Spring has sprung, and we have the iced coffee at the Flea to prove it.

What: Crop to Cup's Iced Coffee, brewed Japanese-style to lock in that sweet and bold flava. C2C works directly with coffee farmer cooperatives and pays above-market prices for their beans. Good stuff!

Where: Crop to Cup is in the vault brewin' fresh strong coffee all weekend at One Hanson, and will be back outdoors in Fort Greene every Saturday too.

Where else: Crop To Cup just popped open a new coffee shop at 139 Atlantic Avenue (btw. Clinton + Henry) in collaboration with a few other longtime Fleasters. Take a gander, and grab yourself some pickles, cupcakes, or any of the vintage furniture in the shop, 'cause it's all for sale.

Posted by JessicaBK at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)

Sugar and spice, and everything nice.

What: Whimsy & Spice Cinnamon Chocolate Malt Biscotti.

Tasty with: Coffee, milk, or Earl Grey Infused Hot Chocolate, found warm and ready at the Whimsy & Spice booth! Or if you prefer, naked—unlike regular thick-cut biscotti, their biscotti is moist enough not to do a dip.

How much: $8 for 8 biscotti.

What else: Chocolate Chili Cashew Biscotti, Hazelnut Whiskey sandwich cookies, Earl Grey sandwich cookies, homemade marshmallows including vanilla-rosewater-cardamom, and plenty of seductive treats that live up to their cute name.

Where: Mark and/or Jenna are downstairs in the vault on a rotating schedule (check the weekly layout), including this Saturday. Or online at www.whimsyandspice.com.

Posted by JessicaBK at 2:00 PM | Comments (0)

Rafael Soler is known—OK, renowned—for his pupusas, as Martha Stewart, everyone who's been to the Red Hook Ballfields, and every Fleaster knows. But ze pupusa is not all Rafael brings to the table.

What: Chorizo Sausage Platter with fluffy white rice and creamy and tangy beans.

Tasty with: A mound of crunchy pickled cabbage, homemade tomato "sauce," Salvadoran crema, and a dash of hot sauce.

Cost: $5 for a platter with 1 pork sausage. Yes, $5.

What else: After a full day of shopping, you're probably hungry for more than a snack. Rafael has all sorts of sampler platters featuring daily pupusa and tamale specials.

Find Rafael downstairs at One Hanson every weekend.

Posted by JessicaBK at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

Dippity-do-da-snack.

What: Eight seasonal dips in all, with the Roasted Pumpkin, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Spread in the lead. But out-of-this-world, Spinach and Artichoke Dip isn't far behind.

Tasty with: Kory generously provides pretzels and corn chips for your sampling needs, but try it on toasty bruschetta, or fresh carrots.

How else: The White Bean and Roasted Olive Spread is the perfect savory layer in a lasagna. The Pumpkin is a natural ravioli stuffing (with Brown Butter Sage sauce? You know it). Try mixing the Southern Blue Cheese & Herb Dip with a bit of red wine vinegar and pour over an iceberg wedge, or a swath of Cheddar Beer is a decadent treat atop a burger.

Cost: One for $8, 2 for $14, or 6 dips, flatbread, crackers, and crudité for a $100 Party in a Bag.

Find Kors D'Oeuvres at Booth #92 downstairs in the vault every Saturday (except this weekend darnit!).

Posted by JessicaBK at 1:40 PM | Comments (0)

And you thought tacos were always the answer...

What: By now, you know you can find the best mahi mahi tacos at Choncho's, but the tamales are babies not to be put in the corner. Above are the smoked jalapeno pork tamales, with shredded spicy pork and corn meal, wrapped in corn husk, steamed, and topped with sour cream, cilantro, red cabbage, lime, and spicy chipotle hot sauce (optional, but recommended). Also try the verde (mild pork), mole (Chicken), and raja (poblano pepper and cheese).

Tasty with: Lime or grapefruit Jarritos for 2 bucks a bottle.

Where else: Choncho's tamales and tacos can also be found at The Loading Dock on Tillary Street in Brooklyn for lunch and dinner.

Cost: $5 well-worth bucks.

Posted by JessicaBK at 1:41 PM

For the rare times when pork or cheese aren't the answer...

What: Anthi's Greek spinach pie, served warm in soft and crispy phyllo with savory cheese and egg.
Meal/Snack/Drink: A substantial snack, but couple it with a Greek country salad or Mediterranean corn salad and you got yourself a full-on meal. The $5 dollar salads are handy too, in large cups for eating and perusing!
Vegetarian/vegan/meat/fish: The delish spinach pie is vegetarian but if you want vegan, try the baba ganoush vegan wrap, and if you want some meat, try the chicken tzatziki wrap, each rolling for 4 bucks.
How much: 5 bucks for a big ol' square.
What Else: Greek yogurt by the cup. Returning this weekend!

Posted by JessicaBK at 3:00 PM | Comments (0)

Mouth-watering...

What: Rick's Picks Handy Corn, jarred with local and seasonal corn, pepped with fresh aji dolce and red bell peppers, and accented with lime, garlic, mustard seeds, and turmeric.
Meal/Snack/Drink: Not only is it a snack, it's a condiment AND a marinade!
Tasty with: Use this tangy and crunchy crack-snack to marinate some fish, top a taco, eat with cheddar and toast—really, it's endless.
Where else: Guess what folks? You can only get Handy Corn at ze Flea or online.
Cost: 10 bucks for a 15oz jar, exclusively here.

Posted by demby at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
Categories: Jess Bites Flea, blog

Mmm...cheese.

What: Milk Truck Classic: Gruyere and cheddar on levain bread.
Meal/snack/drink: Kind of all of 'em! It's a great snack, perfect for sharing. Or, are you marvin? Don't share and add soup to your order.
Tasty with: Who doesn't love dipping a gooey and crunchy grilled cheese sammie in warm, thick tomato soup—just like ma made. Get a Tomato 4, made with San Marzano tomatoes pureed into unadulterated comforting goodness.
Where else: Soon to be truck-traveling (thus the name), but until then exclusively at ze Flea down in the vault.
How much: $5.50.
Locally derived or imported influence: The Classic is made with Wisconsin Cheddar: not exactly locavore, but come on—Wisconsin cheddar is the bester!

Posted by JessicaBK at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)

This week we sampled the Hand Dipped Salt Caramels over at Nunu Chocolates, which called out our name, but we'll be back for the Organic Raspberry, Espresso Brandy, Prosecco Ganache, and the Chocolate Covered Grahams. Yum!

What's it like? Smoky and smooth soft caramel, covered in rich dark chocolate, lightly flecked with sea salt. The taste is layered and complex and oh so decadent.
Meal/snack/drink: Snack.
Tasty with: A cold glass of milk or a frothy coffee.
Where else can this be found: Nunu has a shop at 529 Atlantic Avenue (btw. 3+4 Ave.) in Brooklyn where all the chocolate is made! (Fellow Fleasters Nightwood are tricking out the interior of the space, which will also have a groovy wine bar—ganache with panache!)
Eat now/eat later: Grab for a quick snack or buy a box for a gift.
Cost: $7 for 4, $15 for 9, $20 for 12.

Posted by JessicaBK at 10:52 AM | Comments (0)
Categories: Jess Bites Flea, blog

A new feature here on ze blog: Jess Bites Flea, wherein Miss J samples and surmises the legends and secret stars of the Flea food scene. We launch with the lobster grits from Red Hook Lobster Pound, known of course for their deelish lobster rolls. Must be a claws in their contract about finding new products...

What's it like? Warm and comforting grits with a parmesan bite, topped with big ole chunks of buttery lobster and a dabble of shaved scallion.
Meal, snack or drink: Snack/light meal.
Eat with: Spoon.
Goes with: Peanut butter brownies, free with purchase.
Local? Lobstahs carted down fresh from Maine every week, made in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Now or later? Eat on the go!
Other uses: Warms and fills belly while perusing the Flea.
How much? $8.

Posted by JessicaBK at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
Categories: Jess Bites Flea, blog