Wine & Dine 04-20-2016

WINEDINE WINEDINE AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL

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APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

Alton Brown dissects food’s intricacies

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

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Off Beat: Looking For Something Different?

BY LYN DOBRIN SPECIALSECTIONS@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM

Here are two Long Island restaurants that offer special dining experiences.

Dining Club at Bistro Etc.

Michael Wilson from her childhood, her training in classical French techniques, her 20 years of experience in the kitchen and her collection of 400 cookbooks. Joining her in the

decision-making is her husband and partner Peter Whitelaw, who manages the front of the house and tends the bar.

Diners receive a menu that lists

not only the dishes, but also the pedigree of the ingredients and how the dish was prepared. So, you find out that quail is from a family farm

see OFF BEAT on page 4B

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Karen Melanie LaRocco’s Dining Club not only satisfies the guests at Bistro Etc., her restaurant in Port Washington; it also keeps her on her toes as a chef, she says.

Four to six times a year, LaRocco offers a four-course themed dinner with an optional choice of wine as an accompaniment to each course.

So far this year, dinner themes have been “Wild Game” and “Southern Comfort”. The game meal featured roasted quail and then a salad of baby watercress, radicchio and feta with roasted garlic vinaigrette. The third course—“Wild Duo”—presented New Zealand venison and bison short ribs.

Dessert was a “Not so Wild” apple and cranberry tart.

LaRocco enjoys the process of putting together the menu for her dinners. “What will appeal to people?”, is the first question she asks herself, and then the research begins. She draws from the food

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

OFF BEAT from page 3B

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in South Carolina where it ranged free, ate wholesome grains, and did not receive any hormones or antibiotics. The bison, you learn, was raised “in the vast past in the U.S. and Canada” and “seared on high heat to give it that beautiful crust.” The description continues, “We slowly braise them in red wine and aromatics for that ‘fall off the bone’ tenderness. The sauce is then reduced to a beautiful sheen.” Pure poetry guaranteed to entice the taste buds of meat eaters.

Coming soon is “Comfort Food”.

The chef says she is sure to include grilled cheese and tomato soup with her own special touch, such as home-baked artisanal bread. The tomato soup might be made with yellow tomatoes or served cold in hot weather.

“I try to give people something unique to look forward to,” says LaRocco.

Wilson. Chef’s Table is reminiscent of family dinner for Wilson, growing up in Sayville. “My older sister and I did the cooking,” he says, “and everyone had to be home for dinner.” Dinner often was clams and crabs caught off the dock. “I love cooking Long Island food,” he says, “especially seafood.” Wilson’s culinary school education was at Johnson and Wales, and he cooked in restaurants throughout Long Island and the Florida Keys before joining the Bohlsen Restaurant Group, which owns Prime and several other Long Island restaurants.

A dinner in February consisted of roasted butternut squash; braised octopus with endive, kumquat vinaigrette and red pepper hummus; pappardelle with wild mushrooms and prosciutto; leek-crusted tuna; and Japanese A5 Kobe strip steak

Chef’s Table at Prime Imagine having the chef say to you, “Come into my kitchen and I will cook for you. and our sommelier will select the wines that go well with the dishes I prepare.”

This is possible at Prime in Huntington where you and three others can dine at Chef’s Table in the kitchen, as Executive Chef Michael Wilson serves up a six-course meal designed for your special interests.

Here’s how it works: after you make your reservation, you consult with a managing host to discuss your preferences, aversions and allergies. That information is brought to Wilson and the sommelier, Francesco Belcastro, where the three plan the menu. During the meal, Wilson serves each dish and Belcastro pours the wine, describing their choices and answering questions. “I love it because you are connecting directly with the guests, discussing each course and getting instant gratification,” says

Karen LaRocco with cauliflower lobster brulee.

Dessert was warm cinnamon bread pudding and toasted almond panna cotta. The wines started light, with an Austrian white for the squash course, leading up in intensity to a California cabernet sauvignon.

Argentine late harvest wine was served with dessert.

Wilson says that most of the guests after speaking with the host leave it up to him to make the decisions, but he welcomes input. One diner in a group was a vegetarian, and so a separate menu was prepared for him with the appropriate wines.

Chef’s Table is offered Sunday through Thursday, from Labor Day to Memorial Day.

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

SCIENCE

IS

SERVED

Alton Brown dishes out science and food during new tour

(Photo by Sarah De Heer)

BY BETSY ABRAHAM BABRAHAM@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM

For Alton Brown, a kitchen isn’t just a place to prepare food, it’s also

a laboratory. The celebrity chef has made a name for himself with his ability to blend the culinary arts with science, helping eaters understand the connection between what they

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eat and the chemistry behind it.

Learning why dishes taste or are prepared the way they are isn’t just interesting information, Brown said. An understanding of science is crucial to the cooking process.

“Everything involved with food preparation is science,” Brown said.

“My angle has always been the more you understand and appreciate and learn how to work with that reality, the better a cook you’re going to be.”

Though nowadays, Brown’s days are often filled with doing experiments with food, he said he wasn’t always a fan of the science. During high school he had no patience for the subject, his interest only sparking when it came to dissections.

He picked up cooking in college and soon realized the connection

between making a great dish and understanding the chemistry behind it.

“In high school I kept it in complete non-regard,” Brown said. “But later on I realized I actually need science if I’m going to understand how to be a better cook. I had to take a lot of time to learn it all again.”

For almost 20 years, Brown has been taking everything he’s learned in the lab and the kitchen, and passing it on to audiences. He burst onto the food television scene in 1998 with his wacky, yet educational food show Good Eats, which earned him critical acclaim and became one of Food Network’s most successful shows.

The show ended in 2011, and Brown continues to be a regular on

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Alton Brown undertakes larger than life food experiments. (Photo by David Allen)

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

“Everything involved with

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“When you step out on a stage, every night is different.

Every audience is different. The interchange is exciting and unique and it’s all about adrenaline,” Brown said, noting that live shows are much more unpredictable than TV, which is always preplanned.

“It’s very stressful and creatively taxing. It’s constantly ‘can I do this?’ and then you pull it off and it’s fantastic.”

Fan interaction goes beyond the show and onto social media.

Locals along the tour route are encouraged to use the #ABRoadeats hashtag on Twitter and Facebook to tell Brown and his Alton Brown uses live demonstrations, music and audience crew where to eat in participation to educate and entertain audiences. their town. They’re looking for coffee, the Food Network, appearing on breakfast (or doughnut) and shows such as Iron Chef America. lunch stops, as well as a late night He’s also taken his experimental cooking show on the road, with the dinner place.

“It’s nice because we’re interEat Your Science tour, which will acting with the fans in that town,” be served on the Tilles Center stage Brown said, adding that they only Thursday, April 28. go to places that are Whether on the suggested by fans. small screen or the “It makes every town stage, Brown’s forte become real and has always been keeps the tour from combining comedy, being so blah. After science and food in a while, the theaters an engaging way that begin to blur, so will leave audiences for me, personally, this is how I more appreciative of the mechanics remember the cities. Fans love to that go into cooking. Brown doesn’t show off what they enjoy and it’s a lecture, instead, he uses live music, nice way to interact.” audience interaction and larger There’s no lack of food porn on than life experiments to subtly social media and it seems foodie teach people more about the food culture has exploded over the last they eat. few of years. Brown muses that “There’s a great big storytelling because eating is such a unifying mechanism that can take place activity, people gravitate to it. within science that makes for some “In this day and age, when so pretty good entertainment. That’s much is virtual and online and my storyline,” Brown said. “And it unreal in a way, we hold onto this plants ideas in people’s heads in connective tissue of food because regards to cooking and science that it’s universal,” Brown said. they haven’t thought about before.”

“I would say foodie culture is While Brown didn’t go into detail more about communication and about the specifics of the show, he media consumption than it is about did say the first act would deal with food. It’s a way for us to connect. extreme cold, while the second Food has become its own form would be about extreme heat. of media.”

Audience participation is also a See food come to life when Brown huge component. Brown, who was a comes to the Tilles Center, April theater major in college, said doing 28 at 8 p.m. Learn more at www. live stage shows is his favorite thing altonbrowntour.com. to do every year.

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

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You don’t need to get grapes in between your toes to become a vintner. wineUdesign, a winery right here in Nassau County, is bringing high quality wine-making to the people, allowing oenophiles the chance to become vintners, one custom glass at a time.

WineUdesign, located at 156 Engineers Dr. in Hicksville, allows patrons a hands-on opportunity to make their own wine. Patrons can be involved with the process from start to finish—including picking out which type of grapes they want, crushing them, pressing them, bottling and labeling.

The process is more than just being able to go home with hundreds of bottles of wine; it’s a

form of “fermentertainment,” said co-owner Vincenzo Saulle.

“This is about making wine with family and friends, and enjoying it together,” Saulle said. “It’s about the experience.”

That was the motivation for Donald Boyle, who came to a recent open house at the winery with his family. They often travel to the North Fork for wine tastings, and now the West Islip resident was ready to make his own.

“We’re excited to be together and do this together. We all like to drink the wine,” Boyle said. “It’s a family thing.”

And then there are the more steadfast customers. Gary Herbst from Plainview has been coming to wineUdesign since they first opened, and has made hundreds

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

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says it’s well worth it.

“If you like wine and are looking to make the best Cabernet you can, it’s worth it,” he said. “It’s always nice and you can give bottles out to a lot of people. And there’s nothing better than opening up a nice healthy Cabernet on a Friday night.”

When it comes to wine, the saying “good things are worth the

wait” rings true. Making your own brand of wine is quite the commitment. The process takes 11 months from start to finish, and you have to order the type of grapes you want in advance.

During the spring season, wineUdesign gets the majority of their grapes from Chile. On April 28 and May 12, guests can take the first step in the year-long process,

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of bottles in his quest for the perfect Cabernet.

“We’ve been experimenting each year with trying to make the ultimate Cabernet,” he said. “I have two barrels at any given time.”

Such a hobby can become expensive—one barrel costs $3,450.

Wine-makers can also split a barrel and do a case, which yields 12 bottles and costs $275. But Herbst

which is crushing grapes and pushing them through a de-stemmer machine.

A week later, they return to push the now fermented mix through the press, a large wooden cylinder with a bladder that expands and pushes the grapes against the sides, squeezing the fermented juice away from the skin and seeds.

The liquid is then left to age in a barrel for five months. After that time, patrons can come back for a taste test. Finally, after 11 months of anticipation, patrons can come back and filter their wine and fill, cork and seal their bottles, as well as put a personalized label on it. The only thing left to do then, is sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

To find out more visit www. wineUdesign.com or call 516-939-9463.

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

Tea Traditions Around The World

Tea has been a drink of choice around the world for many years, and the traditions and meaning behind the beverage changes from country to country. From Japan to the Americas, tea is a perfect time to share a moment of repose with friends and family. While the chance to drink a cup of darjeeling tea in India may not be an opportunity everyone can have, a good cup of tea can be a transformative experience wherever you find yourself. Here’s a quick look at a few tea traditions from around the world.

England When thinking about a cup of tea, many people associate the British with the popularity of the drink in the

new world. While tea was only brought to England in the early 1600s, the country has embraced it and made it a tradition for most households. The original use of tea was for the wealthy men. The supply was limited by cost and availability, and because of these things aristocratic men had the most access to it. The term “afternoon-tea” was first used by

China

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Anna, Duchess of Bedford who found herself in need of a snack between lunch and dinner. Traditional tea hour is from 4 to 5 p.m., and the tea is accompanied by an assortment of breads and pastries.

The Chinese may have been the first to utilize the tea leaf, but the original Chinese tea drinkers used it for a very different purpose. Tea was used as both a medicine and a preventative health beverage. Even in modern day China, green tea is prescribed for a number of different illnesses. Tea was also used in conjunction with meditation. The Chinese tradition of tea is heavily incorporated into every aspect of life. When a couple is to be married, tea is served by the couple to their parents as a symbolic way for the couple to say thank you. Tea is often served with the same care for service as fine wine in European countries.

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India is one of the world’s largest tea suppliers, and four percent of the national income comes from tea.

There are more than 14,000 tea estates across the country, and because of the differing climates, the tea will have a specific flavor depending on what area it is grown in. There are three main types of tea that can be found in

India. The Assam tea has a rich and full taste and is grown in a heavily forested region in the northeast corner of India. Darjeeling tea, perhaps one of the more well-known Indian teas, has a unique flavor and more complicated undertones. This tea can be found in the foothills of the Himalayas. The last type of tea is called Nilgiri and has a subtle and gentle flavor. This is grown in the higher elevations of the southern region. While India doesn’t have a wide variety of traditions or ceremonies, India is possibly the world’s largest tea-drinking nation.

Japan Famous for tea ceremonies, the traditions of the Japanese tea culture have been greatly influenced by monks and samurai warriors. The ceremony is not simply about drinking tea, but also about the aesthetics of the experience. The host prepares the tea with the guest in mind, and every angle of the ceremony is considered from the guest’s point of view. The tea ceremony, which is still in use today, is a form of art and spirituality and is a time for the host and guest to appreciate the moment’s uniqueness.

America Tea has a different meaning depending on which region of the country is being considered. In recent years, tea sales have risen as the beverage gained popularity all across the country. Many American s are beginning to replace their morning or afternoon coffee with a cup of tea.

Also check out p.15B for Emily Post’s common tea questions.

—Courtesy of The Emily Post Institute (www.emilypost.com)

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

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12B

WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

Please Eat The Daisies (But Not The Lilies-Of-The Valley)

BY LYN DOBRIN

favorite at bridal showers.” At Prime in Huntington, they make a white cosmos with an edible wild hibiscus flower in the base.

At Jedediah Hawkins in Jamesport, executive chef Kasia Dabrowska thoroughly embraces cooking with flowers. She has made cashew brittle with rose petals, carnation macaroons and used rose water in meringue drops. Orchids have found their way into salads and candied pansies decorated a cake. “Not everyone realizes they can use the flowers and how bright the flavors are,” she says. “it adds a little element of surprise for our guests, especially in the springtime when everything is starting to bloom.”

So what are you waiting for? Wake up and eat the flowers. They’re delicious.

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I have successfully incorporated purple chive blossoms into my salads and omelets and have found that orange and yellow nasturtium petals add spicy flavor and color to any dish.

These simple successes are outweighed by monumental failures.

I once tried making dandelion wine and ended up with a soppy scummy mess. I attempted candied violets, expecting delicate little sugarcoated flowers to decorate a cake; instead they looked like ants that had made themselves into a ball before dying.

Fortunately, I now have Cooking with Flowers by former Long Islander Miche Bacher and I feel brave enough to use flowers again. Bacher, who had a custom confectionary studio in Greenport, uses flowers in many of her creations: “Flowers add color, complexity and what I like to call the magical ‘what’s in it’ factor in your food,” she writes in her book.

When I told her my dandelion failure she suggested I try her Dandelion Blossom Cake. “Although

P.S. About those lilies-of-the-valley—they’re highly poisonous.

Vinoco Uncle Hector’s BLT

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Reservations required, limited seating available.

the leaves and roots are bitter,” she says, “the flowers actually taste like honey.” I was surprised to learn that lilacs are edible. “Most people are surprised,” she says. “I was skeptical at first, thinking it would taste like my grandmother’s perfume, but they’re fresh, heady and sweet with slightly bitter lemony undertones.” She loves cooking with roses—each rose has its own special flavor.

I was curious whether any Long Island chefs use flowers and went to Carlos Roman, one of the most creative and fearless chefs I know. At his restaurant Vinoco in Mineola, Carlos creates tapas like Carnegie pastrami empanadas and Korean chicken with kimchi tacos. I knew flowers would not intimidate him.

“The whole world is fusion,” he says, “so why not add flowers to the mix.” He prepared “Uncle Hector’s BLT,” an artistic palette where bacon marmalade, pistachio pesto and bacon croutons and feta rested on pansies, which he called the “lettuce,” inviting me to scoop up each circle with chopsticks.

Joseph Campbell, the co-owner and pastry chef of Torta Fina Bakeries in Babylon and Commack, often decorates his occasion cakes with fresh flowers. “Roses are classic,” he says, “and hydrangeas are a big

Know Your Flowers

Horticulturist Vinnie Drzewucki of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County provides tips on eating flowers safely: When it comes to edible flowers, know what you’re eating. Some plants and parts may be toxic.

• Confirm what parts are edible.

• Get or buy edible flowers from a reliable known source.

• Never use pesticides or chemicals on edible flowers.

• Don’t harvest from roadsides or fields where you don’t know how it’s been treated; even though a field or roadside may not have been treated with chemicals, adjacent fields may have been and a toxic chemical can drift over.

• Don’t eat flowers from florists; they more than likely have been treated with a pesticide.

Edible flowers for sale in markets and restaurants have been carefully and safely grown by professional growers for human consumption.

Unless you grow it yourself and know what it’s been treated with, why take the risk?

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

JOIN US FOR A FANTASTIC LUNCH OVERLOOKING THE BAY

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POINT LOOKOUT CLAM & SUSHI BAR AND FISHMARKET

WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

One-dish Meals: Ramen, Pho, Dumplings And Grain Bowls

Start with cups of vegetarian broth, simmered with salt and a tiny bit of sugar to round out the flavors. Add rice noodles, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant roasted over the open flame of a gas burner and top it all off with herbs, chili oil, ginger and lime wedges. The outcome: a bowl of Lukas Volger’s Smoky Summer Pho, a delicious variation on the pho and ramen dishes that are taking the country by storm.

Because there are few precedents for such vegetarian dishes, Volger, who is also the founder of Made By Lukas, a premium veggie burger company in Brooklyn, has captured some of the tastiest recipes in his new book, Bowl: Vegetarian Recipes For Ramen, Pho, Bibimbap, Dumplings, And Other One-dish Meals, which debuted on March 8.

The vegetarian meals in Bowl offer guidance and an opportunity for experimentation, and are designed to help you get the most from your farmers market haul, whether you

Chickpea Dumplings

(Photo by Christy Hinko)

FAMILY-STYLE ITALIAN RESTAURANT & CATERING Authentic Italian House Made Pasta, Bread and Gelato Wood Fired Grill simple | pure | inspired spring menu March 31 - June 20 Opening 6 days a week starting Memorial Day

388 Willis Avenue, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 516.621.3888 • info.388restaurant@gmail.com

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Caci North Fork Restaurant 56125 Main Road, Southold, NY 11971 631.765.4383 www.cacinorthfork.com

For All Your Dining Needs Private Dining Room Available • OPEN 7 days a week

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

are cooking a family meal or a tasty dinner for one.

Volger’s own ramen explorations led him from a simple bowl of miso ramen to a glorious summer ramen with corn broth, tomatoes and basil. From there, he went on to the Vietnamese noodle soup pho, with combinations like caramelized spring onions, peas and baby bok choy. His edamame dumplings with mint are served in soup or over salad, while spicy carrot dumplings appear over toasted quinoa and kale for a rounded dinner. Imaginative grain bowls range from ratatouille polenta to black rice burrito with avocado. And unlike their meatier counterparts, these dishes can be made in little time and without great expense.

Volger’s dishes in Bowl rely on seasonal produce and herbs and pulling

Ruttabaga Fried Rice

(Photos by Christy Hinko)

Common Tea Questions Drinking tea is often a shared experience, and comes with many questions about pinkies, spoons, tea bags, and more. Whether you’re drinking high tea, cream tea, or just a “cuppa” with a friend, here are answers to some of the top questions about tea.

“When drinking a cup of tea, do I hold my pinkie out?”

Contrary to common belief, Emily Post was adamantly opposed to the pinkie sticking out because she felt it was improper and rude. Some will argue that the pinkie out is a way of balancing the cup, but the cup is to be balanced with your pinkie and/or thumb supporting the underside.

“Where do I place my spoon after I finish stirring my tea?”

When serving tea, iced or hot, provide a saucer for your guest to place the stirring spoon on. In the southern regions sweet tea is so common that this problem might occur regularly. If no saucer is available, choose one of

two options. Place the spoon on the edge of your plate if the plate is still in front of you, or leave the spoon in the glass as you drink. Placing it back on the table after it has been inside of the tea is considered rude.

“I’ve heard that there is a certain way to stir the tea. What should I know about this?”

When stirring your tea never allow the spoon to clink inside of the cup.

Gently stir the tea without touching the sides. Also remember to remove the spoon from the cup and place it on the saucer before drinking.

“What do I do with the saucer that is under my tea cup?”

If you are standing while drinking your tea, the saucer is to be held in your left hand while drinking or placed in one’s lap. When sitting at a table, leave the saucer on the table.

When the tea is not being consumed, place the cup back on the saucer.

—Courtesy of The Emily Post Institute (www.emilypost.com)

Editor’s note: I made five recipes from Bowl. Each one took more time than I anticipated because I was unfamiliar with some of the ingredients and techniques.

The results: delicious.

Make again? Mostly yes. Although there are several places in Nassau County where these ingredients could be purchased from, I found everything I needed in one stop at Hmart in Williston Park (also in Great Neck).

—Christy Hinko

2016 Save the Date Honoring

Garrett McGuinness

Vice President / General Sales Manager, Spirits Division, Southern Wine & Spirits

Sean Rose

President and CEO, Clare Rose Inc.

Chris D’Ambrosi

Owner, Mio Posto Restaurants

Benefiting:

Hosted by Alec Baldwin MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 Crest Hollow Country Club Woodbury, NY 7 PM - 12:30 AM Purchase tickets online www.longislandhospitalityball.org facebook.com/LIHospitalityBall instagram: @LI_HospitalityBall twitter: @LIHB2016

“The price of living is giving.” unknown

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Spring Pho

flavors from Japanese, Chinese and Korean cuisines. Volger explores everything that goes into a great meal, from a perfected vegetarian broth to rice cooking tips and dumpling shapes and varieties.

He shares the best ways to make your own authentic ramen noodles, red curry paste, garlic chips and pot stickers.

Volger is the author of two other cookbooks, Veggie Burgers Every Which Way and Vegetarian Entrees that Won’t Leave You Hungry and is the editorial director of the biannual magazine Jarry. Bowl is available wherever books are sold, $25.

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

Pepperheads Unite: Hot In the City

BY STEVE MOSCO

SMOSCO@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM

Angry Goat. Dirty Dick’s. Holy Schmitt’s. Butt Pucker.

These fiery monikers and others alike will act like a siren song from hell this month, calling the Scoville unit united to the fourth annual NYC Hot sauce Expo in Brooklyn April 23 and 24. Eyes will water, taste buds will burn and sweat will build as hotheads sample, scream in pain and beg for a shot of inferno-soothing milk.

The expo, held at the Brooklyn Expo Center, 79 Franklin St., will feature eating contests, Hot Sauce Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, awards presentations and much more. Capsaicin-obsessed attendees will get the chance to sample many scorching brands far too extreme for the local grocery store.

The event is presented by High River Sauces and its founder, music industry veteran and food junkie

Steve Seabury and will feature close to 50 of the country’s most intense hot sauce purveyors. Visit www. nychotsauceexpo.com for more information.

But the expo is not only for risk-taking pepper heads, it’s also for the health conscious. According to www.hotsauce101.com, eating chili peppers and its active ingredient capsaicin benefit the body in many ways, including showing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while also helping to battle depression by encouraging the brain to release endorphins during consumption.

And amazingly, cancer has even demonstrated cancer-fighting properties, according to David Popovich, a senior lecturer at Massey University in New Zealand. According to Popovich’s research, putting capsaicin on cancer cells reduces growth and kills the cells, recycling them into new cells.

Quite the accomplishment for something called Butt Pucker.

DELIVERY TAKE OUT CATERING Full Liquor License

The NYC Hot Sauce Expo burns up Brooklyn April 23 and 24.

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WE ARE NOT JUST PIZZA!

Family-Style Dining

WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

2016 Hot Sauce Hall of Fame

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The Hot Sauce Hall of Fame Foundation will induct five spicy individuals into its Class of 2016 at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo.

Blair Lazar A certified Guinness World Record holder with the hottest product created, the fiery phenomena known as Death sauce.

David Tran

Jacob Frank

Founded Huy Fong Foods, creators of the legendary Sriracha Sauce, known by hot heads as “Rooster Sauce.”

Marie Sharp

Founder of Frank’s Red Hot, one of the biggest selling hot sauces in the country.

Owner of Marie Sharp’s Fine Foods Ltd., creator of Melinda’s sauces, the quintessential central American hot sauce.

Sam Garner Proprietor of Texas Pete, introduced to the world in 1929 and is now the third-largest selling hot sauce in the country.

GRAND RE-OPENING

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We Deliver Min. $15

HAPPY HOUR

WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

EDITORS’ PICKS

Good Eats At Catering Hot Spots When you think of dining hot spots don’t be so quick to dismiss catering venues from your options. You might associate some of these venues with grander occasions like weddings and other formals, but these hot spots have a little secret of their own, dine-in restaurant options. Check out some of our faves.

Volpe Ristorante Traditional and original Italian cuisine at Fox Hollow, by the Scotto Brothers.

Lunch served on weekdays; dinner served Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sundays.

7725 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury www.thefoxhollow.com/volpe • 516-802-7501

Pub 1910 During your visit to the Glen Cove Mansion, try the light and casual American pub fare.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

200 Dosoris Ln., Glen Cove www.glencovemansion.com • 516-671-6400

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

Vivaldi

The Mediterranean-inspired menu offers pasta, fish, shellfish, aged meats and chicken. Sister locations include Terrace on the Park, Battery Gardens, Crestwood Manor and Venetian Yacht Club.

Closed on Mondays. Lunch served on Sundays; dinner served Tuesday through Sunday.

201-10 Cross Island Pkwy., Bayside www.vivaldiny.com • 718-352-2300

Brasserie 214 Polo Steakhouse A classic, American steakhouse, located inside the Garden City Hotel, serving 28-day dry-aged USDA prime grade steaks, chops and seafood.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

45 7th St., Garden City www.gardencityhotel.com • 516-747-3000

Brasserie 214, located at The Inn at New Hyde Park, is a European-style eatery with new American, brunch, burgers, French, German, Italian, seafood and steak menu selections.

Open Wednesday through Sunday.

214 Jericho Tpke., New Hyde Park www.brasserie214.com • 516-354-7797 —Compiled by Christy Hinko

The Best Louisiana Cookin’ at Biscuits & Barbeque FRESH CRAWFISH BOILS

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

THE WEEKEND MIX

BY JENNIFER FAUCI JFAUCI@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM

Fresh Spring Sips

Now that spring is officially here, celebrate the season by mixing up some of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi’s signature wine cocktails.

These bright and fruity cocktails may even have you tasting summer as you begin to plan your backyard parties, picnics and barbecues.

Whether you are in the mood for a refreshing glass of Cool Melon Mint, a flavorful blend of fresh honeydew melon and mint, or a Peach Pinot Grigio Sweet Tea, infused with homemade simple syrup, these spring sips are ideal for any outdoor event.

For a twist on the classic mimosa, whip up a large batch of Blood Orange Fizz, an excellent option for sharing with friends and family over brunch.

Whatever beverage you choose, Woodbridge offers a large selection of wine, and their mini, standard and double-bottle size offerings are all available at an affordable price from your local liquor store.

Peach Pinot Grigio Sweet Tea Yield: 1 cocktail ¾ cup (6 oz) Woodbridge by

Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio 3 dashes Angostura Bitters 1 oz extra strong black tea, brought to room temperature 1 oz peach simple syrup ½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice Slices of fresh peaches, for garnish 1. Fill a rocks glass with ice, then top with three dashes of Angostura Bitters.

2. Add strongly steeped tea (use two teabags for a cup instead of one when brewing), peach simple syrup, Pinot Grigio and lemon juice.

3. Stir with a cocktail spoon, and add slices of peaches to garnish.

Peach Simple Syrup 2 peaches, sliced 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 1. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook

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(516) 621-1400

152223M

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

Blood Orange Fizz Yield: 1 large cocktail ¾ cup (6 oz) Woodbridge

by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio 1 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice 1 oz Campari 1 oz simple syrup (2 parts sugar, 1 part water ratio) 1½ oz soda water Blood orange wheels, for garnish

1. Fill a large glass or mason jar with ice and add all of the measured ingredients, except for soda water.

2. Stir the ingredients with a bar spoon.

3. Once incorporated, finish with a splash of soda water.

4. Garnish with wheels of freshly sliced blood oranges.

Cool Melon-Mint Yield: 1 cocktail ½ honeydew melon, cut into small cubes ¼ cup elderflower cordial ¾ cup Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato, chilled 1 cup crushed ice Seltzer water, to finish and to taste Fresh mint, for garnish 1. In a food processor or blender, combine melon cubes and elderflower cordial.

2. Process or blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add Moscato and ice; process or blend until fully smooth.

3. Finish by adding seltzer water to taste. Garnish with fresh mint or melon wedges. Rim serving glass with ginger sugar if desired.

The Magic of Spices: History, Culture, Cuisine Join Chef Lior Lev Sercarz for a publications including The New York journey through the world of fragrant Times, Vogue, In Style Magazine, Every and precious spice ingredients on Day with Rachel Ray, Food & Wine Thursday, April 21, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Magazine and the SAVEUR 100. at the Museum of Food and Drink Since the beginning of his career, in Brooklyn. He’ll offer insights into Sercarz has worked closely with chefs spices’ rich cultural from around the world, significance and history, developing custom how they’re grown and blends for them and produced and their for other customers culinary and medicinal with all levels of applications. You’ll also cooking experience. learn how to purchase In 2012, he produced and store fine spices, as a cookbook, The Art well as how best to use of Blending, which them in your own kitchfeatures 41 blends en. Afterward, you’ll along with recipes and work with Sercarz and cooking tips provided his team to make your by renowned chefs own customized spice and culinary minds inblend to take home. cluding Gail Simmons, Sercarz is one of the Lior Lev Sercarz Daniel Boulud, Eric (Photo by Thomas Schauer) world’s most renowned Ripert and Apollonia spice experts and the founder of La Poilâne.

Boîte, a biscuits and spice shop in Museum of Food and Drink New York City.

(MOFAD) is located at 62 Bayard St. Recently, he has been named one in Brooklyn. Visit www.mofad.org for of Bon Appétit‘s “Tastemakers of 2012” more information or to register for and La Boîte has been featured in this program. Cost is $25, all ages.

La Rotonda RISTORANTE

“A little newer, a little better”

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over medium/low heat until all sugar is dissolved.

2. Allow mixture to cool, with peaches still inside the pan.

3. Once the syrup has cooled, about 30 minutes, remove the peaches with a slotted spoon.

4. Transfer the syrup to a mason jar or a plastic squeeze bottle. You can use this mixture for naturally flavored sodas or other cocktails

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

Sephardic eggs

BY LYN DOBRIN SPECIALSECTIONS@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM

When the “Kosher for Passover” products start appearing in the supermarkets I head to the dairy case

to buy a dozen white eggs. They have to be white but soon I will turn them into brown as I prepare huevas humanidos, a typical dish of Sephardic Jews, that is especially popular during Passover.

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8 DAYS OF DEALS

They will simmer for hours in a big pot of water to which I have added papery red and yellow onion skins.

As the eggs cook, the onion skins dye the shells a gorgeous brown to mahogany, sometimes leaving interesting stripes on the eggs. Meanwhile the white of the egg is turning a pale brown and the yolks are getting more and more creamy.

As a child, during Passover this was my breakfast every day—two eggs and matzoh slathered with lots of cold butter—difficult to do without breaking the matzoh, sprinkled with salt.

The eggs would sit on the stove all week, reheated when we wanted them, turning darker and darker. I can’t imagine how we didn’t die of food poisoning—if we thought about that at all, we probably assumed that reheating the eggs before we ate them would kill off any bacteria.

My mother was a Sephardic Jew and her traditions differed somewhat from my father’s who was Ashkenazi.

The Sephardim are those Jewish refugees who found asylum in the Iberian Peninsula after the First Holy Temple in Jerusalem was sacked by the Babylonians. In 1492, after a Gold Age of poetry, philosophy and learning, the Jews were expelled from Spain and ending up in far-flung lands in northern Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. My mother’s ancestors settled in the part of Serbia that became Yugoslavia. Her family emigrated to the U.S. in the early part of the 20th century when she was five

years old. Instead of Yiddish, my maternal grandparents spoke Ladino, a language based on Spanish and Hebrew—my grandparents were called Nonu and Nona. And I much preferred my Nona’s Mediterraneanstyle cooking to gefilte fish and stuffed cabbage.

While I remember my Nona’s food very well, I don’t remember what was served during the Passover meal. That’s because I was preoccupied with the afikomen, a practice found at both Sephardic and Ashkenazi seders. A piece of matzoh, wrapped in a napkin, is hidden with one of the adult participants. We children spent the Seder stealing the matzoh, each aided by an ally—mine was Nonu who was partial to me as the only girl. At the end of the meal Nonu would “buy” back the afikomen. There is much significance behind the afikomen but basically it served to keep the children happy during the long service. I can still hear my mother saying, “Come on, pops, and move it along; we’re hungry.”

Nonu died when I was 11 and the seder moved to my Ashkenazi grandparents and the food changed.

I called my older cousin Jerry to see what he remembered of Nona’s meal. He confirmed that her haroset, the sweet paste that symbolizes the mortar used by slaves in Egypt, included dates and figs along with the typical apples and nuts found in the Ashkenazi preparation. And that Nona used matzoh meal instead of dough to make her wonderful meat and spinach pies.

I spoke with Rabbi Ira Rohde of Congregation Shearith Israel in Manhattan to find out more about the food. Often called the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, Shearith Israel is the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, established in 1654. As a general rule, Rabbi Rohde said, Ashkenazi took on strictures of not including any kind of grain or legume that could make any type of flour—the five classic grains of wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt.

Amongst the Sephardim it varied and many completely allowed other grains such as millet and rice. “The food depends upon the community,” says Rabbi Rohde. For example, he says, the Moroccan Sephardic Jews don’t eat fish during Passover because pieces of bread were used as bait.”

No matter the customs and the food served, the Passover Seder is universal for all Jews following the Haggadah that tells the story of the Jewish liberation from slavery in Egypt following the Biblical stricture in the Book of Exodus to educate the next generation.

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

&DINE WINEDINE WINE D

I

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C

T

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To advertise in this directory call 516-747-8282 or email Advertising@AntonMediaGroup.com

DINNER SPECIAL

138 Jericho Turnpike, Mineola, NY 11501

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL

Eat In only with ad. Excluding Specials & Holidays.

Up to 6 people. Expires 6-30-16.

(corner of Willis & Jericho)

HOURS:

Tel: 516-877-1370 Fax: 516-877-1962

Starting at $1495

M-TH 11AM-10PM FRI. 11AM-11PM SAT. 4PM-11PM SUN 4PM-10PM

CATERING ON AND OFF PREMISES FOR ALL YOUR PARTY NEEDS

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Serving Up History Since 1948

37 Great Neck Road, Great Neck, NY • 516-773-8010 • Fax 773-8012

www.MykonosRestaurantOfGreatNeck.com

HOURS: Mon. - Sat. 6am - 4pm, Sunday 7am - 3pm

✰ BREAKFAST ✰ BRUNCH ✰ LUNCH ✰ DELIVERY

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ITALIAN CUISINE CATERING

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for locations, visit:

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in honoring the ladies we cannot live without Seatings starting at 11am Adults $32.95 ~ Kids $15.95 (12 and Under) (plus tax & gratuity) DINNER MENU 2:30pm to Closing

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“Every Kind Of The Very Best Chicken In The World...& So Much More!!!

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JOIN US

Poultry Celebrating 66 YEARS Mart AND STILL COUNTING...

EST. 1950

• Daily Events • Paint Night • Celebrate your Birthday in Style • Happy Hour • Catering for all your needs

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Est. 2003

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ALL OF OUR FOOD IS PREPARED FRESH DAILY

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HAPPY HOUR | CATERING | TAKE OUT | PRIVATE PARTIES

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WINE & DINE • APRIL 20 - 26, 2016

THE GARDEN CITY HOTEL

LONG ISLAND RESTAURANT WEEK IS EVER Y WEEK AT POLO STEAKHOUSE IN THE GARDEN CITY HOTEL

35 per person ++

$

SMALL PLATES

MAIN COURSE

DESSERTS

Choice of

Choice of Pan Roasted Salmon Green Lentils, Tomato, Tarragon ~ Roasted Organic Chicken

Choice of

Classic Lobster Bisque ~ Simple Salad of Artisanal Young Greens Shallot Vinaigrette ~ Traditional Caesar Salad Parmesan Croutons

Whole Grain Risotto, Mascarpone, Fresh Herbs ~ Braised Short Ribs of Beef Roasted Heirloom Carrots

Tahitian Vanilla Creme Brulee Fresh Berries, Shortbread Cookie ~ Chocolate Ganache Cake Toasted Marshmallows, Caramel Sauce

This May, Join Us at THE GARDEN CITY HOTEL 45 Seventh Street, Garden City, NY 11530 516-747-3000 | www.gardencityhotel.com

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CRAFT COCKTAILS, SMALL PLATE MENU & EVENTS AL FRESCO TUESDAY - SATURDAY 4PM 'TIL CLOSE