Westchester Eats

Chef Tony Esnault

Chef Tony Esnault, whose efforts contributed to an impressive three-star Michelin rating, will be working his magic in the kitchen of La Panetière from Wednesday, June 17 through Saturday, June 20th.

The price is unbelievably affordable for a chef of this caliber, which makes it an event not to be missed.

Chef Esnault’s five-course prix-fixe dinner menu will offer an optional wine pairing to further enhance this unique culinary experience.

Chef Tony Esnault Dinner Menu

SUSHI GRADE TUNA CARPACCIO
Contrast of Asparagus, Ginger, Balsamic Reduction

FOIE GRAS TERRINE “CONFIT,” WHITE PEACH CHUTNEY / SALAD
Basil Leaves, Toasted Brioche

WARM SALAD OF RASOR / MANILLA CLAMS, CUTTLEFISH, PERIWINKLES
Pasta Impression, Shellfish Jus

ROASTED LONG ISLAND DUCK “EN COCOTTE”
Potato Beignet, Glazed Radish, Sauce Bigarrade

RASPBERRY / CHOCOLAT BAR FOR CONTRAST LOVERS

$78.00 per Person
Optional wine pairing at $40

Cooking Demonstration

In addition to his guest-chef week menu, Chef Esnault will lead a cooking demonstration on bi-colored gazpacho soup followed by a three-course luncheon from June 17th to June 19th.

Jacques Loupiac, Restaurant Proprietor of La Panetière, is excited to welcome his friend, Chef Tony Esnault to cook at his restaurant:

“I have owned La Panetière for 23 years and it is so gratifying when I can offer my clients an opportunity like this to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience in my restaurant.”

When asked about this upcoming event, Chef Esnault said:

“I am thrilled that Jacques has invited me to cook at his restaurant. La Panetière is exceptional to me because they are preserving the ultimate dining experience through every detail, which I strongly believe in and I am very excited to work with their team for the week.”

Background on Chef Tony Esnault

Chef Esnault hails from Saumur in France’s Loire Valley. He grew up on his grandparents’ farm surrounded by fresh seasonal produce and was inspired by his grandmother’s passion in the kitchen.

The famed Alain Ducasse mentored Esnault beginning in 1996 in Europe – - an honor bestowed upon only a few.

Chef Esnault then moved to the United States joining the Ritz-Carlton Group in San Francisco. Then it was off to The Ritz in Boston where he was awarded “Best Hotel Chef of America” by Food & Wine magazine in 2004.

The magical paths of Chefs Ducasse and Esnault crossed once again.  Chef Tony Esnault  joined Alain Ducasse at the Essex House in NYC earning him the highly coveted three-star rating by the Michelin Guide in 2006 – - a feat that has only fallen upon seven restaurants in the United States to date.

His next venture with Ducasse’s Adour landed him with accolades including three-stars from the NY Times in addition to a very respectable two-star Michelin Guide rating.

La Panetière Restaurant
530 Milton Road, Rye, NY 10580
914-967-8140

A friend of mine loves to entertain and always has snacks on-hand.  This one took me by surprise.  He had sauce from a Shrimp Scampi dish and decided to drizzle it over popcorn.  The hot popcorn took in the buttery delicious sauce and this made for a great and decidedly different treat!

Dedicated to our friend, Larry!

Ingredients

Popcorn (pop according to package instructions and set aside)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, toss with your freshly made popcorn, and serve immediately.

James Beard Award

Westchester Eats would like to extend a huge congratulations to Dan Barber for winning “Outstanding Chef” for Blue Hill in NYC at this year’s James Beard awards.

We are fortunate to have you right in our very own backyard at Stone Barns.  Way to go.

Blue Hill

At a recent 50+ bottle tasting, I continued to be intrigued about a little device that I’ve used for a few years which gives a hint to the future of a particular wine.  Exploring a wine and wondering when it will be at its peak is difficult.

Alchemy at its best!

Then came the Clef du Vin.  This magical little device when dipped into wine mimics how a wine will develop over time.  Tasting the wine and realizing it seemed very young… One dip of the Clef into the glass, for one second, then a taste – - rounder and smoother finish, softer tannins. According to the white papers, it doesn’t actually age the wine but the alloy provides the essence of aging.

Even my most skeptical wine friends were blown away once they tried it.  I am always amazed.  For me, it was $99 well spent – - thought you might like to know about it.

I purchased mine locally at Wine Enthusiast in Elmsford, but have seen it on many websites, too.