Guests enjoy the setting at least as much as the fare
By: Pat Tanner
The sixth annual Epicurean Palette, the primary fundraising event for Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, was a resounding success last Sunday, despite dire weather predictions that promised, but never delivered, severe thunderstorms. Neither the patrons, who had each paid $99 to attend the gourmet food- and wine-tasting event, nor the organizers the staff of Rat’s Restaurant allowed the sporadic light rain to dampen the afternoon of fine food, wine and beer, and live music.
The 500 guests at the sold-out event meandered, many with umbrellas at the ready, along the path between Rat’s and the sculpture ground’s domestic arts building. Inside each building and strewn along the path were tables laden with gourmet delights from about 20 restaurants from throughout the region, and wine both from around the corner (Unionville Vineyards) and around the world.
Each year, one or two dishes stand out among the standouts. Foremost among the crowd pleasers this year were ravioli from Piccola Italia of Ocean. Chef/owner Brian Gualtieri’s delicate, scallop-edged pillows were filled with duck confit and black truffles and glistened with foie gras butter. Microgreens and shards of shaved Piave cheese rounded out the dish.
One guest who declared the dish "yummy" was Christine Nowik of Medford, a cardiology data coordinator for Philadelphia’s Hahnemann University Hospital. This was her first time attending Epicurean Palette.
"I visited Grounds For Sculpture once before and loved it," she explained. "Everyone here told me about the event, so when I got the chance, I came," she said, as she fearlessly dug into a slice of blood sausage, one among a selection of artisanal Italian meats and cheeses dished out by Michael Coury, executive chef of Circa, a new restaurant in High Bridge.
Among the other restaurants new to the event this year was Hopewell’s Blue Bottle Café, which scored a hit with its tamarind braised short ribs with preserved lemon and dried fruit couscous.
But chef/owner Aaron Philipson is a veteran of the event, having worked at both Rat’s and Piccola Italia before opening his own place. In fact, Mr. Philipson said, he and Piccola Italia’s Gualtieri were friends back in high school at the Jersey Shore and roommates at the Culinary Institute of America.
Mr. Philipson’s wife, Rory, who is the Blue Bottle’s pastry chef and greeter, said, "It was Brian who provided the inspiration for us to open our own place and the push to do it."
The truffled ravioli were also a favorite of Wanda and Michael Koch of Randolph, who attended the very first Epicurean Palette and have been back every year since, always bringing along a contingent of friends. They had not even considered staying away because of the threat of bad weather.
"I think Grounds For Sculpture is the best kept secret in New Jersey," said Ms. Koch, who teaches math at a high school in Paterson. Her husband, who describes himself as an avid wine collector, added, "and this event is the best kept secret for wine lovers. If you like fine wine, you should come just for that." He particularly enjoyed a syrah from Stag’s Leap and "the Italian wines, especially those of Banfi."
The Koches are experienced diners who patronize many of the participating restaurants throughout the year. "I like that they serve small portions here, almost like amuse bouche," Michael Koch shared. "By the end of the day, you’ve had a full meal and you’ve contributed to a good cause."
The guiding force behind the Epicurean Palette is Rat’s executive chef Peter Nowakoski, now in his second year as the event’s primary organizer. He admitted that he and his staff experienced a few tense moments about the weather.
"But we came up with several action plans and were prepared to move everyone indoors if we had to," he said. It was Mr. Nowakoski, in fact, who moved the event from July to September beginning last year. "To be honest, I was perfectly happy with this weather; it’s better than a sweltering summer day," he said.
At that point, Mr. Nowakoski was joined by celebrity chef David Burke, whose two New Jersey restaurants were newcomers to the event this year.
In June, Mr. Burke became proprietor of the Fromagerie in Rumson, where he had worked as a young chef. His second Garden State property, Restaurant.MC, will open in Millburn in six weeks.
Mr. Burke’s staff for the day included his teenage son who lives in Lambertville, whom he called his "sous chef." They dished out two Burke signatures: pastrami salmon and cheesecake lollipops.
"You’ve got to give back," Mr. Burke replied when asked why he had chosen to be part of the event. He had flown in just two hours earlier from Chicago, where he recently opened his first steakhouse.
"Plus, I’ve always been a fan of Grounds For Sculpture it is awesome." In fact, his son’s graduation dinner was held at Rat’s earlier this year.
Mr. Burke’s pastrami salmon was a favorite of guest Greg Fehrenbach of East Brunswick, while his wife, Leslie, favored the short ribs braised with apples and figs served by Chez Alice. She also swooned over the ice cream from Princeton’s Bent Spoon, a selection that included chocolate-orange and lavender-mascarpone.
The couple was in complete agreement about the outstanding merits of a scallop dish from Main Street’s fine catering division. For that dish, Cape May scallops were seared, topped with warm maple-bacon vinaigrette and paired with grilled corn and microgreens.
Sunday marked the Fehrenbachs’ first time at Epicurean Palette.
"I actually asked Leslie to make this my birthday gift," said Mr. Fehrenbach, a consultant to municipalities in New Jersey. "We were here once for dinner. It was an evening in late autumn and we sat by the fire, looking out onto the illuminated sculptures. It was magical."
Desiree Rivas of Trevose, Pa., attended for the first time this year because her boyfriend, Daniel Warner, is sous chef at one of the participating restaurants, the Bridgeton Mill House in Langhorne.
"I’m really impressed," she said, citing as her favorite taste of the day the Bridgeton’s own lamb shanks. "Really," she said in defense of her non-partiality, "I don’t usually even like lamb!"
The restaurant’s manager, Loreto Mistretta, diplomatically praised Hannah & Mason’s coriander-dusted pork tenderloin with roasted garlic jam and a brunoise of bell pepper.
That dish was also the choice of Susan B. Anthony of Manasquan ("My father thought that name would be funny") and her friend, Barbara Hansen Di Carlo of Brick ("That name suits her").
"We both love Grounds For Sculpture," explained Ms. Anthony, who discovered it two years ago. The pair especially enjoyed the dessert offerings, raving in particular about the chocolate cake from the Brothers Moon, while a certain Bill Tanner (who accompanied this correspondent) could not get enough of Mediterra’s apple crostata, made from Terhune Orchards apples.
As always, the event’s signature dessert was created by Rat’s longtime pastry chef, Peter Max Dierckes, who spent the afternoon strolling up and down the garden path, silver tray in hand, dispensing miniature chocolate rats (actually, mice) filled with chocolate ganache.
On the Web: www.groundsforsculpture.org.

