Special NYC dinner at the James Beard House
Feb 11th, 2010, 07:32 AM
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Special NYC dinner at the James Beard House
Last night I did something special in NYC. "Former" Fodorite, Bugswife, invited me to join her at a dinner at the James Beard House on 12th Street. This is the headquarters of the James Beard Foundation, in the actual townhouse once owned and lived in by James Beard. They do frequent dinners with guest chefs, and last night's was Brian Cartenuto of Cantinetta in Seattle, featuring a menu of Northern Italian origin.
There were about 70 in attendance, surprisingly few cancellations despite the snow day in NYC. The evening starts with Prosecco and passed hors d'oeuvres. There was Lamb Belly with kumquats and saba (served on a fork), Lobster Agnolotti with Meyer Lemon and celery (served on a porcelain spoon), Popettoni with grilled onion agrodolce, Proscuitto wrapped squash in brown butter agrodolce, Sheep milk ricotta on toast with fig jam and sea salt, and Pancetta wrapped Dates in 50 year old Balsamic. The last was probably my favorite. This should have been a meal -- ample portions were passed, but somehow I missed the Lamb Belly. Drat!
Next we were seated at tables, mainly upstairs in the living quarters. We were at a table for six, joined by a older male couple and one of their sisters, and by a free lance photographer who was shooting the event and who also has her works exhibited in the house. There were wine pairings with each course (six wines total). We expected tasting portions of the food, but the one "complaint" of the evening would be -- way too much food. Portions were huge.
The menu:
Fanned avocado with grapefruit, oil-cured olived and pickled chilis.
Grilled Treviso (a half head of a type of long radicchio) served with 50 year old balsamic and grated grana.
Casoncelli Pasta filled with a mixed meat paste, ameretti, and covered with pancetta and sage brown butter.
Pork Cheeks with mashed turnips and citrus gremolata.
Passed dishes of white beets with faro and fennel pollen and Brussel Sprouts with duck confit and sea salt. There was enough duck in the brussel sprouts to make a meal!
Bombolini (doughnuts) in mascarpone and citrus confit.
A limoncello made by the chef's father was served also.
It was a wonderful evening. The price (for members) for this extravaganza was $125 including tax, tip, even coatcheck, and of course all the foods and wines. These are open to the public as well for $40 more. Still a bargain for what it was.
There were about 70 in attendance, surprisingly few cancellations despite the snow day in NYC. The evening starts with Prosecco and passed hors d'oeuvres. There was Lamb Belly with kumquats and saba (served on a fork), Lobster Agnolotti with Meyer Lemon and celery (served on a porcelain spoon), Popettoni with grilled onion agrodolce, Proscuitto wrapped squash in brown butter agrodolce, Sheep milk ricotta on toast with fig jam and sea salt, and Pancetta wrapped Dates in 50 year old Balsamic. The last was probably my favorite. This should have been a meal -- ample portions were passed, but somehow I missed the Lamb Belly. Drat!
Next we were seated at tables, mainly upstairs in the living quarters. We were at a table for six, joined by a older male couple and one of their sisters, and by a free lance photographer who was shooting the event and who also has her works exhibited in the house. There were wine pairings with each course (six wines total). We expected tasting portions of the food, but the one "complaint" of the evening would be -- way too much food. Portions were huge.
The menu:
Fanned avocado with grapefruit, oil-cured olived and pickled chilis.
Grilled Treviso (a half head of a type of long radicchio) served with 50 year old balsamic and grated grana.
Casoncelli Pasta filled with a mixed meat paste, ameretti, and covered with pancetta and sage brown butter.
Pork Cheeks with mashed turnips and citrus gremolata.
Passed dishes of white beets with faro and fennel pollen and Brussel Sprouts with duck confit and sea salt. There was enough duck in the brussel sprouts to make a meal!
Bombolini (doughnuts) in mascarpone and citrus confit.
A limoncello made by the chef's father was served also.
It was a wonderful evening. The price (for members) for this extravaganza was $125 including tax, tip, even coatcheck, and of course all the foods and wines. These are open to the public as well for $40 more. Still a bargain for what it was.
Feb 11th, 2010, 08:00 AM
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What a wonderful treat for you! Sounds like the finest dining! Glad you were able to partake and thanks for sharing it with us. You did get my mouth watering, and at 10 a.m. there isn't anything in the house nearly as interesting as your menu and dinner is hours away...so maybe...
Sounds fantastic. I'm going to have to find out if anything is scheduled when I'm in NYC at the end of March.
Feb 11th, 2010, 09:47 AM
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LowCountryIslander, click on this link:
http://www.jamesbeard.org/?q=node/17
Go to the Events tab (if the link doesn't take you there) and find the calendar and dates and you'll find all the events along with menus for each.
http://www.jamesbeard.org/?q=node/17
Go to the Events tab (if the link doesn't take you there) and find the calendar and dates and you'll find all the events along with menus for each.
Feb 11th, 2010, 10:54 AM
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I hope that you will allow me a quick brag. My daughter has twice created the desserts at the James Beard House dinners. Once under chef, Ranveer Brar, and once under chef, Pepino. She said it was a hectic, exhilarating experience. She is now the head pastry chef at MOO in the XV Beacon Hotel in Boston and she is only 23 years old.
Feb 11th, 2010, 11:05 AM
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Oh my! That sounds like a wonderful meal and experience. Thanks for sharing Patrick. I didn't know about this and I'll have to put it on my to do list for the next time we're in NYC.
Very cool, shaz. I'm in the Boston area so I'll have to make a trip to the restaurant so I can be sure to give my special thanks to the pastry chef!
Very cool, shaz. I'm in the Boston area so I'll have to make a trip to the restaurant so I can be sure to give my special thanks to the pastry chef!
Feb 11th, 2010, 11:20 AM
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Wow..thanks for sharing Neo!
Everything sounded fab..50 year old balsamic and homemade Limoncello.(insert the drool emoticon)
Wife just prepared for a dinner party the dates with bacon not pancetta but its a delicious app.
It's on our list and a must do next time in NYC.
Thanks again for the awesome report!
Everything sounded fab..50 year old balsamic and homemade Limoncello.(insert the drool emoticon)
Wife just prepared for a dinner party the dates with bacon not pancetta but its a delicious app.
It's on our list and a must do next time in NYC.
Thanks again for the awesome report!
Feb 12th, 2010, 04:14 PM
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Well dear Patrick, how did I not see this wonderful thread of yours until right now?
As usual your description of the food you were served is so detailed and of course so descriptive, sigh, said with a wistful voice of envy, lol.
But seriously, I am so happy that you sound so happy and that you had you had such a wonderful evening! I think I related to you that I had the pleasure of "running into" James Beard in the small city I use to live in. We were going to dine at the restaurant that also was a sort of hotel/B&B. After a cocktail in the Lounge I went to the Ladies Room before we were seated in the restaurant. This was a very old building, a former "house" for quite some decades actually. Anyway, when leaving the ladies room I opened the door which opened up into the narrow hallway and it crashed into quite a large and tall man. I was so embarrassed. When I looked up at him I said something along the lines of "you are James Beard!" He gave me the most wonderful smile and said something like "I am indeed". Long story short the new chef for the restaurant was a friend of his and he had been her mentor. We walked together back to the Lounge..people were astonished, lol, we had a drink and a wonderful conversation and than he went into the kitchen. And of course we had the most wonderful dinner. A lovely memory as he was an interesting and joyful person.
As usual your description of the food you were served is so detailed and of course so descriptive, sigh, said with a wistful voice of envy, lol.
But seriously, I am so happy that you sound so happy and that you had you had such a wonderful evening! I think I related to you that I had the pleasure of "running into" James Beard in the small city I use to live in. We were going to dine at the restaurant that also was a sort of hotel/B&B. After a cocktail in the Lounge I went to the Ladies Room before we were seated in the restaurant. This was a very old building, a former "house" for quite some decades actually. Anyway, when leaving the ladies room I opened the door which opened up into the narrow hallway and it crashed into quite a large and tall man. I was so embarrassed. When I looked up at him I said something along the lines of "you are James Beard!" He gave me the most wonderful smile and said something like "I am indeed". Long story short the new chef for the restaurant was a friend of his and he had been her mentor. We walked together back to the Lounge..people were astonished, lol, we had a drink and a wonderful conversation and than he went into the kitchen. And of course we had the most wonderful dinner. A lovely memory as he was an interesting and joyful person.
