Eat First

The CNY Regional Market in … Springtime

Why go to the Central New York Regional Market on a damp and dreary Saturday?

Because it’s spring in Syracuse and it has been rather warm. You’re hoping to find some fresh, robust, locally grown asparagus – instead of the thin, spindly stalks at the grocery store.

No such luck last Saturday, and no rhubarb, either. But soon. Very soon. Still, it was fun to ogle spring flowers and plants, pick up some dairy products and catch up with friends.

Yes, even in the in-between and off seasons, there are plenty of reasons to visit the Regional Market. 

There are vendors selling fresh fish and seafood, grass-raised meats, muesli and granola, jams and jellies, and, God help us, baked goods and homemade fudge. There are pasta and coffee pushers, at least one spice purveyor and a slot in Shed A devoted to kitchen gear and gizmos.

Artisan dinner rolls, 3 for $1, from Heidelberg Baking Co., Herkimer

There are ever more local and regional bread bakers and cheese makers. All look to be delicious, and all would be delighted to send us home with a loaf of crusty bread and wedge of cheese for noshing.

Visiting the market regularly is a great way to have a conversation – and a personal relationship – with the people who grow and produce our food.

When I stopped by the Wake Robin Farm stand in Shed A on Saturday, I learned that Meg and Bruce Schader’s son, Hugh, is now 12 – and noticeably taller since last fall. He helps out on the farm and at the market, lending a hand with tasks like grating the Mona Lisa, the Schaders’ signature Italian-style cheese, Meg said.

That’s not the type of tidbit you’re going to pick up at (enter supermarket name here). And that’s what makes going to the Regional Market special, no matter the season.

The Central New York Regional Market is at 2100 Park St., Syracuse. The market is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays year round. The Thursday market (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) resumes in May and continues through the Thursday before Thanksgiving. There is also a flea market on Sundays (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Information: 315-422-8647 

Birthday doldrums? Pamper them away at Mirbeau

Your birthday at 20 and 30: You hit so many clubs, mingle with so many people and have so much fun, it’s all a blur. You don’t remember anything.

Your birthday at 50:  You’re greeted with black balloons, “Over the Hill” cards, a bottle of Centrum Silver and a subscription to AARP Magazine. They say your memory is in decline, but you remember EVERYTHING…

Especially the daytrip to Mirbeau Inn & Spa with your sisters and/or sister-friends!

Yes, friends, birthdays call for something special, and MILESTONE birthdays call for something REALLY special. Some people want to paint the town and others prefer a more relaxing, low-key celebration – which we happily arranged for my sister last month on the occasion of a mile-marker birthday.

A visit to to Mirbeau is special, indeed – for the person having the birthday AND for those treating him or her to a day of pampering.

The special treatment can be something as simple as a manicure or pedicure, but we recommend something a little more indulgent, like a 50-minute Swedish massage. Surrender. You’re in the best of hands, pun intended. Nearly every inch of you – from your scalp to your slumped back and shoulders to your over-used typing-texting hands and tired, neglected feet – will say thank you.

For the ultimate in luxury, pad upstairs in your slippers and bathrobe and sit down to an elegant three-course spa lunch. The menu changes regularly, but usually includes a choice of soup or salad, entree (chicken, beef, seafood) and dessert, like crème brulee, Hummingbird cake and the PB&J: chocolate-peanut butter bombe with Concord grape puree and homemade marshmallows.

On a recent Friday, the soup of the day was a puree of romaine lettuce, to which nothing more than broth, salt, pepper and a touch of cream had been added. That might sound a little strange, but if you can make smoothies with romaine lettuce, why not hot soup?

Mirbeau’s Orange Flower Essence Crème Brulee: In a word, divine.

Add a glass or bottle of wine to lunch and you might be tempted to return to the Relaxation Room and stretch out in a chaise. And that’s OK. Visit Mirbeau on a “day pass’’ and you’re encouraged to make full use of the facilities – gym, saunas, outdoor hot tub – and explore the grounds, which, before long will be in full flower. 

Go ahead, enjoy being the Birthday Queen or Birthday King for a day. Breathe, relax and say “Ahhhhh!’’

Mirbeau Inn & Spa is at 851 W. Genesee Street Road (Route 20), about a mile outside the village of Skaneateles. A 50-minute spa treatment and three-course lunch costs roughly $200, depending on treatment and meal options. For more information, call 315-685-5006.

It’s showtime at Syracuse University’s Lyman Cafe!

It’s spring. Birds are singing, trees are budding and students in Chef-Instructor Mary Kiernan’s Restaurant Operations class at Syracuse University are placing food orders and planning daily menus, getting a taste of work in a restaurant kitchen, waiting on tables and managing the “front of the house.’’

Welcome to the 2012 edition of luncheon service at Lyman Cafe, on the second floor of Lyman Hall. It’s a rite of spring for students in the Restaurant Operations class, which is required for degrees in Hospitality Management and Nutrition Science and Dietetics at SU’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

Themes and menus for the luncheons feature dishes and recipes selected and worked out by the students themselves. Each menu includes a choice of specialty beverage, starter, entree, dessert and coffee or tea. Substitutions are not available and special dietary needs cannot be met.

You get what you get – and what you get is a restaurant-quality lunch more lavish than your usual work-a-day fare, prepared and served by an enthusiastic team.

My sister and I attended lunch at Lyman Cafe last week at the invitation of Chef Kiernan, who I profiled for the March-April edition of  Central New York Magazine: The Good Life.

It was an invitation I couldn’t refuse. Take a look at some of the food we enjoyed and you’ll see why:

Grapefruit Basil Sipper: No alcohol. Refreshing and delicious!

Artichoke Banana Pepper Soup: A puree memorable for its unusual combination of vegetables and flavors (zippy!), served with steamed, stuffed baby artichokes.

Shaved Steak and Gorgonzola Sandwich on Sour Dough Bread, crispy sweet potato strings on the side.

Panna Cotta with raspberry reduction and house-made chocolate biscotti

Days later, our minds wander back to this luncheon, and the care with which the students prepared and served it.

Hats off to Chef Kiernan and her charges!

Lunch is served at Lyman Cafe at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the remainder of April. The cost is $14 per person, payable at sign-in prior to seating. Reservations are a MUST and the reservations book fills up quickly. To check on reservation availability, call 315-443-1710 or email her at  [email protected]