Brooklyn Brewery Dares Diners To Eat Like Dutch Settlers
You can find food from just about any part of the world in New York City.
The Brooklyn Brewery is trying to push New Yorkers' palates even further by going back in time.
This week, it hosted a dinner party inspired by the local cuisine of Dutch settlers and Native Americans in the 1650s.
Back when New York wasn't even New York yet, and before the English took over in 1664, the Dutch called the city New Amsterdam.
"New Amsterdam tastes like salt pork," said head chef Andrew Gerson. "It tastes like venison. It tastes like fried dough; tastes like back fat."
In other words, it tastes like a heart attack.
"Yeah," agreed Gerson. "It was very protein-heavy!"
And very beer-heavy.
"Water wasn't palatable in the 1650s," he explained. "Water carried tons of bacteria. People brewed to stay alive."
These are details Gerson learned from reading history books and journals written by Dutch settlers, all to prep a menu that would bring diners back to 1650s New Amsterdam.
Gerson said many dishes from that period don't hold up well to current mainstream American tastes.
"There were some things that, I was like, 'Yep! Not going to do that one!' " he said. "A lot of liver, a lot of intestine. You know, tripe, for instance."
This Dutch hot pot includes roasted vegetables native to New York and smoked salt pork in a cornmeal porridge inspired by Lenape Indian cooking.
But some ingredients are still relatively popular in 2015.
"We have some beautiful breakfast radishes," he said. "Some delicata squash, just typical vegetables that you would've been able to find."
Gerson decided to find and use local ingredients to make his dishes as authentic as possible. He said it's a retro way of thinking about food that's making a comeback.
"You know, there are professional foragers now," Gerson said. "There are people going into the countryside much like the Lenape did, much like the Dutch trappers did ... before it was hip and cool. It was necessity. It was survival."
For appetizers, the brewery served clams seasoned with sumac, which the Lenape Indians used as a spice. There's also a Dutch-style casserole of vegetables and smoked salt pork in a cornmeal porridge that the Lenape introduced to the settlers.
The Brooklyn Brewery served venison tartare for a dinner party inspired by the local cuisine of Dutch settlers and Native Americans in the 1650s.
The first course was venison. Susan Caprio of Brooklyn gave it a try.
"Well, this is a venison tartare, so it's raw meat," Caprio said. "But it's good!"
She said it doesn't make her feel like a Dutch settler — "Not yet! But I think I will. If I have another beer I think I might actually get there."
At a nearby table, Deborah Schwartz, president of the Brooklyn Historical Society, said this dinner shows how the Dutch settlers are still relevant more than 300 years after their rule ended.
"There are still Dutch colonial houses," Schwartz said. "There are still street names that are directly connected to the families that really founded the various towns and villages."
This Dutch-treat dinner is just the first part of the brewery's time-traveling series of parties.
Gerson said the next will reflect the rise of French-style restaurant dining in 1820s New York — "Where two cultures collide: the street hawkers, the everyday food of New York at that time versus the high-end restaurant."
Then, the Prohibition Era of the 1920s, before the final dinner goes back to the future, to the '80s. Gerson will have to go back to the history books to figure out that menu — or maybe he just needs to find a DeLorean time machine.
"There's going to be neon," he said. "There's going to be scrunchies. There's going to be leggings. We know what we're wearing to this dinner!"
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Transcript
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
You can find food from just about any part of the world in New York City. The Brooklyn Brewery is trying to push New Yorkers' palettes even further by going back in time. This week, it hosted a dinner party inspired by the local cuisine of Dutch settlers and Native Americans in the 1650s. NPR's Hansi Lo Wang gives us a taste.
HANSI LO WANG, BYLINE: Back when New York wasn't even New York yet, and before the English took over in 1664, the Dutch called the city New Amsterdam.
ANDREW GERSON: New Amsterdam tastes like salt pork. It tastes like Venison.
WANG: Andrew Gerson is the head chef of the Brooklyn Brewery.
GERSON: It tastes like fried dough. It tastes like back fat.
WANG: It tastes like a heart attack.
GERSON: (Laughter) It tastes like a heart attack. It was very protein-heavy.
WANG: And very beer-heavy.
GERSON: Water wasn't palatable in the 1650s. Water carried tons of bacteria. Like, people brewed to stay alive.
WANG: Details Gerson learned from reading history books and journals written by Dutch settlers, all to prep a menu that would bring diners back to 1650's New Amsterdam. Gerson says many dishes from that period don't hold up well to mainstream American tastes today.
GERSON: There are some things that, I was, like, yep. Not going to do that one.
WANG: Like?
GERSON: A lot of liver, a lot of intestine, you know, tripe, for instance.
WANG: Not to mention salted fish. But some ingredients are still relatively popular in 2015.
GERSON: We have some beautiful breakfast radishes, some delicata squash, just typical vegetables that you would've been able to find.
WANG: Finding and using as many local ingredients as possible was how Gerson decided to compromise for authenticity in his dishes. He says it's a retro way of thinking about food that's making a comeback.
GERSON: You know, there are professional foragers now. There are people going into the countryside much like the Lenape did, much like the Dutch trappers did.
WANG: They were doing locally sourced before...
GERSON: Exactly.
WANG: ...It was hip and cool.
GERSON: Before it was hip and cool, it was necessity. It was survival. Twist a couple rounds in here for me?
WANG: Gerson and his crew put on the final touches in the kitchen. For appetizers - clam seasoned with sumac, which the Lenape Indians used as a spice. There's also a Dutch-style casserole, a vegetable and smoked-salt pork and a cornmeal porridge that the Lenape introduced to the settlers. But the first course is Venison, which Susan Caprio of Brooklyn gives a try.
SUSAN CAPRIO: Well, this is a venison tartar so it's - it's raw meat, but it's good (laughter).
WANG: Do you feel like a Dutch settler?
CAPRIO: Not yet, but I think I will. If I have another beer, I think I might actually get there.
WANG: Sitting at a nearby table, Deborah Schwartz, president of the Brooklyn Historical Society, says this dinner shows how the Dutch settlers are still relevant more than 300 years after their rule ended.
DEBORAH SCHWARTZ: There are still Dutch colonial houses. There are still street names that are directly connected to the families that really founded the various towns and villages.
WANG: Looking at the Dutch legacy on today's New York is just the first part of this time-traveling series of dinner parties. Chef Gerson says the next one is on the rise of French-style restaurant dining in 1820s New York.
GERSON: Where two cultures collide - the street hawkers, the everyday food of New York at that time versus the high-end restaurant.
WANG: Then it's to the prohibition era of the 1920s, before the final dinner goes back to the future, to the '80s.
GERSON: There's going to be neon; there's going to be scrunchies; there's going to be leggings. Like, we know what we're wearing to this dinner.
WANG: But what they're eating - not so much. Gerson will have to go back to the history books to figure out that menu, or maybe he just needs to find a DeLorean time machine. Hansi Lo Wang, NPR News, New York. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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