RED HOOK — Get a jump-start on this weekend's Thanksgiving feasts at an old-fashioned community pig roast outside Fort Defiance Cafe and Bar on Van Brunt Street in Red Hook Wednesday afternoon.
Owner St. John Frizell and chef Steve Linares have been slow-cooking a 130-pound swine from Pino's Prime Meat Market since Tuesday, using a spotless 84-inch Lang trailer-smoker (be specific on your holiday wishlist) on loan from Billy Durney and Christopher Miller, owners of Hometown, a barbecue restaurant slated to open on Van Brunt Street next year.
Frizell and Linares will be carving and serving the roast starting at 3 p.m. outside the cafe. Sandwiches cost $6, and plates with cornbread, red beans and greens cost $14.
"This is a for-profit event," Frizell said with a chuckle. "We're raising money."
Fort Defiance, like much of Red Hook, sustained serious flooding damage in Hurricane Sandy, and it has not been able to open since the storm struck more than three weeks ago. Profits from the roast are going toward its recovery, and the restaurant has also introduced "junk bonds" — gift certificates selling for twice their value — to help cover its losses. The bonds can be bought online through the Fort Defiance website.
Ikea is also pitching in: One of its shuttles will ferry residents for free from Fort Defiance to the "Musical Extravaganza to Restore Red Hook," a fundraiser for neighborhood businesses taking place at The Bell House in Gowanus at 7 p.m. The event features performances by Rosanne Cash, daughter of Johnny Cash, "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead, and more. Tickets cost $30.
To learn more about the Musical Extravaganza and other benefits and fundraising groups in Red Hook, check out DNAinfo.com New York's story here.
