(All photos are courtesy of the Istanbul Culinary Institute.)

A Traveler Attends the Istanbul Culinary Institute

By Emilie C. Harting

Were it not for the large letters “Istanbul Culinary Institute” above the front entrance, one would assume that the restaurant Enstitu was an elegant café in a row of buildings next to the Pera Museum southeast of Taksim Square.  On a clear day locals and tourists sit under umbrellas on either side of the front door, or wander inside to eat and shop for gourmet food.

Fehmi Samanci, Istanbul Culinary Institute teacher.

I’d been traveling in Turkey for several weeks, and near the end of the trip I arrived at the Institute to take an individual Amateur Cooking Class, one of an array of classes, tours, and other programs for travelers.

“As you probably know, not all Turkish cuisine is gyros and kabobs,” said head chef instructor Fehmi Samanci as we entered the long, sun-filled classroom with stoves and refrigerators on either side.

Appetizers, eggplant, salad on top.

“Would you like to watch me as I explain the steps, or do you want to cook with me?”    Fehmi began setting out a number of bowls, pots, stirrers and measurers out on the long metal table that ran down the middle of the room.

Eager to learn from such an accomplished chef, I said I’d like to participate.

When I asked him how he became a chef, Fehmi said that he’d grown up watching his mother cook, and  when he was thinking about a career he saw there was a real need for educated chefs.  “So I learned to teach them,” he said with a slight giggle.   “And to teach non chefs like yourself.  I also enjoy going to cities like New York and London to demonstrate Turkish cooking at culinary institutes and TV stations.”

“Let’s make three basic Turkish dishes: eggplant salad (patlican salatasi), braised fish (balik pilakisi), and zucchini fritters (mücver).  We’ll do the slicing and chopping for each as the others are cooking.”

By then I’d learned that the first course in many Turkish restaurants is the Meze, the appetizer.    Soon after the guests sit down, a waiter comes out with a huge tray of twelve to eighteen appetizers, each in a small bowl.  A diner picks out three or so.  Ironically, I’d avoided the eggplant salad because it looked like ochre colored paste without much texture. It also looked dull compared to dishes with tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and olives.

Students at work.

“Eggplant salad is one of the most popular appetizers in the country,” Fehmi told me.  “We can either bake the eggplants in the oven or cook them on our grill.”   I looked around for a portable grill and saw that he was placing the eggplants in a standing up position over burners on the gas stove.  “We’ll keep them here until the skins bubble.”

As the eggplants cooked, we went on to the braised fish.  Fehmi chose sea bream because it was in season in the late spring.     (I’d had it a few times at small fish restaurants, and it was delicious.  The soft white fish absorbs the flavor of the tomatoes and herbs!)    He said that orange roughy, snapper, or sea bass would be good substitutes in the United States. After slicing onions and frying them in olive oil, we chopped a few springs of  parsley, concussed  (rough chopped)  tomatoes which we’d peeled after dipping them in boiling water, and mixed in mashed garlic, salt and pepper.  We placed half of the mixture in the bottom of a baking pot and lay the filets in before putting the remaining sauce on top and covering the pot.

“It’s important to have a sauce that’s not too thick or it will draw down the flavor,” Fehmi said as he placed the covered pot in the middle of the hot oven. “Also, it should not be cooked too fast.”

While the fish baked, we started the zucchini fritters.  We washed and grated the zucchini, pressed batches of it between our hands with paper towels to make sure all the liquid was out, and put it aside while we chopped scallions and dill, crumbled up feta cheese,  beat eggs, and mixed all of the ingredients together.  We then added the flour, little by little, along with the pepper and salt.  Fehmi said there were two methods of cooking the fritters, either baking or frying.  Since frying is quicker, we poured spoonfuls of the mixture into a pan of olive oil, let the fritters get golden brown on each side, and then rested them on a paper towel to draw out the excess fat.

Farm at Saros.

“Bon Appetit,” said Fehmi and Hande Bozdogan, the owner/director of the Instiute who had come to join us at an eating table near the window.

When I told Hande how delicious and natural the food tasted, she said the aim of both their restaurant, Enstitu, and the Culinary Institute was to make the healthiest food possible.  “We don’t use much butter, and avoid other dairy products, except the modest cheeses that give flavor, such as in your zucchini fritters, and yogurt in some dishes”

As we sat, Hande told me about how she has been heavily influenced by Anatolian cuisine that is typical of the interior of Turkey.  She owns a farm in Saros, two hours north of Istanbul near the Greek border.  Each day a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs are transported from the farm to the restaurant and training kitchens.   The list was mouthwatering: tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, okra, artichokes, thyme, basil, and mint, as well as apples, pears, pomegranates, quince, and mulberries.    “It’s important to get the food from the farm to the table as soon as it is picked.  We have a steady clientele of local business people who come because they want healthy food that’s cooked without pretension.  I hope we don’t lose the simplicity of Turkish food with the current trend to make food look fancier than it actually is.  We have such a rich culinary history with Ottoman, Greek, and Arab dishes.”  Hande talked about the book she wrote on street food, which she said is fascinating.  You learn how basic Turkish food is cooked because the dishes are created before your eyes.

I asked Hande and Fehmi about their favorite spices.   Almost speaking together, they said many fresh herbs plus red pepper flakes, cumin, sumac powder, oregano, saffron, and lots of cinnamon and cloves.  “We often take students to the spice market and fish market first before we cook,”

I came away from the lesson with a better appreciation of the food I’d been loving in Western Turkey. I’d also picked up tips on how to hold knives, chop, braise, and, above all, to make simple ingredients more tasty.

Even more: Watch an interview with Hande Bozdogan on http://tinyurl.com/27mbcnt. Her book Flavors of the Street: Turkey won the Gourmand Award in 2005, and is available on Amazon.  Istanbul: Contemporary Cuisine also received awards and will also be available soon on Amazon.

For more of Emilie C. Harting’s work visit: www.emilieharting.com. She can be reached at echarting@gmail.com and her blog is: echarting@wordpress.com.

Award Winning Chef, Peter Sheedy, Offers Exceptional Vegan

by Emilie C. Harting

Set on a hill overlooking New Hampshire’s Squam Lake and the White Mountains, the Manor at Golden Pond, with its sprawling main house, croquet setups, swimming pool, and surrounding woods, brings to mind an English country house.  Books line the lower half of the walls in the spacious and light-filled main lounge.  The latest magazines and periodicals are at hand on coffee tables in front of comfortable chairs and couches, the chess games and jigsaw puzzles wait for players to come back and finish, and the all day tea on the sideboard speaks the language of relaxation.

The inn draws a diverse crowd of families, hikers who return each year in summer, skiers who come in winter, couples celebrating milestone events, and those who want to stay put and relax on the grounds. One family had bicycled a hundred miles north from Massachusetts so they could see their favorite ski area when it was green rather than snow covered. A sixty something couple, theater producers from New York, had motorcycled up from Long Island.  Other guests talked about how they like to come each year because they love the lake and mountains, and want to spend time on the grounds and in the spa.  However, food and wine are the major draw.

Chef Peter Sheedy has won accolades for his cuisine, which he calls New American, a fusion of New England classics with French, Thai and Spanish influences. The inn has also won awards from Wine Spectator for its food and wine pairing.  Though one of his favorite cooking moments is when the marbling of a roast has reached just the right point, he is equally exited by vegan food. He’s developed an exciting vegan tasting menu; but that you must order in advance. Translate: vegan means no animal products whatever.  Sheedy is a purist and uses vinegar and lemon juice rather than wine when creating vegan dishes because ox blood, egg whites, or some other kinds of animal protein, are often used in the clarification process. Providing vegan fare, he says, is as important as accommodating diets for guests with  allergies, medical conditions, or certain religious practices.  

Always alert for new trends, Chef  Sheedy  began developing vegan recipes as he worked in kitchens across the country—in New England, where he cooked in top restaurants and attended culinary school, in Oregon, where he stirred pots alongside a number of leading chefs, and in Atlanta, where he mentored the staff of a restaurant in the Marriott chain.  At each location he noticed a growing core of health conscious eaters who wanted vegan food. 

Dishes on both the traditional and vegan menus abound with flavors that one can only get from high quality produce that reaches the table soon after it is picked.  On the way to work, Sheedy often stops at local farmers’ markets in the surrounding valley.  He also rings up nearby growers who deliver.  In off seasons the vegetables and fruit come daily from special Boston purveyors.

Organic heirloom tomatoes in my tomato panzanella, a sliced bread and fresh tomato dish native to Tuscany, had their sweetness intact, and in my carrot and parsnip soup, the sweetness of the parsnips balanced out the slightly bitter carrot taste.

However, the highlight for me was the summer squash cannelloni stuffed with legumes and topped with crème sauce.  A base of shredded cauliflower mixed with fennel, and a stiff puree of garbanzos and white beans takes the place of the traditional cheese stuffing.  Each variety of beans has a subtle taste of its own, and Sheedy says that with several types of beans, mushrooms or apples, you get more than the sum of the parts.  He uses a cauliflower puree enriched with a good bit of extra virgin olive oil to make it as rich and satisfying as a traditional crème sauce.  Since cauliflower is mostly water, and oil and water don’t generally mix, he uses plant-derived liquid lecithin, a binder which is becoming increasingly common in vegan cooking because it emulsifies the way egg yolks do.

Also the particles of cauliflower help hold the ingredients together in the same way that a little mustard helps keep a vinaigrette smooth, or the way that whipping a bit of cream, along with the butter, into mashed potatoes before they begin to separate makes them seem less greasy.

Sheedy says that the vegan summer squash cannelloni is a variance of a dish that would usually have a lot of animal products in it.  The cheese filling of the traditional dish, for example, has a “platform” taste—rich neutral protein that is satisfying to the palate.  Pureed beans are an obvious substitute.  They’re rich in protein, and they readily take on the flavors of whatever seasonings they’re cooked with.  He says it’s fun to create this kind of “costume” dish—vegan food “dressed up” as traditional fare—but he warned me that even though the cannelloni was one of my favorites,  he doesn’t like to offer more than one or two dishes of this kind on a menu. “Vegan cooking, when it’s done well, can stand on its own merits, and doesn’t have to pretend to be something it’s not,” he said emphatically.

When I asked for advice on wine to pair with the cannelloni, Sheedy suggested 2006 Viognier, Callaway, a Coastal Reserve.  ”Viognier is a white wine varietal that is somewhat uncommon,” he said.  “It has traditionally been used in blended wines.  It is crisp and acidic, though, and has some ‘funky’ and floral qualities that will complement the cauliflower — which is a member of the cabbage family — and the herbaceous fennel).  Being on the richer side– with the cauliflower cream–this is the sort of food that will stand up to a slightly denser wine.”

Another favorite on the menu was the sweet corn risotto, which Sheedy said is an example of a vegan entree that does not imitate animal food.  He uses corn on the cob that’s a day or two out of the garden, high quality rice–carnaroli or abrorio–and excellent olive oil such as extra virgin California arbequina, which is buttery and delicately fruity.  He also chooses tofu that has been handled and stored properly.  When guests object to tofu because they say the flavor is objectionable, Sheedy tells them they have probably been eating tofu that was cooked along with subpar ingredients or was not properly stored.

Charring corn on the grill, he says, adds hints of smoke and bitterness.  The process combines the flavors of the rice and tofu, which are slightly floral but essentially neutral, with the corn, which is “flatly sweet.”  Without the charring of the corn, the dish could be quite “dull and pappy.”  On the other hand, that char flavor has to be added subtly; if there’s too much charring, the more delicate qualities of the other ingredients can be overwhelmed.

He finds that braising bean curd or tofu is a technique that makes it more appealing to those who have avoided it previously.  Tofu is virtually taste-neutral, and it absorbs flavors like few other foods.  It’s important to braise the outside of the curd in medium-hot oil; the process not only adds flavor, but it also gives it a little bit of a crust.  The result is a textual contrast between the slightly chewy exterior and the silky inside.

For the sweet corn risotto Sheedy advised a 2007 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Brancott, Reserve, for the sweet corn risotto.  “It’s is a crisp, dry white and tartly acidic — the sour wine contrasts the sweetness of the dish, and the more subtle qualities of the wine are highlighted by the contrast.  Like many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs the Brancott has wide-ranging tropical fruit and floral notes that fit with the sweetness and floral character of the corn.”

Near the end of my stay, I was in heaven while slowing eating Sheedy’s sorbet in the Van Horn Dining Room with its dark woodwork, splashes of flowered wallpaper, and mullioned windows.  Sorbet has long been the preferred dessert of vegans because it is pure and does not contain any animal fat.  The delicacy may date back to the Roman Emperor Nero, and is said to have been brought from Italy to France in the 16^th century by Catherine de’ Medici.  How succulent it is now when the chef uses fresh fruit from a New Hampshire Valley.

For more information visit: www.manorongoldenpond.com

Summer Squash Cannelloni (on Chef Sheedy’s tasting menu):

Serves Two

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized zucchini

1 medium-sized fennel bulb, diced fine

1/2 medium-sized onion, diced fine

1/4 cup garbanzo beans, dry

1/2 cup cannelloni (white) beans, dry

2 shallots, peeled and diced fine

1 parsnip, peeled and diced medium

1/2 head cauliflower

1 ml liquid, plant-extracted lecithin

1/2 cup very high quality extra-virgin olive oil

3 drops (2 ml) white truffle oil

2 cloves garlic, slivered

3 sprigs thyme

juice of 1 lemon

neutral vegetable (soy) oil as needed

kosher salt as needed

black pepper as needed

1/8 th cup micro arugula

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar reduced to a think syrup

For the Zucchini “Pasta”

Cut the ends off the zucchini. Using a mechanical deli slicer or very sharp vegetable slicer, cut the zucchini from end-to-end into 1/8th inch slabs. In a pot of boiling, salted water blanch the slabs of zucchini for about 20 seconds so that they are flexible enough to roll around the fennel-legume stuffing.

For the Fennel-Legume Stuffing

In a medium-sized, non-reactive pot, combine two sprigs of thyme, the diced onion, 1 of the diced shallots, 1 clove of slivered garlic, the diced fennel and the diced parsnip. Toss with a pinch of kosher salt and a tablespoon of neutral vegetable oil. Set over a medium-low flame. Cover with a parchment paper lid and sweat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and fragrant, about 20 min. Do not allow the vegetables to brown. Once the vegetables are soft, add the dried beans to the pot and enough water to cover by four inches. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are soft, about 1 hour. Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. Remove the thyme spring from the cooked beans and puree. Pass the resulting puree through a fine-meshed sieve to ensure a silky texture. If the puree is too stiff — the texture should be fairly soft, like the texture of the warm ricotta it’s intended to mimic — thin it slightly with the reserved cooking liquid. Hold warm.

For the Cauliflower Cream

In a small, non-reactive pot, combine one of the thyme sprigs, one of the diced

shallots, one of the cloves of garlic, and most of the cauliflower (reserve four of the choicest florets for use as a garnish). Toss with a pinch of salt, half of the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of neutral vegetable oil. Set over a medium-low flame and cover with a parchment paper lid. Sweat until the cauliflower is very soft and fragrant, about 30 minutes.

Once the cauliflower is fully cooked, remove the thyme sprig and puree, thinning tothe consistency of heavy cream with the reserved cooking liquid from the beans. After the cauliflower cream has been adjusted to the correct consistency, force it through a chinois to ensure it is silky smooth and homogeneous. Hold warm.

For the Cauliflower Garnish

Slice the cauliflower florets into four, 1/2-inch thick slabs. Season with a pinch of salt and pat dry with absorbent paper towels. In a small saute pan, heat an 1/8th of an inch of neutral vegetable oil until it flows readily around the pan and shimmers slightly. Add the cauliflower to the pan, pressing down gently. When the cauliflower is crisp and well browned on one side, remove with a slotted spatula and place on absorbent paper to blot away any excess oil. Finish with a sprinkle of kosher salt.

To Finish and Plate

Spoon a small quantity of the fennel-legume stuffing onto each of four blanched zucchini ribbons. Roll the zucchini around the filling gently so it doesn’t crack or break. Smooth any excess filling off the ends of the zucchini rolls. Arrange two of the zucchini rolls in the center of each of two plates. Flash the plates in a moderate oven briefly to warm the zucchini. Top each with a grind of fresh black pepper from the mill and the remaining lemon juice. Combine the cauliflower cream, truffle oil, liquid lecithin and extra-virgin olive oil in an over-sized bowl. Season to taste with kosher salt. Using an immersion blender submerged only two thirds in the cauliflower cream mixture, blend the ingredients together until they are emulsified and slightly foamy. Use a serving spoon to draw some of the liquid from the beneath the foam. Use until it has the ability to coat the back of a spoon.    Top each cannelloni with a crisped slice of cauliflower. Use the foam from the cauliflower cream to top the browned cauliflower florets, dotting some around the plate. Dress the micro arugula with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and arrange above the zucchini cannelloni. Drizzle the plate near the cannelloni with some of the balsamic vinegar reduction. Serve immediately.

Reach Emilie at: echarting@hotmail.com. You can view more of her work at: www.emilieharting.com.

ELEGANT FOOD AND DESIGN IN

VERMONT’S MAD RIVER VALLEY

The Pitcher Inn. Photo by Emilie C. Harting.

by Emilie C. Harting

The front entrance of the Pitcher Inn hugs the side of the road on Main Street in the charming village of Warren, Vermont. Here the cadences of everyday life slow down. Often, the only sounds are the wrens and sparrows, the flow of the river behind the general store across the country lane, and the rustling of wind. David Sellars and a group of architects and designers have built an almost exact recreation of the old Warren Inn, which stood on the site until it was destroyed by fire in the mid-1990s. I was there for two days before I knew that the inn was not the original structure, built around 1850, at a time when guests would step out of their carriages and walk directly onto the front porch to avoid dust and rain. The Warren General Store, the bakery, and several other white clapboard buildings across the street have also been restored, giving the village the feel of an earlier time.

At 275 Main, the inn’s spacious restaurant, tables and colonial chairs are spread across the room so that diners cannot actually hear each other’s conversations. A brick colonial fireplace with antique copper and iron pots, various turners, and stoking implements fills one wall. They are typical of the implements produced at mills in the Warren area during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. On a recent summer evening, the blend of light classical music, the soft buzz of attentive staff conversing with guests over food and wine choices, and the muted light of candles created an atmosphere of elegance.

General Manager Ari Sadri, who is also trained as a sommelier, moved around the dining room, conversing with guests. The inn has 600 bottles in the wine cellar and 1200 in storage. Sadri says that the wine program is deliberately eclectic, and thus they have wines from all over the world. He does not buy from big companies, but looks for older, generational, and artisanal wine makers so that guests, especially those who are wine connoisseurs, have the opportunity to experience something unique.

Since I am interested in how the pairing of food and wine enhances food’s flavors, I put myself in Ari’s hands rather than venturing out on my own. On one evening, he chose a sweet red Montepulciano from Tuscany, which he advised was a mellow line between dry and sweet, and thus would go with our appetizers of garganelli, a combination of pasta with roasted tomatoes, capers and olives, and bucatini, a combination of mussels, tomatoes and chorizo. The bucatini was especially tasty because sweetness of the chorizo cancelled out the briny taste of the mussels and the slight tartness of the summer tomatoes. The entree of sautéed chicken with parmesan bread crumbs was tender and without a trace of graininess. And the vegetable and fish flavors in the sautéed wild striped bass with clams, mussels, roasted tomatoes, and olives were melded so well that there was not a trace of tartness coming through.

On another night, a white wine with golden highlights complemented our pasta dishes and the veal scallops with mushrooms, leeks, and marsala. The result was a sweet, mellow taste. In their salads, the flavors of tenderly cooked fresh summer vegetables mixed well with Italian and Vermont cheeses and local meat or fish brought in from Boston. Sue Schickler explains that the menu is basically American with an infusion of Italian and Spanish influences. “I really enjoy preparing the items on the menus. It’s fun and more casual than a strictly traditional cuisine, and we get lots of compliments from our guests. For each meal we have a pasta, steak and fish dish, so there are plenty of choices.” She says that in summer, they depend heavily on the excellent fresh produce and meats in the Mad River Valley, which have their own succulent flavors. In winter she uses more root vegetables and spices.

Creamy polenta was one of the most memorable dishes because of its smooth and delicate flavor, which she says was made with marscarpone, a relatively low-fat triple-creme Italian cream cheese from Lombardy. “It’s the same cheese that is used in tiramisu, except that in Tiramisu the eggs make it lighter.” Schickler’s gift with cheeses was also evident in the breakfast omelet with goat cheese, fresh Vermont heirloom tomatoes, and basil.

When I told her the marinated beets seemed a perfect line between sweetness and tartness, Chef Schickler told me they were marinated with vinegar, sugar, and tarragon. “Guests love them. We make up a huge batch at a time. The beets, along with beef carpaccio salad with lemon dressed arugula and parmigiano reggiano are frequently requested by returning diners.”

Because we ate there in August when local produce was at its prime, our salads contained fresh eggplant, escarole, arugula, peppers and heirloom tomatoes. In the evening our appetizers often had corn, leeks and peppers, which had been marinated so that subtle flavors emerged.

Between breakfast and lunch, there was plenty of time to take drives on some of the Mad River Valley’s most scenic roads. Ari Sadri directed us on an oval-shaped journey through the Mad River Valley, up Route 100 north to Waitsfield, where we stopped to visit The Store, a world class kitchen supply and antique store in a restored barn, the Mad River Glass Gallery, and Cabin River Quilts, both in the center of Waitsfield on Main Street. On our return, we drove south past breathtaking vistas of horse and dairy farms against the mountains.

On a late day stroll past the Warren’s cemetery and Town Hall, I met a guest from the Washington, D.C. area who comes here every year and never leaves the village. “Where ever could you find such a picture perfect place? It’s so restorative. For lunch all I need is a sandwich from the general store, and I eat it out on the deck overlooking the Mad River.” He told me to come back to Warren for the best small town July 4^th parade in New England. “Just make sure to stay in the Chester Arthur Room so that you get the vest view.”

Each of the eleven rooms at the Pitcher Inn has a unique décor, and reflects everyday life in Vermont during past centuries. We stayed in The Lodge, which has a ceiling depicting stars on a Christmas night. The furniture, all hand hewn by noted designers, included a bed inspired by Cleopatra’s, and a fireplace with the triangular design of the Masons, who were important in small town Vermont life.

Throughout the halls owner Maggie Smith’s décor of Vermont antiques and early American landscape paintings makes one stop for reflection. I was delighted to learn that some characters in the paintings were gathered together over food.

Check out: www.pitcherinn.com for holiday packages. The inn is in the heart of the Mad River Valley ski country. Sugarbush Ski Resort is right down the road, and guests cross country ski at a nearby park. Not only is the inn a great place to spend a weekend, but the restaurant is open to outsiders, and the entire inn can be rented out for destination weddings and retreats.

THE TAVERN, THE VALLEY, AND THE BIRD AND BOTTLE

Dinner at the Tavern at the Highlands Country Club or at its sister restaurant, the Valley, as the sunset folds down over the mountains and river, is a sublime conclusion to a day in the Hudson Highlands. Both have accolades from The New York Times and Esquire, and a number of food magazines.

Several miles away The Bird and Bottle, a restored stagecoach inn, built in 1761, hugs the side of the lane on a wooded section of the Old Albany Post Road. Perhaps because we stayed there while attending the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, the inn reminded me of small hostelries in England. I was especially drawn in by the18^th century décor, the wide planked floors, and the rambling hallways. The Bird and Bottle, whose new chef Douglas Gardner is a graduate of the French Culinary School and a devotee of Chef Jacques Pepin, just received a Wine Spectator Award.

All three restaurants are in the midst of hiking and biking opportunities because a ten mile or so swath of the Appalachian Mountains crosses the Hudson River in this area. In addition to the Shakespeare Festival at Boscobel, the Storm King Art Center, the Dia-Beacon Museum, the Russell Wright Design Center, and the village of Cold Spring, with its many smart shops and cafes, are close by.

On a recent summer evening we chose to eat dinner on the covered porch of the Tavern. The farm to table philosophy came to life as we read the menu and saw the long list of local farms that supply baby lettuce, cucumbers, beans, spinach, squash, pork, beef, and other items.

Chef Eric Gabrybiwicz, who left a job as sous chef at the Union Square Cafe, has been inspired by New York ethnic recipes and by his Italian grandmother. The subtle spices, along with the flavors of fresh meat and produce from the surrounding area, were noticeable in the dishes we chose: Soup with Jerusalem Artichokes, Tavern Pasta with Bucatini, Meiller’s Farm Beef Ragu, and crispy homemade Crostino. Each time at dish was brought to the table, the attentive staff explained where the ingredients for each dish came from and how it was made.

Our desserts were a combination of city and country: Fudge Brownie Sundae with Cayenne Ganache and Pear Crisp a la Mode. The fresh pears from a local orchard and ice cream made at a nearby dairy farm blended together into a heavenly sweetness. Their extensive wine list had a variety of red and white California and New York wines to choose from, and the ales, lagers, and other beers came from the popular Brooklyn Brewery and other spots in New York.

See www.highlandscountryclub.net/tavern. for hours, days closed, and Sunday family dinners at the Tavern.

The dining room at the slightly more formal Valley, three miles away and also on the east side of the river, has an enormous wall-sized window that gives a panoramic view of the Hudson as it winds its way through the mountains and makes a turn. In late October the vegetables, fruit and meat seemed just as fresh as those in summer, proof that co-chefs Brandon Collins and Vin Morcarski make sure there is no lag between the picking of food and its arrival at the restaurant.

Chef Collins says that the fish comes from all over the world. It is brought to the restaurant by F. Rozzo and Sons or Litchfield Farms, which is a completely sustainable company. They often have snapper, john dory, lobster, prawns, or tuna. Accompaniments are often delicate squash, brussels sprouts, baby beets, celery root, baby fennel, risotto, and different varieties of potatoes.

Because of the way the flavors of the fish and vegetables seemed to mix with mellow spices, my favorites on the menu were the Chilled Potato and Leek Soup, the entrée of Grilled Scallops with pea leaves, cauliflower, and scallop jus. Guests at the next table were raving about the Duck Breast with pomegranate glaze, fingerling potatoes, and spinach.

Chip Allemann, General Manager of The Garrison and Highlands Country Club, says chefs at both the Tavern and the Valley work closely with local farmers, and that the Garrison’s own farm is a model for Glynwood www.glynwood.org, an advocacy group that helps communities save farms.

See The Valley on www.thegarrison.com/inn. Check out the rooms at the Garrison. They are modern and bright, and many have views of the rolling green lawns, the forest covered hills, and the Hudson River.

The dining rooms at the Bird and Bottle, with its colonial furniture, low ceilings, and light flickering against the windows, have an intimate feel. We ate there on a Thursday, when tavern-inspired fare is served, and the fixed priced menu is $17.61. Executive Chef Douglas Garner calls it informal compared to nights designated as “fine dining.” Yet tables were set with linen clothes, the service was attentive, and had I not been reminded of the theme because of a few entrée choices like the Bistro Burger with Caribbean Jerk or the Quesadilla du Jour, I would have assumed we were there on one of the “fine dining nights.”

The tomato, broth, and spices melded together so smoothly in the Pasta with Salmon and Sauce de Jour, a perfect match for a salad with local blueberries and mango vinaigrette. For dessert our table shared, and raved over, Summer Trifle with layers of pound cake and various fruits, and a special order Warm Chocolate Cake topped with Mexican chocolate sauce and enhanced with Kahlua. Chef Doug stresses that every dish from the kitchen is made from scratch, including the pastas, chutneys, marmalades, and breads, and that he does not use a freezer.

Also, he emphasizes that every dish is individually cooked for the diner. “I don’t cut salmon for an entrée until the appetizer is done, so that everything is fresh and hot when it reaches the table.”

He really enjoys cooking with seafood because, he says, “it gives me a chance to be creative.” However, he is equally at home with Duck Confit, a centuries’ old French dish which is made with the leg of a duck. Duck Confit, he says, “will never leave the menu. It’s a signature dish and guests count on it being there. Actually, the preparation is quite an involved process. We marinate the duck from Sunday to Thursday. Then each piece is ready to be cooked individually in its own juices, and the flavors deepen.”

Constant change and discovery seem to be his motto, and he enjoys experimenting and shifting dishes around so that no menu is the same. “It’s an international tour for the staff every week. One week it’s a new Jamaican dish, another week a Greek, French, or Italian one. In fact, menus for the special Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day dinners are all different.

Owner Elaine Margolis says that one of the smallest dining rooms is often requested for proposals, and that the chef will pamper the couple, and will make special arrangements for food and wine. This year the Bird and Bottle received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its well chosen, quality wine list that matched the menus thematically.

At the Bird and Bottle we parked our car for the night and enjoyed being pulled back in time. We stayed in one of the three upstairs bedrooms, and had small porch overlooking the front lane. There is also a separate cottage.

Spring, summer, and fall the views, the ambience, and the multitude of fine choices make for a pleasurable evening at any of the three above restaurants.

PLEASE NOTE: On the map The Hudson Highlands is the area between the Beacon-Newburgh Bridge to the north, the Bear Mountain Bridge to the south, I-87 to the west and the Taconic Parkway to the east.

TAKE HEED: Hudson Valley tourist sites and restaurants are sometimes closed in the middle of the week, so check such details on the web as you plan the trip. When this article went to press, The Tavern www.highlandscountryclub.net was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. The Valley www.thegarrison.com/dining was open for dinners on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights and for Sunday Brunch www.thegarrison.com/dining; and the Bird and Bottle www.thebirdandbottleinn.com was open for dinner from Thursday through Sunday, and served both Sunday brunch and dinner.

Denise Dubé, globalfoodie’s creator and editor, is a food writer who travels – or a traveling foodie who writes. Foods preparation, its origin, smell and presentation are a passion (and obsession) and she enjoys tasting and writing about its cultural nuances. globalfoodie is her baby and food is her muse. It’s also the main reason she needs to lose a few extra pounds. Her work has appeared in Intermezzo, travelgirl, MSNBC.com, National Geographic Traveler and the Boston Globe.  Reach Denise at: Denise@globalfoodie.com.

Ami Hooper is globalfoodie’s creative designer and the cyber brains behind the site. She can be reached at: Ami@globalfoodie.com.

Peter Francis Battaglia:

Maureen Costello is a Boston-based freelance journalist who loves writing about food and has  sampled appetizers, main courses, beverages and desserts from almost every ethnic group.  Maureen is passionate about food various flavors and forms,  its cultural meaning, tradition and preparation and is thrilled to share her finds with globalfoodie readers.  She can be reached at: Maureen@globalfoodie.com.

Sue Frause is an award winning freelance journalist and photographer. Her words and images are in print and online and she’s a regular contributor to Examiner.com and The Huffington Post. She writes a blog about all things Canadian called Closet Canuck and is an on-air contributor to Around the World Travel Radio. Sue and her husband live on an island in Puget Sound where they tend to their chickens, turkeys, garden and their very own field of dreams. When not traveling, she enjoys theater, movies, jazz, fine food and heavenly spas. Sue’s website is www.suefrause.com and she is reachable at: sue@suefrause.com.

Richard Frisbie is a food, wine, and travel writer; a bookseller and publisher of New York centric books; and a professional baker who resides in New York’s Hudson Valley. Online, his articles appear here, on Gather.com, GoNomad.com, travellady.com and the many websites of EDGE Publications. He also writes for regional New York magazines such as Life in the Finger Lakes, and Kaatskill Life.  Richard can be reached at Richard@globalfoodie.com

“Have spoon will travel,” is Kori A. Gaff ’s motto. This 31-year-old Maine native is married to a Marine, and has two small children. She manages to make meals everyone will enjoy by using innovation and simplicity. It’s a gift we all need once in a while. Kori also enjoys cooking for the neighborhood, no matter where she’s stationed. Kori can be reached at: Kori@globalfoodie.com.

Emilie  C. Harting’s articles on culture and ecotourism have appeared in a number of major magazines and newspapers, most recently www.forbestraveler.com,  The Philadelphia Inquirer, and MSNBC. When she’s not walking around the streets of various cities or hiking in the countryside, she can often be found in her kitchen.

Kaye Hurst is a Louisiana southern woman who loves all things food-related — it nourishes her soul and her tastebuds. Cooking is her favorite part of life and she is compelled to share her passion for all things sauteed, braised, boiled or basted. In fact Kaye has more palpations over a recipe-laden cookbook than a steamy romance novel. Celebrations at home always involve good food marinated in comfort and seasoned with love. Kaye can be reached at: Kaye@globalfoodie.com.

Shannon Hurst Lane travels the world in search of inspiring destinations and adventurous moments. She enjoys family travel, romantic escapes, girlfriend getaways, and those all important soul-oh trips. She’s an unofficial ambassador for her home state, Louisiana, where the people don’t eat to live, they live to eat. Contact her at: Shannon@globalfoodie.com.

Keith Kellett, our UK correspondent, is an expert on England’s food history and origin. He can be reached at: Keith@globalfoodie.com.

Vivienne Mackie was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and later became a clinical psychologist. She switched to counseling foreign students and their families and teaching ESL after moving to the United States. Toting a journal and a Brownie camera, her travels began at 8 when she and her grandmother boarded a ship and journed from Rhodesia to England.  Mackie still travels as often as possible — with a modern camera and better journals. Vivienne, fascinated by different languages and cultures, realized that music and food are a big part of any culture.  Tasting food from different countries, taking pictures of the dishes, and collecting recipes, have become an integral part of any trip. She’ll try (almost) anything at least once but found that willingness put severely to the test in China—-where she did draw the line at cat, dog and snake. Vivienne may be reached at:

Susan McKee is an independent scholar and freelance journalist specializing in history, culture and travel. She can be reached at: Susan@globalfoodie.com.

Rosemary Minati spent her early years working as a pre-school teacher in the New York suburbs. Her tools included a handful of plastic scissors, hundreds of kid-proof glue containers and dollops of creativity. After spending her days feeding her students minds she raced home to feed the family. This should-have-been-a-chef foodie can make a delicious and unforgettable meal-at a moment’s notice and knows no cultural bounds when creating a meal. Rosemary will find New York’s best restaurants, whether in the city or hidden in Westchester County. She’ll also be giving us a heads-up on some of the best cookbooks written. She can be reached at: Rosemary@globalfoodie.com.

Deston Nokes is our western correspondent, this Oregon native knows adventure and food. He can be reached at Deston@globalfoodie.com

Stephanie Oswald:

Wine and the good life are the focus of the Sip & Savor column by Denise Reynolds.  Awarded the grand prize by Wines of France for her writing on French wines, Denise holds an Advanced Sommelier certification. Recently, she garnered another award when she was recognized for her unsurpassed knowledge and contribution on food and wine by Indagare, the premier resource for the world’s most discerning travelers.  “Denise” means Goddess of Wine and so it’s fitting that she can be reached at: Goddessofwine@globalfoodie.com.