Farm-to-Table Dinner on Bannerman's Island

Every year Noah Sheetz of the Chefs’ Consortium invites me to the annual chef-prepared Farm-to-Table Bannerman’s Island Fundraiser and it always seems to be the day of the Hudson Valley Wine & Spirits Competition (September 9th this year), so I can’t attend. I’m pretty bummed about it. It’s such a great event and the chance to tour and dine on Bannerman’s Island is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is why your should take advantage of the chance to dine and tour Bannerman’s Island because I can't:

1. Experience food prepared by local chefs with local ingredients

2. It’s a fundraiser for Bannerman’s Island

3. To tour Bannerman’s Island and dine in the garden among the ruins of this historic island.

There are 5 chefs, all members of the Chefs’ Consortium preparing a different course for event. This year the chefs are:

Dan Spitz - preparing soup

Jillian Naveh preparing salad

Jereme Keough preparing the main course

Michael Lapi preparing the cheese course

Joan Dembinski preparing dessert

The dinner takes place in the most picturesque setting on the Hudson River in Helen Bannerman’s garden with views of the mountains. You will feel like you are in a 5 star restaurant complete with linens and service.

The Chefs’ Consortium are local New York chefs that are committed to promoting locally grown farm fresh food. The are chefs are from “all walks of life” and they travel around New York state to share their love of cooking with local ingredients. Just read the bios from the above chefs. They are pretty amazing.

Bannerman’s Island is a site not to be missed. Purchased by the Bannerman’s in 1900 to be used as a safe storage site for the surplus stock they had acquired. The family constructed a Scottish castle on the property in 1901. Equipment and ammunition were stored there until sold. Mrs Bannerman (Helen) loved gardening and is responsible for the beautiful paths, terraces, flowers and shrubs that still exist today.

If you are able to attend this wonderful event on Saturday, September, 9th I want to hear all about it. The event has two seatings. The earlier seating will be served family style and the later one is a formal five course meal. Last year the seatings were at 3:30pm and 5:00pm. Tickets are $130 per person.

To purchase tickets go to http://www.chefsconsortium.com/event/dinner-bannermans-island or call 845.831.6346 to request your seating.

September 1, 2017 – just announced is the menu for this wonderful event!  Get your tickets now.

Soup

Salmorejo – Spanish tomato and bread soup with fried jamon iberico or Serrano, hard cooked egg, parsley sauce and almonds

Salad

Mixed spicy greens, cherry tomato confit, buffalo mozzarella mousse, olive oil and herb cracker

Main entree

Fire Roasted Pork Loin

-Ground Cherry Mustarda, Braised Greens with House Cured Bacon and Caramelized Onions, Warm Potato and Late Harvest Corn Salad

Cheese

Goats milk blue cheese with French melons and Fermented Rhubarb

Dessert

Walnuts three ways:

– Carrot walnut cake with traditional cream cheese frosting and candied carrots (featuring local carrots)

– Baklava roulades

– Candied walnuts

Chef's Consortium Host Farm to Table Dinner on Bannerman Island

Bannerman's Island, you know  that eye sore in the Hudson River when traveling by train into New York City just after Cold Spring.  It's really no eye sore when you find out the history behind it.

Frank Bannerman built this fortress in the old style of Scottish castles.  This island was primarily used for storing war weapons and explosives. It had a massive fire in the 1960's that destroyed it. Today it is open on selected dates for tours.  

This year The Chef's Consortium will be hosting a five course farm to table dinner in the Helen Bannerman garden on the island September 10.  This is the annual fundraiser created by Hudson Valley Chef Noah Sheetz showcasing 5 amazing Hudson Valley Chefs that design and prepare a specific dish..  There will be two seatings 3pm and 4:15. 

The star chef this year is Tahish a Solages and she will be preparing a roasted pear salad with local blue cheese, walnuts, local field greens topped with a spiced red onion balsamic vinaigrette with a buttery French crostini.

We all love local cheese and the chef on that course will be featuring Four Fat Foul St. Stephen triple cream and an Italian style hard cheese called Toma Celena from Cooperstown Cheese Company served with Consortium pepper jelly preserves, balsamic reduction and a local cracker.

As of this time the rest of the chefs are still sourcing their ingredients and coming up with their dishes. But you know they will be outstanding!

Tickets for the event are $135 per person and include a 30 minute boat ride over to Bannerman Island where you will learn all about the history of the island.  A self guided tour of the island, live music performed by The Kings Highlander Bag Pipe Band.

To purchase tickets go to http://bannermancastle.org/index.html 

Farm-To-Table Dinner on Bannerman's Island with Chefs' Consortium

Bannerman's Island (as I know it) is a tiny island in the Hudson River just off  Route 9D outside Cold Spring, NY.  Driving by the island as a child it looked scary but I always wanted to know what the history of it was and why it was vacant and falling apart.

The island's actual name is Pollepel Island.  Legend has it that young girl named Polly Pell was rescued from the river landed on the shores of the island and the island was named after her.

There have been 5 owners of the island before it was donated to the people of the State of New York.  The third owner Francis Bannerman is where the real story begins of the castle and what the island was used for.

The Bannerman's purchased the island from the Taft family in 1900 as a storage facility for their weapon supply business. They were a munitions dealer and the weapons were brought to the island until sold.
Being Scottish they built the Scottish castle in 1901 as their residence.

In 1969 there was a huge fire on the island which left it in ruins. Today they are trying to restore the island and offer tours on selected dates via boat or kayak.  You can check the website for specific tour information

The Chefs' Consortium is hosting a fundraising Farm-To-Table dinner for Bannerman's Island on the island Saturday, September 13, 2014.  Consortium chefs will be preparing you a five course farm to table dinner with locally and regionally sourced ingredients in the Helen Bannerman's garden.

Since the chefs don't like to commit to a dish when dealing with locally sourced ingredients as they want to wait to see what is in the height of the season, I can tell you the following chefs will be responsible for creating these wonderful courses.

Chilled summer soup course - Robert Turner – Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
Brazilian inspired salad course - Ellie Markovitch – Story Cooking
Main course - Michael Lapi – SUNY Cobleskill
Local cheese course - Josh Coletto – Local 111
Historic artisanal molasses beer tasting and dessert pairing - Tyler LaCorata and Justin Markham – Devil’s Run Brewing Company 
Locally inspired beverages - Jillian Naveh – 9 Miles East Farm

In it's 5th year, the dinner will have two seatings and cost is $125.  To purchase tickets and more info on the dinner visit http://www.chefsconsortium.com/event/dinner-bannermans-island

The Chefs' Consortium is comprised of New York chefs who are committed to promoting locally grown farm fresh food. They bring farm products to audiences through out the Hudson Valley and Capital Region of Albany.  As Consortium chefs, they travel around New York State and share their love of local food and farm fresh cooking.

Here's a video of previous Chefs' Consortium dinner in Bannerman's Castle.  Looks like a amazing experience.