But guess what? We’ve discovered something even… better? (Gasp!) Okay, maybe not better, but definitely right on par with the Cronut. Meet, the Jelly Croissant.

Lucky for New Yorkers who manage to flee from the city during the hot days of summer (and unlucky for those who don’t) these delectable pastries are found way out in Montauk at the Montauk Bake Shoppe. The perfect combination of a buttery croissant and jelly donut with a light cinnamon and sugar sprinkle, the “Famous Jelly Croissant” at the local bakery shop satisfies all the Cronut-crazed cravings you could possibly have. Sure, they are not made by Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel whose pedigree includes six years at Daniel, but they are fresh, they are buttery, they are flakey, and they are oozing with jam. And the best part? No waking up at dawn to get in line and no cap on how many you can order. Have three, have five, take a box home to mom.

While the Cronut is only a month or so old, these jelly croissants have been around for quite some time and yet remain slightly under the radar. Perhaps if the Montauk Bake Shoppe opened in SoHo or the West Village, a.k.a trend-land, they would have gained more attention and press. At least they are easy to come by and you don’t need to rely on scalpers to get your hands on one, that is, if you happen to be in Montauk. In fact, even if you don’t have summer plans for heading to The End, you can order a box of jelly croissants to be shipped to your door!

CHEF DAVE MARTIN

Big Gay Skirt Steak & Green Eggs (Sans Ham)

Citrus-marinated skirt steak with roasted poblano chili & white cheddar scrambled eggs, bacon fat refried black beans, and Dave’s “It’s Hot Bitch” salsa

Mini Veggie Tatas

Artichoke hearts, roasted wild mushrooms, red peppers and goat cheese  

French (Toast) Strippers

Whole wheat bread dipped in malted French toast batter, served with whipped honey butter and maple syrup

CHEF ELIZABETH FALKNER

Sausage (and Shrimp) Party

Andouille sausage, shrimp, cornbread and spicy hot maple syrup

Downton Abbey Road Scones

Mini cream scones with strawberry-rose jam

Bronuts

Bomboloni with Gianduja

CHEF ZAC YOUNG

Sticky Buns

Sweet, sticky buns covered in caramelized bacon and pecans

Little Peckers

Mini sausage corn dogs

A BIG GAY ICE CREAM & CHEF ZAC YOUNG COLLABORATION

Big Gay Waffle Sundae Bar

Bacon-maple and lemon-confetti waffles with vanilla ice cream with the ultimate topping bar

BIG GAY BRUNCH, June 22nd, The Mercedes Club NYC, Tickets GA $90, VIP $150.

Interested? Here are 10 things you need to know:

1. The pool at The Mercedes Club is only 3.5 ft deep.
2. All those who join a team get a 15% discount on tickets!
3. The contest will be judged by drag queens.
4. You will have most likely had a couple Bloody Mary’s by the time you perform, but so will have everyone else so you are allowed to make mistakes. NO JUDGEMENT.
5. The winners get a grand prize of the Golden Narwhal Trophy. No joke.
6. BIG GAY BRUNCH is going to be amazing, so whether or not you’re on a team, you’ll want to be there. (Get tickets.)
7. You get to choose your own song for your routine, and we won’t even rule out “YMCA.” It’s your call.
8. Costumes/matching bathing suits are welcome but not required.
9. This is called an “AMATEUR” synchronized swimming contest, so do not feel intimidated.
10. To inquire about creating a team, please message email concierge[at]undergroundeats.com.

…

Okay so this may not be true… But what is true is that there does seem to be a man on the loose accosting guests at Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar, introducing himself as Gay Guy Fieri and telling them they’ve just been flavor-blasted.

Who is this mystery man you ask? This Gay Guy Fieri? Why, it’s the delightful Chef Dave Martin of course. Dave Martin, one of the chefs at BIG GAY BRUNCH even has the slightly-spiked frosted hair and backwards sunglasses to pull off his Gay Guy Fieri interpretation. When we dared to go to Flavor Town in midtown a couple weeks ago, we decided we should probably bring along one of our favorite entertainers (watch Dave Martin take a bourbon shot from a bone marrow luge here). After a few rounds of blue cocktails, Gay Guy Fieri graced us with his presence and began harassing guests. While rest assured we will see Chef Dave Martin at BIG GAY BRUNCH, confirmation of a Gay Guy Fieri appearance and Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar pop-up is still pending. However, based on this [completely fabricated] Yelp review (below), it may be best if that doesn’t happen.

A brief discussion with Bordeaux heavyweight, Alain Raynaud

There was a time when I would pick up a bottle of French wine and try to discern its quality by staring blankly at the label, then choosing based on price and artful script. Enter the experts: there’s a new collective of 149 Chateaux aimed at highlighting high quality Bordeaux wines at affordable prices—and like organic food and wine that is labeled as such, they come with seals of approval, visible on the bottles.

So, with an internet full of content about Bordeaux, I hope for your alternative dining pleasures you take pause to get acquainted with Alain Raynaud’s website for the Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux, which quite loosely translated means “The Great Circle of Bordeaux.”

This carefully curated collective includes wineries within the Cercle Rive Droite, (droite means “right” in French) and the Cercle Rive Gauche (gauche means “left” in French), hence Right Bank and Left Bank producers. One or two NYC events per year host a fairly small crowd—a kind of insider’s club—so getting on board now is your challenge. On the social front, get acquainted with the wineries through the organization’s website, and follow ones that appeal to you on Facebook and Instagram for updates and event announcements. Finally, when shopping, look for the organization’s seal/logo on bottles, as each will have been panel tested and approved.

Now to the interview: Raynaud is a Bordeaux heavyweight champion—the former President of the Union des Grands Cru, he left in 2000 to focus on promoting the wines of his beloved region.

1. While those in the wine industry certainly know who you are, give us a rundown of your career in wine.

I was Born in Pomerol into a family involved in the wine business (château la Fleur de Gay). I graduated as a physician and assumed this position for 28 years. Even as a physician, since about 1964, I have always been in charge of our family winemaking practices under the advice of my father.  And eventually I wanted to run my own château.  My love for wine has been contagious enough to convince my wife Françoise to join me in his journey.

2. What inspired you to start the Cercle des Grands Vins de Bordeaux — what is the goal of these organizations? 

In 1994 I became the President of the Union des Grands Crus up to year 2000, but this very well-known association was missing an important part of the Right Bank in Bordeaux. This is why in 2002 I created the Cercle Rive Droite. As a matter of fact we were missing the participation of the Left Bank. This is why this year we decided to create the Cercle Rive Gauche that is now participating to a new Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux. The main idea in this creation is to give the young wine connoisseur a large rank of wine expressing both high quality and reasonable prices.

3. You just had a big tasting of the 2013 en primeur wines – what are some of the initial thoughts of the vintage?

The wines we tasted are from the 2012 vintage and the growing season was especially wonderful throughout the month of August, with consistent temperatures, though there was unexpected difficult weather in September and these young wines are very interesting — it’s too early to tell what will become of them, however they are unique and hold great potential.

4. 2010 Bordeaux vintages that have just been released, what are some of the best value bottles for consumers here in the US and why?

Looking at the prices that have just been released, try to pick the wines of 2010 that have been released at approximately the 2008 prices—those will be great value and superb quality wines. The Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux truly believes that to keep the Bordeaux tradition alive they must reach young people and thus the lower price points are the best way to do this and foster interest in this demographic. Then as they grow they will hopefully be able to experience a wider range of Bordeaux.

5. The famed Chateau Latour has decided to break away from the traditional French system of selling wine through a broker. They plan, essentially to sell direct to consumers. What does this mean for Bordeaux? 

The future of Bordeaux doesn’t mean everybody will be able to follow Latour’s path. Each year the wine community in France (and worldwide) gets excited for the newest batch of Bordeaux and the en primeur is the spark, so we don’t see this tradition going away.

-

Here’s a few picks from the Grands Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux website, which are a great value wines and an excellent place to start. So scroll through by alphabetical order and check out these gems:

Right Bank: Château du Parc 2010 ($26) – Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Right Bank: Château de Laussac 2009 ($16) – Castillon / Côtes de Bordeaux

Left Bank: Chateau de Sartre ($22) – Pessac Léognan

As giddy, star-struck guests entered the beautiful Barbaresco Room at Del Posto, Lidia herself was already passing out some of her delicious hors d’oeuvres for everyone to nibble on with a welcoming glass of Champagne. From start to finish the evening was nothing short of Del Posto excellence. There is no wondering why the restaurant is up for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Service as every server was attentive and professional without the stuffiness one would expect from a four-star NY Times restaurant.

Even though Mario Batali seemed to have forgotten to dress up for the occasion wearing his trademark fleece vest, shorts, and pink button-up shirt with rolled up sleeves (we still love him!), he was definitely ready to act as gracious host as he and Lidia took the stage to welcome everyone and begin their introductions to the first course. The “dueling menu” consisted of five courses with each chef preparing their own interpretation based on a classic dish or specific ingredient; Lidia’s was always served on the left and Mario’s on the right. Between each course the chefs explained why and how they prepared their dish and allowed for guests to ask a few questions.

Later in the evening there was a longer Q&A session during which guests asked questions from “What are the three most important ingredients?” (Lidia’s answer: garlic, olive oil, and either parsley or basil) to “Have you ever ordered in using Seamless.com?” Neither chef even knew what this was. At one point Lidia declared her love for Korean food and Mario admitted he doesn’t care much for trendy molecular gastronomy techniques (since “Everything is molecular! Everything is made up of molecules. Why mess around with the textures?”

For those who have watched both chefs rise to stardom and have enjoyed all their restaurants and watch them on TV, it was truly an amazing opportunity to meet and speak with both Mario and Lidia. It’s rare that anyone can gain this much access to two of the biggest names in food. Even if Mario didn’t stick around to take photos with fans, he was happy to answer any and all questions and offer detailed responses.

While both chefs created great dishes it wouldn’t be a “dueling menu” without some fun competition. Although I definitely do not speak for everyone, below is a personal score card of each course and how the chefs compared: (see above photo gallery for images of each dish)

Lobster Course:

Lidia: Astice Quasi Caprese - Lobster with Burrata, Fresh Passion Fruit, Olive Oil, Asparagus, Radish, Cucumber, Carrot, Watercress, Chocolate Brioche and Bitter Chocolate

Mario: Lobster Crudo with Ramps and Meyer Lemon

Verdict: Mario. Simple and delicious.

Peas Course:

Lidia: Risotto con Scaffata “Cacio e Pepe” – Risotto with Pea served with Cheese (Peccorino) and Pepper

Mario: Mint and Pea Love Letters with Merguez Sausage

Verdict: Lidia. While Mario’s was surprising and inventive, Lidia’s perfectly cooked risotto won over the taste buds.

Bolognese Course:

Lidia: Fuzi Tradizionali al Ragu de Cortile - Traditional Fuzi Pasta made with Porcini Powder and Ragu of Chicken, Duck, Rabbit, and Guinea Hen.

Mario: Classic Bolognese.

Verdict: Mario.

Beef Course:

Lidia: Brasato alla Veneziana, Tagliata alla Griglia con Patate e Bietole – Flat Iron Steak with Sautéed Swiss Chard and Potatoes Topped with Wagyu Beef and Crispy Swiss Chard Stems.

Mario: Braised Beef Cheek with Morels and Stinging Nettle Polenta

Verdict: Even Mario admitted that it felt like Lidia cheated by throwing a beautiful piece of wagyu beef on top of her plate which solidified her “win” this round.

Donuts Course:

Lidia: “Gnocchi de Susine” con Gelato di Bourbon e Prugne

Mario: Bomboloni

Verdict: Lidia. Bourbon ice cream gave her extra points.

This is the second dinner you’ve done where you are recreating a specific time in history.  Would you call yourself a history geek? Or do you just like the challenge recreating classics with modern twists?

For me, looking back in history through food tells such an amazing story. People forget the history of America, and how food was always there throughout. I love the research aspect of it. Looking through old menus and looking at what the chefs did back then, It’s like looking through the windows of time. This may sound corny, but as I get deep into a project I almost project my mind to the time period, and for me that’s the amazing part. History has always amazed me, history and food make it even more enjoyable. Once I compile all my notes and all my research, I get a huge piece of paper and weave together all the dishes from that era. I then spin it with a modern twist, keeping in mind not to leave any ingredient off from that is important to the time period. In doing research I’ve looked at menus from the 21 club, Delmonico’s, The Cotton Club, etc. for the Prohibition NYC event. These were the best of the best at the time and I have to show respect to the era. I think what me and Adam came up with is going to blow people away!

What kind of dishes can we expect to see at the Prohibition NYC event?

Ok, I guess it’s time for a teaser! And this is only for the Underground Eats community! Foods during the 1920’s were salty and fatty, and that was by design- it made people buy more drinks. Easy concept. Well, we played off that balance of salty and fatty and came up with a unique station that revelers on April 20^th will get to experience. We call it “The Free Lunch Stand.” Before prohibition began, bars would entice the public and local town drunks to come in for a drink and receive a “Free Lunch.” The un-witty patron was fed saltine crackers and salty dry cured sausages,  prompting them to drink more.  We are going to play off that and have our own unique “Free Lunch Stand.” Keep in mind we have some really cool and unique twists for the 21^st century prohibition reveler. This is just one of many takes we will offer our guests on April 2oth. 

People of course tend to focus more on the cocktail when they think of the prohibition era speakeasies, what made you decide to do a prohibition culinary event?  Were there any specific inspirations for this idea?

Most people think of prohibition times as very cocktail driven- underground speakeasies, Al Capone, and Illegal bootleggers, and not really food driven.  And that is true to a certain extent. What most people don’t realize is some of the best restaurants, some of which sill exist today, were coming into play, and FINE DINING had already arrived including places like the Waldorf Astoria, Delmonico’s, 21 Club, Cotton Club. And These restaurants catered to your every need. When Adam and I decided to do this event, we went back to the menus of that time. Foods were heavy and simple, but they were interesting and really piqued our interest. We were like, “WOW Tomato Juice is an appetizer!” I thought, that is so boring! And then it hit me, “Wouldn’t it be cool if I reversed spherified the tomato juice, worked some smoked crab into it, and finished it with pickled celery?” The best part about that is we just wrote tomato juice on the menu. That’s how we change things up, that dish is going to blow people away. Now think of six items, all with a really unique twist. That’s what motivates me to take on these old nostalgic menus. Making them relevant again. To me, that’s cool.

What historical dinner would you love to recreate next? 

We are always looking through history to find an interesting time period. Once we feel like there might be a story to tell through food, and we believe in the project, we begin our planning phase. I have always wanted to do a dinner that takes us back to the impoverished area in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888- kind of a “Jack the Ripper gastro pub pop-up.” I love the 1880’s in London and I dream of opening a REAL GASTRO PUB in Manhattan. So many restaurants call themselves a gastro pub, but they’re the furthest thing from it.

We were also recently talking about doing some underground foie gras dinners in San Francisco!

You seem to enjoy doing dinners and events where creativity and theatrics are key components (i.e. Dine Titanic, Prohibition, Argentine Experience, Feast of the Senses, etc…) do you think you would ever be happy being a chef at a restaurant everyday, cooking the same menu night after night? 

NOOOOOO! That’s why I don’t work in a restaurant. I have much respect for those talented chefs that rock the ranges every night, but for me, I need to stimulate my creative juices in other ways. That’s why I love doing events like Prohibition NYC. It allows me to tell a story through food and bring people back to a lost time. Each event is always different, that’s what keeps things fresh and on the cutting edge of what we do.

How long have you and Adam been a team? Do you compliment each other well?

Wow, I met Adam 4 Years ago, ironically we were both chef-testing for the same position. We were both impressed with each other, and we ended up cooking together ever since. Yeah, I would say Adam and I side by side are like complete opposites! We are completely different chefs and have completely different personalities. Adam is more the calm cool collective chef and I’m more of the voicetress hotheaded chef.  When Adam and Myself take on these dinners we usually have varied roles. I handle the theme and theatrics and Adam concentrates on refining my crazy-hair-brained menu ideas. He kind of brings me back down to earth. That’s why we work so well together. It’s all about the food in the end. We both care so much about the finished product, and that we are topping ourselves each time we put on one of these events. Plus he has a lovely beard, and I don’t look good in facial hair, there I said it!

If you could throw any dinner party you wanted- what would be the theme and what might be some examples on the menu?

I’m going to throw a Game of Thrones dinner, to coincide with the finale on HBO. The setting is going to be an old gothic Church in Manhattan. We are going to have huge pigs on the table filled with decadent fruits. It ties into a dinner of medieval times that I’m infatuated with. Stay tuned for this dinner; it’s going to be an amazing experience.

If you are intrigued and interested in attending April 20th’s speakeasy party we suggest you move with haste and purchase your tickets on www.undergroundeats.com as there is limited space and spots are filling up quickly!

For those who may be looking to celebrate this momentous occasion with a cocktail in hand and some food to nibble on, here are some of the best Mad Men-inspired recipe sites we’ve found that will ensure you enjoy Sunday night’s episode (even if you don’t approve of how the plot unfolds this year…)

AMC’s Mad Men Cocktail Guide

The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook

CHOW’s Mad Men Recipes

Epicurious Mad Men Menu

Gothamist’s Season 6 Spoiler Foods

Food Republic Shrimp Cocktail Recipe

Retro Menu Inspired by Mad Menu