American Seasons On Nantucket Opens For Milestone 25th Season On April 5

Long considered a "not-to-be-missed" island dining experience, American Seasons (www.americanseasons.com) opens today for its 25th year of showcasing the regional diversity of American cooking using Nantucket's finest ingredients. With recent accolades from Boston magazine and Wine Spectator, Executive Chef Michael LaScola and General Manager/Sommelier Orla Murphy-LaScola look forward to their ninth year as owners of one of Nantucket's most beloved restaurants. Boasting creative new food and drink options and exciting, early season events, American Seasons continues its tradition of celebrating regionally-focused, cutting-edge cuisine paired with an all-American wine list.

Cuisine
Adhering to the ideals of James Beard - to serve regional cuisine promoting the diversity of American cooking and championing small farmers - Executive Chef Michael LaScola makes the most of his surroundings in creating imaginative interpretations of timeless dishes. New to the menu this year is heritage-breed Mangalitsa pork sourced from Mosefund Farm in New Jersey and in-season vegetables from local Nantucket grower Patty Meyer. LaScola also continues to source freshly caught fish from Ruthie B, one of Nantucket's last remaining commercial fisherman, as well as lamb from Nantucket Conservation and free-range hens & eggs from local farmer Nicole DuPont, all raised exclusively for American Seasons.

In addition to fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes from his backyard garden, LaScola incorporates organic produce from Nantucket-based Bartlett Farms. Fruits and vegetables are supplied based on seasonal availability and the restaurant's custom grow list, giving LaScola unparalleled access to the island's less common spring produce, like peas and beets.

A sampling of spring 2012 menu items includes:
- Sheep's Milk Ricotta Gnudi with Morel Mushrooms, Milk-Braised Veal Short Rib, Preserved Lemon and English Peas
- Pork Scrapple with Pig Ear Bacon, Vidalia Onion Puree and Pickled Kumquat
- Whipped Bone Marrow with Smoked Beef Cheek, Onion Marmalade and Shaved Oregon Truffle
- Ruthie B Cod with Squid Ink Aioli, Stewed White Beans & Artichokes and Chorizo Vinaigrette
- Braised Lamb Neck with English Peas, Mint, Spring Onions, Roasted Carrots, Buttermilk Grits and Dandelion Greens

Wine
Developed by GM/Sommelier Orla Murphy-LaScola, American Seasons' nationally recognized all-American wine list complements the restaurant's focus on small producers. Orla's enthusiasm for small-production wines inspires her off-season cross-country travel, where she procures rare vintages to enhance the restaurant's 500+ bottle list. Having cultivated relationships with leading domestic winemakers, including Orin Swift and Beaux Freres, Orla secures bottles and by-the-glass pours rarely available to the East Coast market. In addition to 15 new hard-to-find wines by the bottle, the 2012 list includes several new pours available by the glass:
- Grgich Hills Fume Blanc
- La Follette Pinot Noir
- T Vine Grenache
- Hands of Time by Stags Leap Wine Cellars

Beverages
To mark its 25th anniversary, American Seasons serves up the Silver Celebration, a play on the classic Diamondback that combines 18-year-old Sazerac, Clear Creek Eau de Vie de Pomme, Chartreuse VEP and a dash of The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters. Other featured specialty drinks include:
- Nantucket Coffee - a twist on Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk and local honey
- Rosa Rugosa Housemade Soda - with ginger syrup, bitter lemon syrup, brown sugar and rose

In addition to its revered wine program, American Seasons runs a bottle-only artisan beer list, as well as an extensive lineup of small batch spirits. New selections on the 2012 beverage menu include:
- Dogfish Hea