Plan a Trip with Camping New York

Two years ago, after logging hundreds of trail hours in the parks and nature reserves scattered across Long Island, Eastern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut, and the Hudson Valley, my first book appeared in print. As any author will tell you, writing is a book is a lot of work, and Best Hikes Near New York City involved plenty of it. From trip planning and hiking (and in some cases re-hiking) each route, to mapping, photographing, and researching local history, I devoted a tremendous amount of time to that guidebook. Flipping through its pages now, I see little things I wish I'd changed and wonder if I could've added another hike or two. Overall I'm happy with it though, which is probably why, when my editor asked if I wanted to author a title in Globe Pequot's Where to Camp series, I said yes.

And so, once again, I consulted my New York State road map, charged my camera batteries, and rummaged around for the trusty Garmin GPS in the back of my closet. Then, armed with an Empire Passport and a new sleeping bag, I set out to write Camping New York, my second book for FalconGuides. It took me longer than expected, but it's out now in paperback and will soon be available as a Kindle eBook, too. In roughly 150 pages I concisely cover 130 campsites from easternmost Long Island to the top of Adirondack Park and west to Lake Erie. Hopefully the tour region maps, photos, and quick reference tables will make it easy to decide where you want to go, whether it's your first camping trip, or your fifty-first. Finally, for those who might be curious, the site pictured on the cover is at Mongaup Pond in the Catskills, the one place last summer where I actually spotted a black bear near the campground.

Beer Styles of the Rich and Famous

Robin Leach is certainly entitled to champagne wishes if he still wants them, but if you ask me, his tastes seem kind of outdated for 2012. Why, you ask? Well, just take a look at Peconic Beverage in the Hamptons, where it's all about the beer. They've got six crafts on tap seven days a week, a substantial beer cave with everything from Affligem to Wolavers, and if you're extra nice (and promise to buy at least 10 cases), they'll even deliver to your summer home.

I mention this because I wrote about Terence McCulley and his business in the spring issue of Edible East End (which, as it turns out, is actually the Wine issue). If you were at Effin Gruven last week to try Gold Standard, Brooklyn's new Brewmaster's Reserve, you could have grabbed a copy then, otherwise you'll want to track one down at a farmstand, winery, or restaurant on Long Island. When you do, I suggest reading it with a bottle of bubbly nearby—preferably something like Southampton's Double White or White's Beach Wit from Port Jeff Brewing.

Craft Beer and Edible Communities

In spite of the gains craft brewing has made in recent years, it's still a small piece of an enormous $101 billion pie. At first glance, it might even seem insignificant. Anchor Brewing Company, which distributes to all 50 states as well as several foreign countries, employs just 50 people. Anheuser-Busch InBev has 120,000 employees worldwide. But a closer look at the US beer industry reveals telling details that can't be neatly quantified or easily summarized with charts and tables.

Earlier this fall, I wrote several articles about the evolving story of craft beer in New York and New Jersey. The first, entitled "Heads Up, Big Boys," profiles a few of the newest brewers in the Garden State—businesses like the Cape May Brewing Company, Carton Brewing in Atlantic Highlands, and Kane Brewing of Ocean Township. Another piece, "Climbing Their Way Back," about the return of hop farming in New York, appears in Edible Hudson Valley. And finally, in a third article for Edible East End, I chronicle the proliferation of craft beer bars on Long Island.

Fire Island Flavors

Growing up near the U.S. Naval Academy and the Chesapeake Bay, it's almost a given that you'll develop an attraction to water. Which is part of the reason why I was happy to hop aboard a powerboat for my latest assignment from Edible East End. After crossing Great South Bay with Jeff, Greg, and Bert of the Fire Island Beer Company, I spent an autumn afternoon with them, grilling burgers, drinking beers, and tweaking the recipe for what would become Frozen Tail Ale. It was a lot of fun but I'm disappointed that I won't be able to try their winter warmer this year. 

Incidentally, a subscription to the magazine that celebrates the harvest of the Hamptons and the North Fork also makes an excellent last-minute gift for the foodie on your Christmas shopping list. Then again, so does a six pack of craft beer.

Drinking Local

As busy as I've been with my hiking guide, I somehow also managed to find time to contribute to the occasional magazine. It was still work, but most of those assignments actually turned out to be a lot of fun. One of them, a feature on Long Island's emerging beer scene, appears in the High Summer issue of Edible East End. 

In it my friend (and ex-roommate) Luke and I borrow a Subaru Outback and drive out to the North Fork on a rainy Sunday in April. Eschewing the many wineries that cling to Route 25 like grapes on a vine, we opted instead to visit the Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, with a stop at the Southampton Publick House and another at the Black Forest Brew Haus on the way back just for good measure. Never has a road trip tasted so good.