Foodstuffs: Bivalves, Books and a New Chef

Bivalves and Cocktails: Shucking, Shaking and Tasting at R.AIRE

Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with a truly unique culinary adventure as Chef Alex Bujoreanu and the R.AIRE team welcome Georgette Moger-Petraske, acclaimed author and cocktail expert, on Sunday, November 5. This extraordinary event will take you on a journey into the world of bivalves and cocktails. There will be two sessions, at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., with limited spots at each session.

Guests will explore inventive oyster preparations, using perfumes, pearls, and spirits. Inspired by Georgette’s renowned Regarding Oysters salon in New York City, you’ll learn how to make a cocktail from her bestselling book, “Regarding Cocktails,” and how to shuck locally sourced Yennicott oysters.

The experience will be followed by a four-course tasting menu by Chef Alex that showcases the versatility of oysters in an array of sumptuous dishes. Each course will be expertly paired with a Spanish wine. Menu includes: smoked oysters, spicy chorizo mignonette, lemon air paired with Balea Txakoli; gamba de palamos, oyster sauce, chorophyll extract, huertas paired with Sierra Cantabria; grilled halibut, baby zucchini, beurre blanc, caviar, crispy oysters paired with Shaya Habis; chocolate truffle, evoo, local sea salt paired with Isastegi cider.

Tickets are $250 and include a cocktail making class, oyster shucking salon, book signing (book not included), four-course tasting menu and wine pairing. This is a 21 and older only event and will last approximately three hours. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the class. Reserve at hamptonmaid.com/dine, 631-728-4166, or Resy. R.AIRE at The Hampton Maid is at 259 East Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays.

Book Launch Party November 9 at Bedell Cellars

Bedell Cellars will host a book launch to celebrate the release of “Sun, Sea, Soil, Wine: Winemaking on the North Fork of Long Island” on Thursday, November 9, from 7 to 9 p.m. Author Richard Olsen-Harbich will host the event offering personalized book signings and a Q&A regarding the book. Guests may network with fellow book enthusiasts and wine aficionados while enjoying small bites by Lombardi’s Love Lane Market and Bedell Cellars wine, selected by the author himself. Early copies of “Sun, Sea, Soil, Wine” will be available for sale at the event. Interested attendees should call the vineyard at 631-734-7537 to confirm availability to attend the book launch.

Richard Olsen-Harbich, a celebrated figure in the world of East Coast winemaking, brings a wealth of knowledge to this book. As the winemaker at Bedell Cellars — one of the North Fork’s most renowned vineyards — his firsthand experiences infuse authenticity into every page. Olsen-Harbich has produced more than 40 90+ point wines during his tenure at Bedell Cellars and 50 90+ point wines in his career. From the early struggles faced by pioneering vintners to the modern-day innovations that have propelled the North Fork onto the global wine stage, Olsen-Harbich paints a vivid picture of the evolution of winemaking in this remarkable locale.

“While some excellent books about Long Island wines have been penned in the past, they primarily focused on memoirs or provided overviews of the individuals and companies shaping the region,” notes Olsen-Harbich. “These works delved into the ‘who, what, and where’ of the personalities, wineries and vineyards dedicated to developing Long Island’s wine industry. However, I believed it was time to delve deeper into the intricacies of the region that have never been discussed before. This included a thorough exploration of the terroir, geography, climate, and soil, with a specific focus on the North Fork, the primary American Viticultural Area within Long Island where the majority of vineyards are situated.

“Rather than write a personal memoir; instead, I aspired to convey the precious and unique qualities of this area and provide insights into why the North Fork has achieved such success in crafting world-class wines,” he continued. “Additionally, I sought to contextualize our small region within the broader narrative of American winemaking. In addition to the exploration of the region’s specifics, my book also incorporates personal anecdotes and my own opinions on the current state of the wine industry.”

Richard Olsen-Harbich has worked in the Long Island wine industry since 1981 and is a leader in establishing regional identity and vinification techniques for the region. Over the past 40 years, he has been a leader in the region, implementing pioneering techniques for Long Island vineyards while consulting for many wineries in the Eastern United States. He is the author of all three federally recognized Long Island American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) — The Hamptons, Long Island (1985,) The North Fork of Long Island, (1986) and Long Island (2000). In 1997, he orchestrated the first Bordeaux/Long Island consultation partnership between M. Paul Pontallier of Chateau Margaux and Raphael Winery in Peconic. He currently serves as winemaker at Bedell Cellars where he has been instrumental in shaping the success and reputation of the North Fork’s winemaking community.

Readers are invited to preorder “Sun, Sea, Soil, Wine: Winemaking on the North Fork of Long Island” now to secure their copies ahead of the official release date. Published by SUNY Press, the book will be available in both print and digital formats. Visit sunypress.edu/Books/S/Sun-Sea-Soil-Wine to order.

Bedell Cellars is at 36225 Main Road in Cutchogue. Call 631-734-7537 or visit bedellcellars.com for details.

Cottage Wine Dinner

Bedell Cellars is hosting a Cottage Wine Dinner on Saturday, November 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy a unique and intimate dining experience with tasting menus prepared by Jonathan Shearman and Max Mohrmann of Fyr & Salt, paired with Small Batch wines by Corey Creek Winemaker Marin Brennan. Tickets cost $175 per person, plus gratuity. Seats are limited and tickets can be purchased by visiting bit.ly/45ykTaj.

Bedell Cellars is at 36225 Main Road in Cutchogue. Call 631-734-7537 or visit bedellcellars.com for details.

Buoy One Welcomes a New Chef

As Buoy One Seafood celebrates 20 years of service, the Westhampton location is celebrating with the hiring of a new chef, Danny Schaedler. His journey from bagel baker to accomplished chef is filled with a deep love of all things local and foods that starts at the street level. Be it a food market or street fair it always allows for inspiration of the new dishes he creates.

Schaedler is bringing Street Food Fridays to the Buoy One bar every Friday night and his first Street Food Friday will focus on Japanese dishes complete with takoyaki and okonomiyaki. In addition, Schaedler has created a new menu for Buoy One Westhampton honoring its very successful past and founder chef David Girard which includes inspired dishes that are not just seafood. He has created a new bar menu and along with some new bartenders, will bring fun and creativity to the bar starting with Sunday football. Look for food specials from the bar cart and many new events being added as Schaedler settles into his new kitchen.

Some new appetizers at Buoy One include: buffalo calamari; grilled lamb chops; sausage, caramelized onions, fig and goat cheese flatbreads; and hot pan crab in a cast iron mini pot with thyme and rosemary baguette crisps. Main dishes include: maple mustard BBQ salmon; bone-in gypsy pork chop with spicy smoked paprika, roasted garlic and local honey; a warm lobster roll served with Creole slaw; falafel with lemon hummus, Israeli salad in warm grilled pita. For dessert, a cookie jar with three different seasonal cookies — molasses, butter pecan, classic dark chocolate chip and an option for warm boozy milk.

In addition, brunch items will be offered on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include pound cake French toast with apples, fresh caramel, toasted walnuts; bottomless Belgium waffle bar hot off the irons with fresh fruit, maple syrup or chili infused maple syrup; grilled salmon, pickled red onion, whipped dill cream cheese flat bread; breakfast quesadilla of eggs, sharp cheddar, bacon and scallions with avocado and hot sauce.

Buoy One is located at 62 Montauk Highway in Westhampton. The restaurant is open seven days a week for dinner and lunch on weekends. Visit buoyone.com for details.