Foodstuffs: Wine Wednesdays, Mushroom Menu and Harvest Fun

#WineWednesday Workshops

Nick & Toni’s announces the return of #WineWednesday Workshops beginning October 18. Spearheaded by Honest Man Hospitality beverage director and certified sommelier Chimene Visser Macnaughton, this collaboration with Wainscott Main Wine & Spirits is in its 10th year, offering certification-level seminars designed around themed tasting flights.

Classes are open to all levels and held Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 per week in advance, dining room space is limited and reservations are strongly encouraged. The ticket includes: tasting sheets, crystal tasting stems, and small plates from Nick & Toni’s kitchen. Students are eligible for work shopper discounts on retail purchases through Wainscott Main Wine & Spirits and attendees who book all seven weeks will be entered to win a seat at Nick & Toni’s second annual “Getaway Thursday: Feast of the Seven Fishes” wine pairing event on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

“The community tasting table that #WineWednesday Workshops has created and cultivated over our decade of discovering together is the professional achievement of which I am most proud,” Macnaughton said. “We’re still regularly teaching students from our first springs sesh way back in 2014, and while classes have moved away from standing room only 50-plus people at the wine shop in Wainscott, it’s been a joy to see everybody come together for our current ‘pizza party; format in N&T’s back dining room.

“Over the years, we’ve introduced our East End community to internationally acclaimed winemakers, master sommeliers and masters of wine, niche importers, and wine educators who are out there building the somms of tomorrow, all with tons of good humor, excellent vino, and always the question, ‘But, is it delicious?’”

The schedule includes: October 18 – What We’re Drinking — Back-to-School Night Edition featuring Luis “Primo” Marin, general manager, partner, Wainscott Main Wine & Spirits with Chimene Macnaughton, beverage director, Honest Man Hospitality; October 25 – Netflix and Chill: Wine Discoveries at Weekday Prices with Christian Troy, Partner, Indie Wineries; November 1 – An Importer’s Oeuvre: The World According to Peter Weygandt with the founder of Peter Weygandt Selections and sales rep Brendan Root.

Tickets can be purchased on Resy. For more information, visit nickandtonis.com or call 631-324-3550. Nick & Toni’s is at 136 North Main Street, East Hampton.

Mushrooms on the Menu

On Wednesday, October 25, at 6 p.m., join Chef Carolyn Stec at Sen restaurant in Sag Harbor for a nine-course paired dinner. Dine and sip while general manager and sake sommelier Jesse Matsuoka, guides guests through delicious pairings of food and Nihonshu — with more than a thousand years of history in Japan.

This Sen Chef's Dinner is inspired by a visit to the Sugimoto forest-grown shiitake mushroom farm near Miyazaki, in Kyushu, Japan. In April, Stec and Matsuoka visited Sugimoto, where they were enchanted by the care and careful preparation the company places on ensuring tree cultivation, log cutting and drying, and spore plantings. The process, from planting the trees to harvesting the mushrooms can take over two years.

The shiitake growers use a 1,000-year-old Japanese approach to grow sustainable sweet sap oak (sawtooth oak) trees, chosen because they produce the best-tasting mushrooms with a distinct, deep flavor and an outstanding firm texture. The cold winds and natural sunlight of Kyushu create the perfect environment for growing mushrooms.

What is umami? It wasn’t until the late 20th century that scientists agreed that umami was the fifth flavor, listing it alongside salty, bitter, sweet and sour. Umami, a Japanese word meaning “essence of deliciousness” is the savory or meaty taste of foods. It comes from three compounds naturally found in plants and meat: glutamate, inosinate and guanylate. While glutamate and inosinate are important, this dinner focuses on guanylate, which contributes the most to the umami taste and is most abundant in the mushroom family.

Dried shiitake mushrooms are a flavor bomb, and in this dinner, diners will be surprised with the incredible versatility mushrooms can have. The cost is $75 per person (plus tax and gratuity) Reservations can be made at info@senrestaurant.com or 631-725-1774.

Kumiso in the Alley

The K Pasa group, consisting of David Hart, Jesse and Tora Matsuoka, and additional investors, has innovatively crafted a novel concept in a new restaurant. Inspired by the vibrant izakaya’s tucked away in Tokyo’s alleys, Kumiso is East Hampton’s first izakaya.

Located at 37 Newtown Lane (down the alleyway by Breezin’ Up), Kumiso is designed as a magical meeting place, where friendships are forged and memories are made.

Kumiso is open seven days s week. Check out the menu at kumiso.com or call 631-527-7926 for more information.

Harvest Celebration

Bedell Cellars on the North Fork is kicking off harvest season with a day of great events on Saturday, October 14. Starting at noon, a raclette pop-up party will feature delicious melty cheese poured over a warm pretzel and lush potatoes. Local frommagier Hamptons Raclette will be serving gooey goodness until 4 p.m. accompanied by live music from Jeff LaBlanc.

Starting at 4 p.m. celebrate the 2023 harvest and taste the newly released 2019 Musée at a sunset cocktail party. Enjoy a sparkling welcome and passed appetizers by Fyr & Salt. Winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich will be on site to talk about the harvest and Bedell’s winemaking philosophy and sustainable farming practices.

Bedell Cellars is a certified sustainable, family-owned estate, making some of the most critically acclaimed wines on the North Fork of Long Island. The 80-acre estate is certified sustainable and produces hand-crafted wines that combine the most refined techniques with sustainable farming, indigenous fermentation and artistic blending. All wines are hand crafted on their estate and the journey from vine to bottle consistent with ancient winemaking traditions.

Bedell Cellars is at 36225 Main Road in Cutchogue. For more information, call 631-734-7537 or visit bedellcellars.com.

Restaurant Week Is Nearly Here

Fall is in the air, and Long Island Restaurant Week is ready to help fill the seats of Long Island restaurants. The fall promotion will take place from Sunday, October 29, to Sunday, November 5, with several prix fixe options. Restaurants may offer a $24 two-course lunch, a $29 three-course dinner menu, a $39 three-course dinner menu and/or a $46 three-course dinner prix fixe. Restaurants may offer one, two or all these options throughout the promotion. Each participant is required to offer three options per course (appetizer, entrée, and dessert) for dinner. The promotion runs Sunday to Sunday (except Saturday night when it only must be offered until 7 p.m.). Many restaurants will be offering the promotion for takeout as well as for indoor and outdoor dining.

“We are excited to kick off the fall season with Fall Long Island Restaurant Week,” said Nicole Castillo of Long Island Restaurant & Hospitality Group. “Going into the 18th year of offering eight days of deals at restaurants across Long Island, we are thrilled to see a variety of cuisines for diners to choose from. Long Island Restaurant Week is a win-win for both restaurateurs and diners — increased foot traffic at restaurants and affordable meals at some of Long Island’s top restaurants.

“My best advice for restaurant week? Make reservations to guarantee you get into your favorite restaurant.”

Participating restaurants on the East End include: The Preston House Restaurant in Riverhead; Stone Creek Inn in East Quogue; R.AIRE at The Hampton Maid in Hampton Bays; Saaz Indian restaurant and LUNCH/Lobster Roll Restaurant in Southampton; Calissa and Bistro Ete in Water Mill; Cove Hollow Tavern and The Clubhouse in East Hampton.

For a full list of restaurants taking part in Fall Long Island Restaurant Week and to view menus, visit longislandrestaurantweek.com.

Fall at Bistro Ete

Enjoy Long Island Restaurant Week all fall and winter a Bistro Ete which is offering a $46 three-course prix fixe Thursday and Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. (excluding holidays and holiday weekends). Bistro Ete is also offering Wine Down Wednesday in October and November, with any bottle of wine under $200 from the wine list half price on Wednesday (not offered Thanksgiving eve). Bistro Ete is located at 760 Montauk Highway, Water Mill. For details, visit bistroete.com or call 631-339-3532.

Karaoke Saturday

Almond Restaurant and Bar’s world famous karaoke is back to Saturday nights for the off season. Every Saturday starting at 9 p.m. patrons are welcome to choose their favorite tune to belt out. Hosted by DJ Carlos Lama, Karaoke Saturdays will run until midnight each Saturday.

Almond Restaurant is at 1 Ocean Road, Bridgehampton. Call 631-537-5665 or visit almondrestaurant.com.

Pumpkin Time at Hampton Coffee Company

Everyone’s Fall Favorites plus some new additions are being featured at Hampton Coffee Company’s local espresso bars and cafés through Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the always popular Pumpkin Pie Latte (iced or hot) and Pumpkin Crème Shaken Cold Brew alongside two new additions: Brown Sugar Cinnamon Latte and Caramel Apple Shaken Espresso. The Brown Sugar Cinnamon Latte is available iced or hot and combines your choice of milk with Hampton Coffee Company’s signature Espresso and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup. The Caramel Apple Shaken Espresso combines caramel apple flavors with their Espresso and gets a quick shake before being topped-off with cold oat milk.

On the fresh bakery side, Hampton Coffee’s pumpkin muffins have returned. Baked in each of the cafes every morning, nothing gives you the warmth of the season more than a fresh pumpkin muffin. And for a great afternoon snack, give the pumpkin blondie a try. Homemade-from-scratch by the nonprofit South Fork Bakery, which gives special needs adults real-life training, these pumpkin blondies are truly a taste of fall that can’t be beat.

Making your coffee at home? Bring home a pound of pumpkin pie coffee beans. Freshly-roasted and more sweet than spicy, just like a warm slice of pumpkin pie.

Hampton Coffee Company’s local cafés are open every day all year from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. For a quick and easy ordering and pick-up experience, download the Hampton Coffee app and order with a few clicks on your smartphone or tablet.

Hampton Coffee Company features direct trade craft coffee roasted locally by their own roastmaster at the Southampton Coffee Roastery and prepared by professional baristas. Hampton Coffee Company features muffins, croissants, scones, cinnamon rolls and cookies all freshly baked each morning on the premises at each café; a complete lunch menu featuring homemade salads, wraps, and panini; and a variety of delicious desserts.

For more information about Hampton Coffee Company and the six East End locations from Montauk to Center Moriches, visit hamptoncoffee.com.