Rembold working in the kitchen with co-chef Dave Gould
House-made fettuccine with spring onion and house-cured guanciale
“This pasta is great for early in the season because it enables us to feature the spring onions which seem to poke their heads into the kitchen before anything else around early April. It's essentially pasta carbonara that we finish with a Pennsylvania egg yolk.”
Young kale salad with lemon juice, extra virgin and parmesan
“Mid-April was kicking with baby greens and we were particularly enthralled by this super-sweet and tender kale. Fairly unadorned, it's dressed with a little sea salt and lemon to complement all the natural sugar. The parm and EVO add a little fat and richness. Don't suppose anyone knows where we can get our hands on some local lemons?”
Crostini with Brooklyn ricotta and roasted rhubarb
“Some of our regular customers make amazing ricotta which goes well with just about anything. Paired with sweet-tart roasted rhubarb, in full swing in May, it's like a pipe bomb blowing up in your mouth.”
Antipasto of salame, fava beans, lemon and radish
“Come the warm NYC summer—June-ish—every line cook in the city is peeling favas. But what to do with them besides a puree or lobster pairing? We let them roll with salty fatty salame and these firecracker radishes we can't get enough of. The textures are wonderful, and the dish is light and satisfying. Still looking for some local lemon juice!”
Yellow squash soup with opal basil and toasted pine nuts
“Using fresh local squash and zucchini in July through August is so rewarding from a cook’s perspective. Often the cut ends have not even had a chance to oxidize and the flesh smells like good earth. Golden squash make an earthy soup, served hot even though it's summer, that's visually stunning and easily complemented by the pesto-esque garnish, parm included.”
Marinated zucchini salad with roasted garlic, mint and lemon
“Just like Grandma used to make—if she was into adding a little sugar and vinegar to zucchini and roasted garlic.”
Peach and basil salad
“There's almost nothing in the world as overwhelmingly delicious as a ripe peach. It's sometimes difficult to find amazing peaches even when they are in full swing in July and August. If they are as sweet as they should be, and not overripe, they become quick friends with radish and red onion.”
String beans, chopped egg and mustard-shallot vinaigrette
“Toasted almonds and chives set off this simple salad for mid-summer.”
Heirloom tomatoes with sherry vinegar, toasted country bread and basil (served with brick chicken)
“’What are we going to do with all these tomatoes?!’ Something you might hear in an extremely warm August kitchen. Well, who doesn't like panzanella? Not to mention when in the same bite as crispy chicken skin.”
Deep-fried corn with shrimp butter
“Southerners know that the best heat conductor for a late-summer ear of corn is a 375- degree deep fryer. It really caramelizes, and shrimp is a great replacement for lobster, which would also be perfect in an emulsified butter sauce with local spicy jalapeno peppers. We also add a little bourbon whiskey. That’s always in season.”
