Everyone loves to eat, obviously… and despite the economy people are more interested than ever in health and in locally produced artisanal products reports Lisa Coneeny of the Dover Economic Development Committee
“Today tourists want to get the most out of their vacation dollars. Visiting locales closer to home and eating well while they are away are at the top of their priority lists. Dover, Vermont, home of Mount Snow, in the heart of Southern Vermont, offers fine country dining that is a short drive from northeast metropolitan areas.”
Coneeny continued: “Dover offers a fusion of flavors. Much of it is pure tradition, but other aspects of this region’s food are fresh, delicious and, yes, even trendy.” A culinary tour of Dover offers a taste of real food that is grown, produced and prepared by chefs who love the land and have a passion for the “Good Life.”
Meet Three of Dover’s Top Chefs
Chef Brill Williams, proprietor at the Inn at Sawmill Farm on Crosstown Road in West Dover Village has enjoyed a lifelong romance with fresh ingredients, fine wines and intriguing menus during his 40 years at his family’s renowned inn. (The Inn is quite famous in fact—Oprah’s Book Club met there!)
Guests at the Inn delight in finding that the dishes and desserts in Chef Brill’s repertoire include recipes handed down to him from his grandmother and mother—both of who had a hand in shaping his culinary talent. What would a summer afternoon luncheon be, after all, without a slice of traditional coconut layer cake with hand-grated, snow-white flakes so refreshing on the palate? Or a serving of homemade ice cream made from fresh Vermont cream topped with the Chef’s signature Chocolate Butternut Sauce? Worth noting, Chef Brill sells jars of this creamy sugary darkness in the Inn’s lobby.
Chef Brill trusts that his patrons come with well-bred taste buds and artfully treats his guests to remarkable combinations. A Squab entrée, for example, is served with two harmonizing preparations side-by-side on the same plate. img2r The legs of these fresh (never frozen) poultry are first marinated, then grilled, while the succulent breast meat is sautéed with his foie gras and tender apple slices. Even with a seemingly simple summer appetizer, he does more than most: he pairs Scottish Smoked Salmon with American Spoonbill Caviar and serves it with his fresh-baked Onion Brioche and a Quail Egg.
 One of the Inn’s most notable gastronomic events is one patrons create themselves by arranging in advance with Chef Brill for a dinner and wine list tailored to the preferences of the guests. Imagine how mouthwatering this is: all your favorite foods on a six-course tasting menu with wine selections specifically paired to enhance each plate.
On cool summer mornings at the Inn, guests linger in the dining room over Chef Brill’s Eggs Sawmill, which is his take on the classic Benedict; here, he incorporates the seductive sweetness of Vermont Maple Syrup, contrasting it with the subtle saltiness of Country Ham.
Chef Brill’s local organic fruit and vegetable vendors include the best nearby farm stands such as Walker’s and Dutton’s; he chooses rabbit from one special Manchester farm; and his guests always enjoy his selections of Vermont artisanal cheeses. Whatever specialty foods Chef Brill cannot buy from local growers and producers, such as fresh-caught Maine seafood, are flown in to him daily. The Inn’s multiple wine cellars are exceptionally well inventoried by Chef Brill.
The dining room and tavern at the Inn at Sawmill Farm, rooms that were formerly a working Vermont barn, are open to the public.
Chef Josh Tomson at The Hermitage on Handle Road in West Dover, just minutes from the Village center, has something that chefs elsewhere can only dream of: a huge vegetable and herb garden just steps away from his kitchen door. Tilled and planted in the spring of this year, the plot provides him with the fresh ingredients that shape his menus. What a luxury: organic food that goes from garden to table with no one but himself as the middleman. Even Alice Waters, California’s Chez Panisse goddess of fresh food, would be impressed.
When guests meet Chef Josh (and they certainly will, if they are regulars at The Hermitage), he shares the secret of his straightforward culinary mantra: ingredients should be fresh, local, seasonal. His inspired summer menu combinations are new favorites, such as his paring of pan-seared Wild Salmon with an Apple, Celery and Fennel slaw. Must try: Chef Josh’s Guacamole Martini. No, not to sip, but to nibble on; it is one of his sensational summer appetizers.
The Hermitage, as many recall, was owned and operated by the now late James McGovern who first opened it somewhat “hunting lodge style” in 1971. Closed for only a brief interval, the property was recently sold and reopened last year in a second incarnation that has captured all the best of its past fame while substantially augmenting the level of service, style and comfort. Today’s guests take great pleasure in its restored elegance. At the same time, they find it easy to relax in the informal atmosphere that it offers and they feel much like they would while weekending in a friend’s country home. (Which means, of course, that there are no tuxedoed waiters and there is no dress code for dining!)
On sultry summer nights, guests may reserve a private dinner for up to 12 people in the hushed coolness of the elegantly furnished Wine Cellar. Some choose to order from Chef Josh’s new summer menu; others meet with him ahead of time to plan their own meal while pairing each course with the fine wines from the hundreds of bins in the 55ϒ chandelier-lit chamber.
Languid summer mornings at The Hermitage are best spent in the shade out on the patio while perusing the morning papers over the inn’s Vermont Country Breakfast. From there, guests can watch Chef Josh in his nearby garden, harvesting what he needs to prepare for that day’s new menu. It will be as he says, fresh, local, seasonal and full of West Dover’s fresh mountain air, summer sunshine and pure rainwater.
The dining room and tavern at The Hermitage, an historic homestead, are open to the public.
Chef Bob Jarvis at the West Dover Inn & Restaurant on Route 100 in West Dover Village creates summer menus that offer his diners the best of both culinary worlds. Guests can count on him to always have their stand-by favorites on the menu, such as his creamy Tomato and Artichoke Soup with aged Asiago Cheese and peppery Basil Chiffonade or his grilled-to-perfection certified Black Angus burgers. However, his menus always have seasonal inspirations as well. Come summer, many hungry patrons swap out the beef and bun for Chef Bob’s open-faced grilled sandwiches made with Artisanal Breads, Portabella Mushrooms and Roasted Peppers.
Chef Bob does not have to go far to “shop” for his fresh ingredients. Kathy Gilpin, co-owner of the property with her husband Phil Gilpin, is an avid organic gardener. Based on Chef Bob’s ideas for the summer menu, this year’s plot, which is literally in the Inn’s backyard, includes an abundance of herbs along with multiple varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash.
Chef Bob is making something of a specialty of adding more vegetarian options on his menus, which seems to make sense for summer. With so much homegrown produce just outside the kitchen door, it is easy for him to get the freshest ingredients, for example, for his Caprese Salad. He heads outdoors to pick both the tomatoes and basil from the garden, and comes back in to add a combination Vermont cheeses, smoked and fresh, all topped off with a few grinds of black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
A unique feature of Chef Bob’s menus is the way in which he gives guests personalized options by allowing them to choose various “add-ons.” For instance, his guests may order a pasta entrée featuring grilled vegetables, but ask that it is topped with just a bit of grilled beef, chicken or duck breast, or even seared tuna. Chef Bob creates seasonal menus for fine country dining and tavern fare.
Summer guests often head around the back of the historic building to look for a seat at one of the restaurant’s umbrella-tables. The patio is near one of the property’s picturesque and prolific apple trees—another one of Chef Bob’s “secret” sources. Come late summer and fall, he harvests bushels of ripe apples for his fresh-baked desserts, including cobblers, crisps and of course, pies. In strawberry season, local growers bring him fresh berries, which he uses in his Strawberry Peach Pudding Cake or serves as a topping for morning pancakes.
The dining room and tavern at The West Dover Inn and Restaurant, originally established as a mid-19th century stagecoach stop, are open to the public.
IF YOU GO
The Inn at Sawmill Farm, family owned since 1968
7 Crosstown Road, West Dover Village, VT 05356
Lodging: 20 guest rooms/ private cottages
Email: sawmill@sover.net
Sample Menu on Website: www.theinnatsawmillfarm.com
(802) 464-8131
Toll free (800) 493-1133
The Hermitage Inn, since 1971; reopened by current owner in 2008
25 Handle Road, West Dover, VT 05356
Lodging: 11 guest rooms
Email: info@hermitageinn.com or innkeeper@hermitageinn.com
Sample Menu on Website: www.hermitageinn.com
(802) 464-3511
Toll free (877) 464-3511
Member: Vermont Fresh Network, Slow Food USA, VT Green Hotels
The West Dover Inn & Restaurant, since 1846; current owners since 2005
Oldest continuously operating lodging and restaurant in Southern Vermont
108 Route 100, West Dover Village, VT 05356
Lodging: 12 guest rooms
Email: innkeeper@westdoverinn.com
Sample Menu on Website: www.westdoverinn.com
(802) 464-5207
Toll free - none
Member: Vermont Fresh Network, Dover Historical Society, Certified Black Angus Restaurant
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