forager’s corner

Delaware County, NY farm visits

In mid-October I visited three farms in Delaware County, NY. I piggy backed these visits onto Pig Mountain (no pun intended!), since I would be upstate in the vicinity helping prep and work the event. First I went to Lucky … Continue

Visit to the Saxelby cheese cave (aka walk in)

This past Friday I had the pleasure of finally visiting Saxelby Cheesemongers’ cheese cave aka walk in/warehouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn. It couldn’t have been a windier day. Their door was rattling as if the wind was going to rip … Continue

Maxwell’s Farm

At the end of September, I visited Bill Maxwell’s farm in Changewater, NJ, which is located due west of the city by just over an hour. Definitely one of the closer farms to us. Bill’s home is located on the … Continue

Looking Back and Forward

Below are a several articles that analyze 2011 and make projections for 2012 in the food world. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the bad overwhelms the good. But we keep working towards changing the food … Continue

Willow Wisp Organic Farm

At the end of July, Chef Heather and I went to visit Willow Wisp Organic Farm in Abrahamsville, PA. That morning the farm crew’s main task was harvesting garlic and hanging it in the barn to cure. Especially before it … Continue

New Cheese

Renate Nollen of Dutch Girl Cheese dropped by the restaurant this morning to sample some of her cheese. She’s of course Dutch and makes Dutch inspired cheeses using milk from local farms in her area of Leonardsville, NY. She makes … Continue

Pastry Department Makes a Big Change

Pastry has officially switched from conventional flour to purchasing local, organic flour from Wild Hive Farm, located in Clinton Corners, NY. Don Lewis, the owner, has developed a number of relationships over the years with Hudson Valley grain growers and … Continue

Chicken Dilemma

Chicken – fresh vs. frozen is the longstanding question. Here’s my dilemma: I can get Print fresh chicken in the warmer months but not so easy through the winter (at least from the types of farms with which I want … Continue

Advancements in the month of November

Many exciting advancements in the world of sourcing and purchasing at Print this month. First, venison will be making its debut on the menu as early as this weekend. I’ll be picking up a whole deer from Quattro’s Game Farm … Continue

If It Won’t Sell We Can’t Offer It

I was asked by the folks at FRESH the movie to write a few blog posts on seafood. Here’s the link to the second installment. www.freshthemovie.com/2011/09/16/sustainable-restaurant-realities-if-it-wont-sell-we-cant-offer-it/