Red Hook Initiative: Sampling Social Change

The raffle - a day in a Tesla

Red Hook, Brooklyn has become a hipster haven of pulled pork sliders and artisan whiskey, but it has a long history of poverty and unemployment. The Red Hook Initiative works with local youth, with programs starting in middle school.

The annual fundraiser, Taste of Red Hook, shows off both the best of Red Hook's food and drink and the students the programs help. At Liberty Warehouse, on the water, dozens of local restaurants, bakeries, bars and distilleries offered tastes and sips on September 26.

Vegetarian pickings were slim, Pok Pok had a vegan curry (delicious!) and Added Value, the farm where my middle daughter interned, offered locally grown tomato salad.

Alma had fish tacos and Rick's Picks had samples of their beet, cucumber and bean pickled veggies. We also tried the father / daughter made White Moustache, a savory yogurt with shallots. It was similar to Greek yogurt.

The setting sun

Sadly, it was impossible to photograph the food. There was a scrum around the food tables and if you managed to snag a bite, you had to eat it before you were enveloped in the hungry crowd. We heard of rumor of Mark's pizza and Saxelby cheesemongers, but we just found empty tables.

No matter. There was good cheer (enhanced by Widow Jane bourbon and Red Hook Winery merlot) and tons of sweets.

The scene at Liberty Warehouse

Brooklyn Dessert

Red Hook's Raaka chocolate had samples of their raw artisan chocolate while the local bakery, Baked, had bite sized brownies and cookies. There was also Steve's Key Lime Pie, made around the corner and tiny ice pops from La Newyorkina.