The UnFancy Food Show

I SO love living and eating in Brooklyn! The best stuff is happening with food in this awesome borough of ours, and I got to see and sample some of it yesterday at the UnFancy Food Show, the 3rd Annual ode to home-style, local, and delicious food. Held in a narrow lot adjacent to the East River Bar on South 6th Street in Williamsburg, the UnFancy Food Show had it all, from meats to chocolates to cheeses and produce.

As I approached, the first display I saw was a display with crates full of gorgeous greens from the Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Greenpoint. You gotta check this place out! So cool right? Started by two dedicated sustainable food lovers and backed by the folks at GoodeGreen, their veggies will be going to restaurants like Marlow & Sons and will soon be sold at their own "farm stand". For more information email rooftopfarmer@gmail.com. Marlow & Sons also had a table just at the entrance to the main area where they were selling brisket and whitefish sandwiches. I opted for the homemade Brisket (made by Tom Mylan himself) with pickled onions and amazing sweet mustard from SchoolHouse Kitchen, a Brooklyn company that makes mustard, chutneys & dressings (you can purchase these savory seasonings at Marlow & Daughters). The sandwich was one of the best I've ever eaten - juicy, melty brisket, sharp, tangy onions, the softest bun and the mustard! Heaven! It also came with a spear of the spiciest pickle I've ever had, from McClure's Pickles who were also on hand.



Last year I bought a jar of McClure's relish which kept me happy for months - I used it on quesadillas, tuna sandwiches, and anything else I thought it'd be good with. Yum!

So, the place was packed, and full of samples of the tastiest treats from Liddabit Sweets (Jelly Candy made with Cucumber & Mint), Nunu Chocolates (Salty Caramels) and Mast Brothers Chocolates. There were also cheesemongers from Consider Bardwell Farm (which I often get at my local Farmer's Market - get their version of feta, you'll die!) as well as Cellars at Jasper Hill which had samples of an incredibly creamy Blue Cheese. The folks from Salvatore Ricotta were also there, and they were selling open-faced sandwiches with ricotta, thinly sliced prosciutto and a bit of arugula, drizzled with olive oil. These were incredible too - the creamy cheese went so well with the smoky meat, cut with the spicy green.



The prosciutto was being sliced before our eyes and the sandwiches were being sold as quickly as they were being made. I also got to try the salad mix sold by the Queens County Farm which included parsley & dill among the greens to make it flavorful and refreshing, nice after all that smoky, hearty meat! Check 'em out, they're co-hosting a Fourth of July Pig Roast & Camp Out weekend along with Brooklyn Based!

It was so great to see such a large turnout for the UnFancy Food Show, and to know that good quality, local & sustainable food is being sought out and demanded by more and more people.