throughout the store (including exquisite cheeses from Laura Chenel and the von Trapp family), and enjoy a spontaneous juggling demonstration by Michael Gelb and two guests (the multitalented psychic Fahrusha plus professional juggler Will Shaw whom David Letterman once gushed would be "bigger than Regis!") — all for free? We enjoyed browsing The Wine Library's impressive gourmet food section (which boasts 450 different cheeses), and took home some award-winning goat milk butter (we owe thanks for the tip to attendee Liz "FizzyLizzy" Morrill!) that we enjoyed on our toast for breakfast this morning!
"The Power of Positive Drinking":
Big Wine Book Signing on
March 27, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010 — We hope to see you today between 1-4 pm at The Wine Library in Springfield, New Jersey, where we'll be hanging out with fellow authors Gary Vaynerchuk (Crush It, 101 Wines) and Michael Gelb (Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking) signing books and tasting wines. It's all free (unless you'd like to buy a book, of course), and there's no need to RSVP — just come on by!
Monday, March 22, 2010 — Congratulations to all of this year's nominees for 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards:
Outstanding Chef Award: José Andrés, Tom Colicchio, Gary Danko, Suzanne Goin, Charles Phan
Outstanding Restaurant Award: Babbo, Boulevard, Daniel, Highlands Bar & Grill, Spiaggia
Outstanding Restaurateur Award: Tom Douglas, Pat Kuleto, Keith McNally, Richard Melman, Stephen Starr
Outstanding Service Award: Alinea, Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, La Grenouille, Michael Mina, Vetri
Best New Restaurant: Bibou, Flour + Water, Frances, Locanda Verde, Marea, RN74
Outstanding Pastry Chef Award: Amanda Cook, Michelle Gayer, Kamel Guechida, Nicole Plue, Mindy Segal
Rising Star Chef of the Year Award: Timothy Hollingsworth, Johnny Monis, Grégory Pugin, Gabriel Rucker, Sue Zemanick
Chef: Great Lakes: Michael Carlson, Koren Grieveson, Arun Sampanthavivat, Bruce Sherman, Alex Young
Best Chef: Midwest: Isaac Becker, Gerard Craft, Colby Garrelts, Alexander Roberts, Lenny Russo
Best Chef: Northeast: Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier, Peter X. Kelly, Michael Leviton, Tony Maws, Marc Orfaly
Best Chef: New York City: Michael Anthony, Wylie Dufresne, Gabrielle Hamilton, Daniel Humm, Michael White
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic: Cathal Armstrong, Jeff Michaud, Peter Pastan, Michael Solomonov, Bryan Voltaggio
Best Chef: Southeast: Hugh Acheson, Sean Brock, Linton Hopkins, Andrea Reusing, Bill Smith
Best Chef: South: Zach Bell, Scott Boswell, John Harris, Christopher Hastings, Michael Schwartz
Best Chef: Southwest: Bryan Caswell, Saipin Chutima, Ryan Hardy, Claude Le Tohic, Rick Moonen
Best Chef: Pacific: Michael Cimarusti, Jeremy Fox, David Kinch, Matt Molina, Michael Tusk
Best Chef: Northwest: Naomi Pomeroy, Andy Ricker, Ethan Stowell, Cathy Whims, Jason Wilson
Photography: Eat Ate, New American Table, Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way
Writing and Literature: Save the Deli, The Seasons on Henry’s Farm, Waste
Single Subject: Pasta Sfoglia, Weber’s Way to Grill, Well-Preserved: Recipes and Techniques for Putting Up Small Batches of Seasonal Foods
Reference and Scholarship: Chop Suey, Encyclopedia of Pasta, Larousse Gastronomique (Revised and Updated)
International: Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy, Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking, The Country Cooking of Ireland
Healthy Focus: EatingWell Comfort Foods Made Healthy, Golden Door Cooks at Home, Love Soup
General Cooking: Ad Hoc at Home, Salt to Taste: The Keys to Confident, Delicious Cooking, The Pleasures of Cooking for One
Cooking from a Professional Point of View: Araxi, Momofuku, The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts
Beverage: Been Doon So Long, The King of Vodka, World Whisky
Baking and Dessert: Baking, DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style, Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day
American Cooking: My New Orleans, Real Cajun, The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ariane and Michael Batterberry, Founders, Food & Wine and Food Arts
Humanitarian of the Year: Wayne Kostroski, Founder, Taste of the NFL
America’s Classics Awards: Al’s French Frys, The Bright Star, Calumet Fisheries , Gustavus Inn, Mary & Tito’s Cafe
Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America: Leah Chase, Jessica B. Harris, Paul C. P. McIlhenny, David Rockwell, L. Timothy Ryan, Susan Spicer
Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional: Merry Edwards, Paul Grieco, Garrett Oliver, John Shafer and Doug Shafer, Julian P. Van Winkle, III
Outstanding Wine Service Award: A16, Blackberry Farm, Frasca Food and Wine, Jean Georges, Restaurant Gary Danko
Outstanding Restaurant Graphics: Korn Design for Mercat a la Planxa, Pandiscio Co. for The Standard Grill, Steven Solomon for Terroir
Outstanding Restaurant Design: Evan Douglis Studio for Choice Market, Project M for PieLab, Andre Kikoski Architect for The Wright
Video Webcast: Always Hungry Video(Alwayshungryny.com), Food.Curated.(Foodcurated.com), The Greenmarket: One Farmer’s Story(Seriouseats.com)
Audio Webcast or Radio Show: Eight Forty-Eight, The Kojo Nnamdi Show, The Splendid Table
TV Food Personality: Andrew Zimmern, Alton Brown, Rick Bayless
TV Show, On Location: The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Chefs A’ Field: King of Alaska, Gourmet’s Adventures with Ruth: The Bertinet Kitchen, Bath
Television Show, In Studio or Fixed Location: Barefoot Contessa, French Food at Home with Laura Calder, Iron Chef America
TV Special: A Moveable Feast with America’s Favorite Chefs, Emeril Green: Emeril’s Culinary Adventure: Napa, Food Trip with Todd English
Television Segment: ABC News Nightline, Chronicle, ABC 7 News Friday Night Special: Hungry Hound
M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award: John T. Edge (The Oxford American), Alan Richman (GQ), Francine Prose (Saveur)
Food Blog: Grub Street New York, Serious Eats, and Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Multimedia Food Feature: Starchefs.com, Chicagotribune.com, Houstonpress.com
Website Focusing on Food, Beverage, Restaurants, or Nutrition: Chow.com, Epicurious.com, Saveur.com
Writing on Spirits, Wine, or Beer: Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl (Minnesota Monthly), Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly), Lettie Teague (Food & Wine)
Food-Related Columns: Colman Andrews (Gourmet), Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl (Minnesota Monthly), Rachel Wharton (Edible Brooklyn)
Reporting on Health, Environment, or Nutrition: Monica Eng (Chicago Tribune), Daniel Engber (Slate), Rowan Jacobsen (EatingWell)
Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Reviews: Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly), Patric Kuh (Los Angeles), and Jason Sheehan (Westword)
Magazine Feature Writing Without Recipes: Alan Richman (GQ), Barry Estabrook (Gourmet), Raffi Khatchadourian (The New Yorker)
Magazine Feature Writing w/ Recipes: Dana Bowen (Saveur), Francine Maroukian, Jon Reiner (Esquire), Matt Goulding (Men’s Health)
Magazine Feature Writing About Restaurants and/or Chefs: Alan Richman (GQ), Anya von Bremzen (Saveur), Francis Lam (Gourmet)
Newspaper Food Section: The Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post
Newspaper Feature Writing: Sarah DiGregorio (The Village Voice), Cliff Doerksen (Chicago Reader), Mike Sula (Chicago Reader)
Newspaper Feature Writing Abt. Rest/Chefs: Tim Carman (Washington City Paper), Jared Jacang Maher (Westword), Kevin Pang (Chicago Tribune)
The 2010 James Beard Awards will be announced in New York City the first weekend in May.
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