USQ Greenmarket! Tampopo! Graza!
Come one, come all – welcome to Cocus.
Come one, come all – welcome to Cocus.
In case we haven’t met — we are a newsletter, zine, and supper club (mostly) based in NYC. Born out of a love for food and beverage culture, our publication strives to connect readers to all moving parts of the food system – the farmers who grow our produce, the brands we bring into our own kitchens, the recipes we share with friends, and the local restaurants, bars, and cafés we frequent. We publish articles biweekly on Substack, release a quarterly zine, and host monthly events. We can’t wait to get acquainted.
You may be wondering… what does “Cocus” even mean?
Well, we kind of made it up. In Greek, “kókkos” means grain or seed. “Cocus” is an alternative form of the Latin “coquus”—a cook. It also refers to one of the primordial Titans in Greek mythology. All of these definitions and varying forms swirled together to create our own, dearest Cocus, which recognizes the need to examine food systems from the most granular level all the way up to the culture it creates – all the while keeping in mind that food is an earthmoving, life-giving force. It’s also just got a nice little ring to it ;)
We’ve been incredibly fortunate in the run-up to this first release. A brilliant team of writers, editors, photographers, and artists have joined our team – we send the most colossal of thank yous and the tightest of hugs to Dani, Lauren, Morgan, Eve, Rena, Emily, and Marta. We can’t wait to showcase the work they’ve all done below.
Cheers and happy reading,
Anja and Anna
Co-founders+managing editors + dining companions
Honey, Compost, and Connection at the Union Square Greenmarket
written by Anja Westhues, photography by Marta Charncherngkha
Before I decided to attend college in New York or even considered doing so, the Union Square Greenmarket was on my radar. I followed a number of chefs and food bloggers who were based here, and they would post their hauls from the market every week. The fact that it was open year-round amazed me…. click here to read more.
Tampopo–Vignettes on Food, Vignettes on Life
written by Anna Captain, photo illustrations by Morgan Lui
The film follows Tampopo’s relentless quest to create the perfect ramen. It is also stuffed with a series of vignettes completely unrelated to the plot, though equally absurdist and delightful. Tampopo serves as a love letter to the universality of preparing, eating, and sharing food… click here to read more.
How Graza Olive Oil Took Over The Home-Cook’s Kitchen
written by Lauren Hodgen, photo illustrations by Marta Charncherngkha
Graza launched originally as a passion project for its cofounders. They recognized that olive oil was the glue holding their kitchens together and was used liberally in every dish. They knew the world didn’t need another expensive, small-batch olive oil that was inaccessible to the average home cook. They also knew that most chefs transferred their olive oil to squeeze bottles anyway, so they decided to skip a step…click here to read more.
Have We Grown Too Big?
written by Dani Haze, photography by Marta Charncherngkha
I often find myself wondering if some aspects of life were better before the Industrial Revolution. Before we all moved to cities and switched to factory jobs, communities were smaller in size and more rural – individuals were more dependent on one another… click here to read more.
Sniff
written by Eve Meehan, illustration by Anna Captain
The first time I encountered finely grated horseradish was a few months ago at my fourth and current restaurant job. They like to make a sophisticated horseradish creme - which is essentially just horseradish and creme fraiche with a few special touches. We have this on the menu fairly often - usually paired with grilled lombatello or poached ox tongue (they are bigger than you might think)… click here to read more.
Chicken Noodle Soup with an Asian Twist
written by Rena Ikenishi, photo illustrations by Morgan Lui
Chicken noodle soup has always been a staple, ever-reliable, and a comforting food for many of us. However, I dare to say that most of us find little excitement in the standard chicken noodle soup that we tend to consume. So here is my effort to add some excitement to this go-to soup with an ode to my Japanese heritage… click here for the recipe.
Super Burrito, Williamsburg: A Breakfast Burrito Review
written by Emily Um, photography by Emily Um
When I lived in LA for college, sometimes a weekend morning routine included getting a delicious, flavorful, and massive breakfast burrito and enjoying it on the beach as I journaled or simply just sat in the sand watching the waves crash.
Unfortunately, now living in NYC makes it a little harder for me to enjoy a truly stellar California or breakfast burrito. But recently, more and more California-style burrito eateries have been popping up… click here to read more.
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We’ll see you in two weeks!