Enjoy fireside dining on Valentine’s Day
For a classic romantic meal, where better to enjoy good food and company than by the warmth of a fireplace?
The sky threatened rain, but inside the General Warren, a lively fire welcomed guests. Proprietor Patrick Byrne added another log and mentioned the carved mantlepiece - one of more than a dozen fireplaces throughout the Malvern inn.
“The 274-year-old fireplaces at the General Warren are what makes us sizzle,” he said, standing near a table of entrées from the new menu and champagne-filled flutes with heart-shaped strawberries. “When it comes to a romantic holiday, the classic Gen- eral Warren is as good as it gets fireside.”
Table for two? Yes, please! Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day.
“When you’re dining on Valentine’s Day, the warmth of the fire helps you connect better,” explained executive chef Fred Duerr of Rising Sun Inn, a Telford landmark since 1739. “That’s what I want them to remember - that they love each other, and they loved the food.”
“People are always enchanted by fire,” agreed chef Martin Gagné of La Maison in Coventryville. “And when you’re anticipating something coming out of that fire that you can eat, it’s even more enchanting.”
At his 1717 home and French country restaurant, hearths provide more than heat and ambience.
“Some of the things we serve right out of the fireplace,” he said. “When we’re cooking meat in the fireplace, it’s a lot easier to clean the kitchen.”
With just 22 seats, La Maison’s “very personal and very intimate, very warm and comfortable and inviting.”
Another place with fire power: Vickers Restaurant. Named for potter John Vickers, the restored 1820s Exton farmhouse features three working fireplaces.
“There’s nothing that beats a perfectly chilled cocktail next to a perfectly warm fireplace,” described Amanda Burigatto Brogan, creative director. “You don’t need a special occasion to treat yourself.”
In other words, siting fireside with someone special elevates any night.
“There’s always fireside dining at the General Warren - inside in the winter and out on the springhouse terrace in the summer,” Byrne said. “We shine on Valentine’s, but we’re here the other days of the year too.”
Beet Risotto
You can use boxed arborio rice that is ideal for risotto to make this recipe.
Ingredients
3 medium beets, trimmed
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth 3 cups water
1 small onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons butter (or oil) 2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
Instructions
Put oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Tightly wrap beets in foil and roast on a baking sheet until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly. Peel the beets under running cold water. Place one of the beets in a blender or food processor and process briefly, until somewhat smooth. Dice the remaining two beets into 1/2-inch cubes (medium dice). While beets are cooling, heat butter (or oil) in a wide, heavy pot over moderate heat. Cook the garlic and onion until softened and fragrant. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add wine and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add broth and simmer briskly, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. Stir in beets, vinegar, salt, pepper and thyme and cook, stirring, until heated through and creamy. For our current menu, we finish with the addition of fresh peas and optional grilled shrimp.
RECIPE COURTESY OF GENERAL WARREN
Lobster Francaise
Ingredients
2 (6-ounce) Brazilian lobster tails, split out of shell and cut into four pieces
1 cup flour
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup tomato concasse (skinless and seedless)
1 tablespoon capers 1 tablespoon diced shallots Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 white wine
1/4 pound soft butter Instructions
Roll lobster in flour, shake off extra and place in egg batter. In a medium-hot nonstick frying pan with a little oil, place lobster pieces flesh-side-down (helps prevent from curling). Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly golden. Turn and put in a 325-degree oven for 5 minutes. Take out and place on serving plate. Add tomato, capers, shallots, mushroom and
lemon juice. Deglaze with wine and whisk in soft butter. Cook slightly. Pour over lobster and enjoy. Lobster can be substituted for veal, flounder or chicken.
RECIPE COURTESY OF RISING SUN INN
Truffle Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
1 (2 1/2-pound) organically raised fresh chicken
2 black truffles, sliced Unsalted butter Sprigs thyme
1 bulb garlic Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin without damaging it around the breast and thigh areas. Slip the slices of truffle generously under the skin and then carefully slip a few pats of butter without
disturbing the positioning of the truffle slices. Salt and pepper the inside cavity of the chicken, insert the thyme and the garlic bulb, which has been cut in half across the axis, and then truss the chicken with some butcher’s twine. Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken, place in an appropriately sized pan, lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top and place in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until done. Afterward, remove the foil to allow the skin of the chicken to color and crisp up the skin a bit. After removal from the oven, lay the foil back onto the chicken to rest (about 10 to 20 minutes) and keep warm.
I like to have some small roasted potatoes, roasted pearl onions and sautéed spinach to accompany the roasted chicken. Additionally, I also like to roast the chicken on a spit in the fireplace. I have a beautiful rotisserie set up in one of our fireplaces and the results are always delightful.
RECIPE COURTESY OF CHEF MARTIN GAGNÉ
Fired up: 6 more spots to try
There’s no shortage of area restaurants with fireside tables.
Experience warm hospitality at the Dilworthtown Inn in West Chester, which dates back to 1758 and still uses four of its 15 fireplaces.
At the circa-1830 DulingKurtz House & Country Inn in Exton, choose from three fireplaces downstairs and two upstairs.
For traditional Mexican dishes and old family recipes, grab a seat by the fire at Coyote Crossing in Conshohocken.
Head to The Farmer’s Daughter in Blue Bell for a modern farmhouse feel with fireplaces in the main dining room and lounge.
Savor brick-oven pizzas, pasta and more by the fireplace at La Porta Ristorante in Media.
Or visit Autograph Brasserie in Wayne with two fireplaces, plus more than 1,000 celebrity autographs, albums and photographs.