Burrata cheese and Tarry Lodge revisited

According to the National Weather Bureau, Friday, Jan. 16, was recorded as one of the coldest nights of the year. Staying home for dinner and cuddling up next to our flat-coated retriever, Finnegan, seemed like common sense. My husband, on the other hand, observed I was becoming a cave dweller and suggested I come out of hibernation and meet him for an early dinner in Westchester. I waffled.

“Guess what?” he said. “If the Coney Island Polar Bear Club can survive plunging into the frigid January waters, you can survive driving 35 miles to a warm trattoria on a cold night.”

Feeling guilty over too much dog cuddling, and inspired hearing about the bikini-clad Polar Bears, I agreed to meet my husband and some friends at the Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, N.Y.

When I arrived at 7 p.m., the foyer entrance was knee-deep with anxious customers waiting to check in. I was shocked. With an arctic blast, I thought it might be a quiet night.

After a few minutes passed and the line diminished, I made my way to the reception desk. The hostess noted I was the first one to arrive in my party and I was quickly escorted to the bar ”“ part of the main dining room.

All of a sudden, I looked around and had a feeling of dÃ©jÃ vu. I remembered the old Tarry Lodge ”“ a bustling Italian-American family-style restaurant with dark booths and dim lights. During the 1990s, living in White Plains, it was our favorite kid destination for mini-pizzas and the restaurant where our daughter loved ripping apart packages of Domino sugar and Sweet ”˜N Low while rockin”™ out in her booster seat.

Now under the ownership of Food Network and “Iron Chef” star Mario

Batali and restaurateur Joseph Bastianich, the newly renovated

Tarry Lodge has not lost that loving feeling. I particularly liked, for example, the color scheme ”“ heavy cream-colored moldings and cozy mustard-colored walls. The attractive globe wall sconces resembling old-fashioned street lamps and the classic hard-wood floors throughout the restaurant added extra warmth.

As I stood at the bar enjoying a glass of Flor Prosecco, in the background came waves of laughter from seated patrons. People seemed genuinely happy to be eating out and spending money. Perhaps with the presidential inauguration around the corner and a renewed sense of patriotism lurking outside in the cold air, clearly it was time to gnocchi down and celebrate.

When my husband and our friends arrived, we were seated in the Abendroth, a small, narrow dining room off the avenue. Immediately Cecilia, our meticulous waitress, handed us menus. Like a hawk, I searched for healthy and hearty small plates. With a vast selection to choose from, the word “insalate” caught my eye.

I was excited to read the first two salads listed (out of six) featured:

“Nancy”™s Chopped Salad” (named after Nancy Selzer ”“ Tarry Lodge”™s managing partner) and “Burrata with Roasted Roots and Aceto Manadori.” How thrilling! A salad that had my name all over it and a salad featuring burrata ”“ the heart-throbbing artisan cheese I wrote about in an earlier column. Not able to choose, my husband eliminated all salad agony and ordered Nancy”™s Chopped Salad as his first course.

When I inquired about the origin of the burrata, sous chef Adam Truelove said it was American-made and produced by BelGioioso Cheese Co. in Denmark, Wisc. “Inside the cheese there is fresh cream and shavings of fresh mozzarella,” he said.

Since I was familiar with burrata, I asked Andy Nusser, executive chef, to explain his recipe.

“Cut the root vegetables into matchstick size. On three separate sheet pans, roast the parsnips, butternut squash and celery root in olive oil, salt and pepper. (Note: each root cooks a little differently.) After the vegetables finish cooking and have cooled, toss with regular balsamic vinegar. Arrange the vegetables in the center of a plate. Slice an 8 oz. burrata in half and serve over the top. Finish with arugula leaves and aged balsamic vinegar. It”™s quick and easy,” Nusser said.

I shared my burrata salad with our friend and Swedish cheese expert Ulla Nylin, owner of VOD Gourmet in Greenwich.

“You know, it tastes like angels handmade this cheese ”“ it”™s very light and delicious.”

Burrata and the revamp Tarry Lodge ”“ the perfect duo on a frosty night.

Tarry Lodge is at 18 Mill St., Port Chester, N.Y. (914) 939-311.

BelGioioso burrata can be purchased at fine specialty stores.

Nancy Dacey of Ridgefield has more than 22 years of experience working in the food service industry. In Dishing It Out, she offers information and suggestions on an array of food-related topics. Reach her at nancyjdacey@msn.com.