Summer Series (Vol. 4) New York

THE SUMMER SERIES. What some of my favorite people saw, ate, and photographed, this past Summer…

The fourth (and final) volume: “NEW YORK” From RANDY HARRIS 

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I met photographer Randy Harris in New Hampshire last year, when we were both on assignment to shoot a bunch of gi-normous pumpkins for Martha Stewart Living. He called me at the beginning of August to tip me off that he’d been asked by Chef Heather Carlucci (from Print Restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen, NY) to shoot the second “Pig Mountain” Festival. Randy is a phenomenal photographer. I'm so thrilled and privileged to present this volume.

What is "Pig Mountain"?  It is a pig roast and veggie festival to bring economic stimulation to the Sullivan County in New York and support the local farmers. Ten chefs (Yes, 10!) and their sous chefs, came together to cook for three days. They dug pits, roasted and smoked pigs, and prepped side dishes. Each chef prepared their pig however they wanted, and they also got the opportunity to offer 3-4 vegetarian side dishes, to go with their pork dish. For some, it was the first time that they'd ever worked with these other chefs before, so it was a great opportunity to meet and work closely with industry colleagues and get the opportunity to exchange ideas.

Mildred’s Lane, J. Morgan Puitt’s artist retreat was offered up as a location to house the chefs. (This place is a wonderful, inspiring retreat.) And then between 850 and 1000 people attended the pig event. A mixture of locals, homeowners in the region, and lots of food lovers. The month before, Heather spoke about this event on Martha Stewart Radio and was surprised to find a lot of people came to the event after hearing her speak.

There were a lot of people involved in putting this together. (It takes a village after all!) Most of the location work was done by Heather’s Pig Mountain partner in crime: Matthew, who built the pits, and then there were about 30 other people worked super-hard to make this happen, including Print Restaurant who donated cooks as well as funds. The pigs came from Stone and Thistle and Finger Lakes farms and were mainly cooked in the pits. Two were done in the smoker. The pits took about 24+ hours of cooking before unearthing. The smoker took about 6 hours.

THE PHENMONENAL MENU:

Jake Klein, Morrell Wine Bar Balinese whole roasted pig with creamy coconut casava and pineapple achar

Anthony Sasso, Casa Mono Old San Juan Style Pork Two salsas: cuba libre reduction and red habanero vinegar Tostones Bravas with Smoked Tomato Vin Habichuelas Grilled Beans with homemade Harissa

Lee Anne Wong, Foodnetwork Mi-so Happy Pig, Wasabi Aioli, Crispy Onions Charcoal grilled Eggplant and Daikon, Goma Sesame Sauce, Scallions, Chili Watermelon, Cucumber, Asian Pear Salad, Yuzu Vinaigrette, Shiso, Masago arare

George McKirdy, Astor Bake Shop Caribbean Roast Pork, Pigeon Peas with Green Banana Dumplings, Yuca con Mojo, Peach Pineapple Salsa

Peter Schott, the Inn at Woodloch Pecan smoked whole hog sausage BBQ potato salad Vinegar slaw Braised Collard and Kale Greens Pickles and chive biscuits

Ryan Tate, All Good Things Pork belly Tostadas with pickled Gooseberries, roasted Radishes and Lime Creme Fraiche Grilled corn on the cob with Sesame Chipotle Aioli Black Eyed Pea Salad, lemon-sumac dressing Grilled puntarelle with pit roasted sweet onions

Heather Carlucci, Print Restaurant. Tandoori Roast Pig with roasted carrot raita, tomato chutney, Marieke Fenugreek Gouda and Pig Roasted Onions on Sullivan Street Ciabatta

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY RANDY HARRIS: Randy is a New York based photographer. He grew up in Leominster, MA, the birthplace of Johhny Appleseed. Randy worked for his dad as a Tool and Die maker. He loves to work with his hands and is not afraid to get dirty. His enthusium is endless. His clients include New York Times, New York magazine, Vanity Fair and Bon Appétit. Check out his work here. 

HEATHER CARLUCCI: is the pastry chef emeritus at Print Restaurant in New York's Hell's Kitchen. Heather opened Lassi, a phenomenally popular Indian take-out place in the West Village but due a lowly landlord, had to close. She is currently negotiating to re-open it. In her down time she listens to vinyl and hangs out with her daughter. To read more, check out her blog, here. To check out Print Restaurant click here.  ---------------

This is the last of the Summer Series!

To see previous Vol. 1 Colorado, click here. Vol. 2. California, click here Vol. 3. Michigan, click here. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed! Amazing Summer!

The Summer Series (Vol. 3) Michigan

Venison Jerky

Venison Backstrap Steak, Autumn Crumb and Vegetables

Venison Burger

Venison with Brussels Sprouts Mayo, with a squeeze of Lemon, and below; Venison Neck and Wild Mushroom Stroganoff

THE SUMMER SERIES. What some of my favorite people saw, ate, and photographed, this past Summer…

The Third Volume “MICHIGAN” From Christina Holmes & Craig Lieckfelt

THE SUMMER VENISON MENU FROM MICHIGAN

Christina Holmes was born and raised in Michigan in a small town called Eaton Rapids. Think population 5,000, rolling hills, farmland. Growing up, there was always a sense of eating off the land, growing your own fruit and veggies, sourcing your own meat, and also being responsible for how you treated the land and soil.

This past Summer, to pay homage to the state she was raised, Christina teamed up with chef/food stylist Craig Lieckfelt, (also a Michigan native), to create a menu that puts a contemporary spin on foods they love and grew up with.

WHY A VENISON MENU?

From Christina: "Venison is a staple game meat in Michigan. The hunting season starts in late September (for restricted hunting) ...and goes right through to the first of January. My father hunted for deer most of Autumn, and I remember in Winter spending hours watching him carefully clean out his rifles in our barn. My mother played a huge role in deciding how to prep the venison, coming up with different dishes, and then suddenly, (depending on the size of the freezer, and what we had caught) we would only be eating venison, no other meat."

From Craig: "I'm a fourth generation hunter, and my family has land in Northern Michigan strictly reserved for hunting. The cabin is free of electricity and running water. In fact I helped my father built the current cabin we are using. It is a right of passage for the men of my family (and women, if they choose). I could write a book on memories of deer hunting. I saw my first deer field butchered when I was 6."

THEIR MENU: Venison Jerky Venison Backstrap Steak, Autumn Crumb and Vegetables Venison Burger Venison with Brussels Sprouts Mayo, with a squeeze of Lemon Venison Neck and Wild Mushroom Stroganoff

------------ THE VENISON BURGER 1 pound of Venison Half a pound of Beef Shortrib (boneless) 4 oz of Pork Fat 1 tablespoon of Kosher Salt 1 tablespoon of Black Pepper

Method: Grind all together through the course setting, mix thoroughly but gently. Then portion the meat mixture into 5 and a half oz portions, lay on a sheet tray in one even layer and chill for one hour. Season each patty with Kosher Salt and freshly ground Pepper. Heat 2 oz of Grapeseed Oil in a cast iron pan until it starts to smoke, cook until a nice crust forms. Around 3 minutes, flip and top with slices of cheese. Cook for 3 minutes longer. Serve Medium for optimum juiciness. Serve with a slice of ripe tomato, watercress, pickled red onion, brussels sprout mayo, and a toasted potato bun for gastronomic ectsasy.

VENISON JERKY 4 pounds of top Sirloin, Rump or Eye round Half a cup of Soy Sauce Quarter cup of Honey Quarter cup of Brown Sugar Quarter cup of Maple Syrup Quarter cup of Worcestershire Sauce Quarter cup of Hoisin Sauce 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar 2 tablespoons of minced Garlic (minced to a paste) 3 tablespoons of Kosher Salt 1 tablespoon of Red Pepper Flakes 1 tablespoon of Black Pepper 2 teaspoons of Cayenne Pepper

Method: Trim the meat of all fat and connective tissue and then slice the venison thinly against the grain. Gently pound the meat to achieve quarter inch thickness. Combine rest of ingredients in pot, until sugar and salts dissolve. Cool completely. Add sliced meat to marinade and refridgerate for up to 24 hours. Place in a smoker, be careful not to overlap at any point and smoke at 175-200 degrees for 12 to 16 hours. Before eating, feel free to dust with some honey and pink peppercorns. 

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Photographs by Christina Holmes Food Recipes & Styling courtesy of Craig Lieckfelt Check out their story (also on Michigan) in the new Fall Issue of Sweet Paul here.  Craig is also involved with a Detroit Michigan Pop up called Guns and Butter, check it out here. 

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CHRISTINA HOLMES: is a New York based photographer with deep roots in Michigan. When it comes to her favorite foods, her list is long! She will eat anything from Il Buco restaurant, she covets the Mushroom & Egg pizza from ABC Kitchen, loves the pork belly at the Breslin, the olive oil gelato at Otto, the olive oil cake from Abraco, the chocolate chip cookies from City Bakery, and any dessert from Lady M! Her favorite memory this past Summer was showing her parents around NY, getting to eat great food, and watching a live Brooklyn old school jazz band at dusk on the Hudson River. Her clients include Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Whole Living, The Cooking Channel, Sweet Paul, Chop't. Check out her work here. 

CRAIG LIECKFELT: is a chef and food stylist that has professionally cooked in Gotham Bar and Grill, and Jean Georges at the Trump International Hotel in New York. In the food world he is inspired by creativity, boldness and individualism. He sites Blanca, (the Roberta compound in Bushwick, Brooklyn) as being the perfect example of this. Craig's standard breakfast is a Banana Cupcake with Maple Pecan frosting and coffee, and he would walk over hot coals for a Detroit Coney Dog. He is currently launching a pop up restaurant in Detroit, called Guns and Butter. Check out his work here. 

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Stay tuned for more installments from the Summer Series!

To see previous Vol. 1 Colorado, click here. and Vol. 2. California, click here

The Summer Series. (Vol 1. Colorado)

THE SUMMER SERIES. What some of my favorite people saw, ate, and photographed, this past Summer. 

The first volume "COLORADO" From JUSTIN WALKER

"Winding through southwestern Colorado, the San Juan Mountains may arguably be the most picturesque mountains in the United States.

On a rainy morning I set out accompanied by prop stylist, Kaitlyn DuRoss, from Durango, Colorado en route to Telluride. The destination was an evening Ziggy Marley show in Telluride's town park. We set out early to gather accoutrement for our picnic and inevitable pre-lunch nosh-up. Lucky for us, even in the small mountain town of Durango, artisan food makers and local farmers are producing high-quality products with pride and taste in mind.

For our route, we decide to take a short cut through Ophir Pass, which would take us directly over of the Continental Divide. Ten miles of steep rock and a one-lane dirt road begins in the old mining town of Silverton, and then drops down into Ophir, CO, a town with a handful of homes a mere eighteen miles from Telluride, where a hand painted sign reads, "Ophir, CO, Elevation 9,929', Population 163"  The road is slick, rocky, and at times questionable.  A 4WD is a must, and despite this being July, snow still lies along side the road toward the summit. The rain added an extra layer of excitement, but as I had predicted, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds just in time for lunch, which we ate in a small aspen grove." JW

WHAT TO TAKE ON A PICNIC IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS Chocolate: The chocolate is hand made from Animas Chocolate Company in Durango by Carley Felton.   Cheese and Meats: The Speck, La Abadesa cheese (a sheep, goat, and cows milk mixture imported from Italy), and sun dried tomatoes are imported from Italy by Guido's, a gourmet Italian deli and restaurant in downtown Durango. They pride themselves on serving non "Americanized" Italian; a more traditionally accurate Italian fare.   Baguettes: Baked in Durango and imported french mustard is from Jean Pierre's, Jean is a true Frenchman and baker in Durango that has been there since I was a kid. Potato Chips: The potato chips are from The Chip Peddlers in Durango. Fruit: Plums and Cherries from the Durango Farmer's Market. 

------------ Stay tune for more installments from the Summer Series...

PHOTOGRAPHS JUSTIN WALKER PROP STYLING KAITLYN DuROSS

Summer! (East Coast and West Coast)

It's been boiling hot on the East Coast this past week, and nothing would make me turn on the oven, heat up a grill pan or even turn on the heat to boil water.

EAST COAST EATS:  Meals have evolved around what was at the farmers market, simply prepared. ("No-cook", where ever possible). Here are some things we ate: 

SUGAR SNAP PEA SALAD: Sugar snap peas, sliced, and tossed in a dressing inspired by the sugar snap salad from Má Pêche. The dressing is made by blending silken tofu, with chili paste, canola oil, sherry vinegar, soy, and a tiny bit of sugar. The tofu gives the dressing it's creaminess. (Tofu! What an unusual idea for a dressing!).

HAND MADE RICOTTA: I love the creamy, slightly smoky taste of Salvatore Hand Made Smoked Ricotta. Have it spread on store-bought Garlic Naan, with a side salad of fresh cut Watermelon, and cold tall glasses of Cucumber water.

GREEN SMOOTHIE: I'm addicted to a smoothie I've been making every day in a blender; It contains two big handfuls of fresh Spinach leaves, 3 or 4 cut chunks of frozen Pineapple and enough Coconut Water to blend. (You can even add a touch of Agave if you have a sweet tooth!) The frozen pineapple, keeps the drink chilled (without watering it down like ice cubes would) and makes the smoothie creamy and frothy. It's like a spinach piña colada. (It's so good, trust me!)

ROAST CHICKEN IN LEMON AND GARLIC: Pick up a Rotisserie chicken on the way home (preferably natural and free range). Take 4 large Garlic cloves, mince them, sprinkle with Salt and dragging the flat side of a chef's knife over the garlic-salt mixture to form a paste. Heat a small saucepan over a low heat and cook the Garlic paste in oil, and add lemon juice (until warmed, not brown). Pour over the chicken.

SHAVED ZUCCHINI OR SQUASH SALAD: Thinly slice the Squash (yellow and green) using a vegetable peeler lengthwise into strips. Toss with Lemon juice and zest, Oil, Mint from the garden, and coarsely chopped Almonds for crunch. You could even add a little bit of minced Thai Chili for some heat.

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On the West Coast, Colin Clark went on a camping trip this past week up in Mendocino. (His pictures are above). They tried to get into Russian Gulch campground but were turned away, then they asked locals where they should go and they pointed them to spot off the beaten path, which turned out to be a beautiful little campground.

WEST COAST EATS: The food they ate was simple; Colin picked up some charcoal, two cans of refriend beans, an avocado, a block of sharp cheddar, a sweet potato, tortillas, some pickled peppers and a couple of links of hot Italian sausage. He bought some button mushrooms and the remains of some kale from the fridge. They sauteed everything in a cast iron skillet, done on top of flaming charcoal.

On either coast, Summer? It's all about simplicity.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY COLIN CLARK To see his work, click here.

COLIN CLARK is a photographer who grew up on a dead-end dirt road in Southern Vermont. He picked up his first camera at the unbelievably tender age of 19, (or 20).  He is inspired by open spaces and mottled light. He loves to shoot pictures riding no-handed on his old Swedish tenspeed.