<a target="_blank" href="http://www.hazelnutkitchen.com/">Hazelnut Kitchen</a>

53 East Main Street

Trumansburg, NY 14886

USA

Tel. 001 (607) 387-4433 

BY KELLI WHITE | OCTOBER 21, 2016Food:

Freshly baked bread with house-churned grilled ramp butter

Trombetta &amp; bugle squash soup, ramp pesto, brown butter,
toasted pepitas

Casarecce with shaved cabbage, lemon horseradish crème
fraiche, roasted mushrooms, parmesan, herb bread crumbs, pea shoots

Wine:&nbsp;

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 2013 Bloomer Creek Vineyard, Auten Vineyard 2nd
 pick Clone 10 Dry Riesling
 </td>
 <td>
 91
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2014 Atwater Estate Vineyards, Navone Vineyard Dry
 Riesling
 </td>
 <td>
 90</td></tr></tbody></table>

On my recent trip to the Finger Lakes I made the gross
miscalculation of flying in to New York City, which left me with a near 5-hour
drive to my hotel. Somewhere around Ithaca I began to get hungry. By the time I hit Trumansburg I was famished. Driving down the main street I happened past Hazelnut Kitchen, which had been recommended by&nbsp;multiple people.
Bedraggled from the long drive, I shuffled inside and sat down to the best meal
of my trip.

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1477101410478-IMG_0251.jpg"> 

Freshly
baked bread with house-churned grilled ramp butter

The simple interior radiated country charm, with wood
floors, mismatched chairs, and rustic flourishes such as the tin bread buckets that
greeted every table. The&nbsp;bread, baked in-house, was perfect in texture, with
an airy, chewy center ringed by a lightly crunchy crust. Back in May, it was
served with seasonal butter churned with grilled ramps, which imbued it with a subtle,
dark sweetness. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1477101572593-IMG_0253.jpg"> 

Trombetta
&amp; bugle squash soup, ramp pesto, brown butter, toasted pepitas&nbsp;

As the air still had a hint of winter’s chill, I ordered the
soup for its warming properties as much as its ingredients. Rich and
satisfying, the creamy squash soup was wonderfully complicated by a zesty ramp
pesto and the salty crunch of toasted seeds. To accompany this dish, I selected the 2013 Bloomer Creek Auten
Vineyard 2nd Pick Clone 10 Dry Riesling. Upon opening, the wine
was a touch angular—all elbows and knees for a full 20 minutes. With some air,
however, it fleshed out a bit, balancing the strict acidity with a welcome kiss
of fruit. Scents of snowpack, snap peas, and candied lemon rind formed the
nose, while the palate was vertical and deep, with a thrilling mineral
intensity. The citrus tone worked especially well with the soup, while the acidity
brightened the dish and readied my palate for more after each spoonful.

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1477101482175-IMG_0264.jpg"> 

Casarecce with shaved
cabbage, lemon horseradish crème fraiche, roasted mushrooms, parmesan, herb
bread crumbs, pea shoots

My entrée was spectacular; like the soup, it was both rich
and bright. Homemade casarecce pasta, double-barreled in shape, was well-dressed
in an earthy, zippy combination of parmesan and crème fraiche that was &nbsp;accented with
lemon and horseradish. Shredded cabbage and roasted mushrooms studded the dish,
while breadcrumbs and raw pea shoots added textural complexity. Once
again, the Bloomer Creek Riesling handled the food with aplomb—this time, the
subtle green, stemmy quality of the wine was the winning element.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1477101539417-IMG_0271.jpg"> 

Purely in the interest of research, I ordered a glass of 2014 Atwater Navone Vineyard Dry Riesling to
try alongside the pasta. This wine, served from a freshly opened bottle, was
more immediately charming than the Bloomer Creek. The wine was
extremely drinkable, with a juicy texture and expressive bouquet of lime juice,
star fruit, and a touch of diesel. Though dry and exciting, the wine’s extra
fruit actually fought the dish a bit, while the Bloomer Creek’s reserved
complexity provided the perfect match. Both wines were terrific, however, and
set a lovely tone for the week of&nbsp;adventure that followed.&nbsp;

Content

Engage

Vinous

Social