Appetite for Good

A Passover dinner is a wonderful opportunity for families to recline at the table, recite the holiday’s story, and eat traditional foods like matzah and gefilte fish. But every year, thousands of our neighbors – including many of the estimated 250,000 Jewish New Yorkers living below the poverty line – are unable to access an adequate amount of food that qualifies as Kosher for Passover.

On Tuesday, November 1, Barnard College will host what looks to be a fascinating panel discussion sponsored by the Barnard Center for Research on Women on the social, political, and ecological implications our food policy. It’s a very timely topic and should be lively and interesting.

Interested in that rare chanterelle mushroom cultivated by wild boars in the Himalayas? Or that golden duck raised on an all-Evian-water-organic-and-local diet? Well the Los Angeles Epicurean Festival held this upcoming Sunday, August 28th, promises to make you the envy (and delight) of all your guests at your next dinner party.

Awaiting Angelenos this Labor Day weekend is what promises to be a tremendous four (yes, four!) day citywide culinary event, appropriately titled “THE TASTE.” Presented by the Los Angeles Times and Food&Wine, this food festival promises a whopping 4 days, 3 locations, and 9 events of unlimited tastings from over 200 local eateries

With a restaurant repertoire like Gramercy Tavern, Maialino, Telepan, L’Artusi and celebrity book signings by Marcus Samuelsson, Floyd Cardoz, and Sandra Lee, Taste of the Nation New York 2011 will kick off on this Monday, May 23rd at Center 548.

Suit up, ladies and gents! On Thursday March 31, the Tesla Group will present its third annual A.E.R. Walk With Style Gala at the glamorous Hudson Terrace. The beneficiary of this year’s event is CancerCare, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free professional support to anyone affected by cancer–be it cancer patients or their caregivers and loved ones.

Did you know that, right now, there are 35 grassroots environmental projects in the 5 boroughs of New York City? These are projects started by neighborhood groups hoping to inspire environmental action in the city through their efforts. ioby, which stands for in our backyards, is a microphilanthropy website that connects these projects and its organizers with volunteers and environmental enthusiasts who are looking to make an impact.

For renowned wedding cake designer Ron Ben-Israel, luxury isn’t only for those who can afford it. As one of the industry’s most creative and skilled cake makers, Ben-Israel’s life-like floral cakes are “designed for elaborate, once-in-a-lifetime events”. Now, hungry New Yorkers can enjoy these sophisticated and lavish confection towers as well.

On Friday October 1, Project By Project, a volunteer-run Asian Pacific American non-profit organization, is holding its 12th Annual Plate By Plate Tasting Event to benefit the Hamilton-Madison House. HMH is a Manhattan-based non-profit settlement house that provides a range of health and social programs to aid New York City’s Asian immigrant population. The event will showcase more than 25 of New York City’s premiere restaurants.

Next week, City Harvest will host its 9th annual Summer in the City event at the Metropolitan Pavilion. The event, which attracts the city’s hottest chefs and mixologists, will be Tuesday, June 22 from 7:30PM to 10:00PM.