It has been suggested to me that I write up the food extravaganza that was our anniversary weekend this year, even though it was more than three months ago. We’re foodies. We love to eat, and eat well. We didn’t intend for it to be a weekend-long celebration, but I don’t think either of us were complaining when all was said and done.
Our actual anniversary was on a Friday, and we started it at the Pluckemin Inn with the chef’s tasting menu. That’s all we had originally intended to do. Below are my notes from that night:
- ahi, mussels in spicy, fois gras bon bon, balsamic and brioche
- fish with spicy pineapple sauce in shell. cilantro, salt, spicy sauce
- Noodles with hard boiled egg and stuff
- first of the season halibut, buttered morels, pea puree
- scallops, pork belly, beet sauce
- venison. black trumpet mushrooms. kale. cippollini onions.
- Japanese kobe, super titi garlic chips. pad thai flavors
- sous vide rhubarb and rhubarb foam
- lemon creme fraiche
- chocolate caramel brownie
- salted caramels
Some recollections: the halibut, morels and peas were just fabulous, though I’m not sure how you can go wrong with anything with morels. the “super titi” garlic chips were pretty phenomenal. The Husband loved the noodles and egg. I’m pretty certain we had cocktails. I believe they also gifted us with a glass of champagne. If this was all we had done or eaten, it would have been a fantastic weekend.
I’m pretty sure we were back at the Plucky for lunch on Saturday and then Saturday night we got sushi to go.
For Sunday brunch, we decided to finally try elements for the first time. The Husband had pheasant hash, I think I had the french toast. We were impressed with the food, and they had the chef’s table in the kitchen available for that night, so we decided to end our anniversary weekend in much the same format we started it. At the mercy of a chef. Once again we were not disappointed.
- Terhune tamago. Crispy bacon sweetbread frisee. Citrus lauging bird shrimp.
- Kindai o-toro
- Kampachi crudo four ways
- Popcorn. Coarse ground corn meal. Mushrooms, black truffles.
- diver sea scallops. spring pea leaves. truffles. mussel broth.
- Kindai tuna loin wrapped in rye
- fois gras torchon. kumquats
- guinea hen. yogurt spatzle.
- 48 hour short ribs
- Bacon and eggs. Mille feulle.
Some thoughts on the above: by the time we got to the guinea hen, I was starting to get full. The popcorn and cornmeal dish was OUTRAGEOUS. Really unique taste profile. We loved that there was so much seafood here. The only thing I didn’t really like was the tuna in rye and that’s because I don’t like rye. The tuna was incredible. I think there was another dessert as well (either carrot cake or bananas foster, I can’t remember). They sent out the bacon and eggs when we were there for brunch. I’ll have to get Joe to give me the details again (brioche, maple custard, candied bacon, I don’t know), but from someone who doesn’t like bacon, it was pretty good. The Husband loved it so much they served it to him again at dinner (originally they weren’t going to but he asked for it). No cocktails tonight, but I believe they gifted us with a glass of rose cava.
It’s hard to believe we’ve only been going to elements for less than four months! It did get off to a rather auspicious start.
And that is the tale of gluttony that was our anniversary weekend. It was good food and a whole lot of fun! Just as the four years of our marriage have been…
