emily j davis

Eating Local: The Pizza Pusha

July 23, 2019 By Emily J Davis Filed Under: Eat Local, Reviews Tagged With: eating local, emily j davis, the pizza pusha

Getting to Know Chris Barrett

I’ll start this article out with a little background about myself, the writer. I’m from a conservative family in the Midwest. I’ve never smoked pot or eaten edibles. Or any other drug for that matter, not even a cigarette. It’s simply never been a desire of mine. Paul English, owner of the Park Slope Reader, asked me to interview and photograph Chris Barrett, the owner of Stoned Gourmet Cannabis Pizza. Eager to delve into the world of food writing, I excitedly agreed. So, notebook and camera gear in tow, I headed from my tiny apartment on the Upper West Side to the deserted streets of Sunset Park in Brooklyn, in search of the man they call The Pizza Pusha.

I never tried the pizza. I can’t tell you whether or not the crust was crunchy or doughy, or whether or not the sauce was sweet or tangy. I can’t give you an honest critique of Chris as a chef. I’m not sure what the pizza tastes like, but I did learn that Chris has a lot of friends, friends who are chefs that own famous Brooklyn pizzerias. The sauce recipe is from one such friend, the crust recipe from another. Chris makes food that defines being American: pizza, brownies, ice-cream. I can’t tell you about the flavors and textures, or the kind of high you’ll get from the THC infused ingredients, but I can tell you about the kind of man Chris is and how he see’s the world around him.

I immediately appreciated that Chris was very responsive to my messages. Having photographed dozens of chefs and restaurants in my career, I can say that chefs are genuinely difficult to get a hold of. Half of the time I set up appointments, they get preoccupied and forget about me. Nobody really enjoys having their photos taken anyhow, as I oftentimes feel like a dentist running after my photo subjects, telling them they’re overdue for a teeth-cleaning. Much to my relief, Chris was welcoming, responsive and organized. He didn’t rush through the interview or hurry me along. I could tell he was a good guy right off the bat.

Chris grew up in Brooklyn. He lived in a small apartment with his grandparents, above a tiny deli. As a kid, he was nick-named “The Candy Man” for his reputation selling Jolly Ranchers around school. It was a simple equation, buy the Jolly Ranchers for 10cents a piece, sell the Jolly Ranchers for 25cents a piece, make a 15cents profit. “The long kind,” not the short ones that are aroundtoday, Chris reminisced, “remember those?” I think back to my childhood and recall my favorite flavor- watermelon, which I think was probably everyone’s favorite. In addition to candy, Chris and his friend discovered that they could collect soda-pop cans and get 5 cents in return. Chris recalled, “I always had 5 or 10 dollars on me.” Chris’s grandparents weren’t rich by any means; he learned early on that he would have to buy things with his own money. He was a good kid. His eyes lit up when he recalled the award he was given for 100% attendance in elementary school.

In the 9th grade, Chris decided to drop out of high school. The subjects he was learning simply weren’t interesting or useful to him, instead, he wanted to make money. A friend got him a job at a nearby Shell gasoline station. He worked full- time, from 8am-5pm, five days a week. He didn’t like sitting at home, he liked being out. He liked making money. He liked the hustle. We talked about his parents, his siblings, and his grandparents. None of them had the ambition that he had, the spark, the drive, or whatever you want to call it. I’d probably call it, the entrepreneurial spirit. Chris believes you can “learn more in four years of running your own business than four years in school.” After candy and gasoline, he moved on to cell phones. Chris is about 50 years old, so when I say cell phones, I mean the earliest days of cell phones. He was offering 2 year plans before 2 year plans existed. Needless to say, Chris was an idea man.

I had first pictured Chris tossing pizza dough in the air, wearing a big white hat, like a cartoon Italian chef. He is in fact Italian, but Chris is the opposite of that image; he’s covered in tattoos, and he’s smoking a blunt. He’s not throwing pizzas in the air either. When I asked why his apron was so clean, he told me, “I put this apron on just for you.” Instead of cooking, he’s checking the incoming orders, hiring staff, planning monthly pop-up events in New York’s trendy neighborhoods, hobnobbing with celebrities and making future building plans. When I asked about his long-term goals, Chris told me he wants to be the next McDonald’s. He hopes to open multiple restaurants in California, where cannabis is legal, by the fall of 2019. A binder of architectural renderings sits on his desk, illustrations that he created himself. “My real talent is marketing” he explained, “I hope to one day franchise.”

Chris first caught on to the idea of gourmet edibles when living in Eureka, California. He spent six months living in the “Emerald Triangle,” learning how to grow marijuana from the experts. One evening, he was invited to a dinner party with cannabis infused condiments. It wasn’t anything fancy, just simple things like chicken wings with infused barbecue sauce or burgers with infused ketchup. It was in that moment that he decided he could offer up gourmet meals to private parties back home in New York City. After his crop was finished, he sold what he had, and returned home. The quiet life in the mountains of Northern California wasn’t for him; he missed the busy city life. Through his other business, Send A Package, he began meeting celebrities who were selling their music on cassette tapes to inmates in prison. Chris began offering to cook cannabis infused meals for his celebrity friends. Clients began requesting his pizzas at every gathering, which quickly became his most popular item. He doesn’t do many private dinners any longer, but instead tries to do once monthly pop-up events and continues to sell pizzas for pick-up or delivery in New York and New Jersey.

Chris seems up on all the hot new trends. We discuss the term microdosing, which refers to small doses of hallucinogenics, psychedelic mushrooms to be exact. He tells me that mushrooms will most likely be legalized down the road, as Colorado recently passed an initiative to decriminalize mushrooms. Perhaps Chris will add psychedelic pizzas to his menu in the future. Also, he suggested that drone delivery wouldn’t be too bad either.“If I wasn’t doing this, I’d be in artificial intelligence or nano technology,” Chris tells me. Besides cooking, Chris enjoys watching Shark Tank. “I’ve always been good at picking the next thing… like they say on the show, I know right away if it’s a hero or a zero.” Talking about big plans, Chris tells me that he’s flying out to LA in a few weeks, to film a show, with Snoop Dog and the Weed Bros.

If you want to order pizza, there’s no storefront. Everything is cooked in a small commercial kitchen, but there are no windows or signs on the door. It’s not a fancy place, just the basics: ovens, cooling racks, cutting boards. I have to admit, I felt a little bit like I was on the set of American Gangster. Remember that scene where the naked women were packing the Blue Magic packets? Chris’s pizza shop was a little bit like that scene; smoke filled the air while scantily clad women labeled red sauce onto rows of rectangular crusts. Granted, it was 90 degrees out that day, the kitchen was hot with minimal air conditioning. I was sweating through my new Anthropologie outfit, regretting my clothing choice, as I dashed around the kitchen taking pictures of what looked like innocent garlic knots and pepperoni pizzas.

You can visit the website for detailed instructions on how to complete an order. If you order a pizza for pickup, someone will meet you a few blocks away, in a clandestine meeting point. Delivery options are available for minimum orders of $100- 300, depending on your proximity. Chris monitors the clients, making sure that he doesn’t sell to underage kids.“Yesterday we had to turn downtwo orders,” he commented, having suspected that the people ordering were too young. When I ask if he’s worried about getting arrested, Chris doesn’t appear concerned. Marijuana is decriminalized in New York, and the cops have higher priorities. Chris doesn’t make food that’s going to “put you on the floor.” He wants you to enjoy the food and feel full and satisfied, like a normal meal. For people like me, he recommends starting slow, not more than one piece of pizza. I decide to pass on sampling the pizza, but I must admit that I’m somewhat intrigued by the whole thing. And if I wanted to try edibles, I think I’d be in good hands with Chris’s food. Perhaps I will someday.

Eating Local: Going To The Greenmarket

July 10, 2019 By Emily J Davis Filed Under: Park Slope Life Tagged With: eating local, eatlocal, emily j davis, greenmarket

Article and Photography by Emily J. Davis

When I first emerge from the Grand Army subway stop, I am greeted by a blue sky and green trees hanging overhead. I first gaze upon the large classical arch in the middle of the plaza. Cars whiz by, circling the regal structure. Across the way, small peaks of white tents line the horizon, the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket.

Strolling with coffee in hand, I’m hungry for something sweet and flaky on this bright Saturday morning. Entering the market, I pass by long tables of colorful flowers and vegetables, a man playing the saxophone, and cyclists wheeling yellow bicycles. A newbie to NYC, I’m excited to discover the regional treats. Most of the vendors came from hours away in Philly, upstate New York, or Long Island. I imagine the vendors packing their trucks in the wee hours of the morning, preparing to drive into the big city, the sun rising over the sky-scrapers beyond. Today, the market is full of food samples and upbeat Brooklynites. After the cold and rainy spring season, the warmth and sunshine has everyone in a cheerful mood. Here are just a few of my favorite vendors:

Lost Bread Co from Philadelphia, PA, is the perfect stop for a hearty loaf of bread or morning snack to go along with your coffee. Rustic loaves, available for purchase and sampling, include Milk Bread, Deli Rye and Sunflower Potato just to name a few. The Homadama Loaf, a unique take on a traditional New England-style bread, combines nixtamalized blue corn and maple syrup. The result has a slightly sour flavor and a spongy soft interior, perfect for dunking into your favorite bowl of soup. If you’re beet obsessed like myself, the Beetroot Rye is made from 100% rye flour, plus each loaf contain 1lb of beets. The taste is heavenly. For a snack, pick up a package of Pretzel Shortbreads or Burnt Toast Biscotti. The name Lost Bread Co comes from the French tradition of Pain Perdue. When loaves go unsold, they are not wasted, or “lost”. Same goes for any straggling crumbs, nothing goes into the garbage. Instead, they are twice-baked and ground up for shortbread or biscotti cookies. Unlike sweet Italian biscotti, the Burnt Toast Biscottis are savory, crumbly, and remind me of a crackling campfire. If you have more of a sweet tooth, the rum soaked Emmer Maple Cannele pastries are adorable little treats that taste like baked creme brulee, custardy dough enshrined in a slightly caramelized crust. The Canneles sell for $4 apiece, or 2 for $6. You’ll definitely want two.

The New York Cider Company is located in Ithaca, NY. There are two ciders for sampling and purchasing, the Hedgegrow and the Smokehouse. These dry ciders come in an elegant glass wine bottle, perfect for bringing to your next gathering. Ithaca, as owner Joseph Steuer refers to as “the land of fruit,” is known for it’s 100-plus year old apple trees. These dry ciders are slightly effervescent and light in color, resembling a nice dry champagne. The Hedgegrow blend is made from over 40 types of apples gathered from farmland, wild trees, and abandoned orchards. The Smokehouse blend is made of 4 types of apples; most notably the Smokehouse apple, an old apple that grows sparingly. Unlike it’s name, it is not smokey in flavor. Instead, this yellowish apple was named after the legendary seedling that sprung up next to William Gibbon’s smokehouse in the early 1800’s. Because the cider goes through wild fermentation, Steuer explains, each batch can taste a bit unique. With no added yeast, the bottles of cider rely on natural elements, like the sun, to reach their desired flavor. Bottles sell for $16 each.

Feisty Acres Farm is located in Southold, NY on the long arm of Long Island. First-generation farmers, Abra and Chris, own just over 8 acres of land. Up at 3am to pack their truck, they are obviously passionate about their product. “We have full and utter control over the products, all birds are raised in pasture from chick to plate”, says Abra, who is tending the booth with her father, Eli. Colorful jars of pickled quail eggs and frozen game birds are available at this booth. I am immediately drawn to the jars of eggs, there are two types available for purchase. The purple colored jar is filled with quail eggs that have been pickled in beet juice, vinegar, garlic, sea salt and dill. The yellow jar is filled with quail eggs that have been pickled in ginger, turmeric, vinegar, garlic, sea salt and spices. When I ask her why they choose quail over chicken eggs, Abra informs me that quail eggs are higher in protein, vitamins and omega 3’s, and have a higher yolk-to-white ratio. “They are richer and smokier,” Abra says. She recommends serving them on a charcuterie plate or skewering them in a martini. Decorating the booth are photos of the small game birds, roaming what looks like a grassy paradise. Jars of pickled quail eggs are $15 each.

Far Out Cactus offers a variety of succulents and cacti to liven up your home or office. All of the plants are grown in their Chester County, PA, greenhouse. For those intimidated by growing plants, Jesse Lenat, tending the cactus stand, recommends purchasing a Jade plant. Jades are especially hardy and only need minimal water once a week. Jesse can also give you specific recommendations on which cacti will do better in sun or shade, depending on your situation. On his business card, the words Son Of A Cactus Farmer are spelled out in bold red ink. I met Joey Ludolph, a Brooklyn Heights resident, picking out 3 succulents at the stand. She enjoys having plants because “It’s nice to have other living things in the house… and learn what’s best for them without using words.” Ludolph also enjoys growing herbs at home, not only for eating, but also for the scent. Basil is her favorite. Far Out Cactus doesn’t offer herbs, but there are plenty of other vendors at the market for all your planting desires. Prices vary depending on size and type of cacti.

Divine Brine offers a wide variety of pickles, relishes and chutneys. In 2008, chef and owner, Robert Schaefer, found himself with an overabundance of pickle-cucumbers growing in his backyard garden. He started gifting the pickles to friends and family, and the rest is history! 10 years later, he now produces over 2,000 pounds of pickles per week and his products can be found in over 200 stores. The products offered are free from preservatives and artificial colors and flavors. Schaefer believes in the healing power of natural foods and eating a vegetarian diet. Large white buckets line the market booth, each filled to the brim with different pickles. Flavors range from Spicy Wasabi (a crowd favorite from my observation) to the more traditional Bread & Butter. Colorful jars of other products, such as peach chutney and beet caviar, can be purchased and taken home. Worker, Nikki Jamison was all smiles as she packaged pickles for shoppers. Purchase a pickle individually, or buy a container for $6.99.

Body and Soul Bake Shop stands out from the rest of the surrounding tents, not only for its bright yellow roof, but because its products are 100% vegan. There’s always a small line for these baked goods, and today is no exception. Savory turnovers, cookies and muffins stack up behind a glass partition. Uncommon flavors, like Sweet-Potato Cinnamon-Roll, Chocolate Sunflower Cookie and Spelt-Bran Carrot Muffin jump out at my hungry eyes. Even though I’m not vegan, I’m intrigued by the interesting flavors. I opt for a Lemon-Vanilla Cornbread Muffin, which is refreshingly zesty with tiny pieces of dried lemon rind sprinkled on top. The baked goods are made in small batches in a Brooklyn kitchen, with organic and seasonal ingredients whenever possible. I ask Scott, the man hurriedly tending the stand, what kind of ingredients they use that made their products vegan. He responds simply, “It’s what we don’t use.” Muffins are $3.50 each.

Furnace Creek Farm hails all the way from the Oley Valley in Berks County, Pennsylvania. As I walk up to this stall, it resembles an old-timey apothecary shop. Bottles of mysterious brown liquids are labeled with words like Courage, Sleep, and Resilience. I’m skeptical at first, but after chatting with founder, Grace Galanti, it starts to make some sense. Since I’m battling seasonal allergies myself, she directs me to the line of respiratory products. Her recommendation for clearing the lungs and cold/flu prevention is Elixir #2: the Breathe serum, which contains raw local honey, white grape vinegar, white pine needle and Elecampane root. This root, prevalent in many of her products, is known for relieving congestion in the lungs and helping boost the immune system. Although the root itself is rather bitter, the raw honey sweetens it just enough to smooth out the flavor. You can also purchase a candied version of the root itself, which Grace recommends chewing or steeping in your tea or coffee. Stop by to talk with Grace and sample her medicinal and herbal products. A bottle of elixir is $18 and a jar of candied Elecampane root is $8.

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket. Whether shopping alone or with a friend, the market is a fantastic spot to spend a Saturday morning in New York City. You can enjoy your purchases under the shade of a nearby tree or take them home for later. The vendors are exceptionally passionate and eager to tell you about their products. Everything is made with love and respect; to my knowledge, all the products are free of artificial coloring, flavors and preservatives. The animal products all seem to come from happy and beautiful farms, which is a definite plus if you consume meat or dairy. My only other recommendation is getting to the market early, as vendors start to pack up and leave by 2pm. Oh, and one more thing, come hungry!