Food Seen: East End Food Institute Winter Farmer's Market, Igloo Season & More

We hope you’re hungry, because it’s time to dig into this week’s Food Seen!

Nick & Toni’s will host a special wine pairing dinner on Thursday, December 8 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Feast of the Seven Fishes will feature a six-course menu crafted by Chef Michael Zuckerman and Pastry Chef Kelsey Roden and each course will be paired with Italian wines chosen by Beverage Director Chimene MacNaughton. The cost for the exquisite dinner is $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Noshes include local blackfish crudo, local squid, lobster linguini and chocolate hazelnut panforte. The wine dinner series will span from December to June, with grape varieties from Italy, Austria and France all taking the forefront.

Mirabelle Restaurant at the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook is throwing a bunch of fun holiday events this month. On Christmas Eve, it will be serving a special three-course prix fixe menu, costing $75 for adults and half-off for children age 10 and under. The Three Village Inn is offering a special holiday celebration package on Christmas Eve, including overnight accommodations, wine and cheese in room upon arrival, Christmas Eve prix fixe dinner for two and a complimentary 12 p.m. checkout. Rates start at $396, plus tax and gratuity. You can also usher in 2023 at Mirabelle, which will be serving a special prix fixe dinner menu on New Year’s Eve and special brunch and dinner menus on New Year’s Day.

L & W Market in Bridgehampton has announced it will offer a special catering menu in celebration of Christmas. Orders may be placed online or by calling 631-537-1123, no later than Thursday, December 22 at 8 p.m. Pick-up will be available on December 24 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Almond Restaurant. Menu selections, subject to change, include deviled eggs, lobster roll sliders, an antipasto combo, honey mustard glazed Berkshire ham, roast Long Island duckling and Milk Pail apple crisp.

One of the best restaurants on the East End is located on the north-of-the-highway back roads in Hampton Bays. Canal Cafe serves fresh seafood with a stunning waterfront view. In fact, you can even watch just-caught fish get cleaned on the deck and served on the specials menu. Menu highlights include steamed littleneck clams, Buffalo cauliflower, beer-battered shrimp, caprese sandwich, oyster po-boy and fried shrimp hero.

Did You Know?

The East End Food Institute runs an indoor food market in Riverhead during the winter months, providing access to fresh produce the entire year. The market opened for the season in late November and hosts vendors that frequenters of East End farmers markets will know: Blue Duck Bakery, Milla’s Puffs, Mecox Bay Dairy, Sag Harbor Honey, the Perfect Pickle, North Fork Oysters and dozens more. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays only.

Quail Hill in Amagansett is offering tasty treats such as winter squash, parsnips, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, dried beans, smoked peppers and salad greens from the farm’s hoop houses. The winter produce shares cost $525, and $300 for those with more limited means. Sign-up is online at peconiclandtrust.com.

Charcuterie is all well and fine, but no holiday dinner party is complete without seasonal cocktails. Sagaponack Farm Distillery is here to the rescue, offering a Bloody Mary kit for $75 to $85 with vodka, fresh Bloody Mary mixer, Foster Farm potato chips and pickled carrots. It’s also providing gin, wheat vodka and malted rye for $35 to $55 per bottle. The tasting room is open Friday and Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m. and from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday. We suggest trying the cucumber vodka and rhubarb liqueur!

Bits & Bites

It’s igloo season! Our favorite heated igloo dining experiences on the East End are Flora in Westhampton Beach, The Baker House 1650 in East Hampton, Mirabelle Restaurant in Stony Brook and last but not least, the Southampton Ice Rink, which includes a Bluetooth speaker, board games and seats for up to six guests.

There’s no place like Montauk for the holidays! Overnight guests who enjoy their holiday season at Gurney’s can dig in to cider and hot chocolate stations with gingersnap cookies, cookie and gingerbread workshops, a Candied Anchor candy bar (Dec. 23–25), a family “dive-in” movie night, daily menorah lighting (Dec. 18–26) and more festivities. It’s a perfect way to celebrate the holidays!

EHP Resort and Marina will be spreading cheer by offering regular and spiked hot chocolate, cocktail classes at Si Si Restaurant, wine tastings, holiday cookie baking and decorating kits, plus arts and crafts for children, chauffeured rides to Buckskill Winter Club for ice skating and holiday lights tour in Montauk and Sag Harbor.

Leon 1909 on Shelter Island had a stellar debut this summer and has designed a special menu for groups during the holiday season. Menu highlights include a red wine braised brisket, salt-baked striped bass, Sylvester Manor holiday glazed ham, horseradish creme fraiche, olive bread and butter, kohlrabi and apple sauce and lemon meringue tart.

Food Quote: “I was 32 when I started cooking, until then, I just ate.” –Julia Child