Eating In Translation

New York-area food events, February 20-27

African Pop-Up Festival NYC
Saturday, February 22, noon-7:00
Mist Harlem, 46 West 116th St. (Fifth-Lenox Aves.), Manhattan
www.Eventbrite.com/e/african-popup-festival-2020-tickets-87523064843
Tickets: $15 and up

Charcuterie Masters
Saturday, February 22, 6:00-9:00
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd. (at Linden Pl.), Flushing, Queens
www.NYEpicureanEvents.com//copy-of-charcuterie-masters-2-23-19-1
Tickets: $70, or $150 for hour-earlier VIP admission

Indonesian bazaar at the Elmhurst Memorial League
Sunday, February 23, 11:00-5:00; repeats monthly
Elmhurst Memorial League, 8824 43rd Ave. (near Whitney Ave.), Elmhurst, Queens
www.Facebook.com/iga.bazaar/photos/rpp.563897450807252/744534842743511
Previously: www.Flickr.com/search/?user_id=61177627%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=indonesian%20gastronomy%20association&view_all=1
Free admission

Mac and Cheese Takedown
Sunday, February 23, 2:00-4:00
Lot 45, 411 Troutman St. (St. Nicholas-Wyckoff Aves.), Bushwick, Brooklyn
www.TheTakedowns.com/bkmac2020
Tickets: $25

Cassoulet War by D'Artagnan
Monday, February 24, 7:00-9:30
Kimpton Hotel Eventi, 851 Sixth Ave. (29th-30th Sts.), Manhattan
www.Eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-cassoulet-war-tickets-88128840735
Tickets: $75; proceeds benefit Action Against Hunger

New York-area food events, February 13-20

Love at First Bite: New York Asian Film Festival Winter Showcase
Friday through Sunday, February 14-16, various times
SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd St. (Eighth-Ninth Aves.), Manhattan
www.GoElevent.com/NYAFF/e/List
See website for ticket details, including food tastings after evening screenings

Valentine's Day Foodie Festival
Friday, February 14, 6:30-midnight
Harborside Atrium, 210 Hudson St., Jersey City
www.Eventbrite.com/e/valentines-day-foodie-festival-tickets-88163353965
Tickets: $10 and up; ages 21 and over only

Vegan Shop-Up
Saturday, February 15, noon-5:00; repeats monthly
Pine Box Rock Shop, 12 Grattan St. (Bogart St.-Morgan Ave.), Bushwick, Brooklyn
www.VeganShopUp.wordpress.com/2020/02/11/10th-annual-vegan-valentines-shop-up-february-15th
Free admission; attendees under age 21 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian

Kosher Food and Wine Experience
Monday, February 17, 6:30-9:30
Chelsea Piers, Pier 60 (at West 22nd St.), Manhattan
www.TheKFWE.com/tickets-nyc
Tickets: general admission, $125

Eat Joy: Stories & Comfort Food from Celebrated Writers
Monday, February 17, 7:30-9:00ish
Leonard Nimoy Thalia, Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th St.), Manhattan
www.SymphonySpace.org/events/eat-joy
Tickets: general admission, $21

How and Why Americans Should Adopt Insect Protein
Tuesday, February 18, 7:00-8:30
American Museum of Natural History, Linder Theater, entrance on West 77th St. between Columbus Ave. and Central Park West, Manhattan
www.NYEntSoc.org/monthly-meetings
Free admission

New York-area food events, February 6-13

The Fonio Cookbook: An Ancient Grain Rediscovered
Thursday, February 6, 7:00-8:30
New York University, 14A Washington Mews (University Pl.-Fifth Ave.), Manhattan
www.NYUAfricaHouse.org/events-index/african-farmers-food-systems-and-fonio
Free admission with online registration

Endangered Eating: Salish Sea Reefnet Fishing
Thursday, February 6, 8:30-10:00
Prospect Heights Brainery, 190 Underhill Ave. (Sterling-St. John Pls.), Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
www.BrooklynBrainery.com/courses/endangered-eating-salish-sea-reefnet-fishing
Tickets: $12

Indonesian bazaar at the St. James Parish House
Saturday, February 8, 11:00-5:00; repeats monthly
Parish house of St. James Episcopal Church, 84-07 Broadway (St. James-Corona Aves.), Elmhurst, Queens
www.Eventbrite.ca/e/ny-indonesian-food-bazaar-love-eat-tickets-89484710177
Previously: www.Flickr.com/search/?user_id=61177627%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=indonesian%20james&view_all=1
Free admission

Areni Choir Armenian Dolma Festival
Sunday, February 9, 4:00-8:00
St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, 38-65 234th St. (at 38th Dr.), Douglaston, Queens
www.Eventbrite.com/e/7th-annual-dolma-festival-tickets-88991767773
Tickets: adults, $55; children ages 12 and under, $25

New York-area food events, January 30-February 6

Unexpected Pairings: Katz's Delicatessen & Teranga
Thursday, January 30, 6:30-8:30
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. (at 103rd St.), Manhattan
www.MCNY.org/event/unexpected-pairings-katzs-delicatessen-teranga
Tickets: general admission, $25

Endangered Eating: Coachella Valley Dates
Thursday, January 30, 6:30-8:00
Prospect Heights Brainery, 190 Underhill Ave. (Sterling-St. John Pls.), Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
www.BrooklynBrainery.com/courses/endangered-eating-coachella-valley-dates
Tickets: $12
Part of a lecture series and semi-secret preview of Sarah Lohman's upcoming food history book, Endangered Eating: Exploring America’s Vanishing Food

Vietnamese Lunar New Year Celebration of Mekong NYC
Saturday, February 1, noon-3:00
St. James Recreation Center, 2530 Jerome Ave. (at West 192nd St.), Bronx
www.MekongNYC.org/events/2020/2/1/lunar-new-year-2020
Previously: www.EatingInTranslation.com/2018/02/vietnamese-lunar-new-year-celebration.html
Free admission; donations gratefully accepted

Lunar New Year Celebration of the Vietnam Heritage Center
Sunday, February 2, 1:00-3:30
New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West (76th-77th Sts., 3rd floor), Manhattan
www.VietnamHeritageCenter.org/lunar-new-year
Tickets: adults, $15; students, $10; children ages 12 and younger, free

Lock Yard Chili Cookoff
Sunday, February 2, noon-4:00
Lock Yard, 9221 Fifth Ave. (92nd-94th Sts.), Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
www.Facebook.com/LockYardBK/photos/a.173251502874284/1214409548758469
Admission: $10

New York-area food events, January 23-30

Empty Waters: The Future of Seafood in America
Thursday, January 23, 7:00-9:00
Museum of Food and Drink, 62 Bayard St. (Lorimer-Leonard Sts.), Williamsburg, Brooklyn
www.MOFAD.org/events/20200123/emptywaters
Tickets: $30
One in a series presented by MOFAD

Burns Night with the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
Thursday, January 23, 7:30-???
St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 109 East 50th St. (Park-Lexington Aves.), Manhattan
www.RSCDSNewYork.org/images/RSCDSNY_Burns_Night_Flyer_2020.pdf
A friend of EIT, who attended a previous year's event, reported that dancing is highly encouraged of all attendees
General admission: $20

Taste of the World at the New York Times Travel Show
Saturday, January 25, 10:00-6:00; Sunday, 11:00-5:00
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th St. (at Eleventh Ave.), Manhattan
http://NYTTravelShow.com/general-information/taste-of-the-world
Tickets: adults, $20 per day, or $25 for a two-day pass (receive $5 off with the code 5offTRAVEL); children ages 18 and under, free

Bolivian alasitas festival, Elizabeth, New Jersey
Saturday, January 25, 12:30-???
Salón de la Iglesia Episcopal San Jose, 38 West End St. (at Jersey Ave.), Elizabeth, New Jersey
www.Facebook.com/100015388922528/videos/759387814584176
"What Is Alasitas And Why Do Bolivians Celebrate It?"
Free admission

Cassoulet Cookoff
Saturday, January 25, 1:00-4:00
Biba of Williamsburg, 110 Kent Ave. (at North 8th St.), Williamsburg, Brooklyn
www.TicketTailor.com/events/foodkarmanyc/319396
Tickets: $55; ages 21 and over only

New York-area food events, January 16-23

Immigrant Home Cooking Is Women's Rights
Thursday, January 16, 6:30-???
Tenement Museum, 103 Orchard St. (at Delancey St.), Manhattan
www.Tenement.org/events/immigrant-home-cooking-is-womens-rights
Free admission; online RSVP appreciated

Re-Setting the Table: The Future of Chinese Food and Drink in America
Thursday, January 16, 7:00-9:00
Museum of Food and Drink, 62 Bayard St. (Lorimer-Leonard Sts.), Williamsburg, Brooklyn
www.MOFAD.org/events/2020/0116/resettingthetable
Tickets: $25
One in a series presented by MOFAD

Kitchen Yarns: Ann Hood in Conversation with Michael Ruhlman
Thursday, January 16, 7:00-9:00
PowerHouse Archway, 28 Adams St. (at Water St.), Dumbo, Brooklyn
www.PowerHouseArena.com/events/book-launch-kitchen-yarns-by-ann-hood-in-conversation-with-michael-ruhlman/16
Free admission; online RSVP appreciated

Bangladeshi pitha-making contest

In biteaway view this bhapa pitha, a steamed rice cake, showed off its jaggery core. Pitha, which are native to eastern and northeastern India as well as Bangladesh, generally are prepared from rice flour or wheat flour. They can be fashioned in many shapes and sizes, filled or unfilled, savory or sweet. The variety at this event was head-spinning, though the jaggery — an unrefined sugar — might have had something to do with that, too.

Bangladeshi pitha-making contest
Public School 69, 7702 37th Ave. (77th-78th Sts.), Jackson Heights, Queens
www.Facebook.com/291526101637259/photos/a.291543408302195/554711491985384
(The 2019 event was held on December 21)

New York-area food events, January 9-16

Vegan Shop-Up
Saturday, January 11, noon-5:00; repeats monthly
Pine Box Rock Shop, 12 Grattan St. (Bogart St.-Morgan Ave.), Bushwick, Brooklyn
www.VeganShopUp .wordpress.com /2020/01/05/here-we-go-again-vegan-shop-up-january-11th
Free admission; attendees under age 21 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian

Indonesian bazaar at the St. James Parish House
Saturday, January 11, 11:00-5:00; repeats monthly
Parish hall of St. James Episcopal Church, 84-07 Broadway (St. James-Corona Aves.), Elmhurst, Queens
www.Eventbrite.ca/e /welcoming-2020-ny-indonesian-food-bazaar-tickets-85449468661
Previously: www.Flickr.com/search/?user_id=61177627%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=indonesian%20james&view_all=1
Free admission

Empire Harley-Davidson Chili Cook-Off, New Rochelle
Saturday, January 11, 11:00-3:00
Empire Harley-Davidson, 8 Industrial Ln., New Rochelle, New York
www.Eventbrite.com/e/2020-empire-harley-davidson-chili-cook-off-tickets-85860092849
Free admission

New York-area food events, January 2-9

Galette des Rois Celebration
Tuesday, January 7, 6:30-8:00
French Institute Alliance Française, 22 East 60th St. (Madison-Park Aves.), Manhattan
http://events.FIAF.org/event/2020-01-galette-des-rois
General admission: $35

A Renaissance in Heritage Poultry: One Farmer’s Story
Tuesday, January 7, 6:30-8:00
NYU Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, 411 Lafayette St., (West 4th St.-Astor Pl., 5th floor), Manhattan
www.Eventbrite.com/e/a-renaissance-in-heritage-poultry-one-farmers-story-tickets-86092128875
General admission: $40; reduced for Culinary Historians of New York members and for full-time students with ID

Kachin Traditional Food Fair

From the most recent food fair, a well-dressed bowl of warm tofu over rice noodles. Extra bread on the side for me, please.

Previously: At home in the high country of northern Burma, the Kachin people once had little access to cooking oil. Traditionally, Naomi Duguid writes in Burma: Rivers of Flavor, they relied on "grilling, steaming (in leaf-wrapped packages), or boiling to cook their food." These days, she adds, many Kachin live at lower altitudes, where they have "less access to wild-gathered leaves" but find that oil is more available.

Kachin cooking techniques have evolved accordingly, Duguid notes. Even so, an old-school banana-leaf bundle like the one shown at bottom, filled with steamed fish, greens, and chiles, will always find room at the table. For more food-fair highlights, see my photo collection on Flickr.

Kachin Traditional Food Fair
Parish house of St. James Episcopal Church, 8407 Broadway (St. James-Corona Aves.), Elmhurst, Queens
www.Facebook.com/events/448390215801737
(The 2019 food fair was held on November 30)