Greenpoint’s Maison Jar (566 Leonard St.) is a low-waste grocery store with a mission to be sustainable, accessible, and transparent. The store stocks food and household items in bulk that are dispensed from silos or bought in reusable containers. Owner Lara Vitoux came across package-free stores in her native France and saw a need here in the United States, leading her to open Maison Jar.
On Saturday, October 21, Vitoux is teaming up with Maison Jar customer Dan Mollitor of DM Dinners Supper Club to offer a four-course seasonal tasting menu at the store.
Mollitor has many talents, working as a science teacher by day and avid chef by night, cooking in kitchens part time for the past 10 years. He started the supper club series out of his home, using products from his favorite local spots like Greenpoint Fish, Nassau Meat Market, Monger’s Palate, Eastern District, and, of course, Maison Jar. Plus, he recently returned from a post at a Michelin-starred kitchen in Italy.
“All of my menus are seasonally driven and incorporate almost all regional produce and sustainably processed animals,” Mollitor explained. “I absolutely love Lara and the mantra she has faithfully adopted at Maison Jar.”
Vitoux told Greenpointers that the collaboration took shape after Mollitor became a frequent customer at Maison Jar and shared supper club menu details with her when he shopped. “One day, I told him he should host one at the store! He loved the idea, and here we are,” Vitoux said.
The DM Dinners Supper Club event is taking place this Saturday, October 21, at 8:30 p.m. at Maison Jar. The menu is four courses plus an amuse bouche trio beforehand. “This dinner is all seafood-based and will highlight products from Greenpoint Fish,” Mollitor said.
The first course is a flash-cured yellowfin crudo in a white ponzu sauce with aji dulce, melon pearls, and fried and fresh herbs. The second course is chilled spaghetti gazpacho with a torched Montauk scallop, Eckerton Farm peppers, heirloom tomatoes, candied pumpkin seeds, and basil.
The third course is seared Spanish octopus in a ‘nduja ragu with young fennel, puffed risotto, and caper-frond dust. The fourth and final course is a summer corn sundae with corn husk cardamom ice cream, burnt coconut toffee cake, and black sesame crumble with San Juan Doña Josefa chocolate.
Many of the ingredients used in the menu are from Maison Jar including the spaghetti, arborio rice, sushi rice, pumpkin seeds, fennel bulbs, potatoes, tomatoes, mustard seeds, and cardamom pods.
Vitoux told Greenpointers that she is expecting 30 guests at the dinner. “Everyone will be seated in tables of 10, 8 and 6 for conviviality,” she said, adding that the event is BYOB-friendly and will include live music.
As of publication, the dinner has 16 open spots. To reserve a spot, message @dm_dinners on Instagram.