Foodstuffs: Cookbooks And Halal To Go

Winter Farm Series Cookbooks

Loaves and Fishes’ trio of Winter Farm Series Cookbooks are available now in stores along with the preorder of the Spring series, which is due to launch in March. The Loaves and Fishes Food Store in Sagaponack (landffoodstore.com, 631-537-0555) reopened for the new season on February 3. New weekly menus are available at loavesandfishes.us.

The Bridgehampton Inn Restaurant (2266 Montauk Highway) also reopened February 3, and is now serving breakfast from 8 to 10:30 a.m. and dinner beginning at 4:30 p.m. with an early bird $35 prix fixe available until 6:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. New February menu items include steaks and chops for a hearty meal and most dishes are offered in both half- or full-size portions. For details, visit loavesandfishes.us or call 631-537-3660.

Halal Cart Saturdays

L&W Market in Bridgehampton (landwmarket.com, 631-537-1123) is offering “Halal Cart Saturdays.” Order by Saturday at 11 a.m. and pick up at Almond between 5 and 6 p.m. A $30 menu includes a choice of chicken kebabs or lamb schwarma (or a combo), Lia’s famous yellow rice and peas, grilled lemon, pickles, pita, tzatiki and sriracha. Available add-ons include a Greek salad, Turkish spiced carrot ginger soup, and sides such as whipped feta, hummus and citrus cured olives.

L&W Market is located next door to Almond Restaurant, at 2493 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton.

Virtual Farmers Market

With COVID-19 cases continuing to cause problems nationwide, East End Food Institute has strengthened the local food system by launching a year-round Virtual Farmers Market for the benefit of farmers, food and beverage producers, makers of artisanal goods and loyal fans. Anyone on the East End can easily purchase locally-grown and made goods for pickup or home delivery. Visit shop.eastendfood.org to sign up for an account and receive a reminder to place orders by Thursday at noon each week for Saturday pickup at East End Food Institute in Southampton or delivery across the East End. The market features local produce, pantry items, beverages, spice blends, pastries, health and wellness products (including locally made hand sanitizer) and gifts.

“East End Food Institute has taken the time to do good research on setting up a virtual market that allows more independence to vendors,” said Aki Goldberg of Aki’s Kitchen, a local business that sells soups, salads and sweets. “During this very trying time, when we’re not able to have an indoor market, finding a new way for the vendors to sell deserves a compliment.”

Most items in the Virtual Farmers Market are grown or made on Long Island, and all are from within New York State. The vendor application process is open to any Long Island-based food, beverage, or craft producer at eastendfood.org or by emailing shop@eastendfood.org.

The Virtual Farmers Market was launched in March 2020 as a rapid response to the pandemic and shut-down of the in-person Riverhead Indoor Farmers Market. At that time, EEFI swiftly onboarded over 20 vendors and transitioned the market to its virtual platform. The Virtual Farmers Market provided home delivery across the East End and a much needed lifeline to local food businesses during the off-season.

East End Food Institute has secured a new refrigerated van to make home deliveries and to better serve members, including local farms along with food and beverages artisans who often struggle with distribution logistics as they are scaling up.

For 10 years, the East End Food Institute (formerly Amagansett Food Institute) has been working to build a more equitable food system on the East End. Since 2014, the organization has operated a very successful community kitchen based at the Stony Brook University Southampton campus. In 2019, the Institute also took on the management of the Riverhead Indoor Farmers Market and its 45 Long Island vendors. The organization also operates a Farm to Community program, making local food into products that can be distributed to people in need.

For more information, visit eastendfood.org, follow @eastendfood, or call 631-632-5129.