Date Night A La Quarantine

Mark your calendars. This Saturday, April 25, North Fork Brewing Company and North Fork Chewing Company is inviting you to make a reservation for a special date night. The two companies have put together a three-course pairing menu, available for pick-up, to enjoy from the comforts of your own home.

“People’s schedules are so thrown off that it is hard to remember that the things you used to take the time to do outside of the home can still be brought into your quarantined life,” said Peter Barraud, North Fork Brewing Company co-founder. “For us that includes date nights and beer dinners. So, we thought it’s important to make that accessible again.”

Priced at $70 per person ($140 per couple), the dinner includes three courses, plus an intermezzo palate cleanser, and three 16oz cans of beer. The brewery followed NoFoChewCo founder Kirsen Bonnes Moore’s lead with the menu — a cheese tasting from The Village Cheese Shoppe in Mattituck, thinly sliced radish, boneless pork chop or gorgonzola portobello risotto for a choice of entry, and stuffed baked apples for dessert. From there, they decided to pair it with new release beers that the public would otherwise be missing out on during social distancing regulations. “We aim to pair a dish with a beer that has complimentary flavors, but more often we choose a pairing with more contrast in order to coax out new flavors that you don’t initially perceive in both the food and the drink,” said Ian Van Bourgondien, North Fork Brewing Company co-founder. Think IPAs with lactose and cashmere hops, or a golden stout with coffee and cocoa nibs.

It wouldn’t be a proper date night without a little ambiance. Every purchase comes with a potted plant, grown from a greenhouse on the same property as the brewery’s hop farm, a printed food and beer menu, and even a curated Spotify playlist. “It was so fun pairing each course with music in the form of our Spotify playlist. Setting the mood with a musical vibe really steers the direction of the evening,” said Moore. It will almost feel like you’re at a real restaurant. “I think that we forget about romance on a regular day and in this chaos it’s definitely being pushed aside. It is so important to be a good team and support our significant others and friends right now.”

As the owners themselves dance in their kitchens while cooking, take care of little ones, and enjoy local takeout at a nearby beach to watch the sunset, you too can enjoy a creative date night. All it takes is some light oven prep and voila, quarantined romance. Currently, there are no plans for a repeat event but depending on demand and how long quarantine lasts it’s not off the table.

Thursday, 11:59 PM is the cutoff for all orders. Pick-up times are on Saturday from 12 to 4 PM. To find the link and order go to North Fork Brewing Company’s instagram at @northforkbrewingco.

nicole@indyeastend.com