Edible Brooklyn Party & Rosewater

Last night was a evening of many food delights. I met up with a couple friends (including From Love With Paris) for Brooklyn Uncorked 2008, hosted by Edible Brooklyn. The event was held at BAM and pretty much took up both floors of the lobby and cafe. There were lots of choices for food and beer on the first floor and even more options of wine on the second. After deciding on white wine for the evening, I think I tried at least 8 tastings of Long Island's finest :) We nibbled on some cheese and other random goodies before jetting over to Rosewater on Union for a proper dinner. I had only been to Rosewater for brunch (which was delicious) and everything on their ever changing seasonal menu looked fantastic. We settled on the Pork Belly with Lentils & Sour Cherry Puree and the Beef Tataki as appetizers. Both were really great especially the Pork Belly. My eyes were bigger then my stomach but I went with the Spring Risotto (Pickled Ramps, Nettles, Fiddlehead Ferns, Poached Egg) as an entree. The egg on top was a great twist on the risotto and Fiddlehead Ferns are only in season for a short period time so it was extra special.
According to The Kitchn, Fiddlehead Ferns "are harvested only in certain regional areas and only in the Spring. They're most commonly found in the Northeast and the Great Lakes states where the ferns grow in wet, brackish forests. Each spring when the snow melts, the ferns push their way up through the forest floor, uncurling slowly. It's at this moment just before they uncurl that they are harvested." Also interesting, "A tip for the inexperienced: fiddlehead ferns contain a toxin that causes stomach pain in humans when ingested. The toxin is destroyed by the heat generated during cooking, so as a result, the fiddleheads must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Deer are the only mammals known to be able to eat the fiddleheads and not be affected by the toxin."