Tucked away in the bucolic town of Washington, Virginia awaits a mouthwatering dining experience at the Foster Harris House. It is a culinary treasure, where husband and wife, chef John and hostess, Diane MacPherson, team up to serve the best seasonal foods and wines the Shenandoah Valley region has to offer.
A beautifully restored historic property--and possibly best known for hosting epicurean cycling adventures through Virginia's wine country--the Foster Harris House has been open since 1983, but only began serving dinner to the public in 2013. With just five tables and one seating per evening, the charming dining room can accommodate ten lucky guests on any given night.
The service is impeccable, yet the ambiance is one of relaxed enjoyment, much like having a gourmet meal at a friend's house. Accent lighting, candlelit tables and locally sourced, floral centerpieces, set the stage for what is an intimate evening of culinary enchantment.
We were invited to dine in the kitchen--a well-appointed confluence of modern conveniences, where creatively placed contemporary art, abundant counter space and state of the art appliances mingle with the historic charm of hand blown glass lighting fixtures and a rustic farmhouse dining table, creating an air of comfortable sophistication.
The first course began with a seasonal salad, and was the precursor to a succession of unanticipated delights, as ingredients I tend to shy away from were coordinated to perfection.
Paired with E. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone Blanc (France, 2014), the heirloom carrot salad with Gorgonzola, sat on a bed of black rice/farro and was drizzled with a maple balsamic dressing. A hot fennel soup topped with a cider froth mousse, followed and was the perfect complement to a chilly autumn evening in the mountains.
The third course--a house made farfalle pasta with butternut squash, mascarpone, mint, and pistachios, was sumptuous when paired with the aromatic Leyda Single Vineyard Las Brisas Pinot Noir (Chile, 2012).
The timing between courses was flawless and just when I was certain I was unable to entertain having another bite, the main course arrived and my stomach suddenly had room enough for a few sips of Rappahannock Cellars Meritage (Virginia, 2013), which was a lovely complement to the five spice seared duck breast with celery root mash, blistered brussels sprouts, delicata and yuzu sauce.
I found it impossible to protest dessert--as I usually do--once we were presented with the maple cinnamon crème brûlée with apple cranberry compote and pie dough baton. It was a simply divine ending to a magical dinner!
From start to finish, my taste buds were abuzz with the clever mix of contrasting textures and flavors. Kudos to talented chef John and delightful hostess Diane!
This dynamic duo are self-professed foodies who also offer cooking classes, and have written a cookbook, the Foster Harris Cookbook, available on Amazon. For more information visit the website: http://www.fosterharris.com/.