Foodies Kick Off Tom Twomey Series At East Hampton Library

Sybille van Kempen of Loaves and Fishes Food Store and Jennifer Pike of Pike Farms see each other several times a day during the summer season. The two women spoke about their symbiotic relationship at East Hampton Library’s third Tom Twomey Series, moderated by committee chair Chip Rae, last Thursday, April 20.“Taking a stroll to the Pike farm stand is a welcome and relaxing break in my day,” said Ms. van Kempen. She strolls for fruits and vegetables to use in the many gourmet offerings of her renowned shop in Sagaponack. Produce comes out of Pike’s field, also in Sagaponack, at different times during the day—and Ms. van Kempen doesn’t miss a beat.

“Jen is in the field all day, and we are in the kitchen all day. Our menu changes every week based on what we think is coming,” she said.

Sometimes they run out of things, but that’s the fun of it. There’s no way to know if a hard rain is going to slow down production. The fields may be too muddy in the morning to get produce out of the field.

“If they don’t have it, come back,” suggested Ms. van Kempen. “Go to town for a coffee. That’s what you do. Come back.”

Produce for the farm is chosen far in advance, said Ms. Pike. The farmers, for example, try to plan for more sweet corn in August than in September. “We see what works and try to do more next year if it’s successful,” she said. But, try as hard as they may, they never seem to have enough cherry tomatoes to keep up with the demand.

The Pikes plant 16,000 tomatoes in their 3,000-square-foot greenhouse. “I saw the first one today,” said Ms. Pike. This year, 18 different varieties are being grown. Half are very carefully transplanted into the fields in five different crops, from early to late in the season. “It’s backbreaking work on hands and knees,” she said. Her husband, Jim, does most of the work. “Kids come and go. I don’t know why they don’t love it.”

The season on the East End is so extreme that on some days Ms. Pike may sell just four or five bags of sweet corn, containing 55 ears of corn each. On weekends in August, however, 50 bags is not unusual.

Over at Loaves and Fishes, things are just as lively. The shop opens at 9 a.m. with bakers having arrived at 4 a.m. to get the dough rolling. Although they’ve had the same salad chef, from Ecuador, for over 20 years, bakers come and go. “Their work is more emotional,” said Ms. van Kempen. They use their hands to work the dough sensually and, after a few years, they want the feel of someone else’s dough.

Ms. van Kempen’s retail employees are out the door by 6 p.m. “It’s a nice luxury,” she said.

The owner doesn’t have that luxury, though. After her airy shop closes, she beats a hasty retreat to the Bridgehampton Inn Restaurant. By the way, that’s in addition to the Loaves and Fishes Cookshop next door to the inn, where they sell high-quality kitchenware for the home cook.

Loaves and Fishes Food Store and Pike’s Farm are family businesses. Jennifer Pike gave most of the credit to her husband, Jim, but she wasn’t getting off the hook. “You’re at the farm stand every day,” noted Mr. Rae.

Of course, Ms. van Kempen went to work with her mother, the late Anna Pump, when she started Loaves and Fishes 38 years ago. Now, Ms. van Kempen’s children work with her in many capacities, from managing the front of the house at the food shop to serving as mixologist at the restaurant.

“It’s crazy fun,” she said of working with her brood. “I never twisted their arms.” They helped in their younger years, peeling peas and such, but, after school, the mother urged her children to go out on their own. Eventually, they came back. “We’re a close family and love sharing food,” she said.

As far as challenges go, Ms. Pike mentioned the weather, but Ms. van Kempen said she doesn’t see Mother Nature as a problem. “I can’t control the weather,” she said. Finding employees who offer the right productivity and joy, who are honest and open? Well, that’s a challenge for any East End business owner.

On a positive note, the farm’s best days are always the first week in August, when renters are loading up for what they might need during their vacation. Loaves and Fishes actually does its best day on Thanksgiving Day. “It’s two July 4ths,” Ms. van Kempen said.

All around, Loaves and Fishes’ grilled chicken salad, made with boneless Murray’s chicken, a light dressing and arugula, and sugar snap peas from Pike’s Farm, is their number-one seller.

The secret to making a great salad is not to handle it too much. Put all the ingredients into a big bowl and don’t touch it a lot. Lightly toss it once, add salt and pepper, and toss it again.

Ms. Pike went back to her cherry tomatoes. The sweet red and yellow jewels fly off her open-air wagons all summer long.

The talk was the first in East Hampton Library’s third Tom Twomey Series. Next up, in May, landscape designer Edwina von Gal of the Perfect Earth Project will offer tips on how to improve water quality while creating the lawn homeowners want without the use of toxic chemicals. A “Real Estate Roundtable” in June will reveal the health of the current market, with Peter Turino, Diane Saatchi and John Gicking. Three winemakers will discuss the East End’s terroir in July; as an added bonus, audience members will get to taste wines from Paumanok, Wölffer and Macari vineyards. Water specialist Sarah Meyland will bring the talks back to the environment and water quality in August, and architect Anne Surchin will talk about her favorite topic, “From Big House to Bad House: How Authenticity Lost Its Way,” come September.

The last talk will bring the lecture series back into time. In celebration of New York State’s Suffrage Centennial, Arlene Hinkemeyer and Antonia Petrash will discuss how the women’s movement played out on Long Island, with an accompanying exhibit in the Tom Twomey Gallery.

No reservations are required, and the lectures are free; however, plan to be there a few minutes early, as the library runs a tight ship. Talks begin promptly at 6 p.m. every third Thursday of each month.

If you cannot make it to the library, the library is streaming the series live via its Facebook page. Also, check LTV listings after each event. You can also view the 2015 and 2016 series at tomtwomeyseries.org.