5 Question for Chrissy Michaels

1. What do you do at Nextdoorganics at Dekalb Market?

I’m the executive chef and manager of our container serving some innovative farm-to-table food at reasonable prices. I also get to meet CSA members (people that buy produce and small batch-made products from us on a weekly basis) and help answer any questions they have about what’s in their weekly produce bag.  

2. What is your favorite summer picnic recipe?

Picnic… psh! BBQ!! summertime is all about the grill for me. perfectly charred burgers, whole vegetables straight over real-wood charcoal, stone fruit dripping with brown sugar and cinnamon. but for reals, for picnics, I love a raw kale salad because it starts off as a salad, and if you leave it in the sun long enough, they’ll slowly bake and turn into kale chips. It’s like a two-fer-one whammy! just devein and tear the kale, massage it really well with olive oil and salt, and then add some vinegar or any kind of acid. finish the salad with something crunchy, something chewy, and something crisp!

3. Where is your favorite destination for a bicycle ride?

My bike is a cruiser, so it’s more of a leisurely ride than a trekking bike. I like to go anywhere with a hill that allows me to gain speed and ride like the wind!! lol. I use it mostly to get back and forth from work or around Bushwick on the weekends.  

4. Where did you get your bike and does your bike have a name? 

I got my bike from Zukkies but i get it serviced at Bravo’s in Bushwick on Dekalb Ave and Wilson. it’s the perfect shop for me because Bravo also works on a lot of the low-riders popular in this neighborhood, so he always has fat tires and white walls, plus lots of awesome accessories. who else has sparkly streamers?! and, in case you hadn’t noticed, my bike is kinda girlie, and so am I, so one day I was walking past eleanors and couldn’t help but wonder if their skirt clip was really worth it. I mean, I could just use a safety pin, but seriously… have had the thigh-skirt-clip thing for a few weeks now and it’s like a whole new world of modesty has occurred. I only wear skirts and the clip keeps my skirt firmly attached to my leg so as I bike, I don’t have to keep pulling down my dress or flashing half of Brooklyn!! highly recommend to any ladies that ride in skirts!

5. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I’ve always wanted to go to Japan. something about the subtle, clean flavors and culture is really appealing to me. I like the zen minimalism that seems to be such a part of the old culture. not really as much into the digital craze!