April 5, 2010 10:31 am

Now Showing: Mitchell Schorr, James Beard House

This month, Behind the Burner artist fave Mitchell Schorr presents his ongoing food-themed paintings on a highly coveted stage: The James Beard House. On view through the end of April in the famed institution's Greenhouse Gallery (where guests can mingle and meet before meals), Schorr's ongoing oil painting series—It Comes from the Crate— uses deconstructed, wooden produce crates--cum-canvases to showcase vibrantly hued food stuffs (peppers, olives, oranges, fish, cheese and more).

Schorr, a native New Yorker, is probably best known for his dynamic, colorful murals (often placed in public spaces) and for a style and content consistently inspired by city life. And the James Beard show is one in a long line of culinary themed work— his paintings hang on the walls of multiple restaurants, including a David Burke hotspot. Coincidentally, Burke himself is the featured chef at the James Beard House this evening. Tip: James Beard House invites several guests to strut their culinary stuffs at the foundation— which was actually famed chef James Beard's home at one point—throughout the year.

The new show is just the latest addition to a pretty exciting 2010 for Schorr. He's just completed an exciting international tour that included stints at the American Academy in Rome and Galleria Ferranti in collaboration with American shoe designer Lincoln Brown.

To learn more about Schorr's work, visit mschorr.com. And to check out this and other exciting happenings at the foundation, visit jamesbeard.org.

The Greenhouse at the Beard House
167 West 12th Street
New York, NY 10011
212.675.4984

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Mitchell Schorr

— Written by Anna Carnick

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Tags : Mitchell Schorr, David Burke, Gourmet Garage, James Beard House, Greenhouse at the Beard House, Anna Carnick, Behind the Burner

March 1, 2010 3:09 pm

Grate Lighting for Dining

If there are any gourmands out there searching for unique dining furniture, look no further. Inspired by the classic four-sided box grater that no kitchen should be without, Latvian design firm BU Design has created a stylish lamp to compliment any food lover's home.

Designed by Uģis Gailis, this clever, textured metal hanging lamp has a modern silhouette, while the tiny individual "graters" will illuminate any space by casting mesmerizing rays of light throughout. This lamp is also perfect for kitchens, food shops, restaurants or even deli counters to add some extra foodie flare. This lamp measures 43 cm x 33 cm. Visit www.budesign.lv/lapa/ for purchase information.

— Written by Anna Carnick

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Tags : Behind the Burner, Anna Carnick, budesign, grate light

February 24, 2010 6:44 pm

Magic in the Air: Vinturi Wins the Taste-Test

Ever wonder about aerating wine? Well, we've happily done some research for you, and, after a recent at-home taste test conducted by a small group of friends, we've found what we think is the best aerator yet. The Vinturi Aerator was our unanimous winner—standing heads above other wine decanting devices in both performance and style.

The trick of an aerator is that it opens up wine in moments, breaking down the aeration process—rather than waiting for natural aeration—to offer a smoother finish, enhanced flavors and a more intense bouquet. The Vinturi draws in and mixes just the right amount of air for just the right amount of time to achieve these effects—and also makes a jjj-jjjing, crowd-pleasing sound with every pour.

Vinturi offers individual aerators for red and white wine—yes, we learned, aeration works on whites too—with different aeration engines specifically calibrated for red or white. It also sells a deluxe aerator set, which comes with both an aerator and a Vinturi Tower: an impressive-looking stand that holds the aerator at the perfect height so you can simply pour wine through it and into a glass below. And each of these comes with a carrying case, too, in case you want to bring it to your favorite BYO joint to show off.

Since we've welcomed the dramatic looking Vinturi aerator set into our home, it's caught the eye of every new person that walks through the door—and we've happily satisfied repeated requests for demonstrations. Give it a pour yourself—I think you'll join the fan club, too.

Vinturi Aerators and Towers start at $39.93, and are available at vinturi.com.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Vinturi

— Written by Anna Carnick

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Tags : Vinturi Aerator, Vinturi Tower, wine decanters, wine gadgets, Anna Carnick, Behind the Burner