The eye of newt turns out to be considerably more appetizing than advertised. At the Culinary Institute of America’s Halloween supper club, freshly shucked oysters, black winter truffles, and roasted duck share the bill with conjurers and fortune-tellers. On October 31, “Shadows and Spirits: A Hex and Harvest Supper Club” brings a Gilded Age banquet’s lavish spirit to Hyde Park, with four courses inspired by the Hudson Valley’s harvest and haunted imagination.
Beginning at 6:30pm, the evening pairs dinner with theatrical intrigue in Farquharson Hall. Hosts Mrs. Lenora Van Alstyne and her cousin, Mr. Percival Finch, preside over the proceedings, with Finch’s fascination with regional folklore apparently testing his cousin’s patience. A “Hex on the Rocks” cocktail hour gets things started; wine and spirits pairings continue throughout the meal. Between courses, guests can expect close-up conjurers, cartomancers—fortune-tellers who read cards—and secrets to unravel before dessert arrives.
The menu follows a progression through river, earth, forest, and a final spirits feast. Course one, “Eye of Newt & Catch of the Crypt & Graveyard Greens,” opens with oysters served as guests take their seats, a nod to the protocols of a lavish 19th-century banquet. A reimagined Waldorf salad follows, combining Hudson Valley heirloom apples, celery, and toasted walnuts in a salute to 1890s New York high society.
“Cauldron of Squash” takes the evening underground with a velvety celeriac and honeynut squash soup poured tableside. Foie gras terrine and shaved black winter truffle supply the Gilded Age extravagance, while a splash of Calvados brings an autumnal apple finish. It’s a course that takes the cauldron considerably beyond its usual witching duties.
For the forest course, “Roasted Duck à la Sleepy Hollow” invokes the region’s most famous galloping specter. Sorghum-glazed duck breast and leg confit anchor the plate, accompanied by braised savoy cabbage and late-harvest root vegetables. The centerpiece recalls the roasted game birds that figured prominently in extravagant Gilded Age feasts.
Dessert delivers “Last Rites”: tarte Tatin with beet caramel and cultured crème fraîche ice cream. The upside-down apple tart returns the meal to the region’s orchards, while the caramel’s blood-red hue supplies an appropriately macabre flourish. There are worse ways to meet your end.
The supper club also offers an introduction to a campus with plenty of reasons to return. American Bounty showcases Hudson Valley ingredients in regional dishes; The Bocuse Restaurant interprets French classics through modern techniques; and Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici focuses on regional Italian cuisine. Apple Pie Bakery Café provides a casual stop for sweet and savory selections prepared by students under faculty instruction.
For visitors eager to sharpen their own skills, the CIA offers single-day cooking and baking classes, beverage classes, and multi-day Boot Camps. The CIA Experience combines a taste demonstration, a Roth Hall tour, and a student Q&A.
Tickets are $285 per person, prepaid, including food, beverages, tax, and the Student Support Service Charge. Reserve through OpenTable for October 31 at the CIA, 1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park.
