On a cloudy Tuesday morning in September, the musician Eartheater sat at a Lower East Side café, dissecting a plate of rösti. For the artist, known offstage as Alexandra Drewchin, potatoes have become a fixture in both her touring life and her New York routines. She describes the vegetable as essential, not just for sustenance but for creativity.
At a recent recording session in Brooklyn, Eartheater requested a delivery of knishes and French fries for her collaborators, citing the need for 'texture and comfort' during long hours in the studio. She says potatoes, in any form, keep her focused. “A really good, creative, interesting potato gets my heart thumping,” she told NYC Restaurant Voice on Monday.
This preference is not limited to traditional preparations. At K’Far in Williamsburg last weekend, she singled out the potato boreka as her go-to order. She also praised the inventive ways some local chefs are using local spuds this harvest season, from purple potato salads at West Village bistros to autumn hash at brunch spots in Crown Heights.
While some artists have dietary restrictions, Eartheater says her only requirement is that potatoes be present. She credits the vegetable with grounding her amid New York’s pace, especially as autumn’s election cycle and school schedules bring a new layer of activity to city streets.
As root vegetable season continues, Eartheater expects to see more creative potato dishes on menus. For now, she is content to sample each one—always searching for the next plate to inspire her work.