THE CATSKILLS COMES TO FLUSHING TOWN HALL

The Catskills Comes to Queens is a premiere food and wine tasting being held at Flushing Town Hall on August 1 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This one-of-a-kind tasting event is being produced by Joseph Distefano, owner of New York Epicurean Events that will take place both indoor and at the outdoor gardens.

“All of our chefs will be working with local meats - grass fed beef, heritage pork etc. - sourced from Carmen Valley Farms, Delancey, N.Y., and Larry's Custom Meats, Hartwick, N.Y.” Distefano said. “We've also partnered with AgriForaging, Margaretville, N.Y., which will be sourcing local produce. Some of the other farms they are working with include Straight Out of The Ground and Fossil Farms.

“While no Catskills products will be for sale,” Distefano continued, “all of our chefs will be working with products from the Catskills, including syrup from Brookside Maple, Delancey, N.Y., which Chef Natty Felder of The Astor Room will use in his maple cured Berkshire pork belly with grits and red pepper jelly. Danny Brown will be using foie gras from La Belle Farms in Ferndale, N.Y., in his terrine of foie gras and guinea fowl. Tastings of cheeses from Vulto Creamery, Walton, N.Y. will be available as will chocolate from Fruition, Shokan, N.Y.”    

Michelin-starred chef Hugue Dufour will be preparing a gigantic tagine of lamb and Michelin-starred Danny Brown will be preparing a terrine of foie gras and guinea fowl. Dufour and Brown are just two of the more than 20 chefs who will be cooking at the festivaI. I like to think of it as putting the best product in New York State in the hands of the best chefs at the city's best  venue.

Other confirmed dishes include: Beef tongue sliders with pickled green heirloom tomatoes and black birch bark mayo. FYI tongue is pickled then smoked over maple and oak. Will Horowitz, Ducks Eatery/Harry & Ida’s; Rabbit mortadella hot dogs from Ed Cotton of Sotto 13; Crispy beef tripe with Sichuan peppercorn and jalapeno from Landhaus; Cold smoked beef rib steaks from Fletcher's Brooklyn BBQ; Whole hog from Arrogant Swine; Galactic brisket from Alchemy/John Brown; Braised short rib with tamarind and fruit chutney from Alfonso Zhicay of Casa del Chef Bistro; and Maple cured pork belly with sour cream grits and red pepper jelly from Natty Felder of The Astor Room.

The event marks the rebirth of Josh Bowen's Alchemy Texas BBQ slated to open later this summer.  “Libations will be poured from our friends at Keegan Ales, Awestruck Ciders, and Roscoe Brewing Co.”, Stefano added.

WHAT: The Catskills Comes to Queens, a premiere farm-to-festival food and wine tasting featuring more than 20 chefs as well beer, wine, and cider, and live entertainment 

WHEN: August 1, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, New York 11354
WHO: More than 20 chefs and culinary artisans including, Chef Hugue Dufour of M. Wells Steak House, Chef Ric Orlando of New World Home Cooking, Chef Danny Brown of Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen, Chef Graziano Techie of Mint, Pitmaster Josh Bowen of John Brown Smokehouse, Pitmaster Big Lou Elrose of Charred, Fruition Chocolate, and Vulto Creamery, plus brewers, vintners, cider makers and live entertainment. TICKETS: $95/$76 members through www.flushingtownhall.org