Community Corner
A Short Trip To Visit the Source
At the Blue Hill Restaurant in Tarrytown, N.Y., food is served that's been raised at the nearby Stone Barns Farm.
Editor's note: Warren resident Frank DeVico has been following his son, Teddy, 15, as Teddy learns about gourmet cooking and fine restaurants. Teddy launched his own blog at teenchefteddy.blogspot.com, and he and Frank will be sharing their experiences in this column.
Readers with questions about cooking, restaurants and new flavors for Frank and Teddy to explore are welcome to email them to john.patten@patch.com, then check back every Friday for the DeVicos' Culinary Quest.
Teddy and I had the opportunity to visit Stone Barns just outside of Tarrytown, N.Y., less than an hour-and-a-half drive from Warren. It was Teddy's idea and it far exceeded my expectations.
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Stone Barns grows produce, has chickens running around, and you get to get real close to other animals as well. We took a guided tour with one of the farmers— we highly recommended doing this but make your reservations in advance.
"First off, a chef is only as good as his ingredients," Teddy said on his blog. "If your ingredients suck, your food cannot taste good. What Dan Barber and his team are doing at Stone Barns Farm and Blue Hill Restaurant is extraordinary. Seventy percent of the food for Blue Hill is made in walking distance from the restaurant."
Find out what's happening in Warrenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
We learned a lot about farming in the winter, and tricks of the trade in the life of the farmer. Stone Barns has a fine dining restaurant on the premises that draws on it's local harvest and animal life. There is also a little square (sort of European style) where you can get some interesting food at the local cafe, listen to a little outside music, and browse at some of the vegetable stands. The square is very small, modest, and low key but added an extra touch to the day.
"I just think that is so cool. Knowing where your food comes is so important" Teddy added. "When you see how beautiful your ingredients are you are going to showcase the ingredients, not hide them."
For more insight as to what is really going on at Stone Barns, and for more photos, check Teddy's blog here.
