BROOKLYN LOCAL // City Harvest Fundraiser Feeds Foodies by the Hundreds

We were a little surprised City Harvest's Brooklyn Local didn't get more press.  75 local food vendors at a benefit for an organization that rescues unused eats from restaurants and stores to give to the hungry? Seems like a no-brainer. Still, hundreds of people showed up at the old Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park to eat standbys like Jacque Torres Chocolates, McClure's Pickles, and Ample Hills ice cream, washed down with some tasty Sixpoint. 

In the tasting tent, $75 bought hearty taste tests from Al di La, Asiadog, Benchmark Restaurant (the hilariously named Hot Beef Sundae, made with brisket, mashed potatoes and creme fraiche), Char No. 4, Dressler, Hibino, Mile End, No. 7, Pies 'N' Thighs, Roberta's Bread and Best Pizza (a simple sandwich on soft sesame bread that was, indeed, best), Seersucker, Tanoreen, The Good Fork and Van Leeuwen roasted banana ice cream. A crowd actually lined up for Dr. Pepper ribs from The Brooklyn Star, but even those who skipped the line were able to piece together sizeable meals from the other booths.

In the market area, possibly the most interesting offering was Switzel, a soda made with blackstrap molasses by City 'Lasses. It was spicy, soothing, and bubbly all at once. We also kept going back for more housemade marshmallows from JoMart Chocolates and thought the Meat Hook's sandwich by the inch was ingenious (sometimes an inch of hero is all you need.)

Easily though, the best part of the day--if we can be serious for a second--was seeing how much fantastic, ethically-produced, artisanally-crafted food comes out of our borough and how many relative newcomers are able to succeed based on word-of-mouth (See: One Girl Cookies, another local vendor present.)

We anticipate next year's Local crowd being much larger, so here's to getting you in on the ground floor now.

--Layla Schlack