Archive: Around Town

Spring is springing, and that means the Cayuga Wine Trail is celebrating its 25th anniversary with its Wine & Herb Festival.  On April 26th & 27th and May 3rd & 4th each winery along the trail will be handing out a different planting herb, as well as souvenir glasses and recipes.  Here in Lansing the historic Rogues' Harbor Inn is taking the celebration a step further.  "Our thinking was that when they are done with their wine tasting and collecting of all their herbs they can come here for dinner," says the inn's events coordinator Sandra Pierzinski.

The Inn has paired with two other east shore businesses to create a special dinner that not only celebrates the wine trail, but local businesses and produce as well.  Chef Larry Chiszar will use herbs from Bakers' Acres and King Ferry Winery 's Treleaven wines to create special dishes for the event.  Patrons will get a booklet telling about the herbs and wines that includes recipes, herb trivia, suggestions about what wines go with which meals, and gardening tips.  And diners will get a chance to win door prizes, baskets prepared by Bakers' Acres.

"We're making a little booklet that will have the recipes and the herbs," Pierzinski says.  "It will include tips for clipping, when to pick them.  I've been finding herb trivia that is quite amusing.  We'll give it to guests as they come in.  We're thinking about putting a serial number on the back of them and then drawing a number during the evening to give away the gift baskets from Bakers' Acres."


Pierzinski says that she is learning things about herbs she never knew.  "I was not aware that marigolds and petunias are edible," she says.  "I'm sure there are a million wonderful gardeners out there, but not everyone knows exactly how to work with fresh herbs.  The first time I grew cilantro I cut it back too far and killed it.  We'll put some tips in so that people can get the most use of the herbs they collect along the trail."

She also notes that people are missing out when they don't really know the best ways to cook with wine.  "A lot of cooks that use wine when they cook are very particular," she notes.  "You hear, 'if it's turning just use it for cooking.'  That's crazy.  You don't want to cook with a wine that's turning."

Rogues' Harbor owner Eileen Stout has been promoting local business for a long time.  With an inn that is so much a part of the Lansing landscape and history, she has been involved with organizations of local businesses, notably Merchants and More on Cayuga's East Shore.  Both Bakers' Acres and King Ferry winery are also members of this loosely woven business association.

"We love local," she says.  "In fact I just gave Sandra a copy of our new spring menu.  We've put a logo next to every single menu item which has at least one New York State ingredient in it.  We have New York State cheddar, Lively Run Feta, Fingerlakes Farmstead Beer Meck cheese.  We have only used New York State wines for serving and cooking for quite a long time."

That is why she jumped on the idea of a wine and herb dinner when Pierzinski suggested it.  The local business aspect especially appealed to her.  "There will be people dining in the restaurant that eat here often that are unaware of the event, but maybe they will be introduced to Bakers' Acres or Treleaven Wines.  And vice versa," she says.  "I think it's really important because, geographically speaking, you want to be able to send visitors to things that are really unique, nice, and close by.  You don't want them to spend their whole visit in the car.  There is a lot on the east side, but if someone doesn't tell you where it is you might not find it."

Both women are pleased to be able to coordinate the event with two local businesses they believe in.  The inn regularly features Treleaven wines, and Stout is a fan of Bakers' Acres.  "They really have the nicest selection of herbs anywhere," Stout says.  "I have trouble leaving there.  I buy too many things when I don't have enough places to plant them!"


The two say they hope the dinner will become an annual event, and Stout envisions bringing more 'Merchants and More' businesses into the mix in future years.  Pierzinski says that working with the two businesses this year has been a wonderful experience.  "Cathy at Bakers' Acres has been great," she says.  "And working with Chris at King Ferry Winery -- he is very happy to put his two cents in about what bottles of wine should be paired with meals."

Dinner at the inn will be a perfect compliment to the wine and herb tasting days, bringing the experiences together with a meal that illustrates what the festival is really about.  "We want to make sure they get to the wineries on this side of the lake," Pierzinski says.  "Most of them are on the west side of the lake, so that's where a lot of people will concentrate.  But Long Point and King Ferry are definitely 'must stops.'"

And then for dinner, Rogues' Harbor Inn.

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