Brunch at Troutbeck: Black Emmer Pancakes

At Troutbeck, every meal is an experience, but Sundays have taken on a special charm with the highly anticipated return of brunch. Impeccably sourced, plentiful, elegant yet approachable, and immensely satisfying, the brunch menu reflects the essence of Troutbeck’s culinary philosophy. Available every Sunday, brunch complements the existing offerings of three meals a day, seven days a week, all open to the public.

The culinary program at Troutbeck is led by Executive Chef Vincent Gilberti, who honors the natural landscape through thoughtful and seasonal cuisine. “We launched brunch in February,” said Chef Vinny, as he’s affectionately known. “It’s been a goal of mine to add brunch since returning to Troutbeck as executive chef last year. Before my time here and before the pandemic, we had a bustling and fun brunch program, and while we’ve all returned to ‘normalcy,’ brunch was something we wanted to get back in the mix.” Chef Vinny hails from the Hudson Valley and brings with him a wealth of experience from some of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants, including Pulino’s, Battersby, and Dover. After a stint in San Francisco’s SPQR, where he honed his pasta-making skills, Chef Vinny has returned to Troutbeck with a renewed passion for the farm-to-table philosophy.

Troutbeck’s brunch celebrates the best of local and seasonal fare in an environment that is both elegant and welcoming. Said Chef Vinny, “We serve both in-house guests and our local community, which is very important to us. We love seeing familiar faces who return week after week.” Reservations can be made via the website at troutbeck.com/eat-drink/or by calling 845-789-1555.

Black Emmer Pancakes

by Chef Vincent Gilberti at Troutbeck

(This recipe highlights the local/regional purveyors where they source their ingredients. )

Ingredients — Yields 8 to 10 pancakes

1 Cup Black Emmer Flour (Wild Hive Farm)

1 Tablespoon White Granulated Sugar

½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

½ Teapsoon Baking Soda

½ Teaspoon Salt

½ Cup Sour Cream (Ronnybrook Farm)

½ Cup Milk (Ronnybrook)

1 Egg (YundWell Pastured Poultry)

4 Teaspoons Melted Butter

Vegaline or PAM cooking spray, as needed

Optional: Maple Syrup (Laurel & Ash Farm)

Seasonal fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix all dry ingredients.

2. In a second large mixing bowl, combine and mix all wet ingredients.

3. Fold in the wet ingredient mix into the dry ingredient mix in three increments (using 1/3 of the wet mix at a time). The batter should have a lumpy consistency.

4. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.

5. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray.

6. Working in batches, add pancake batter (1/2 cup) at a time. Cook until you start to see the batter bubbling (about one and a half minutes) and the bottom is golden brown.

7. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden brown, the pancake rises slightly and is cooked through.

8. Serve warm with Maple Syrup and Fresh seasonal fruit.