This Week’s Five Best Food Events in NYC – 6/9/2014

Bummed about California Chrome missing the Triple Crown? Or maybe the Rangers are giving you night sweats? If your weekend didn’t turn out as planned, here are a few food events that should get you back into your groove.

Decade of Shack, Shake Shack, 23 Street and Madison Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.

Celebrating a decade of really long lines and amazingly addicting food, the Madison Square Park location of Shake Shack is offering celebrity-chef created shackburgers all week long. Each day, the Shack will feature a limited number of a different chef’s creation; look for work from David Chang, April Bloomfield, Andrew Zimmern, Daniel Boulud, and Daniel Humm. On June 12 — the stand’s actual birthday — the team will be giving out “pay what you’d like” Shack-ago dogs, and there will be live music all day long. Dominique Ansel will also be contributing a birthday cake, which will be available while slices last. There is a two burger per person limit, and all sandwiches are available on a first come, first serve basis — so expect lines.

Dethroning the Deceitful Pork Chop: Black Progressive Era Food Reformers and the Case Study of the Tuskegee Institute, NYU Food Studies, 411 Lafayette Street, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

Jennifer Jensen Wallach, author of How America Eats: A Social History of U.S. Food and Culture , will lead a discussion on African-American food practices in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The talk will specifically cover the work of Booker T. Washington, who viewed food habits as a possible avenue for breaking down racial barriers. Tickets start at $10.

Crab & Beer Feast, Ngam, Tuesday, 99 Third Avenue, 6 p.m.

Ngam is running a $40 special of two jumbo Maryland crabs every Tuesday night. The crabs are steamed with Thai herbs and served with spicy dipping sauces, and Singha beer pairings are also part of the experience. Supplement your seafood with dishes from the regular menu, which will also be on offer. Seatings, which take place at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., must be made in advance by contacting the restaurant.

Beard on Books: Luke Barr, James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, Wednesday, 12 p.m.

Luke Barr, a descendant of famed food writer M.F.K. Fisher and editor at Travel + Leisure, will lead attendees on a historical journey through his great-aunt’s diaries. His book, Provence 1970: M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and The Reinvention of American Taste, captures the historical meeting between James Beard, M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, Richard Olney, Simone Beck, and Judith Jones, delving into how these encounters helped shape American cuisine in future decades. A suggested donation of $20 is encouraged, and the event includes refreshments provided by Sarabeth’s.

Hop Plant Sale and Peak Organic Tap Takeover, Rosamunde Sausage Grill, 285 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, Thursday, 7 p.m.

If you’re a fan of home brewing, take your creations to the next level by picking up a hops plant or two. Guests will learn about Thousands Win, an organization that specializes in rooftop gardens growing hops in urban areas, while sipping Peak Organic Brewing Company beers. For more information on rooftop hops, read about Thousands Win’s innovative enterprise.