Heather took me out to a surprise dinner last night. She didn't even tell me where we were going, just that it was 40 minutes away. We drove to Auburn, a smaller, much more country town then Syracuse, and as we neared the restaurant I correctly guessed that we'd be eating at a farm--what else would prompt us to drive 40 minutes to dinner?
We pulled up to Elderberry Farm Fine Dining and Country Food Store, a beautiful restaurant built on a patch of land in the midst of the 100 acre working farm. The restaurant is an integral part of the farm's business, and was created to showcase the farm's fresh organically grown, seasonal produce. They grow their own veggies, flowers, and herbs, raise their own pigs, and support area NY farms by purchasing their beef and fish. All of their animal products are grass-fed.
"We are proud to promote farms like ours that produce high quality meats by raising their livestock humanely, replacing growth hormones and antibiotics with healthy diets, free access to pasture, and respect for their comfort and well being."
Not only was the idea of eating at an organic, sustainable farm perfect for our new lifestyle, but the food was amazing. Heather had steak, potatoes, and asparagus. The asparagus was some of the best I'd ever tasted--it tasted FRESH, like you could taste the sunshine and good earth in it, and the beef was delicious. It was probably only the second steak I've ever tasted that didn't need any sort of sauce. The meat was so flavorful! I'm sure part of it comes from the talent of the chefs, but you have to attribute it a big portion of it to cows that have been raised with room to grow and natural grass to eat.
I had lobster newberg, a lobster bisque with Maine lobster. Probably the most expensive bowl of soup I've ever eaten, but I'm pretty sure I got to eat the entire lobster in that bowl. Delicious!
To finish off the meal, we split a strawberry rhubarb almond tart--oh so good.
We're excited to have found this hidden gem and you bet we will be coming back. In about a month they will be opening their Country Foods store which will offer an assortment of fresh products from the farm. We can't wait to come back for lunch at the restaurant and a trip to the store! The farmer's market is great, but it will be even more awesome to buy stuff straight from the farm.
In fact, we've heard of a couple of local farms where you can buy their products straight from the owners. We're going to check them out in the near future to see if we can get some great deals on free range, grass fed meat. Since the meat is the most expensive part of our transition, being able to cut out the 'middle man' like the co-op or Wegman's will hopefully make this slightly more affordable.
One last note--I'm roasting a free-range chicken for dinner tonight and steaming some fresh green beans--YUM!
I wish there was something like that around here. Sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteLove you guys.
Dani