Shaken and Stirred

Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Mass. (the Berkshires) has unveiled a new cafe, executive chef, and food service plan for 2009. The village held a tasting for the media and event planners the other day, to unveil the new, Shaker-inspired flavors.

The dishes are all contemporary takes on Shaker meals, which use fresh and local ingredients whenever possible, a surprising amount of herbs and spices, and slow-cooking techniques to coax out flavors. HSV devised the menu along with new executive chef Michael Roller, who worked to create an updated lunch, dinner, and banquet experience for patrons. 

When I walked in, I was expecting homey, heavy, and traditional - but the tasting proved that Shaker cooking is surprisingly modern under Roller's direction - even trendy. Here's a glimpse: 

Tomato bisque

Argentinian, Chilean, and South African wines

Parsnip cakes, ahi tuna rolls, potato pancakes with ginger, cheese fritters, tomato bread pudding, and bisque.

Simple centerpieces - greens in soil from the village gardens

The pitch: The Village Harvest Café is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm during Main Season at Hancock Shaker Village, and serves continental breakfast, hearty Shaker-inspired lunches and take-out picnics. Enjoy quiches, soups, overstuffed sandwiches, and cookies and brownies. Family-friendly fare is also available.

 Click here to see the full menu. It's huge.

tags: foodie  food  tasting  media  berkshires  

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit