Is this the biggest food week in CNY history?

Food Essay and Links | Compiled by Nathan Mattise

In my other blogging escapades, I like taking a hard stand by creating comparative greatness arguments. I’m not as well-versed over time with Diner Without Frosted Tips’ subject (food happenings in CNY) as I am with others, but this week has me thinking:

Is this the biggest food week in CNY history?

Allow these links to speak for themselves:

• To start,  Man V. Food will air its Syracuse episode this week (well timed with host Adam Richman’s State Fair appearance I might add).  I understand that some of the locales involved have had major media coverage before, but for places like Heid’s and Mother’s Cupboard you can bet a major influx of new diners is on the horizon.  I’m not sure I can say the Salt Museum will get the same traffic, but moving on…

• Next, one of the best TV Chefs currently owning a restaurant, Mario Batali, made an appearance at the State Fair today. I like Bobby Flay as a TV personality, but from a cooking perspective… upgrade, right?  (Not to mention, Batali and Iron Chef inspired a cool competition in the Finger Lakes coming up soon).

• Speaking of the State Fair, this could be a banner year for fair food due to the heightened amount of food press and various social medias that allow instant Fair content. Some of my favorites have been @mmccormickcny’s quest for healthy Fair fare and local rap sensation ToTs‘ guide to fair food.  With his royal highness Bieber scheduled to perform, all the extra attention will be accompanied by loads of extra people (visit the butter scuplture Biebettes!).

• Finally, less about national attention but more local-business oriented, SU students in the class of 2014 returned to campus this week. The class is bigger than ever (more opening weekend dinners with mom and dad before they leave) and also they are now directly exposed to Armory dining within their orientation.

I’m having a hard time thinking of a more active CNY food week during my six years in town. Anyone have other candidates?

Food stories, ballpark food, “localvores” and juiceboxes’ milestone.

Food Links | Compiled by Nathan Mattise

It’s been a big few weeks of CNY food news (naturally during my professional training time of year). Another famous chef announced a NY State Fair demonstration, the Syracuse Diners project I worked on has gotten some future press from the local paper and the NY Wine and Culinary Center announced the third year of a cool local competition (that I may be invited to participate as voting media in).

To celebrate, some more food links:

• Poynter’s morning story ideas newsletter provides the following gems: How to open wine without a corkscrew and why you need to wash your reusable grocery bags.

• As much as I love me some cheap Saranac and a hotdog at a Syracuse Chiefs game, this ESPN report on ballpark food is definitely a bit disheartening.

• We’ve linked to @mmccormickcny‘s blog before, but her recent endeavour to eat as a “localvore” has been of the highest quality.

• Finally, Bourdain recently announced his contest to submit a chapter to his upcoming book. If that’s not quite your style, now juiceboxes are having their own epic battle (to celebrate their 30th anniversary).

SyracuseDiners.com, Eggs in Heat, Bourdain needs a contributor and Tasty (Travel) Tweets

Food Links | Compiled by Nathan Mattise

• If you haven’t checked it out yet, SyracuseDiners.com officially launched this past week. We wrote positively about it here long before it was even finished, but now unbiased praise is flowing. too.  See what a former newspaper food editor, one of SPJ’s Top 20 Industry Thinkers and a leading multimedia blogger had to say about the project.

• Not that the heatwave in CNY seems to have passed, can we all agree this was awesome.

• Anthony Bourdain has a new book coming out. The exciting news is that someone will be a featured contributor to it (Note: I apologize in advance. If I pen a piece I’m proud of, it will be self-promoted like crazy for votes).

• Finally, I’ve had some great travel recently between San Diego, Georgia and NYC. Despite a girlfriend who insisted on a no-camera clause during our meals, I managed to squeeze out a few Tasty Tweets that can cover these places:

Few quick notes on The Lady and Sons: this place has a buzz about it. I was so excited I had multiple misspellings in my tweet even (Deen*, restaurant*). You need to go as soon as the place opens to guarantee a seat, you get free Deen-esque starters like cheesy biscuits and something that equates to a fried butter pancake. I was also told by a well-traveled professional it was the best steak he’s ever eaten.

I think it’s hard to find a good, appetizing rendition of hash. Malibu hit the spot however, especially on the night after a 21st celebration. Interior reminds you of a cheesy local place really trying to hard for fancy, prices are on par for NYC.

This was a gem in Astoria. Tasty’s prices were lower than most, the menu was diverse (even has a healthy options section), the interior is legitimately pleasing (brick, clean) and any place that offers hamsteak for breakfast is worth a return trip. Wish I had more time to try and sample all the various nationality breakfast options they were advertising.

4th Grilling, Wes Johnson, Man V. Food (again) and the e-mail diet.

Food Links | Compiled by Nathan Mattise

• In time for the 4th, 10 grilling tips from Wegmans.

• SU’s own Wes Johnson not only had the best pants at the NBA Draft (just Google it), he’s also the most diner friendly pro due to his love of pancakes.

• If you missed it, Man V. Food is coming to Syracuse… again (this time for a State Fair demo).

• Finally, I’ve recently heard of folks e-mailing their daily diet to others in order to lose weight through group psychology. Here’s a restaurant critic laying out his own diet for such public display.

It’s been confirmed: “Man V. Food” was in ‘Cuse recently

Food Links | Compiled by Nathan Mattise

…and I wasn’t. My brother is a senior in highschool and good ol’ Valley View in Archbald, Pa. graduated this Wednesday.  Nevertheless, largely in part to Twitter, news and documentation of Adam Richman’s visit was plentiful.

Twitpic user neidl32 found him at Heid’s of Liverpool.

SU Lacrosse player Dan Hardy let the world know he played some stick with Richman yesterday.

YNN viewer Nick Finlayson sent in his photo of Richman walking towards the Dino.

Finally, Richman himself found a way to get face time with Coach Boeheim… host your own national television show.

That means Richman has spent time at SU and then also Heid’s and the Dino. He usually hits at least three food locales, one with a challenge, and to the best of  my knowledge neither Heid’s or Dino BBQ offers a true food challenge. Here’s hoping Mother’s Cupboard is still in the running…