Mary Clare Leonard

WHAT's IN A NAME    (About Town 2008)    “What’s in a name?” Shakespeare asked. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” In thinking about names of restaurants in the Hudson Valley, I wondered why a tapas bar was named Elephant, a fine restaurant Swoon, a French bistro Le Canard Enchaine-the name of a satirical newspaper-- and finally, why the name Terrapin for an eclectic restaurant and cafe in a old church in Rhinebeck.

In talking to Rich Reeve, the owner of Elephant, a tapas bar in uptown Kingston, he made it very clear that no rhyme or reason occurred in the naming process—no association with elephants or a circus in Spain, no collection of stuffed toys, just the urge not to pigeonhole the tapas bar. He told me that maybe he and his wife and co owner, Maya Karroll, had too many bottles of wine when they were tossing around names, but Elephant stuck and stayed. The tapas bar in a Victorian storefront offers a board of swine of the week and a variety of cheeses from The Dairy Bar but also an always changing choice of homemade tapas, like whipped salted cod crostini, my personal favorite, and on Wednesday, a half price wine bottle from their varied and hard to find European list. Of course all wines are also sold by the glass. You will leave, above all, knowing you had fun, having experienced something exciting in the Hudson Valley and that names do not matter.
Elephant. 310 Wall Street, Kingston, NY, 845-339-9310, elephantwinebar.com .

If you want to continue the pleasure for both atmosphere and food, then head right up the river to Hudson to Swoon Kitchenbar, an upscale restaurant owned by Jeff Gimmel and his wife Nina. Jeff said that when he walked into the space on Warren Street, it had such an old time luxurious feel that he thought of the word swoon, and that is how he wants everyone to feel while enjoying a meal in his restaurant. He likened it to the pleasure one might feel when viewing Old Dutch still lifes—just the proper amount of over indulgence. In reading the menu, I began to imagine those elaborate still lives so fresh I wanted to reach in and grab an oyster. Oysters are on Swoon’s menu along with other fresh seafood and local meats, like Stone Church Farm’s duck breast. The Gimmels have been around: New Zealand, France but are devoted to the Hudson Valley and the sustainable agricultural movement here in the Valley. It was a pleasure to read the menu, and I found myself fainting a bit at the thought of Mexican dark chocolate cream brulee.
Swoon Kitchenbar. 340 Warren Street, Hudson, NY, 518-822-8938, swoonkitchenbar.com .

It seems that all the young chefs in the Hudson Valley are supportive of local organic products—Reeve takes advantage of Fleisher’s organic meats and cheeses right across from him on Wall Street, Gimmel is definitely a proponent of the local, and Josh Kroner, chef and owner of Terrapin is also. However Kroner’s restaurant and cafe also have the appeal of something for everyone. From Uncle Vinny’s rigatoni to roasted root vegetables and goat cheese phyllo purse— the choices are eclectic. The Terrapin is a journey: it is situated in an old church on Market Street right in the center of Rhinebeck which in itself is a surprise and then the choice of bistro or restaurant and of course the wide range of the menu. That journey is reflected in The Grateful Dead song Tarrapin Station, the reason for the name of Kroner’s restaurant: Inspiration, move me brightly, light the song with sense and color. In the song’s journey the listener is taken on a fantasy trip that ends in, a rare and different tune, /Terrapin Station. Kroner is a Grateful Dead groupie and named his restaurant after this song, maybe in hope that all of us would hear a rare and different tune while experiencing food, drink and inspired atmosphere in this renovated old church.
Terrapin, 6426 Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY, 845-876-3330, terrapinrestaurant.com .

Finally, why name a restaurant after a political and satirical newspaper, le Canard Enchaine—or chained duck? Jean Jacques Carquillat did 12 years ago and said, “After all I read the newspaper and the reference to the duck—it all made sense!” Le Canard Enchaine still resides in two small store fronts on Fair Street in Kingston but 12 years later chef J-J, as he is known locally, owns most of the block for parties, dancing, Moroccan Night and special events. Still, when you enter, it is stepping into a neighborhood Parisian bistro where regulars are greeted by name and where anyone can rant about politics but most of the time, you will be asking, how come this baguette is so fresh, or commenting, I haven’t had mussels in this light cream sauce for years, and the lemon tarte! Mon Dieu. The best buy is the Formule Express, a two-course lunch for $14.95 and of course duck is always on the menu.
Le Canard Enchaine. 276 Fair Street, Kingston, NY, 845-339-2003, le-canardenchaine.com .

SO MANY MEN Excerpt:
So many men have crossed these doors, I don’t think I can name them, certainly not in order.
But I remember the first, Zeko. I would start to list my needs and when my needs passed ten,
I would call. He was always busy—so many women loved Zeko because he was good with his hands,
quick and efficient and so versatile. I could list all my desires and in an hour, they would
be fulfilled. After, he usually stayed to chat and to smoke one cigarette at the kitchen table.
Then my demands became too large for Zeko’s skills: renovate the kitchen and the bathroom.
Who could do all of that? Published in NY. Available for reprint. 1400 words

Sculptor Steven Siegel: Tying Knots of Wow and Wonder Excerpt:
The sculptor Steven Siegel has been labeled an environmentalist, or even a political artist because
he uses recycled materials as his medium. Siegel lives in Dutchess County and one can view a Siegel
sculpture constructed from layered newspapers, “A fox lives here too “(2001), at the Poet’s Walk Park
on River Road in Rhinebeck. This is a work that blends into the landscape and one that Patricia
Phillips in Sculpture Magazine says “reflects Siegel’s fascination with geological configurations…”
She also adds that “Siegel offers opportunities for speculations about patterns of development and
decay evident in the ‘deep time’ of geological history, as well as the aggressive temporality of
contemporary culture.” Published in NY. Available for reprint. 1800 words


All material copyrighted by the author Mary Leonard