As weeks go, this one has been a real doozy so far.
On Tuesday, 12 jurors in a federal courtroom in Virginia showed us that American democracy works because of the rule of law. On the same day, in a separate federal courtroom in Manhattan, the rule of law was showcased again. Thanks to both events, our democracy is better and stronger than it was just days ago. READ
GIANNA VOLPE PHOTO | Lieb Cellars director of sales John Morales (from left), advertising consultant Peter Pace and owner Mark Lieb in front of the the new ‘Vineyard’ tasting room.
Something new is coming to the North Fork — and fall Wine Country visitors won’t have to wait long before it’s open to the public.
Lieb Cellars is days away from opening a second tasting room. This one is in a big red barn on Oregon Road in Cutchogue, abutting the winery’s vines and overlooking a sunflower field. The other tasting room is away from the vineyard, in Mattituck.
“Hopefully we’ll be open within the next week at the most,” owner Mark Lieb said Friday. “I’m very happy. This is something we’ve wanted for a long time. We built this building years ago. It’s a beautiful spot.”
The building, which features a patio, tasting room, conference room, offices and cold storage for wine, is a place Mr. Lieb said is not only nice to have, but has become necessary, as the business needed to add office space and provide more elbow room for Wine Country visitors.
“The offices needed to be expanded because we’re growing the business significantly,” he said.
Expansions include a partnership with restaurateur, celebrity chef and five-time James Beard award-winner Tom Colicchio, who chose Lieb Cellar’s pinot blanc for a private label sparkling wine called Craft by Lieb Cellars, Brut Blanc de Blancs. Mr. Colicchio is the founder of Craft and Colicchio & Sons restaurants, including Craftsteak at nearby Foxwoods Resort & Casino.
“The wine will be sold exclusively in Craft restaurants and the Lieb tasting rooms,” said director of sales John Morales.
Mr. Morales is responsible for some of Lieb’s largest clients, which now include Citifield, where two of Lieb Cellars wines are sold by the glass, and Terminal Five at John F. Kennedy airport, where Lieb is the only North Fork winery represented.
“It was hard selling Long Island wine in the beginning,” said Mr. Morales, who has been with Lieb Cellars for 12 years. “Tom [Colicchio] and one of his restaurants, Craft, were one of the first places to really open their doors to the local wine scene. There’s still some hurdles, such as Nassau County, but we’re extremely strong in the Hamptons and pride ourselves on New York City.”
Between the new partnership with Mr. Colicchio, the new tasting room and a mention this month in The New York Times (along with Lenz Winery) for having one of the 12 greatest American wines under $20, the team at Lieb Cellars is looking forward to a great year.
“You’ve got the sunflowers across the street, you’ve got Long Island Sound right over there,” Mr. Lieb said from the new tasting room’s patio. “I think it’s going to be a hot spot this fall.”
Sunday night was filled with custard, cold squid, cookies, and corn pancakes at Colicchio & Sons in New York City as restaurant industry leaders gathered to celebrate long-time friend Gerry Hayden.
The large contingency of star chefs were raising money in the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the fatal illness known most commonly as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Mr. Hayden, the chef at North Fork Table and Inn, was diagnosed with ALS in January of 2011. Since then, he has raised more than $100,000 toward his own medical care and others who share his plight with his website and with the help of some of the same top-knotch chefs and restauranteurs he’s known and worked alongside during his years cooking in New York.
The dinner event cost $250 for attendees to taste cutting-edge culinary treats and rub elbows with the masters who made them before the crowd gathered to hear Mr. Hayden’s old friends both roast him and boast about him. The speakers described Mr. Hayden as a hardworking, passionate, witty and “respectful as hell” chef.
Here is a run-down of delectable dishes served on Sunday:
Charlie Palmer’s colorful rhubarb terrine with pistachio cream and mini baba was a feast for the eyes, resembling a Christmas tree bauble.
Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar & Grill designed a delectable goat cheese custard with sweet sugar snap peas, fava beans and lemon oil.
Dante Boccuzzi of DANTE & Ginko Restaurants delighted guests with a BBQ tuna and foie gras sushi “push up” pops.
Bobby Flay and Paul DelFavero of Mesa Grill in Las Vegas brought some flavor with crispy blue corn lobster tacos and pickled habanero relish.
Wylie Dufresne of wd50 concocted a cold squid salad with celery and black olives he said was inspired by Gerry Hayden.
Mark Ladner of Del Posto got creative with his cutting edge “meatball sausage” sandwich. It’s a meatball, it’s a sausage — it’s a meatball sausage.
David Burke of David Burke Townhouse invoked memories of the River Cafe ,where he said the pastrami salmon he put on mini corn pancakes was born.
Rick Moonen of RM Seafood dove deep with his presentation of kushi oysters with coconut lime mignonette, cucumbers and super green phytoplankton pearls.
And Sherry Yard of Spago’s table was stacked with twenty types of treats she baked for her cookie extravaganza.
GIANNA VOLPE PHOTO | Colicchio and Sons in New York City was packed Sunday with star chefs looking to help out an old friend from Southold.
