Joy of Sake, Hiking and Dining in the Hudson Valley

The Joy of Sake
All you New York sake enthusiasts won't want to miss the Joy of Sake event this evening Thursday September 28th at the Puck building.
The Joy of Sake is a celebration of the art of sake brewing featuring 299 premium sakes and is the largest sake tasting in the United States. Restaurants participating in the even include: Bond Street, Bozu, EN Japanese Brasserie, Geisha, Kai, Lan, Megu, Riingo, Sakagura, SushiSamba, Tocqueville, Woo Lae Oak and wd-50.
Tickets are $75 in advance, $90 at the door and may be ordered online at www.joyofsake.com or by calling 212-799-7243.

Get Out of Town

With fall weather upon us, now is a great time to take advantage of the beauty of the Hudson Valley. One of our favorite spots is Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY. The serene setting is not only home to an incredible dining experience but also a bounty of activities. You can either go for the day or dinner, whichever suits you. But the Hudson Valley, spans far beyond Pocantico Hills.
We asked Anne Dailey, our tireless Savory Cities volunteer and resident expert on the Hudson Valley to give us a round up for an outing up north. To start planning a trip, read below.

A Hudson Valley Primer

By Anne Dailey

A world of beautiful foliage, quiet country roads and panoramic mountain views beckons just north of the city in the Hudson Valley. A short drive or train ride transports you to what can seem like another world, and yet many New Yorkers are unaware of just how accessible this experience is. So put on a sweater and hop into the car or onto the train because we're highlighting three restaurants of varying distances from New York City that also share proximity to some wonderful outdoor activities, artistic attractions and stunning views.

The Valley Restaurant at The Garrison overlooks the famous bend in the river known as "World's End". Chef Jeff Raider is well known for his use of local ingredients and highly seasonal, creative preparations that frequently include ingredients from the restaurant's own kitchen garden. This fall, Chef Raider is preparing a lamb tasting - roasted rack and braised shank of Colorado lamb with creamy parmesan polenta and a tomato marmalade created from his own tomatoes. Before you arrive at Chef Raider's restaurant, stop by Boscobel Restoration, just a few miles down the road. There you can take a guided tour of the historic mansion, or simply tour the exquisite gardens which offer wide-open views of the Hudson River and a one mile woodland walk by a stream and waterfall.
Driving Time: 60 minutes
Public Transportation: Metro North Hudson Line to Garrison, Taxi to The Valley Restaurant.

On the opposite side of the river, in Newburgh is a collection of locally owned restaurants and shops that have spurred a renewal of the formerly disused waterfront. Seven restaurants now offer panoramic views of the Hudson River, Mount Beacon and Fishkill ridge. The various establishments are linked by a brick street with wide sidewalks, and a curved path winds along the water in front of the restaurants. For New Orleans style cooking, like seafood etoufee, jambalaya and corn-fried oysters, try The Big Easy Bistro. Chef and co-owner Bill Ranke changes his menu frequently, and is currently featuring fresh figs with gorgonzola and a balsamic reduction. The beautiful copper-topped bar boasts 15 varieties of tequila, as well as "oyster shooters", and seasonally changing cocktails.
Driving Time: 70 minutes
Public Transportation: Metro North Hudson Line to Beacon, taxi across the bridge to Newburgh Waterfront

Just down the street, in a renovated old mill building, the Yellowbird Gallery features contemporary art from large-scale sculptural works to paintings and photographs. Throughout November they will be highlighting a special exhibition of artists whose work has been featured on past covers of The Valley Table, a Hudson Valley Magazine that is devoted to the regional foods, farms and cuisine of The Hudson Valley. Housed in the same old mill building is Vino 100 a small, locally owned wine shop offers complimentary wine tastings daily, as well as larger special tasting events. Most wines are under $25 and owner Thomas Settino is a wonderful resource.

About a half hour north of Newburgh in the heart of the historic village of New Paltz is The Village TeaRoom, Restaurant and Bake Shop. Owner Agnes Deveraux showcases local ingredients in nearly every dish, and makes everything from scratch, including the rich stocks that are the base of many of her soups. Agnes' Pumpkin Cheesecake is a fall favorite. It begins with in house freshly baked gingersnaps, crushed and mixed with toasted pecans and melted butter to form the crust. Pureed pumpkin, cream cheese, heavy cream, eggs, and spices are baked slowly in a water bath. The cheesecake is finished with a buttery caramel drizzled over a cream cheese topping.
Driving time: 90 minute
Public Transportation: Adirondack Trailways

Before you sit down to a meal, work up an appetite on The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. The trail runs alongside the Wallkill river as it winds through New Paltz and Gardiner, and can be reached on foot from the downtown center of New Paltz. The 17-mile trail is mostly flat and offers views of the Shawangunk Mountain range. Just 10 mintues away is the The Mohonk Mountain House, a spectacular historic mansion and resort just 6 miles outside of town. The house sits beside a clear mountain lake, and the surrounding preserve includes 85 miles of hiking trails.

In the Hudson Valley, "local" and "seasonal" are not just buzzwords. The farmers who provide the valley's chefs with fresh vegetables, eggs, cheese and meat are also their neighbors, and together they continue to find new ways to promote and celebrate the region's bounty.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Fertile Ground
On October 5th in New York City, Slow Food will be hosting Fertile Ground, the organization's second annual gala. The event will be hosted by Marion Nestle, author of What To Eat and will honor Poppy Tooker, the leader of Slow Food's New Orleans chapter. Galen Zamarra of Mas (Farmhouse) will prepare a meal highlighting Slow Food Ark of Taste products.
Additional event and ticket information can be found on the Slow Food web site.

Hudson Valley will be celebrating its first Restaurant Week this November 6th through 17th. Over 70 restaurants will be featured and will offer 3-course prix fixe dinners for $26. It might just be the deal of the fall and now would be a good time to head up north to start checking out the landscape.