Say Cheese!
Loaves and Fishes in Sagaponack has sourced some new cheese varieties from around the world. Karina Forrest, the store manager, writes: "My Oma (German for grandmother, Anna Pump), my mother, and myself all have a fondness for cheese and take the curation of our cheese case seriously." Now a fourth generation of the family is inspiring new ideas and further exploration. Willow Anna Forrest, Ms. Forrest's daughter, is the latest extension of the Loaves and Fishes family tradition.
In the cheese department, look for Wavreumont, a raw and organic cheese from Belgium with a smooth taste and creamy semi-soft texture; Tremblaye, an organic fermier camembert from France with a nutty taste, creamy texture, and not too strong flavor; Willoughby from Jasper Hill in Vermont, a very creamy cheese with a washed rind and similar taste and texture to Tallegio; Germany's Grand Noir, a blue with a buttery texture and good character, and Old Amsterdam from Holland, a classic gouda. All of these cheeses are made from cow's milk and available at the store now.
March Into 1770
The 1770 House will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a corned beef and cabbage dinner on Sunday for $17.70. Add a beer and the dinner will cost $20 with all the trimmings. The East Hampton restaurant's regular $65 two-course prix fixe menu will also be available. The inn is offering 15 percent off seasonal stays for the month as well.
Stayed tuned for Easter dinner details, including the raffle of a giant milk chocolate bunny to benefit the Flying Point Foundation for Autism.
A Rowdy St. Paddy's
Amagansett's Rowdy Hall will have Irish-themed specials on Sunday as well as March 23 for the Am O'Gansett Parade and March 24 for the Montauk Friends of Erin Parade. A prix fixe lunch and dinner special with a choice of appetizer and entree or entree and dessert is $35 on St. Patrick's Day. The Irish specialties are also available a la carte. The options for Sunday are Irish colcannon soup with potatoes, bacon, cabbage, leeks, chicken broth, and cream to start; corned beef and cabbage or bangers and mash for entrees, and a chocolate Guinness layer cake with Irish whiskey and crushed pretzels.
The options for the following week are shaved down to the soup and corned beef and cabbage entree, which are available a la carte only.
On all three celebratory days, there is special pricing on Guinness stout with a shot of Irish whiskey or a Rowdy Irish coffee with whiskey and whipped cream for $10.
The a la carte options are also available for takeout.
L&W Market
Speaking of takeout, L&W Market in Bridgehampton has a corned beef and cabbage dinner for four and Irish soda bread for the holiday. The beef is house-brined and the cabbage comes from Balsam Farms, with Sagaponack fingerlings.
Orders must be placed by tomorrow to be picked up on Sunday and can be made on the website.
Hola Espana
Next Thursday, Nick and Toni's restaurant in East Hampton will offer a dinner of Spanish wines with a menu of food to match, showcasing the character of each.
The evening is part of a regular series of wine dinners, made by the restaurant's chef Courtney Sypher Barylski and the pastry chef Kelsey Rosen, and designed to educate as well as sate participants.
The Espana: From Rias Baixas to Rioja, Our Favorite Producers Stories dinner, will begin with a welcome reception where a Spanish bubbly spritz with vermouth and grenadine will be poured and ham croquettes will be served. The sit-down courses to follow are garlic shrimp, grilled octopus, and roasted pork, with cheesecake and churros for dessert. They will be accompanied by wines made by grapes such as albarino, godello, and tempranillo.
Max Working, the Spanish portfolio manager from Skurnik Wines, will join Chimene Macnaughton, the Honest Man Hospitality beverage director, to guide diners through the wines, including two types of Rioja.
The cost is $135 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Wines from the menu will have special event pricing when pre-ordered that night through Jacques Franey of Domaine Franey. Reservations can be made through the website or directly on Resy.
Lemony Goodness
We don't blame anyone for looking forward to spring, particularly when it inspires a new cookie at Levain Bakery. Its latest invention, a lemon chip cookie, is a limited edition golden stunner with the usual soft and thick texture studded with sweet and tart lemon chips. It is available now through mid-May.
Created for those not-so-into-chocolate sweet freaks (whoever they may be!) or those who want to mix things up, the cookie is ready to add some warmth to these in-between days at the store's South Fork outpost in Wainscott. Find them for sale individually or as part of a spring cookie assortment of four, eight, or 12, mixed with oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip walnut, and coconut caramel varieties. The cookies can also be shipped through the website.
Small Bites
In other signs of spring, the Clam Bar on the Napeague Stretch will open April 19.
Armin and Judy restaurant in Bridgehmampton now serves brunch Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bakery and market is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the same days.
Sparkling Pointe vineyard in Southold has tours and talks coming up at its winery. Styles of sparkling wine production will be the focus on March 23 with North Fork Craft Wines. Four different processes will be discussed with examples to try of each. On April 27, there will be a tour of the vineyard, a talk, and a tasting of three classic champagne varieties in both a still and sparkling form. Taking place at 3 p.m., the cost for each workshop is $50 and $40 for members.
Tapovana Thalis
Those who want to feed a family or a crowd can opt for family-style thalis at the Tapovana Lunch Box in the Bridgehampton Community House. The meals are served daily and can be eaten for lunch or saved for dinner. Designed to serve four people, the thalis are $29 and consist of a salad, flat bread, vada or pakora, a fresh vegetable curry based on what is in season, a whole grain dish that may contain nuts, a protein dish of spiced beans, dal, or paneer (soft cheese cubes made from local milk), and a fruit or vegetable chutney. The regular lunch and thali menus should be ordered from the website for pickup or delivery.
Bites of Love
If spring is in the air, it's time for the Katy's Courage Love Bites benefit. The annual restaurant and caterer tasting event returns to the Clubhouse in East Hampton on March 23 from 7 to 10 p.m.
More than 20 restaurants and caterers will supply samplings of their best recipes, including Peter Ambrose, Art of Eating, Sen in Sag Harbor, and Bell and Anchor in Noyac. There will also be beer, wine, and specialty drinks and cocktails, dancing to D.J. Michael, and a silent auction.
Tickets are $75 and be purchased online at bit.ly/KatysCourage or at the door.
