Easter Shore, Soul....

There is a difference between “Soul Food” and “Food for the Soul”. While the former refers to a particular cuisine, I think of the latter as something that remains with you for a long time, sort of as exemplified by my favorite quote from Thomas Keller:

"A good meal is the kind of journey that returns you to sources of pleasure you may have forgotten and takes you to places you haven’t been before"

Our final dinner in Easton was at the Bartlett Pear Inn (where we were staying). After our less than joyous return to Scossa the previous evening, I was wondering how a second meal at BPI would turn out. I needn’t have worried a minute.

Before starting on this little piece, I thought I better take a look at what I said after our first visit last May. You know what? I could cut and paste that description to characterize our meal on Thanksgiving Eve. Every little detail I mentioned from our first visit was repeated (crumbing the table, wine by the glass served from the bottle, etc.) and the food was still heavenly. The staff was courteous, Alice the Innkeeper made sure things were going smoothly; dishes were served at proper temperature and cleared appropriately. Our server immediately asked about a drink before ordering (no shilly shallying around with names), and we asked for the wine list. An interesting selection of wines, with varying countries of origin and grapes, and prices friendly for any budget. Anyway, MFO selected “Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare”, from that rascal Randall Graham, and I went for “the drink”. The bread arrived (which is brought in from a “friend” in a New York Bakery) in a silver basket and white napkin, warm and crispy with that wonderful butter topped with a sprinkle of Hawaiian Sea Salt. Soon followed by a silver tray containing the wine bottle, a glass, and a perfectly made Dry Manhattan (with that same knot-like lemon twist I had at Scossa! maybe a local tradition). Both pours were of good proportions. With the edges rounded a bit, we turned to the one page menu, still divided into that “Begin With; On to Entrees; and Essence A La Carte”. Which could be translated as Starters; Complete Plates (center of plate with sides); and single item dishes with a selection of sides available (at extra cost). I think you could throw a dart at the menu and not be disappointed ordering whatever it struck. Wherever possible local sources are used (Firefly Farms Goat Cheese), or at least farmer owned and operated farms (Creekstone Farms beef).

Anyway, MFO selected an off the menu cold smoked salmon over greens starter and the (Creekstone Farms) Grilled Hangar steak with Caramelized Shallots, and Béarnaise Sauce, and since I had the Steak Tartar starter last time, I switched to the other sucker dish, Pate de Campagne (Inn made), and the Hudson Valley Duck Leg Confit with Ribbons of Magret Breast, and Farmhouse Sauce. Learning from last time, we only ordered one order of the seductive fries (and ate what we couldn’t finish on the way home). As to the wine for dinner, although we had schlepped along a good bottle we thought we might use, we found out that the Talbot County Ordinances prevent “corkage”. Not a big deal if there is a good wine list..which there was. We selected a Washington State “Uriah” from Spring Valley Vineyards in Walla Walla. It was a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. And, although I hate to use the term, it did “pear” (pun intended) well with the duck and steak. A nice bottle.

All the food was delicious and nicely presented. For instance, my Confit turned out to be a little Napolean, constructed of circular layers of the duck meat separated with crunchy little discs of Lavosh. This was placed in the “upper right” of the plate, and the thinly slices strips of Duck Breast were fanned out from under it, sort of making a little shooting star. This was all served with the “farmhouse” sauce which was silky rich with vegetable flavor. What a great dish (“takes you to places you haven’t been before”). I could go on, but you get the idea.

One of the nice things about staying in a local B&B is the people you meet. At dinner, we were seated next to a couple (not a whole lot younger than us) who were taking “Mom” out to dinner. They obviously were friends with the Lloyds, who stopped by their table to chat (as they did most) about local stuff, it’s so nice to see community being connected by food. Another benefit was that I had a good chance to talk to (Chef) Jordan. One of the reasons the food is so good (besides his talents) is that he spent two years working in Citronelle with Michel Richard. He also spent some time in Les Pinasse in New York. That’s where you learn and practice this stuff. The next morning at breakfast (home made granola, wonderful pastries, local milk or yogurt, French press coffee), I asked him about the sauce for the duck. He said it was sometimes called Sauce Grabure (or “Garbage Sauce”) because it is made with “stuff from the garden”, and was a “simple little sauce”. He then proceeded to sort of go over the preparation of the “simple little sauce” (this is not accurate but you’ll get the idea): Roast whatever vegetables you have, carrots, onions, potatoes; cook the duck, render the fat, add the juices, reduce to a “jus”, puree the vegetables, add the jus, reduce some more, strain, finish with butter. (apologies to Jordan, I’m working from faulty memory here). But you get the idea. Why go to all that trouble? because it tastes like heaven! Like that Sauce Béarnaise . They make everything in the Inn and it shows. Everything is right and all the details are there. When we finally had to leave, he said next time we visit I could maybe spend some time with him in the kitchen… where’s my calendar??

So we finished our visit to Easton with that great meal. As readers will remember, I often end yakking about restaurants saying things like: “I will go back”, or, “I’ll try another visit sometime”. With the Bartlett Pear Inn, it’s: “I can’t wait to go back”. That’s what separates the good from the extraordinary. It’s just done right all around. They make you WANT to return. I have a friend who often uses the phrase: “the devil’s in the details!”, well sometimes the Angels are in the details..

And I don’t have to say

DFD