Heather Ridge Farm Supper Club

It's always an adventure when dining with FUSSYlittleBLOG. I was lucky enough to dine with Daniel as his guest at Heather Ridge Farm's "Why a Duck?" Supper Club in Preston Hollow. This past Sunday's dinner was all about poultry and Chef Rob Handel designed a 5-course meal with the best of the farm's own pasture-raised birds combined with locally farmed and foraged ingredients. 

Soup: Guinea fowl consomme with guinea fowl confit, foraged goosefoot, and winter squash gnocchi. The broth was wonderfully complex and flavorful but it was the gamey confit that elevated the dish. If you've never had guinea fowl, it's very duck-like.

Salad: Massaged kale, marinated beets, and roasted parsnips tossed in a pear and hazelnut dressing with goose sausage. I'm obsessed with beets but the highlight of this salad was a well-executed and skillfully prepared sausage. Instead of a traditional casing, Chef Rob stuffed the goose sausage into the skin of goose neck! The creativity was mind-blowing. 

Cheese and Charcuterie: Local brovetto cheese, house-made seckle pear mostarda, and turkey and chesnut terrine with foraged garlic seed mustard. I wish this dish could make an appearance at this year's Thanksgiving. The terrine had a delightful center of funky pate that I couldn't get enough of and was savoring every bite of.

Palette cleanser of house-pickled plum.  

Entree: Cider braised chicken with heirloom apples, served over polenta with roasted brussel sprouts. The chicken was fork-tender and braised in house-pressed cider with apples straight from the farm. I'm going to start stealing this recipe for my own chicken dinners.

Dessert: Fives spice cake with Grenada Chocolate Co. ice cream and smoky duck fat caramel. Never would have thought to use a savory spice blend in a cake but the flavors worked so well as a dessert but what I really came for was the duck fat caramel. Don't knock it til you try it! It's as decadent as it sounds. Duck fat adds an incredible richness that dare I say is even better than butter, and transcends caramel to a whole new level.

By the time we arrived, it was pitch black so we weren't able to explore the property but Heather Ridge Farm and the Bees Knees Cafe is open year-round for brunch on the weekends. Learn from our adventures--avoid the GPS-led mountain road at all costs! It'll take you up a "seasonal road" that all the locals know to avoid. If you're not in a military vehicle of any sort, you'll be forced to pray that there's a spot for you to do a three-point turn to back into so you can safely come down the road of death without falling off a steep cliff, or get mauled by an wild animal in the middle of nowhere with no cell or data service.  Props to Daniel for driving us back down safely though. Follow these ones instead, have the farm's number handy in your phone, and have backup directions. Survive and you'll be rewarded by a wonderful and delicious farm-to-table experience!

Stemwinder Wine Bar

I was recently whisked away for a bachelorette weekend in Vermont for some much needed rest and relaxation. We spent most of the day at the spa at the charming Hartness House Inn in Springfield but by the time we got out, most of the shops were already starting to close early. Worried about a repeat of mediocre takeout Chinese from the previous night, we ventured out to the nearest town where we encountered Stemwinder Wine Bar in the ski town of Ludlow. It was love at first sight as we were greeted by the words "duck fat" on the menu. The rest of the menu was an experience to remember:

Oven Roasted Potatoes: These crispy yet creamy potatoes were glistening in duck fat but it was the bits of braised beef brisket and herbed aioli with Plymouth Hunter cheese that made it extra special.

Seasonal Vermont Cheese Board: I can't recall the names of each cheese, just how delicious each nibble was. This particular board was curated with much thought, from the condiments to the bread. The baguette was a house-made bread with "everything bagel" toppings; house-pickled radishes; and a tangy balsamic caramelized onion chutney. Cheeses were a trio of an award-winning cheddar, a cumin infused hard cheese, and by far my favorite, an ash-covered goat cheese.The charcuterie was as delicious as the cheeses; the Vermont-made soppresatta was a particular standout.

Roasted Marrow Canoes: The best bite of the night was hands down these marrow bones. It's meat butter at its best. The marrow is so luxurious but the addition of a bright and acidic jalapeno scallop ceviche cut the richness just enough, elevating this dish to a whole new level. 

For good measure we ordered a salad to balance out all the dishes we were indulging in and even that was phenomenal with elements like roasted beets, grapefruit, and pepitas. A couple glasses of wine and this bachelorette was in food heaven!