The Many Splendid Tastes of Two Forks...
It was foodie magic! Eighteen hundred people sampling the best food on the East End to benefit local food pantries.
The hottest ticket in the Hamptons Saturday night was grilled, roasted, fried and baked under a huge tent in Bridgehampton.
I’m not exactly sure how but everything at Dan’s Second Annual Taste of Two Forks (TOTF) was even bigger and better than last year!
Forty restaurants, twenty wineries, chefs, food vendors, celebs…the lounge.
Who knew Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten was so handsome?!
Who knew Joe Farrell from Farrell Building was so handsome?!
Nicole Miller looked cool, I definitely spotted a Kennedy and possibly the lead singer of the B-52s…
The dress code was as varied as the crowd—all ages, all stripes, all stuffing their faces. Preppies, geezers, hipsters, trustafarians, models.
This epicure only got into a little trouble eating and drinking her way from one end of the huge white tent to the other. Star stylist Marc Zowine (in a tight orange sweater) commanded me to “throw your head forward!” so that he could scrunch up my hair and restyle it a bit on the spot. (I go to him religiously for cuts and color.) I casually mentioned that John Dillon had done my hair and makeup for the night. Marc said, “You know, I do makeup too.” It may have been the closest I’ve ever seen him to snapping. Could the rumor that he and John Dillon have some sort of rivalry going on be true? Hair wars!
Fellow foodies Sal Piazzolla and Grant Wilfley were standing by. I never knew that Grant and Marc went to high school together. And no one told me that Grant and Sal were legally married in May! And Grant is celebrating the 20th year in the fabu business of Grant Wilfley Casting this week!
There was a lot of catching up to do and a whole lot of celebrating at TOTF.
I chatted with “my favorite adopted Jewish mother” Sarabeth Levine and her husband Bill, AKA “Mr. Sarabeth.” We remarked on how this country has come full circle. People who have been into food for decades just seem normal now—it’s ALL about food these days. Perhaps Bill said it best when he noted, “Nobody came here for the music.”
I followed Florence Fabricant around for a while—a foodie’s dream come true!
Oh, and the FOOD! I have even more favorite Hamptons restaurants now! Here’s a rundown of just a few of the offerings:
An outstanding sample of Summer Vegetable Stuffed Organic Zucchini with Tomato Emulsion and Goat Cheese from The North Fork Table, Spiced Duckling Confit and Summer Vegetable Marmalade with Savory “Cracker Jacks” from Luce + Hawkins, Carnitas Taco of (mucho tender) Slow Roasted Pork and a boozey Strawberry Cucumber Margarita from Agave, a very dilly and nicely salty Dill Cured Gravlax with Horseradish and Crème Fraiche on a Pumpernickel Crisp , a generous portion of lively lobster salad from the Lobster Roll (AKA “Lunch”), Anke’s Fit Bakery’s chocolate oatmeal cookies around something very creamy and strawberries.Naturally I washed it all down with the clean lightness of the perfect summer beverage, Raphael’s Chateaux 2011 and some of Lieb’s refreshing 2010 Pinot Blanc. Summer Shrimp Avocado Corn Salad from The Deli Counter Fine Foods & Catering, Black Cod on Butter Lettuce from Nobu, Amazing minicupcakes from Cake (available through The Deli Counter) – they had stout in them and a pretzel stick on top! Sarabeth’s cookies…
Can’t you just taste it? Next year’s TOTF will be held on July 13—get those tickets early and often, they’re sure to sell out again.
Perhaps Angelina Daraio–Hayes from Cake summed it up best, “This is the funnest thing I’ve ever done! AND my husband was just in a car accident! (He’s okay.) I’m still having fun! Everyone loves our cupcakes!”