(no more than I'm the "Famous Photographer"!)
My life is certainly taking some interesting turns. You may not know this, but I am the "go-to" guy for the South Korean gov for anything New York.
In the past I've arranged NYC water tours for their politicians and also another for their engineers - all as a public service. The further one gets from New York State the more of an expert I look like on the web. (shrug)
I know my limitations. Just because I published a book on the water system and wrote the introduction - that doesn't make me an expert. For the water tours I arranged for a real expert to give tours of the water works for both groups. This year the South Koreans have a documentary film crew who wants to feature garlic (an important staple in South Korean cooking) as an important item in America's diet - focusing on NY garlic.
Now - my hometown of Saugerties is the home of the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. It is held here on the last full weekend in September every year. It coincides with the Northeast Garlic Growers Association annual meeting, and the Seed Garlic Foundation's meeting. We do everything garlic for a whole weekend of garlic food, entertainment, and lectures. And we have the best selection of over 100 varieties of garlic for sale anywhere on the East Coast.
I have a webpage devoted to past festivals and their history. So, naturally, from South Korea I look like the on site expert!
The film crew will be here in the Saugerties area the 28, 29 & 30 of July. They would like to film a chef who cooks with a lot of garlic, and they would like to see a diverse age-group of garlic lovers (all obviously American) eating that food. I'm going to arrange that and make myself available to eat some of that food.
Another sweet gig! Headaches, language barriers, logistical emergencies - all expected, but - in the end - it will be a great group of people eating some great garlicky food while being ambassadors of goodwill for the Korean government.
What could be better than that?
BIO - Richard Frisbie IS (not) A GARLIC EXPERT who writes culinary travel articles, is a columnist for his local newspapers, and is a regular contributor to the many Hudson Valley, Catskill Mountain and other regional New York publications. Online, he writes frequent articles for EDGE Publications, GoNomad and Travel Lady, as well as Gather.
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Comments: 18
Ah, Saugerties must smell wonderful in later September! I am a passionate lover of all things garlic myself, except I draw the line at raw garlic. My husband and I do a fair amt of juicing, and one day he threw a couple of good-sized cloves into the blender along with the veggies. It tasted wonderful, but we stunk for DAYS afterwards - literally emanated garlic through our pores and no amt of washing was going to help.
I tried an easy recipe Rachel Ray threw in as an aside in one of her shows recently that I think you would enjoy:
- mince 4-5 large cloves of garlic and soak in 1/3 c. olive oil for a few hours
- cook a pound of lentils (I used green) until al dente and drain
- saute a large Vidalia onion, chopped, in a few drops of olive oil until softened and golden, then mixed with a cup of chopped, fresh pasley
- mix onion/parsley mixture in with drained lentils; then pour garlic/OO mixture over this; flavor with freshly ground pepper and a tad of salt; mix carefully.
Incredibly tasty, hot or cold, as a sidedish, or even in place of meat in a meal.
Sounds delicious! And - Yes - Saugerties reeks of garlic in September - I do more often! Come visit this year!
You know, I've been seriously thinking of spending a three-day weekend out there. With running our own business, it's hard to get away together for an entire week at this point, but we are planning a couple of three-day weekends. Are there any Marriott's out there (we have points)? It would actually be fun to attend the garlic festival!
It is great fun (and great food!) This is the first year my friend isn't performing, but I'll probably be manning the Chamber of Commerce booth for a bit one of the days. There is plenty to do in the area, and there is a Marriot Courtyard 7.5 miles south of Saugerties on Rt 9w (in the Hudson Valley Mall.
Well, I would say we're practically there, then. My husband says it sounds like fun and we can probably do some hiking while we're out there, and some biking. We have gone to the Chowder Festival in Newport a couple of times and had a great time there. You still have my work email address, yes? If you could let me know if there are any concerts of interest that weekend, I would appreciate it.
You'll be too late for the Maverick series (great concerts all summer long) and we (Saugerties Pro Musica) wouldn't dare schedule opposite the Garlic Festival. BUT - there might be something - I'll check and let you know. There's definitely a meal involved. If you'll be in the area I'll plan it.
That would be wonderful! We're looking forward to it.
We have an annual garlic festival in Delray Beach, Florida. hat this has to do with Florida I do not know except for one local creation, steamed Garlic hard shell crabs .
By the way, a friend of mine owns a Brooklyn tour called "A Slice of Brooklyn." It was featured twice on NBC's Today show and we have taken the trip. It is a worth the visit. They take you on a tour of Brooklyn and two of its most famous pizza parlors for a pizza banquet. Try it some time, you will love it.
sounds like fun - thanks for the heads up, David!
Ooooh! I'm also a garlic afficionado! In fact, we harvested beaucoup bulbs from the garden last night, and I'm about to go clean them up and drop them into a bottle of olive oil for garlicy goodness in the coming months.
Hi, Ida - I mean Ina. Are you sure you weren't burying a relative?
I think it might be more appropriate for me to make a necklace out of them to ward off future visits.
I'm laughing - but I hope it works!
Sounds like great fun! Thanks, Richard, for including us in your diplomatic adventures! Featuring your article today at Home Comfort
If they want to send family members to NYC museums, granted I do NOT speak Korean, I can take them around...
When they open the Garlic Museum I'll take you up on that! Thanks for the kind offer Leslie.
Richard - what a wonderful life you live and how blessed I am to click your name and experience all these delights - that is going to be so much fun! You know I love garlic, dont' you! Now, I think I'll have some garlicky spaghetti tonight and I'll toast you my friend!!! On the way to the store now. Salud
It is a fun life I lead. (I know how lucky I am!) Enjoy your garlic, my friend!