Ryan Bartlow

It’s peak produce season on the East End, however briefly. (Photo by Susan Wood via Getty Images.) T here’s a scene in the 1989 film Weekend at Bernie’s where the two protagonists are treading water in the open ocean, their dead boss floating beside them like a pool toy, and one of them declares that this is, in fact, “the perfect weekend.” Corpse and all. I think about that scene more than I probably should.

Ryan Bartlow (left) in the kitchen of Chez Noir, in Carmel, with Chez Noir’s chef-owner Jonny Black and Luigi Petrocelli. (Photo by Joshua Rose via Instagram/@cheznoircarmel.) It was about 4:00 p.m. West Coast time when the texts started rolling in. Chef, it’s pretty brutal here in the dining room. Just letting you know. Bartolo’s CDC was checking in to remind me how hot it was getting in Manhattan. The first New York heatwave had landed, and our HVAC was choking.

Credit: Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 1 hr 10 mins Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins Servings: 6 to 8 Yield: 16 croquetas Simmering the chicken in seasoned milk makes the meat super tender — and gives you a flavorful base for the creamy béchamel sauce, which ties together the filling.