2021 Explore Loudoun Visitors Guide - 2021 Explore Loudoun Visitors Guide
Farm-to-Table Goodness
2022-01-03 09:55:22
With access to abundant seasonal ingredients, grass-fed meats and locally grown produce, Loudoun’s chefs deliver mouthwatering feasts. Try these farm-to-table greats celebrated for fresh flavors and elevated cuisine.
THE RESTAURANT AT PATOWMACK FARM
Beverly Morton’s hillside destination restaurant with its seasonal, nine-course Progression Menu helped pioneer farm-to-table in the 1990s. Anything not raised, grown or foraged on Morton’s land is sourced from local farms, suppliers and even the Potomac River – visible from the ethereal greenhouse dining room. Sample tastes: farm egg with sultanas and fennel; roasted rabbit with eggplant butter; sweetcorn agnolotti with chanterelle mushrooms and pine needle cream.
MARKET TABLE BISTRO
Chef-owner Jason Lage partners with local growers, vintners and culinary artisans to offer “origin specific cuisine” at this Lovettsville landmark. The Goat Cheese Gnocchi is comprised of two cheeses from nearby Georges Mill Farm; pork belly comes from rare Mangalitsa pigs raised in wooded hills visible from the porch.
THE WINE KITCHEN
In this cozy Leesburg nook pairing local and world wines with sublime small plates created from regional produce, the farms and suppliers are listed on the menu. Sample dish: beef tenderloin, sautéed summer squash, green beans, cherry tomatoes and eggplant Caponata paired with Walsh Family Wine 2020 Loudoun County Rosé.
MAGNOLIAS AT THE MILL
This Purcellville icon in a converted grain mill sources its greens, roots, tomatoes, mushrooms and meats locally, but they also waive corkage fees if you bring in a local wine.
THE LOST ART OF FORAGING
"I've foraged in Loudoun for 3 years. We have four full seasons and different growing zones. In winter you can tap for sap or get watercress. Morels - strange, conical mushrooms with a meaty flavor - are abundant in spring, deep in the woods. I’ve done them as a single dish paired with a Stone Tower Winery red, or in a savory custard with stinging nettles and edible flowers. Certainty is key with foraging. Be certain before you taste."
-Chef Tarver King on foraging
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