Is the dispute between Cablevision and ABC threatening to ruin tonight’s Oscar party?
Try this: Academy Awards live streaming by Livestream http://ow.ly/1pSVfq
For Red Carpet action, checkout http://oscars.go.com/red-carpet before 6pm. It’ll direct you to their video stream on Facebook.
Good luck!
Westchester community is all abuzz about today’s ribbon-cutting opening of Karma Lounge.
Ossining Mayor Bill Hanauer cut the ribbon at the noon opening, along with owner John and Cecilia Sarcone. Even the Monsignor attended and gave his blessings.
NEWBURGH, New York - The Hudson Valley’s largest and most successful dining promotion, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, returns to cities, towns and villages throughout the region March 15-28. Now in its fourth year, this much-anticipated multi-county dining extravaganza features more than 125 restaurants offering three-course prix-fixe lunches at $20 and/or dinners at $28.
Last year’s event drew more than 125,000 diners, who discovered new culinary experiences at area restaurants. Restaurant goers will have an even wider choice of restaurants and cuisines this year, including Nuevo Latino, Moroccan, Portuguese/Brazilian, Greek, New Orleans/Innovative American, as well as Contemporary American, Italian, French bistro, fondue, and steak and seafood houses.
“The Hudson Valley food scene is vibrant. The Valley is home to the country’s foremost cooking school, a nationally recognized center for food and agriculture, celebrated artisanal cheese makers and world-class wineries and distilleries, and some of the best chefs in America,” says Janet Crawshaw, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week organizer and publisher of The Valley Table magazine, the recognized authority on all things food related in the Hudson Valley.
Because agriculture is still the Hudson Valley’s biggest industry, the use of locally produced ingredients on Restaurant Week menus is key to the event’s popularity. “Chefs find inspiration and amazing ingredients in the surrounding farms,” says Crawshaw. “They go all out to use locally produced ingredients, from venison, duck and heritage pork to artisanal cheeses.”
For the first time this year, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week will include two full weekends, making it even more tantalizing for those looking for a tasty getaway. Many Hudson Valley hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts are offering discounted rates during Restaurant Week, so adventurous foo dies can spend a weekend or longer sampling menus at some of the finest restaurants in the region while treating themselves to mini-vacations.
In addition, overnight accommodations are available on the premises of some of the participating restaurants. Among them is the gothic-style Thayer Hotel at West Point with breathtaking river views; the Kittle House, a 12-room historic landmark inn in Chappaqua; the Bird & Bottle Inn in Garrison and the historic Hudson House River Inn in Cold Spring. To view lodging discounts and packages, go to www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com/links.php#lodging
Another exciting development for the event is a promotional partnership with Metro-North, which is encouraging passengers to take advantage of the many dining opportunities that are within walking distance of train stations along the Harlem, Hudson and New Haven lines. One new restaurant, Via Vanti, is actuall y located in the Mt. Kisco train station.
“We are delighted to partner with MTA Metro-North in inviting people from throughout the New York Metro area to discover the culinary pleasures of the Hudson Valley,” says Crawshaw.
Newcomers to Hudson Valley Restaurant Week this year include American Bounty at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Cafe of Love in Mount Kisco, Brasserie Le Bouchon in Cold Spring, The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry, Il Portico in Tappan, Babycakes Cafe in Poughkeepsie and the ever-popular Bear Cafe in Woodstock.
Hudson Valley restaurant goers can dine in a wide variety of wonderful settings. Hudson House of Nyack is located in a former village hall and jailhouse, where the jail cells now serve as the wine cellar and the walls are adorned with pressed tin dating back to the 1800s. Charlotte’s, set in rolling hunt country in Millbrook, serves country European fare in several charming dining rooms, each with a fireplace.
Two restaurants are ho used in former train stations–the Iron Horse Grill in Pleasantville and Valhalla Crossing in Valhalla. Restaurant goers looking for a “big city vibe” can visit Nina Restaurant in Middletown, serving Classic American cuisine in a neatly restored factory. Union Restaurant in Haverstraw offers continental cuisine with a Latin twist in an upscale hacienda setting. The Village Tearoom in New Paltz, located in a former 19th century tailor shop, serves sophisticated comfort food highlighting local farm products.
Many restaurants feature views of the majestic Hudson River, including Amici’s and Shadows on the Hudson, both in Poughkeepsie, Torches on the Hudson and Big Easy Bistro in Newburgh, Blu Riverfront and Harvest-on-Hudson in Hastings, Riverview in Cold Spring, Two Spear Street in Nyack, or the dramatic Xaviars X20 in Yonkers, with 25-foot vaulted ceilings and views down the river to the Manhattan skyline.
Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is presented by The Valley Table. Ma jor sponsors are American Express, WHUD Radio, The Gold Standard, Millbrook Vineyards and Winery, Westfair Business Publications, Brooklyn Brewery, Brotherhood Winery, Dutchess County Tourism, Westchester County Tourism, and Sysco Albany.
For more information, visit www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com
The Hudson Valley also has been coined “The Napa Valley of the East”. Laura Pensiero, chef/restaurateur of Rhinebeck’s acclaimed Gigi Trattoria has penned this wonderful cookbook. The message promotes what we’ve been hearing all along: “Eat local, eat seasonal.” Worth every cent. I highly recommend it. Support your local farmers’ markets and follow Laura’s lead.
RECIPE: Goodbye-Winter Choucroute
Pages 52-3
Makes 12 to 14 Servings
“What a dramatic and aromatic presentation this dish makes in the dead of winter! On particularly cold nights, we prepare our Mediterranean version (seasonal with pancetta and prosciutto) as a special for our customers. At the last of winter, we kick the season away with a full-on party at my farmhouse, serving the choucroute with crusty breads, pickled vegetable, and Alsatian cheeses and wines and beers. We use all sorts of fresh, cured, and confit meats from local producers. The ingredients list is long (and flexible). But the presentation is really not fussy; you chop the vegetables and meats into large rustic-looking chunks and cook the choucroute slowly for several hours, melting the vegetables, tenderizing the meat, and perfuming the house. Enjoy the whole process.
Ingredients:
3 pounds sauerkraut, preferably organic
1 medium onion, studded with 12 to 14 cloves
¼ cup olive oil
6 ounces nitrate-free bacon, cut into 2-to-3 inch chunks (I use Mountain Products Smokehouse slab bacon, or pancetta)
1 pound pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3-inch-long segments (I use Mountain Products Smokehouse)
7 ounces bratwurst, sliced into 3-inch-long segments
6 ounces kielbasa (I use Northwind Farms), sliced into 3-inch-long segments
One 8-ounce end piece of prosciutto
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
1 cup Alsatian white wine, such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer
1 bouquet garni (our mix: 6 parsley sprigs, 6 thyme sprigs, 6 fresh sage leaves, 2 bay leaves, and a cinnamon stick, tied together with string)
4 cups chicken or beef stock or reduced-sodium broth, heated
Rinse the sauerkraut thoroughly, and drain it. Spread the sauerkraut over the bottom of the an attractive 6-quart casserole, preferably one with a lid (otherwise have aluminum foil ready to cover). Place the clove-studded onion in the center. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 275? F.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the pork shoulder and cook until the pork and bacon are nicely browned, another 5 minutes. Add the bratwurst, bockwurst, and kielbasa, and continue to cook until all the meats are well colored, 5 to 7 minutes. Finally, add the prosciutto chunk and the celery, carrot, onion, and juniper berries.
Cook, stirring often for 5 minutes, Add the wine and cook, stirring to deglaze the skillet, until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 minutes.
Transfer the meat, vegetables, and pan juices to the casserole. Add the bouquet garni. Pour the stock over the meat and vegetables. The liquid should come to about 1 inch below the top of the meat and vegetables; add water or more stock if it doesn’t. Cover the casserole with a lid or foil, transfer it to the oven, and bake for 3 to 4 hours (this is a dish that will only improve with more cooking). Add a bit more liquid, ½ cup at a time, if needed, during the cooking time to prevent drying.
Remove the lid and the bouquet garni. The dish will not likely need salt, Serve immediately, straight from the casserole.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve with any combination of the following parslied boiled young potatoes, caramelized apple slices, pickled vegetables, grated horseradish, and/or a variety of mustards. (To caramelize apples, peel, core, and cut them into 1-inch-thick rounds. Cook in butter over medium heat until browned on both sides and soft but still structured.) And of course, serve Alsatain wine or beer.
Holy Smoke (aka H.S.) rings in Valentine’s Day with a visit from Sierra Nevada for a Brewery Series Night Sat Feb 13th. H.S. will have a huge selection of Sierra on tap including Life &Limb, 2007 Bigfoot, and a cask of wet hopped Harvest. For a complete tap list go to holysmokebbq.net.
They have tweaked their famous BBQ menu for the weekend . They have added Lobster tails, Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout Fish and Chips and their new Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
Holy Smoke always does it right!
Holy Smoke
21 Route 6N
Mahopac, NY 10541
845-628-9795
Most recently we made limoncello with organic lemons, it was delicious and enjoyed by so many. Then came the idea to use oranges for a more winter “feel.” The result is beautiful and tasty. I simply followed the same limoncello recipe but substituted oranges. Give it a try 
On Main Street in Mt. Kisco lies a gem of a restaurant – - The Fish Cellar. This restaurant owned by Joe and Joni DiMauro really is a treat. Down the steps into a warm and cozily lit dining room one finds a perfectly sized bar for dining alone or with a friend, a well-stocked and presented raw bar and tables just perfectly separated as to fit a crowd without feeling crowded.
Felipo, our waiter of Sicilian heritage, was attentive and made us feel right at home. The buzz in the room isn’t overwhelming and the crowd is well-heeled in a classy/casual way.
The dishes are not complex but flavorful and presented beautifully.
Crispy and tender buttermilk fried calamari had just the right zing paired with the Thai sriracha. Crisp head of romaine lettuce in an herb vinaigrette with shaved Parmesan had a cool and flavorful crunch to wake up the palate and very simply presented.
The Ricotta Gnocchi could have been more tender. When made from ricotta, Italians refer to the dumplings as “Gnudi.” Have definitely had better, however the lobster marinara was well-balanced with flavorful little pieces of lobster meat throughout.
The Yellow Fin Tuna is served rare in a soy and ginger glaze – - so fresh and tender with a crunchy peanut black pepper crust. The soba noodles on the side with tahini complement the fish very well.
One very interesting dish is the Swordfish Chop which literally is Frenched and on the bone – - a rarity. Tender, moist and delicious. This was topped with a mushroom and tomato reduction and paired with a creamy potato gratin which almost had the mouth-feel of a silky polenta with a hint of blue cheese. Delicious.
The wine list has something for most and the cocktail menu is fun and creative. One interesting drink is the “Healthtini” which is made from organic vodka mixed with fresh pomegranate juice. I will say it is more on the vodka side and the cocktail had just a blush of pomegranate. No complaints though!
The owners have a long history of being “green” and have a very strong environmental ethic. They also own Mt. Kisco Seafood which has provided some of the best seafood to Westchester for over 30 years. They know their craft.
A very pleasurable experience.
Open Tuesday – Sunday for dinner
The Fish Cellar
213 Main Street
Mt. Kisco, NY 10549
914-666-4448
This dish is made in various ways throughout Italy and France. In France, it is bistro cooking; and in Italy, we would see it in various trattorias. It is simple, yet the result is “warming” and welcoming. Make this for your friends and they will thank you.
Directions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil and 4 Tbl. of butter in a skillet until butter is at a light foam
Sauté the chicken pieces, skin side down for approximately 5 minutes, then turn and sauté for an additional 3 – 4 minutes. You are looking to caramelize to develop flavor.
Remove the chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.
Drain all but 1 Tbl. of fat from the skillet.
Standing back from the skillet, carefully pour the red wine vinegar into it stirring to remove the flavorful fond from the bottom of the pan (deglazing).
Place the chicken pieces back into the pan and continue cooking until the vinegar is reduced by half. While the vinegar reduces, occasionally turn the chicken so it becomes glazed with the reduction sauce.
Place the rosemary sprigs into the pan so they can flavor the sauce and add the drained tomatoes and the chicken stock. Lightly bring the seasoning back into balance by adding just another sprinkling of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.
Cover and allow to cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken to warm plates and remove/discard the cooked rosemary sprigs from the pan.
Turn up the heat and reduce the sauce further while tasting for balanced seasoning.
Once the sauce has reduced, turn off the heat and mount the sauce with the remaining butter stirring it in until it rounds out the sauce creating a glossy texture.
Spoon the tomato and sauce over the chicken pieces to serve, garnishing with a rosemary sprig if desired.
Enjoy.
Serves two hungry, or four as an amuse bouche.
Below is the bio on the new chef at Mauro’s Restaurant in Ossining. I have had several of his dishes and he is developing a new menu to be unveiled soon.
Giuseppe Bologna recently took over the Executive Chef position at Mauro’s Restaurant and Bar in Ossining, New York. Chef Giuseppe brings years of experience and tradition to the kitchen at Mauro’s.
“I was very happy to be invited to join the staff at Mauro’s, to be part of a re-birth of this restaurant that has been part of the community for close to 20 years.”
Family:
Giuseppe is a native of Westchester County. As might be obvious from his name, his parents are of Italian descent from the town of Capaci in Sicily. Growing up around great Italian cooking and recipes was an instrumental factor that has guided Giuseppe’s cooking repertoire.
Culinary Career:
Chef Giuseppe graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park in 2004. In addition, he also holds a degree in Psychology from the State University of New York.
Giuseppe’s passion and talent were evident early in his career. Chef David Anderson of Strega Restaurant in Pleasantville NY recognized this passion and moved Giuseppe into the sous chef position only one month after graduation from the CIA. Giuseppe has honed his craft at kitchens such as Osteria del Circo and at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills.
Culinary Style:
Working at these fine establishments allowed Giuseppe to further develop his distinctive culinary cuisine with origins derived from his Italian heritage. He has taken these skills and worked them into a unique artistry that gives traditional Italian dishes a delicate twist.
Through his guidance, Mauro’s will offer seasonal menus featuring sustainable, locally sourced meats and produce. Chef Giuseppe adds, “I would describe my style as simple, allowing the quality of the ingredients to speak for themselves.”
Owners Joanne and Don Delle Bovi add, “We keep our ears to the ground and continue to offer dining choices suggested from customer feedback and surveys. Giuseppe brings a passion for food that is apparent in every dish that comes out of our kitchen. His background, family traditions and experience allow us to offer exciting menu choices. The feedback is already very positive.”
Mauro’s
199 Main Street
Ossining, NY 10562
914-941-2662
Formerly the Harmon Deli, the name has now changed to La Monica’s Salumeria. A salumeria, by definition, is a store that offers lines of cured meats such as salamis, prosciutto, a variety of cheeses and the like. The word on the street is that the family made this change to honor their Sicilian heritage and to bring more authentic Italian fare to the Village of Croton-on-Hudson.
Inside, you’ll find authentic dried pastas from Italy, imported olive oils, canned tomatoes, and other treats. A small case offers frozen ravioli and cavatelli. Hanging above the counter are sweet and hot cured salumi made on premise. Another homemade delicacy is the freshly pulled mozzarella. It was creamy, fresh and very delicious. On top of the counter is a basket resplendent with large chunks of wrapped cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, the king of Italian cheeses,and the grassy and subtle nutty sheep’s milk cheese known as Pecorino Romano. Their authenticity is validated by the famous stamped rinds. As I often see in Italian restaurants too, the spelling is off – - but the product is real.
La Monica’s continue its tradition of creating many interesting Italian sandwiches with names clearly coming from aunts, uncles, friends and even one called the Carmen Unisex, named for the salon next door.
The take-out menu has much to offer for the party set or even for those who like to gather with friends for the big game.
Show your support for this “deli”/Salumeria with great intentions and a nice addition to this charming town.
La Monica’s Salumeria
358 South Riverside Avenue
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
914-271-3946
