tamidon | Blue Hill at Stone Barns part 1

Blue Hill at Stone Barns is an amazing restaurant in NY who's chef was just awarded Chef of the Year from the James Beard Association. It's the food worlds closest thing to an Oscar.Sort of, and the James Beard Foundation is a touchy topic for some in the food world
My mother took us last night for dinner to celebrate our birthdays, and we had a wonderful meal. The restaurant follows the philosophy of the farm,all it's produce,meats,etc...coming from the farms or very local farms and craftsmen near them. Check out the website stuff about the Stone Barns Agricultural center.
There is no menu, and all the tables get a menu individualized to them. All you get is a listing of the produce from the farm from the day and the meats and stuffs they have to use. A series of questions about food preferences are asked.

feste_sylvain can't have shellfish and Mum prefers to not eat offal..and off we go.

Note:we started dinner at 5:15 and there is a window off to my left. As the evening progressed and the sun set I started losing light, and no flash was allowed(and I wouldn't use a flash in the dining room anyhow). All photos taken with my little green point and shoot and my skills at food photography are minimal

We decided on the Farmer's tasting, which is 7 courses. All members of the party must order the same menu. First off a veggie presentation was brought out, of lightly blanched baby veggies from the garden... radishes,baby fennel and English peas in pod, lightly blanched and dressed with a slightly acidic dressing

with that were brought pea hamburgers

Which was a bright tasting mash of peas on a brioche type bun, still warm and slightly sweet

and skewers of asparagus wrapped in house cured pancetta, then fried with a sesame crust

These nibbles and bits were really tasty. It also highlighted some themes of the meal, peas, green,bright flavors, sweet with green and acidic.

They were very yummy, and that was essentially an amuse bouche

We were then brought a palate cleanser, which was the only failure for me of the night and in no way was Blue Hill responsible. It was a chamomile infusion with house made tonic ...and I can't drink quinine without gagging. It was very light, and I tried just a taste, and if I in any way liked tonic I would have found it refreshing, but quinine ruined it for me.

feste_sylvain finished mine.

Then it was bread and butter service...done to showcase even here the amazing produce of the farm and the skills in the kitchen.
A tray with , from l-r, farm butter, home made ricotta, parsnip salt and carrot salt

served with a basket of warm bread that was frequently refilled

as we munched on bread spread with butter and salts we were shown rapini that were picked that day and would be part of our next course

Which was Rapini and Asparagus with saffron foam,fried almonds,herring roe,herb sauce with butter,and preserved unborn egg grated over the top

preserved unborn egg being grated over the top

Some more themes coming out: eggs from their hens(discussions with Maitre D' about our hens ensued), crunchy savory nuts adding richness to green fresh purees and sauces of peas and herbs,various nuts with various herbs

feste_sylvain taking advantage of that never ending bread basket

The garden salad with balsamic strawberries,golden beets,radish,baby fennel,marigold,lettuce,herb vinaigrette,peas, and what I think was a sour cream foam