Brooklyn Brainery

When you go to Chinatown, you're morally obligated to buy strange and unfamiliar goods, then decipher (and eat) them back home. It's Chinatown Roulette!

Asia Market is a little more interesting than your standard-issue Chinatown grocer because of how much shelf space is dedicated to Southeast Asian goods. Indonesian, Malaysian and Vietnamese spices and mixes abound, making it a little more esoteric than most places you might stumble into.

Last...

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We've talked about how to cook onions before, now let's talk about onion-industry-approved facts about how they're sized. 

Maybe you've been curious about what a medium onion is. I was, too, until I found the United States Standards for Grades of Onions from the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. Now, I know we aren't ones to let the government boss our food around, but their definition of a "medium onion" is one with a...

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First we researched Atomic Fireballs. Then we made an ersatz candy version. The thing is, though, we live in Brooklyn. Everything needs to be grown on a rooftop and ethically sourced. Let's see if we can bring the Fireball back to its earthy roots.

(Yes, this is kind of a break from my attempts to make fake Science versions of everything.)

The obvious ingredient is cinnamon. Tons of cinnamon. Next up, something spicy, like a jalapeño....

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We're kicking off a new bar room lecture series all about food, and you're all invited to our very first one on Tuesday, January 31st. Welcome to Masters of Social Gastronomy! That's MSG, of course.

Each month, Sarah Lohman of Four Pounds Flour and Jonathan Soma of the Brooklyn Brainery will take on a curious food topic and break down the history, science, and stories behind it.

This month's topic is STRANGE MEAT! Sarah will recount...

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We get asked all the time where to eat dinner or get coffee or a beer, so I thought I'd make a handy little list of places for you to keep in mind the next time you're down here. They're all pretty cheap (we're broke) and within a few block radius of the Brainery, but feel free to suggest your favorites in the comments!

Where we eat on a normal day: Line Bagels 

This is the bagel shop right near the Smith-9th Street station. They...

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