Foodie NORTH COUNTRY
Anthony’s
FEBRUARY 2020
CElebrates 40 years
Also Inside Q&A with Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen Dig In at Duke’s Diner PR Cooks: Raspberry Mousse PLUS: Enter our Kitchen Gadget Giveaway!
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Foodie
North Country Foodie • February 2020
INTRODUCING North Country Foodie
L Joe
North Country Foodie Magazine is published monthly for subscribers of the Plattsburgh Press-Republican. For more information call 3518-561-2300.
oTemp li o
Every region likes to boast about its culinary delights, and the North Country is no exception. We like to tell everybody about our michigans, poutine, apples, and venison dishes, and how they are out-of-this-world good. Everyone has their favorite recipes and people love to talk about them. But in addition to homemade dishes, the North Country has plenty of great restaurants and taverns that serve up amazing food every day. Our newest publication, North Country Foodie, will take a look at many of these establishments and provide you with not only great stories about the food they serve and their backstory, but amazing photographs that bring their dishes to life. In recent years, the North Country has enjoyed a sort of restaurant re-birth, if you will, as the number of food places has grown noticeably. Both local restaurants and national chain properties have arrived and drawn great interest, providing a wide variety for diners to choose from. In addition to restaurants, we will also explore those aforementioned home recipes as well as food trucks, roadside stands, concessions, farmer’s markets, and just about anything that has to do with food. We’re even taking a look at kitchen gadgets to make food as you will see in our centerfold giveaway. Food is life, for sure, but it is also fun, and that’s what we are aiming for here: a chance to offer some great stories, recipes, ideas, and pictures to enhance everyone’s North ditor Country culinary experience. E , Thanks for joining us.
NORTH COUNTRY Publisher
John Celestino
Advertising Director George Rock
Operations Manager Lamiaa Elshafay
Editor
Joe LoTemplio
Designer
Allie Racette
Contributors
Robin Caudell Cara Chapman McKenzie Delisle Ben Watson Ben Rowe Lohr McKinstry Alvin Reiner Kayla Breen Rob Fountain
TABLE OF CONTENTS Palate Travel at Anthony’s ....... 4 Plattsburgh restaurant celebrates 40th anniversary. Anthony’s Legacy of Loyalty and Longevity ....... 10 Loyal staff of Anthony’s contribute to restaurant’s success. Dig in at Duke’s Diner ....... 12 Visit the Plattsburgh mainstay for a classic diner breakfast or lunch. Lookback: Food Edition ....... 15 Restaurant and grocery advertisements from the 1920 Plattsburgh Daily Press. Kitchen Gadget Giveaway ....... 16 Enter for a chance to win one of six sweet prizes! Port Henry Diner Offers Variety ....... 18 The Port Henry Diner has been around, in one form or another, since 1933. Game Day Staples ....... 20 Plattsburgh business owners share popular game-day foods and drinks. The Arsenal Diner ....... 22 Elizabethtown eatery changes hands after 41 years. PR Cooks: What a Mousse! ....... 24 PR Reporter Mckenzie Delisle tries her hand at a Valentine’s treat. Winterfest Food ....... 27 American Legion Post 1619 serves up warmth for Winterfest. The Essential Ingredient is Love ....... 28 A Q&A with Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen in Plattsburgh.
Plattsburgh
Anthony’s
Palate Travel at Owner and executive chef Scott Murray serves up New American cuisine at iconic Plattsburgh restaurant celebrating 40th anniversary. By Robin Caudell Photos by Kayla Breen Two jumbo jade plants grace a bay window, circa 1990, with a southern exposure at Anthony’s Restaurant & Bistro in Plattsburgh. In Feng shui, jade plants are traditional gifts to new business owners to attract wealth and prosperity. The jade mojo is on point 11 years and counting for Anthony’s owner and executive chef Scott Murray, who crossed the threshold of the 19th-century Cosgrove farmhouse in November 1982. Fresh from a Sahara Tahoe apprenticeship, Scott entered founders Drew and Linda Sabella’s two-yearold dream of establishing a gourmet Italian restaurant, which was named for Drew’s uncle and godfather. EIGHTIES SCENE At the time, local choices included Arnie’s, Roman Gardens, Royal Savage Inn, The Stonehelm, Valcour Lodge, and The Butcher Block, where Drew was one of the original partners. The Sabellas purchased the Route 3 property from Frank Akey and fused the house and barn into its present 4
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A brightly lit sign illuminates the entrance to Anthony’s Restaurant & Bistro.
“But I know there are times when people walk in here thinking this is a solidly Italian restaurant,” he says. “We know that happens and that’s why the Bistro is designed to be more casual, classic Italian. People call all the time or they meet me, and they can tell by the way I carry myself that I’m the owner, and say, ‘Oh, you’re Anthony.’ No, I’m Scott actually. But, yes I do own it.” His surname indicates Scottish There might be people or Irish origin, but it was Anglicized we are compared with from the original Morian of FrenchCanadian extraction. who are more food Two nights ago, diners asked him if he was from Europe. artists. I don’t consider “Normally they assume, if you’re us that. I consider us French, you think the chef here has to be French because it’s no way he can just solid cuisine. do this cuisine,” Scott says. - Scott Murray “If you’re Italian, the chef has to be Italian.” So, Scott and Anthony’s are The restaurant’s name is somewhat a misnomer now, but it’s iconic and chameleons and not what they first appear. Scott knows he cannot change it. configuration. Anthony’s opened in January 1980, so this January marks the restaurant’s 40th anniversary. Its cuisine segued from upscale Italian to Nouvelle cuisine with Italian influence to what Scott calls New American.
North Country Foodie • February 2020 Linda discussing with me when we cure for two days in the kitchen’s walkEPICUREAN EVOLUTION finally hit the stability part. Our costs in. “I’m the only one who makes our When Drew hired Scott, there were in line, and things were starting were two chefs in front of him creating to come together. We were becoming sausage because it is temperature accepted and successful. That was fussy,” Scott says. upscale, northern Italian cuisine. “It’s really about the method and “The business the way it was then probably ‘85, ‘86.” and they way it is now, the staff was Scott defines Anthony’s cuisine consistency. Anybody can grind some as “metro-quality food in a country- meat and season it, but it’s really more much, much smaller,” Scott says. about the final product being what it “Here, I was walking into a place elegant setting.” “We’re not really food art,” he says. is. There are certain things that I am that was going to be a little bit more “There might be people we are still the only one that does it.” progressive, that was trying to do Every soup, salad dressing, sauce, something a little more upscale for compared with who are more food Plattsburgh. At that point, way more artists. I don’t consider us that. I and dessert, including ice cream, is than what Plattsburgh had.” consider us just solid cuisine. We’re made in-house. Scott lifts a freezer lid to reveal A friend tipped Scott off to completely cooked-to-order. We make Anthony’s and thought his California everything in house. I know that lemon cheesecake ice cream made by statement is over used, but we really sous chef Josh Dilly. cooking was good cred. Their dining clientele includes “At that point, the parts were in are. People who come through here those who like to watch Anthony’s place, but it wasn’t tremendously are pretty amazed.” staff in action in the modest kitchen. successful,” Scott says. “Whenever I talk to anybody MADE IN-HOUSE “I know when I became the because they want to see it, I think they executive chef and after working a On this Friday, links of sausage expect something spectacular because couple of years, I remember Drew and
Cheesecakes, fresh out of the oven, with made-in-house raspberry and caramel topping.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 of our cuisine, but it’s a working kitchen,” Scott says. “So, it’s messy. It’s really nothing to look at. You can see PROPRIETOR PROFILE how little these guys have to work with.” Veal stock, extracted from 25 pounds of veal bones and WHO: Scott Murray, GM/Executive Chef 25 pounds of beef bones, simmers under the watchful eye of sous chef Amy Upton. HOME PLACE: Cliff Haven “This boils overnight,” Scott says. “We’re getting ready to strain this, and then we re-wet EDUCATION: Peru High School Class of 1979, Clinton it and it will go again overnight tonight because we can’t Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh and American leave this here during the day. This is all we have.” Culinary Federation Scott points to a twin-six burner stove. “There are four people on this line at night,” he says. PLAN A: Physical Education/Recreation career “There are two people in the pantry over there at night and there’s one dish crew over here. FATE: Summer break working and landing an “If you were to order a steak right now, the guy working apprenticeship at Sahara Tahoe owned by Del Webb in the corner in that oven would take out the loin from the Corporation bottom, cut the steak, pass it to the grill chef who works over there.” FIRST JOB: Short order/carhop at Nitzi’s on Route 9 For steak au poivre, a sauté chef makes the sauce, and then passes off to the setter to plate together with grilled BIG BREAK: Anthony’s Restaurant & Bistro at age 21 fare from the line. “If there’s anything that needs to be sliced out, it goes FAV COMFORT FOOD: Paella or Cassoulet on a small cutting board and then that needs to be sliced,” Scott says. TRENDS: “I feel that the restaurants now, the position “That’s a four-man crew. Lunch is a different story. that Plattsburgh is in, is a really positive one because I We’re a little smaller, and it’s a little more stripped down.” think that as a community everybody does better when WALK-IN FARE A stack of three cases of New York strip steak lean Anthony’s owner and executive chef Scott Murray places a crab cake on the counter during a lunch service rush.
there are choices. I would not want to be the only game in town because then your base of folks are going to travel somewhere else because they want choices.
“It’s nice to go out for different reasons, and there is room for many different restaurants. “Secondly, I happen to be friends with all of them. I work seven days a week, so I don’t go out a lot. I may stop in and have a drink at a friend’s restaurant. My family goes out quite a bit because they have more opportunity than I do. “We know all our co-restaurants, and we enjoy them and what they’re doing. I like the fact that we can be respected among our peers and be a positive influence in the restaurant culture of Plattsburgh. There is room for all, and we are better when there are choices.”
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 “This is it,” Scott says. against a rear rack straight across from maker in Lacolle, Quebec, Toma Celena from the Saratoga area, and “This is everything that we have. the walk-in’s entry. “When I buy my meats, there are Whiteface Cheddar and Smoked You have to know how to move.” Cheddar from Fort Covington. kill dates on them,” Scott says. The growing season brings “There is aging dates on them Anthony’s amazing gardens into the because we buy everything by cases. mix. We know where the stuff came from. “It’s all done by crew in-house,” You know where your product came Scott says. from. We do what makes sense.” “It’s a labor of love. It’s all of our People know to On an adjacent rack, beef herbs. It’s a lot of our lettuces, a lot tenderloins wait to be cleaned and cut of tomatoes. We don’t do our nightly approach me if they to order. vegetables because they would take Two cases of prime rib empty have an honest product. too much land.” every week. The garden’s bounty includes Swiss - Scott Murray “The beef I use, I’ve used for years, chard, kale, spring-mix lettuces, and so we’re not a local grass-fed beef,” zucchini. Desserts — crème brule, pies, Scott says. “The things that make sense for “Mainly, I think because of the cheesecake, tiramisu made by pantry here,” Scott says. expectations of our clients. That’s not chef Steve Gricoski — rest on an upper Pray’s Farmers Market is his total what they are looking for.” rack near the walk-in’s entry. produce supplier. Whether a customer orders This night, braised local veal is the “Because after what they grow, I “Tournedos of Beef Gorgonzola” or special. like their philosophy of buying from “We braise overnight,” Scott says. their Albany and Montreal markets,” “Grilled Fillet of Salmon with Warm “We leave it in the jus because I Scott says. Lobster Sauce,” the beef tenderloin won’t cook it until it’s aged a day in and fillet will be hand cut to order. “I know their schedule. We’ve got a here.” great working relationship.” Every day and night, Anthony’s HONEST PRODUCTS Honey comes from Peru, and staff twirl around each other maple syrup from Chazy. Scott stocks a variety of local instinctively in a compact space that He purchases pigs locally, and his cheeses including Raclette from an also holds a steamer and smoker for veal is sourced from a Chazy farm. international award-winning raclette fish, tomatoes, or whatever. “It’s all nature veal,” he says. Grilled calamari appetizer served with chimichurri.
Decorations and lights adorn the walls and walkways around the dining room of Anthony’s.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 “When we do something, it’s not as cuisine, it’s more about where did “People know to approach me if about finding a recipe somewhere and it come from and trying to remember they have an honest product.” just making something and calling it what you’re doing.” He and his staff start with a protein that culture.” NEW AMERICAN What continues to excite him as — beef, pork, chicken, seafood, The restaurant, its menu, and a chef is preparing a dish for the first vegetarian product — and adapt it to their vision. award-winning wine list are a living, time. “Meaning whether it’s with a sauce evolving thing. “Like the first time I made “Our influences are basically cassoulet, which is French or paella, or vinaigrette or an aioli,” Scott says. “That’s what we do. There Italian, French, little bit of Spanish, which is Spanish; you try to determine little bit of Moroccan, little bit of South what they were going after,” Scott says. are some restaurants that are “It’s easy to put all of the ingredients more simplistic that just want the American,” Scott says. “When you look at our cuisine, they used into something, but what highest-quality ingredients and we’re not ethnic to one group or was the texture?” leave it to its own. We like to make culture. New American, I’ll call it.” What was the method? What was it something else by our sauces. His “Steak Au Poivre-Five the theory behind the dish? What was That’s what we’re really known for.” Peppercorns” is French inspired, pork the reason? Was it a peasant food at one time saltimbocca is Italian, risotto is Italian ARTFUL AMBIANCE that gained such notoriety that it by influence, and paella is Spanish. “I have chimichurri on my menu, became food for all?” he says. From the start, Scott loved the “That’s kind of pretty cool. As far architecture, setting, art, music, and which is Argentine,” Scott says.
Bacon wrapped pork loin with homemade chorizo sausage and caramelized apples.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 the near future. If you’re really good at what you do and you got the Anthony’s clientele is heavily local, business you need, that will sustain itself. but destination patrons from New York City and Montreal keep it a year- Scott Murray round enterprise. décor of Anthony’s. just accept the fact that this is just a Scott doesn’t respond to reviews His upgrades include an upscaled great place. What I mean about the because he doesn’t like to give them Bistro, installation of access lighting, karma, I’ve had wonderful times here.” legs. and sinking wires for existing lighting. At that point, he couldn’t see He doesn’t have a marketing team, “The art, I turned over to Jimmy walking away and embarking on and Jimmy steers social media because Golovach,” Scott says. something else. he’s good at it. “Some of these prints are his. “I think without Drew and Linda “To be honest with you, part of Since he’s immersed in the art world, and without me, Anthony’s wouldn’t longevity I think is pride of being part he’s the one who rotates the art. He’s be,” Scott says. of this establishment,” Scott says. responsible for the grounds. I give him “It just became something “I don’t do a ton of advertising. carte blanche to keep up our gardens, different.” The main reason is this is what I instill our exterior, and the way things look. I Since he took the reins, he’s reset in the staff when we hire them, if we’re loved what we had to work with. Loved the restaurant’s ambiance — light, good at what we do that is the best the karma of the building.” color, and tone. advertising. When Drew and Linda first told “It’s just the right building, and I “If you’re advertising to get people him they wanted to retire, they asked love taking care of it knowing that this into the door, and you’re really good at him to consider buying the business. has been here since at least 1880 and I advertising but you’re not good at what “My first thought, and I said it to believe longer,” Scott says. you do, they are not going to come them, ‘You know, I don’t know if I really back. You’re spending your money on want to pay full price for something I PRIDE IN PLACE a one-time deal. helped to create,’” Scott says. “If you’re really good at what you “There’s a sense in me in that I Scott works seven days a week, but do and you got the business you need, could just do my own thing from the he plans to trim it back a day or two in that will sustain itself.” ground level. Then in thinking about it pretty quickly, it really came down to WHAT: Anthony’s Restaurant & Bistro the karma of the building.” SINCE: 1980 Scott fell into a good spot here. LOCATION: 538 Route 3, Plattsburgh The Sabellas treated him very well. HOURS: Dinner Service, nightly. Seating from 5-9 p.m. Lunch Service, “I’ve been lucky in this building to Monday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. be where I am,” Scott says. PHONE: 518-561-6420 “So, maybe it’s not me, and maybe WEBSITE: www.anthonysplattsburgh.com I can’t recreate it, and maybe I should
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North Country Foodie • February 2020
Legacy of
Loyalty & Longevity
Owner/executive chef Scott Murray’s success is due in part because his staff shows up to create memories day after day after day. By Robin Caudell Photos by Kayla Breen Anthony’s Restaurant & Bistro’s two Ls are loyalty and longevity. 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of the award-winning fine-dining establishment, which serves New American cuisine in country-chic elegance. LONG HAUL The place where locals enjoy scrumptious lunch/dinner services and celebrate milestones begins with owner/executive chef Scott Murray, who started there 37 years ago. He purchased the business from founders Drew and Linda Sabella in 2009. “When Drew and Linda retired and I bought the business, we really didn’t add any positions,” Scott says. “So, I remain executive chef, but I also took over some of what they’re doing. Then, Deb Rascoe, one of my bar managers, I made an office manager to kind of take up some of what Linda was doing but kept everything in house.” His hats are more, but different. “As Drew told me it would be,” Scott says. 10
“As the GM and the chef, you’re Josh Dilly (sous chef). “I like to sit down with Amy and working for the ownership, but you’re also working to maintain the John and Josh and give them a lot of say,” Scott says. loyalty of the staff.” “It’s fun for them.” Scott’s major conceptual change EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES was to empower and elevate the The shift gives Scott energy for service staff to the same level as the kitchen staff. the business facets. “So that kind of worked out “And not to say that the service staff wasn’t talented, they just didn’t well,” he says. Scott fine tunes a management have the ownership that I felt that the team on the floor: Michael Minehan kitchen staff had,” he says. “Buying into the importance of (maître d’hôtel), Scott Williams (maître d’hôtel/catering manager), every aspect of the business. I brought Deb Rascoe (office manager/bar that kind of loyalty and camaraderie manager), and Jimmy Golovach (main and nucleus of the kitchen to the floor when I became the owner. We had it in bar manager/decorating/grounds). “I wanted us to get together and be the kitchen, and I wasn’t sure that we had it on the floor.” equal parts,” Scott says. “I think that brought in a little bit LEGACY OF SERVICE of ownership, and then in the kitchen, I treat them the same way.” Anthony’s is successful because of Behind the kitchen’s two swinging doors is the realm of Amy Upton (sous the staff ’s longevity: Rascoe-15 years, chef), John LeBarge, (sous chef), and Minehan-25 years, Williams-25 years,
Anthony’s Restaurant & Bistro employees pose behind the bar.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 Upton-33 years, LaBarge-25 years, Dilly-20 years, and Golovach-26 years. “Amy Upton started here as a dishwasher,” Scott says. “She became my sous chef by ‘88 or ‘89. Most of my staff today started with me as dishwashers. My next line chef is John LeBarge. He’s my nighttime sous chef, and I call him my head line chef. He started with me as a dishwasher from Peru High School as an 18 yearold. “My line chef after that is Josh Dilly. He came here from Red Lobster.” Steve Gricoski (pantry chef) has 20 years, Jeremy Yelle (waiter) has 10 years, Steve Holdridge (bar manager/ gardener) has eight years. “Really you can see that the theme is creating a loyalty and a career situation for people so they want to be involved in your vision and what you want to do,” Scott says. “That’s really the main asset, the
years. people.” “He replaced Al Delano,” Scott says. When Scott purchased the business, he had a different theory. Delano played at Anthony’s piano “I was looking for more full-time, bar for 23 years before relocating to Florida in 2003. career oriented servers,” he says. “It’s a unique place,” Scott says.
That’s really the main asset, the people. - Scott Murray
“Although we had some longevity in that, some had left and taken on other careers. I still have some people who work part-time for me that have been here for many, many years. I would say the average tenure on the server right now is 10 years.” Jay Lesage (vocalist/pianist) has 16
FAMILY AFFAIR Though he puts in long hours, he doesn’t mind because his daughters, Cara and Ali, are right there. Cara (line chef) has 11 years of service, and Ali (server/trainer) has 10 years. They both started when they were 15 years old and are SUNY Plattsburgh alums. “What I keep trying to not do is hand somebody something that they don’t deserve,” Scott says. “I want my kids to deserve what they get. And, so they do. It’s kind of a nice story.”
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Dig in at Duke’s Plattsburgh
Visit the Plattsburgh mainstay for a classic diner breakfast or lunch. By Ben Watson Photos by Rob Fountain
Chris “Chefy” Duquette pours some chicken soup.
For Plattsburgh native Chris “Chefy” Duquette, serving locals breakfast and lunch has become a way of life. Duke’s Diner, named after Duquette’s previous nickname, is currently in its 22nd year in business and 13th at its current location on Tom Miller Road. ‘THAT WAS ENTERTAINING’ Duquette, 44, who said he’s been in the food service industry in some capacity since he was 13, decided to open the original Duke’s Diner in downtown Plattsburgh in
Chris “Chefy” Duquette whips up a grilled chicken salad at Duke’s Diner in Plattsburgh.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 October of 1998, about a year and a half after he graduated from a four-year culinary program at Johnson Wales University in Providence, R.I. “That’s when the college (business) was really roaring,” Duquette said. “We used to do the late night kegs to eggs after the bars closed on Friday and Saturday nights. That was entertaining, to say the least.” A SECOND WIND And Duquette catered to the downtown crowd of college students, as well as many lawyers and judges with offices near the Clinton Street location, for about 10 years before he thought it might be time to move on. “Honestly, I was done; I was getting out of Dodge,” Duquette said. “Downtown just had no traffic; it was a oneway street.” That was when the owner of the current Duke’s location got in contact with Duquette saying the space was opening up. “I kind of got a second wind,” Duquette said. “My business tripled the second I moved here, so I’ve been here ever since.” SECOND GENERATION The move hasn’t dissuaded those who frequented the Clinton Street location, though. “I’ve had the same regulars from downtown even,” Duquette said. “I got a lot of lawyers and judges when I several “challenge” dishes to test your appetite. was downtown, and they’ve kind of migrated here. The At breakfast, you can order “Chefy’s Breakfast nice thing about being here is you gotta drive down here, Challenge” to get two pancakes, four eggs, sausage, bacon, it’s not like downtown where you get a lot of characters. We ham, home fries and toast. At lunch, the Bypass, Double had some interesting Saturday nights on Clinton Street, I won’t lie.” And he’s now even seeing some second-generation regulars. “I see their kids growing up, and now they’re coming in here, and graduating high school and starting college,” Duquette said. “It makes me realize I’ve been doing it for If you would like to visit Duke’s a while.”
If You Go
TAKING THE CHALLENGE The cozy one-room diner, open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends, does most of its business in its classic breakfast offerings, though the large selection of burgers has grown popular, Duquette said. For diners who come to Duke’s hungry, there are also
Diner, it is located at 8 Tom Miller Road.
The diner is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 Bypass, and Double Duke burgers will all do their best to fill your stomach. “Sometimes I’ll make 30 in a week or I’ll make none; it AN ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE CENTER depends on who’s rolling through,” Duquette said. “A lot of the college kids try it.”
GANIENKEH WHOLISTIC TREATMENT CENTER
BY THE SHORE Business has been a little slow to start the New Year, Duquette said, but he expects it to pick up once the SUNY Plattsburgh spring semester begins. “Once the kids are back there’ll definitely be some more business, and once St. Patrick’s Day rolls around and the weather perks up,” Duquette said. When asked if he ever plans to leave the food business, Duquette said he wasn’t sure, but he is planning to expand business this summer. Starting in May, Duke’s fans will be able to stop by “Chefy’s by the Shore,” opening as a seasonal restaurant at the Treadwell Bay Marina north of Cumberland Head. For now, fans of an old-fashioned diner breakfast or lunch can stop by Duke’s at 8 Tom Miller Road. “(Come for) the big portions and the warm atmosphere; we try to be friendly,” Duquette said with a laugh. “There are a lot of regulars, so it’s pretty small-town.”
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North Country Foodie • February 2020
Lookback: Food Edition F
Compiled by Ben Rowe
ood writer Deborah Carter is quoted as saying, “You have to taste a culture to understand it.” While reading a newspaper from a century ago will not put the flavors of their food on your taste buds, you can still get a sense of how the North Country ate back then. Collected on this page are food, restaurant, and grocery advertisements found in issues of the Plattsburgh Daily Press from the year 1920. For other glimpses into the past, read the weekly Lookback column printed every Monday in the PressRepublican, featuring local news clipping from 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago.
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Sweet
Kitchen Gadget
North Country Foodie is all about food and fun, so we’re giving away six sweet kitchen supplies to bring some extra joy to all your Valentine’s (or Galentines!) Day celebrations. We have heart eyes for these awesome cooking and dining items from Plattsburgh HomeGoods. To enter to win one of these flirty food finds, just send an email with your name, address, and phone number to aracette@pressrepublican.com. Deadline for entry is February 21st. Winners will be notified immediately via email.
Bella Lux Kitchen Towels (2 sets of 2) $10 ea.
Heart-Shaped Marble Cutting Board $25
Brooklyn Brew Shop Sparkling Rose Kit $56
Giveaway North Country Foodie • February 2020
Nicole Miller Home Heart Placemats (Set of 2) $14
WB 100% Cotton Napkins (Set of 4) $8
Valentine’s Glasses (Set of 4) $5 ea.
Fringilla Decanter $8
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222 Fifth Floral Plates (Set of 2) $12
Port Henry Diner
Offers Variety
Port Henry
The Port Henry Diner has been around, in one form or another, since 1933.
By Lohr McKinstry Company, it was purchased by Wilford and Grace Tario of Port Henry and moved to its present location off Main Street in 1933. A dining room with 28 seats was built in 1995 by Linda Mullin, when she and Hank D’Arcy owned the restaurant. After Mullin, the diner passed through several hands until Foote acquired it. SUNDAY MORNING MEAL Port Henry Diner owner/chef Donald Foote prepares to remove food from an oven at the downtown cafe.
He offers a diverse menu that includes traditional American choices along with Mexican food. “I took it in 2012 – there’s a plaque on the wall that says that,” he said. “Things are going well. It keeps getting busier and busier as time goes on. We don’t have too much room for many more patrons.” Some Sunday mornings, it’s standing room only at the Port Henry Diner, as various church services let out and worshipers head for the popular dining car. ‘WHAT PEOPLE WANT’
Waitstaff member Aleysha delivers breakfasts at the Port Henry Diner.
Walking into Foote’s Port Henry Diner feels like home to a lot of the historic downtown eatery’s customers. Owner and chef Donald Foote often greets customers by name and servers are quick to pour coffee and find out what the news of the day might be. MISS PORT HENRY DINER The restaurant got its start in 1933 as the Miss Port Henry Diner, a name intended to make women feel as comfortable in the place as the men who overwhelmingly patronized diners back then. Donald Foote bought it in June 2012, and the Ward Dining Car it’s in is one of the last of its kind in the country. Built in 1927 by the Ward & Dickinson Dining Car 18
“We let people design their own omelets,” Foote said. “It’s what people want to do. We had quesadillas. It makes it slower, because they take up a lot of space on the grill.” Some patrons don’t like onions, he said, and want to make sure none are in their meals. “My uncle used to say every recipe should start with an onion. That’s not always true for some of our customers.” VOLUNTEER OWNER The diner just reopened January 2nd after being closed for most of December, while Foote volunteered in a rescue mission on Abaco Island in the Bahamas. “I was working on (rebuilding) two schools, and also for the World Central Kitchen,” he said. “I’d go back again, definitely. I hope to go next year. I want to do something to help.” World Central Kitchen is a not-for-profit nongovernmental organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters, like the hurricane that struck the Bahamas in September 2019.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 Foote was unloading heavy cases of food supplies from “Don is great to work for,” she said. “And we definitely a truck on Abaco when he injured his shoulder. have our customers with character. I enjoy working there.” “I tore my rotator cuff,” he said. “The doctor said I just have to wait for it to heal. It’s getting better. I can lift my GEORGE’S REBIRTH arm now.” Foote recently acquired the former George’s II Italian Restaurant on Broad Street, which has been closed for two We have a great staff and years. “We’ll probably open George’s next winter,” he said. great customers. They make “I’m working on it now. That’s a project. It’s going to be coming to work fun. very different when you come in. We’ll have pizza, local brew and wine, just dinners. We need a dinner place in - Donald Foote Port Henry.” The hours will probably be 5 to 9 p.m., subject to CHANGING MENU change, Foote said. “It needs some work. Roof ’s leaking, there’s some When he returned, Foote made some menu changes. interior damage. The dining room will be expanded, with “I lose an item or so and add something different,” he a vaulted ceiling, and from part of the dish room and the said. “I’m always changing it to see what people want. We office. It (the interior) will be opened up to the kitchen. have a breakfast burrito now.” You’ll be able to watch your pizza being made.” After eight years of running the diner, Foote has become a local celebrity. MAKES WORK FUN “It appears that way,” he mused. “I had a friend who said he was the ‘glorious restaurant owner’ of Lake Placid. Running a busy diner is a lot of work, and Foote is the Now I’m the glorious restaurant owner of Port Henry.” chief cook as well as the owner, but he said he doesn’t mind. “It sort of gets in your blood. I love it. We have a great FEEL AT HOME staff and great customers. They make coming to work fun.” Foote’s has become a community destination, Moriah Chamber of Commerce Events Coordinator Cathy Sprague said. “Don makes you feel like you’re at home,” she said. “He’s very personable. It’s good food with reasonable prices.” Many people come in daily, especially for breakfast, and Foote chats with them between orders. “We have our regular customers,” he said. “It’s like a clubhouse, that place. There are people we see every day. A whole other crew comes in at the counter.” 1933 BOOTH Building contractors often sit at the counter, on their way to and from projects in the area, mixing with town residents and visitors to the community. The front counter is a 24-foot long marble slab installed in 1995, along with marble tabletops for the two booths near the counter. One of the booths is the original from 1933. Keishya Perkins has been on the diner’s waitstaff for a couple years.
Foote’s Port Henry Diner is located in a former dining car that began life as a portable lunch wagon in 1927. The dining room at right was added in 1995.
If You Go The diner at 5 St. Patrick’s Place is open Thursday through Sunday now, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., but on Mother’s Day weekend will go to summer hours and add Wednesday as an extra day. Call at (518) 546-7600. 19
Game Day Staples
By Joe LoTemplio Photos by Rob Fountain
David Carpenter, manager of Liquor & Wine Warehouse, shows off some of the product that will be used during Super Bowl Sunday.
LIQUOR
popular choice, liquor usually gets the call too on the day of the big game. “They have their comfort foods At Super Bowl and other sporting and they can usually find the right event parties across the country you spirits to complement it,” he said. are likely to find a hefty array of pizza, chicken wings, dips, cheeses and CELEBRATION SHOTS crackers, chili, and all kinds of other great tailgate snacks. Captain Morgan rum, Jim Beam To wash it all down, a good keg of bourbon, Fireball whisky and Tito’s beer or two usually does the trick. vodka top the list of drinks that people But beer isn’t the only beverage like to choose for the Super Bowl. choice for a Super Bowl Sunday or say “Some people like to celebrate a Daytona 500 party. during the game with shots,” Carpenter’s son, David Carpenter, SOMETHING DIFFERENT who manages the store, said. “These type of liquors are good for “It’s all a preference,” Steve that.” Carpenter, owner of Liquor and Wine Warehouse in Plattsburgh for more ‘WHATEVER IT TAKES’ than 40 years, said. “A lot of people drink beer, but you Steve Carpenter said Tito’s has would be surprised of how many like gone crazy in popularity in recent something different too.” years. Carpenter said people usually stick “You might as well substitute the to their basic staples at Super Bowl or word vodka with Tito’s — it’s gotten Daytona 500 parties, but the volume is that popular,” he said. amped up a bit. While beer remains a Rum and cola, vodka and anything, 20
and straight Fireball shots can make the game a bit more interesting, provided they are consumed responsibly. “People are in Super Bowl mode and whatever it takes to get them going,” Steve said. PEANUT-BUTTER WHISKEY Another popular drink that will likely make an appearance at gameday parties is peanut butter-flavored whiskey. Liquor and Wine Warehouse sells a lot of Skrewball and PB&W peanut butter brands. “It tastes really good,” David Carpenter said. “You would be surprised. People love it.” EASY AND EFFICIENT The Carpenters expect business to pick up about four or five days before a big event like the Super Bowl or the Great American Race, which is February 16th this year.
North Country Foodie • February 2020 Romeo sauced wings are by far “They’ll come and they usually Monopole since last July, said. Rosoff said he usually sells well the most popular, on game day or not. know what they want to get, and they try to keep it as easy and as efficient as more than 1,000 wings on Super Bowl Customers love this flavor so much, in Sunday. fact, Romeo chicken wing pizzas and possible,” Steve said. “We will crank out about 100 wings nacho dishes were created to satisfy “This place does not stop all week the craving of the North Country for long. It is super busy. There are about every 20 minutes or so, “ Cruz said. “It will be busy all day long. ” the sweet yet mildly spicy, delightfully 10 different things they could get Cruz said the secret to cooking sticky, and tangy wing sauce. when they come in here, but it really “[Romeo sauce] is a recipe that’s doesn’t matter because they will be in good wings is simply time. “It takes about 15 to 20 minutes been passed down from owner to owner a group setting, having fun, and that’s and you are looking for that golden from the beginning,” Weaver said. what it’s all about.” brown color,” he said. In addition to Stoner, Monopole also offers Mantis, a blend of hot sauce You can’t have a good sports and honey mustard, Camaro, a mix of watching party without great chicken hot sauce, honey mustard, and garlic parmesan, and the latest sensation, wings. Whether you make them yourself Sad Boi. Sad Boi wings feature hot sauce, or purchase from a restaurant or bar, barbeque sauce, and spicy honey. It is there needs to be stacks of hot, fresh the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. wings on the table. After Cruz mixes the freshly “It’s a tradition,” Corey Rosoff, owner of the iconic Monopole Bar and cooked wings and mixes them up in Restaurant in downtown Plattsburgh, their appropriate flavor bucket, they are placed in cardboard boat trays for said. presentation. The sauces shine brightly as tiny If it doesn’t look Austin Cruz preps wisps of smoke rise from the chicken, the sauce for good, it won’t making for a stunning presentation. the Monopole’s Mantis wings. “About 40 percent of a good meal taste as good. ” Cruz said. Austin Cruz dishes up a - Austin Cruz is presentation, “If it doesn’t look good, it won’t batch of Mantis wings at the Monopole in “It’s snack food, it’s tasty, it’s easy to taste as good.”
WINGS
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eat, and they go great with beer.” Monopole experiences big wing business during events like the recent Super Bowl and the upcoming Daytona 500 as customers choose from an array of wing sauces. “We challenged our cooks to come up with their own flavor and every one of our flavors was created by them,” Rosoff said. Stoner, a smooth blend of honey mustard and hot and barbeque sauces, is by far the most popular. “I would say more than half the orders are for Stoner wings,” Austin Cruz, 24, who has been cooking at the
Plattsburgh.
BUSIEST DAY OF THE YEAR Another local establishment who gives their all during Super Bowl season is Pasquale’s Pizza. Pasquale’s, self-proclaimed home of the famous Romeo Wing, was a hot spot on Super Bowl Sunday. “It’s the busiest day of the entire year,” owner of the last four years, Brad Weaver, said. “We go through about 12 cases of wings, and there’s 230 wings in each case.” That’s almost 3,000 wings sold on one of the biggest days for sports, food, and beer. 21
Elizabethtown
The Arsenal Diner Elizabethtown eatery changes hands after 41 years. By Alvin Reiner
The Arsenal’s owner and chef, Josh Olcott, delivers a platter as patrons dine.
Many towns and hamlets which dot the North Country have eateries which cater to the locals as well as travelers, and The Arsenal is no exception. The Arsenal bills itself as, “An American-style bistro which is a fun quirky diner that offers fresh farm-to-table chef-inspired food with a diner twist.” In September of 2019, Josh Olcott, 42, took over the stove of the venerable eating establishment after it was owned by Steve Pierce for the previous 41 years. "I am a local guy from E’town,” Olcott responded as part of his rationale for purchasing The Arsenal. “My family came here every Sunday after church, and I had always wanted to own a restaurant.” 22
Previously, Olcott was the food service director and chef at Camp Dudley. Other experiences included working at a catering company as well as a French restaurant in Albany, and at The Point at Lake Clear under the tutelage of renowned chef Kevin McCarthy. “He’s the main reason I wanted to become a chef,” Olcott said. "Cooking is an art form to me. It is a passion. I am a big fan of the farmers around here and of farm-to-table food. We use local maple products, cheeses, veggies, sausages, and beef from local farmers.” Olcott is environmentally conscientious, as well. “One of the big things we do here is use compostable
North Country Foodie • February 2020 products. No Styrofoam. Our take-out containers are from paper products. We recycle our vegetable oil to a local farmer for him to use in his tractors. It’s part of our responsibility.” MENUS Breakfast includes the standard fare of eggs, home fries, toast, and bacon, though there is also a “Brekkie Wrap” consisting of eggs, cheddar, potatoes, peppers, onions, salsa, and sour cream, as well as a spinach and Boursin omelette. The lunch cuisine varies, as each day has a special as well as the old standbys such as hamburgers and michigans. As for the latter, Olcott prides himself on his michigan sauce. “My grandpa and I used to go to Gene’s Michigans in Port Henry when I was young. I want to be known for my michigans, as well. I want to come up with new ideas and provide good cooking for good people.”
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Around 1810, Simeon and Lucy Frisbie sold the property to New York state with the intention to construct an arsenal. Completed in 1811, the Arsenal was utilized as such until 1850 when Ira Marks purchased the property. Over the years, the ownership and name of the property had several changes: Stevens House, The Arsenal Inn, Brentwood Inn, and Miller’s Lodge. Following a fire in 1961, James and Helen Miller sold the property to Albert O. Denton and his son, John “Jack” Denton, and they renamed it The Arsenal once again. Another fire consumed The Arsenal in 1967, and it was rebuilt. Steve Pierce took over The Arsenal about 40 years ago, until it came under the ownership of Josh Olcott in September 2019. The Arsenal is located on Routes 9 and 9N in Elizabethtown, across the road from the United Church of Christ. Hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Closed Saturdays until March.) For more information, see The Arsenal’s Facebook page, or call 518-873-6863.
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Raspberry mousse is ready to serve in small glass jars, garnished with marbled chocolate slices, fresh berries, and a sugared rim.
PR Cooks! The Culinary Adventures of the Press-Republican Staff
What a
Mousse! By McKenzie Delisle
Selecting the recipe for this month’s issue was the easy part. It needed to have chocolate. It needed to have pink. It needed to have Valentine’s Day. And, since I’m a lover of the Emmy award-winning television show "Queer Eye," it needed to have Antoni Porowski, too. The Netflix original series is a remake of the early-2000s reality show, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." Similar to its namesake, the updated version's five gurus pool their expertise to refine the average man or woman's style, diet, personal care, cultural pursuits, and interior design. The show's experts, dubbed the Fab Five, include Bobby Bark, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, and Antoni himself. Antoni, the show's cooking expert, released his cookbook "Antoni in the Kitchen" last year and, during his travel cooking show/book tour, the 35-year-old chef made an October stop just north of the North Country in his hometown of Montreal. As an obsessed fan, I purchased meet-and-greet tickets for that stop, 24
buying a front row seat in the Rialto Theatre, a photo with the star, and an autographed cookbook. And, when it was time to choose a Valentine's Day-themed recipe, I dusted off my (unused) cookbook and flipped straight to the desserts. My eyes were quick to land on photos of something pink, creamy, and covered in chocolate. Antoni called it the Raspberry Mousse Dome and I called it love at first sight. The dish looked somewhat intimidating, but, when in doubt, I thought back to the reality TV star up on the stage of the Montreal theatre, whipping together recipes from his book right before my eyes. So, just like how some people have eyes bigger than their stomachs, I learned I have eyes bigger than my
skills in the kitchen. To start, I followed Antoni's guidelines, but added my own flair here and there. Like when cooking down the frozen raspberries, I tossed in a couple tablespoons of lemon juice, too. That was a trick I learned from my mom and grandma. I always assumed the lemon's acid helped breakdown the other fruit, but I don't know if that's true. What I do know is lemon always adds some extra tang, so, I thought, why not? Per Antoni's recipe, it was time to use a sieve to separate the juice from the raspberry. And, without a sieve to my name, this was the first major setback. Thanks to a stroke of genius, which was not my own, the idea to use a
North Country Foodie • February 2020 cheesecloth in its place was tried and succeeded. This was my first attempt at using a cheesecloth to do anything and, though it left my hands a bloody red mess, I was happy the crisis was averted. With my one-and-a-half
cups of raspberry juice, I followed Here's where I have another tip Antoni's direction for adding gelatin from Mom: chill your bowl. to the mix and moved on to whipping When using an electric mixer the heavy cream. to beat anything whipped-cream related, she says this is very important. So, though it wasn't mentioned in Antoni's directions, I made it happen. Thanks to the cool Northeast temps, I
RASPBERRY MOUSSE Ingredients: • 6 cups frozen raspberries (24 ounces) • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 1/4 cup warm water • 2 tablespoons unflavored, powdered gelatin (from three 1/4-ounce envelopes) • 3 cups heavy whipping cream 1. Put frozen raspberries and lemon juice in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thawed and juicy. 2. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve, or a cheesecloth, set over a large bowl and press on the berries to extract the juice. You should have 1 1/2 cups of juice. 3. Discard the seeds and add sugar to the juice. Whisk to combine. 4. Pour the warm water into a small saucepan and sprinkle the powered gelatin over the top. Let stand for five minutes. 5. Heat the gelatin mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until dissolved, about two minutes. 6. Remove gelatin from heat and stir into the raspberry mixture. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened to the consistency of raw egg whites, about 20 to 25 minutes. 7. Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream to medium
peaks. Tip: Before this step, let your mixer’s bowl and whisk attachment chill in the fridge, freezer or — in the winter — outside for about 15 minutes. The cream will hold better this way. 8. Fold about one quarter of the whipped cream into the raspberry mixture and then fold in the remaining whipped cream until both are combined. 9. Refrigerate until ready to serve. MARBLED CHOCOLATE Ingredients: • 4 ounces white chocolate melting chocolate • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil • 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt • Red food color 1. Lay one sheet of wax paper flat on a cookie sheet. 2. Combine the chocolate, coconut
oil and sea salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 15-second intervals, stirring well between each, until the mixture is smooth. Let stand for about 10 minutes. 3. Separate chocolate evenly into three bowls and set one aside. 4. Add 2 drops of red food color to the second bowl of chocolate, stirring to combine. The mixture should be light pink in color, but add additional droplets to achieve desired shade. 5. Add 4 drops of red food color to the third bowl of chocolate, stirring to combine. The mixture should be darker pink in color, but add additional droplets to achieve desired shade. 6. Pour the first bowl of melted chocolate in a straight line on the covered cookie sheet. Then, do the same with the light pink chocolate, allowing the two shades to overlap. Repeat with darker pink chocolate. 7. Using a fork, toothpick or other utensil, start in the darker pink line of chocolate and drag it upwards, towards the lightest shade, creating swirls as you go. Repeat until desired design is achieved. 8. Put the cookie sheet in the fridge until chocolate has hardened, about 10 to 15 minutes. 9. When ready to serve, run a large knife under hot tap water. Using the heated knife, cut the chocolate into strips. Tip: Heat a metal cookie cutter in the same manner to cut the chocolate into various shapes. 25
North Country Foodie • February 2020 Once the raspberry and whipped I knew chocolate marbling was a trend let my bowl and whisk attachment sit in the snow for about 15 minutes, but topping were combined, it was time and wanted to give it a go. Like the rock, marbled chocolate the fridge or freezer would work, too. to let the mousse set in the fridge. I Despite my chilled bowl, I made placed it in a plastic-wrapped bowl, has swirls of colors making patterns a rookie mistake. While the mixer per Antoni's suggestion, and let it set throughout. To get the desired effect, I melted down some white chocolate, was mixing, I started washing dishes. overnight. At the time, this had felt responsible, The next, and final, step was divided it into thirds and colored the but when I turned my attention back covering the dome with a layer of portions different shades of pink. After swirling the chocolate colors to what was supposed to be whipped melted chocolate. I'm not exactly sure cream, I found a hard, yellow substance what went wrong here, but, the process together and letting them harden, I ended with less of a Chocolate Mousse sliced it into strips to serve alongside in its place. I had churned butter. Though I Dome, and more of a Chocolate the mousse with fresh berries. I don't blame Antoni, or his grew up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's Mousse Mess. "Little House on the Prairie" books, I The mousse itself, which was light cookbook, for my mishaps in never thought I would make my own and tart, tasted fantastic, though. the kitchen, and I'm sure a more butter. So, while it was kind of cool, it And so, I repeated the earlier steps, experienced baker would be up for his whipped up a fresh batch of raspberry Raspberry Mousse Dome challenge. was kind of a mess. But, if you're less experienced like After a rushed visit to the nearest mousse, let it set, and decided I would me, the solo mousse could be just Stewart's Shops, I bought some more serve it on its own. But I wasn't ready to let go of the enough for a quick treat on Valentine's heavy whipping cream, kept my eyes on the mixer and had a successful chocolate element just yet. Having Day, Galentine's Day, or just your watched my fair share of baking shows, average Tuesday. round two.
HOw To: Mckenzie’s Chocolate Marbling
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Winterfest Food By Joe LoTemplio
Plattsburgh When kids are outside in winter, sledding, skating, playing tag or building snow forts, they usually build up a good appetite. The organizers of Winterfest at American Legion Post 1619 in West Plattsburgh have just the thing for them when they come in for a break and nourishment. “We got all the perfect stuff for winter foods,” Dave Mayette, Winterfest chairman, said. “We give them plenty.” ‘THEY WON’T BE HUNGRY’ Winterfest offers a one dollar menu of hot dogs, michigans, hamburgers, French fries, chili, soup and Goose’s famous clam chowder. Mayette said the idea is to keep it affordable for families. “You could feed a family of four for about $20,” he said. “And they won’t be hungry. LINES STAY LONG The Legion gets much of its food donated for the dollar menu and all the proceeds go towards helping veterans. The food is all prepped and cooked in the kitchen of Post 1619. “We have a whole bunch of volunteers that come in and we take different shifts and it goes all weekend,” Mayette said. “The lines are usually quite long all day.” In addition to the cheap eats, the Legion offers free hot chocolate, coffee and cotton candy. GOOSE’S CHOWDER
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But the biggest hit of the weekend is usually Goose’s famous clam chowder. Longtime Legion member Sterling “Goose” Sorrell came up with the tasty recipe and had been cooking it for Winterfest for years. Unfortunately, Goose passed away last year. But his son Jim will be making the trip north from Florida to carry on the tradition. “He wanted to keep it going so we are happy to have him come up for that,” Mayette said. “It all makes for just a great family weekend and if you’re going to have a great family weekend you’ve got to have great food, and we got plenty of it.” 27
Plattsburgh
Love
The Essential Ingredient is Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen owner Josue Chanduvi talks about sharing his culture with the North Country through food. By Cara Chapman Photos by Kayla Breen Josue Chanduvi, owner and chef at Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen, will not share the secret recipes for his restaurant’s housemade hot sauces and dressing. But he named the one essential for Peruvian and Cuban kitchens, from which much of his menu originates. “Love, that’s it,” he told North Country Foodie during a Q&A. “I’m serious — it sounds corny. “A vegetable is a vegetable is a vegetable until you put it
in the right hands.” Chanduvi also currently operates Grandma’s Sewing and Alteration Shop, located at 1 Oak St. downtown. Both businesses were inspired by Chanduvi’s own grandmother, the late Lucia LaCruz. He described her as a woman who believed every day was a miracle. “She always believed that love could conquer all, that if you believed in yourself that you could accomplish anything,” Chanduvi said. And he has taken that outlook with him in his business ventures.
“
A vegetable is a vegetable is a vegetable until you put it in the right hands. - Josue Chanduvi
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NCF: How did Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen come about? JC: Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen came about because of my grandmother. She was a big influence in my life, and my mom. Food was a big influence in my life before I opened the restaurant. It’s kind of what brought everybody together. And also, growing up here in the North Country. We have so many farms available to us and this place is home to me. I felt like my community would support me like they have for the other businesses. I felt it would be something I could share with people. NCF: If you had to pick one or two, what would you describe as your signature dishes? JC: Well, ceviche, for one. It’s just a staple dish of Peru. It’s very fresh, it’s very different. The other one, lomo saltado. Lomo saltado is a Peruvian dish inspired by the oriental influence that we have in our country in Peru. It’s very thin-cut beef that’s sauteed with other types of vegetables, it goes on top of French fries, a bed of rice and a dash of cilantro. It’s so good. The profile of the flavor is different, the meat’s extremely tender.
North Country Foodie • February 2020 NCF: Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen has been involved NCF: What does Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen offer that with community events like Live Well, Be Well and North other Plattsburgh area restaurants do not? JC: One, Peruvian and Cuban cuisine. We’re supportive Country Honor Flight’s Picnic in the Dark. Can you speak of all those little farms in the area. We’re always trying to to how that plays into the vision for your business and how be creative. Our food is pretty much all made to order, it’s it fits into the greater community? JC: The community supports me. Every customer that fresh. Growing up as a Latino born in the North Country, it’s me telling my story. It’s me sharing with everybody what comes in and purchases something, it’s something that I I was eating at home while I was going to school. It’s my made, it’s something that I believe in, so in every sense of identity, it’s my culture. What I love about my food is I don’t the word they’re supporting what I believe in. If it weren’t just make Peruvian and Cuban food; I also make burgers, for them, how would I be in business? I wanted to establish I make pizzas, everything that you can imagine. It’s always changing and updating and I always like taking things that Dieter Morales (right), chef at Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen, poses with long-time customer Rosa Reding inside the restaurant. I find here and making it my own. I was at the farmers’ market two years ago and a little old lady was like, “You can eat Hubbard squash.” I asked her how she made it and she made it into a soup or a mousse, and every year since I met that lady, I use Hubbard squash around that time, and I always make soup. We make it our own, but it’s also paying homage to all these little things that we have in the North Country, all these vegetables that people don’t normally use. We don’t just sell burgers; we take a burger and then we’ll add sweet plantains to it and chorizo and we make it our own. My kitchen can be described as Peruvian/Cuban, but it’s also a melting pot of different food.
Customers Tom (left) and Deb Everett enjoy their meal.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020 something, a change. And the community coming in to NCF: Is there anything else you would like to add? support my business did that. Without them, I wouldn’t JC: I have to say that if it weren’t for the community, be here. And any chance or opportunity that I have to be we wouldn’t be in business. I want people to know not to involved or to grow with people, I do it because that’s what be afraid to come and try our food. Yes it’s different, but you do in the North Country: you help each other. it’s me. I went to school with their kids. We’re a restaurant NCF: What are the best and hardest things about established by family, we’re embedded in our community owning a restaurant? since I’ve been a kid. I want people to feel comfortable JC: The best things about it — in the kitchen, in my that they can come here and feel at home and not feel restaurant, it’s like breathing air air. It doesn’t feel like intimidated. We’re not a restaurant that has everything set work; it’s full of passion and love. Every day is a new day. in stone. I just want people to come in and enjoy good food. You’re always learning something. The difficulty is always being willing to adapt and to change. There’s always going to be good and bad days, it’s just how you perceive it, in the restaurant business and in life. NCF: Has Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen developed a community of regulars? JC: Absolutely. It’s like seeing your cousins. They come in and they know what they like. I have a menu, but sometimes people just want something different. I have a thing on my menu that says, “Trust me,” and I ask people a couple questions, how they’re feeling today, what they’re in the mood for, and then they trust me to make them Agi de Pollo, a Peruvian chicken stew. something different.
Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen’s dining area features a warm atmosphere with Peruvian and Cuban decorations adorning the walls and tables.
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North Country Foodie • February 2020
If You Go Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen is located at 5139 U.S. Avenue in Plattsburgh. It is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. One of Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen’s signature dishes, the seafood paella. Fried fish with a side salad and black bean rice is served with ceviche de pescado appetizer and complemented with a pitcher of chicha morada, a Peruvian beverage made with corn culli, also known as purple corn.
The restaurant, which carries glutenfree, vegetarian, and vegan options, only opens on Sundays for events until the summer.
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