The Nantucket Wine Festival Recap

Chefs Angela Raynor, Sam Mason and Cesare Casella

Chowder’s sojourn to the Nantucket Wine Festival, though less than 24 hours old, has already resulted in a number of memorable bites. Contributors Alexandra Hall, Austyn Ellese Mayfield, and Erin Byers Murray weigh in on their noteworthy edibles thus far.

Austyn Ellese Mayfield
Bite: Egg Salad Wrap with Lettuce and Provolone
Where: The Coffee Table Cafe, Hyannis (3:02 pm)
Notes: This was a bit too reminiscent of the papier mache I once ate in preschool but with a sprinkling of field greens. I tried to spruce it up with salt and pepper but ended up leaving most of it for the gulls.

Bite: Cheese Grits with Veal Gravy
Where: American Seasons (9:50 pm)
Notes: A subtle take on a comfort food staple. The grits were creamy and not overly cheesed which set the stage for the veal gravy, which played a savory supporting role.

Bite: Spinach Mushroom and Ricotta Tart with Beet Vinaigrette
Where: American Seasons (10:15 pm)
Notes: The sauteed greens and mushrooms were the perfect excuse to indulge in the buttery dessert-like crust and I thoroughly enjoyed snagging bits of yummy ricotta on pieces of beet and dragging them through the fresh vinaigrette.

Alexandra Hall
Bite: Hot Dog & Ketchup
Where: The Coffee Table Cafe, Hyannis (3 pm)
Notes: Basically, rubber encased in Wonder Bread.

Erin Byers Murray
Bite: The Nantucket Bloat
Where: The Coffee Table Cafe, Hyannis (3:06 pm)
Notes: This aptly named glorified BLT was bursting with fresh greens, massive tomato slices, a slather of mayo, avocado and bacon. But in the process of scarfing it down minutes before boarding the 3:15 ferry, half the tomato and a glob of mayo landed on my white shirt. No matter. I wore it like a badge all the way to the island.

Bite: Foie Gras and Date Chutney
Where: Harbor Gala, The Pearl table (8:32 pm)
Notes: A grown up nibble of PB&J: the foie terrine was dotted with white and black sesame seeds and finished with a date chutney — all served on a single fork. The Pearl’s Angela Raynor along with NYC chef Sam Mason (pictured, with chef Cesare Casella) didn’t blink when I ate the second…and laughed when I sneaked the third.

Bite: Korean BBQ Slider with Kimchee
Where: Harbor Gala, Tremont 647 table (8:49 pm)
Notes: Chef Andy Husbands wore a pig necklace while slicing down a few Korean-style briskets. The kimchee added a tart and tangy topper to the plate.

Bite: Pickled Lamb’s Tongue over Focaccia
Where: American Seasons (10:40 pm)
Notes: Table mates questioned the choice of pickled tongue, then bit their own after trying a sliver off my plate (that was all I would allow). The silken slices had the same texture of that foie gras from earlier along with a tangy bite of mustard seed. A tiny quail egg on top initiated yet another argument on whether eggs should be served on top of, well, anything.

And since this is a wine festival, we have to mention a pretty slammin’ rose we tried at American Seasons: the 2010 Arriviste Rose by Blackbird Winery. Even our most rose-ambivalent table mates were turned on to its savory, pinkish charm.

Stay tuned for more.