Sourced....Food Stories. A cool day at cittanuova in East Hampton

Today was a pretty cool day at cittanuova in East Hampton, NY.  Aside from the fact that it was really busy as we march toward another summer season in the Hamptons, we have brought a lot of new and interesting food items into the restaurant.  

Today we brought in Ovoli mushrooms.  The season is short and the taste is sublime.

We also brought in some culatello from our friends at Olli Salumeria.  Check out the Serious Eats assessment. 

From our friends at DeBragga we have a Mangalitsa dry cured ham.  We also have a nice variation on Bresaola.  So good.  

Stop by and see us!  Happy summer!

Sourced....Food Stories v.2: Pork

Most of the chefs I know, and I know a few, go to extraordinary lengths to make sure that the food they buy for their restaurants and their customers are raised and treated well.  I have done this for my entire career.  What does this mean?  It means we pay more for the food.  Sometimes a lot more.  It also means we get food products that are raised right, treated well and we are able to offer a higher quality product that tastes better.  Everyone wins.

In the restaurants that I am associated with we won't buy beef raised in feedlots.  We won't buy pork raised in confinement facilities.  We won't buy chickens raised in draconian conditions.  We like to cook with good products raised right.

Why would you want this?  Tyson Foods does.  I don't.

When you can have this.

http://www.beckerlaneorganic.com/acorn.php

My travel photos on Google+ and stuff on Twitter and Pinterest.

Facebook has it's uses.  So does Twitter.  Google+ does as well.  I like to post photos from my work and travel on Google+.  They do a nice job of presenting and representing.  Pinterest does too.  Take a look.  

Mom

My mother, Kay Penner, passed away on May 10th.  I miss her.  A lot.

cittanuova: Spring has sprung. New menu fun.

The change in seasons are always fun for a chef.  It is a period of starting over and refreshing our ideas.  The seasonal change provides a fresh canvas to paint or draw upon and it is always nice to see boxes of new things being delivered to the restaurant.  

This spring is no different at cittanuova in East Hampton, NY.  In the pipeline we now have radishes, peas, fava beans, nettles, black sea bass, fluke and lots of early season lettuce.  We'll be working with all of these delicious spring foods.  

This time of year reminds me of one of my favorite dishes in Rome at one of my favorite restaurants.  I love to go to Al Moro, located near the Fontana di Trevi, and have Fettuccine con Piselli e Burro.  Pasta with peas and butter.  So simple and so good.  

If you come to cittanuova in East Hampton, NY you might get a taste of something like that.  Ask the chef.