Hillary Clinton: former first lady, U.S. senator, secretary of state -- and wine ice cream enthusiast.
Clinton played food critic and made a list for Thrillist of her favorite places to dine in New York on Monday, a day before the state's crucial primary.
Drawing on her experience as the senator from New York for eight years, Clinton put together a surprisingly extensive collection of 14 recommended spots, sprinkled with anecdotes from her visits.
"One of the best parts of representing New York as U.S. senator was getting to experience everything our big, diverse state has to offer," she wrote. "As I traveled all over the state, I logged a lot of miles and ate a lot of wonderful meals. Here's a short, certainly incomplete and constantly growing list of not-to-be-missed dining experiences across New York."
Here are some highlights:
Mercer's Dairy
Clinton is effusive in her praise of Mercer's in Boonville, New York, sharing this fantastic anecdote:
"Three words: wine ice cream. As a senator, I started something called New York Farm Day. We'd bring producers from all over the state to Washington to show off the best New York has to offer. One year, we had a winemaker set up next to a family-owned ice cream maker. Long story short, someone was having a really good time, and after a few glasses of wine, they poured some cabernet over a bowl of ice cream. Soon everyone was trying it. Today, Mercer's exports its wine ice cream to 15 countries. Chocolate cabernet, strawberry sparkling, raspberry chardonnay, cherry merlot -- you really can't go wrong."
Gianelli Sausage
"They say there are two things you don't want to see made: laws and sausages," Clinton said of the North Syracuse spot. "I know plenty about the first, but when it comes to sausages, I trust the experts."
Lange's Little Store
She calls the coffee shop "Bill's and my favorite neighborhood spot" in hometown Chappaqua.
"The only thing better than the coffee and sandwiches is getting to catch up with all the friends who drift in and out all day long," she said.
Hillstone
"Fact: Hillstone's veggie burgers are so good, you can't tell the difference. My vegan husband swears by them," she wrote of the NYC restaurant, teasing the former president's late-in-life palate refinement.
The Red Rooster
It turns out even Hillary Clinton likes brunch.
"If you're lucky enough to find yourself there on a Sunday, settle in for gospel brunch. Best of all, owner Marcus Samuelsson isn't just a phenomenal chef -- he's a great guy who promotes healthy eating all over New York City," she said.
And she says it's one of Bill's "beloved, go-to" restaurants.
