Cookin' in the 'Cuse

On Saying "Good bye": A little love note to the 'Cuse

I have struggled long and hard with this post.  As you may know, I have accepted a new position in Chicago and my family and I are in the process of moving and grieving this incredible city and region we love so much.  I have seen many blogs come and go over the six and a half years I've been writing Cookin' in the 'Cuse.  Many of them simply faded away with a last recipe and no "goodbye".  But after the past few months when our food community has said sudden goodbyes to Deb Whiting, Linda "Sparky" Mortimer, and now chef Brian Shore, I've decided that I must find the words to express my love and gratitude to my adopted home because tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us.  As a priest, this is a fact of life I know all too well.  As a human being, it is a fact I'd rather deny.

This may not be my last post.  There continues to be much I'd like to write about in this space.  However the impact of Faceback on my "online" time has been enough to alter my blogging energy.  I also cannot discount becoming a mother--the most desired and wonderful thing that has ever happened to me.  My blogging has become very infrequent and I wish that were different.  But I thank each and every one of you for reading, keeping up with my food passion, and for inspiring me to seek out the most incredible food, food producers, and cooks/chefs Syracuse has to offer.

Even more, I am incredibly grateful that I have come to know and cherish so many of you.  Each time someone who reads this blog introduces themselves to me it totally makes my day.  And truly, one of the shifts for me has been about going from being a solitary writer and newcomer to the area to one who feels so engaged and connected to this community that it is painful to leave it.

I can't tell you what it means to be chosen to speak at the Slow Food CNY Food Speaker and Film series--I'll be at the Red House next Wednesday at 7pm to speak and the film, Food Stamped will be shown.  I am thankful for this last opportunity to gather with my food family.

Yes, there is great food in Chicago.  Nearly every neighborhood has a "celebrity chef" cooking in it.  And none of that matters to me.  I find myself asking the question I pondered exactly 8 years ago when I was preparing to move to Syracuse:  How will we eat?

Behind that question isn't just the mechanics of where we will buy our food.  This question is really about what community of farmers, producers, advocates, cooks, and friends will nourish us.  Syracuse, Central New York, the Finger Lakes--for all the ways you have nourished me and my family, thank you. 

I'm not sure what will become of this blog--we'll see.  I'm also not sure if I'll blog about food in Chicago.  But I do know this:  this is a great food destination and I will be back to visit, eat, and rejoice in this delicious community.

All my love to you,

Jennifer

Top Ten Food & Farm Experiences of 2008: The Final Five

I am finally coming up for air after the holidays, moving into a new residence, and writing nonstop for the other parts of my life--thanks for hanging around during my hiatus! 

There is so much I want to write about here but finding the time and energy to do it has been difficult.  But lest anyone think that I can't really count to ten, I herewith present the final five of my Top Ten Food and Farm Experiences of 2008:

CSA and Market Explosion

Watching the increase in demand for locally grown and produced food in the Syracuse area was an amazing thing to see.  In the year 2008 we nearly doubled the number of options for shopping at farmers' markets and subscribing to community supported agriculture programs.  New markets like the one at Green Hills Market in the Valley, the organic market in Skaneateles, and the second year of the market at Loguen Park meant that one could obtain fresh, local food almost everyday of the week.  Add the new CSAs distributing in Syracuse like Wyllie Fox Farm and Common Thread Community Farm and you can see the beginnings of what I hope will be a deep and lasting alternative food system for our area.

Slow Food Central New York and Syracuse Grows

If there is anything Syracuse has in abundance it is grassroots energy.  The near simultaneous development of Syracuse Grows and a local Slow Food chapter have fired up our community for action while providing lots of ways to get involved in creating a just and sustainable food system.

From their mission statement:  Syracuse Grows is a grassroots network cultivating a just foodscape in the city of Syracuse. We provide programming resources and education to grow equitable local food production, distribution and consumption through urban agriculture and community gardening.   They meet the second Tuesday of the month at the Cornell Cooperative Extension.  Check out what they've been up to here.

Slow Food CNY had a record turn out at its last meeting and it is so exciting to see how much enthusiasm they've generated in the community.  I've posted about Slow Food events on this blog in the past but these events were not hosted by our local convivum (chapter) because we didn't have one.  Now we do and they are working with Syracuse Grows and other area groups to support the preservation of our local foodways and to encourage the pleasures of the table.  And they'll advocate for sustainabiity along the way.  Check out their blog here.

Discovery of Boom Boom Mex Mex

Talk about slow--I just discovered this place--the day before it closed for the season back in October.  I'm always looking for good, authentic Mexixan food and this place is the real deal.  It is definitely worth the drive to Marcellus to pick up a burrito with all the fixings prepared fresh--no cans of premade salsa here--you can watch them prepare right in front of you.  I'll post more about Boom Boom when they reopen in the spring.

The Gramercy Tavern--an Unforgettable Meal

This meal really needs its own post--perhaps I'll get to that eventually.  But let these words suffice:  Chocolate bacon tart.  For dessert.  It was an incredible way to top off an amazing tasting menu put together on the fly by chef Michael Anthony at Gramercy Tavern.  And yes, this is about Central New York because Michael Anthony grew up here--went to Camillus High and everything.  It was a meal to remember but what made it so great in addition to the food, was conversation with Michael in between courses.  He's a true advocate for local, seasonal food and when he gets in the kitchen, he really knows how to make magic happen from simple ingredients--house made pasta, house made sausages--nothing is wasted.  He's my hero and I can't wait to get back there.

and speaking of heroes....

President Barack Obama

Not a food or farm experience per se, but the election of now President Barack Obama means, among other things, that the "can do" spirit and creative imagining can live once again in the hearts of the people of this country.  There will be changes in our country--some of them will be immediate and others will be slow to come but there is a sense of optimism and hope that will no doubt permeate the world of food, food justice, and sustainable food production so that even in a time of financial difficulty.  And personally, it meant more than I thought I knew to finally see a  person of color take the oath of office for President.  What a time to be alive.  Here's to 2009 and all of the delicousness that awaits!

Syracuse Slow Food Organization Meeting Tonight

Once again, plans are afoot to create a Slow Food chapter here in Syracuse and the first meeting to get organized is tonight.  Everyone interested in learning about Slow Food and the possibilities of forming a convivium here in Syracuse should come to Second Story Books at 5:00 pm at 550 Westcott Street. 

Paul Mercurio is leading this effort and has also set up a blog where you can keep track of Slow Food developments here in Syracuse.  Check it out here. 

This is just one more sign of the interest and momentum that issues of eating locally and sustainably have garnered in our area.  The work of the Central Leatherstocking Convivium based in Hamilton gives me great hope about what may be possible here.  To read some of their past activities, click on the Slow Food category on the right and to learn more about Slow Food in general, check out their website.

Fork: Fresh and Seasonal in Philly

I lived in Philadelphia to do an internship in the summer of 1993.  This was "pre-Striped Bass" Philly, "pre-Food Scene Philly", this was "food is all about either cheesesteaks, White Dog Cafe or Le Bec-Fin" Philly.  I ate exclusively from the Reading Terminal Market supplemented by milk purchased at my local Wawa.  This was "pre-Fork Restaurant" Philly.

What happened?  Well, probably alot but by 1997 when I came back for a conference, the convention center had been completed and Striped Bass was THE place and Fork was soon to open--Philadelphia had a bona fide food scene.  Tonight, while on business in the City of Brotherly Love, I had the chance to dine at Fork and, oh my.  I could live here.

Fork is all about the seasonal, local, fresh New American style and they have got it down.  But in addition to the "standard" new American fare, they offer takes on Mexican cuisine as well--pan seared chili-spiced Mexican prawns with caramelized pearl onion and mango relish is one example.  The excellent wine list is heavy on old world wine and Fork is known for its innovative cocktails.

Ellen Yin, one of the co-owners came to my table to talk about the places like Branch Creek Farm (Bucks County) and the other producers that supply their meat and produce.  But this isn't just another restaurant latching on to a trend.  Fork actually hosts Slow Food dinners, has supper club meetings, and is a vital part of the community. 

There were some twenty of us sitting down for dinner in one of the private dining rooms and we all managed to be served in good time, with good pacing, correct orders and all the professionalism you'd expect of a restaurant of this caliber.  Every now and then the room would fall to near silence as we tucked into our dishes.  I'll look forward to returning when I can sample more from their menu and I hope to hit the Fork:etc. next door which sells food to go from breakast through late night (it's a four hour drive back home to the 'Cuse, after all).  If you find yourself in Philly, check out Fork--just a few minutes walk from Independence Hall.

Crispy Duck Confit with Frisee, Bacon, Sekel Pears and Basil Vinaigrette--the sweet pears where a nice contrast to the tangy vinaigrette and succulent duck confit.

Grilled Chimichurri Marinated Hangar Steak with Sauteed Swiss Chard, Yucca Frites and Spicy Aioli--I shared my frites, and I ate and ate, and could not come close to finishing this delectable dish.  Yucca is a root vegetable similiar to potatoes but with a sweetness much like sweet potatoes.  This dish paired deliciously with a Simon Hackett "the Gatekeeper" 2003 Shiraz.

Espresso Cheese Cake with Shortbread Crust and Chocolate Sauce--okay, I did save enough roon to polish off this dessert--a very fine, creamy rendition of one of my favorite desserts.

Fork Restaurant, 306 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 215-625-9425

Is this progress?

I had just graduated from college and my friends knew I loved to cook, so that Christmas one of them gifted me with a copy of the Joy of Cooking.  I loved it.  Having learned to cook at my mother's side and with the help of a 1938 edition of the Boston School of Cooking Cookbook by Fannie Farmer that my grandfather handed down to me, the Joy of Cooking was perfect.  It was comprehensive, easy to follow, and a wonderful resource for expanding my repertoire of the classics.

Almost ten years after receiving that first copy, the much heralded update appeared in 1997.  THIS edition is the one I use frequently and when folks compliment me on my scones and pancakes, or chicken soup--I have to give the credit to this edition of Joy which gave me the base from which to explore my own take on these everyday standbys.

Now there is a new edition.  Seventy-five years after Irma Rombauer's classic, her progeny--Marion Rombauer Becker and her son, Ethan Becker--have added some 500 new recipes and have taken a few steps back.  This is curious because this is also the team that brought us the 1997 edition I love. 

But these words from the editorial director of The Good Cook book club gives me pause:

"Connoisserus of Joy noticed the 1997 version was a little more 'chef-like'--less geared toward home cooks; but in this, the 75th anniversary edition, the focus is squarely back on home cooking.  The voice and spirit, definitely, are more in keeping with the original notes from Irma, and you'll find favorites they dropped or abridged in the last edition:  There's more casseroles, more family fare, more convenience foods--no more 'everything should be made from scratch'!"

Now, I haven't ever read or cooked from Irma's first editions so I don't know how much of a departure the 1997 revision actually was.  But from the copy I used--issued in 1975--I couldn't tell too much of a difference.  I'm willing to admit that the kinds of foods I like to cook and the way I prepared them had changed between 1988 when I first received that copy and when the 1997 edition was released.  So it may be that I grew with the revision.  I'm also willing to admit that in that interim I had spent several years in Berkeley, CA and discovered Alice Waters and seasonal cooking.  I'm sure that had something to do with it.  I had evolved, the Joy of Cooking had evolved and when we met up again in 1997 we were in the same place.

But what is this, "no more 'everything should be made from scratch'"???  This isn't the Joy of Sandra Lee!  For me, the joy of cooking is in the cooking from scratch. 

This just strikes me as very odd given the growing movement toward healthier eating, Slow Food, local, seasonal cooking, and the rest.  I so much want the world to believe that it is possible to eat well and eat foods cooked from scratch while living a crazy busy life.  A cookbook as influential and widely loved as the Joy of Cooking really has an opportunity to help make everyone from novice to "chef wannabe" home cooks feel comfortable enough in the kitchen to experiment with new ingredients, techniques, and methods.  This doesn't mean that it would have to betray its heritage by adding recipes like quesadillas and ceviche--fine--take those out.  But PLEASE if we are going to continue to cook the great classics of American cooking (casseroles and tuna bakes included) then teach us to cook them from scratch. 

I'm anxious to get my hands on this latest edition to see just what this is all about.  But if any of you use the Joy of Cooking or have seen the new version--I'd love to know what you think.

Dining at the Source

There is only one thing I like more than dining at one of my favorite restaurants and that is dining at one of my favorite farms.  On Saturday night Harrison and I had the pleasure of sharing a feast with various friends and members of the Central Leatherstocking Slow Food Convivium hosted by Suzanne and Aaron of Green Rabbit Farm.  We thought we might share the pleasures of the table with author Nina Planck who was supposed to be in town for a book signing.  But Nina had to cancel at the last minute and lucky for us, Suzanne and Aaron threw a dinner party anyway.

Now you have to understand--I eat their food all the time.  Their mixed salad greens and bread have provided many a supplement to my garden pickings.  In the winter, I feasted on their root vegetables--some of the most beautiful carrots I've ever seen--or tasted.  But it isn't just me.

Click on any photo to enlarge.

Suzanne and Aaron are generous enough to donate extra produce to the Grace Church food pantry.  The folks who come to the pantry each week usually only get dry goods and meat.  But a few weeks a year--folks who don't often have the funds to purchase any fresh vegetables get treated to the most delicious organic tomatoes and root vegetables to be found anywhere.  Green Rabbit was already cool in my book but that kind of generosity puts them off the charts.  And this isn't the only contribution they make to our community--but things like this helps me to see the incredible value small farms make to our common life in addition to growing food.

Yet, for all the idyllic setting and the opportunity to play a crucial role in their community, Suzanne reminds me that providing all that food is incredibly hard work.  Just as you would expect on a farm, days begin very early and end late.  And, what's that about a day off???  Suzanne typically bakes some 250 - 300 loaves of bread each week--and you can see the greenhouses and fields--that's alot of work.  All so we can eat.  Hmmm.  But this is their life.  I think both Suzanne and Aaron are younger than me and I continue to be impressed at how they've chosen to respond to what must be a calling. 

So on a cool and comfortable evening, while the baby chicks ran around and laughter floated across the fields, we enjoyed grilled lamb, roasted carrots and potatoes, baby greens, and some of the finest artisanal bread there is.  And oh yeah, freshly made grape and vanilla bean gelatos with double chocolate cookies--I'm sure there were cocao nibs in there!  All this, just a couple of yards from rows and rows of baby lettuces still in the ground.  That's local food for you. 

Fantastic hosts, wonderful new friends and fresh food--I mean really.  This is the Good life in Central New York.

Green Rabbit Farm, Madison, NY, www.greenrabbitfarm.com.  Green Rabbit Produce is sold at the Hamilton Farmers Market each Saturday. 

Only in Central New York

Look closely.  Yes that is what you think it is.  Actually, this photo was taken before the snow really began to come down!  That's right snow!  Just five minutes after it had been hailing.  About an hour later the sun was so bright driving back to Syracuse that I had to grab for my sunglasses for all the glare.  You gotta love Central New York.

But this is the tip of the iceberg.  One of the many things to love about Central New York is the reason I was out in a sudden May snowstorm to begin with--a wine and cheese tasting sponsored by the local Slow Food Convivium held at Circa Restaurant in Cazenovia.  I had some last minute change of dinner plans so I was able to hang out for a couple of hours with some wonderfully passionate foodies and farmers and enjoy New York State farmstead cheeses and wines from the Finger Lakes, Long Island and Niagara regions.  It was a fun and affordable event that provides me another reason to say--join Slow Food! 

Slow Food is all about celebrating good food, food traditions and the pleasure of sharing it with friends--new and old.  The Central Leatherstocking Convivium (think local chapter) has held some fantastic events and dinners over the past few years and a new Convivium is beginning in Syracuse--I'll keep you posted.

So you'd think that that would be enough excitment for the day but I still had dinner to prepare.  I had chicken marinating since the morning and was looking forward to trying out a recipe from Suzanne Goin.  Well let me just say--you have to make this dish!  This Saffron Chicken with Parmesan Pudding, spring onions and sugar snap peas was amazing!  It was relatively simple to prepare and it would be perfect dinner party fare--or just Sunday dinner fare--the kind you serve if you want to feel as if you having a fancy dinner out.  The chicken was incredibly flavorful and we couldn't get enough of the crunchy sugar snap peas that had been sauteed in saffron butter.

This dish represents how we're faring with the Eat Local Challenge--it is a mix.  The chicken was not local but was sustainably raised.  The spring onions came from a Hudson Valley farm but I picked them out on Saturday at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City.  The parmesan was made with a huge hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano that I've had in the fridge for a bit but all the dairy products in it came from our good friends at Evans Farmhouse Creamery. 

To top it off, we paired this dish with a bottle of the very rare and very delicious 2005 Pheasant Ridge Traminette wine.  There were only about 20 cases of this wine made this year due to the weather this winter.  I was told back in January that this was going to be a special bottling and it really is.  This wine is made from the Traminette grape--a member of the family of grapes that produce Gewurtztraminer.  It is very different from the 2002 vintage--a bit cloudy in the glass, fragrant with fruit--pineapple and melon that carries through on the palate.  This wine was made for drinking with food and it was absolutely perfect with the saffron chicken and parmesan pudding--I mean PERFECT.  Check out the Pheasant Ridge website and place an order before they run out.  This is a Central New York exclusive worth seeking.

Saffron Chicken with Parmesan Pudding, Spring Onions and Sugar Snap Peas as adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 boneless chicken breasts, about 5 ounces each, skin on
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons sliced flat leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3/4 pound sugar snap peas, sliced on the diagonal into 1/4 inch-thick pieces
• 1 1/2 cups sliced spring onions plus 1/2 cup sliced spring onion tops
• Parmesan pudding recipe (see below)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Note:  Marinate the chicken the night before or the morning of serving.  You can make the pudding ahead of time and refrigerate it covered.  Bring it to room temperature about an hour before serving, rewarming it in a 400 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes uncovered, until it is hot and begins to brown slightly around the edges.  For tonight's meal, I made the pudding first and prepared the chicken and vegetables while the pudding baked in the over--the timing was perfect.

Toast the saffron in a small pan over medium heat until it just dries and becomes brittle.  Pound the saffron to a fine powder in a mortar.  Dab a tablespoon of the softened butter into the saffron powder, using the butter to scoop up about half of the powder.  Set aside.

Stir 4 tablespoons olive oil into the mortar, scraping carefully with a rubber spatula to incorporate all of the saffron powder.

Toss the chicken breasts gently with the saffron oil, 2 teaspoons thyme, the parsley and the lemon zest, coating the chicken well.  Marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Heat a large saute pan over high heat for two minutes.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil and wait a minute.  Place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan (you might have to work in batches).  Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden brown.  Turn the breasts over, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook them a few more minutes, until just cooked through and springy to the touch.  Transfer the chicken to a rack to rest.

Return the pan to the stove over medium heat for a minute.  Add the remaining two tablespoons butter, and when it foams, add the sliced spring onions, sugar snap peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, and the remaining teaspoon thyme.  Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until the onions are translucent.  Add the saffron butter and one tablespoon of water.  Swirl the pan, and when the liquid comes to a simmer, toss in the onion tops.  Immediately remove from the pan from the heat and taste for seasoning. 

Arrange the chicken on a large platter and spoon the vegetables over it.  Serve with hot Parmesan Pudding.

Parmesan Pudding

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk (or low fat milk works great too)
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a medium pot over medium heat for 1 minute.  Add the butter, and when it foams, whisk in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and cook for about 5 minutes, being careful not to let the flour burn.  Slowly pour in the milk and cream, whisking constantly to incorporate it.  The butter and flour will sieze up and get pasty first.  Continue whisking vigorously as you add the liquid, and the mixture will become smooth.  Cook a few more minutes, until warm to the touch.  Remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk the egg and egg yolk together in a small bowl.  Slowly drizzle the eggs into the cream mixture, whisking continuously until combined.  Stir in the cheese, and seaon with a heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Pour the mixture into an 8x6-inch (or equivalent) baking dish, and cover tightly with foil.  Place the baking dish in a roasting pan, and add hot water tot he pan until it comes halfway up the outside of the custard dish.  Place the pan in the oven and bake about 1 hour, until the pudding is just set.

Shameless Plug Part One

There is a real exciting synergy that is happening here in Central New York.  Interest in eating local, supporting real organic standards, and living the Slow Food life are growing across our region.  Kris Venne--the new coordinator of the Morningside Community Gardens got a nice write up in the recent Syracuse New Times and Valerie Jackson--formerly the converner of the Berkeley, CA Slow Food Convivium is now in our area and is the new co-leader of our local Slow Food Convivium. 

David Hollis, who blogs over at Rural Life 2.0 covers the scene in this report featured on WRVO--one of our NPR stations.  He was gracious enough to include me in the interview.  If you want to hear about the Slow Food movement here in Central New York--and get the scoop on Dutch Style Steak--click here.  You can also learn more by attending the next Slow Food meeting on Tuesday, February 28 at the Hamilton Public Library at 6:30 pm.  Send an email to Suzanne Slomin--also co-leader of our Convivium--at [email protected] to let her know you're coming.

Shameless Plug Part Two is coming next week.

Slow Food Wine Dinner

The Central Leatherstocking Convivium held a Slow Food Wine dinner at the Craftsman House Restaurant on Friday and in these hectic days it was just what I needed.  This event had a totally different vibe than the Slow Food dinner at Windhaven Farm in July.  The menu had actually been published in the Syracuse New Times (without any mention of Slow Food) so the dinner provided an opportunity for those who knew little about Slow Food USA to learn more while for many others it was an opportunity for a reunion. 

Just a few comments before I talk about the food:  Overall, the meal was better than I thought it might.  It wasn't that I had low expectations, it just seems that the Craftsman House can be a bit inconsistent--just days earlier a friend had a meal there that she couldn't--wouldn't-- finish.  My previous visit was fine but I was looking for an experience that would turn me into a regular repeat visitor.  In general I thought the food was better than the wine.  I was hoping for some spectacular wine pairings but in the opening announcements we were informed of the difficulty of finding a good New York red wine (lots of great choices for whites, we were told, but reds had a long way to go).  A little asking revealed that the restaurant was limited by what was offered through its distributor.  Though I'm not a wine or culinary professional--and so much of this is subjective anyway--I felt it was a missed opportunity not to be able to pair a bottle of Silver Thread Vineyard's Blackbird or one of the Channing Daughters reds. 

Highlights:

Asparagus wrapped w/beef               Travis and Joanne from the Co-op  and Theresa, a      
cappacio                                           culinary professional

*the feelings of great anticipation and celebration that always seem to pervade Slow Food meals.

*Suzanne Slomin's impassioned plea for folks to understand the true cost of food.  She noted that organic food is not overpriced particularly when viewed against the reality of high healthcare costs, environmental damage, and diminished food taste and quality that are part of conventionally grown, industrial agriculture-produced food.

*Sharing the dining table with a mix of farmers, food co-op staff, a personal chef, and other lovers of good food.

*The Food:

Grilled Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Sweet and Sour Crab Apple Compote

We really didn't need a conversation starter at our table but the Amuse Bouche got us going.  Foie Gras will always get people talking and this preparation was delicious--the wine pairing of a 2003 Dr. Frank Konstantin Semi-Dry Riesling worked really well.  We reviewed the long-debated pros and cons of producing foie gras as we joyfully chowed down on this first course.   The contrast between the compote, the toasted raisin bread produced by Green Rabbit Farm and the Riesling set the bar high for the dishes to come.  One person at our table admitted that this was the first time he'd ever had an organ meat--what an introduction!

Pan Roasted Long Island Bluefish with Heirloom Tomato and Rosemary

I was a little surprised by the asparagus (not what I'd usually eat in September) but this was a fantastic dish.  The tomato reduction was the perfect foil for the delicately flavored bluefish.  This was paired with a 2003 Wagner Vineyards Gewurztraminer which I didn't like so much.  The Gewurztraminer had a little too much going on and it seemed to overwhelm the fish so I ended up sipping more of the Riesling. 

Baked Great Lakes Ivory Salmon with Roasted Corn Crepe and Summer Chilis

As much salmon as I've eaten over the years I'd never come across, much less eaten, ivory salmon.  One diner described it as a salmon that doesn't like shrimp (its the carotene in the shrimp that turn salmon pink).  But this white-fleshed fish (common to souteast Alaska and Canada) "is also genetically predisposed with an extra enzyme to process that carotene rather than collect it in their flesh." (Stu Stein, The Peerless Restaurant, Oregon)  So this was another mild fish--milder in taste than the more common Pacific Northwest wild salmon.  The roasted corn tucked in and around the crepe was crunchy, sweet, and spicy.  The 2001 Standing Stone Reserve Chardonnay was a nice match.

Kingbird Farms Organic Peking Duck with Roasted Carrots and Cilantro

After two mild fish dishes this was a wake-up call of flavor.  Some questioned whether it was the saltiness of the dish that accounted for it being the table favorite.  I just know that the cilantro, tender duck and Asian spices made for a spectacular dish. The 2002 Lamoreaux Landing Merlot that was paired with it had just enough body and fruit to stand up to the complex and strong flavors of the duck.  I sopped up all the juices with some of Green Rabbit Farms crusty bread--the cleanest plate of the night.

Grilled Wild Sky Ranch Bison Loin with Adirondack Blue Potato and Harvest Leek Thyme Sauce

I wanted to like this dish, I really did.  I generally like game meats but as much as I loved the sauce, I couldn't get behind the meat.  It had an odd flavor to me with an aftertaste that I didn't favor.  One tablemate wasn't sure his bison was fully cooked--not that it was rare, part of it was raw.  So I only took a few bites of this dish and left the rest.  The 2000 Pindar Pythagoras Meritage was lovely, though--and yummy enough to drink on its own.

Roasted New York State Apple and Lavender Strudel with Anise Creme Anglaise

This was a lovely dish with which to end the evening.  The strudel was a nice sophisticated turn on the traditional homey version--the anise scented creme Anglaise added an elegant touch.  Maybe it was the late hour (by now we'd been eating for four hours) but I found no trouble going back and forth between sipping the 2002 Wagner's Late Harvest Vignoles and a cup of Paul de Lima decaf while I finished off dessert. 

The pushback from the table was hard for us all.  It was a wonderful way to celebrate some of the best foods of the region and to do what Slow Food does best--gather new friends and old for a night of pleasure around the table. 

Regional producers featured at this dinner included:

Windhaven Farm, Sauquoit, NY--producers of sheeps milk yogurt and cheeses, pasture-raised meat, free range eggs.  315-839-7105

Northland Sheep Dairy, Freetown Corners, NY--producers of sheeps milk blue cheese, meat, yarn, sheepskins and apple cider.  [email protected]

Kingbird Farm, Berkshire, NY--producers of certified organic duck, chicken, turke, pork, eggs, herbs, produce, and seasonally raised grass-fed beef.  www.kingbirdfarm.com

Wild Sky Bison Ranch, Utica, NY.  315-797-4814

Grindstone Farm, Pulaski, NY--organic produce and berries, also Syracuse area CSA.  www.grindstonefarm.com

Northstar Orchards, Westmoreland, NY--apples, berries, and full service farm store.  315-853-1024

Green Rabbit Farm, Madison, NY--"noncertified" organic produce and berries, bread, free range eggs.  www.greenrabbitfarm.com

Growing Wild, Fenner, NY--fresh cut and dried flowers and native perennials.  315-684-9846