The Velveteen Habit to present Maine Farmhouse Supper at James Beard House
The Velveteen Habit is honored to present a Maine Farmhouse Supper at the James Beard House in NYC on April 25. The dinner will highlight Executive Chef Chris Wilcox’s sustainable practices, with a focus on the restaurant’s cured, smoked, fermented and pickled ingredients. The Velveteen Habit will host a 5 course preview of the Maine Farmhouse Supper on Saturday, April 16. Reservations for the dinner in Maine may be made by calling 207-216-9884 or by emailing info@thevelveteenhabit.com. The dinner at The Velveteen Habit is $120 per person, including tax and tip.
The Maine Farmhouse Dinner at the James Beard House will begin with passed hors d’oeuvre including a decidedly updated take on a Maine classic, clam dip, as well chicken liver mousse with fermented ground cherries and puffed black rice and hyssop-cured Scottish salmon with pickled beets and beer nuts. The dinner courses include Maine peekytoe crab with pickled green tomato–jalapeño jam, almonds, and cultured cream and dry-aged cold spring ranch sirloin with spring succotash, as well as other innovative, Maine-sourced dishes.
Chef Chris Wilcox joined The Velveteen Habit as Executive Chef prior to the restaurant’s first season in the summer of 2015. Housed in the former nationally-acclaimed Arrows restaurant, Chef Wilcox was enamored with the property’s kitchen garden and the potential for working with the seasonal and high quality ingredients that are available in Maine. Wilcox is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York. This is his first James Beard House dinner.
Tickets to the dinner at the James Beard House are available for $130 to Beard House members and $170 to the general public. They may be purchased by calling 212-627-2308 or online at jamesbeard.org. For reservations for the preview dinner at The Velveteen Habit, contact the restaurant directly at 207-216-9884 or email info@thevelveteenhabit.com. The dinner will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 16.
About The Velveteen Habit: The Velveteen Habit, an 18th century farmhouse renovated in the winter of 2014, is an elegant retreat secluded in the woods near Ogunquit, Maine. The property includes two acres of micro farm that provide 85% of the restaurant’s produce needs, and guests are invited to explore the grounds during their visit and enjoy the great lawn overlooking the kitchen garden. Cocktail, beer, and wine menus are reflective of the daily harvest and change frequently to complement seasonal food menus.
Owner Benjamin Goldman is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and holds a degree in Global Wine Studies from the International Culinary Center in SOHO, Manhattan – a degree emphasizing and focusing on wine theory, tasting, beverage-program-development, wine pairing and service. He has traveled extensively to taste wine and spirits in their natural environment both across the United States as well as South America and Europe and is currently studying to pursue his Advanced Certification with the Court of Master Sommeliers. Goldman serves as beverage director and the kitchen is managed by Executive Chef Christopher Wilcox.
The Velveteen Habit is located at 37 Ogunquit Road, Cape Neddick, Maine. More information can be found by calling 207-216-9884 or visiting thevelveteenhabit.com.
Maine Farmhouse Supper, April 25
James Beard House
Hors d’Oeuvre
Chicken Liver Mousse with Fermented Ground Cherries
and Puffed Black Rice
Smoked Clam Dip with Buttermilk on Whole-Wheat Crackers
Buttermilk Cheese with Smashed Fava Beans on Grilled Sourdough
Hyssop-Cured Scottish Salmon with Pickled Beets
and Beer Nuts
CHÂTEAU DE LA GRAVELLE MONNIÈRES-SAINT FIACRE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 2009
Dinner
Peekytoe Crab with Pickled Green Tomato–Jalapeño Jam, Almonds, and Cultured Cream
ALEXANDRE MONMOUSSEAU CLOS LE VIGNEAU VOUVRAY 2012
English Pea Falafel with Country Ham and Horseradish Labneh
DOMAINE DU CRÊT DE BINE BEAUJOLAIS 2013
Ember-Roasted Sweetbread–Wild Mushroom Raviolo
with Toasted Hazelnuts and Anise
THE VELVETEEN HABIT CHARDONNAY 2012
Dry-Aged Cold Spring Ranch Sirloin with Spring Succotash
MAGIC DOOR VINEYARDS RUTHERFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012
Slow-Roasted Rhubarb with Fennel and Whipped Yogurt
STEINDORFER CUVÉE BEERENAUSLESE SEEWINKEL 2013
