Before diving into Part Two of Dish Trip’s Ken Alan’s recent trek to Mohonk Mountain House below, be sure to read Part One – available by clicking here. Ken Alan, along with Dish Trip’s photog Allison Benford, hit the upstate New York resort early February for a locally-inspired and -themed weekend.
Along with Ric and Liz, we are seated with Lexi Van de Walle, aka “The Lighthearted Locavore,” an advocate for Hudson Valley foods and farmers, and next to me is Chef John Novi who, since 1969 at his Depuy Canal House, has been considered the progenitor of the Hudson Valley’s food scene. A 1984 article in Time magazine famously dubbed Novi as “the Father of New American Cuisine.”
The first bottle of Whitecliff wine is ordered and un-corked. It won’t be the last.
Allison and I both request the Locavore Menu which has has been specially-designed and produced by John and Ric – Chef Novi with his Foie Gras Pate & Spinach Mouse, Fennel and Mirin Puree, the creamy silkiness tucked whimsically into a “Nun’s Rice Paper Habit” and garnished with Pickled Red Beet Rose. (How can we dine in the Hudson Valley and NOT eat its famed foie gras?)
Chef Orlando has the kitchen follow up with a signature entrée of his own making – buttery Montauk Lobster with Wild Hive Grits, Sausage, Swiss Chard and Local Peppers. I haven’t had anything this authentically-Creole and so amazingly flavorful since my visit to New Orleans one year prior.
The perfect meal becomes complete thanks to a Warm Apple Walnut Cake produced by featured guest, Pastry Chef Derek Corsino.
As we finally depart and waddle and slosh away from our new friends, Allison and I make our way down to that lounge we’d spied earlier. For some the party is just getting revved up, but I have a date with a treadmill at 6 a.m. in the Fitness Center, so I call it a night. Allison lifts her final chardonnay in salutation.
It’s no surprise that Allison begs off breakfast the next morning to sleep in. At 11 a.m., we attend a mini-cake decorating workshop with Chef Derek from Corsino Cakes who had tempted our sweet tooth during dessert the night before. Now, it’s time to have fun with fondant, get creative with butter cream, pipe pearls and polka dots as our cakes become tiny frosted masterpieces – or so we hope.
The best part of Derek’s demo is in watching the kids in attendance as they each completely blow away their respective parents with some truly creative cake decorating.
As if we haven’t fully engorged ourselves throughout our visit – a one-night, two-day sojourn at Mohonk that, in reality, seems to last much longer thanks to the utter relaxing indulgences we’ve beheld – Sunday brunch beckons.
At 1 p.m. and check out, we get to spend a bit of time with our hostess, Nina Smiley, who truly typifies her Mountain House through her easy, hospitable and legitimate demeanor. We bid Nina goodbye, head to my car and start back down that winding road and toward home.
I instinctively plug in my GPS and Mr. Londoner commands me authoritatively to “turn left and proceed south onto Route Three Hundred!”
I pull his plug yet again, wishing, like before, we were heading north.
Click HERE to view scenes from Dish Trip’s entire Mohonk Mountain House visit, courtesy of Allison Benford, Bonsai Doll Fern Photography.
The Brandywine Valley Wine Trail is made up of seven beautiful estate vineyards and wineries in Chester County, PA, including Black Walnut Winery, Chaddsford Winery, Kreutz Creek Vineyards, Paradocx Vineyard, Patone Cellars, Penns Woods Winery, and Twin Brook Winery. Learn more about the trail by visiting bvwinetrail.com.
