Day 804 : North Fork Recap Part One - Croteaux Vineyards

This past weekend we had the pleasure of escaping the hussle and bussle of Manhattan for the quiet tranquility of the North Fork of Long Island, the last weekend before the "season" really starts. Our mini getaway was full of winery and creamery visits, a stop at a brewery, a lunch truck, an artisanal olive oil store open barely a month, a speakeasy, and plenty plenty more. Over the next few days, I'll be covering each place we stopped in depth. So lets get going!

Stop number one was at Croteaux Vineyards in Southold. Croteaux is Long Island's only, and in fact America's only dry rose specific vineyard that utilizes all of their own estate grapes to produce their wines. What does that mean?

It means that the manner in which the grapes are grown and harvested is strictly for the benefit of the production of top of the line rose wines, no whites or reds here. You can taste the love, care, and attention to rose specific wine making techniques in each of their wines - what a difference!

Image courtesy of  www.croteaux.com

So what do they produce?

Three Merlot specific roses utilizing three different types of Merlot grapes from three distinct locations; two sparkling rose blends; and three premium roses.

Merlot 181 Rose utilizes grapes that are a clone of the 181 French Pomerol Merlot grape and is fermented in 100% stainless steel. The lightest in color of any of their roses - think picnics on the beach, lazy summer Sundays by the pool, the perfect companion to fireworks on July 4th -- sun, sand, and summer in a bottle! Crisp and bright, this has the feel of a classic Southern French rose. The most versatile pairing partner of all of the roses, this guy can go with anything!

Merlot 314 Rose utilizes grapes that are a clone of the 314 French St Emilion Merlot grape and also is fermented in 100% stainless steel. This has slightly more weight to it -- with a depth of flavor profile that extends right through the finish. Complex and unique, it stands alone and does so excellently. Great with a simple fresh goat's milk cheese from the local goat dairy, Catapano. You want this wine to have the opportunity to shine!

Merlot 3 Rose utilizes grapes that are a clone of the 3 American UC Davis Merlot grape and is 100% barrel fermented. By far my least favorite of the three Merlot roses - this had more of a weight to it with a robust sweetness and a toasty vanilla finish. I would even pair this with Firefly Farms' Mountain Top Bleu - a surface ripened goat's milk cheese that has been infused with blue mold - tangy, citrusy, bright and grassy goat's milk notes with a nice burst of blue spicy piquant-ness.

And what of their three premium roses?

First up is Sauvage - 100% French Pomerol Merlot grapes fermented with wild yeasts in 100% stainless steel. Think the 181 but with a dialed up flavor profile. Soft and smooth yet mineral forward and alive, this is a wine to serve at your dressed up summer gathering. It will pair wonderfully with Bijou, Vermont Butter and Cheese's ode to Crottin de Chavignol, an aged goat's milk cheese.

Next up is Chloe their only wine blended with white wine and it is a blend of 99.5 % Sauvignon Blanc with .5% Cabernet Franc fermented in 100% stainless steel. Think classic Sauvignon Blanc characteristics mixed with classic Cab Franc notes -- bright, chalky, citrusy, grassy notes with that herbaceous aromatic tang of a Cab. Complex and flavorful in all the right sorts of ways. Pair with a young goat gouda to bring out the chalky brightness of the Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

And lastly and by far the most unique is Jolie -- a 100% Cab Franc rose fermented in 100% stainless steel. Caramel and nuttiness on the nose but with a medium bodied lightly cherry mouth-feel and a nice bright smooth finish. A real award winner in my book as it really challenges your palate in the most interesting ways. This is not a rose you will find anywhere else! I would enjoy this all on its own.

Moving right along to their Sparklings, of which there were two:

The first was the Croteaux 2011 Cuvee Sparkle crafted in the French charmat style. Delightful, fanciful, light and crisp with a nice dry fruit forward finish. Great for any celebration!

The second was the Cuvee Rouge Sparkling Cab Franc Rose crafted with Cab Franc grapes and more of a medium bodied rose sparkling -- darker in color with deeper berry, chocolate, and toasty notes.

For an avid rose lover, this was paradise. But even more so, what was wonderful about the entire experience was that it truly was a small production vineyard where what was important was their love of the craft, the grapes, the wines produced, the people who created them, the environment that they served them in and more. Unlike many winery tasting rooms that are large, expansive, and impersonal, Croteaux had a small barn upstairs with lively bright colored accents and Carla Bruni playing in the background. For a vineyard whose tagline is "rose with a purpose," I don't think they could have done better.

What an amazing way to start the weekend, I cannot wait to return.

Croteaux Vineyard
1450 South Harbor Road
Southold, NY 11971

Day 803: Community

This evening I had the pleasure of accompanying my mother to hear Bill Clinton speak. The crux of his message was two fold: primarily it was about moving forward into the future as a global community, able to tackle any and all obstacles by the power of interpersonal relations. Secondly, it was about the acceptance that everyone can be wrong sometimes, and that through the power of wisdom and intelligence, the acceptance of that fact makes us stronger as a people. Two overarching messages that apply across the board I believe. It got me thinking about how such a movement of bridging the gap of difference and building communities can start from something small. Take the example of Vermont Farmstead that we discussed earlier this week -- a creamery that was built upon the basis of a community in need of agricultural and economical stimulation in a rural area -- they took something small and turned it into something bigger through banding together as a people. What if we were to do that for all of our local farms or strive to at least? Where would we stand? 


Can we start at home by eating locally and getting to know our farmers, our cheesemakers, our bread bakers, our butchers, our winemakers, and more? 


As Alice Waters said in her book, 40 Years of Chez Panisse: The Power of Gathering -- "Eating together was the most important daily ritual in their lives, a crucial and nonnegotiable time when the flavors and smells of roasted chickens and sizzling garlic, the crunch of crusty bread, and the taste of local wine drew out everyone's most passionate ideas and feelings."

By coming together to break bread and enjoy a meal, one is able to break down barriers. So lets start small -- get out there, get to know your local farmers, cheesemakers, bread bakers, butchers, winemakers and more. Create your own local community and lets see where we go. 

Day 802 : Edible Manhattan's Good Dairy at Openhouse Gallery

Good Dairy at Openhouse Gallery was an event I was super looking forward to and one that I publicized on the blog because the idea of promoting local cheeses, milks, butters, ice creams, spirits, wines, and beers is right up Fromagical's alley. A celebration of all things local!

Walking in to Openhouse Gallery a little after 6pm, I was pleased to see that there was a nice crowd of people -- not overcrowded yet -- a mixture of industry people, NYC foodies, randoms, and more.

What was nice was that at the majority of the tables they had prepared little tasting plates so that you could really taste through their offerings. This was not the case across the board but at many places it was.

The first table I saw was VBC -- Vermont Butter and Cheese -- who are one of my favorite Vermont based creameries. They had their award winning line of Cremont, Bijou, Bonne Bouche, Coupole, Chevre and their cultured butter on display with tasting plates set up of each. I'm somewhat partial to their cheeses with Coupole probably being my favorite.

Next to VBC was Saxelby Cheesemongers' table with a huge heaping mound of Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Saxelby as many of you know is a big proponent of American artisanal cheeses and although I love Cabot Clothbound, I think it would have been nice to have a selection of their favorite springtime cheeses but I guess they went with a tried and true standby which for a crowded tasting was probably the ideal way to go.

Following Saxelby was Brooklyn Gin with a summery riff on a carbonated Collins cocktail, light on the botanicals, full on the flavor, and with plenty of sparkle.

On the other side of the first space was Nancy's Cultured Dairy and Soy with by far the best cottage cheese I have had in a very long time. There were samples of the Greek yogurt as well which did not wow in the way the cottage cheese did.

Next to them was New Jersey's own Valley Shepherd creamery with a tasting plate of sheep's milk yogurt, a crostini of sheep's milk ricotta topped with honey and lastly a morsel of Melter Skelter, an aged raw Jersey cow's milk snacking cheese. I adore Valley Shepherd's line of aged sheep and cow's milk cheeses and would have liked to see more of those however the young fresh cheeses are quite seasonal.

Moving down the stairs to the main room there was Wolffer wines and Kelso beer along with an Organic Valley yogurt stand complete with granola and chopped fruits. Next to the Organic Valley stand was a Whole Foods table featuring their four cheese bread topped with chive butter -- springy and seasonal.
I did find it unusual that Whole Foods was present at a tasting of this nature as you don't tend to see them at smaller local tastings but they are big supporters of local products so I reckon it makes sense.

Also in this room was the Vanderbilt, a Brooklyn based restaurant that was serving Chocolate Pudding Pops topped with sea salt -- all decadence and richness here! There was also A Chocolate Room table serving Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream from Rockhedge Herb Farms with 72% Belgian Chocolate chunks.

Also in the main room was Stinky Brooklyn with a display of English Farmhouse cheeses and a grilled cheese that unfortunately underwhelmed. However they were the only table to do a grilled cheese which was a nice refreshing change from the other room temperature tastes. Their cheese selection was fantastic.

Next to Stinky Brooklyn was Murray's Cheese - impossible to do a local cheese event without them there! What did they have on display? Salva Cremasco, Caromont Farm's Bloomsbury and Blanc Bleu Tambour -- all from their line of cave aged cheeses sliced and on display to taste. They also had a Currant Custard and  Cherry Tree tonic from White Cow Dairy. A great selection of firm, barnyardy cheeses with a bright citrusy springtime punch.

Moving into the last room with by far my favorite morsel of the evening served by Lucy's Whey which was a baguette crostini topped with Keeley's Cheese Company's washed rind stinker, Across the Pond and two little morsels of pickle. Simple yet elegant, flavorful yet refined, bold and wonderful.

Also in the back room was Momofuko Milk Bar's Cornflake Chocolate chip cookies and cereal milk. Disclaimer - I am not a big milk fan but wow Momofuko's milk tasted exactly like the remnants of cereal -- spot on job guys! Warming and comforting and a definite throwback to simpler days.

Moving on to Orwasher's Bakery and then Five Acre Farms with a selection of their locally produced milks and hand churned butter. Last stop in the back room was Hudson Whiskey's milk punch.

Overall an awesome event showcasing local dairy, wine, beer, spirits and more. A great way for people to become familiar with farmers and cheesemakers! Here's to many more fun local tastings to come!

Day 801: Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company and my newest cheese crush

Location - South Woodstock, Vermont

Farm details - Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company

Why are they awesome?

Because they were founded as a means to stimulate the community of Southern Woodstock by bringing people together with a shared goal of invigorating the local socio-economical climate through a dairy farm and its cheese production.

Have they been successful?

YES! And they are expanding to a new cheese facility, aging caves, and retail shop in July 2012.

They currently craft two Cheddars, one washed in ale; their version of a classic English Wensleydale called Windsordale; a fenugreek infused Edam; a soft ripened Brie style cheese; and my favorite -- the Brickhaus Tilsit.

What is the Tilsit?

Well it is a pasteurized cow's milk cheese that is a washed curd cheese giving it a more sumptuous round mouthfeel and a nice density. Buttery, milky and warming, this is a cheese that will win over many hearts as will the creamery who produces it.

Day 800 : Pera Soho

Last night was not necessarily the evening to go out to dinner -- it was raining cats and dogs but when going out to dinner with family, it's always nice.

Pera Soho is the newer downtown sibling of the midtown Turkish restaurant standby located on Thompson Street in Soho. Sleek yet rustic with a warm and inviting feel and what looks like an excellent outdoor space to be enjoyed on non-rainy Sunday evenings.

So what did we have?

We decided to really explore their mezze offerings and try a melange of dishes. Hummus and a smoked eggplant dip with a garlic yogurt served with paper thin pita chips were both quite the hit, each flavorful and delectable -- classic Middle Eastern dips with their own personal flair. We also had their roasted beets with goat's cheese and raisins and a vegetable stuffed roasted pepper. The beets were coated with just the right amount of goat's milk cheese so that there was the perfect balance of earthy punch from the beets, crisp bright creaminess from the goat's milk cheese and a nice sweet finish from the raisins. The roasted pepper was warming and full of rustic vegetal flavors, excellent on a rainy cold Sunday evening. Then we had their tuna tartar served with sundried tomatoes and basil and a nice spicy kick along with a chicken 'adana' cut roll and a lentil 'adana' cut roll. The tuna tartar was big and bold bursting with in your face flavors in just the right ways. I am sure you are wondering what an 'Adana' roll is right? Well it is kind of like imagining a chicken or lentil meatball patty that is laid on top of thin Turkish bread -- a classic Turkish preparation. We also had their Pera Soho salad which was mixed greens topped with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chopped onions, parsley, and peeled walnuts in pomegranate with a tangy lemon dressing.

Overall, spot on food in a nice comfortable atmosphere great for a group of friends or for an intimate dinner one on one. A nice addition to the Soho restaurant scene, I will definitely be going back to enjoy some al fresco dining as the weather improves.

Pera Soho
54 Thompson Street

Day 799 : Freeman's

Confession - I love Freeman's for their outstandingly inventive cocktails, rustic barnyardy decor, laid back / lowkey vibe, locavore focused cuisine and their artichoke dip. The artichoke dip is heavy on the artichoke, light on the round creaminess and just the perfect blend of lightness and heaviness. What I do not love about Freeman's is unfortunately their cheese plate -- served on too large of a round wood cutting board with four pieces of over toasted multigrain bread and a half of a granny smith apple and two American cheese selections. The first of which was Sofia from Capriole Farms in Indiana and is an ash ripened goat's milk cheese inspired by the Loire Valley ash ripened goat's milk cheeses. The second of which was Consider Bardwell's Italian style toma, Pawlet -- a friendly approachable snacking cheese with buttery, nutty, earthy notes. Sounds great right?

Well not so fast...not only did the server call the Consider Bardwell selection by its farm and not know the cheese's name -- the apple and bread that were supposed to complement the cheese somewhat overpowered the delicate nuances of the cheese -- it became about the somewhat burned flavors of the bread rather than the cheese's flavor notes. On top of which, I tend to believe that a daily cheese selection should have three different cheese varieties to span the gamut of cheese styles. Lastly, if you are going to serve only two cheeses, serve them on a smaller cutting board, one that isn't meant for four to five cheeses. That being said, unfortunately I could not take a photograph of the cheese board to show you because they do not allow food photography within the restaurant.

Don't get me wrong I still adore Freeman's and will continue to go back often, but maybe will steer away from ordering the cheese plate in the future.

Freeman's

End of Freeman's Alley off of Rivington

Day 798 : The Rumor Mill...Murray's?

I couldn't resist spreading the word because it is super exciting if you ask me!

Rumor has it Murray's Cheese is opening up a bricks and mortar dining establishment in the West Village -- strictly a wine and cheese bar brought to you from some of the city's top cheese aficionados.

Stay tuned for updates over the next few weeks!

Image courtesy of www.murrayscheese.com