REVIEW: Broth Fest!

On Saturday March 14, hundreds of New Yorkers and visitors from near and far escaped the rain to celebrate the first-ever Broth Fest (#brothfest – pics from guests) at The Seaport. The festival brought together downtown powerhouse Katz’s Deli, Venezuelan Caracas Arepa Bar, new TriBeCa hot spot Belle Reve, Jamaican jerk joint Spur Tree, Harlem subscription startup Bone Deep & Harmony, Nolita’s Baz Bagel + Restaurant and FAME by Alex Mitow. The soundtrack was provided by celebrity doppelganger DJs AndrewAndrew as well as local favorite heartjacker, with sets by gypsy funk rock band Sylvana Joyce + The Moment.  Local beers were provided courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery. Each NYC restaurant created their own rendition of winter’s hottest food innovation, and guests voted on their favorite. When all the votes were tallied, Spur Tree’s Fish Tea took the golden bowl by just four votes over Belle Reve’s Blackened Butter Broth (with Wild Turkey bourbon or without).

Below is the lineup from the first-ever broth festival as well as the full recipe for Spur Tree Chef Sean John’s spicy Caribbean broth.

BAZ – Joyce’s Classic
A traditionally comforting chicken broth, just like grandma used to make … Bari’s grandma to be exact!

Belle Reve NYC – Blackened Butter Broth
A whipped blackened bone broth topped with chilis and herbs.

Bone Deep and Harmony – The Bone Deep & Harmony Classic
Beef bone broth with surprise fixins and flavors like infused oils and vinegars to create your own. Options include chimichurri, thai basil oil, kimchee juice and more.

Caracas Arepa Bar – Sancocho
An old fashioned Venezuelan concoction that will warm your insides and cure everything. A carefully slow-cooked broth with beef bones and a variety of herbs, including culantro (not cilantro) and mint among others. In this aromatic stew you will find tender beef shank off the bone and all kinds of caribbean native tubers and roots such as ñame, yautía, yucca and green plantain.

FAME by Alex Mitow – Sake to Me
Because sake cures all ailments, right?  Kobe beef broth simmered with lemongrass, herbs and dry sake with a chili and chive oil floater and torched scallion.

Katz’s Delicatessen
Classic matzoh/chicken broth – An NYC original by Katz’s Deli dating back to 1888.

Spur Tree – Fish Tea
Red snapper, scotch bonnet pepper, potatoes, scallion, banana, thyme, garlic. Fish tea is a spicy Caribbean cuisine.
2 whole red snapper
1 scotch bonnet pepper
3 pieces scallion
1 green banana
5 sprigs time
2 gloves garlic
2 chayote
2 okra
potatoes
pepper and salt

Recipe
Wash fish with lemon and lime
Bring water to boil add fish
chop up potatoes garlic and scallion
After half an hour of simmering, strain the fish out of the water.
Add the green banana,
After half an hour of simmering, strain the fish out of the water.
Add the green banana, potato, scallion, garlic, pepper (unchopped) salt and black pepper to the fish stock
When the fish has cooled, separate the bones from the flesh
Add the fish to the stock and simmer for half an hour.
Serve in a bowl!