Champions of UnFancy

Precisely double the number of vendors we had last year. More than twice the number of attendees and definitely triple the good time. The second annual was proof that people are interested in hand made food. Rillettes, chocolate, honey, ricotta, craft ales, local authors, tortillas, and ready to eat pork plus ice cream. Seeing people in the bar, leaning against the pool table with ice cream cones and beers in their hands was all we really needed to get it that something about the event was really working.

Thanks to all those who helped make the show happen- first and foremost the staff at the East River Bar and all the producers who hawked their wares, Annaliese Griffin (our publicist for the last couple weeks), Nancy Nowacek who provides us with our emblem each year, and all the extra hands that made ice runs, delivered beers to vendors and put money in the juke box.

If you attended last year’s show you would expect this from us. We’ll be at the East River Bar, rain or shine, with more and unfancier producers. There has been talk of fried chicken and ice cream in our planning phase but for now we’ve confirmed the following producers for the ‘08 show:

Bronx Bee Honey- Local, seasonal, blow your mind honeys
Cut Brooklyn- Handcrafted, sharp, cool knives right here in Bklyn
Diner Journal- The thoughtful eater’s magazine
Gabriel’s Handmade- Transforming the Northeast’s best pork into pate
Hot Bread Kitchen- Tortillas from actual corn- nothing else, nuff said
Jasper Hill Farm- Some of the finest cheeses in the country, period. (and a cool, humongous project that you want to hear about)
Luminous Kitchens- Fantastic organic, handmade and local snacks
Mast Brothers Chocolate- Insanely good chocolate made by ridiculously nice people, in Williamsburg
McClure’s Pickles- Oh snap! Perfect pickles from the McClure family
NuNu Chocolates- Serious salted caramel chocolates- organic, Brooklyn, yummy
Pizza Motorino- Mobile brick oven with Dave Sclarow turning out wood fired pies
Salvatore Brooklyn- A dreamy version of ricotta made with local whole cow’s milk
Shameless Carnivore author Scott Gold- Signing copies of his meat manifesto
Sixpoint Craft Ales- Brewskies from Brooklyn- for realsies
Tamarack Hollow Farm- Mind altering meats- pork many ways plus real chickens
TastebudsNYC- Focused and fun social group sparking all kinds of conversations about food
Taza Chocolates- Organic stone ground chocolates- texture and taste revelations
Wheelhouse Pickles- Seasonal, fleeting, experimental and delicious pickles
Zippy Bee Kay Sera Honey- Golden NY honey from a flamboyant beekeeper

This year’s poster (and last year’s) was created by our Lady of Design Nancy Nowacek so when you meet her be sure to buy her a drink.