Regional Chefs Star at NYC's James Beard House

Dano Hutnik of Dano’s on Seneca and Hans Butler of Watercress just returned from producing an invitational dinner at Manhattan’s prestigious James Beard House. Titled “A Taste of the Finger Lakes,” it featured the exciting produce and wines of our region. The menu included collard greens with homemade tasso, as well as a bean spread, and Bergere Bleu cheese on artisanal breads, along with Dr. Frank’s sparkling wine; Dano’s wonderful sweet-and-tart to-die-for heirloom-tomato soup; his charcuterie board of house-made sausages, rillettes with foie gras, and pork belly, served with his own homemade mustard and pickles, accompanied by Shalestone Rose’; and for dessert, chocolate pumpernickel cake with blackcurrant sauce and pickled fruit, buoyed by Sheldrake Vineyards’ Cab Franc Ice Wine, and, of course, Gimme! Coffee. We wish we had been there, but, fortunately, we have both wonderful chefs much closer to home. Hoorah!