Ciabatta Bread: 5 Tips by Sheena Otto, Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria’s Head Baker

"During her time at Il Buco, Otto has developed their bread program to incorporate a slow fermentation process and specialty flours, including one from Sicily. In addition to Il Buco’s classic breads like ciabatta, focaccia fino, and filone, Otto added breads like a naturally fermented buckwheat and a bourbon raisin fennel bread. But Italian breads are still at the root of Il Buco’s bread program, and Otto’s bread wizardry has ensured the restaurant, market, and café serve some of the best bread in New York City."

We are open in Montauk for a season, taking over the restaurant space of Donna's lifelong friends Fernando Trocca & Martin Pittaluga who will be staying in Santa Teresita this summer.  With Chef Justin Smillie at the helm, Donna brings her passion for relaxed and unstudied fine dining to il Buco at Mostrador Marram, offering abundant counter service of savory meats, local seafood, local vegetables, and housemade bread and pastries from il Buco Alimentari. 

From the Wall Street Journal: 

"What is particularly remarkable is how the restaurants have established operations in the East End so quickly, signing lease deals or working out other arrangements just weeks ago.

'It was totally crazy. It was just like, ‘Let’s do this,’ said Donna Lennard, owner of Il Buco and Il Buco Alimentari, who formed a partnership with the Marram hotel in Montauk to bring her Italian-influenced dining concept there this summer. Ms. Lennard said she didn’t even start talking with the property about the idea until late May."

You can read the full article here. See you on the beach! 

Photo Credit: Paul Brissman 

Florence Fabricant spotlights il Buco Vita's 2nd street showroom in her weekly Front Burner column for the New York Times food section.

"Since 2013, Donna Lennard, the owner of Il Buco and Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria in NoHo, has been selling country-style Italian tableware and home accessories from a loft near the restaurants. Now, Il Buco Vita has a new permanent home nearby. Earth tones dominate the pottery, glass, dinnerware, pitchers and serving pieces. There are rustic cutting boards, soft linens and throws, small paintings of food and landscapes, some vintage items, cookware and twisted beeswax candles with double wicks. Most of what’s on display is also sold online."