Judith Light

Sustenance
by Lyn Dobrin
Successful Summer Picnics
Suggestions and a Recipe
Cheryl Stair is my go-to person for ideas on picnicking on Long Island.
Since 1986, she and husband John Kowalenko have been offering beautiful
and delicious fare for parties on the east end. Whether you’re dining
al fresco on the or in your own backyard, Cheryl Stair has some tips for a
perfect picnic.
Location and timing
Stair favors Ditch Plains Beach on the sandy tip of our Island in Montauk,
loved too by beginning surfers and longboarders (riding 8 to 14 foot boards)
for the consistent waves. High on her list is picnicking around a bonfire at
Georgica Pond, and for those with a Southold Town permit, she recommends
enjoying the sunset at Goldsmith’s Inlet. If traveling out east is not on your
itinerary, Stair suggests “a lantern-lit table in your own backyard for an easy
breezy way to enjoy the gentle weather of the season.”
Keep It Simple
A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, said the poet, plus spicy hard salami and salty
sheets of prosciutto, purchased from a local specialty store. Add an oozy ball
of burrata—fresh Italian mozzarella with a creamy
Whether you’re
dining al fresco
on the or in your
own backyard,
Cheryl Stair has
some tips for a
perfect picnic.
24August 2012
filling—and you have a simple but delicious feast.
Going a bit fancier
“The North Fork Table and Inn’s ‘Lunch Truck’
serves up the best lobster roll that I’ve ever consumed,”
says Stair. There are also several gourmet
food shops with items to go - Citarella, Red Horse
Market, Round Swamp, and a new comer, Pepalajefa
in Sag Harbor, that Stair thinks looks promising.
Want to Cook your Own
Try some grilled Montauk sushi-grade tuna in your
favorite marinade. For sides, a warm potato salad
dressed in a dill vinaigrette next to some fava beans grilled whole in the shell
with Amagansett Sea Salt (see recipe) are the perfect accompaniment. For
dessert, simple but beautiful – a big bowl of cherries.
Be Prepared
Give your basket a once over to be sure you have everything you need
such as silverware, a corkscrew, and matches to light a bonfire. A batteryoperated
camp light is a good idea so you can see while you dispose of the
recyclable plates and glasses in the trash bag you have brought along. If you
are planning to grill or light a bonfire on the beach, bring a metal tray to hold
the coals so you can douse them and remove this debris as well.
Remember food safety when planning dinner al fresco
Reusable ice packs placed in the cooler are invaluable for keeping foods
cold and out of direct sunlight, particularly dairy, egg, and protein products.
An ordinary thermos is great for keeping cold soups cold. Otherwise, a pretty
wicker picnic hamper may be used for shorter trips.
Art of Eating’s Warm Potato Salad with Herbs
2 pounds local organic potatoes, Yukon or Fingerlings, whichever is available
½ cup finely chopped local celery
½ cup finely diced local shallots
2 tablespoons chopped chervil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Place washed potatoes in pot large enough to cover with one inch of water.
Season with salt, should taste like ocean water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to
simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with fork. Drain
very well.
While potatoes are draining, mix celery, shallots, mustard, herbs, vinegar
and oil in separate bowl.
While potatoes are still warm but cool enough to handle, cut into 1-1 ½
inch cubes. Add vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Art of Eating’s Grilled Fava Beans
This is so simple it is not really a recipe. It is however a way to enjoy fava
beans with none of the work usually associated with this king of the legumes-world.
Lightly rub washed fava beans in their shell with extra virgin olive oil.
Lay out favas on grill once coals have turned white. Do not place directly
over coals but to the side of the grill top for indirect heat. When shells
begin to blister and brown turn over and cook until other side begins
to blister and seams of shell just start to split. Remove from heat and
sprinkle with Amagansett Sea Salt. Eat whole shell and all. Eating with
your fingers is okay.
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