Join The Collective at The Zombie March to Save the Libraries

 

 

Zombies are represented this Halloween in an event celebrating two of our favorite things at The DP Chutney Collective, the NYC Public Library system and Offal (just try to tell us, after sampling, that you didn't love thin slices of smoked tongue slathered in our Green Tomato and Horseradish Chutney). So please, in support of our beleaguered urban libraries, join the living dead shuffle of The Zombie March to Save the Libraries! Details below courtesy of Urban Librarians Unite:

You thought the fight for library budgets were done until next year? Nope! The midyear budget adjustment will result in a projected further cut of 5.4% to NYC library budgets. These new cuts will result in even less service hours and MORE LAYOFFS.


We've already lost Saturday Service in most of the city. So those working parents taking their kids to the library on the weekend? Tough, not open. Can't return your books during the w...eek because you work 60 hours just to live? Tough, closed on the weekend.

What does any of this have to do with zombies? Well, without libraries there are no brains, and zombies need to eat brains to live. So New York's zombie librarians will be walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall this Halloween to protest these drastic cuts to their food supply.

Meet us in the circle at the west end of Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, next to the High Street A, C Station.

Dress in your Librarian Zombie best, and come help us bring attention to the continuing cuts to the libraries, and the elimination of the yummiest brains in the city, those of Library Users.

Just in Time for November's Big Meal

Our Cranberry and Green Chile Chutney has just made its seasonal reappearance this week, and we personally have decreed it better than ever. Comprised almost entirely of whole, fresh cranberries spiked with Dutchess County, NY Serrano chiles, The Collective also adds the bracing qualities of slivered ginger and the natural sweetness of Empire State HoneyCrisp apples. Cranberry and Green Chile Chutney is a no-brainer at the Thanksgiving feast but is equally toothsome on those leftover turkey sandwiches and more than earns its place on upcoming holiday cheese boards. We also adore it with duck breasts and pan-roasted sausages of all stripes.

Now You Have a Choice

The DP Chutney Collective is overly excited to now have our jars available with great ease to residents of Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. Yes, the neighborhood's first gourmet grocery, Choice Greene, offers our products on their stellar shelves alongside P&H Soda's artisanal syrups, many imported and local pickles, mustards, sea salts (etc etc) that we're proud to rub our elbows against. Not to mention their legendary BLT sandwich, declared the Best Thing He Ever Ate by Food Network host Ted Allen.

Press Alerts

Thanks to Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain and Nona Brooklyn for their recent profile pieces on The DP Chutney Collective. We're proud to be associated with both organizations and read all about us here and here!

Happy October from The DP Chutney Collective

The scariest month of the year yields forth the reemergence of three of The Collective's most beloved autumnal chutneys: Cranberry and Green Chile Chutney, Pear Cardamom Chutney and our Gingered Raisin Chutney. (Not to mention reasons for us to post pics of our favorite Scream Queen, Barbara Steele.) Grab whatever sounds most tempting most early on and beat the holiday rush. And if you've booked a few Halloween dinner parties on your October schedule, why not surprise the host/ess with a jar of the appropriately evil sounding Date from Hell Chutney? Happy Halloween season to all!

End of the Season Sweet Peaches Get Chutnified

re: the above post title, The DP Chutney Collective isn't just inventing exciting new flavor profiles for your favorite condiments, we're also making up new words! Late Summer 2010 yielded a true bumper crop of sweet peaches and we swooped in and secured a few bushels for our ever-popular Curried Peach Chutney.

The possibilities for this versatile chutney are exhaustive, but we can't recommend enough stirring a tablespoon or two in to your favorite marinade or bbq sauce and basting on chicken, turkey or fish. And we love it as a unique glaze for baked ham.

Vegetarians love it as a sandwich enhancer or as a dip for potstickers, spring rolls and fried plantains or gourmet fries. Non-carnivores will also thrill to the simple recipe below, a light entree or side dish perfect for the lingering warmish weather.



CURRIED PEACH WHEAT BERRY SALAD

1 cup soft wheat berries
Water
Toasted sesame oil
Soy Sauce
3-4 scallions, chopped, white and green parts
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped finely

Salt to taste
2 T. Curried Peach Chutney

Cilantro, chopped (optional)

If you can, try to soak the wheat berries in warm water for a couple of hours. If you don't soak them, increase the cooking time until berries are chewy-tender.

After soaking, drain the wheat berries and place in a saucepan with 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, over a medium-high flame for 70 minutes or until tender to the bite. they will remain pleasantly chewy so do not overcook further.

Drain wheat berries very well and mix with the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Season to your tastes with the salt, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Chill and serve cold or at room temperature, garnished (or not) with chopped cilantro.