Eat First

Shalestone Vineyards: Red Is All They Do

In a region where Riesling is king -- and red wines are fickle, due to the short growing season and cruel winters -- it's surprising to come across a vineyard that specializes in red. And red only.

Welcome to Shalestone Vineyards, on the east side of Seneca Lake. We've driven by the picturesque tasting room and vine-covered production room overlooking the lake many times, but had never stopped in until recently.

 

Owners Rob and Kate Thomas established their vineyards in 1995, in the area known as the "Banana Belt'' of the Finger Lakes, which is said to be warmer than other areas. They now have about six acres near the lake, devoted to grapes like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Lemberger and Pinot Noir.

 

When we arrived on a Sunday in August, Rob Thomas was putting the "open" sign out by the road and Kate was setting up in the tasting room. For a minute or two, we had that feeling one gets when one arrives a little early for a party, and finds the host not quite yet ready for guests. But as the room began to fill, everyone got to chatting.

 

Our tasting ($3 each) included five wines -- none of them with the usual descriptions, like "big," "bold," "jammy" and "juicy.''

 

Consider this description for the 2011 Lemberghini (a blend of Lemberger, Merlot and Syrah): "Like a ride at an amusement park that you get back in line for. A scenic drive to the state of ZING." And the 2012 Pinot Noir: "Oh, the fickle femme fatale! Some are like a cold shower and others give you multiple orgasms. They are always worth a try.''

 

We liked the Harmony, "an inter-vintage blend'' of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot "that sings with pleasure from balance and understanding, helping to elevate the quality of your life.''

 

We found something to like about all the wines we sampled. They made us think about fall and winter nights and warming meals. The Harmony would work well with a steak off the grill or a pot roast. The Red Legend would pair nicely with pasta or pizza -- who knows, maybe even barbecue. We left with a bottle of 2013 Beyond Rose (Zwiegelt and Lemberger). We've grown  to love dry Roses from the Finger Lakes -- they seem to go with everything. This one had deeper color, flavor and body than others we've tried. Kate recommended serving it at room temperature (a surprise) or chilled.

 

 

I was tempted to get a bottle of the Synergy ($25; Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) but it was our first stop of the day and I didn't want to spend all of my allotted wine allowance in one place.

 

We're close enough to come back, we told ourselves. I'm sure we will.

 

Asked why they do only red, Kate said they like the complexity of red wine, they wanted to do something different and they don't like Riesling.

 

Their philosophy: "Tune into nature, go with the natural ebb and flow of life. Red wines best reflect the complexity of life as they are built in layers, much like experiences and relationships.''

 

Shalestone isn't one of those loud, raucous wineries with a carnival atmosphere. It's small and intimate and you get to talk and learn from the people who grow and harvest the grapes and craft the wine. Groups of more than eight are discouraged from visiting. Visitors are asked to shut off their cell phones and enjoy the moment, the view -- and of course the wine.

 

The dry red wine. Red is all they do.

 

Shalestone Vineyards is at 9681 Route 414, Lodi. The tasting room has limited hours: Fridays in October (noon to 5 p.m.) and Saturdays in November (noon to 5 p.m.), plus Friday, Nov. 23 (noon to 5 p.m.). Information: 607-582-6600.

 

Spiedies: How to make Binghamton's favorite food, at home

Spiedies: They're everywhere in Binghamton, Endicott and the Southern Tier.

In Syracuse? Not so much, though they put in appearances at the New York State Fair, the Madison-Bouckville Antiques Fest and the occasional pizza parlor and sandwich shop menu. And bottled spiedie marinades (think Salamida) are widely available.

For those who've never had them -- or aren't from these parts -- spiedies are cubes of marinated and grilled meat (usually chicken, pork, lamb or beef) served on soft Italian bread. The idea is to use the bread like a mitt, to pull the freshly cooked meat off the skewer. At some stands and restaurants, spiedies are served on a sub roll, which tends to overpower the meat. Spiedie meat cubes can also be served minus the bread -- on top of a salad, for instance. The marinade recipe varies, but usually involves olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon and Italian herbs and spices.

As part of getting to know my grill a little better this summer, I decided to make spiedies one weekend. The recipe below is from Tom and Marti Macinski, owners of Standing Stone Vineyards in Hector (Seneca Lake East).

 

The Macinskis grew up in Binghamton, met and married in Binghamton and worked there before starting their winery 20 years ago. They LOVE the foods of their native Binghamton: Earlier this year, as part of their popular "Comfort Food'' series of wine and food pairings, they hosted "Binghamton Days'' -- with a menu that included spiedies, "City Chicken'' and salt potatoes.

Pork Spiedies
Adapted from a recipe from Standing Stone Vineyards, Hector

For the marinade:
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup dry Riesling or Chardonnay
4 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, boneless chicken breast or boneless lamb, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive bowl or heavy-duty, zip-top bag. Reserve a half cup of the marinade to use at serving time. Add the meat to the zip-top bag and combine well to coat each piece. Marinate meat overnight in the refrigerator.

 

If using wooden skewers, immerse skewers in water, then place 6 to 8 chunks of meat on each skewer. Oil grill grates lightly and grill skewers on a hot grill, two to three minutes per side.

 

Serve the Spiedies Binghamton-style: Grab a thick slice of fresh Italian bread in one hand and pull the meat off the skewer. Serve with salt potatoes and a green salad. Makes 6 servings.

 

Wine pairing: Riesling or Pinot Noir.

 

Note: If the meat gets dry, brush on some of the reserved marinade before serving. 

 

Eremita Winery: Worship at the altar of Finger Lakes wine

Here is the church. Here is the steeple. Open the doors and see all the…

WINE!

Eremita Winery is located in the former Reformed and (later) Presbyterian Church, which stood vacant for years, in the village of Lodi, Seneca County (Seneca Lake East). The church dates to the 1870’s.

Owner Josh Parker, a native of the Utica area who previously worked as a construction project manager in Florida, purchased the building in 2010 after seeing it advertised online.

He is restoring and repurposing the building in increments, putting reclaimed materials and his own design and construction skills to use. He lives there, as well, and his dog, Matouk, greets visitors.

If Parker were to say his winery is one of the most unique in the Finger Lakes, he would be justified. I can’t think of another winery in a former church, with light streaming in through stained glass windows. The church’s original wood floors gleam.

Stand at the tasting bar and admire the colorful collection of wine bottles housed in the space that once held the church’s organ pipes. The space is beautiful and has a great vibe.

Parker makes and cellars Riesling, unoaked Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, a blush wine called Goddess and others on the premises, using grapes from Wagner Vineyards and other growers.

It’s small in terms of staff and volume – about 1,500 cases a year. Stop in Eremita for a tasting and the chances are good you will find Parker working solo, pouring wine, answering questions and making and closing sales.

Eremita welcomes groups, but it’s a good idea to call ahead.

Speaking of small Finger Lakes wineries: About five miles south of Eremita, and off the beaten path (Route 414), is Silver Thread Vineyard. The vineyard produces small quantities of premium vinifera wines, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer that have gained notice well outside the Finger Lakes. The winery is rated among the top six Finger Lakes wine producers in the latest Robert Parker Wine Guide.

Silver Thread is a hidden gem, offering a secluded setting, gorgeous views of Seneca Lake and a small tasting room built into a hill, where co-owner Shannon Brock pours samples. Buses and recreational vehicles aren’t allowed on the gravel road that leads to the winery. Groups of eight or more must call in advance to make arrangements to visit.

There are advantages to visiting a small winery. When the owner pours, you learn things. Such as: Veraison – that’s the term used to describe the point in the growing season when grapes soften and change color. And that Gewurztraminer is a pink grape that yields a straw-colored wine.

Eremita Winery is at 2155 Church St., Lodi. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday. For information, call 607-474-5002. A website is under construction. Click here to visit Eremita on Facebook.

Silver Thread Vineyard is at 1401 Caywood Road, Lodi (about a mile off Route 414). The tasting room is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday (through November). For information, call 607-582-6116 or visit the website.

Say Cheese: Finger Lakes Cheese Festival

Cheese selection - Muranda Cheese Company

The Finger Lakes Cheese Trail stretches south nearly to Pennsylvania and west almost to Keuka Lake – that’s a lot of ground and miles to cover. With determination, a good map or GPS and a growling stomach, you could hit up all of  the trail stops in one day – with little time to linger or explore other places, like the region’s wineries, which tend to be clustered together.

The Finger Lakes Cheese Festival, which takes place this Saturday, July 27, gathers the 12 members of the Cheese Trail together, in one place.

It's a golden opportunity to sample cow’s milk cheeses, sheep’s milk cheeses and goat’s milk cheeses. Hard cheeses, soft cheeses, crumbly cheeses, aged cheeses and farm-fresh cheeses. Curds, cheddars, chevre and Brie-style cheeses. Jacks, Goudas and stinky aromatic washed-rind, European-inspired cheeses with loads flavor.

In a nutshell: Distinctive, local, artisanal cheeses of every shape, style and flavor profile – mild to intense.

There will be farm tours, games and activities for kids, cooking seminars and cheese-making classes (a few spots remain; to pre-register, email [email protected]) and some of the region’s winemakers on hand.

Bring your appetite, sense of adventure, a cooler, $5 for parking and some spending money. If you like cheese (and who doesn’t, after all?!) you will not want to go home without a souvenir.

Details:

What: Second annual Finger Lakes Cheese Festival

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 27

Where: Sunset View Creamery, 4970 County Road 14, Odessa

Directions: Click here

More information: Click here

 

More Finger Lakes cheese, please!

On this Finger Lakes trail, there is no need for a designated driver. 

The Finger Lakes Cheese Trail spotlights about a dozen farmstead creameries that make hand-crafted, artisan cheeses and other dairy products. You’ll find everything from the familiar – like cheddar, gouda and Jack-style cheeses – to less familiar varieties, like chevre, a soft cheese made from goat’s milk. 

Hitting the cheese trail is a great way to taste new varieties and expand your knowledge base. Bring a cooler – and your sense of adventure. 

A sunny Saturday earlier in October brought me to the King Ferry Farmers Market and to Keeley’s Cheese Co. at McGarr Farms, on Route 34B just south of Route 90, near Cayuga Lake. 

There, Keeley McGarr takes milk from her family’s Holstein and Jersey cows and turns it into out-of-the-ordinary, Irish-style cheeses, including this lovely little wedge, called Across the Pond. 

Across the Pond is a washed-rind cheese made from raw milk, which gives the cheese depth of flavor. Its taste is slightly assertive and somewhat nutty – some might call it a stinky cheese – and its exterior is brown and nubby. The cheese is bathed in a salt brine as it ages in an underground cellar.

I’m sorry I didn’t pick up a couple wedges of Across the Pond at the Keeley’s self-serve cheese stand, because it didn’t last long at our house and I don’t know when my travels will take me back that way again.

Keeley’s Cheese Company is at 539 Route 34B, King Ferry. For hours and information on where to purchase Keeley’s cheeses, call 315-730-6872. 

The members of the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail hold open houses four times a year. The last one for this year will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 19. Find out more here.

Lastly, a group of food lovers, CNY Foodies Feast, plans a trip to Muranda Cheese Co., Waterloo, on Nov. 19. Click here for more information on the group and this cheesy-good outing.

 

Destination NYWCC: FLX/NY food, wine and fun

 Life's short. Eat dessert first?

Woo-hoo! Another weekend is upon us. But we’re still savoring the soul-satisfying day trip and leisurely lunch we had last weekend in the Finger Lakes.

For Christmas, we received a gift certificate to the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua. As happens with gift certificates sometimes, its expiration date was nearing.

We visited the website and considered signing up for a culinary class or kitchen skills workshop. There are plenty of them, including pie making, bread baking and farm-to-table outing and meal prep in the center’s state-of-the-art kitchen.

In the end, we decided to make a reservation at the Taste of New York restaurant. The restaurant had just introduced its early fall menu, which still features many summer flavors.

Among the things we enjoyed:  

Wine flight ($12; choose three) with Anthony Road dry Riesling, Long Point Ciera (semi-dry rose) and Dr. Frank Old Vine Pinot Noir. I would be happy to have a bottle of each of these wines in our cellar. Robert’s beer flight ($8; choose four) featured a couple pale ales and an interesting fruit ale (blueberry) from Long Island.

Cold smoked salmon with capers, red onion, radishes and arugula salad ($11).

White pizza with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, caramelized onion, pepper Flakes and garlic oil ($11).

Chilled gazpacho with basil, cilantro, avocado and heirloom tomato, swirled with spiced sour cream ($8).

Butternut squash ‘flan’ on a thin layer of spice cake, garnished with what appeared to be browned bits of candied ginger. A dessert made to match the changing seasons.

Canandaigua is a great walking town on a nice day (don’t miss the historic boat houses at the city pier), and we intentionally parked a distance from the NYWCC, in the shopping distance on South Main Street, knowing a walk after lunch would be in order.

It wasn’t our first trip to the New York Wine and Culinary Center, and it definitely won’t be our last. Thank you, Eileen and Dave, for a great day!

The New York Wine and Culinary Center is at 800 S. Main St., Canandaigua, overlooking the pier. Information: 585-394-7070.

 

Stop the car (in the Finger Lakes)!

My ultimate Finger Lakes destination Saturday was a remote cabin on a pond, in the wine country near Keuka Lake, where longtime friends spend summer weekends.

It’s a relaxing two-hour drive from Syracuse, a journey, mainly, along roads less traveled. There’s plenty to see, and we rarely go directly there – or home.

There’s so much to stop the car for!

Such as:

Grape sherbet! I couldn’t drive by this sign at Mr. Twistee’s, County Road 6 (Preemption Road), Geneva, twice in two days without pulling in to investigate.

We’ve sampled wine ice cream before, but not grape sherbet. It’s sweet, light and refreshing – and the color of pale lilacs, as you can see. That’s a SMALL cone, believe it or not ($3). 

 
A new (to us) winery: Keuka Lake Vineyards, one of the newer wineries that surround Keuka Lake, specializes in dry, European-style estate wines. A $5 fee gets you tastings of about 10 wines.

 KLV’s Rieslings were nice and the Vignoles was a pleasant change of pace. We also were impressed by the labor that went into this sign in the tasting room, made entirely from corks. The winery is on County Route 76, a couple miles north of the village of Hammondsport.

A market bursting with fresh produce: Some people are drawn to Naples for grape pie. I’m drawn to the picturesque village by Joseph’s Wayside Market, a large, open-air market and country store with an in-house bakery.

 

On Sunday, the place wore the perfume of ripe peaches and tables were laden with homegrown tomatoes, corn, raspberries, blueberries, beans and more. Check back for an upcoming post on Joseph’s.

A flower cart in the country: This cart on Route 245, a couple miles south of Routes 5 and 20, near Geneva, is like a dollar store for small bunches of fresh-cut flowers, like gladiolus, cosmos and Japenese lanterns.

Leave a dollar bill or two in the honor box and take home a fragrant reminder of your Finger Lakes travels.

 

 

 

On the shelf: Squash seed oil from the Finger Lakes

What kind of oil(s) do you have in your pantry? 

We’ve got olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, Persian Lime Oil – and a new addition that’s totally local: butternut squash seed oil from Stony Brook WholeHearted Foods in Geneva.

When making something with winter squash or carving a pumpkin for Halloween, we usually scoop out the stringy, slippery innards and throw away the seeds. Stony Brook roasts the seeds from locally grown acorn, delicata, butternut and buttercup squash and presses them to create their oils.

I picked up a bottle of butternut squash seed oil at Bet the Farm in Aurora (about $10) and have used it several ways so far: as a dipping oil for multi-grain bread, drizzled on steamed asparagus and as the base for a punchy vinaigrette dressing.

It’s golden, nutty, rich and highly flavorful – like sesame oil, in a way, but a flavor unto itself.

Friends Seth Kircher and Mary Jane Challen at The Copper Oven, on Cayuga Lake, like to Stony Brook butternut squash seed oil as a finishing oil for their popular 26 Mile Pizza (so named because all of its ingredients are sourced within 26 miles of their oven at Cayuga Ridge Winery) and Fall Harvest Pizza (topped with caramelized onions, goat cheese and squash puree).

The Stony Brook website has lots of serving ideas, most savory (use as a substitute for butter on corn on the cob and potatoes) but some sweet (drizzle over vanilla ice cream garnished with pistachios) and recipes for experimenting.

Come fall, I know I’ll be adding it to pumpkin scones and other baked goods and drizzling it over roasted squash soup.

If you’re visiting the Finger Lakes this summer, look for the Stony Brook oils at shops, wineries and other destinations, like the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua.

We spotted a vendor selling the squash seed oils at the Central New York Regional Market in Syracuse on a recent Saturday. You can also order it online.

If you already have some, I’d love to hear how you’re using it.

In Aurora, you can bet on Bet the Farm

Nancy Tisch makes her wine at Damiani Wine Cellars on Seneca Lake. But she sells it at Bet the Farm Winery and Gourmet Market, an adorable little storefront on Main Street in the village of Aurora. It’s next door to the post office and a couple doors down from the Aurora Inn.

Bet the Farm is a small winery: Tisch makes about 1,200 cases a year of Pinot Gris, Village White, Cabernet Franc and other varieties, and usually sells out. At her store, she shares shelf space with with Damiani, Shalestone, Sheldrake Point and others, plus neighbor wineries on Cayuga Lake’s East Shore, like Long Point, King Ferry and Heart & Hands.

To go with your wine, the refrigerator case holds a nice selection of artisanal cheeses (Muranda Cheese Company, Finger Lakes Dexter Creamery, Lively Run Goat Dairy, etc.) as well as Croghan bologna from Croghan Meat Market in the North Country village of the same name.

You’ll also find crackers, flatbreads, dips, dressings, sauces, granola, pancake mixes and other products from small-scale food producers in New York State.

I picked up a package of Cayuga Pure Organics polenta (a hostess gift for a friend), a bottle of chocolate-Cabernet Sauvignon wine sauce from Arbor Hill Grapery and Winery (a birthday gift for another friend) and a bottle of Stony Brook squash oil, a local – and very flavorful – alternative to olive oil.

More on the squash oil soon. 

In the meantime, grab your corkscrew, cooler and picnic blanket and take a leisurely drive to Aurora. Pick up a bottle of wine and some nibbles from Bet the Farm and have an al fresco lakeside feast.

Bet the Farm is at 381 Main St., Aurora. Shop hours 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. Information: 315-294-5643.

 

Pumpkin Hill Bistro: Country comforts on Cayuga Lake

I can drive by the Mackenzie-Childs store and Vintage Lighting in Aurora (sometimes), but I can’t be anywhere near the lovely village on the east side of Cayuga Lake without feeling the pull of Pumpkin Hill Bistro.

It hasn’t happened yet, at any rate. A business and pleasure trip brought me to Aurora last week, and I was seduced, once again, into having lunch on the back porch at Pumpkin Hill, overlooking the fields and rolling hills leading to the lake.

It was a perfect day for it, too: Sunny and breezy with temperatures in the mid-‘70s. What a nice way to celebrate the first official day of summer and the longest day of the year.

THE VIBE:  The restaurant is in a rehabbed 1820s farmhouse, the Sellen House, which was moved to Pumpkin Hill and parked in the middle of more than 20 acres. The dining areas are very country. Owners Terry Dewis and Andy Casas have described Pumpkin Hill as “a little like ‘Little House on the Prairie’ crossed with an English pub.’’

LIQUID ASSETS: Fresh-brewed iced tea and freshly-squeezed lemonade served in mason jars, plus beer, wine and other adult beverages to wet your whistle.

THE MENU: That’s the realm of Susanne “Cookie” Wheeler, Pumpkin Hill’s executive chef, and country-comfort food with gourmet touches sums it up. You’ll find old favorites like Cookie’s chicken pot pie and shepherd’s pie and new favorites like tapas, the chef’s twist on small plates, designed for sharing.

The restaurant sources much of its produce locally, and shines the light on center-of-the-plate items, too, like Finger Lakes Maple Farm duck breast.

DECISION TIME: I took a pass on soups, hot and cold sandwiches and lunch-sized entrees in favor of the Aurora Salad ($8.99). It features fresh spinach leaves packed into a small colander, along with sliced apples, candied walnuts, crumbled bacon and cubes of sharp New York State cheddar cheese, tossed with just the right amount of house-made maple vinaigrette dressing. It was served with a warm roll and was delicious down to the last bit of bacon.

Eat cute: The Aurora Salad.

WHAT IS SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T EAT MEAT GOING TO FIND? Multiple choices, including a black bean burger on grilled ciabatta bread, topped with greens, tomato relish and cilantro dressing. And the day’s harvest, a selection of fruit, vegetable and grains that changes according to the season.

WHAT’S FOR DESSERT? I opted out, but a chef named Cookie does not disappoint in this department. You’ll find cakes, cookies, cobblers, crisps, pies, puddings and more. The check was delivered with two tiny Snickerdoodle cookies, each about the size of a quarter.

THE DAMAGES: $14.81, including tax, tip and a glass of iced tea.

VITALS: Pumpkin Hill is at 2051 state Route 90, on its namesake, Pumpkin Hill, about four miles south of Aurora. During the summer, the restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations are accepted by phone only: 315-364-7091.

NEXT WEEK: Read about a charming food and wine store in the village of Aurora. 

The view from the back porch at Pumpkin Hill Bistro