Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/195987
? CONTRIBUTORS Specialty Food Magazine is pleased to publish insightful and actionable articles from leading journalists and retail practitioners. Chefs for the Marcellus What is your favorite charity or cause to support JULIE BESONEN Giving Back: 5 Companies Making a Diference Food editor for Paper magazine and restaurant columnist for nycgo.com DINA CHENEY Product Roundup Author of Tasting Club, whose work has appeared in Every Day with Rachael Ray, Cooking Light, Fine Cooking and Bon Appétit ROBYN PFORR RYAN Specialty Food News Freelance writer whose work has appeared in Redbook and Brainchild NICOLE POTENZA DENIS Buyers' Picks Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine JOANNA PRUESS Prepared Food Focus Contributor to The New York Times and former director of the Cooking Studio at Kings Supermarkets Planned Parenthood SUSAN SEGREST Brand Spotlight Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine DENISE SHOUKAS Food Trends, Foods in Focus, Q & A, Research Spotlight Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine 4 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com MEET THE CONTRIBUTOR JULIE BESONEN Giving Back: 5 Companies Making a Diference J ulie Besonen is a writer living in New York City. At the beginning of her career she profiled actors and directors for various entertainment publications, but switched to food writing as she became more obsessed with the restaurants where she conducted interviews. She contributes to The New York Times, is the food editor at Paper magazine and a restaurant columnist for nycgo.com. What's one of your favorite articles you've written recently? For The New York Times, the tale of an opera-singing Brooklyn cheesemonger who got to perform "The Star Spangled Banner" in front of more than 16,000 sports fans at Barclays Arena. Share your fondest food memory. Wandering through the town of Cividale, Italy, in the Friuli region, with my husband, sister and brother-in-law and stumbling upon the unassuming Enoteca di Feo. After each bite we'd look up at each other, speechless, everything was so sublime, from the San Daniele prosciutto to the octopus salad to the orzotta with smoked sausage, pumpkin, diced vegetables and lots of creamy cheese. It was run by a father and his son, and they took turns pouring different regional wines with each course. Our bill was tiny. I'm so glad I have the memory because when we went back a few years later the father had died, the chef had moved on and it wasn't the same. What's the strangest food you've ever had? How was it? Duck tongues in Shanghai. I was there with my husband and we were urged to order them because they were a local specialty. It didn't sound appealing but we were at an upscale restaurant so I thought the chef might be able to work some magic. But no, they were what you'd imagine having a duck tongue in your mouth to be like: gamy, slimy, tough texture. I could not stomach more than one and felt guilty leaving the rest of the basket untouched. My husband refused to try even one. What are some of your non-gastronomic interests? I read obses- sively and go to as many plays as I can afford. My favorite book of 2013 was "Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter. Right now I'm reading "LaBrava," in tribute to Elmore Leonard who just died. As for plays, I was floored by "Pippin" on Broadway. I also got swept away by David Byrne's "Here Lies Love" at the Public Theater. Eat out or stay in? For work I have to go to 10-15 restaurants a month, which is a lot of fun, but the nights I have off I relish cooking while listening to music and having a glass of wine. I'll stuff a chicken with garlic, fresh herbs and lemon, and while it's roasting chop up and cook a bunch of vegetables from the farmers market.