Events like the Great Chef's dinner to benefit Jeff's Kitchen at the Hayground School have always been about the men and women who prepare the meal, including Joe Realmuto of Nick & Toni's, and Christian Mir (right) of the Stone Creek Inn.
As we recount in the Low Summer issue of Edible East End (on the streets this Friday), it’s mysterious that even as farm stands begin to spill their early bounty—strawberries, zucchini, cherry tomatoes—the synchronous crush of fund-raising benefits often under-impresses in the food department.
But the good news is benefit season is finally resonating more tightly with the growing season. And, as evidence, we offer the leaked menu for the coming God’s Love We Deliver 2011 Midsummer Night Drinks cocktail party, an annual affair that takes place in Water Mill this year on June 18, 2011. New York caterer Canard is preparing the meal, and guests can look forward to the following seasonal bites.
– seasonal vegetables, radish sprouts, ginger, and tofu in aromatic rice paper – fava and meyer lemon toasts with shaved pecorino – fresh lobster roll on bite-sized parker house roll – seared diver scallop with jalapeno relish on lotus chip – peking duck in miniature with cucumber, scallion and hoisin sauce – a raw bar of long island little neck clams on the half shell; blue point and wellfleet oysters on the half shell – striped bass, lobster and littleneck clams with saffron rice, dill and lemon aioli(We’re glad to report the menu hits no less than 3 of our 7 Seasonal Ingredients for Eat Drink Local, including oysters, lamb and chives. We hope our partner restaurants on the East End can do even better.)
This adherence to what’s gown nearby has been true for nearly a decade at pioneering events like the Great Chefs dinner to benefit Jeff’s Kitchen at the Hayground School on July 31, which is all about the men and women who cook at it and support it. It’s also true of newcomers like Dan’s Papers Taste of Two Forks on July 16, with an impressive roster of local chefs, and the boutique band MTK Festival on August 13 and 14, whose supporting acts will include mobile food trucks and pop-up Bing bars.
For the last two years, the Group for the East End’s annual benefit has been a long-table-in-a-field format on the North Fork—quite different from South Fork happenings of past years. And in keeping with the evolving nature of things, this year’s benefit, on June 25, features local girl (and Food Network star) Ina Garten.
