Orient, Long Island

Last week when it was suggested that we spend a few days with friends who had an artist's residency in Orient, NY,  I was elated. So off we went towards Orient - a little hamlet located in the North Fork of Long Island.  Our friend Alanna is an artist and her husband Garth a writer. Between the two, they have been the artist and writer in residence at the house of the artist William Steeple Davis for the past two years.  Davis was best known for his essays on photography and established a career as a commercial illustrator.  His house is part of a trust that allows an artist or writer to live on the property and concentrate on their work for a year.

Besides being artists the couple share a love for food, wine, animals, organic farming, and both are darned good cooks. For the time we were guests, we were offered the most delicious fresh milk, coffee, eggs, soups, recently shot venison, beef, greens freshly picked from their greenhouse, freshly baked bread, east bay oysters and pot au creme. New York city has dozens of gourmet stores that sell fresh produce but nothing compares to reaching out and picking greens for dinner,  holding soft recently laid eggs in your hand, or sipping thick, creamy milk from cows that were freshly milked just an hour or so ago.

Shinn Estate Vineyards

One of the wineries I visited on the North Fork was Shinn Estate Vineyards located in Mattituck, NY. It had been a while since my last visit to the wineries on Long Island and since then I had heard that the owners of Shinn Estate had been partners with Home restaurant in New York City. Home is a delightful place located on Cornelia street and their garden  in the evening is the most heavenly place to sip a glass of wine whilst looking into a pair of deep blue eyes.

During the wine tasting at the winery, I had a long chat with the wine maker Anthony Nappa on his philosophy and wine making techniques, his dog Beckett and the general wine business on the Island. Shinn Estate uses compost, fish, kelp, carbon, limestone and other naturally occurring soil amendments that allow minimal impact on the farm. The 20 acres of vineyards are home to many animals including quail, hawks, doves and rabbits -all of which add to the natural soil nutrient efforts. Their production averages on about 4000 cases a year and comprises of mostly Bordeaux varietals as well as a white wine made from Pinot Noir. Towards the end of the tasting I found the Chardonnay and Rose to be my favourites. The winery also boasts a bed and breakfast in their farmhouse. Book well in advance!


Shinn Estate Vineyards
2000 Oregon Road
Mattituk, NY 11952

Tel: 631 804 0367

www.shinnestatevineyards.com

The Greenhouse Effect

The idea of growing vegetables, flowers, fruits and different plants under environmentally controlled areas has existed for centuries. If you have the adequate space and an uncontrollable appetite for certain vegetables and fruits all year round then you must build yourself a greenhouse. There are usually two types: one is made with glass and uses all sorts of high tech methods to aid in the production of fruits and vegetables while the more cost effective plastic greenhouses are generally more popular and are made with PE film and multiwall sheets in Poly Carbonate or Acrylic Glass. Building a greenhouse does not need to be expensive or time-consuming (depending on your budget). The final choice of the type of greenhouse will depend on the growing space desired, home architecture, available sites, and costs. The greenhouse must, however, provide the proper environment for growing plants.

This Tuesday afternoon we went into a shared greenhouse a few miles away from the cottage, and picked fresh kale for a white bean soup and the greenest and juiciest greens for our salad. In case you haven't tasted freshly picked kale then I assure you that you have not tasted a bit of heaven.

Meeting House

I was invited by a couple of girl friends to spend the weekend with them. I needed it badly - New York city tends to pick at your bones like a chill ever so often. You all know the feeling?

The Meeting House opened in March 2006 and is located in Amagansett Square about a 10 minuite ride from the little cottage in East Hampton where we were shacked up in. The food is real comfort food- and the bill when it arrives won't break your bank. The drinks are huge so be warned! The bartender is called Binky and he knows how to kill you with a Margarita... surprisingly good was our order of Macaroni and cheese and the artichoke heart. Another surprise was the wine list. Compact, but with a wonderful choice of whites, reds and rose's -mostly local and some from everywhere else.

4 Amagansett Square Drive
Amagansett, Long Island NY
ph: 631 267 2764