BeerFEST is Back - Celebrating our 5th Anniversary with Limited Special Release Tastings

We are very proud and excited to announce that BeerFEST will be returning for a fifth year this August. The event is scheduled to be held at Terrapin Catering in Staatsburgh, NY, overlooking Dinsmore Golf Course with spectacular views of the Hudson Valley, on August 6, 2011 from 2pm-8pm. Each year BeerFEST draws a unique crowd of beer lovers, from casual tasters to professionals and home brewers. This year, in addition to over one-hundred samples of the finest craft beers brewed in New York State by more than twenty brewers, attendees will have the opportunity to taste special, limited release pours as part of the festival’s fifth anniversary celebration.

“The idea behind the annual New York State BeerFEST is not only to promote New York State, but also to showcase and to raise awareness of the quality of what is available from New York, thus making it easier for establishments across New York State and the entire country to serve and support New York Beer” says Terrapin’s Beverage Manager, Chris “BevMan” Carbone.

All beers at the festival are brewed in New York State, and representatives from most of the breweries involved will be present to guide novice and expert tasters alike. BeerFEST 2010 included tastings from Bluepoint Brewery, Brooklyn Ales, Butternuts, Browns, Captain Lawrence Brewery, Chatham Brewery, Cooperstown, Defiant, Ellicottville, Fire Island, Hyde Park Brewery, Ithaca, Keegan Ales, Kelso, Lake Placid, Mendocino, Middle Ages, Ommegang, Saranac, Olde Saratoga, Schmaltz, Sixpoint, Southampton, Southern Tier, Wagner Valley and Warwick Valley. These breweries have all been invited to return to the festival this year. Interested brewers are welcome to contact the restaurant for more information.

Tickets to BeerFEST 2011 will include beersampling (including special release tastings), all-you-can-eat innovative Terrapin barbeque (with vegetarian friendly options available) and musical entertainment. Designated driver tickets will be available at a discounted price. Tickets will be available beginning July 1, 2011 at Terrapin Restaurant (6426 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck, NY) or by calling 845-876-3330. Ticket prices will be $35/person or $19/designated driver (no beer tasting included). Tickets are expected to be available (but not guaranteed) at the event doors for $39/person.

We hope to see everyone that has attended in the past, plus lots of new faces this year - spread the word!

New Spring Menu & Patio Dining is Back!

We are so excited that spring is finally here and outdoor dining in Rhinebeck is back! Our patio will now be open for lunch and dinner (assuming the weather cooperates of course...). And late last week we began serving our new spring menu. Take a peek at some of the new items this season:


vegetable fritters with sweet basil aioli
red and yellow bell peppers, portobellos, onions, green and yellow summer squash and eggplant

crab cakes with chipotle remoulade
shiitake mushrooms and sesame seeds

croque monsieur ("mister crunchy")
classic french sandwich of ham, gruyere & raclette cheese, and béchamel sauce

asparagus and sweet pea soup
parmesan crust

smoked trout and spring vegetable salad
asparagus, frisèe, fingerling potatoes, and other seasonal spring veggies with truffle dressing

northwind farm bratwurst and cheddar quesadilla
stout braised onions and smoked red bell pepper sauce

artichoke and ricotta ravioli
asparagus and light garlic cream sauce


tagliatelli with braised rabbit, brussels sprouts and asparagus
marsala, tomato and carrots

linguini with manila clams, guanciale and mild green chiles
white wine, garlic and light cream sauce

grilled salmon with artichoke sauce
roasted fingerling potatoes and sautéed asparagus

oven roast half chicken chasseur
mushroom and bacon demi-glace, spring vegetables and roasted garlic mashed potatoes

grilled lamb chops with pistachio-thai basil pesto
goat cheese polenta

The new bistro and dining room menus are available in full on our website.

Come and join us any day of the week. The bistro is open from 11:30am - late night daily, and the dining room serves dinner from 5pm-9pm seven days a week.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already the middle of July as I’m sitting here writing this. Already in the middle of summer and I’ve yet to post about everything that’s going on at the restaurant!

So what have I been up to since February? Lots of planning to create lots of fun for you!

First I’ll mention our newest dinner series, which I’m sure some of you are already familiar with – the Hudson Valley Farm & New York State Beer Dinner series! We’ve done wine pairing dinners and other similar events in the past… but for me this dinner series is especially exciting because it focuses on LOCAL ingredients. Local products to create a delicious menu paired with only the best of New York State Craft beers by the Bev Man himself, Chris Carbone. The inaugural dinner planned for July 22 sold out within a few days, but not to worry, an August dinner is in the works. The July dinner is featuring a lot of great farmers who we work with on a regular basis – Migliorelli Farms (http://www.migliorelli.com/) will provide many of the vegetables or fruits, including peaches, arugula, squash blossoms and cherries; Old Chatham Sheep Herding Company (http://www.blacksheepcheese.com/) for camembert; Sprout Creek Farm (http://www.sproutcreekfarm.org/) for Toussant Cheese; Northwind Farms Chicken (http://northwindfarmsallnatural.com/); and Hudson Valley Fresh (http://hudsonvalleyfresh.com/) dairy products. I really support these local farmers and their products, and even if you can’t make it to our farm dinner, I’d encourage you to try their products. Farm to Table can happen in your kitchen too! And don’t forget to grab a great New York State beer - that’s half the fun!

Keeping with the theme of local goodness – the Hudson Valley Green Festival on September 4th that I mentioned back in February is in full swing! You can get your tickets now through the website, www.hudsonvalleygreenfestival.com. We were able to get a great line up of bands including Blues Traveler, Donna the Buffalo and Amos Lee, as well as some local stars (Voodelic, the Lindsey Rakers Band… check the website for a full list). More than just a music fest though, the festival will have a full farmer’s market featuring all local products on site, as well as over 20 vendors with Hudson Valley products. There will even be a pavilion for Hudson Valley companies who work with alternative energy. So bring the family, come to eat, drink and have fun, but don’t forget to take a minute and check out some of the local resources we have to live a little bit greener and support the well being of the Hudson Valley.

And that’s just some of what’s been happening at Terrapin, but I’ll save more for another post soon.

Chef Kroner

Best Food Cities

I love to travel and I love to eat great food. I was thinking about the best cities for food and I’ve decided to throw out my top 10:

1. New York – The best restaurants and best ethnic food hands down!
2. San Francisco – #2 to NY in restaurants but better Asian food
3. London – Amazing Indian restaurants
4. Paris – Best place to get a 10,000 calorie lunch
5. Rome – Or any other city in Italy
6. Bangkok – As much as you might like Thai food in the US….
7. Los Angeles – Asian and Latino food paradise
8. New Orleans – A beautiful blend of original food and culture
9. Singapore – Food is the thread that holds this multiethnic city-state together
10. Tokyo – Because I love sushi

I’m sure my list is different than yours; tell me what you think!

Cookbook excerpt

My book incorporates stories of the influences on my life as a chef. I'm serving you up a slice:

In 1928, Giaccomo Bartholemeo Giaccone, my grandfather and a French trained chef, was on shore leave in New York City from the Italian Merchant vessel “Chevaliere Ciampa”. At the time, there were over 100 “taxi dance halls” in Manhattan. These were extremely popular spots where male patrons would pay ten cents to dance with pretty women hired by the club. Though it does kind of sound like a precursor to today’s strip clubs, it was different time. Many of the dancing girls did this just to meet men; as was the case with my grandmother Felicia Marino. Well as the story goes, Giaccomo (or Jack as he was known) jumped ship, got a job as a chef in Manhattan and started his life with a pretty taxi girl. In 1948, with two kids: my mama Louisa, 12 and uncle Vinny (yes the same Uncle Vinny as the popular pasta dish on my menu), 7, they moved out of the Marino family home in Bay Ridge Brooklyn and moved upstate to Brewster, NY to start a restaurant. History repeated itself fifty years later when in 1998 I also moved from the city to upstate New York to start a restaurant.
Chef Jack’s restaurant, The Elms, was a trendsetter. The restaurant was extremely popular and even received a glowing review from Gourmet magazine. Jack was a passionate and fiery Italian, serving up the traditional southern Italian dishes that Americans were accustomed to, but also incorporating foods from his native Liguria such as pesto and risotto. One of my favorite stories happened one night when one of the customers complained about the seasoning of their dish. Jack stormed out of the kitchen to help educate to poor soul on the flavors of Northern Italy. The patron feeling attacked reacted defensively. The room of 80 or so happily feasting folks seemed sympathetic to his plight and random voices called out for mercy. Jack would have none of this: “All right then!” he said in his heavy Italian accent, “EVERYBODY OUT! What are you laughing at? Put-a down that fork and get the hell out of my restaurant!!!” They all eventually came back; there was nowhere else to get food like that.

Chef Kroner returns to the blogosphere

That right folks, I'm back! I’ve been busy with a growing array of new projects and I'm here today to share the details. First on my plate is my long overdue cookbook. This is something I've been tossing around for a while, but I’ve got the ball rolling full speed now. I’ll be publishing samples of various sections and recipes here in my blog regularly so stay tuned for those posts.
This is something I'm really excited about.. We’re currently planning a festival slated for Labor Day weekend that will showcase green products and services of the Hudson Valley as well as some of the best national and regional musical artists you know and love. Our full lineup of talent for the big stage will be announced soon!! The event will not only promote the green movement in the Hudson valley, but will also be a fund raiser for a local charity (TBA - tune in for details!).
As if I don't have enough to do already, I'm also planning an expansion of Terrapin Bistro into New York City (and possibly Rome as well!) No problem right!! ;) I am however committed to documenting this insanity weekly right here so check back frequently for updates!!! See ya folks… Josh

Holiday Recipe: Garlic Soup

There's nothing better to warm you up this Winter than a bowl of soup.

This recipe is a favorite for many guests who come to Terrapin, but beware, this soup is for serious garlic lovers only!

Ingredients:

1 pound Spanish onions, diced
3 cups peeled garlic cloves
¼ cup light olive oil
½ cup Italian parsley leaves, cleaned well
1 cup Dry Sherry
3 quarts Chicken stock
1 ½ cups heavy cream, heated (see below)*
10 slices white bread, crusts removed and diced
1 ½ tablespoons honey
to taste salt, black pepper and siracha hot sauce


Heat a 8 quart or greater stock pot over medium heat. Add the oil until hot, then the onions and garlic. Sweat the vegetables for about 30-40 minutes, until the garlic is very soft and has a golden brown color. Turn the heat to high and add the sherry. Cook until the sherry has almost completely evaporated. Add the stock and bring to boil. Add the cream and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the bread and parsley, then let cool slightly. Blend the soup in batches, never filling the blender more than half way and return the pureed soup to the pot. Add the honey, hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Reheat and serve with some crusty French bread and get ready for some garlicy delights.

*Tip: Bring the cream to boil in a separate saucepan. The reason for this is that if the cream is almost bad, it will curdle when boiled. You If you boil it separately and it is spoiled, you won’t have to throw the whole soup out.

Let us know what you think!

The story behind Terrapin: About Owner/Chef Josh Kroner

BeerFEST Promo Video

NEW menu item for spring

hudson valley cattle company grilled 18oz. dry aged t-bone steak
with sautéed onions, maitake mushrooms and bacon and truffle mashed potatoes

celebrate the Holidays with us

This year, we invite you to make Terrapin a holiday tradition with your family.

We have two special Prix Fixe holiday dinners planned just for you.

You can check out our Christmas Eve Dinner or New Year's Eve menus at our web site.

I've hand picked favorites from our seasonal menu and added a few specials just for the holiday.

Call the restaurant to make your reservation 845 876 3330.

Looking forward to seeing you.

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Specialty Craft Beer Menu

a letter from Terrapin's Beverage Director, Chris Carbone

Holiday Greetings to the many Beer Lovers out there in the Terrapin Family. What better way to ring in the Holidays than with the many fine Craft Beer selections at Terrapin restaurant. This holiday season I am proud to announce that we will be featuring my favorite seasonal selections from New York State and around the world.

Seasonal beers featured this week include:

Draft
Ommegang Rouge, Ithaca TEN, Bluepoint Imperial Cherry Stout, Keegan Joe Mama's Milk, SouthernTier Krampus Imperial Lager, St. Bernardus Christmas ale and Kelso Chocolate Lager, as well as Middle Ages Wizard's Winter and Brooklyn Savoir Faire

Drafts on Deck
Brooklyn Monster Barley Wine, Ommegang Three Philosiphers, Captain Lawrence Double IPA, and SouthernTier Gemini IPA

Notable Bottles Include
Captain Lawrence Nor'Easter750ml
Captain Lawrence Extra Gold Tripple750ml
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgance750ml
Schlafly Imperial Bourbon aged Stout750ml

CLICK HERE to visit our web site and to see a complete listing of our incredible Holiday Beer Selection

Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year from all of here at Terrapin!

CHEERS!!!!!!!

Chris Carbone
Beverage Director

james bond night a great success!

Our James Bond Theme Dinner Night was great fun and a huge success!

Everyone who attended had a fantastic time and we look forward to hosting more theme dinners and events at the Terrapin Catering Facility in Staatsburg, NY in 2009.

Special Thanks to the generous donations by:

Lyceum Cinemas
Clinton Vineyards
Oliver Kita
Pique Boutique
Rainbarrel Soap

and to everyone who attended. Thanks to everyone's generosity, we are able to donate $1500.00 to the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

bond, james bond

james bond night
casino games, cocktails & dinner for a worthy cause

DATE: november 21st
TIME: 007pm
WHERE: terrapin catering
staatsburg, NY
DRESS: to kill
RSVP: 845 876 3330

a benefit event for Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center

prizes for big casino game winners from:

terrapin restaurant
clinton vineyards
pique boutique
oliver kita
rhinebeck chiropractic
lyceum theater
and more....

bond dinner menu

cocktail reception with
passed hors d'oeuvres

"Fatima Blush"
Pink Champagne

"Pussy Galore"
Open Faced Duck Quesadilla

"From Russia with Love"
House Made Blinis with Caviar Crème Fraiche

"The Blofeld"
Alsatian Onion Tartlet

shaken not stirred
smirnoff martini or heineken served with dinner

entrée

"License to Grill"
Char Grilled Hangar Steak with "Terrapin" Horse Radish Sauce
Or
Pan Seared Chicken Breast, Pan Jus with Woodland Mushrooms and Cognac Infused Cranberries

accompaniments

Braised Baby Fennel, Smoked Horseradish, Whipped Potato With Pancetta Cracklings

Vegetarian Entree will be available

dessert

"Dr NO"
I Cannot Eat Anymore

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Vanilla Whipped Cream


Premium Brand Full Bar, Beer and Wine area available on a cash basis throughout the evening

for more info, visit TERRAPIN WEB SITE

The Smoke has Cleared at Terrapin Red Bistro

The Smoke Police at Terrapin finally figured out what had been causing the smoky haze in the Bistro. The perpetrator was an oven which was too close to the edge of our exhaust hood.

Today, it is our pleasure to announce that the problem has been solved and the air has been cleared.

We regret any previous inconvenience to our Bistro diners and assure you a breath of fresh air the next time you dine with us.

Obamarama

I'm planning on watching the election results at the Bistro next Tuesday. I would welcome all to come down and cheer on our new President.

Grand Marnier Shrimp

Dear Josh,

My husband and I have been visiting Rhinebeck each year for 16 years for the Goodguys car show. We have visited Terrapin each year since its opening….

We had a wonderful shrimp dish on our last visit on September 13, 2008. It was Grand Marnier shrimp with an orange shallot crème sauce over linguine. My husband cannot stop raving about this wonderful dinner. Would it be possible for Chef Kroner to divulge his recipe for this fabulous dish?

We are looking forward to visiting Terrapin again in the near future….

Thank you and we wish you continued success.

Regards,
Susan C. Nash

Dear Susan,

Here's the recipe for Grand Marnier Shrimp & Linguini -


½ pound Dried linguini
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 cup shrimp stock (you can substitute canned clam juice)
½ cup light cream
½ cup white wine
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
½ pound sugar snap peas, cleaned
1 tablespoon butter

Cook pasta in boiling salted water. The best way to know if you’ve put the correct amount of salt in the water is that it should taste like sea water. Drain the pasta when it is al dente, or slightly hard. Toss the pasta with the butter and reserve. Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a sauté pan large enough to accommodate all the pasta. Add the shrimp and cook quickly on both sides, then add the garlic and sauté until the garlic just starts to brown. Add the flour and continue to cook for 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the Grand Marnier, stirring constantly to incorporate the flour, then add the wine. You should have a smooth paste at this point. Add the sugar snaps, stock, cream and juice and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then add the pasta and toss to coat the linguini.

Serve and enjoy.

All the best,

Josh Kroner

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

There’s nothing like being a chef in the Hudson Valley at this time of year. With all the great local ingredients available from our favorite farms such as Migliorelli Farm, Sky Farms, Brittany Hollow to name a few, the Terrapin menu becomes that much more robust with local fresh flavors.

So the next time you stop in, try the Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho, a seasonal addition to the menu, or make it at home with tomatoes from your garden and enjoy.

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

• 5 slices White Bread
• 5 pounds Heirloom Tomatoes, cored, seeded & chopped
• ½ cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
• ½ cup Poblano Chile, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Raw Garlic, chopped
• ¼ cup Roasted Garlic
• 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
• ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
• To Taste Salt, pepper, honey
  

Garnish:

• Diced, peeled tomatoes
• Diced yellow peppers
• Diced poblanos
• Chopped scallions
• Crème fraîche

In a blender combine all ingredients except oil, salt, pepper and honey. You will need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your blender. Fill the blender no more than half full. Divide the oil into the amount of batches you will need to do. Puree until smooth, then add the oil to the blender while it is running to create an emulsification. Combine batches in a large pot or plastic container. In the container, season the soup to taste. Depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes and your personal taste, you may choose to add a little honey or leave it out completely.

For the garnish, you are looking to add a little texture to the dish. Add one or two tablespoons of chopped vegetables to each bowl and a dollop of crème fraîche. Serve with a piece of crusty French bread.

Sometimes, you just want a Great Burger

As a fine dining chef, I always had this strange desire to serve hamburgers. It's something that I always love to eat, so I thought it would be great to make a Great Hamburger.

Now I have the opportunity. There's the fine dining side of the restaurant and the bistro side.

At Terrapin Red Bistro I get to do all kinds of fun, comfort stuff like macaroni and cheese, fish n chips and hamburgers.

You know, as a chef, you need to continually develop. On the fine dining side, I still have that menu where I can feature stuff that I'm proud of in terms of its culinary achievement. I'm equally proud of Terrapin Red Bistro, because it's good food and good to eat.

We use natural meat and that is actually a subject I care a lot about.

Sometimes, you just want a great burger. When you do, you should try one of ours, because frankly, we serve the best burger you'll ever eat.

Have you tasted one of Irving Mink's Tomatoes?

This time of year in the Hudson Valley is one of my absolute favorites. With all the great local ingredients available from our favorite farms such as Migliorelli Farm, Sky Farms, Brittany Hollow to name a few, the menu becomes that much more robust with local fresh flavors.

One of my favorite vendors is Irving Mink. He brings us tomatoes with love. On many occasions, he will pull out a ripe red tomato from the delivery just to introduce it to me.

"Look," Mink says, "Look how gorgeous this one is, so red, so great."

So the next time you stop in, try one of these new additions to our regular menu that include Irving Mink's succulent local organic tomatoes;

• Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho
• Heirloom Tomato, Fingerling Potato, hearts of Palm, Sugar Snap Pea and Corn Salad