Take a Hike - Tip# 55

Saturday night Chris and I are attending the Annual Dinner Dance on Shelter Island to benefit the Mashomack Preserve.  The Benefit, held under a huge tent on the grounds of the Manor House located on the Preserve, is widely popular and tickets sell out fast.  Chris and I met on Shelter Island at Mashomack Preserve while attending a weekend retreat offered by the Nature Conservancy's Young Professionals Group of New York City.

This year, we have another couple coming to the Benefit with us, Eliza and Joel, who also met on the same retreat at Mashomack but a few years later and just got married this summer. So single friends - take note! Just kidding...  even if your are not in the market for a husband, or attend a Benefit, the Preserve is definitely a must-do on my list.

First of all Mashomack is nearly 2,100 acres of preserved land - that is 1/3 of Shelter Island!  The Nature Conservancy acquired the preserve in 1980 and protected it from any future development.  Today, it is home to one of the most dense populations of breeding ospreys on the east coast.  This place is a bird watchers paradise as migrating birds use the area as a stop-over and it is home to endangered species such as the piping plover and least tern.

There are 5 well-marked trails that total 20 miles of varying length and difficulty. While hiking you'll see freshwater wetland, salt marshes, grassy meadows, oak & beech forest, as well as 10 miles of coastline. In the winter we've hiked the yellow and green trails in snowshoes and seen cross-country skiers glide by. 

In the summer, a nice day trip is to hike the blue trail - but take plenty of water and snacks as it is a 12 mile loop with magnificent views along coastal bluffs. The one caveat is that ticks can be a problem in the summer so check yourself when you get home.  And don't walk off-trail in the tall grass even if you want to check out the view from a very scenic lookout. Trust me, I'll tell you my lone star tick story some time. I still shiver to think about it.

The Preserve is easy to find - from the Greenport/North Ferry, follow Route 114 three miles south to the Preserve. If you come by way of the North Haven/South Ferry, follow Route 114 one mile north to the Preserve. The entrance is marked by a large wooden sign on the east side of Route 114.



The Preserve is open 9am to 5pm March - September, 9am to 4pm October - February. The Preserve is closed on Tuesdays except in July and August when it is open 7 days/week. There is a Visitor Center run by volunteers to provide guidance and answer questions daily in the summer and on weekends the remainder of the year.


Mashomack also offers nature programs and guided hikes throughout the year. Call the Preserve office for information and reservations at (631) 749-1001.

For more information on the Nature Conservancy visit www.nature.org and for information on the Young Professionals Group (YPG) visit http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/newyork/youngprofessionals/

Tip# 2: The Whistle Stop Cafe

Actually, the Whistle Stop Cafe doesn't exist on the North Fork but I've been reading the book "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" this week.  Such great storytelling and I love to read books about the hot South while I'm sweltering on the hot North Fork. I can really relate to the characters!  I've also been making fried green tomatoes for dinner - alot - much to Chris's joy.

I slice the green tomatoes real thick, dip them in buttermilk and then in a dredge. I use our own Browder's Birds Fry Mix which we sell at the Farmers' markets every Saturday.  But if you want to make your own, a basic recipe follows:

Fry Dredge
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup corn meal
A good-size sprinkling of onion powder and garlic powder
pinch of cayenne
salt and pepper

Then heat 1-2 inches of oil in a cast iron skillet to 325 degrees and drop in your tomatoes.  Using tongs to turn them once, let each side fry for 2 minutes or so. Then drain on paper towels.  I serve my fried green tomatoes with a homemade ranch or thousand island dressing.

Zesty Ranch Dressing
Whisk together the following, then chill:
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 tablespoon of buttermilk
1/4 tsp of celery seeds
1/4 tsp of onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
a shake of Old Bay (I am from Maryland, after all)

Thousand Island Dressing
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 tablespoon of ketchup
1-2 tablespoons of chopped bread and butter pickles

As for the tomatoes, we've been lucky enough to farm next to Stephanie of Invincible Summer Farms.  Stephanie grows over 300 varieties of heirloom tomatoes with the goal of seed-saving.  She also sells plants and fruit at the Greenport Farmers' Market on Saturday and the Port Jefferson Market on Sundays.  She'll have beautiful, green tomatoes for sale this Saturday and Sunday.  For more information, check out her website (you can order seeds and plants online):
http://Invinciblesummerfarms.com

Tip #16: Dancing in the Dark

It's Monday and a great night to head to Greenport. The weekend crowds have receded and there is ample parking again.  Besides all the wonderful restaurants and shopping, Greenport has a beautiful waterfront park called Mitchell Park & Marina. It features an old-fashioned carousel housed in a very modern building, a Camera Obscura (and I still don't know what that is), and an outdoor amphitheater.  On Monday nights in July and August there's a free concert as part of the Dances in the Park program.  It is a great spot to picnic right on the water with friends and family.  The music is diverse - rock, reggae, salsa, and blues - with a few familiar bands of the North Fork. And the crowd really does get up and dance so it's alot of fun.  A side note - the park has really nice public restrooms, too.
Dances in the Park every Monday from 7:30 - 9:30 pm; remaining line-up for the season:

July 25: Bastards of Boom plays Brazilian and Salsa.
Aug. 1: No Request Band , which focuses on dance, rock and party.
Aug. 8: Behind Closed Doors plays rock, blues, and soul.
Aug. 15: Winston Irie is a reggae and roots band.
Aug. 23: Second Shift which features local musicians playing hits from the 60s, 70s, and today.
Aug. 29: The Lone Sharks plays rhythm and twang.

We'll be there tonight and also to see The Lone Sharks jam on the 29th!

Tip #60: To Market, to Market

On Saturday mornings from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm the village of Greenport plays host to an amazing Farmers' Market featuring all local North Fork farmers, many of them 'boutique' producers. 

Some of my favorite vendors include Laura of Blossom Meadow Honey, who brings along a hive and bees for customers to see her team up close.  Along with her honey, she also sells really cool products made from the wax in the hives.  Her beeswax crayons are made into fun, animal shapes for children. Completely safe & made without petroleum - which store bought crayons contain - they'd make a great gift for any child.

Goodale Farms in Aquebogue is a new licensed dairy and they sell fresh milk, along with homemade cream cheese, yogurt and butter.  It's all so fresh and delicious. And the milk comes in a glass quart jar which you bring back for re-fills. How nostalgic!

KK's The Farm, in Southold, sells biodynamically-grown flowers and vegetables.  Lately her table has been filled with fresh garlic.

The Apotheca sells an all-natural skin cream, Zincuta, which I've raved about in an earlier post (see Tip#12).

Phillip Schmitt & Son and Garden of Eve, two of the larger vegetable farms on the North Fork, always have quite a colorful array of produce - usually several different varieties of the same vegetable, and many heirloom varieties. 

Speaking of heirlooms, be sure to check out Invincible Summer Farms, of Southold. Farmer/Owner Stephanie grows 300 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and peppers.  Several of her tomato plants might be the only such type in the country!  Stephanie is also a seed-saver so she sells the fruit and plants at the market but her main mission is to harvest and maintain rare seeds.

Catapano Dairy sells goat cheese that is both mild and rich at the same time. Serge of Lavender by the Bay Farm always has an 'aromatic' table of cut lavender and lavender-infused products. If you walk by, he'll hand you a sprig!

Taste of the North Fork sells bottled sauces, jams and jellies all using local produce. Jeri also pickles all sorts of seasonal vegetables so if you are missing asparagus right now be sure to take home a jar of pickled ones.  Same goes for strawberries and her Strawberry Vinaigrette.

And Blue Duck Bakery fills the baked goods niche with fresh, artisanal breads, as well as muffins, croissants and fruit pies. There is a rotating winery each week giving out tastes and selling bottles.  And every week features a different non-profit group promoting their organization. 

Oh, and I hear Browder's Birds sells organic, pasture-raised chickens and eggs, both of which always sell out fast!

The market has a very homegrown feel with Greenport residents serving as market volunteers, and the market manager, Tiffany, pulling double-duty in the neighborhood by also managing the new Farmhouse restaurant on Front Street. These people really care about food and their town.  The market organizers even got NY State approval to accept Food Stamps - so lower-income families in Greenport now have another option besides the IGA.

Support the North Fork community, as well as your friends and neighbors, by shopping local this Saturday!  The Market runs until October 15th.  For more information or to volunteer for a Saturday shift go to www.greenportfarmersmarket.com

Tip# 55: Root for the Home Team

Have you been to a North Fork Ospreys baseball game yet?  The Ospreys play ball at Cochran Park in Peconic every summer from June to July. The team is having another exciting season and we are heading to the game tonight to watch them take on the Riverhead Tomcats. Both teams are part of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League which is composed of college players from around the country.  The players live with host families in the area during the 2 month season.
 
Quick note - it's all about baseball - there are no frills and limited seating at the park.  So pack a chair or blanket and a picnic - we've shared some fantastic meals  together with friends at the games.  Then cheer for an Osprey's win!

Bring your family, your friends and your houseguests - spend an evening watching a ball game on the North Fork.  The Osprey's are scheduled to play this Friday and Saturday night, too.  Check out hamptonsbaseball.org for a complete schedule.

Tip# 7: SPAT Happens

This morning I headed over to SPAT, located at Cedar Beach in Southold, to check on my approx 900 oysters which I've been raising (and eating) since last summer. SPAT is the word for the tiniest form of shellfish that has settled onto the place where it will live out its life and also the acronym for Southold Project in Aquaculture Training which is part of the Cornell Marine Program.  Through grants and fund raising, SPAT provides volunteers with oyster seed and tools to raise their own shellfish garden.  For a fee of $150 to join, SPAT volunteers can drop by the center anytime on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm to help out in the hatchery as well as grow 1,000 oysters each season and harvest half for personal use.

Oysters are farmed in netted cages that hang in the water from buoys or docks.  They feed on algae in the water all the while filtering the bay.  The oysters and their cages need to be cleaned once a month to maintain good water flow and access to food - as well as remove that crafty crab that finds a way into the cage to feast on oysters but then gets too big to get back out. Now this is the kind of farming that I like - you can leave them alone for weeks and they'll survive on their own!
'
The Southold program is run by Kim Tetrault who is very engaging and really loves his work. He gives scheduled lectures on various shellfish topics on Thursdays and Fridays which are open to volunteers.  His lectures can be quite a comedy show - but still educational - and sometimes involve (eating) oysters and (drinking) beverages. Also on hand is a crew of 'regulars' who seem to all be retirees and spend many mornings at SPAT drinking coffee, counting oyster seed, exchanging stories and helping the newbies out. The program is very community-oriented and everyone makes an effort to learn your name.  I also find that I constantly run into familiar faces from the gym, supermarket, down the street - we are all SPAT members.  I found out today that even our organic certification inspector has a shellfish garden growing.

July is the month to start oyster seed, so today I put another 1,000 babies in the bay and by doing so, signed up for at least another two years of oyster farming.

SPAT is always accepting new volunteers on M-W-F mornings and is located at 3690 Cedar Beach in Southold. Go and sign up - once you start harvesting your own delicious oysters next summer you'll wonder why you didn't join sooner.

Link to NYTimes article about SPAT:

"Marine Dreams: an Oyster in Every Plot" (from the Long Island Journal section of The New York Times on January 21, 2001) http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/21/nyregion/long-island-journal-marine-dreams-an-oyster-in-every-plot.html?scp=1&sq=long%20island%20journal:%20january%2021,%202001&st=cse

Tip# 41: Best Vineyard for Live Music

It is a rare weekend when I get a day "off" so I was taking full advantage of today.  After morning chicken chores and a nap, Chris and I decided to spend the afternoon at Jamesport Vineyards.  On Saturdays and Sundays Jamesport Vineyards features an oyster bar with fresh local oysters, as well as Jamaican Jerk chicken wings and ribs cooked on the grill by chef Palo - who also happens to be sous-chef at Mirabelle Restaurant, located in the historic Three Village Inn in Stony Brook.  I had a half dozen of delicious, briny oysters shucked to order and served with lemon, horseradish and cocktail sauce.  Chris had the meaty ribs -- which arrive served by the chef on a wooden cutting board which is really such a great detail. Both choices cost less than $15 a plate. We each had a glass of  Jamesport wine.  I choose the crisp Sauvignon Blanc to pair with my oysters and Chris choose Chardonnay because he just really likes it. They also sell a beautiful cheese plate.

There is ample seating outdoor at Jamesport Vineyards - lounge chairs on the lawn that you'd expect to find at the beach, several tables with umbrellas & chairs, and cute stools and tall tables around the outdoor bar. The music today was a kick-ass Bluegrass band, Buddy Merrian and the Back Roads Trio.  Next Sunday Blue Point Brewery will also be there. When you go, tell Jake, the manager,  I sent you - trust me, you will not meet a better host.  Then kick back and enjoy! 

For more info on Jamesport Vineyards, including a full music line-up for the 2011 season: http://www.jamesportwines.com/

Tip# 33: You can eat Zucchini for Breakfast

There are those of you that know what I am talking about right off the bat with this title. I was at a cook-out on Thursday and the party favors were squash!  This time of year is Zucchini season and it seems everyone has too many.  I've been making an easy zucchini-banana bread for our breakfast for the last couple of weeks and I wanted to share it.  Chris just loves it and it is really simple and quick which I love.

And for those of you without a garden, let me reveal this shocking truth so you fully understand the magnitude of the humble squash plant. I didn't even grow any zucchini this season! I've been making my zucchini bread for the last 3 weeks using what I already shredded and froze last season.  One summer of growing squash and you'll still be feasting on it a year later. Enjoy the recipe! 

Ingredients

• 3 large bananas (mashed)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2-3 cups shredded zucchini (drained)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup corn meal (really just for texture, can replace with more flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

1. Mix together the banana sugar and egg (in a standing mixer is easiest).
2. In another bowl mix together the dry ingredients and combine with banana mixture. Mix thoroughly and fold in zucchini.
3. Add butter to the baking pan and sit in the oven to melt for a few minutes.  Using pot holders tilt pan to evenly distribute melted butter (and grease pan) then pour in batter.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
5. Test with toothpick.

Variations:  One week I mixed 1/3 cup of natural peanut butter into the batter and the next week I mixed in 1/2 cup of raisins; Chris likes to eat a slice drizzled with maple syrup

Tip #27: Go out and try paddle boarding - just do it!

Stephanie of Invincible Summer Farms was nice enough to loan me her paddle board so I could try it out at Sixth Street beach today.  First of all the board is LONG - over 10 feet so it has to go on a roof rack or in the back of a truck.  (And lucky for me, farmers have trucks!) And it weighs about 40 pounds.  But once in the water, none of that matters and paddle boards are incredibly stable.  Especially out here on the Peconic Bay which is very calm and has lots of protected coves to paddle.

To get comfortable you can start by kneeling on the board and paddling - which feels like kayaking.  Once you are ready to stand up, you just lay your paddle across the deck of the board and use it as leverage to stand up one foot at a time.  Within an hour you can become very comfortable in the water and on your board. Although I did read online that stand up paddleboarding is also more popular with women and because of their lower center of gravity, women are often more skilled at paddleboarding than men.  But I couldn't get Chris to test out that theory for me. 

Standing up allows you to enjoy much better views, both to the horizon and down into the water. Along the coast of Pipes Cove I saw two giant Osprey nests and one giant Osprey who swooped down to send me a warning to back off. I also went farther into the bay to get a closer look at some boats that I always see bobbing on their moorings every day from the shore. It is very easy to sit down while out on the water and just float along when you need to rest.  I will say that stand up paddling is an incredible core workout. 
And you can paddle anything from ocean surf to lakes and rivers—no waves required. So not many excuses not to try it for yourself!

In Southold, Eagles Neck Paddling Company rents Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs) for $35/2 hours or $70 for a full day. They are located at the Port of Egypt Marina off of the Main Road (Rte 25).  They also offer a SUP fitness class every Saturday from 8 - 9am for $35. For more info contact them at 631-765-3502.

Who needs the Red Rooster? Tip#3

All the city folk I know keep talking about 'Red Rooster' this and 'Red Rooster' that - and here I'm the one with the chicken farm.  A recent post spotted on Facebook "heading uptown to the RED ROOSTER, yes, got a reservation for 10:30p!" For anyone who still doesn't know what I'm talking about, the Red Rooster in Harlem is chef Marcus Samuelsson's hotter-than-hot, soul food restaurant.  Right now in New York City there is no more coveted reservation in town. And yet, as much as I'd love to spend $65 for fried chicken, grilled snapper and cornbread, I can't help but crave a more authentic joint right here on the North Fork.

"If you want it hooked up right, let the Commander do it!! Chicken, Seafood & Ribs" is the motto at Commander Cody's on Shelter Island. Owner and commander Jimmy Hayward sells barbecue ribs, fried chicken, pulled pork, plus has a fresh fish market on premise,7 days a week. And the best part is the restaurant is BYOB.  Don't forget to try the mac and cheese and collards when you go. And for the rest of the summer Comannder Cody's has a Friday night special  - fish & shrimp dinner with local Porgie for $10.95 plus tax.  And it includes fries, homemade slaw & cornbread. Trust me, the most expensive part of dinner at Commander Cody's is the round-trip North Ferry ticket.  



Sorry Red Rooster, you can have your grits and glamour.  By the way, Marcus Samuelsson is Swedish and was raised in Gothenberg.... just saying.


Commander Cody's is located at 41 Smith Street on Shelter Island, phone  631-749-1851.

Tip #12: Best Natural Skin Remedy - and it's Local!

After spending a great evening outdoors with friends, I also spent too much time with the mosquitoes. I have bites all over my arms today where missed with the 'OFF!' spray. Luckily there is a great ointment for bites that I recently bought at the Greenport Farmer's Market made by The Apotheca of Southold.  Donna Penny makes her Zincuta ointment, a specialty skin cream, from all natural ingredients.

According to Donna:
Zincuta (zin-coot-a) dates back to 1890, and is still made in the USA of the highest-quality ingredients. Dr. Josiah Case's original formula - with zinc oxide for rapid healing and beeswax for itch relief - is an excellent treatment for burns (sun and otherwise), chafes, abrasions, raw sores, insect bites, even eczema and psoriasis.

My favorite ingredients are the essential oils of Wintergreen, Lavender & Bergamot.  It is so soothing on the skin and feels great on a sunburn. I've also been using Zincuta on all the mysterious scrapes that appear after working on the farm. Give it a try! The Apotheca of Southold is at the Greenport Farmer's Market and the Shelter Island Farmer's Market, on Saturday mornings.  Zincuta also is for sell at The Market in Greenport.  And if you can't make it to the North Fork, you can purchase it online at:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Apotheca-Zincuta-Ointment-Oz/dp/B002QO58T6/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Tip# 32: Pizza, wine and music at Twilight Tuesdays

There is fun stuff happening every day of the week on the North Fork. On Tuesday nights Corey Creek Vineyard (Rte 25 in Southold) stays open late from 6-9pm with live music.  But the real reason to go is for the pizza from Rolling in Dough truck.  Wood -fired, brick oven pizza baked in the back of a restored 1943 K-6 Harvester truck.  How cool is that? And the pizzas are delicious - and cost around $20 for a large. There is no better deal for dinner. And who wants to cook when it is so hot out?  Also a perfect spot to bring the kids as there is ample space for them to run around while the adults picnic. But bring lawn chairs and blankets - the Adirondack seating and picnic tables at the vineyard tend to fill up quickly.

So come and sit out under the stars on a Tuesday and make sure you stop by and say 'Hi' -- I'll be the one drinking Taste Rose and eating a bacon-artichoke pizza.  

The Rolling in Dough truck is available for parties - have them come to your next NoFo event: www.rollingindoughpizza.com  ph: 631.603.7378

A Little Background

Hello! Just looking for a place to catalog all the good people, good food and good design we encounter every day out here on the east end of Long Island.  I also find myself constantly recommending what to do and see to our city friends, and others,  and I thought it would be fun to compile it all in one place as a reference guide of sorts.

I've lived in the city for almost 10 years and on the North Fork for about the last three. Over this past year, I've experienced a transition from a "weekender" to an "insider" (I dare not say, local) and discovered a whole different experience which I want to share. I hope you enjoy my thoughts, ideas and opinions  - and just ignore them if you don't!  I'll do my best to document our life out east and share insider tips as I come across them.  Cheers and enjoy!