NYC Food Film Festival, June 13-19, 2009

I was recently invited to a preview lunch for the 3rd Annual NYC Food Film Festival, June 13-19th.  There’s the menu, and I’m going to make you drool over the goodies we got to eat. 

“Watch What You Eat” is a pretty simple premise – watch films about food, while you eat the food you see in the film.  Love the concept!  Forget popcorn; watch a hamburger documentary while eating the burger you’re seeing.  Pretty cool, yeah?

Yummy cocktail with fresh cranberries.  Enough to satisfy my thirst.  (And you can see the Peeps in the background that were at every place setting…)

First up, the Motz burger, which I believe is available at Water Taxi Beach all the time.  We had the good fortune to watch a brief piece of a burger documentary that showed, of all things, Solly’s in Milwaukee, WI, where they prepare the burgers, and then scoop a big hunk of butter on top of the burger patty before putting the bun on top.  *shudder*  Sure I am POSITIVE it is DELICIOUS but dude, it was kind of scary.  (See picture and description here.)  The video clip I saw used to be up on Serious Eats but it is no longer available… sorry! 

We ate these burgers while watching that, but George Motz was on hand and he reassured us that these were NOT butter burgers!  Phew. 

(Burger notes: good crust, juicy, nice flavor, good size – I’m not a fan of giant burgers – Schnack sauce, chipotle mayo, French mustard, tomato based stuff – adds a nice zing to the burger)

We also got Buitoni mushroom agnolotti.  Hmm, interesting.  My notes say that they were earthy with a good flavor.

I’ve read some people complaining about how flat they are, and while I could see that being a problem, I thought mine were well-sized.  Tasty enough that I could see these playing a part as a side dish for some meals. 

Dessert was a bacon chocolate chip cookie from R.U.B.  OMG. 

See that big chunk of bacon goodness?  Mmm….  Seriously good cookies, smokey in flavor, with the sweetness balancing it out (I actually like my cookies a lil salty).  Really chewy, and just… the kind of cookie I love to eat.  Baddd Yvo ate two of them

But back to the NYC Food Film Festival.  Motz described it as a “cinematic scratch & sniff” and isn’t that enough to make you want to go?  I’ve already marked off my calendar to go, to check out Water Taxi Beach South Street Seaport (new this year!) and to catch some of the flicks.  I’m constantly trying to learn more about food and what better way than to watch a documentary on it AND eat the food at the same time?! 

See you there…
(if you email me, I might just tell you which day I’m going and I might just want to hang out with you.  Maybe.)