THE COURSES:

The menu was presented as a limited edition print. Each course was accompanied by a toast prepared by either Michael, Alex or Marina. Click images on the left to enlarge. Click on the texts on the right to read the toasts.

THE TOASTS:

Click "more" on the toasts below to read.

Sumac Manahatta
Winged sumac berry infusion with vodka

"Sumac, sumach, summäq..." (more)

Gingko Nuts
Boiled in milk and honey, oven-dried then fried with a salt and sugar sprinkle

" Remember the movie Jurassic Park? ..." (more)

Smoked Shad
Served on Japanese rice crackers with Homemade Creme Fraiche, cucumber and dill.

"This is the Atlantic shad..." (more)

Whore’s Eggs
One Maine Sea urchin “tongue” and one Fishers Island oyster, served on a wild foraged oyster shell from the Connecticut Coast. The urchin rests on a piece of Tong Ho (Crystanthemum leucanthemum, the domesticated variety of a wild local plant) The oyster rests on blanched wild seaweed. Wedgelet of lemon.

"The etymology of the Sea Urchin complicates..." (more)

Invasive Knotweed Soup
Foraged Japanese knotweed made with a vegetable stock including fennel, star anise, oranges, and apples, simmered with potato, and pureed with a handful of spinach. Served with blanched potatoes, and fried Japanese baby eels. Finished with olive oil, and Maldon sea salt.

"Japanese knotweed has been called "the asbestos of the gardening world..." (more)

Cannonball Algae
Marinated cannonball jellyfish in a vinaigrette with citrus, yuzu koshu, shallot and garlic, and served with wakame and hijiki seaweed, radish, cucumber. and garnished with mint.

"Who wants my jellyfish?..." (more)

Asian Shore Crab with Knife Handle Toffle
“This dish started with Bun Lai’s wild Oysters. We had about 50 of them, which we shucked and kept in their liquor. We used some of the liquor to make the base for our seafood sauce. Littleneck clams, cockles, squid, and wild oysters simmered in their own juices and aromatics. Finished with a bit of butter and sea urchin (which made it creamy). The rice was cooked in a shellfish stock fortified with squid ink (which made the rice black). The plate was composed of a tong ho puree ( quick steamed tong ho with garlic chives and olive oil, then pureed), black rice, Purple yams, the seafood sauce and of course, the Asian shore crab (killed, blanched, dried, and flash fried).”
(narrated by chef Lauryn Tyrell)

"At 6 AM Saturday morning, chef Bun Lai went out foraging in Long Island Sound..." (more)

Pine Affogato
Pine infused cream custard and pine sake, served in espresso cups.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Autumn Olive Berry
Autumn Olive Berry jam atop a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream

"And this evening we end with an ice cream of pines ..." (more)

(Marine Park, Brooklyn, December 2012. Alex, Michael, Oliver, and our Winged sumac haul.)