Posts Written OnDecember 2010

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Long Islanders are blessed with a seemingly endless array of dining options with restaurants of every cuisine, style and vibe at our finger tips. Now that we have an almost-4 year old at home, my wife Nena and I don't eat out nearly as much as we used to. As a result, we've become probably too impatient with underwhelming dining experiences. If we try a new place and the service is awful, the food isn't creative or executed well, or the wine list is boring and only pays lip service to local producers, we're probably…

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor Photo courtesy of Seneca Lake Wine Trail We can all agree that dreams are strange things. There is no controlling the content and there is often no explaining it, either. This year I have found one consistent theme to my otherwise unpredictable dreams: Rhubarb-Chevre Ravioli. For that I blame (or perhaps thank) the dynamic Deb Whiting, chef and co-owner of Red Newt Bistro on the southeast side of Seneca Lake. The bistro is our Finger Lakes Restaurant of the Year. Beyond the ravioli - and really, do you need another reason? - here is…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor One of the goals for the New York Cork Report is to shine the spotlight on the people, places and things that we are excited about in the New York wine community. Our "Wines of the Year" program was born of this goal and in discussing our goals going forward, the other editors and I have decided to add "Restaurants of the Year" to the site as well. As with the wine program, this series of awards isn't strictly about the best restaurant in each region."Best" is vague at best and fact is, none of…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Our editors and contributors would like to wish you and yours a happy, healthy and safe holiday season. We'll be enjoying the few days with friends and family, but will be back next week with some 2010 round-up posts as well as a holiday "What We Drank." Season's greetings!

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor After tasting, re-tasting and re-re-tasting dozens of wines over the last few weeks, today we're happy to announce the finalists in our "New York Cork Report 2010 Wines of the Year" program. Each wine was hand-picked by the wine editor for each respective region — Evan Dawson (Finger Lakes), Bryan Calandrelli (Niagara) and myself (Long Island and Hudson River Region) — and will be tasted by the NYCR team in mid-January to determine the winners. Finger Lakes Sparkling Heart & Hands Wine Company 2009 Brut Rose Lamoreaux Landing 2006 Blanc de Blanc Finger Lakes Riesling…

These are a some wines that have crossed the NYCR tasting table recently but will not be reviewed as part of a standalone post. As always, these are transcribed almost directly from my notebook with little editing: Bashakill Vineyards 2009 Coyote ($15): Blend of 80% cabernet franc and 20% cabernet sauvignon. Finger Lakes fruit. Nose shows dark fruit — currants and blueberries — with earthy tobacco notes, pickling spice (American oak?) tomato leaf and subtle caramel. Palate shows similar fruit character, but note quite enough fruit for the structure and a-bit-too-astringent tannins. Slightly underripe with a bit of a hollow…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Today is a big day for our friend and managing editor, Evan Dawson and we couldn't be prouder or more excited. His book "Summer in a Glass" is finally available for pre-order and he launched his new book-focused website today as well. Check it out today to learn more about the book, read a sample chapter and find out how you can order your copy today. I've read it already and I can't recommend it enough. If you're a reader of this site, you already know that Evan is not only an excellent writer, but…

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor The origin of the term "red tape" is generally assumed to come from the 16th century, when Henry the Eighth wanted so desperately to have his marriage annulled that he flooded the office of Pope Clement VII with roughly 80 petitions. Each document was sealed and bound with red tape. I share this story because the days of Henry the Eighth might seem long past, but it has been roughly that long that David Sparrow has been wading through his own series of documents and petitions, bound only metaphorically by red tape. But here's where…

By David Flaherty, New York City Correspondent I'm a big fan of Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey, made by Finger Lakes Distilling. It's a pure, corn-filled ticket to the rolling hills of the Finger Lakes.   The nose, the palate, the finish — it's a corn-lover's dream. I purchased it for the restaurant a few months back. Surely, I wasn't expecting a rush on the bar, a throng of kernel-lovers beating down our door to get at it, but I was disappointed to see the demand (and the awareness) as small as it's been. So, as with any relatively-unknown, beautifully-produced — but…