blue hill

We went to Blue Hill on Sunday. Having left the baby with an expert babysitter, we drove to Westchester. It was beautiful, and the farm surrounding Blue Hill was spectacular, especially this time of year.

We were early and, after looking around, we went to the bar for a cocktail or two. I can’t remember what Brian had, but I had the Un-bloody Mary and it was the best cocktail I have ever had. I should say it was the best two cocktails I’ve ever had. It was Grey Goose vodka with tomato water, garnished with a couple cubes of horseradish gelé and 4 perfect cherry tomatoes (see below).

Once in the dining room, we had an absolute feast. To best enjoy the tastes of the season, Blue Hill has done away with menus. The waiter asked which ingredients seemed most appealing to us and the chef sent things out accordingly. We ordered the five course menu and had, among other things, roasted cantaloupe juice, face bacon, blackberry cappacole “sushi”, sesame encrusted zucchini on a stick, heirloom tomato salad with tomato sherbet, farm fresh soft boiled eggs served over peas (for Brian) and corn (for me), fresh beet tortellini, Berkshire pork served five ways, and for dessert, strawberry meringue with ice cream, among other things. I can’t believe I remembered all that.

The food was absolutely fantastic, and much of it was the very best I’d ever had. The atmosphere was not very intimate, however, because a different person was constantly bringing new things and explaining them and then taking them away. It was somewhere between a theater of the senses and dining. The food was amazing, but I am left feeling like I still want to go out to dinner with Brian.