The Daily Star’s Guide to
Upstate
FARE Taste of Summer 2020
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK LOCALLY THIS SUMMER
DINE COOPERSTOWN: ä ä ä ä
Cooperstown Beverage Exchange Delaney's Ice Cream & Coffee Origins Cafe The Tap House at Brewery Ommegang
MT. UPTON:
ONEONTA: ä ä ä ä ä
Bella Michael’s Restaurant Brooks’ House of BBQ Dante’s Pizzeria The Depot Restaurant & Tavern Tiger Asian Cuisine
ä The Old Mill
OXFORD:
NEW BERLIN:
ä The Stadium Sports Bar & Grill
ä New York Pizzeria & Restaurant
SIDNEY:
NORWICH:
ä Roma Pizzeria & Restaurant
ä Nina’s Pizzeria
LOCALLY
Take-out tips when dining at home
Although takeout has long been a convenience enjoyed by people around the world, in recent months takeout became a key way for many restaurants to stay afloat when the novel coronavirus COVID-19 forced many to close their facilities to customers. Restaurants have been allowed to remain open, though they have been forced to change their business models. In a matter of weeks, establishments that were not accustomed to offering takeout quickly reimagined their operations to offer curbside pickup or delivery options. In turn, many communities promoted movements to help keep restaurants afloat, with some encouraging residents to participate in Takeout Thursdays to patronize struggling bars, restaurants and delis. Takeout has always provided a respite from cooking meals at home, but it seems especially welcomed during the COVID-19 outbreak. Now more than ever, individuals and families could use a break from cooking three meals per day. When opting for takeout, consider these tasty tips. • Support small businesses. Independent restaurants could have a tougher time bouncing back from reduced sales and income than large restaurant chains. When seeking out food- and beverage-related businesses, lean heavily on momand-pop restaurants, many of which are pillars in their communities. These are the businesses whose owners may have children in your local schools or those who sponsor local sports leagues.
• Investigate food safety. Inquire about the safety measures restaurants are taking to ensure food safety. Most restaurants and delivery services are enacting even more safety measures than are required by law. Keep in mind, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said, “There is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food.” Simple handwashing after touching food packaging and your food or face may be sufficient. • Learn new protocol. Ask the business what their requirements are for ordering food. Some restaurants will bring the order directly to your car through curbside pickup. Others may enable you to enter the establishment if you are wearing a mask. Delivery only might be the policy at another establishment. Follow all rules, as they have been implemented to keep you and the business employees safe. • Pay by credit card. When placing an order for takeout or curbside pickup, pay by credit card online or over the phone if that is an option. This limits how much you and restaurant employees have to handle cards or cash. • Avoid direct handoffs. Ask the counter server or delivery person to put down your order and step away before you grab it. This is an extra step to combat the spread of the virus. Even as stay-at-home restrictions are being relaxed, takeout figures to remain popular. Certain tips can keep everyone well fed and safe and help bars and restaurants stay afloat.
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Simple pairing pointers for wine novices Pairing a delicious meal with the perfect wine can be a match made in heaven. Wine novices may be intimidated by the challenge of making the perfect pairing, but they need not put themselves under such pressure. Just because a certain wine might make for a perfect pairing, that doesn’t mean others cannot step in and serve an equally flavorful function. People who appreciate a great meal accompanied by an equally great wine need not have an encyclopedic knowledge of food or wine to successfully pair the two together. In fact, some basic pairing knowledge might be all that’s truly necessary to make a meal more memorable. • White and light: White wine fans should know that such wines tend to pair best with light meat, such as chicken or fish. According to Backbar, a platform designed to help bars and restaurants manage their inventory more effectively, white wines pair well with fish because the acidity in these wines enhances the taste of the fish. Chicken dishes vary greatly, and the online wine resource Wine Folly (www.winefolly.com) notes that the sauce will greatly affect the flavor of the meat. That means a wine that pairs well with a certain chicken dish may not necessarily pair as well with a different one. Representatives at local liquor stores or wineries can help people choose which wine to pair with chicken dishes. • Reds and reds: Red meats tend to match up best with red wines. Though they can be found in white wines, tannins are predominantly found in red wines. According to Backbar, the tannins in red wines soften the proteins in the meat, thereby helping enhance the flavors of the fat. That makes for a more flavorful meal. • No need to spice things up: Spicy foods are beloved across the globe. Such foods can be among the more intimidating to pair with wine, as spicy foods have bold flavors that no one wants to detract from. In a 2016 interview with Eater.com, professional chef Sean Pharr advised against pairing high alcohol wines with spicy foods, noting that the alcohol can intensify the heat and spice of the food. That can prove disastrous for anyone trying to impress a date or show off their skills with spice. Many people prefer a Riesling with spicy food, as the sweetness of this white wine can help offset the spice, making for a satisfying, flavorful meal. Pairing wines may seem intimidating. But a few simple strategies can help novices find a wine that makes a meal that much more delicious.
Get the most out of restaurant leftovers Local restaurants have taken an especially hard financial hit during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. A recent appeal for economic relief from the National Restaurant Association on behalf of struggling restaurants estimated that the industry could suffer hundreds of billions of dollars in losses due to the outbreak. In recognition of the vital roles restaurants play in fostering strong communities, many local governments have urged residents to order takeout or delivery if they can afford to do so. Millions of consumers have heeded that call, helping restaurants stay afloat in a time marked by economic uncertainty while appreciating a night or two off from preparing meals at home. It’s easy for home cooks to practice portion control when making meals at home. But restaurants tend to offer hearty portions, leaving consumers with leftovers at a time when more and more refrigerators are full of containers with previous nights’ meals. So what to do with restaurant leftovers? A little creativity might be in order. • Reimagine restaurant leftovers. The Mayo Clinic advises against keeping restaurant leftovers for more
whole family, make a game of trading restaurant leftovers for the next day’s lunch. If Dad orders chicken parmigiana he can trade it for Mom’s beef bolognese. Families can have even more fun by offering side dishes for desserts or sweeten offers with homemade treats or promises to do the dishes. This is a fun way to ensure no one has to eat the same meal on consecutive days.
than four days, noting that the risk of food poisoning increases after that. If you don’t want to eat the same meal twice in four days, try to turn leftovers into something new. Add fresh vegetables to leftover rice to create a rice bowl that makes a great midday meal. Then use leftover meat and potatoes to create a stew or soup for dinner. Add some sauteed seafood to leftover pasta to give the meal a whole new taste. Reimagining restaurant leftovers into wholly new dishes is a great way to get even more out of meals that might be too big to polish off in one sitting. • “Trade” leftovers. When ordering meals for the
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• Turn leftovers into appetizers or snacks. If leftovers aren’t abundant enough to provide for two full meals, or if you simply want to make something new out of what you didn’t eat last night, turn leftovers into appetizers or snacks to enjoy while watching a movie. Open a bag of tortilla chips and turn last night’s entrée into a tasty dip, or place leftovers out shortly before your homecooked meal is ready to be served. Extra flavor at the dinner table is always welcome, and this approach gives everyone a chance to try each dish. Restaurant portions can be large, and in this time of takeout that can make it hard to determine what to do with leftovers. Thankfully, there are many creative ways to approach restaurant leftovers so no one has to eat the same meal two days in a row.
Match food to your favorite
BREWS
The rise of craft and home brewing has created more beer flavor profiles than ever before. In fact, there’s likely a beer for everyone, whether you’re a novice or connoisseur. The Brewer’s Association, a trade association that represents small and independent American craft brewers, reports that, in 2018, small and independent brewers collectively produced 25.9 million barrels and experienced a 4 percent total market growth. The BA also states that these small brewers achieved a collective retail dollar take-in of $27.6 billion. While wine will always have its enthusiasts, beer is fast on its heels as a popular mealtime beverage. Much in the way wines are paired with certain foods, it has become the natural course of action to pair certain foods with particular styles of beer. “Beer is a great match for food because of the complexity of its flavors, its ability to provide refreshment and to interact with many food flavors,” says Marc Stroobandt, a master beer sommelier for the Food and Beer Consultancy, UK. Although each person has his or her preferences, here is a brief listing of generalized pairings, courtesy of the Brewer’s Association and CraftBeer.com. • American Amber Lager: Creamy risotto, wild rice, polenta • American Pale Ale: Game birds, such as duck and quail • Belgian-style Dubbel: Pork chops, sausage, tenderloin • Belgian-style Flanders: Grilled ribeye, root vegetables • Blonde Ale: Chicken, salads, salmon, nutty cheese • Dark Lager: Barbecue, sausage, roasted meat • Hefeweizen: Weisswurst, seafood, sushi • Imperial Stout: Smoked goose, foie gras, strong cheeses • IPA: Spicy foods, curries • Porter: Roasted or smoked foods, blackened fish The Brewer’s Association recommends matching delicate dishes with delicate beers and strong dishes with assertive beers. Commonalities, like aromas and sub-flavors, also work together. A beer with roasted notes may pair well with chocolate, for example. Opposites also attract, in that a spicy food may taste best when paired with a sweet beer. Pairing might once have been limited to matching wines with certain foods. But the booming craft beer business has popularized pairing flavorful beers with foods to make meals even tastier.
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