Collectages

It is fava bean season. This wonderful old world legume is believed to have originated in the Orient and was already cultivated by ancient Egyptians. In the South of France fresh fava beans are also eaten raw, just dipped in a little salt. I have chosen a very simple recipe but they can also be [...]

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I really thought I was going to have time to post two recipes before taking off to Albany for a gig –with Michael Bisio, tomorrow night . Well! I didn’t so please, hang on for the promised great fresh fava bean recipe. However, I do want to let you know about the gig at Justin’s [...]

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It is time to brush up on our Latin, celebrate the month of May & eat fava beans! According to Ovid the origin name May, could derives from maiores –the elders. The ritual he describes in the Fasti’s book V –transcribed and translated below– certainly supports it. OVID FASTI LIBER V “Cumque manus puras fontana [...]

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This weekend I returned to the The New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden in Staten Island (see: Spring Meditations Places in NYC (II)). This time with Pierre who had never been there. I also wanted to get to see the late blooming peonies and as we were on Staten Island (with a car) we checked out [...]

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On Sunday May 4th, the d’Artagnan‘s Fourth Annual Duckathlon was sans quack, educational and a lot of fun. The event took place at the Chelsea Market and around the Meatpacking District. The yearly happening is a culinary competition where city top chefs present their best team to compete a series of 20 challenges that goes [...]

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From Bay Ridge (Brooklyn, NY), Staten Island looks like a stone throw away. The reality is that Staten Island is the third largest in size of the five boroughs, with 59 sq miles (153 km2) with a population close to 500,000 people; so even though I live less than 40 blocks north of the the [...]

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