After Sam’s christening, we came back to SCF for a small buffet lunch. I’m still learning how to balance being a mom, a hostess and a blogger, so you’ll forgive me that there aren’t many good photos. We’ll get there someday. Meantime, we had a killer pork shoulder thanks to Irene’s great recipe. Thanks Irene!
We’ve been to The Filling Station a couple of times now, but it hasn’t yet been warm enough for us to enjoy our burgers outside at the picnic tables. Well that time has come, friends.
The players, after the jump.
We like to grow things locally around here. And Sam, being locally grown herself, is mighty proud to say it.
A very generous gift from Irene from the gift shop at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture. Thanks!
After what can really only be called maternity leave from book club, we met again for the first time since before Samantha was born. To make things easy on everyone, especially the new parents, we chose a children’s book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This was partly because there is a new child in book club, namely Samantha. But also because before Sam was born, the farm’s friends Cathy and Thor sent a lovely present: a popup version of The Little Prince, based on the original drawings. I’ve been reading it to Sam here and there, and it was quite fun to show off at book club.
The Goatherd met this time around at John’s house. Now, we don’t know if this is because Philippe is French, so he was tres heureuse that we were reading The Little Prince, but he pitched in with the cooking, and man oh man did he and John pull out all the stops. We had an incredible faux cassoulet made with their own chicken mixed with Italian sausage from Faccio’s Pork Store in the West Village and shelling beans from their garden.
And that was just the first course. There were mache and carrots from the garden and an over-the-top salad dressing made with Peter Kend’s basil-infused olive oil and some Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumbers and their own raspeberries and creme for dessert. Killer. Just killer.
I almost wouldn’t post this meal if it weren’t for the wonderful time we had celebrating Irene’s birthday. I mean. How many times can you go to a restaurant in just one month? Three, I guess. The answer is three. So here’s o lar again.
These goat cheese croquettes are not the most beautiful things in the world, but man were they delicious. Just a mouthful of oozy, melty, yummy cheese and a nice bit of pork in there, too. Yowza.
And while we didn’t go crazy for the pizza the first couple times, maybe we didn’t get the right pizza. This one, with speck and potatoes and fontina, was delicious. We also asked for it well done — and it still could have been done more. Next time — because let’s face it, people, there will be a next time — we will ask them to burn it.
Apparently there’s a new chef at the Hudson House. I haven’t called to get the scoop on his name or credentials, but from the few things Irene and I tasted, I’d say we’re in for a treat with his cooking!
This was the Green Goddess salad, which was a little like a greek salad, but more sophisticated. Olives, endive, arugula, onion… all delishy!
The Hudson House is undergoing renovations, so we ate in the upstairs dining room, which is really quite cozy and comfortable. There’s a cute little bar in the back, and a raised area that has served as a stage during performances there (and also was used to seat the wedding party at Sarah and Wilson’s rehearsal dinner!).
I want to start off this post by saying that these “Shit that” whoever “says” videos flying around YouTube are hilarious. “Shit New Yorkers Say” is especially funny (“Where’s the train?” “All I had to eat today was a bagel.” “Queens?”).
“Shit Bartenders Say” is so good, I’ll embed it here. Please, take the time to watch. I’ll wait.
This is a long way of saying that when my friend Kara Newman posted a link to this video and decided to note the quote “I’m really into Amaro lately,” I was laughing — at myself, especially. I just got “into” Amaro — Kris and Irene have been talking about it lots lately — and this was the first cocktail I tried with it. Irene found this cocktail — the Criterium — in the current issue of La Cucina Italiana, where another friend, Mindy Fox, is food editor. (By the way, Mindy’s book, “A Bird in the Oven,” is excellent. We’ve made two recipes here at Sour Cherry Farm, and Irene has made tons more. They’re all amazing. But I digress.)
Back to the cocktail. It’s got the lovely bitter flavor of Amaro, along with some sweetness from the grapefruit and tart from the lemon. It tastes sort of like a grown-up Coca Cola, without the cloy. We loved it. And yes. I’m really into Amaro lately.
The recipe, after the jump.
Kris and Tom introduced us to one of their holiday traditions this year, reading “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote. We so enjoyed the story that Greg and I vowed to make it a Sour Cherry Farm ritual, too. Indeed, the next night, over at the Ranch, we took the story, and the whole family took turns reading from it — just as we did at Irene’s with Kris and Tom.
This being Irene and Kris and Tom doing the hosting, you can bet the evening was filled with great food. We started with Wassail, for which Tom baked apples to flavor the drink. Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of that, because it was really great. Warm, sweet and boozy. Just what you want on a winter’s night. So was Tom’s cotechino with lentils.
As was Irene’s brisket sandwich. Photos of that, as well as some more photos from the evening, after the jump.
Irene’s sister, Carol, is in town for her annual December visit. Kris and I met the sisters for a supper at Velo. The food was so good we all decided we need to go back more often. The cocktails, especially, were super. Irene and I loved our Manhattans and Kris’ martini was out of sight.
We all had rich, hearty, wintery food: short ribs and pastas. Irene’s Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli with Sausage and Fennel Ragu and Grana Padano was especially delishy.
Irene came over and cooked dinner for us — a welcome and very appreciated gift. She made a delishy meal of scallops, which we ate with pleasure by the fire.
Irene came over and made dinner for us on our first Saturday night home from the hospital with Sam. Roast chicken, kale and a mushroom-potato side. Delishy.
Yum! More photos, after the jump.
Irene was a doll to bring dinner over on Friday night: pork shoulder, sweet potatoes, kale and a fried egg over brioche. All from Stone Barns and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Wow. All we had to do was make cocktails. Sidecars, in fact.
Our book club met at Irene’s to discuss Tom’s pick: Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. Since the book was set in 1974, Irene made an aspic. Of course she did.
Dr. Lecter? Dr. Lecter? After much insistence from Boo that “Silence! The Musical” was just about the funniest musical she’d ever seen, Irene, Greg and I joined her for a performance. She may well have been right. We really laughed hard. And often.
It’s a spoof on Silence of the Lambs, with music, and follows the plot line to a T. It’s still playing, although not at the same theater. Yes, thumbs up. Go. Here’s the web site: Silencethemusicalnyc.com.
Irene had a chicken and some scapes from Stone Barns. We had coleslaw and leftover potatoes for roasting. Sounds like the making for a good supper? It was indeed.
The Goatherd Book Club met at Rory and Chris’ apartment to discuss the Hemingway classic, “The Sun Also Rises.” Rory and Chris made a special Spanish tapas meal, with gazpacho and pastel moreno and a host of other terrific dishes. They also rented the 1950s edition of the movie, which played in the background as we dined and disucssed. Here’s Kris, Tom and Chris, enjoying their meal:
Boo and Beth were having dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, so I met them for drinks on the patio beforehand.
We discovered a delishy new rosé that should be on everyone’s list for summer quaffing: a 2010 txakoli called Ameztoi Rubentis Txakoli Rosado. (You do remember my love affair with txakoli, right?) Yum. A photo of our new pink friend, and the beautiful rolling hills at Stone Barns, after the jump.
You may remember our little trip to the new Palisades Market a few weeks back? Well I went back, this time with Irene and Kris, and am happy to report that the food is very good indeed. We ordered a few things from the counter and then took them to the patio to enjoy lunch on a beautiful spring day.
Here is my crab cake and beet salad with pumpkin seeds and goat cheese. Fab!
Irene came over for a glass of wine on the porch, and we found ourselves enjoying the warm weather so much that we didn’t want to leave to go downtown to the pub. We scrounged in the kitchen and found Boboli crusts, a jarred sauce, slab bacon, onions and fresh mozzarella. Sounds like supper to me!
Sorry no photos of the porch. It was fun, though!
I was so honored to be invited back for another Seder at Irene’s. I love learning and sharing the traditions, reading from the Haggadah and of course, sharing a tableful of fabulous food. The first was in 2007, but I didn’t blog that one. Then there was the completely over-the-top delicious feast of 2008. I didn’t think it was possible to better that. I was wrong.
The Goatherd book club gathered at Sour Cherry Farm for its discussion on “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers. Because Boo has been a fan of the book for most of her life, she was invited as a special goatherd guest. Kate, a new member of the book club, also made her premier appearance.
And Kris, who was discussion leader for the book this time, also surprised everyone with a lovely treat of oysters, grapes and champagne, which was the menu at the famous lunch that Carson McCullers held with Isak Dinesen and Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller.
After our lunch at M. Wells, we did a little low impact museum visit at MoMA P.S. 1. One of the exhibits there through April is called The Talent Show, and it’s artists’s — and our own — takes on everyone’s 15 minutes of fame during (and before) this age of YouTube and reality TV. Appropriate, then, that the first exhibit you see is a podium (for you to stand on, of course) in front of Andy Warhol’s screen test short film. Only Josh was brave enough.
M. Wells is a diner. But just on the outside. Here, instead of gum-snapping waitresses and stale coffee, you’ll find pickled pig tongue with housemade soda crackers. Served warm.
You’ll also find bone marrow and escargot, oozing with a butter-garlic sauce and crunchy with breadcrumbs:
And a fun, funky atmosphere that encourages much laughter.
Come see our meal.
Kris and Tom hosted the book club’s meeting about “On the Road,” and Rory led an eye-opening discussion, wherein the club members revealed their own “On the Road” experiences, and discussed the Deans they’ve known over the years. And some people (don’t look at Liz) whittled down one person’s story to an aura: purple. Yes, folks, it’s getting weirder all the time.
Kris and Tom began a custom last winter of heading to the Hudson House during snowstorms to enjoy old fashioneds. This time, they couldn’t join, but Irene and Greg and I found ourselves at the Hudson House bar anyway, sipping cocktails and dining on mussels, which came highly recommended by Jim, and cassoulet, which was perfect for a winter’s night.
I have found for you — or rather, Irene has found for you — your new pre-theater restaurant. It’s just a tiny bit north of a lot of the theaters, but no matter. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is fabulous and the price is right. I’m telling you, you’re going to love it. The only thing you’re not going to love is the name: 9. Yes, it’s just a number. That’s it. But overlook this one flaw in favor of an excellent meal, pre-theater or otherwise.
So for the final portion of our BDoF, we went to Irene’s “It Ain’t 50!” birthday party. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any photos of the host — who looked ravishing, by the way! — but I did get a couple silly photos of some of the guests, including me and Boo. A little washed, bout, but I’m going to make a call here and say, at this point in the evening? That’s a good thing:
I liked the musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson so much, I went again. I snapped this photo of the hanging horse in the theater:
Irene joined us. We had dinner at Shake Shack again, and then settled in for a fantastic night of entertainment.
For Sunday night supper, we put our ingredients from our trip to Eataly to good use. We boiled the tagliatelle for exactly three minutes, drained it, but left a little pasta water in the pot and tossed it with butter, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Then we sprinkled black truffles on top and opened a burgundy. Wow.
Halloween at the farm usually includes silly hats. Today, the Hunna has a frightening wig:
And some yummy candy:
Irene joined us for oysters, pasta and a little low-impact singing to Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.
