UP FRONT | WELCOME!
A FRESH START FOR SPRING
W
elcome to the spring issue of InSeason magazine, the culinary magazine
of the Mandarin Oriental, New York. In this issue, we delve into the many
flavors of spring, as well as the culinary and artistic delights of New York City.
For those of you who enjoy cooking at home, I find spring is the perfect time for a
thorough cleaning of the pantry. This gives you a chance to toss out anything that is no
longer in its prime and replace it with a locally sourced, fresh item.
The first order of business is to remove herbs, spices and condiments that are past their
peak. If the items have expiration dates, go by those. For items that don’t, here are a few
pointers: If kept in the freezer, most herbs and spices only have an optimal shelf life of
about a year (peppercorns and things like that may last up to two years); vinegars last a bit
longer, but olive oils should not be kept more than a year as well.
CHEF TONI ROBERTSON
For restocking your kitchen, I suggest turning to “urban foraging.” This movement is
not about going to Central Park and picking plants, but about looking at your local
neighborhood and supporting small artisan shops, local bakeries, butcher shops and
weekend pop-up farmers markets.
For example, in my neighborhood, I have a amazing pickle shop. You can get pickles,
mustards and other treasures there. It’s a small mom-and-pop shop. These types of artisan
shops as well as farmers markets are the perfect place to restock your supplies with local,
fresh items that will help you create tasty cuisine all season.
While most commercial items come with a printed expiration date, things purchased at
artisan shops or farmers markets may not. Always remember to mark these containers
with a purchase date using a permanent marker. That way you’ll ensure they don’t stay
around longer than they should.
Foraging in your neighborhood and stepping beyond the walls of your local grocery store
opens up a whole new world of flavors. You’ll likely be surprised by both the quality and
variety of local items you can discover at neighborhood artisan shops and farmers markets.
Here’s to a bountiful and flavorful spring. Bon appetit!
Sincerely,
Chef Toni Robertson
4 INSEASON MAGAZINE | SPRING 2013
“Foraging in your
neighborhood and
stepping beyond
the walls of your
local grocery store
opens up a whole new
world of flavors.”