Lynn and I and our friends the Smiths went to the Sayville Library the other night to hear author/restaurateur John Ross speak about the history, lore and state of food and wine on the North Fork of Long Island. His talk centered around and heavily referenced his books The Story of North Fork Wine and Food and Wine of the North Fork. The work is a rich and personal history from Mr. Ross who has seen the North Fork vinters and restaurateurs evolve from a group of passionate men and women with a "it's just so crazy it might work" mentality and approach into a region with a polished and sophisticated approach to producing first rate food and wine.
Mr. Ross was at his best when recounting the key individuals in the evolution of North Fork wine production like Louisa Hargrave and David Mudd. It was clear that Mr. Ross had strong relationships with many of these pioneers and that he understood the importance of their hard work and contributions to the reputation of this region. Mr. Ross' contributions are impressive as well having had his own restaurant, Ross' North Fork Restaurant for almost 30 years. He was modest about this, but at the same time obviously proud that he had helped start the "farm to table" movement (before this was even a catchphrase) almost 40 years ago.
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| Mr. Ross signing copies of his book for Lynn |
The books are warmly written and are fairly easy to get on Long Island. There are some copies on Amazon and are a great, unique present for anyone interested in North East/NY lore and/or cuisine.
M&L
