Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance benefit

A benefit to support the efforts of the Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance, a non-profit corporation dedicated to the stabilization, restoration and adaptive reuse of the Hoyt House at Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park in Staatsburg and other endangered architectural sites throughout the United States, will take place from 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday. It will include music by David Temple, refreshments, and several speakers. More information is in this Poughkeepsie Journal article.

HITS Saugerties begins this week

The HITS Saugerties Spring Horse Show Series begins on Wednesday, May 20. The first week runs through Sunday, May 24, and is followed by Week II from May 27-31 and Week III from June 3-7. The shows take place at the scenic HITS-on-the-Hudson facility in Saugerties and will feature more than 1,000 horses in a variety of divisions.

You can see more than just horses at HITS -- on Saturday, the second annual HITS Classic Car Showcase returns to the show grounds with hot rods to classic cruisers. On the same day, sample fare from area restaurants at the Taste of HITS-on-the-Hudson.

And for the first time, the Hors'n Around Saugerties exhibit takes place on the streets of Saugerties with nearly 50 artist-decorated fiberglass carousel horses. The horses will all be available for purchase at an auction to raise money for a local food bank at the end of the season during the Marshall & Sterling Finals on September 12.


Here is more information about the HITS schedule:

 
The HITS Saugerties Spring Horse Shows offer divisions for every level of rider in equitation, hunter, and jumper disciplines. The Open Jumpers are one of the most popular divisions, and as always HITS Saugerties will offer some of the best prize money in the nation for them.
 
The Open Jumper Division will consist of four Open Jumper classes each week, including a $10,000 Open Welcome, $5,000 Open Speed, and two Grand Prix events, held each Friday and Sunday. The Friday class will offer $25,000 each week, while the Sunday class will offer increasing prize money of $50,000 (sponsored by EMO Insurance), $75,000 and $125,000 (sponsored by Purina Mills in the spring and by Strongid C 2X in the summer) during each three-week series.
 
Top grand prix rider and HITS Saugerties High Performance Committee member Laura Chapot shows at Saugerties every year. This year, Sshe will bring horses and clients to the first and third weeks of the spring series and then will show at all of the HITS Saugerties Summer Series (July 19 - August 2).
 
Chapot is pleased to contribute to the High Performance Committee. She said, "I think it's been great to be a part of the High Performance Committee for HITS Saugerties and to have a management team that wants to hear what we want - our suggestions and our feelings. Tom has put in a tremendous amount of effort to make these shows the best they can be, and we're really excited to see the improvements this year."
 
Chapot feels that the most important improvement made to HITS Saugerties is the footing. "The key thing is footing. To get good footing in will make the whole experience for everyone a lot better. It sounds like HITS really made a huge effort and hopefully found the right mix. It will make a big difference to everyone, most importantly for our horses and the competition."
 
While the prize money for the open jumpers is a big draw, Chapot feels that the reduced fees for this year's competitions is what makes it feasible for many riders at Saugerties. "The prize money increasing each week is great, but what's even better is that HITS has been reducing costs for exhibitors. Prize money only goes to a few people. In order to encourage people and have them be able to show, the fact that they reduced the nominating fee and entry fees is really something that they should be praised for," she explained. "That affects everyone. As a trainer and rider, and a person who owns some of her own horses, entry fees affect me a lot. We bring several younger horses, and they might not win prize money. To bring them at less cost is greatly appreciated."
 
The lower fees will also make a big difference for riders who compete in the non-professional divisions. Junior and Amateur Jumpers will have a great opportunity to win money at Saugerties this year because the classics will be split not only by High and Low, but by Juniors and Amateurs as well.  This means there will be four classics each week:  $5,000 Junior Jumper Low, $5,000 Amateur-Owner Jumper Low, $10,000 Junior Jumper High and $10,000 Amateur-Owner Jumper High.  And, the Low Junior and Amateur-Owner Classics will also count for NAL points.
 
Starting out Week I, the Children's/Adult Jumpers will compete together in their $10,000 Marshall and Sterling Jumper Classic. For Weeks II and III, they will be split and compete for $2,500 each in their classics and will earn points for both Marshall & Sterling and NAL. And every week, the Modified Junior/Amateur Jumpers will have a classic worth $3,500 in prize money. During Week II, there will be a fun Saugerties Team Relay Classic.
 
The hunters will have their fair share of prize money as well. The Amateur-Owner Hunters, Small Junior Hunters, Large Junior Hunters, and Small, Medium, and Large Pony Hunters will each have a $1,000 classic every week. The M&S/NAL Adult Hunters, M&S/NAL Children's Hunters, and Bit O' Straw Classics will each give $500 in prize money every week as well.
 
In addition to the great prize money available, exhibitors will be happy to know that the footing has been revamped in most of the show rings. Tom Struzzieri, President and CEO of HITS, Inc., made the decision to redo the footing in the grand prix ring, all of the jumper rings and schooling areas, as well as many of the hunter rings. HITS also plans to use the old footing from the rings to improve the walkways leading from the stabling areas to the competition areas.
 
This year, HITS has the popular new wood and metal stalls available, an upgraded VIP area, and increased access to electrical power in the tent areas. Olympic Course Decorator Flora Baptiston is returning to bring beauty and color to all of the rings at HITS Saugerties.
 

Shad Fest becomes Springtide Festival

The Hudson River Maritime Museum's "Springtide Festival" takes place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday along the Rondout waterfront in Kingston. The event used to be called the Shad Festival, but was changed in 2008 when conservation groups noticed a decline in the numbers of shad and asked organizations not to serve shad or shad roe at their events. The Museum's spring festival instead focuses on the shad’s birth and spawning venue – the Hudson River.

This year, in honor of the 2009 Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration and the 400th anniversary of Hudson’s 1609 voyage, HRMM has put together a display of 400 years of living and boating on the Hudson River. Boats that will be present at the museum’s waterfront dock and in the yard will include a Native American canoe, small steamboat, kayak, wooden sailboat, “perriauger”, the “Lark” (boat used to ferry visitors to the Rondout II Lighthouse), HRMM’s 1898 steam tug “Mathilda”, 24-foot sea skiff – even a ’57 Chevy boat. More about the Quadricentennial on the Quad Updates Blog.

There will also be numerous displays and exhibits, live entertainment, and Taste of the Rondout where local restaurateurs will serve "alfresco" samples of their regional cuisine in the museum's park-like waterfront yard. Hot dogs, veggie dogs and soft drinks will also be available for purchase.

More details and directions are at the Hudson River Maritime Museum Web site.

Honoring Ben Feder of Clinton Vineyards

The Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Association and Hudson Valley Vintners will honor Clinton Vineyards owner and winemaker Ben Feder on June 12 at the Hudson Valley Wine & Culinary Food Pairing Dinner.

Ben will receive the "Hudson Valley Veritas Award" for lifetime achievement for visionary leadership in Hudson Valley winemaking. Here is more about Ben from the release:

Ben Feder, former graphic artist and book designer came to the Hudson Valley in 1969 and purchased a rundown 100 acre dairy farm. Ben and the cows didn’t seem to get along. Intrigued by making wine, Ben sought advice from fellow winemaker Herman Wiemer who made wine for Walter S. Taylor at the Bully Hill Vineyard and then went off to make his own prize winning riesling in the Finger Lakes. Advice to Ben was to grow Seyval Blanc, a French-American hybrid grape that does well in the harsh climate of the Northeast. The cows left their pasture and grapes were planted.  Ben’s first vintage was in 1977, the year after Gov. Hugh L. Carey put through a farm winery bill permitting small wineries to sell direct to customers, retailers and restaurants.  Ben produces white wine, champagnes, made from the classic method champenoise, late harvest dessert wine and pure fruit dessert wines made from locally grown fruits.

The Hudson Valley Wine & Culinary Food Pairing Dinner will begin at 7 p.m. June 12, 2009 at Terrapin Catering located at the Dinsmore Golf Course in Staatsburg. The dinner will celebrate winning wines from the Hudson Valley Wine Competition, which will be paired with haute cuisine prepared by Chef Josh Kroner. The dinner is open to the public and costs $85 per person, which includes dinner, wine, tax and gratuities. Pre-paid reservations may be made at http://hudsonvalleywineandgrapeassociation.ticketleap.com

New top chef at Bird & Bottle

The Bird & Bottle Inn in Garrison has named Douglas Gardner of Cortlandt Manor as executive chef of its restaurant. The historic building first opened as an inn and tavern in 1761.

A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Gardner attended classes and lectures given by his role model, famed Chef Jacques Pepin. Gardner first joined Bird & Bottle in 2006 as a sous chef, and then worked at Zeph's restaurant in Peekskill before returning to the Bird & Bottle as executive chef.

Hudson Valley chefs, authors win James Beard awards

The Hudson Valley made a great showing in tonight's James Beard Foundation awards -- the "Oscars" of the culinary world.

WineWise -- written by a trio of professors at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park -- won best beverage book. Authors included Michael Weiss, who has been wines columnist for Hudson Valley Connoisseur magazine for the past three years, Steven Kolpan, wines columnist for the Valley Table magazine, and Brian H. Smith. Congratulations to all!

Also, Westchester County chef Dan Barber won the prestigious Outstanding Chef award. Way to go!

You can read about all the awards in this story from USA Today.

The ceremony was hosted by Cat Cora, Emeril Lagasse and Stanley Tucci at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Awards in 38 categories were presented, including Restaurant and Chef, Book, Design and Graphics, and special achievement awards.

Make scents for Mother's Day

Here's a suggestion for an early Mother's Day gift -- the Scenterprise "Perfume Studio Seminar" taking place this Sunday (May 3) in the Cucina Room at Gigi Trattoria in Rhinebeck. Each participant will create his or her own custom fragrance, and each leave with a personalized Bespoke Perfume. Cost is $85 per person. Gigi Skizza (their delicious signature flatbread pizzas) and soft beverages are included and a cash bar will be available. To register, contact sue@scenterprises.com or call 917-449-1134.

Here's more from the Gigi e-mail:

About Host Sue Phillips: President of Scenterprises Ltd, and recognized international fragrance expert who created TIFFANY, TIFFANY FOR MEN, BURBERRYS, DIANE VON FURSTENBERG'S HOME FRAGRANCE COLLECTION, TRISH MCEVOY 1, 2, 3, and many more.  Sue will lead the Perfume Studio workshop -  a fun, interactive and innovative way to experience fragrance.
Price of $85.00 per person includes:
* Fragrance Seminar and Master Class Workshop  
* Olfactory Journey by Expert Fragrance Guide
* Your 20 ml Custom Perfume Creation & Spray
* Certificate of Registration with your own Formula

Speaking of Gigi ... Laura Pensiero, John Storm and the rest of the Gigi folks have been keeping busy with many projects, including their Gigi Trattoria restaurant in Rhinebeck, running the catering at the Vassar College Alumnae House in Poughkeepsie, and the Gigi farm market and cafe at Greig Farm in Red Hook.

Tasty Rhinebeck

UPDATE ON FRIDAY APRIL 24

Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation has announced the winners of the "People's Choice Awards" from Taste of Rhinebeck:

Best Beverage
Old Mill Wine & Spirits - for their selection of fine South American Wines

Best Appetizer
Le Petit Bistro - for their Fish Tacos

Best Main Course
Rhinebeck Bagels - Southern Fried Chicken BLT Slider with Sea Salted Beer Fries

Best Dessert
Rhinebeck Health Foods - Me-Oh-My cookies

Best Overall- Rhinebeck Bagels

The event raised just over $10,000 with a crowd of 300. For more information about the Foundation events and ways to give, visit www.health-quest.org/ndh

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Following up on my previous writeup about last night's Taste of Rhinebeck fund-raising event for Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation ... it looks like it was quite the success!

Check out photos of people having fun at Taste in this Poughkeepsie Journal slideshow. Deborah Breen, executive director of the Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation, said in the newspaper's article that the foundation hoped to raise about $10,000 from the event, which will go to several projects at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck.

Thank you for the yellow deer!

Drive south on Route 9G, just before its intersection with Slate Quarry Road in Rhinebeck, and look up on a small hill on the left side of the road to see a forsythia bush that has been carved to resemble a deer with antlers. This time of year it turns into a bushy yellow deer due to the seasonal blooms. In summer, it’s a green deer and in winter, a brown deer. I’ve noticed it for several years now.

There’s something about this whimsical creature that appeals to me. I like topiaries that push the boundaries beyond sedate ball shapes and spiral trees. In 2003, I was invited to a press tour of the Montreal International Mosaiculture in Canada, an international topiary competition featuring acres of stunning two-dimensional and three-dimensional works by horticulture artists from around the world. You can see some photos at this Web site. The visit greatly expanded my concept of “topiary”.

I don’t know anything about the person who created or maintains the deer topiary in Rhinebeck but whoever you are – thank you. Your creation always brightens my day.

Beacon Barks

Got dogs? Like dogs? Then you might want to head to Beacon on Saturday for the annual Beacon Barks. Support the Dutchess SPCA.

Michael Woyton has more details and video on his blog.

Grass-fed beef cooking demo

Learn about the merits and benefits of grass-fed beef during Chef Jeff Loshinsky's cooking demo on Tuesday, April 28, from 6-8 p.m. at Vince Mulford Gallery in Hudson.

Georgia Ranney of Kinderhook Farm, a Columbia County producer of grass-fed Angus beef, will visit the class. The demo will show two methods of preparing beef sirloin -- a Korean-style marinade for stove top or outdoor grilling and a slow braised recipe called Braciolone (a specialty of the city of Trapani on the western coast of Sicily). A simple Risotto Primavera, the perfect accompaniment to the Braciolone, will also be prepared.

Mary Hack, from East Chatham Wines and Spirits, will talk about the featured wine pairing, Malbec.

The gallery is at 417-419 Warren Street in Hudson; enter via Cherry Alley.  RSVP by calling 646-752-5977. Cost for class is $35 per person, and $28 for Columbia County Bounty members.

Hudson River photo contest winners

What beautiful images in the March edition of the Poughkeepsie Journal's Hudson River photo contest!

The two winning photos are stunning. Robert Rightmyer of Poughkeepsie won first-place for his "highly colorful, well-framed image" of the Rondout area in Kingston. Dan Seifort of Poughkeepsie won honorable mention for his "moody, highly technical" black and white image of the Mid-Hudson Bridge taken in the fog. You can see both photos (and others entered in the contest) at the HudsonHappenings.com site.

Gnome for a home

I want a garden gnome. I'm usually not one for cutesy garden decor. Maybe it's the subtle influence of one of my favorite movies, Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, or that I admired them in the community garden plots when I lived in Germany in the 1970s. (A gnome statue has a minor, though important, role in the Amélie film, and I sometimes saw gnomes decorating those gardens in Germany. Indeed, garden gnomes are a German tradition.)

I've denied my gnome urge for years, but this spring, as I expand my gardens, I've decided a gnome would finally fit in the plan. I would rather buy it locally than over the Internet, if possible. Any suggestions re: local gnome vendors?

Going once ... Pasta Primo Vino tickets

Advance ticket sales for the Shawangunk Wine Trail's Pasta Primo Vino end today at 6 p.m.

The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, (April 18 & 19) and tickets cost $20 per person in advance (until 6 p.m.) and $25 at the door if available.

The event includes a self-guided tour of the Hudson Valley wineries that make up the Shawangunk Wine Trail as they pair their wines -- including new releases -- with delicious pasta dishes.

Unison Arts benefit dinner

Support the Unison Arts Center in New Paltz (one of my fave entertainment venues) with a three-course dinner and wine pairing fundraiser at 36 Main in New Paltz, from 6-9:30 p.m. Thursday May 14. You'll need to call Unison at 845-255-1559 to RSVP by Friday, May 8. $60/person ($41 tax deductible donation). The event is sponsored by Kathy Coombs at 36 Main Restaurant and Tom Edwards & Nick Ciallelo at Fox and Hound Wine & Spirits.

Eat local - Speed Networking

Attention, food producers and restaurateurs:

Dutchess County Bounty will host its first ever Speed Networking for farmers and chefs at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 4. I think this is a great idea -- Slow Food Hudson Valley (disclosure: I formerly served on the board of directors of this non-profit group) used to hold a networking dinner with the same purpose: connecting local farmers and food producers with product to sell to local chefs, caterers and food buyers who are interested in serving locally raised foods. It all promotes the "buy local" philosophy and keeps business in the community.

Dutchess County Bounty is a relatively new group that is supported by Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corp., Dutchess County Tourism, Dutchess Economic Development Corp., Northern Dutchess Alliance, Assemblyman Marc Molinaro and "the generous support of a Dutchess resident." It is modeled after Columbia County Bounty in (yes) Columbia County.

Note: this is not an event for "regular" folks who just want to enjoy a good meal of local products. I am including it in this blog because I think it's a fine idea and I'd like to encourage everyone to patronize Dutchess (and Columbia) County Bounty food producers and chefs all year long.

Here is more from the event's organizers:

Like speed dating, Speed Networking gives farmers/chefs the opportunity to meet face to face to make a quick connection -- to follow-up in more detail later.

They will have 5 minutes per person to exchange information on what they grow or what they want to buy and how to reach one another. Then, they move on to the next person for another 5 minutes, and so on, till they've worked their way around the room and met all the farmers or buyers.

Participants should bring a stack of business cards and farmers should bring copies of their product list to hand out.

Food producers who use local product are also welcomed, as are farmers and chefs from neighboring counties.

The event opens up a lot of local, business-to-business potential markets. When Columbia County Bounty ran a Speed Networking this winter, there were 80 farmers and chefs/buyers in the room. It was very productive.

Patricia & Michel Jean have graciously offered to host the event at their Stissing House Restaurant, 7801 S. Main Street (Rtes. 199 & 82), Pine Plains, 518/398-8800.

The Networking will finish no later than noon. Anyone with questions can call Dutchess Bounty Coordinator Vicki Simons at 518/392-9696 or e-mail vsimons@fairpoint.net. Advance registration is preferred.

There is no charge to participate.

Poetry: It's Natural!

Award-winning poets Will Nixon of Woodstock and Matthew J. Spireng of Lomontville present Poetry: It's Natural! -- workshops and readings that explore the connection between the natural world and the art of poetry on Saturday, April 18 at the Tivoli Free Library. Matt is a wonderful poet and a longtime friend (and I've blogged about him before).

Here is the schedule for the day:

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Spireng will kick off the day with a workshop, “Nurturing Nature,” that looks at the making of poems of nature, where they come from, what goes into them, where they go, and how to cultivate and nourish them so they do not die on the vine.

1-2 p.m. Nixon will lead a “Search and Create Workshop” in which participants will choose an object from nature about which to compose a poem.

3:30 p.m. Spireng and Nixon will read from their work.

New York Riesling Experience

Spicy fruity Riesling is one of my favorite grapes (perhaps because my education in wine appreciation began when I lived in Germany during my 20s. Riesling has been cultivated in Germany for hundreds of years and the country's white wines are phenomenal). It's also a grape that does well in New York.

Now we can celebrate this grape with a local festival! Applewood Winery will host the first New York Riesling Experience from 11 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 2 & 3 at the winery, located on 82 Four Corners Road in Warwick (Orange County). The event will feature Riesling tastings, Riesling food and wine pairings, chef demonstrations, winemaker discussions, free recipes, and live entertainment. Admission is $12 if tickets are purchased before April 30 or $15 at the door. Admission also includes admission to the Applewood tasting room with more than a dozen different Applewood wines to taste. To purchase tickets, call 845-988-9292.

Here is more info from the event's press release:

Winemaker/owner Jonathan Hull states that “Riesling is the grape of the 21st century. It is also a grape underdog. It ... is the ultimate food wine. The grape has great flexibility, as it can be made, dry, semi dry, sweet, late harvest and ice wine. This grape grows very well in New York State and I want to bring awareness of the grape and the wonderful wines it produces to the wine consumer.”

About Riesling ... Riesling vines are tough. They thrive in cold climates, on steep hillsides, and in marginal soil. The green-skinned grapes ripen later than many other varieties, and sometimes are left hanging on the vine to produce sweet late harvest wines or even ice wines when the grapes actually freeze on the vines. The aromas in the wine that the Riesling grape produces tend to be pear, apple, jasmine, lime, honey and some spice. The flavors range from bright, fresh citrus to ripe tropical fruit. The New York Riesling Experience customer will have the option to taste the many different variety of wines the Riesling grape produces, as well as a variety of Riesling wines produced throughout the world.

Applewood Winery is in the heart of the historic Hudson Valley! Come discover the oldest working farm in Orange County and one of the oldest west of the Hudson River. The Hull family and their friends began planting apple and peach trees in former pastures in 1949. In 1994 the winery was created and vineyards planted.

Thrift is good

The Northern Dutchess Hospital Auxiliary's "Royal Tea Party and Thrifty Fashion Show" raised over $2,500 recently to help fund renovations in the hospital's Medical/Surgical Unit.

More than 75 women enjoyed the sold-out April 1 event at The Rhinecliff Hotel. The show featured clothing and accessories from the NDH Auxiliary Thrift Shop, worn by volunteer models who strolled the aisles as guests enjoyed elegant afternoon tea, assorted finger sandwiches and gourmet desserts. Many of the outfits -- including outerwear, career wear, and formal wear -- were purchased quickly and several other items were sold from the event's sales area.

Here are some photos of the event sent by the hospital. From left:

1. Friends of NDH/Models at the event were met with attendees eager to purchase their outfits. 2. Volunteer Barbara Haack and Marion Kahn peruse the sales table for fashionable finds. 3. Ethel Arnell, president of the Rhinebeck unit of the NDH Auxiliary and organizer of the event, stands with one of the formal pieces made available during the fashion show. 4. Ava Riley, Administrative Assistant at NDH, models an evening look.

Taste of Rhinebeck

Ready for a delicious evening? You can nosh on great food while walking through one of my favorite communities. The fifth annual "Taste of Rhinebeck" will take place on Tuesday, April 21 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation. Wristbands are available for $75. Please contact the NDH Foundation Office, at 845-871-3505.

Here is a description of the event from the press release:

The concept is very different from other food festivals in that participants travel on foot around the Village of Rhinebeck, stopping to sample gourmet delights from restaurants and spirit shops along the route. "The great thing with this event is that you get to go inside the restaurants and shops and experience the ambiance and individual charm of each. It allows folks to sample not only the food and spirits, but also, the atmosphere," says Deborah Breen, Executive Director of the Foundation. "There are not many villages that have such a vast array of incredible restaurants within a few blocks of each other. And, to have all of them working together for a common cause that night really highlights their community spirit!"

The "People's Choice Awards" will also return this year, giving attendees the opportunity to vote on their favorites in each category - last year's winners included: Petit Bistro, taking top honors for Best Overall, Best Appetizer, Best Main Course and Best Dessert, along with Old Mill Wine & Spirit Shop, taking the Best Beverage Award.

This year, event participants include: Arielle, Aroi Thai Restaurant, The Beekman Arms, Bread Alone, Calico Restaurant, Gigi Trattoria, Le Petit Bistro, Leonardo's Italian Market, Old Mill Wine and Spirits, Pete's Famous Restaurant, Rhinebeck Bagels and Café, Rhinebeck Deli hosted by Gazen Gallery, Rhinebeck Health Foods, Rhinebeck Wine and Liquor, Sabroso, Samuel's of Rhinebeck, The Rhinecliff hosted by Rhinebeck Department Store and Village Pizza of Rhinebeck.

HVC columnist is Beard nominee!

Wow! We have two Hudson Valley nominees for the James Beard Foundation Book Award/beverage -- and one is by Hudson Valley Connoisseur magazine's wines writer, Michael Arthur Weiss! Congratulations to Michael, who writes an entertaining and educational column about world wine in every issue of HVC!

The second nominee with local ties is Michael Harney of Millerton's Harney & Sons Fine Tea.

What a prestigious honor for both men! The winners will be named on May 4 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.

Here are the nominees for beverage book:

The Harney and Sons Guide to Tea
by Michael Harney with Emily Kaiser
(The Penguin Press)

The Wines of Burgundy
by Clive Coates
(University of California Press)

WineWise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Enjoying Wine
by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith, and Michael A. Weiss, The Culinary Institute of America
(John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)

Also, nominated under the International category, is Southeast Asian Flavors: Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, & Singapore by Robert Danhi, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and former faculty member there.

Star chef in Hyde Park

Chef Ferrán Adrià came to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park yesterday, for a rare cooking demo for the culinary college's students. I'd seen the famed Spanish chef at Slow Food's international conference, Terre Madre, in Turin, Italy a few years ago. There, in a hall filled with chefs, food producers and foodies from all over the world, he really did get the "rock star" reception. (I wrote about a local connection to that event in a past blog post.) His CIA appearance created similar excitement.

At the CIA yesterday, he was accompanied by another famed Spanish chef, José Andrés (Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo, Zaytinya, Minibar by Jose Andres, Oyamel restaurants.) You can read more about the visit in the Poughkeepsie Journal article.

Many connections here: Andrés trained at Adrià's world-renowned restaurant El Bulli in Spain. Andrés also appeared on an episode of Iron Chef America where CIA President Tim Ryan served as a judge, and Andrés chaired "Spain and the World Table," the prestigious Worlds of Flavor international food conference held in 2006 at the Culinary's Greystone campus in California's Napa Valley. I wrote about that way back when, in this blog post. Yup, it's about gerbil meatballs too. ;-)

Art inspired by food

This sounds yummy!

The exhibit, Art Inspired by Food, a juried regional art show focused on art work inspired by the theme of food, opens Friday (March 13) at the Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery, Vanderlyn Hall, on SUNY Ulster's Stone Ridge campus. The exhibit was judged by Mary Anne Erickson, collagist, painter and co-owner of Woodstock’s Blue Mountain Bistro and Bistro on the Go.

It runs through March 17. Gallery hours are Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and by appointment. The gallery is closed on college holidays.

Honor for HVC magazine's wines columnist

Michael Weiss, Hudson Valley Connoisseur magazine wines columnist, has received the 2009 Distinguished Service Award from the Italian Trade Commission. He shares the honor with fellow Culinary Institute of America Wine Studies Professor Steven Kolpan and Karen MacNeil, chair of the CIA's Professional Wine Studies Program at its California campus. (Weiss, at left in photo, and Kolpan, at right, teach at the CIA's Hyde Park campus.)

Congrats to all, who were honored at the Italian Trade Commission’s Vino 2009 conference "in recognition of noteworthy support of the Wines of Italy in America” and for their “commitment to advancing the understanding, appreciation and sales of Italian wines in the United States."

Hudson River stations inspire artist

For a modern take on the Hudson River as artistic inspiration, there is "A Journey Along the Hudson River Line” -- Frédéric Lére's oil paintings of the 31 train stations along the MTA and Amtrak Hudson River lines. The exhibit will be on display at RiverWinds Gallery at 172 Main Street in Beacon from March 14 though April 6. The artist’s reception will be held during Beacon’s Second Saturday, March 14, from 5-8 p.m.


Here is more about it from the gallery:

Frédéric’s oil paintings are an artistic catalog of the 31 train stations along the MTA and Amtrak Hudson River lines. Each stop on the MTA and Amtrak Hudson River lines is painted, keeping train station and river in sight if possible. Each one is framed in wood, pasted with a collage of train schedules revealing the name of each station in white highlights.

At the beginning of the 19th Century, the first school of American landscape painters explored the dramatic wilderness of the Hudson River. In their footsteps, New York City-based artist Frédéric Lère boarded the train in the summer of 2007 and 2008 to rediscover the Hudson Valley with easel, canvas and oil paint.

Always keeping train stations and river in sight, he found wilderness very close to the city, in places such as Breakneck Ridge or Manitou, as students and science teachers were foraging ponds next to his easel to find rare species of mud minnows. In many stations he also faced the discouraging development of suburbia with its sprawling acres of parking lots. But many treasures could also be found: a church in Cold Spring filled with live music and passionate people, a boat launch in Beacon, or a farmer’s market. In every station, Frédéric met humanity, curiosity and sometimes camaraderie of fellow painters.

Train stations along the Hudson lines played a pivotal role in the development of townships in the valley; they were the pride of the community and built to last, just like banks or churches. A few did not survive the modernization trend of the Seventies. Today, they are rediscovered, protected, and restored, -- although not always as train stations, -- as is the Hudson Valley itself.

Frédéric Lére, after Beaux-Arts studies as well as studies in stone carving and comics in France, arrived in New York in 1984 to specialize in mural painting. He met painter Mark Beard and worked with him on theater sets and decorative painting jobs in New York, as well as in Europe. His friendship with Mark continues today. They are working on murals in New York, Los Angeles, London and Tokyo. In Miami, he met another work partner, Pierre Marcel. Together, they have realized murals in Florida, Russia, France, even cruise-ships.

Gallery hours are Wednesdays through Mondays, noon to 6 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Second Saturdays. Direction at the Web site or by calling 845-838-2880.