Nurturing my inner... small town bistro

Last month I took a little trip out about an hour from here on the invitation of a coworker/friend.  She knew of my interest in organic dining and had the perfect place for us to go not far from where she lived.  It was nice to escape to a less busy area than where I park my car every night, yet only have gone about 45 miles door to door.  With a packed two day itinerary, I'll start my relaying of information with dinner the first night.

Seeing as this was specifically an organic farm-themed boondoggle, naturally (to her) that brought us to Dish in Charleston, West Virginia.  (She had been before with her husband and friends, so she already knew it was amazing.)  It always strikes me as so odd how West Virginia is not really that far away.

Graphically hip sign for starters.

I wasn't sure what to expect, well, this far out.  But because I hear there is a race track nearby, this small town area has drawn a lot of people in recent years.  If there's one thing we learned from Las Vegas, where there is gambling, there is some good eating.  Nice to know those people have discerning taste.  (Well, maybe not with the gambling, but with the restaurants.)

On the menu, this caught my eye:

"At Dish, we strive to create each meal around the wealth of local ingredients found only miles from the restaurant in the lush valleys, mountains, and rolling farmlands of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

We are committed to the amazing farmers, ranchers, and others who make the region so special.  As we continue to face rising food and fuel prices, global uncertainty, and shortages, the notion of local economies becomes not a nice-to-do, but a need-to-do.  Buy local.  Be Local."

I think it's great how more places are learning to rely on local farmers instead of shipping food from across the nation or the world.  That ensures the freshest meal ends up on the end of your fork that night.

A menu, a philosophy. It was both.

The decor was playful, yet minimalistic.  And they had a couple playing jazz music at the entrance.  Delightful.

Clouds on the ceiling! So peaceful.

Let's get to it.  We split an appetizer.  Stuffed mushrooms with blue cheese dipping sauce.

Crunchy topping.

Of course, we had to have a little wine to enhance the food.

Can't go wrong with a Cab.

I opted for grilled salmon over a bed of wilted spinach with golden raisins and pignolis, with pumpkin risotto.  Fantastic!  The sauce was lightly sweet.

Just a light taste of pumpkin in the risotto,
incredible! Salmon perfectly cooked.

My local guide for the weekend got the paella.

Yes, that's sausage. Lots of great flavor.

Though we were full, we couldn't not get dessert.  To even suggest we'd consider skipping it would be a ridiculous thought.  I didn't entertain it for a second.  Here was my choice:

White chocolate, cranberry bread pudding.
Warm, gooey, comforting.

And I had a bite of hers too!  (Yeah, you knew that was coming.)

Personal apple pie with vanilla bean ice cream.
The crust was indescribable.

Uh, could I have been more full?  Answer = no.  Dish truly delivered.  It was a fabulous meal from start to finish and I think it's absolutely wonderful that a dinner like this could be found off the beaten path in a little town in West Virginia.  Just goes to show you, you can find fantastic, organic places all over, in every state.  All you have to do is look for them.  (Or have your coworker do the research for you and then you just get to tag long and enjoy!)

Nurturing my inner... organic farm jazz brunch

When you have your own TV show, you're somewhat expected to always try new places every week.  When you just have your own TV, and no show, you can frequent the same places over and over again as much as you'd like.  And try new menu items at your old haunts, without corporate expectation or contracts written to the contrary.  I'm a big fan of building relationships anyway (with actual people, in person - I know, what a concept) and going to a most reliable, familiar location periodically.  Like a comforting family reunion, you're both happy to see each other.

When a place is as fantastic as Patowmack Farm Restaurant in Lovettsville, VA, after you've gone the first time, you just have to go back for more.  (Plus, the owner greeted me so warmly and with such familiarity from only having met me once before, that I knew I'd be back many times in the future for sure.)  This time I took on the Jazz brunch.  A little live music when you dine is always a nice addition.

Majestic fall view, just preleaf changing.

Bread - Apple: Freshly baked with butter.  What a nice way to start the brunch.  That and a glass of crisp white.

Moist and lightly sweet.

But let's get right to it.

Appetizer:

Soup - Green Apple Consomme: Squash dumpling, puffed barley, sage.

So unusual. The dish came with the dumplings
and barley, then they had the waiter pour the
hot, tart consomme on top right in front of you.

Some of the girls had something a bit more traditional.  Nothing wrong with that.

Salad - Patowmack Farm Autumn Blend: Baby heirloom lettuces, pumpkin seed, aged balsamico.

Delicate and with a bit of crunch.

Intermezzo - Sorbet: Blueberry lemon.



Their sorbets are the right balance of tart
and subtle. So fresh and fruity. A definite
palate cleanser.


Roll - Brioche: Individual-sized, warm, soft, buttery and incredible.

I am told brioche is a terribly hard thing to make
correctly. Well, whoever made these has clearly
mastered the art of brioche. It was beyond words.

Entree (the three choices people in my party had):

Egg and Cheese Biscuit: Surryano ham, poached farm egg, raclette cheese biscuit.

The ham was fantastic. From another local farm.
The center of the biscuit was cut out to
nest the egg. Bean salad underneath.

Broken Arrow Ranch Venison Leg: Rosemary apple puree, celery root rissole, juniper spice pesto.

Not my entree, but I tried it. Loved the
puree and celery root pearls.

Hedgeapple Farm Beef Short Ribs: Spice roasted pumpkin, wilted greens, sweet onion pickles.

So tender, the meat fell off the bone. Do not
underestimate the power of a good sauce.

Beautiful centerpiece.  Fresh flowers in a simple vase.  Nature is so beautiful, we really don't need to waste a bunch of time trying to fancy it up.  It's best to focus on the food prep and presentation, if you ask me.

No expensive decorating necessary.
The variations of purple against
the white were striking.

Dessert (the three choices people in my party had):

Butternut Squash Cheesecake: Cheese strudel, roasted squash, bourbon caramel sauce.

A great idea to cut a small slice and then
edge in chopped nuts. What a presentation.
Shaved white chocolate on top.

Cheese: Chef's selection with accompaniments.

Crackers, fruit compote, marcona almonds.

Brown Butter Pear Financier: Lemon cream, lemon confit, lemon sphere.

The lemon sphere was like a grape-shaped ball
of gelatin. Modern kitchen techniques are
nearly beyond my grasp of comprehension.

It was gorgeous, fall weather that day.  Sunny, bright and the foliage was so lush.  Here are some of us by the gazebo.  (That you can have set up for a special party of up to about eight in nice weather.  Count on me doing that next Spring.)

Jordan, Lauren, Megan and me.

I have no idea what this weird thing is.  Looks like a twiggy little treehouse.  Very strange.  Yet, interesting all the same.  So of course, I had to take a picture.  Who wouldn't?

Creative? Strange? You decide.

It's just such a fantastic place, I wish I could go to Patowmack Farm Restaurant once every month to experience their ever changing menu.  If they were located just a wee bit closer to me, trust me, I would.  But I'll tell you, the drive from anywhere is well worth it.  I'm gathering up a few friends in hopes of going back very, very soon.

Nurturing my inner... wiser choice

New product alert.  Or what I like to call a BSE.  (Best Stuff Ever)  Look for more BSEs to come.  By the way, if they are not actually brand new products on the market, they are at least new to me.  And in my book, that's good enough to write about!  Why keep a good thing to myself.  That's one of my philosophies in life.  Look for more BSEs to come.

Bissinger's Gummy Pandas.  Made with organic sweeteners.  I tried the Blueberry Acai and loved them.  So now you must know of them too.

Deliciously sweet and not full of processed junk.

Does a gummy panda look any different from a gummy bear?  I think no.  But that's their call.

 

Fruity and fun! A few go a long way when
your sweet tooth is tugging at you.

Other flavors: Pomegranate White Tea, Pink Grapefruit with Grapeseed, Goji Guava Camu Camu, Apricot Green Tea and Raspberry Yumberry.  (What in the heck is a "yumberry"?) 

When I'm having a craving for a little candy, somehow I just feel better when I chose an option that is at least made with natural sweeteners.  Even though the world is full of readily available, overly processed, high fructose options, there are always smarter choices available.  If you just know where to look.  And let's face it, I'm not planning on giving up candy any time soon.  ("Candy, candy, candy I can't let you go.")  So in short, I may not always make the right choice, but I sure am glad when I do.

Nurturing my inner... organic farm prix fixe

Boy are you in for a treat today! I searched the web for organic restaurants in the Northern Virginia area, and this one caught my eye: Patowmack Farm Restaurant in Lovettsville, VA. http://www.patowmackfarm.com/

If I do one thing today, I'm going to dig deep into any possible literary skills I possess and try to capture the true essence of the dining wonder this experience was.  Every detail.  Which is not going to be easy, because it was simply out of this world and I was a graphic design major!  To me I say - bonne chance!

Things you need to know:

1.) Chef Christopher Edwards is an artist.  Not a cook.  His colors blossom straight from nature, his textures evolve from deft pairing and his flavors are complex and other worldly.  (And since you can't eat a canvas, this really may rank higher on your list of creative things in which to partake.)

2.) Beverly Morton Billand and her husband Chuck started this restaurant in 1998 after 10+ years of organic farming on their lovely homestead high on a hilltop in Loudoun County.  I love when someone not only lives their dream, but they share it with others. Generously.

3.) It's 100% certified organic as their philosophy has remained (and I quote from their website): "farm the land using sustainable farming methods without chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides."  Menu changes monthly and even daily depending on what is the freshest at the moment.  Our waitress said this and it stuck with me, "Chef Edwards chooses his menu at the start of every day and this would be what he would serve you if you were coming over to his house for dinner."  Honestly, it doesn't get more special than that.

Get ready for many photos today.  I'm taking you on a virtual tour of the most incredible six course dinner I've had thus far in my humble and not very well traveled lifetime.  Take it all in...

Patowmack Farm is approximately 45 minutes from my place.  Our seating was Friday at 6:30 pm and with holiday traffic, it took us about 1 1/2 hours.  Gorgeous day out, so the drive was okay by me!  (We really must stop living in a fast food/drive thru world and enjoy the journey.)  Here in Northern Virginia, we are used to densely populated areas with lots of houses and businesses.  Yet, traveling as little as 45 miles South and West, I found myself transported to a completely different world.  Once we got outside of Leesburg, the rolling country hillside appeared in magnificent splendor!  (Which made me grateful for GPS, as we only saw one tiny sign for the restaurant just before our ascent up a steep, gravel incline with not another thing in site.... until we crested the hill...)

Entryway to the restaurant. Like a
secret garden.

Unassuming?  Perhaps.  But just you wait.  (Note: Tent above is for outdoor seating on a patio for special occasions.)

Gazebo set with special date table,
like out of a movie!  I need to find a
boyfriend who will take me there!

The Arboretum - Aka, the green house dining room.  It is set on the perfect place on the property with a far and wide view of the side of the mountain.  I imagine it is spectacular in the fall.  (I intend to recruit some friends and find out.)

A green house that grows the appetites
of people.

When they seat you, and you do need reservations as they fill up, you are greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable wait staff along with a prix fixe menu that is personalized with the name of your party.  (Like you are royalty, I suppose.)  You'll soon see it's the tiny but delightful details Patowmack Farm goes the extra mile on that makes all the difference.

View from inside the dining area when it got darker.  The twinkle lights were darling.  Very simple, rustic yet elegant space.  No need to take away from the incredible food by overpowering you with visual clutter.

Lanterns were there because the Chef was
married the night before. Hungry patrons
awaited, so his honeymoon would have
to wait a few months.

The ala carte menu looked great as well, but honestly, I fell in love with the six courses and just could not say no. If you're gonna haul your inner anything out 45 miles into the country, you need to just go for it with full on abandon. Every day can only be lived once.

My name on the menu was certainly
a surprise!

Wine: Elizabeth Spencer, Sauvignon Blanc, 2009, Mendocino.  Though I'm traditionally a red wine drinker, the menu and temperature just begged me to go white.  The Elizabeth Spencer was a perfect choice of summery, subtle softness and cool, crisp freshness on my palate, which would not detract from the flavors of the courses.  The wine steward said later on that he too was more of a red wine drinker, but he had been so impressed with this white as well, that he had become a huge fan.  (I didn't take a picture of the bottle when he had come over to pour it because I thought he might find me a little too weird.)

Amuse bouche - Tomato gaspacho: Fresh yellow tomatoes and crispy, buttery bread crumbs.

Light, fresh and the bread crumbs made
this like a liquid bruschetta.

Bread - Peach bread: With soft butter.

Warm out of the oven, slightly dense, sweet
with brown sugar mixture topping.

Appetizer - Peekytoe Crab Cocktail: Avocado, tomato jelly, horseradish.

Tomato jelly was cut into tiny blocks and
the horseradish was shaved. I think the
herb was chive leaves.

Pasta - Tortellini of Cherry Glen Chevre: Shaved beets, beet greens, sweet onion compote.

Bulls eye beets, homemade pasta sitting on onion
puree, loved the dish with individual sections.
Cherry Glen is local and their cheese is amazing!

Fish - Grilled Seabass: Escabeche marinade, roasted fingerling potatoes, wild arugula.

The skin was crispy and edible; the onion compote
was lightly tart and vinegary.

Intermezzo - Sorbet: Peach and cherry blend.

The perfect palate cleanser in a chilled glass
with a demitasse spoon.

Bread - A roll: With butter.

Simple, light, buttered by me.

Main entree - Briars Farmstead Freedom Ranger Chicken: A variety of summer squash, button mushrooms, rosemary chicken jus.

They made the zucchini and squash into little
pearls, which somehow made them taste even
better. Underneath very moist chicken was a
rosemary puree and the sauce was incredible!

Apple Bing Soo: Tempura apples, sweet red beans, tomato pearls.

Apple and beans and tomato sounds odd,
but it worked! Soo is the name of
the pastry chef.

Patowmack Farm Restaurant was so flexible as well.  They said they are happy to accommodate vegetarians, so I knew it was worth asking my simple request.  I had read about this one dessert online, in preparation for my evening, that they were offering this time of year as well and I just had to have it.  Kindly, they had no issue switching it out for me.  Which puts them up yet another notch in my book.  That was one classy act of accommodation for a total unknown foodie.  And sweet goodness, it was everything I thought it would be.

Sweet Corn Custard: Bourbon caramel, broiled peach, corn shoots.

Buttery spun sugar and tiny popped kernels of 
some grain I can't remember tasted just
like popcorn, only it was mini-sized.

Coffee: Sweetener was raw sugar made into a simple syrup that had been steeped with a vanilla bean.  Brilliant!

Flavored sweeter, so delightful.

Surprise treat: Coffee macaroons.

Chewy and perfect compliment with coffee.

The menu came back to us rolled up nicely to take as a great reminder.

Loved the beveled mirror, vase with rocks and
water and mini oil lamp centerpieces.

I need to specially note that the owner (lovely woman) came by twice to ask us how everything was and the chef came out and greeted us as well.  Such a humble spirit he had for someone who just made probably the best meal I've ever had.  So, I made sure to give them specific feedback in detail.  They deserved the same kind of return attention that they had given me in the previous two and a half hours.

This evening had been a completely organic (which makes a difference) and amazing experience from start to finish. From the original flavor combinations to creative, artistic presentation.  Not a single detail was void of complete tender love and care.  Even the soap in the bathroom was organic.  (Yes, I did use my camera in the ladies room just for you.)

Not one detail was missed and trust me,
 I looked at everything.

And what would a fun night be without a picture of me with my cousin, who was kindly willing to accompany me on this wonderful culinary journey, looking very full and happy.

Me and Sheryl, aka, the cousins.

I know I will dream about this world class meal I had at Patowmack Farm Restaurant for years to come.  (Do you think they'd let me come out one day and see the behind the scenes magic preparation in the kitchen? Guess I'd better become famous first.)  The impression the night left on me is indelible.  It's amazing how special you feel when someone treats you like a princess.  We all can appreciate that now and then.  I want to remember to take time to focus on all the little details next time I throw a dinner party for friends.  So they too can feel extra special.

And before I forget - Ladies Sunday Brunch at Patowmack Farm Restaurant in the fall anyone?  They said they can fit six to eight of us in the gazebo outside.  Come on!