Pumpkins in the City

Few things are more synonymous with fall than pumpkins. From picking to pies and smashing to craving, pumpkins are wonderful for all things autumn, especially Thanksgiving. Some New York City spots are taking advantage of the local bounty for delicious tastes this holiday.

Let's get to the most important "dish" first that we'll all need to survive the holidays- a cocktail. Todd's Mill on the Lower East Side has introduced Hot Pumpkin Buttered Rum to their beverage program just in time. Owner Matt Suchomski's grandmother made her own pumpkin pie filling (because grandmas are awesome) and this recipe is inspired by this childhood favorite. Made with pumpkins from Migliorelli Farm in Upstate New York, the pie filling is mixed with creamy butter and aged rum for this soul-warming cocktail. Cheers to that!

Chef Chad Minton of Andaz 5th Avenue cooks up pumpkin risotto with crispy kale and fig balsamic as a vegetarian and gluten-free dinner option this week. The slow-cooked Italian dish is made with ingredients purchased at the Union Square Greenmarket. 

Pie is no longer restricted to a tin. New York Central at the Grand Hyatt added pumpkin pie in a glass to their dessert menu. The creamy custard dish of pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg is topped with caramelized walnuts. The pumpkins come from a small farmer's stand alongside a road in Granite Springs, NY. Too good to turn down, the restaurant's Executive Chef brought back the fall goods to Executive Pastry Chef Gonzalo Jimenez to create this tasty, seasonal dessert.

Whether looking for a delicious and cozy cocktail or an autumn treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, New York has it all. From Manhattan to Montauk and the Catskills to the Finger Lakes, our great state offers many things we can be thankful for.

Be thankful this year for all you have been blessed with and enjoy every bite with your loved ones this year. Happy Thanksgiving!

Grana with Papa

Growing up with an Italian-Armenian father meant a lot of our days were focused around food. Whether it was breakfast on Sunday mornings or having to be home at least five nights a week for dinner, we always made time to share a meal together, if nothing else.

Since I had to work for Father’s Day, I decided to take Dad out later in the week for dinner, just the two of us. He chose a small Italian spot called Grana, located on Main Street in Jamesport. We had both heard good things and decided to check it out. The small dining room housed mismatched wooden tables and chairs, with antique mirrors and frames along the walls. It was a charming yet casual place, good for families and couples.

We each started with a glass of house wine by Mattebella Vineyards – medium body, dry and fruit forward. Delicious. For our meal, we ordered mainly from the specials menu. For an appetizer, my father and I shared the grilled asparagus with lemon, EVVO, lemon and Parmesan over mixed greens. I normally do not like asparagus, but this was amazing! It was fresh, light and not overpowering. Since Grana is known for their wood oven fired pizzas, we had to try one of those as well. We ordered the special with mortadella, ricotta, prosciutto and peach compote. While it was a little messy to eat, it was absolutely delicious with the right amount of sweet and savory. The first course had to be wrapped to go – it was a lot of food and we needed room for pasta.

My father ordered the special fettuccine loaded with house-pulled Burrata, ricotta, tomato, onion and basil. It was refreshing and needed no additional seasoning. I tried the Tuscan pasta from the regular menu – fettuccine with crimini and porcini mushrooms and a touch of cream. The mushrooms were plentiful and had a nice earthy flavor. These dishes had to be wrapped up as well, and were just as tasty for lunch the next day. We skipped dessert… I can’t imagine how one could have room for it!

Grana is truly a neighborhood gem with great service and even better food. So good in fact, I didn’t even think to order another glass of wine. Shocking, I know. So whether you go with a group of pals or on a father-daughter date, this place is must.