The iconic New York foods immortalized in the ice – Italian Cuisine


Hungry Boy immortalized the iconic New York foods contained in blocks of ice to shed light on the problem of gentrification in Manhattan and the consequences on local catering

For years now, that of gentrification it is a hot topic and there are many capitals and metropolises in the world subject to this phenomenon. With the transformation of entire historical and popular neighborhoods in a tourist and consumerist perspective and their loss of identity, the world of restaurants and in particular small businesses, those with family management, are also paying the price. In the city of New York, for example, commercial gentrification is hopelessly transforming Manhattan, district known for its wide range of premises and for the impressive multicultural offer. The photographer knows it well Aaron Bernstein, that in order to save its memory and gastronomic culture, he created a photographic project with the name Manhattan Meltdown.

A food photography project to honor Manhattan

The idea for Manhattan Meltdown Aaron Bernstein, aka Hungry Boy, has had it after the recent disappearance of some of his favorite clubs, food, places and memories that have shaped his New York life experience and made him question what will remain in the coming years of the most authentic Manhattan. It is he himself who tells it, on his website, within a long essay that traces the history and changes of the city and highlights the cultural beauties that deserve to be disclosed and saved. The ten photos of Manhattan Meltdown in fact they represent the ten most representative foods of the New York neighborhood, each enclosed, albeit not completely, in a ice block. The project, through these beautiful and stimulating images, wants to stimulate the observer's curiosity and above all make him reflect on the concept of storage.

The 10 iconic foods of New York City

Among the foods selected by Hungry Boy there are both culinary inventions made in New York and foreign foods but coming from typical and characteristic places of Manhattan.
1. Pizza (Patsy’s Pizzeria). It is a particular pizza with a thin crust, proudly invented by the pizzeria Patsy's Pizzeria in East Harlem, a historical local that has been active since 1933.
2. Bagels (H & H). Bagels, of Polish origin, landed in New York at the end of the nineteenth century with the arrival of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Of the historic New York bagel store H&H, only one was left out of 3 outlets due to gentrification.
3. The Pretzels, one of the classic street food in New York City, a soft and salty snack whose recipe has remained unchanged for almost two centuries
4. I Dim Sum (Nom Wah Tea Parlor). This southern Chinese finger food has become a famous New York brunch thanks to the historic Nom Wah Tea Parlor restaurant.
5. Pay me (Katz’s Delicatessen). Pastrami, a Romanian specialty invented in the nineteenth century as a method of preserving meat and arrived in New York thanks to Jewish immigrants, is now a typical food of the American city. Local tradition wants it to be served in the form of a sandwich, between two slices of rye bread covered with yellow mustard and with pickles.
6. Hot Dog (Papaya King). How not to associate New York with hot dogs? At the famous Papaya King, on the Upper East Side, the sandwich is served along with a delicious fresh tropical fruit juice.
7. Egg custard (Eisenberg's). Egg cream was born in New York in the late nineteenth century, quickly becoming a staple food for citizens. Strangely, this drink does not contain eggs or cream, the recipe calls for chocolate syrup, soda and milk. Today it is possible to find this classic in places like the Eisenberg sandwich shop, open since 1929.
8. Coffee (Various). Greek take away coffee, served in typical blue and white glasses with an unmistakable design and invented in 1963 (and then modified in recent years), is a symbol of everyday life in Manhattan, served by many street vendors.
9. Cheesecake (Eileen's). This tasty cheese cake was invented in New York in 1872 and the original recipe, served in this SoHo pastry since 1975, includes eggs, vanilla, sugar and sour cream, all on a graham cracker crust.
10. Black & White Cookies (dessert of William Greenberg). These cookies, vanilla and chocolate and covered with icing, were invented in the Glaser pastry shop in Yorkville, opened in 1902 and recently closed. They are currently still available in several New York stores.

Photo: caffè greco iconic foods new york manhattan_ © hungry boy.jpg
Photo: Manhattan-Meltdown _iconic foods new york manhattan_ © hungry boy_6SQFT.png

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