I often wonder, who was the first person to taste rhubarb? Did they sample the big, beautiful, triangular leaves and die from an overdose of oxalic acid?  Or did they reach down to the red, pink, and green edible stalks, slice off a piece, and declare it “tart, yet delicious. I think I can work with this.”  

Rhubarb probably originated in China several thousands of years ago and was used for medicinal purposes. It reached Europe in the 14th century, was first planted in the U.S. around 1730, and was planted at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson in 1809 and 1811. He declared the leaves “excellent as spinach.”  Well, HE survived!

In medieval times, transporting rhubarb across Asia was very expensive — it cost more than cinnamon, opium, and saffron. When the price of sugar came down, rhubarb became better known for culinary uses, in pies, compotes, wines, and savory dishes.

When you see rhubarb at a grocery store, it is most likely hothouse-grown, with big, thick stalks as wide as two inches. At farmsteads and farmers markets, you will find locally grown rhubarb with thinner stalks. The colors can range from bright red to hot pink to pale green. The flavor difference is not that discernible. Some people suggest using a vegetable peeler to remove the stringy exterior, but this isn’t always necessary. Once it is cooked, the strands melt away.

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but in 1947 the U.S. Customs court ruled that it is a fruit, either because that’s how it was most commonly used, or because taxation on it became lower.

According to Deborah Madison in her book “Vegetable Literacy,” “the roots and stems of rhubarb have been used as a curative herb to clean up after excesses of various kinds — culinary, sexual, and so forth.” Because of the toxicity of the leaves, they are also used in insecticides. The roots are an ingredient in bitters and are used in the inexplicably popular liqueur called Fernet-Branca. Ever tasted it? It is ghastly, but is widely regarded as an effective digestif. Prescribed by Dr. Marquis de Sade, maybe.

Rhubarb seems to be a polarizing vegetable/fruit. People either love it or hate it. I love it in all forms: by itself in a simple compote to serve with yogurt, ice cream, or really good ricotta cheese; especially good in a pie with strawberries, sweet, tart, pretty, and perfumy. When I started to think of more uses, I figured that any recipe that calls for tartness could use some rhubarb.  So perhaps it could be used in lieu of tamarind paste in Indian recipes.  Besides, who the heck has tamarind paste lying about the kitchen cupboard? How about chutneys and cocktails? Hot and sour soup? The possibilities are almost endless.

Besides being one of the first vegetables to appear in spring, rhubarb is inexpensive and can last in your refrigerator for a few weeks. It is easy to freeze as well. Simply wash, dry, and chop. Place on a sheet pan and freeze.  From there, just put the chunks into Ziploc bags and pull out as needed.

Some of the many compatible flavors are berries, apples, ginger, cardamom, almond, vanilla, citrus, and cinnamon. A rhubarb chutney would be good on white fish like sword, striped bass, fluke, or flounder. You can make a tangy barbecue sauce for pork and chicken. Rhubarb is good in muffins, cakes, galettes, and custards. It can also be an ingredient in, or sauce for, ice creams, sorbets, and souffles. Some countries serve the stem raw, sprinkled with salt and chili pepper. In Scandinavia, it is eaten raw as a snack, dipped in sugar.

I made a strawberry-rhubarb pie the other day and tried orange zest and one teaspoon of vanilla extract as flavor enhancers. It was delicious but too juicy, so the bottom of my oven now has a layer of hardened sugar napalm. 

It’s a matter of taste, but most recipes call for two-thirds rhubarb to one-third strawberries, or half and half of each. It is hard to predict how much thickener you will need, and it also depends on whether you want the filling clear or don’t mind it a bit cloudy. For clear, use cornstarch, approximately a quarter-cup per six cups of fruit, enough for one eight or nine-inch pie. You will also need to use one to one-and-a-half cups of sugar. I used one cup and it was TART, but I like it that way. If you don’t mind a cloudier filling, use one-third to one-half a cup of flour. 

You should also be aware that if your rhubarb is mostly green, it will turn a muddy, tan-green when cooked, so keep that in mind if color is important in your recipe.

Strawberries are already coming in on the North Fork and should be available locally within the next few weeks. They are a match nonpareil with rhubarb in spring, like morels and asparagus, or peas and mint.

Rhubarb is one of our first fresh garden gifts.  Give it a try in some classic recipes and a few with a modern twist.

Click for recipes

Fresh Direct, the grocery delivery company, has begun servicing the South Fork for the summer season and is offering produce from a range of local businesses, including vegetables from Satur Farms, oysters from the Montauk Shellfish Company, beer from the Montauk Brewing Company, and wines from the Wolffer Estate Vineyard and Channing Daughters. A minimum order of $99 is required, and there is a service fee of $15.99.

Vegan Bites

Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee has launched a vegan lunch menu at its Amagansett and Sag Harbor locations. The menu items include avocado toast, gazpacho, and a soba noodle bowl. All the items are made on-site daily and will be available through the summer.

Paying It Forward

Sam’s Beverage Place in East Hampton will be donating proceeds from its sales through June 30 to the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter’s summer camp scholarship fund. The donation will be amassed by rounding up every purchase to its nearest dollar amount.

“What we talk about when we talk about lobster rolls are ingredients.” Ha! I’ll bet that’s the first time Raymond Carver has been paraphrased in a lobster salad roll story! But that really is what it’s all about: ingredients.

People have very strong opinions about what should go into the roll. So first of all, let’s straighten out the difference between a lobster roll and a lobster salad roll. A lobster roll is served warm with no more than melted butter drizzled over the meat, and hopefully presented on a toasted and buttered bun. A lobster salad roll is cold, with the lobster meat lightly bound with mayonnaise, and perhaps a bit of celery and/or red onion, depending on one’s taste.

I recently conducted a random taste test of various lobster salad rolls available in our area. Because it was a random tasting, several well-known lobster joints did not make the list, but this does not make them any less worthy of mention. In an informal, “lazy research,” a.k.a. Facebook, poll, many folks voted for the Canal Cafe in Hampton Bays. I have had this roll and can vouch for its exceptional quality. Also not on the list: the Lobster Roll, also known as Lunch. I have had plenty of lobster and lobster salad rolls from here and they, too, are swell.

The lobster salad rolls I did try came from the Seafood Shop in Wainscott, Loaves and Fishes in Sagaponack, Duryea’s and Gosman’s of Montauk, the Clam Bar on the Napeague stretch, Lulu’s Kitchen and Bar, and Dock House in Sag Harbor. The prices varied wildly from $18 (Seafood Shop) to $38 (Duryea’s). The quality of every single one was consistently good, with only slight variations in additions and serving size.

A lot of people think that the lobster meat used in restaurants, takeout establishments, and seafood markets comes from local, freshly caught, steamed in-house, and cleaned-by-employees lobsters. This is not the case, so get over yourself. Most places use the precooked, shelled, and Cryovac-sealed meat from Maine and Canada, sometimes in combination with freshly caught, depending on prices.

The Seafood Shop sources its lobster meat from a company called Rocky Point. Alex Fausto pointed out that some companies add a considerable amount of water, increasing the cost. The categories are C.K., T.C.K., and B.C.K., that is: claws and knuckles; tails, claws and knuckles, and broken claws and knuckles. The Seafood Shop generally uses half pre-shelled, half fresh, and all fresh if lobster are plentiful. At $18, its no frills lobster salad roll served on a hot dog bun was the best value and absolutely delicious.

The first one (of the season) I tried was at the Clam Bar, and there is something to be said for atmosphere. Being able to sit outside on one of our rare, warm spring days, with a stiff ocean breeze and a cold can of Montauk Driftwood Ale, this was a delightful interlude. The salad had a tiny amount of minced celery and the platter came with a lemon wedge and coleslaw. I am a firm believer in a spritz of lemon to heighten the sweetness of the lobster and cut through the richness of the mayo. This roll was $26. 

The next roll (and the only one I tried in a restaurant) was at Lulu’s Kitchen and Bar in Sag Harbor. It was served on a toasted, buttered, house-made brioche roll, with a huge mount of sweet potato fries, some tart slaw, and grilled lemon half. The lobster meat was more finely chopped than others, which I don’t mind at all.

Next was Dock House in Sag Harbor, on Long Wharf. This place looks like what you want a seafood shanty to look like. It is tiny and rustic, with a small menu and a few stools in front of a window where you can enjoy looking at the boats in the marina. At $22.50, this one was served with a bag of chips, a lemon wedge, lettuce, and tomato. It had the biggest portion of lobster salad of all the ones I tried, and the quality was excellent. This was one of my favorites, and not just because it’s in my ’hood!

Loaves and Fishes was next, and it is well known for charging the highest price for its lobster salad. For comparison, Dock House charges $58.50 per pound, the Seafood Shop’s is $70 per pound, and the salad from Loaves and Fishes is $100 per pound. Its roll is $28 and is served on house-made ciabatta bread. The salad has dill and capers in it. Sacrilege? I think not. Of all the salads tasted, this one had the highest quality and most tender chunks of meat, probably mostly knuckle.

The last two I tried were at Gosman’s ($28) and Duryea’s ($38). The Gosman’s roll was very tasty. It was well seasoned with celery and red onion and served on a toasted hot dog bun. The Duryea’s version was even better, served with very salty sweet potato chips and a zippy purple cabbage slaw. The bun was buttered and grilled on the outside so it stayed crisp.

A number of chefs and restaurateurs commented on the cost of this treat. Robert Durkin, former owner and chef of Robert’s in Water Mill, said, “There is a reason lobster rolls and lobster salad command the price they do. It’s called yield. One and a halfs and deuces (two-pounders) yield the best meat to shell ratio, and after 25 five years of working with them, 25 percent is the best that can be expected. So if the wholesale price is $10 per pound, that makes the usable lobster meat $40 per pound for the chef. So to produce a respectable lobster roll, you’ll be required to use near a half a pound of meat, or near $20 in raw ingredients prior to roll, accompaniments, and labor.”

Chef Brian Futerman replied: “I made some lobster salad this weekend and I picked the meat from five fresh lobsters. It’s worth the work, but expensive, the meat was over $55 a pound in a yield test. If you want good lobster salad, don’t complain about the price. . . . It’s also a lot of work to get those bugs alive to the market.”

Summer’s coming, and I’ll bet you’ve now got a hankering for a fresh lobster salad roll enjoyed on a deck or beach or boat. 

I’m going to make pilgrimages to the North Fork Table’s food truck in Southold and Canal Cafe for my next rolls, for those two got the most votes for the best. In the meantime, I’m going to make my own, with homemade mayonnaise and a spritz of fresh lemon.

Click for recipes.

Artists’ Table

Tickets are on sale for a farm-to-table meal that will feature a presentation by an arts collective known as House of Trees on June 10 from noon to 2 p.m at the Watermill Center. The food will be prepared by Jason Weiner, the chef and co-owner of Almond in Bridgehampton. House of Trees, the Watermill Center’s artists-in-residence, is a group focused on engaging the public with contemporary art through the creation of murals, installations, and performances. Tickets are $100 and available for purchase on eventbrite.com.

Dining at Dusk

Harbor Bistro in East Hampton has introduced a daily, three course prix-fixe sunset menu served from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the dining room and all evening at the bar. Entree choices include Hibachi-style salmon, orecchiette with clams, pork tenderloin schnitzel, and a burger made from a blend of Kobe beef brisket, boneless short rib, and prime chuck.

Breakers News

Leyla Marchetto, one of the owners of Navy Beach, has taken charge of the All Day cafe and bar at the Breakers motel in Montauk. The restaurant will open tomorrow for Memorial Day weekend and will feature menu items such as avocado toast, an acai bowl, crispy fish tacos, a tuna bowl, and a short rib blend burger. The beverage menu will feature Toby’s Estate coffee and cold brew, Plain T tea (both hot and cold), plus beer, wine, and cocktails. The cafe will be open this weekend from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and plans to keep those hours seven days a week by mid-June. 

This Week at the Eagle

The featured artist at Wednesday’s A Night Out With event — a collaboration between the Golden Eagle Studio and Nick and Toni’s restaurant in East Hampton — will be Roisin Bateman, who will lead a pastels workshop. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Golden Eagle on North Main Street in East Hampton and will be followed by a two-course dinner at the restaurant next door. The cost is $75 and includes the class, supplies, dinner, tax, and tip. Advance registration is on the store’s website; participants have until noon on Monday to register. 

Sharing Is Caring

O’Murphy’s Restaurant and Pub at the Tipperary Inn in Montauk is offering a two-dinner special for $46.95 on Mondays starting at 5 p.m. The price includes soup or salad and a choice of entrees such as sirloin steak, chicken Parmigiana, salmon, ribs, fish and chips, and pasta.

Highway Pop-Up

The Highway Restaurant and Bar in East Hampton will share its space with Shuko Beach, a pop-up Japanese restaurant, on Friday and Saturday evenings this summer (Thursday night service will be added in August). 

Starting July 6, the pop-up, an offshoot of Manhattan’s Shuko restaurant, will operate a six-seat chef’s counter offering a sushi omakase menu, that is, a selection of sushi chosen by the chef. There will be three nightly seatings at the counter — at 6, 8, and 10 — and the menu will include a vinegar-based Sunomono starter course, followed by a 16-piece sushi progression. The cost will be $150 per person. 

Highway’s dining room will also serve Shuko Beach’s creations, offering curated bento boxes for dine-in or takeout. A regular bento box, which serves two people, will feature 12 pieces of sushi and two rolls for $180. The large bento box, which serves four, will include 24 pieces of sushi and four rolls for $360. Reservations for Shuko Beach open in June on resy.com. 

Open for the Season

Beacon in Sag Harbor will open for its 20th season this evening at 5:30. The restaurant will serve dinner Wednesday through Sunday. 

Duryea’s Lobster Deck in Montauk is now open every day except Tuesday. Its hours are noon to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The fish market is open Wednesday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the farmers market is open Wednesday through Monday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. After Memorial Day, the restaurant and markets will be open daily. 

The Surfside Inn restaurant in Montauk will reopen for the season next Thursday. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. every day except Wednesdays. 

The East Hampton Farmers Market, which is entering its 13th season, will be held tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Nick and Toni’s. The market will take place every Friday, rain or shine, through Sept. 7.

Navy Beach Fund-Raiser

Looking ahead, Navy Beach in Montauk will hold a cocktail party benefit for the Navy SEAL Foundation on June 16 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

This weekend, the restaurant is open for dinner Thursday, Friday, and Sunday and for lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Hours expand for Memorial Day weekend.

The fund-raiser on June 16 will feature snacks and cocktails from the restaurant’s menu. Rear Adm. Tom W. Steffens, who served 34 years as a Navy SEAL before retirement, will be in attendance and offering remarks. There will also be a silent auction and a raffle. The cost is $50 for adults, $25 for veterans, and free for children under 16. Reservations are at [email protected].

Rosé All Day

Pierre’s in Bridgehampton will hold a blind taste-test of rosé wines from around the world on Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. The cost is $25 in advance, $40 at the door. Reservations are by calling the restaurant.

Wainscott Main will hold a spring rosé preview with 80 wines from around the world on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m.

Mother’s Day Specials

For Mother’s Day on Sunday, the Harbor Bistro in East Hampton will serve a brunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The buffet items will include made-to-order omelettes, blueberry pancakes, eggs Benedict, broiled fluke, and prime rib. There will also be a raw bar. The cost is $40 for adults and $20 for children, plus tax and gratuity.

Navy Beach in Montauk will offer a three-course prix fixe lunch menu from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The featured dishes include clam and corn chowder, tortilla salad, and crispy skate with baby kale, marble potatoes, and a remoulade. Moms will receive a complimentary Bloody Mary or mimosa with their meals. The cost is $48 per person, plus tax and gratuity. 

Nick and Toni’s in East Hampton will serve a la carte specials for brunch and dinner. The special appetizer will be prawns with sweet pea puree and spring onions for $22. The entree will be roasted sea bass with shaved asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, preserved lemon, and a romesco sauce for $32 at brunch and $42 at dinner. 

At Rowdy Hall in East Hampton a number of la carte specials will be offered during dinner service on Mother’s Day. The special appetizer will be a tuna and preserved lemon bulgar tartare with crispy Jerusalem artichoke chips for $16. The entree will be pan-roasted sea scallops with a sweet pea puree and grilled ramps for $30.

The Backyard restaurant at Solé East in Montauk will serve a brunch buffet Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Quiches, smoked salmon, top sirloin with a chimichurri sauce, and pesto pasta are among the offerings. Adults will receive a complimentary Bloody Mary or mimosa. The cost is $46 for adults, $20 for children 12 and under, and free for children 4 and under.

The Coast Kitchen at the Montauk Yacht Club will serve brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Diners will be able to order from an omelette station, a carving station with a choice of prime rib or roasted turkey, and a chef’s table with dishes including herb-crusted cod, chicken fricasee, and cheese tortellini. There will also be a raw bar and a kid-centric station featuring chicken fingers and mac and cheese. The cost is $39.99, plus tax and gratuity for adults, $15.99 for children 12 and under, and free for children 5 and under. 

The restaurant at Baron’s Cove in Sag Harbor will serve Mother’s Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to traditional brunch dishes, menu items will include roasted leg of lamb, herb-oil-poached cod, and grilled octopus. The price is $45 for adults and $18 for children. 

The Springs Tavern will serve brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Breakfast items will include avocado toast, eggs Benedict, and biscuits and gravy. Among the lunch items will be a B.L.T. and a crispy chicken sandwich. Moms will receive complimentary mimosas. 

Calissa in Water Mill will open for the season on Friday and will institute a brunch service from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Sunday. The Mother’s Day menu options will include a lamb B.L.T. on rosemary focaccia, French toast with walnut Greek yogurt Chantilly cream, and lobster bucatini. There will also be an Aperol spritz bar. Starting Memorial Day, Calissa will start an outdoor marketplace called the Agora, with vendors selling jewelry, eyewear, and other items.  

Reservations are by calling the restaurants.

At the Eagle

The featured artist at Wednesday’s A Night Out With event — a collaboration between the Golden Eagle Studio and Nick and Toni’s restaurant in East Hampton — will be Janet Jennings, a painter who will demonstrate her approach to creating moody skies and landscapes. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Golden Eagle on North Main Street in East Hampton and will be followed by a two-course dinner at the restaurant next door. The cost is $75 and includes the class, supplies, dinner, tax, and tip. Advance registration is on the store’s website; participants have until noon on Monday to register. 

Also on the Menu

Townline BBQ in Sagaponack will host an evening of barbecue, whiskey, and cigars on Tuesday starting at 6. A selection of whiskeys from the Dalmore Principal Collection will be served with the restaurant’s fare, and a Dalmore representative will provide details about the liquors. Diners will also receive a specially rolled signature cigar from Manhattan’s SoHo Cigar Bar. The cost is $100, including tax and gratuity. Reservations are by calling the restaurant. 

Starting this weekend, Indian Wells Tavern in Amagansett will serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The Baker House 1650 in East Hampton will hold a rosé tasting featuring wines from Wolffer Estate Vineyard in its garden tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. Light snacks will be served. The cost is $40. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com.

Ramp Chimichurri

Go ahead and make pesto with ramps but I would suggest stretching them with other greens like spinach, watercress, or parsley. They are also good simply grilled alongside asparagus with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Here is a recipe for chimichurri, try this on grilled meats or vegetables.

1 bunch ramps (about 10-12)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Separate leaves from bulbs and chop both coarsely. Put bulbs in food processor and blend until minced. Add rest of ingredients and puree until smooth.

Ramp Butter

If you grill the ramps beforehand, this will give the butter a milder, smoky flavor.

Makes 1 cup

2 sticks (8 oz.) butter, softened

1/2 lb. ramps, minced

Salt and pepper

Cream butter in a mixer with paddle attachment. Add minced ramps and salt and pepper. Mix until well blended.

Transfer mixture to waxed paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap, and roll into a cylinder, twisting ends to seal. Wrap this in foil and either refrigerate for a few weeks or freeze for up to six months. 

Asparagus Ramp Soup

Serves four to six. 

2 tsp. neutral oil

1 bunch (approx. 12) ramps, cleaned and chopped, bulbs separated from green tops

1 medium waxy potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 lb. asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Splash of white wine

Salt and pepper

4 cups vegetable stock

Lime juice to taste

Sauté ramp bulbs in oil for a few minutes, then add potato, asparagus, and cayenne. Sauté a few minutes more, then add white wine. Cook down for a few minutes, until asparagus is bright green. Season with salt and pepper.

Add stock and cook soup for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. 

Puree in blender, adding lime juice to taste.

Serve topped with homemade croutons and/or extra blanched asparagus tips.

The snack food giant that produces Oreo cookies, among other household names, announced plans to purchase Tate's Bake Shop, a company started in Southampton by Kathleen King, for approximately $500 million.

On Monday, Mondelēz International said it had reached an agreement with the Riverside Company, a global private equity firm, and other shareholders, including Ms. King to acquire the company, best known for its thin-and-crispy cookies. Tate's baked goods are distributed across the country and sold online.

The deal is expected to close this summer.

Mondelēz International, based in Deerfield, Ill., said it will operate Tate’s as a separate business and that the senior leadership at the company will continue to run the business from its headquarters on Long Island, including its Bake Shop on North Sea Road in Southampton Village. 

Tate’s will continue to produce all products at its current manufacturing facility in East Moriches.

Ms. King began selling small batches of her chocolate chip cookies at her family's farmstand at North Sea Farms at the age of 11. She opened Kathleen's Bake Shop in Southampton at 21, and began selling a broader range of cookies and pies. Soon Kathleen's Cookies was sold in gourmet food shops throughout Manhattan and Long Island.

After she took on partners and a protracted legal battle ensued, a court ruled Ms. King could not use her own name for the business. She started a business again under the name Tate's Bake Shop, a nod to her farmer father, the late Richard (Tate) King, in 2000.

“My father represented everything to me that the bakery should be about, especially integrity. And tenacity," Ms. King told EAST Magazine in 2016.

In 2014, the Riverside Company purchased a majority stake in Tate's for a purported $100 million. Ms. King remained with the company in an advisory role to develop new recipes.

Tate’s has become one of the fastest growing biscuit brands in the country. According to a press release from Mondelēz International, the brand’s sales have quadrupled over the past five years.

“Tate’s has demonstrated exceptional and very profitable growth, and we look forward to working with the Tate‘s management team to expand distribution and build upon that success," said Dirk Van de Put, chairman and chief executive officer. 

“We’re thrilled and humbled to be joining a portfolio of some of the world’s most well-known and successful snacking brands,” said Maura Mottolese, C.E.O. of Tate’s Bake Shop. “Consistent with Mondelēz International’s purpose to create more moments of joy for consumers, providing an authentic, delicious indulgence has been at the heart of Tate’s Bake Shop since Kathleen first opened her storefront nearly two decades ago. Now, together with Mondelēz International, we’ll have the opportunity to take Tate’s to the next level and offer our cookies and baked treats to many more consumers across North America.”

Mondelēz International boasted net revenues of about $26 billion in 2017, and is considered a world leader in cookies, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered beverages. Some of its brands include Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Ritz Crackers, belVita biscuits, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate, and Trident gum.

Saturday is the 144th Kentucky Derby, a.k.a. Run for the Roses, dubbed “the most exciting two minutes in sports.” I love horses and I love the Kentucky Derby. I start to study the field about a week ahead of the race, which is pointless for a novice like me, because as Charlie Whittingham, a trainer, once said “racehorses are like strawberries, they can go bad overnight.” 

Between the time I wrote this, the time you pick up your paper, and the post time (6:34 p.m. Saturday) everything will have changed.

Derby Day is also an excuse to polish the silver julep cups, whip up some Southern food, specifically burgoo, hot browns, and Derby pie, and muddle some spearmint in bourbon in preparation for that most deadly of cocktails, the mint julep. If this drink is too strong for you, there is also the Oaks Lily, or Blush Lily, basically a version of the Cosmopolitan. Last year at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., over 120,000 mint juleps were served and about 40,000 Blush Lilys.

Ninety percent of the ladies who attend the Derby wear big, flowery hats. It’s all about hats, horses, and hooch!

While living in Virginia, one of our best friends was Lisa Thompson, a born and bred Louisvillian. Her father, Buddy, raised thoroughbreds and had a bourbon distillery. She is one of the best cooks I know, and worked at a horse hospital near their farm in Leesburg, so she and her husband, Johnnie, really know their stuff when it comes to the Derby.

If you want to host a Derby party, just about any Southern food will do: deviled eggs, ham biscuits, fried chicken, greasy beans, tea sandwiches, cheese straws, pimento cheese spread, bourbon balls. The aforementioned Kentucky “hot brown” is more of a late-night-after-dancing-til-1-a.m. dish. Lisa would often serve this for Sunday lunches.

While researching recipes for this dish (named after the Brown Hotel in Louisville), I came across some ridiculous variations. You do not put pimentos on the sandwich, nor should you make the Mornay with heavy cream. Oof. Basically, it is Texas toast (thick toasted white bread), topped with roast turkey breast, sliced tomatoes, and Mornay sauce, with crisp slices of bacon crisscrossed on the top. A garnish of chopped fresh parsley and a sprinkling of paprika give this somewhat unattractive dish some pinkies-in-the-air class . . . I suppose.

In the 1920s, over 1,000 guests would attend the Brown Hotel’s nightly dinner dance. After hours of dancing, they’d wander into the restaurant for ham and eggs, but that became boring after a while. The chef, Fred Schmidt, is credited with the open-faced sandwich invention. The Mornay sauce should be simple bechamel to which you add grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Kentucky burgoo is another classic Derby day dish, it consists of three meats — usually pork, beef chuck, and chicken — combined with corn, lima beans, onions, carrots, celery, and okra. Like many Southern dishes, it is cooked and cooked and cooked in a big cast- iron kettle until it is a thick brown concoction. They say “a burgoo is just a stew if you can’t stand a spoon up in it.”

To make a Derby pie, simply follow your favorite recipe for pecan pie and add about three-quarters cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the pecan filling before baking. Don’t have time? Tate’s Bake Shop in Southampton makes a fine version of it.

For those who don’t give a hoot (or a hoof) about the Kentucky Derby, Saturday is also Cinco de Mayo. This is the annual celebration of the Mexican army’s victory over the French empire at the Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza.

Get your avocados today so they’ll be ripe enough to make guacamole on Saturday. Some other menu ideas are queso fundido, a rich, cheesy dip, red chile chicken enchiladas, chipotle shrimp tostadas, pork carnitas, margaritas, and a simple and silky caramel flan.

When I place a bet on a horse on Saturday, it may be for no other reason than his or her name, or the color of the jockey’s silks. I’m rooting for Mendelssohn, because I have a crush on the actor Ben Mendelsohn, who played a bad guy on Netflix’s “Bloodline.” But Bolt D’Oro’s jockey, Victor Espinoza, will be wearing some snappy orange and purple silks, so maybe I’ll root for him.

Here are some recipes to inspire you for the most exciting two minutes.

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New on the Scene

The Quiet Clam 2.0, a seafood-centric restaurant, opened on Saturday in the East Hampton location formerly occupied by Service Station. The restaurant’s name references an earlier eatery at the spot, the Quiet Clam, which operated there for many years before the space became Nichols in the late 1990s. According to the Facebook page for the Quiet Clam 2.0, the restaurant will be open year round for lunch and dinner, and serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Word is that it’s run by the family that ran the original Quiet Clam, but calls and messages to the restaurant had not been returned as of Monday.

A new seafood takeout restaurant called Hooked has opened in Montauk. The owners are Brian Mooney, who worked at the Clam Bar at Napeague for more than two decades, and his wife, Gillian, formerly a co-owner of Herb’s Market. The restaurant, which moved into the storefront at 34 South Etna Avenue that was previously occupied by the Red Hook Lobster Pound, serves starters such as crab bisque, steamed mussels, and peel-and-eat shrimp. It offers raw bar items such as clams and Montauk Pearl oysters. Seafood entrees include whole steamed lobsters, grilled swordfish, tuna poke bowls, and fish tacos. Non-seafood options such as salads, burgers, ribs, and a grilled chicken sandwich are also available. The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Also in Montauk, Mtk Lobster House opened in late March at 716 Montauk Highway, above Plaza Surf and Sports. The restaurant specializes in “fast-casual seafood,” according to its Facebook page, and menu items include lobster rolls, lobster and fish tacos, fish and chips, and quesadillas. It is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m., and until 10:30 on Friday and Saturday. Brunch is served starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Cinco de Mayo Specials

La Fondita in Amagansett will celebrate the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo with a selection of specials served all day on Saturday. Menu items will include a variety of tamale entrees for $12.50, and chiles en nogada for $16. The latter dish features a poblano pepper filled with cheese and topped with walnut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. It will be served with rice, refried beans, and tortillas.  

Duck Dinner

Almond in Bridgehampton will hold a seven-course duck dinner with Channing Daughters rosé pairings next Thursday at 7 p.m. The cost will be $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are by calling the restaurant. 

This Week at the Eagle

The featured artists at Wednesday’s A Night Out With event — a collaboration between the Golden Eagle Studio and Nick and Toni’s restaurant in East Hampton — will be Virva Hinnemo and George Negroponte, who will lead a collage workshop. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Golden Eagle on North Main Street in East Hampton and will be followed by a two-course dinner at the restaurant next door. The cost is $75 and includes the class, supplies, dinner, tax, and tip. Advance registration is on the store’s website; participants have until noon on Monday to register. 

Open for the Season

Starting tomorrow, Gosman’s Dock restaurant in Montauk will serve lunch and dinner daily, except on Tuesdays. Beginning Memorial Day weekend, the restaurant will be open seven days a week.

Wine Tasting

Wainscott Main Wine and Spirits will hold a workshop focusing on wines from the Finger Lakes region on Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Advance registration is by calling the store. 

And Finally

Reservations are now being accepted for indoor dining at the EMP Summer House, the East Hampton outpost of Manhattan’s Eleven Madison Park restaurant. EMP is on the corner of Montauk Highway and Spring Close Highway. Only American Express Card members can make reservations at the eatery, which opens for the season on May 25.