September 7, 2010 Wilfred Joseph

The fourth annual North Fork Foodie Tour will be happening on Long Island’s North Fork on Sunday, September 12 from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M.  The North Fork Foodie Tour is sponsored by the North Fork Reform Synagogue and offers access to culinary experiences which are not usually available to the public.  The tour is self guided, but tickets must be purchased in advance.  There are more than a dozen venues to visit and no matter where you choose to start the tour, you will receive a map and detailed instructions for planning your day.
Highlights will include a visit to new bakery in Greenport called Scared Sweets where owner Miche Bacher will lecture on, and demonstrate, the art of confection.  Also in Greenport, Pipes Cove Oysters visitors will be able to learn how shellfish are grown, harvested, and shucked.  Meet the winemakers at Shinn Estate Vineyards in Matticuck, Long Island’s only organic winery.  North Fork Egg Farm in Southold features free-range hens which grave on unfertilized pastureland.  Guests will be able to gather their own eggs and meet various breeds of chickens.  At Krupski’s Vegetable and Pumpkin Farm in Peconic, visitors will learn how this family farm has thrived by changing its focus from a limited number of wholesale crops to a diverse offering of retail crops.
If that isn’t enough, there will be programs at Satur Farms in Churchogue, Catapano Goat Dairy in Peconic, Sang Lee Farms in Peconic, Ty Lloyd Egg Farm in Northville, Lavender by the Bay in East Marion, Taste of the North Fork in Peconic and Koppert Cress micro-greens in Peconic.  John Ross, cookbook author and “father of North Fork cuisine” and Tom Schaudel, chef-owner of A Mano in Mattituck, will also be on hand.
The tour costs $25 per person and tickets are available at Gallery M in Greenport, Complement the Chef in Southold, Cecily’s Love Lane Gallery in Mattituck and Barth’s Pharmacy in Riverhead.  You can also purchase then on-line at northforkreformsynagogue.org.
Happy eating!



May 20, 2010 Wilfred Joseph

The small seaside village of Greenport has become famous for its quaint shops, fine dining, and maritime history.  Greenport has a colorful history and has long been the home of many famous artists in the past including Walt Whitman, playwright William Gillett, and painter Whitney Hubbard .   Today, visitors can spend an entire day just exploring the historic homes of Greenport.   Of course, add a lovely lunch, visit a few museums, and do a little shopping and you have created a lovely getaway to Long Island.
Museums to put on your list to visit should include East End Seaport Museum, Bootleg Alley, and the shipyards of Greenport.  If you are looking for artists, Greenport is still the home of famous artists including award-winning actress Peg Murray, sculptor Arden Scott, crafts-person Gail Horton, and award winning songwriter Hugh Prestwood.  With outdoor theater, live music events, and galleries galore, the arts of very much alive in the Village of Greenport.
Of course, make sure to have some fun and enjoy a visit to Mitchell Park, which overlooks Greenport Harbor.  Mitchell Park has an outdoor amphitheater, harbor side boardwalk, winter ice skating, and public docks which are quite busy during the summer  months.  Combine that with Greenport’s famous 40-foot carousel which was built in the 1920’s and donated to the village of Greenport in 1995 and you are sure to enjoy the wonders of visiting Greenport at any time of the year!