The Fall Farm to Table Tasting in Chautauqua Institution

When approaching the Athenaeum Hotel one cannot help but notice how its Victorian splendor must have been the product of a thoughtful design to make you feel small in comparison. Combine the grand design with the fact that former U.S. presidents, inventors, and authors have stayed there and its rich history adds to the powerful aura that it exudes.

Four years ago I was present at the Athenaeum’s annual fall farm-to-table dinner as a waiter. Last Friday I had the good fortune to go as a guest. As I walked toward the entrance, I stared up at the U.S. flag placed atop of the hotel’s grandiose cupola, undulating against a sapphire sky, illuminated by the setting autumn sun. Since 1881 the Athenaeum has looked out over Chautauqua Lake, regal and self-assured. To enter the building is to travel back to a bygone era in the Chautauqua Institution.

While I sipped a Beefeater sonic (Beefeater gin half tonic half club mixer) I sat on the porch of the Athenaeum, other guests were settling in. Waiters carried platters of appetizers made of local cuisine. The best was a locally caught steelhead canapé. The tender steelhead was rolled in a creamy aioli type of sauce, topped with trout roe, and served on a crisp slice of baguette.

Sipping the drink reminded me of the pleasant extended late summer we’ve had. But staring out at the trees with their changing from green to canary, orange, and crimson made it feel like fall. Chautauqua was pleasantly tranquil and looking out on the lake I saw a lone fisherman, casting a line.

After entering the front dining room we were seated in tables of eight. I had the good fortune to be seated with Bruce Stanton, General Manager of the Athenaeum Hotel, and Jason Toczlowski who attended the event on behalf of CHQ Local Food.  They were cohosting the event. Jason explained to me how CHQ Local Food worked with the Athenaeum to plan the menu months in advance based on what they knew was available last year at the time. That is how they were able to offer a wide selection of unique and traditional ingredients, combined with the fact that CHQ Local Food has, in Toczlowski’s words, “a vast collection of partner farms.”

We had the pleasure of sitting with Chef Travis Bensink’s wife Twan who told us of their family’s experience of living in North Carolina and Florida while he honed his craft at restaurants such as the Starmount Forest Country Club and Print Works Bistro at the Proximity Hotel.

It was interesting chatting with Adrienne Ploss of Hickory Hurst Farm who told me about her family’s four-generation legacy of farming in the region. She spoke passionately about local agriculture and her farm stand on route 394. She also told me about her interesting background in horticulture and her passion for teaching.

The beauty of the event was that it connected farmers with people like me who are curious about what our local agricultural community produces. We learned more about how we can support local sustainable agriculture through our enjoyment of fantastic healthy food. It was a night of learning and discovery. Other farmers such as Sue Abers from Abers Acres spoke about the important work they do to produce the food that was meeting our forks.

The amuse bouche was a stuffed mushroom from Green Heron Growers and Steve Rockcastle gave a short talk about their farm and passion for growing mushrooms. He also touched on the fact that they raise grass-fed beef and free-range chickens.

Each of the five courses was paired with a glass of local wine save the first course of bison carpaccio, which was served with Southern Tier’s Harvest (a satisfying ale in the English Extra Special Bitter style). The carpaccio was thinly sliced and presented beautifully with shaved Reverie Creamery palomino cheese and Concord grape balsamic drizzle. This was indicative of the entire experience which was artfully executed from the taste and presentation of the dishes to the synchronized service.

The wines were all interesting, but the one that stood out was Johnson Estate’s Founders Red, which is the best red I have had from the region. It was paired with the most outstanding dish, which was a carefully prepared porchetta with Stedman Corners red-eye gravy (a coffee based gravy that was delectable) over stone-ground grit cakes and roasted local field carrots. The creation was delicious and the dish reminded me of the ones I had while falling in love with porchetta in Italy.

When the meal was done Chef Travis came out to explain how he created the dish. He said that it began when he purchased the pig from a sharp and enterprising sixteen-year-old employee who was a favorite of the staff. He then explained how he had the pig brought in whole and then dismembered the pig and preserved the most choice cut of pork belly to create this dish. He then offered a detailed description of how the tender belly was then rubbed with spices, aged, and smoked. He proceeded to tell us how he did a half-dozen other things before stuffing it and roasting it slowly to crisp the skin to perfection.

In the end, it was a magical night that celebrated the tireless efforts of the farmers and their relationship to local chefs like Travis who work to make unforgettable meals out of nature’s bounty.

Loren Mayshark is the award-winning author of Death: An Exploration and Academic Betrayal. For more, you can visit his website lorenmayshark.com and you can keep up with him on Twitter at @LorenMayshark. Sign up for his newsletter and receive regular updates and a free gift.