The Catskills in Queens

The hustle and bustle of the New York City food scene, with its artfully decorated plates, foreign fusions, unpronounceable ingredients, and ever-changing fads, though usually exciting and innovative, can at times feel trite and disconnected. Don't get me wrong.  I'm one of the biggest proponents of adventurous eating and inventive cooking, but there are times when I crave something local, something humble. When I talk about New York, I usually talk about the city, which I love unabashedly and fervently.  However, my near-obsession with the city causes me to make the unforgivable mistake of forgetting the great upstate, specifically the Catskill Mountains, a southeastern portion of New York state that holds some of the richest natural resources, making it an agricultural paradise.
I would not know of the Catskills' beauty and bounty if it were not for the recent food festival The Catskills Comes to Queens at Flushing Town Hall.  It was an event that showcased 20 renown chefs from the greater New York City area who both sourced and showcased ingredients from the Catskills.  The quality of the ingredients was unrivaled, from grass-fed beef, to heritage pork, to fresh produce and craft ciders.  It was an opportunity I knew I couldn't miss out on.

Favorites:

Chef Nate Felder (The Astor Room): Brookside maple syrup cured Berkshire pork belly with sour cream grits, red pepper marmalade and micro basil

The thin slices of fat, supple pork belly had a hint of sweetness from the red pepper marmalade and maple syrup.  Paired with the creamy grits, it was the perfect bite.

Chef Ric Orlando (New World Cooking Co.): Lamb and goat tacos with homemade queso fresco and local corn salsa

I tried a goat taco topped with their chipotle corn salsa, queso fresco, jalapeño salsa, and Hudson Valley Corn Crema. The corn salsa had just the right amount of heat and brightness to give the taco that extra pop. 

Chef Danny Brown (Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen): Torchon of LaBelle Farms foie gras and guinea fowl with hazelnut oil, grey salt and microgreens 

By far the most luxurious dish of the night, the foie gras torchon was rich without being overly heavy, while the hazelnut oil provided a subtle sweetness.  The plating itself was a piece of art. 

Chef Humberto Guallpa (Calle Dao): Roast Cuban-Chinese, goat with pickled Shanghai bok choy, star anise, cilantro and chimichurri

I've never tried Cuban Chinese fusion before, but the crispy, dry goat meat really stood out.  I also couldn't get enough of the fresh bok choy slaw underneath. 

Chef Will Horowitz (Duck Eatery/ Harry & Ida's Meat and Supply Co.): Smoked beef tongue sliders with birch bark mayo and pickled heirloom tomatoes

Beef tongue is actually one of my favorite cuts of meat and this incredibly tender slider was no exception with its robust smokey flavor. 

Chef Hugue Dufour (M. Wells Steakhouse): Gigantic Lamb Tangine

Yes, when they say gigantic, they mean gigantic.  I didn't expect a steakhouse to execute a Moroccan dish with such finesse, but the use of dried apricots and raisins really brought the entire dish together. 

Chef Alfonso Zhicay (Casa del Chef Bistro): Braised short ribs with tamarind, fruit chutneys, Madeira wine, and bay leaves 

The short ribs literally melted beneath our forks and the sweet, tangy tamarind wine sauce was highly addictive. We all agreed that it was the best meat of the night. 

Creme, The French Bakery: Cream Puffs

Although not Catskills in origin, these little bundles of heaven were the unexpected showstoppers of the night. Light, creamy, and unbelievably airy, I inhaled at least three of these babies. All the flavors were on point, whether it was the vanilla, chocolate, or praline, but my top two were definitely the coconut and the pistachio (which I sadly did not take an individual picture of because I demolished it without thinking). 

Hazelnut (?)

Coconut

Pistachio on the Far Right

Awestruck: Hard Cider

This bubbly, bittersweet hard cider comes in a variety of unique flavors such as lavender hops and hibiscus ginger.  It had a refreshing zing and helped clear our palates after the long feast of roasted meats.

Other Highlights:

Chef Matthew Lief (Landhaus): Crispy beef tripe with Sichuan peppercorn and jalapeño 

Who knew fried beef tripe was a thing?  Crunchy on the outside, but still chewy at the center, these beef tripe strips would have been an enticing appetizers or a guilty snack. 

Chef Lou Elrose (Charred): Eagle Hollow Farm BBQ chicken sliders with Alabama white sauce

It's easy to overcook chicken, but the meat on these sliders was soft and juicy, especially thanks to the creamy white sauce.

Chef Bob Ambrose (Labelle Farms): LaBelle Farms foie gras bratwurst takoyaki with kimchi relish and Japanese mayonnaise

Some may say that a foie gras sausage is excessive, but I prefer the term indulgent.  Basically a dressed up hotdog with an Asian twist, it was an interesting bite, or two, or three.

Chef George McKirdy (Astor Bake Shop): Slow honey roasted Eagle Hollow Farm chicken with caramelized onions. Spring honey, courtesy of Catskill Provisions.

Fans of drier roasted meats would enjoy this slider. The honey glaze was also a nice touch.

Chef Ed Cotton (Sotto 13): Rabbit and pork mortadella hot dogs served with a house made spicy kirby relish.

Served on a mini hotdog roll, this dish, topped with mustard and relish, was a fun play on an American classic.

Chef Vinny Accardi (Room 55): Berkshire Hog Seven Ways: Cider herb brined fresh ham with balsamic fig sauce; pork shoulder confit with Glendale honey caraway and orange; spice rubbed spare ribs with guava barbecue sauce; bone in stuffed pork loin with bitter greens and bacon; shoulder roast stuffed pork belly

Chef Accord really went above and beyond in showcasing the multiple ways of preparing pork.  Although I had the room to try only a few of the preparations, I was impressed by the tenderness of the pork loin and the punch of the guava barbecue sauce on the spare ribs.

Pork Loin

Chef Josh Bowen (John Brown Smokehouse/Alchemy): 12-Hour smoked intergalactic brisket with LaBelle Farms foie gras butter 

The dollop of sour barbecue sauce on top complemented the smokiness of the brisket. 

Oh yeah, look at that...

Chef David Noeth (NYEE): Beef heart tartare 

I didn't even realize this was heart at first, but the spice blend for this tartare was on point and the protein was fresh.

Vulto Creamery: Cheese

Vulto had two types of cheese: one softer and extremely pungent and another more aged and milder in taste.

Silkcakes: Cupcakes

Last, but definitely not least, there were gourmet cupcakes from Silkcakes.  I've been wanting to try this little cupcake shop for ages and was ecstatic when I saw their table.  All their flavors are Asian-inspired, but my favorite was the black sesame with peanut butter buttercream and semi sweet chocolate truffle.  Black sesame was always my weakness, but I truly believed that the nutty/toasty combo was genius. 

(From Top to Bottom)

Black Sesame Peanut Butter, Thai Tea with Condensed Milk Buttercream and White Chocolate Truffle, Yuzu with Green Tea Buttercream and Green Tea Truffle

(Center)

Sriracha Chocolate with Chocolate Buttercream and Semi Sweet Chocolate Truffle with Lime Zest

If you've made it to the end of this post, I would like to thank you for your time and patience.  There were a lot of venders and a lot of food, but I wanted to mention most of them to paint a broader picture of what the festival provided. The festival not only highlighted what the Catskills had to offer, but also put brought attention to the many talented chefs in Queens who are doing some things.  I'll be sure to come back next year.