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If you are looking
for a unique culinary experience that is a delight
to the senses, look no further than the restaurant
at Elderberry Pond
(in Auburn, New York). Set on 100 acres
of organic farmland, diners are treated to scrumptious
dishes made from produce picked fresh from the farm’s
fields, sometimes only minutes before it arrives
on the plate. At Elderberry Pond it is common to
hear diners exclaim to the wait staff, “Oh, these
potatoes are unbelievable! How did you get them
to taste so good?” The wait staff, many of whom
work on the farm in the morning, are proud to reply
that it is because the potatoes were dug the same
morning, sometimes by their own hands.
Farmers Lou and
Merby Lego say this part of what makes the food
at Elderberry Pond so delicious. The Legos explain
that most of the food we eat has been grown in a
distant place, often picked before it is ripe, shipped,
and then stored before it ever arrives on our plates.
In the process, the food that can be weeks old loses
much of its flavor and its nutritional content.
Elderberry Pond also features many Heirloom varieties
of fruits and vegetables, which are older varieties
that were bred for taste. Heirloom varieties are
prized for their flavor and for their unique appearance,
but are not common on our tables today because they
were not bred to stand up to shipping, storage and
mechanized harvests. Elderberry Pond grows seventeen
different varieties of potatoes, each with their
own taste. Heirloom tomatoes, squash, green beans,
apples, plums, and peaches also abound.
Growing up on the
farm, Chef Chris Lego understands the value of fresh
and unique produce. After attending the Culinary
Institute, Chef Lego returned home to create a seasonal
menu that highlights the flavors of fresh harvests.
Right now diners can expect to find whole wheat
pasta in lemon sauce with fresh asparagus. Next
week the dish may transform to highlight sugar snap
peas as they reach their peak. As the season progresses,
diners can look forward to swiss chard tart, patty
pan summer squash pizza, and an heirloom tomato
salad featuring slices of orange, yellow, red, and
green tomatoes with fresh mozzarella cheese. The
desserts at Elderberry Pond also feature berries,
cherries, peaches, plums, and apples grown on the
farm. If you hurry you can still catch the scrumptious
strawberry rhubarb torte before strawberry season
passes!
Freshness and quality
is paramount at Elderberry Pond. Much of the food
that is not produced on the farm is purchased from
regional producers. Ground beef comes from a farm
in Weedsport and the organic free-range chicken
from a farm in Northern Pennsylvania. Elderberry
Pond is a member of Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty,
a collective of farmers, restaurants, wineries,
and food producers whose mission is to make the
Finger Lakes renowned for unique regional cuisine
based on fresh, seasonal locally grown and made
ingredients paired with the region’s fine wines
while contributing to the well being of area farms,
food producers, wineries, businesses and communities.
Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty and Elderberry Pond
are part of a growing movement of people interested
in sustaining a local farm economy, preserving our
natural environment, and enjoying the delightful
tastes of fresh locally produced food!
Visit the Restaurant
at Elderberry Pond and experience the wonderful
flavors of fresh harvests. The restaurant is open
Wednesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. For
directions and reservations call 315-252-6025.
Elderberry Pond, 3728 Center St. Rd., Auburn, NY
13021.
To find more restaurants that feature local food
and to learn more about the Finger Lakes Culinary
Bounty visit www.fingerlakesculinarybounty.org.
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