SADLY, RECIPE IS NOW CLOSED.
I know I read an article a few months ago in New York Magazine where they listed a handful of tiresome food trends. But now I can’t seem to find the article in my back issues or online. Did I imagine it? One of the items I remember them listing (or dreaming up) was food served in jars. And they weren’t talking about pickles or baby food. They were talking about trendy dishes that were presented in mason jars or the like. I know I read this article because I took it very slightly personally since my favorite dish at my place of employment (The Modern) is the Slow Poached Egg in a Jar.
I bring all this up because I’m not surprised that the Foie Gras Terrine from Recipe (another list item) is served in a glass jar. In fact, this really cute and really small modern restaurant on the Upper West Side features a section of their menu labeled Cocottes & Jars. Talk about either embracing the trend or just ignoring New York Magazine’s complaints.
So the foie gras terrine (made, of course, with silky Sullivan County duck liver) was on the bottom of the jar and then there was a layer of cooked black mission figs and then an apricot jam to top it off. It’s served with the classic garnishes of cornichons and toast points. And a wooden stick to put it all together. It looks almost like a culinary art project.
Now I should say I’m not a fan of foie gras (I know I’ve just lost so much credibility) although I do prefer it in a terrine form to spread on toast because it comes across as really rich and earthy butter. And who doesn’t like that?
The flavors were everything you’d expect – buttery, sweet, and full. And I loved the little crunch from the fig seeds. It added some fun and different textures to the dish. But because of my own issues with foie gras (or the overly richness of it all), I could only eat so much of this.
We also ordered some other farm-friendly dishes: Beet Salad, Poached Duck Egg, and Scallops and Gnocchi. They were all prepared well and affordable enough to not quibble at the flaws.
I like Recipe. The restaurant has a light quaintness that instilled a familiar feeling in me. I had memories of being in a small upstate rural town and finding a rustic friendly restaurant that put me back in touch with urban life. It’s weird how this all happened on the Upper West Side. If we actually were in Ulster (or Sullivan) County, they might not be judged so harshly for putting food in jars.
Would Recipe’s Foie Gras Terrine make my Top 100 of the year? The foie gras presentation has to be pretty spectacular to make me love the stuff and while this was playful and well-composed, it only gets a 7 out of 10 from me.
