Wine Time
Harvest time is upon us and an oenophile's thoughts are turning to vineyards, this year's vintage, and all things wine.
At the Cookery, which makes charcuterie boards for Park Place Wines and Liquors classes, the owners, Cynthia Sestito and Trudy Craney, asked Lisa Shock, a store sommelier, to make some recommendations to pair with the boards they sell to customers.
Different wines work best with different cheeses on the board, so having a variety on hand is a good strategy for people who want to bring out the best characteristics of the cheese.
For soft cheeses, she recommends crisp whites and sparkling wines, like pinot grigio, prosecco, sauvignon blanc, or riesling. Muri Gries pinot grigio is a personal favorite. A semi-firm cheese, prosciutto, or any other delicate ham, will be best complemented by an unoaked chardonnay, a chenin blanc, or a Provencal rosé. Ms. Shock likes Chateau Des Demoiselles Rosé Cotes de Provence.
With alpine-style cheeses, a light-bodied red with fresh berry flavors such as sangiovese, pinot noir, gamay, or a lambrusco from Italy will counter their salty and nutty qualities. Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco Grasparossa is a good example, she said. And for aged cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, cheddar or gouda, big wines are best. Look for cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, and cabernet franc to blanche the cheese's bold and intense flavors. "Tenuta Mosole Cabernet Franc took our entire staff by storm and has our customers clamoring for bottles," she said.
At Sparkling Pointe winery in Southold, a vintner's harvest dinner will take place on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Tom and Cynthia Rosicki, the winery's vintners and Gilles Martin, its winemaker, will celebrate the 2023 sparkling wine vintage. The opening reception will have a sparkling wine magnum tasting bar, and Lauren Lombardi will prepare a farm-to-table menu to follow. The courses will be paired with Sparkling Pointe wines, and the dinner will be timed for sunset over the vines. The price is $225, or $200 for wine club members. Advance booking is required on the winery's website.
Happy New Year
Rosh Hashana begins on Sept. 15 this year and L&W Market has a menu of take-home options to serve in celebration.
Appetizers and platter items include a mezze combo of Mediterranean-style spreads and nibbles, matzo ball soup, smoked bluefish pate, and chopped liver. Entree selections are red wine braised brisket, whole roasted chicken, and braised duck Sephardic style. Available side dishes are kugel, Sagaponack baby carrots, sauteed Amagansett greens, rosemary roasted fingerlings, and challah. To end the meal is a Milk Pail apple crisp.
Orders must be placed by noon on Wednesday at the market's website or by phone at 631-537-1123.
Outstanding Tickets
As of this writing, the $425 tickets were sold out for Sunday's Outstanding in the Field dinner at Fireplace Farm in Springs, which will be prepared by Jason Weiner, the executive chef and co-owner of Almond Restaurant. Names are being taken for a waiting list on the Outstanding in the Field website.
Knives Out
Water Mill Museum will look at the role of the knife in colonial America Thursday at 7 p.m. at the museum.
According to the museum, eating at the dinner table involved standing because there were not enough chairs for everyone. Eating mostly with their hands, the colonists used their knives as the main utensil. They also shared utensils, bowls, and wooden cups out of necessity and frugality.
The talk will feature Donald Newman of Sharp Cat Knife Sharpening, who will cover knife history, types of knives, and how to find a good knife and care for it. Jay Lippin, a chef in residence who was a winner on the Food Network show "Chopped," will demonstrate knife skills.
Reservations can be made by calling the museum at 631-726-4625.
