News For Foodies: 12.18.14
Holiday Meals
Michael’s restaurant at Maidstone in East Hampton has put together a special menu to be offered on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day next week. Besides a lineup of a la carte starters such as bouillabaisse, foie gras with diver scallops, and duck served two ways, and entrees including roasted truffle and manchego cheese-stuffed chicken, pistachio-crusted New Zealand rack of lamb, and traditional paella, the restaurant will offer a traditional Feast of Seven Fishes Christmas Eve dinner. For $75 per person, or $130 per person with wine, diners will be served seven seafood courses. Dessert will be toasted panettone served with a pinot noir-poached pear and chocolate ganache and red wine syrup.
On Christmas, Michael’s will serve a buffet-style brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for $50 per adult, or $25 for children under 10.
Nick and Toni’s in East Hampton will be open for dinner from 6 to 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, serving a holiday menu that includes a choice of zuppa di pesce, with lobster, monkfish, clams, and mussels with saffron, spinach, and ceci beans, as an entree. The restaurant will be closed on Christmas.
At Rowdy Hall, also in East Hampton, lunch only will be served on Christmas Eve, with special choices including crab bisque, an omelette with smoked salmon and chives, and a lobster B.L.T. Rowdy will also be closed Christmas Day.
At the American Hotel in Sag Harbor, a Christmas Eve menu will feature entree choices of salmon, blackfish, bay scallops, Long Island duckling, English prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, and more. All will be served with starters and holiday desserts both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The prix fixe costs $85 per person, or $40 for children.
Year-End Giving?
The Amagansett Food Institute, which works to support local farmers and food purveyors, is making a year-end appeal to raise $50,000, as it has been offered a $50,000 matching grant by a supporter. This year, the institute opened South Fork Kitchens at the Stony Brook Southampton campus, a food business incubator and cafe, and launched its Farm to Pantry program in partnership with Long Island Cares, which funnels surplus produce from farmers to food pantries. An East End CRAFT program matches farm apprentices to local farms and provides training. The organization’s website is at amagansettfoodinstitute.org.
Round Swamp Specialties
Though the Round Swamp Farm market in East Hampton has closed for the season, its Bridgehampton location, at 97 School Street, will be open for one last gasp this weekend. Prepared dinners, including beef bourguignon, meatloaf, shepherd’s pie, and more, are available through Sunday, as are side dishes such as butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower-four cheese potato casserole. Also at the market are soups and salads and baked goods including muffins, holiday cakes, and pies. Peconic Bay scallops are on sale for $20 a pound, while supplies last.
Hampton Seafood Co.
At the Hampton Seafood Co. takeout shop in East Hampton, daily specials are offered. Thursday is taco day, with a deal on fish and shrimp tacos. Prepared foods for holiday meals, such as crudités, cheese and fruit platters, and seafood, of course — both ready to eat and ready to cook — are available. A new baker, Jennifer Corazzo, the Flour Girl, is providing the shop with bread puddings, cookie trays, pies, and other baked goods.