AUTUMN WEEKEND

We were able to grab a rare weekend by ourselves in the Hamptons this past weekend.  The weather was glorious and we spent the days doing things that we wouldn't normally do in the summer months, when the crowds are fierce.  On Saturday we went to the North Fork to check out some Long Island wineries.  We drove into Sag Harbor and took the ferry to Shelter Island then hopped the North Ferry to Greenport. After orienting ourselves at the Southhold visitors center we promptly found The Northfork Table & Inn.  This lovely spot is owned and run by Claudia Flemming and Gerry Hayden.  While I worked at Gramercy Tavern, Claudia was the award-winning pastry chef there.  We were able to catch up with Claudia outside their newly launched Lunch Truck, her version of a roadside stand, tucked behind a lovely mural of the kind of old fashioned pickup truck she was looking for but could not find. Kirk  took a fabulous lobster roll for the road. There is no better treat when it is done right in the Hamptons, and this one was. He was in heaven. Claudia suggested we visit McCall Vineyards in Cutchogue. Although they have been growing and harvesting Pinot Noir and Merlot grapes for close to 15 years there, they just bottled their first eponymous wines in 2007.  Compared to some of the more established vineyards, they have just started tastings in their converted barn. The simplicity of the space was perfect. The wine was beautiful too. We tasted their 2007 Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Reserve and Merlot. We enjoyed a bottle of the 2007 Merlot that evening with Lava Lake lamb rib chops, grilled eggplant and spicy mustard greens. 

Sunday we drove out to the surfer's beach at Ditch Plains and soaked in the warmth and wind, the beauty of the changing light, waves and surfers.  Later we drove to Gosman's Dock had some steamers and went to the fish market there to pick up some local day boat scallops.  The scallops were destined to be grilled for dinner.  I served them with a beet and red cabbage salad loosely adapted from a recipe by Fergus Henderson. We finished the meal with a simple salad of green figs, fennel and parsley and a bit of Le Chevrot. McCall's 2007 Pinot Noir was a lovely accompaniment to this meal.

Beet & Red Cabbage Salad with Crème Fraîche
adapted from “Beyond Nose to Tail Cooking” by Fergus Henderson.
Serves 4-6

For The Salad
2 beets, peeled and shredded in food processor, or grated by hand
¼ small red cabbage with its core cut out, very finely sliced

1 small red onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced

fresh thyme leaves
2T capers in salt

For The Dressing
Extra-virgin olive oil
A modest splash of sherry vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For Plating
a few spoonfuls of crème fraîche

a handful of parsley leaves

Combine all the elements of the salad adding a generous sprinkling of thyme leaves.  Add a few splashes of olive oil and a modest splash of sherry vinegar.  Toss well and allow the flavors to mingle for a bit.  Taste and season with a few generous grinds of fresh pepper and a bit of sea salt, if needed.  I find that the salt from the capers adds enough on its own.

To Plate: place a pile of the salad on the plate with a healthy spoonful of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of parsley leaves.