Author Archives: upstatedowntown

More Dish on Steel City’s Local Food Scene

Posted on March 17, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews Did Andy Warhol ever eat a Primanti Brothers sandwich? As a food-obsessed New Yorker, I’ve pondered this question, on occasion, when visiting my parents in Pittsburgh. My February 27th New York Times travel article about a new … Continue reading →

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We’re #1 (in Wine Consumption)!

Posted on March 15, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews It might sound like a “man bites dog” story, but the US has overtaken France as the world’s largest wine-consuming nation in 2010, washing down a record 330 million cases from both US and foreign producers. I guess we wine … Continue reading →

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Seeing the World, Gluten-Free

Posted on March 9, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews I have no gluten allergies.  But I recently attended a gluten-free Chinese luncheon to meet Bob Levy of Bob & Ruth’s Gluten-Free Dining & Travel Club at Golden Unicorn restaurant in Chinatown. I was curious. The term … Continue reading →

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A Porter for All Seasons

Posted on February 25, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Porter, a dark, medium-bodied English ale style that was THE drink of 18th century Britain, almost went the way of the Passenger Pigeon in the 20th, when lighter, industrialized lagers captured much the beer market here and, to a … Continue reading →

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Brownie Points

Posted on February 19, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews How do you like your brownies: fudgy or cakey?  I fall squarely in the fudgy camp.  I like walnuts in my brownies.  Hold the icing.  And they should taste rich, dark and chocolaty—but not too sweet. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health, Home Baking | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A Massage to Remember

Posted on February 15, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Chris surprised me with a lovely gift: a couples’ massage at Bodhi Spa in Hudson, New York. I love massages—receiving them, that is. For me, getting a massage is an occasional … Continue reading →

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Happy Cows Make Great Chili

Posted on February 9, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews On a raw, bone-chilling afternoon, hinting of yet another snowstorm to come, I suddenly found myself craving chili.  Not vegetarian chili.  Nope, mere cooked kidney beans wouldn’t do.  This kind of frigid cold sparked a primal hunger … Continue reading →

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Frozen! The Sweet Taste of Summer

Posted on February 4, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews I confess: right about now, I’ve had my fill of root vegetables, from parsnips, carrots and rutabagas, to turnips and black radishes.  Yes, they’re locally available, in-season and tasty. But it’s been a long winter, and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health, Hudson Valley Farms, Local Food | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

White Beans for a Snowy Evening

Posted on January 26, 2011 by upstatedowntown

How to cook white navy beans Continue reading →

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American Pie (vs. Pi) Day

Posted on January 23, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By  Kathryn Matthews There’s the movie.  The song.  Now, the holiday. NOT       Today, January 23rd, is National Pie Day—not to be confused with Pi (∏) Day—celebrated by math nerds (sorry…geniuses!) the world over—which falls on March 14th … Continue reading →

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