Big Apple Dining Guide: Blue Hill at Stone Barns, August 23, 2007

Blue Hill at Stone Barns
"A Night of Music and Food"
"Una Noche de Musica y Comida"
August 23, 2007

The evening started out with a concert in the Hay Barn titled The Music of Spain. I will list the performance titles/notes below the photos of food. It was a very nice performance and a perfect way to whet our appetites for an evening of Spanish cooking. A Thursday night like this makes all the difference in the world. The food was fantastic and despite the limited amount of protein on the menu, Danna and I were perfectly sated (if not bordering on stuffed). The wines were excellent and appropriate for each part of the meal.

We started out with Avinyo Cava Nadal, Spain (N.V.) - something I've had before and genuinely enjoy. Next up (for the lettuce and squash dishes) was a surprising choice: 2004 Lieb Cellars (Chardonnay) from Long Island. As Sonya, the diner to my left (and, as luck would happen, a colleague of our standard dining partner Doug) correctly noted - didn't have the oakyness you'd expect. This was a refreshing wine. But my favorite wine of the evening was the 2004 Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses Priorat, served for the eggplant/sea bass and bok choy/turkey dishes. I could drink this wine for nearly any occasion. In my opinion, a perfect summer red.

The meal was remarkable. I'll let the menu (and photos) speak for itself...

Tomatoes
macerated stone barns' tomatoes in a salad with clams and purslane