Foodstuffs: Summer Says Goodbye With a Tomato Taste Off, a Fall Pop-Up and Labor Day Music

The Annual Great

Tomato Taste-Off

Established in 1990, Amagansett’s Quail Hill Farm is one of the first Community Supported Agriculture farms in New York State and is celebrating its 35th season in 2024. The Quail Hill Farm Great Tomato Taste-Off is an annual mainstay event for the East End.

The summer’s hot sunny days and occasional rainfall help fulfill the promise of an outstanding crop from year to year. The 2024 tasting is scheduled for Saturday, August 31, from 9 a.m. to noon. This summer, Quail Hill Farm is growing 47 varieties of tomatoes in many shapes, sizes and colors: red, pink, orange, yellow, purple and green. With pen and clipboard in hand, “tasters” taste and rate the tomatoes — with cubes of country bread and designer water to cleanse the palate between bites.

Most favorite tomatoes are back. These top-rated tomatoes from past Taste-Offs are among the 2024 crop: Matt’s Wild Cherry, Black Cherry, Sungold, Green Zebra, Rose de Berne, Pink Brandywine, Tiffen Mennonite Black Brandywine, Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye, Cherokee Purple, Pineapple, Garden Peach, and Striped German, and Speckled Roman (as sauce). Only nine varieties in this year’s lineup are first-timers.

Coming from a dry climate, tomatoes require hot sunny days and warm nights in addition to good irrigation in order to ripen and develop their deep, rich flavor. Yet, too much rain can cause disease to set in. Thus far, the 2024 tomato crop looks to be a fine one. Situated across Block 4, the three successions of tomatoes include heirlooms, slicers, cherries, and a couple of early plantings of paste tomatoes.

Quail Hill is growing a strong mix of improved hybridized tomatoes as well as favorite open-pollinated varieties. Open-pollinated tomatoes, unlike hybrids, reproduce seed true to type. Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated varieties developed before 1940. Hybrids are bred to withstand pest and disease pressure — myriad in QHF fields — and come with the added benefit of offering new sizes, shapes and colors. The farm also grows a mix of “determinate” (early-maturing and short-statured) and “indeterminate” (taller, with a longer harvest window) tomatoes. This season’s varieties were selected to fruit across a broad range of weather conditions and promise an extended, ample harvest.

Come to the 17th Great Tomato Taste-Off on Saturday, August 31, and try them all. Or at least all that can be found. There are always varieties that are MIA/missing — or, perhaps, not yet ready, like some paste tomatoes that grow better in the cooler September weather. The cost is $10 (free for farm members and kids under 12). Heavy rain cancels the event. Park on Deep Lane, reached via Town Lane or Side Hill Lane in Amagansett, and meet on Birch Hill.

Established in 1990, Quail Hill Farm is on 35 acres donated to the Peconic Land Trust by Deborah Ann Light in Amagansett. Over the farm’s history, more than 120 farm apprentices have been trained — with many of those still engaged in farming today. For more information visit quailhillfarm.org.

Besos at Kizzy T’s

Comes to Town

An all new pop up restaurant, called Besos at Kizzy T’s, is coming to East Hampton just in time for the fall season ahead. This new pop-up is bursting with vibrant Latin flavor and comes from Tip Top Hospitality, a Hamptons-based restaurant group made up of life-long restaurateurs who live and work on the East End. Other Tip Top Hospitality restaurants include the mainstay Sen along with K Pasa in Sag Harbor, and in East Hampton, Kumiso and the recently opened Smokey Buns. Tip Top Hospitality is focused on affordable fun, year-round. Besos at Kizzy T’s will offer just that beginning with a grand opening on Thursday, August 29.

Located just outside East Hampton Village, Besos at Kizzy T’s will offer a diverse menu of small plates, mains and refreshing Latin-inspired drinks. The food menu’s small plates include: red pepper and goat cheese croquettes with walnut and cilantro pesto; fried yucca with citrus yuzu sauce; and spicy tuna tartare with fried green plantains. Chicken empanadas, along with shrimp, octopus and sea bass ceviche are also on the menu. Mains include: breaded steak with fries, baked potato, salad, and salsa verde; mojo pork with rice, black beans, and mustard sauce; chicken curry with quinoa and pickled onion; and a mixed grill with skirt steak, chorizo, chicken, pork chop, fries, and chimichurri sauce. Seafood entree options include: garlic shrimp with citrus rice; grilled fluke with mango habanero sauce and coconut rice; and roasted red pepper and lime fried rice. Sides include rice, beans, mixed vegetables and French fries.

The drink menu offers a variety of refreshing Latin classics including a caipirinha with Leblon Cachaça, brown sugar, and lime, a pisco sour with chicha morada, lime and Amargo bitters, mojitos made with white rum, house mint syrup, and soda, and a passion fruit margarita. That’s in addition to sangria and a Beso-espresso-tini made with Mr. Black and Aldo’s espresso. A variety of beers are also available including Modelo, Imperial, Aguila, Kidd Squid and Montauk Wave Chaser and a wine selection in addition to non-alcoholic options.

Besos at Kizzy T’s is located at 47 Montauk Highway in East Hampton. For more information, visit kizzyt.com.

Paella Night

In Montauk

Mostrador Marram in Montauk hosts the last of its Summer Paella Nights on Thursday, August 29, at 7 p.m. The culinary experience features Mostrador’s signature dish, served up family-style by executive chef Stefano Mastracchio. The cost is $98.

In addition Mostrador Marram’s recently launched canned cocktail program at the service café now offers guests their favorite summer sips crafted and canned fresh by the mixology team. These grab-and-go refreshments, available in a margarita, mojito, aperol spritz, and paloma, are ideal for enjoying poolside, lounging at the beach or taking a piece of Montauk home with you. The team has also crafted nonalcoholic grapefruit and orange sodas. Handmade with local fresh ingredients, cans are priced at $19, and include a buy three get one free deal, ideal for packing on a picnic or stocking up for a beach day.

Mostrador Marram is located at 21 Oeanview Terrace in Montauk. For details or reservations, visit marrammontauk.com.

Nikki’s Not Dogs and Burgers

Nikki’s Not Dog Stand, which opened in the heart of Sag Harbor Village this past June, has announced it is now serving vegan hamburgers, in addition to vegan hot dogs. The vegan hot dogs and burgers are a great alternative not only for vegans and vegetarians, but also those who suffer from the Alpha-gal tick allergy.

The Not Dogs and burgers are provided by Field Roast and the menu was developed alongside Katsuji Tanabe, a chef known for his appearances on Bravo’s “Top Chef.” The vegan hot dogs and burgers are topped with ingredients such as Nikki’s homemade vegan chili (with no meat or dairy).

Burger offerings are $15 or $16 and include the Carolina Burger (Nikki’s vegan chili, coleslaw, mustard), California Burger (caramelized onions, mustard, iceberg lettuce, pickles, mayo relish sauce and tomato), New Mexico Burger (green Chile sauce, iceberg lettuce, onions, tomato) and Oklahoma City Burger (BBQ sauce, pickles, mayo, shredded cheddar cheese).

Beginning in September, Nikki’s Not Dog Stand will offer a special after school promo, “The Kids Lunch Box” which includes “The Kid” Dog, an order of small fries and a Poppi or Olipop soda, all for $15. Delivery is available and orders can be placed by visiting nikkisnotdogstand.com.

Nikki’s Not Dog Stand is at 51 Division Street in Sag Harbor.

Book a Food Truck for Fall

Art of Eating’s food truck is now available for off-premise events. The food truck is available for any milestone celebration, including weddings, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, bridal showers, graduation parties and more. The menu selection will change with the season and will highlight local bounty and fare. Design your own menu with help from their culinary team and enjoy items including crispy harissa spiced buttermilk chicken sandwiches (served on potato buns with crispy slaw and aioli, Balsam farm corn); Vietnamese summer rolls (avocado and crispy vegetables, special five chili sauce to dip); house pickled onions and vegetables pulled rib short rib (with Balsam corn on a potato bun); Trinidadian doubles (channa dal in chickpea pancake); lobster rolls; classic Greek salad; coconut ginger marinated chicken fingers (scallion lime sauce).

For inquiries, email info@hamptonsartofeating.com or call 631-267-2411.

Art of Eating is at 264 Butter Lane in Bridgehampton. For details, visit hamptonsartofeating.com.

Labor Day at N’AMO

Prepare to make this Labor Day Weekend a memorable one at N’AMO Seafood & Raw Bar in Montauk. To bid farewell to summer, N’AMO is pulling out all the stops with an action-packed musical lineup that includes Adam Lipson performing on Friday night, followed by a Saturday lunch session courtesy of Stephan Jolk and a Saturday afternoon session (1 to 5:30 p.m.) by Tolga & Victor.

N’AMO is at 474 West Lake Drive in Montauk. For details, visit namoseafood.com.