north fork, long island

I’ve been to the northern fork of Long Island before. First, when writing about Paulette Satur, the heel-wearing wine rep turned farmer, for More magazine. She and her chef-husband Eberhard Müller showed off their delicate baby mâche and wild baby arugula. The North Fork was once known for its potato farms. Now, there’s a wine trail, abundant farm stands, and Paulette Satur’s delicate baby mâche. I came again a few years later when Claudia Fleming, famed for her Gramercy Tavern desserts, decided to quit the city and open her dream farm-chic restaurant with her chef-husband Gerry Hayden. She took me on a tour of the freshest food the North Fork has to offer: Sweet, ripe white peaches from Whickam’s Fruit Stand, green zebras from bio-dynamic farmer KK Haspel , striped bass plucked from the Long Island sound. All of these, magically transformed in the tiny kitchen of the North Fork Table & Inn. (The experience has only improved. My advice: Order the tapioca dessert. Don’t question, just do.)



So when my mom suggested a family trip to Greenport this summer, I jumped at the chance, my two girls in tow. This time I was able to experience lots of sunrises (my girls get up way too early on vacation), which allowed for some beautiful photos. Kids at sunrise, boats as sunrise, flowers at sunrise, the Orient Point ferry at sunrise. We gorged on fresh, organic berries from Oyster Ponds Farm. Filled up on fish and chips from Crabby Jerry’s. Road the Greenport carousel. Enjoyed the best coffee I’ve had (outside of Italy) from Aldo’s. And tasted nut-laced scones straight out of the oven (another benefit of the early morning wakeup).

















When you’re driving towards the tip of Long Island’s North Fork, you should take Main Road. It’ll take you longer, partly because the traffic moves slowly along this country road, but mostly because you’ll want to stop at the various farm stands for freshly roasted corn (so juicy the “corn milk”—that’s my aunt’s term—will pop in your mouth) and the vineyards for…well, wine.