A Schroon Lake Favorite Makes A Big Splash on The Small Screen

Gary Tromblee (center) cooking up a storm!

Ah, the pitfalls of live TV – exploding head on with Murphy’s Law. In the clip you can watch here  -- from News Channel 13 --  you can see Sticks and Stones co-owner Gary Tromblee up against the clock (and a non-co-operative grill) as he prepares one of S&S’s signature dishes: the Statler Mountain Chicken.

Statler refers to the cut of chicken, also known as the Airline Cut:  a boneless breast with attached drumette. S&S serve theirs with onion, garlic & bacon in parmesan cream sauce -- along with chef's veggies & salt fingerling potatoes.

“It was a cool experience,” Gary told Schroon Laker recently.” A couple of things were out of my control. I got prepped via email about how much time we had, but it was different when we got there. The kitchen equipment worked earlier when they tested it, but didn’t work later on”.

The segment was organized by Gary’s fiancé’ Kylen Kline, who has a friend who works at the TV station.

“That show is pretty popular in the Capital District on Sunday morning because it airs right before the Today show. We’d seen it quite a few times.”

Was he nervous? “I was pretty prepared, but wasn’t that nervous”

This was not Gary’s first time on the small screen:  he’s done segments for a couple of corporate restaurants, “but never in a time restraint like that”.

Before the segment Gary’s dilemma was what dish to choose?  We (he and restaurant partner Steve Holmes and Chef Tony) struggled over which dish to feature.  “We did want it to be a signature item and so we certainly wanted to cook a pizza, but that was impossible”.

“And then we tossed around a few different recipes. One of our most popular dishes at the restaurant is our Adirondack Eggplant Stack, but that wasn’t feasible to do on the show. So we ended up with the Statler Chicken. On the TV segment the chicken was pan seared. In the restaurant it is seared in the wood fired oven from Italy.

Gary says what’s not in the clip was what followed after a commercial break. The anchors invited Gary back and they ate the finished dish.

“It was such a great recovery. They were enthusiastic and raving about the dish, which made me feel a hell of a lot better about how the segment ended”.

Mom's Day 2014: Give Yourself And Mom A Break

Sticks and Stones kicks off the day at 11:30am, and goes through to 10pm, with new additions for mom, as well as their full menu.

Sunday’s specials include:

Spicy Seared Scallops

Blackened Sirloin Tips

Arugula Tossed Salad

Hand Cut Filet Mignon

Jumbo Alaskan King Crab Legs

Surf & Turf Filet & King Crab Combo

Apple Crumble Dessert

Peanut Butter Pie

While you never need a reservation at Sticks & Stones, Gary and Steve will be accepting special reservations on Mother's Day for parties of 6 or more.

Over at Witherbee’s Carriage House Bill and Patty will also be opening early, at  2pm. Specials include their  Fresh In-house Roasted Prime Rib of Beef, Steamed Lobster and Rosemary Lamb Chops, as well as their full menu.

As always, entrees come with homemade soup or organic green salad, choice of potato and this week’s veggie  is fresh green bean almondine!  We also hear that Amanda has whipped up a wicked batch of her signature sangria!

To top it off all Moms will receive a complimentary dessert! And starting at 6pm, Dylan Joseph will be providing entertainment in the Loft.

At Flanagan’s, Penny tells us that every mom gets a free dessert!

And many have welcomed the much-anticipated return of Drake’s Restaurant, which opened its doors on May 1st. Chef Lorenzo Cecunjanin  and his wife Jasmina and daughter Izabaella will be open Sunday for Mom’s Day.

They'll be serving their regular menu and will soon be serving Prime Rib on Friday and Saturday nights, seafood specials throughout the week and Happy Hour on Thursdays – from 4pm to 6pm.

And from the gang at Paradox Brewery:

"Prost to all Moms, Grandmas and Aunts!" They suggest spending some time with Mom this weekend at their  PDX tasting room. Their hours are Friday from 5pm -7 pm, Saturday 12pm - 6pm and Sunday 12pm to 4pm.

And drum roll please...finally, after what seems like an eternity, Mr. P’s Mountain Smokehouse and Shelby’s Kitchen Therapy are back, starting today (Friday, May 9). Welcome back, Shelby and Chris! You have been missed!

Foodie News: Mid-Spring 2014 Edition

Chef Lorenzo Cecunjanin .COPYRIGHT SCHROON LAKER COLLECTION

Today marks the return of  Chef Lorenzo Cecunjanin  and his wife Jasmina and daughter Izabaella at Drake’s Restaurant. Welcome back for your second year! (That's where that tiramisu is from!!!)

Tonight also celebrates the return of Open Mic night – hosted by Mark Piper at Witherbee’s Carriage House. We hear that Mr. Piper has a Ukulele set – so get there early. The restaurant has just undergone its yearly sprucing up, inside and on the grounds outside.

Flanagan’s Pub also recently got its yearly make over with redone floors that sparkle!

Sticks and Stones, Shirley’s Diner, Pitkin’s, Higher Grounds, The TimberWolf and were open throughout, with Alpine Pizza and DeCesare's Pizza and the Adirondack Cafe with their modified weekend Winter hours.

For lovers of craft brewed PDX, their tasting room hours this week are Fri ‘til 7pm,  Sat 11am - 6pm, Sun 12pm - 4pm.

And finally, our favorite BBQ joint, Mr. P’s Mountain Smokehouse and Shelby Davis’ Kitchen Therapy will be opening their doors on May 9.

Catching Up with Schroon's Paradox Brewery

COPYRIGHT SCHROON LAKER COLLECTION

In the few short months that the Paradox Brewery has been open in Schroon, a lot has happened. Projections for how much beer the brewery was going to make in its first year have been tossed out the window, the tasting room on some weekends is  -- as my old boss Dan Rather might say “ tight like a too-small bathing suit on a too-long ride home from the beach”  and the beer is attracting a large, enthusiastic, vocal and thirsty fan base.

All of this has left Paradox founder Paul Mrocka – and his partner in life and beer, his wife Joan -- a little over whelmed, very busy and very happy.

The projection for the first 12 months was for the brewery to produce around 300 barrels of beer. Right now their output is more than 500 barrels, with three months of beer making left before the brewery celebrates their 1st anniversary on July 22.

“It’s been quite a ride,” Paul told me recently. “It’s exhausting, it's exhilarating and a lot of hard work. But we are extremely proud of the quality of the beers we have been producing, and how well received they have been.”

Joan Mrocka in a sticky situation! Courtesy Paradox Brewery

The projection for the first 12 months was for the brewery to produce around 300 barrels of beer -- based on getting a much earlier start than their delayed opening last July 22.

Right now their output is more than 500 barrels, with three months of beer making left before the brewery celebrates their 1st anniversary.

If you have tasted the PDX offerings at area watering holes. but have never been to their tasting room, you are missing out. Peer through the windows of the ground floor brewery and you will see the shiny stainless steel barrels where the beer is fermenting.

Paradox Brewery Beers were recently the star attraction at New York's Pony Bar.COPYRIGHT SCHROON LAKER COLLECTION

Take the stairs up to the tasting room. You can sample the beer, before deciding on your purchase. That involves purchasing a growler or three and having them filled with the beer of your choice.

After you have taken them home and finished them (which could be as early as that evening) bring your rinsed growlers back for a re-fill. Repeat this process as many times as you wish.

Word of mouth  -- about just how tasty the beer was  -- spread quickly, leading to an early distribution deal, with Saratoga Eagle becoming the exclusive distributor. We were in the tasting room the day a rep from Saratoga Eagle arrived. “I was told by my boss to get here quickly, and I’m here,” the rep told me, as he sampled a few beers.

More visits followed with more execs coming to taste Paul’s hand-crafted beers. Soon after a deal was inked. That has allowed Paradox to concentrate more on the art of making fine beers and not having to worry about being their own distributor. Thanks to that deal, thousands of beer lovers have been able to sample Paradox’s offerings.

Locally in Schroon, some of PDX's offerings are carried by the Timberwolf Bar, Sticks and Stones and Witherbee's Carriage House. The full line of beers is only available at the brewery.

As of this writing, Paradox beers are available in more than 60 bars, pubs and restaurants. Paradox Beer was well received at the recent Saratoga Beer Week with Paul and his Brewmaster Adam Bulson getting a lot of kudos, from not only beer fans, but other craft beer makers.

Pony Bar Owner Dan McLaughlin with PDX Founder Paul Mrocka.COPYRIGHT SCHROON LAKER COLLECTION

Adam, originally from Michigan, learned his craft at the Flagstaff Brewing Company in Arizona. Since then he has brewed in Oregon, Montana, Vermont and several breweries in New York State. "He's a great brewer. He gets us, and what we are trying to do. He was able to take my home brewed recipe for the Triple IPA  (which features dried orange peel and coriander) and make it something special."

The Winter Lager was one of the stars at a downstate Adirondack Beer tasting at New York City’s Famous Pony Bar.

Five Paradox beers were on tap that night: Dark Bay Stout, the Belgium Triple, Paradox Winter Lager, Beaver Bite IPA and the Pils.

The first three kegs to “get kicked”, were all Paradox offerings, with the Pils, the first to go within a couple of hours.

So, what’s next? In the long term Paul and his team of investors and partners   -- which include Vaughn Clark and his wife Jenn, and Dave Bruce and his wife  -- and several other family members and friends  -- are talking about the “next step” in regards to expansion.

Paul and Vaughn Clark. Courtesy Paradox Brewery

In the short term Paul is laser focused on what it will take to get the brewery a farmer’s brewing license. A key ingredient to getting that license -- New York State grown hops – but Paul is finding them hard to come by as they are in such high demand. Still, he is hopeful that a license will be in place by this summer.

In July 2012, Governor Cuomo signed legislation to support and strengthen New York’s craft breweries. Under the new law, in order to receive a Farm Brewery license in New York State, the beer must be made primarily from locally grown farm products. Until the end of 2018, at least 20% of the hops and 20% of all other ingredients must be grown or produced in New York State.

That license will not only offers PDX tax incentives, but will also allow them to sell their beers in creative ways -- potentially, as an example, at Farmers Markets, or even outside the brewery in pint glasses.

As word spreads about the brewery, Paul and his team are expecting a huge summer.

What's your favorite PDX offering? What beer would you like to see them make? Tell us in comments.

-- Anthony Batson