Even though it was just this past July that we snuck off to Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania to conquer a culinary adventure, it will forever be a journey that is something to brag about.
The upstate Pennsylvania mountain village, once said to be “the town time forgot,” is quaint and quintessential, allowing you to—even if for a few days—step in and slow down.
As we approached the front porch, where guests casually rocked in their chairs, and entered the three-story, 133-year-old town house, we knew that this stay was far from the standard, classically-styled inn. The staff, progressive-thinking and mostly young thirty-somethings (half the age of typical innkeepers), paired their introductions with the gifting of our two-day itinerary, one that boasted beer pairings and dinners, farmer meet-and-greets and tours, and even a butchering course.
Stop 1: Eagles Mere Inn, Local Beer Tasting Dinner
1 Mary Ave., Eagles Mere
www.eaglesmereinn.com
Seated in the inn’s white linen dining room lined with colonial accessories, we took a swig of the first featured pour. The Coffee Saison, from Williamsport-based Bullfrog Brewing, satisfyingly juxtaposed bitter coffee flavor with sweet saison yeasts. Pairing the complex beer with a simplistic vegetable soup seemed easy enough. However, with Chef Toby Diltz’s adventurous spirit in check, he topped the first slurps with a gorgeous butter and sherry-dosed lobster tail and made each plate pop by accenting them with purple lemon basil handpicked from his garden which sits across-the-street.
Soon, we were knocking back glasses of Futhermore’s peppercorn-laced Knotstock, while gobbling forkfuls of the evening’s dish that deserved a trumpeted overture, the duck confit. Sided with fresh-from-the-tree Bing cherries and organic micro greens, the crispy and crunchy award-worthy entree was sophisticated and refined, and made it quite clear that the soft-spoken innkeeper/chef was a master at his craft.
The courses beautifully unfolded from there, featuring a locally-sourced grass-fed beef loin with honey- and herb-roasted pearl onions. Bullfrog Brewery was again highlighted in our feast, this time with their 2007 Friar Frog Dubbel. The evening’s closer of a subtle and spongy chocolate oatmeal stout cake topped with house-made blueberry ice cream proved that we may just skip breakfast, lunch and dinner, and only eat dessert for the rest of the trip. Of course, the final beer course was just as sweet—sips of Grado Plato’s Chocarrubica and Brewdog’s Tokio Imperial Stout.
Stop 2: Blind Pig Pub
1 Mary Ave., Eagles Mere
eaglesmereinn.com/pub
Sneak downstairs at the Eagles Mere Inn and you will encounter Chef Toby Diltz’s take on a craft beer gastropub. Open to the public (not just inn guests), the iconic pub is petite and particular, touting an extensive craft beer list that could easily stand-up to savvy, urban beer bars. While Blind Pig may be the only haunt in Eagles Mere that aims to carry beers beyond just domestics, it is the knowledge of the innkeeper that makes this spot shine. His 50-deep bottle list is handpicked, highlighting a few craft beer industry heavy-hitters (Dogfish Head, Founder’s, Stone Brewery) amongst hard-to-finds, with a few taps dedicated to local breweries (Berwick Brewing, Bullfrog).
Persistent and dedicated, Diltz spent a large portion of his time getting the microbrewery selections in house, and we surely appreciate his efforts.
When you go: Take a peek at the house rules. You don’t want to miss these!
Stop 3: Dancing Hen Farm
55 Toy Factory Road, Stillwater
dancinghenfarm.com
Farmers Don Hess and Joan Miller manage a small, hands-on and prosperous operation that focuses on growing endless varieties of organic vegetables and farm fresh, pastured eggs. Don, working in the restaurant industry for years, always dreamed of a retirement where he pursued farming in the same vicinity as his ancestors had farmed in the early 1800s. And, after sampling a bountiful lunch showcasing his farm’s in-season goods, we couldn’t be anymore pleased that he is achieving his dream. From grilled grass-fed beef burgers crafted with his own Chinese mustard and generous slices of eight ball zucchinis, to a heaping salad of handpicked cherry tomatoes, salad mix and radishes, we developed a new appreciation for the art of crafting a “backyard” meal. Also, it must be said, farm intern Ellen crafts an incredible basil cheesecake.
Stop 4: Berwick Brewing Company
328 W. Front Street, Berwick
berwickbrewing.com
First, in short, here’s the Berwick skinny: The Berwick-based brewery was first One Guy Brewing (the one “guy” being Guy Hagner), circa 2008. Then, circa 2009, with partner Tom Clark in check, they become Berwick Brewing Company. Now, as of July 2011, the partners have agreed to go their separate ways, with One Guy Brewing re-opening as a Hagner-only project and Berwick Brewing being a Clark-only project.
So, in the middle of these changes (which are all the talk in many beer circles), we visited Berwick and get a one-on-one with Clark. But visiting a brewery is supposed to be all about the beer and oh how it was. While we were in the house, Clark and his gang happened to be concocting their money-maker, the Berwick Lager, which is a solid American Amber with a nice and spicy hop finish.
The brewing company, cozy in a brick-lined warehouse, also hosts an outdoor beer garden and a surprisingly spacious taproom. While we sampled a wide-variety of their finely-crafted ales (loved the Hefeweizen and the Atomic Punk IPA), we were able to peek into the tasting room’s kitchen which only serves up flatbreads for guests (we suggest grabbing a few landjager rounds).
When you go: Berwick’s annual Oktoberfest is a must-attend event, occurring this year from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2. Details on this year’s celebration available by clicking here.
Stop 5: Forks Farm
299 Covered Bridge Rd, Orangeville
forksfarmmarket.com
Immediately, as we stepped out of the car and onto Forks’ Farm, we knew that we could feel good about anything we eat from this sustainable, pasture-raised foods farm. Farmers John and Todd Hopkins, farming since 1992, have an incredible respect for their land and their animals, and have made it their mission to be the county (and beyond’s) local source for fresh, clean, high-quality, pastured poultry, eggs, beef, lamb and pork.
During our recent visit, we were able to get down-and-dirty with Woodlot mama pigs, who spend their summer grazing and rooting on the farm’s spacious setting. In the winter, the pigs are nourished by eating seeds of hickory, oak and cherry trees, and from sampling a cut of the Hopkins’ pork, both lifestyles and diets make an incomparable difference to the meat you eat. Todd, fond of each and every animal on their Orangeville property, travels weekly to farmers’ markets in nearby counties, making their produce and meats available to larger audiences.
Stop 6: Ricketts Glen State Park
Pennsylvania 487, Benton
rickettsglen.info
After a two-day beer-drinking and local eats-grubbing adventure in Eagles Mere, it is certain that hiking the Ricketts Glen waterfall trails are in order. Since Ricketts Glen harbors the Glens Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark, hikers are able to explore an eye-catching adventure of over 22 named waterfalls, with the largest being the 94-foot Ganoga Falls. There is also a 600-foot beach, the 245-acre Lake Jean is available for boating (and yes, boat rentals are offered), numerous campsites and waterfall-less trails, and much more.
Explore the various waterfalls via this tour on YouTube, by clicking here.
We send a big “thank you” to the hospitable crew of Eagles Mere Inn, especially to Chef Toby Diltz for his generosity and accommodating nature throughout our entire farm-focused adventure! We look forward to revisiting in the near future!
Recreate our Eagles Mere Dish Trip by following our TripLine map by clicking here.
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Photo credit: Amy Strauss and Bob Scott. More photos available by clicking here.
