Page 21 - Valley Table - Spring 2021

Warwick
The Black Dirt Region’s rich soil inspires businesses to take their cues from the bounty of the land. By Jessica Kelly
Using the surrounding elements to deliver the highest quality food and drink seems to be standard practice in Warwick. At Black Dirt Distillery, the fertile soil of its namesake region is the impetus for its small-batch spirits, including its award-winning Black Dirt Bourbon, made with Black Dirt-grown corn and aged for a minimum of three years. Drowned Lands also dials into the region’s specific terroir, allowing seasonal microflora to influence the brewing process for its experimental IPAs, table beers, and farmhouse ales. In addition to its wines and spirits, including sour cherry cordial and pear liqueur, Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery is also home to Doc’s Cider, the oldest operating cidery in NYS, which crafts more than a dozen canned ciders from 65 varieties of heirloom and modern apples.
DROWNED LANDS
Local breweries, cideries, and wineries feature heavily
on the beverage program at The Grange, where the farm- to-table menu rotates frequently to accommodate what’s available from regional producers, like Hudson Valley
Cattle Company, Lowland Farm, and Pennings. The on-site market is full of local goodies, including honey, eggs, Tonjes Farm Dairy cheeses, and house-made sauces, dressings, and condiments. At Fannie’s, owners Brittney Hiller and Stephanie J. Roth pride themselves on incorporating locally sourced ingredients in homemade dishes, like house-made organic corn crêpes with black bean purée, fried local eggs, and J&A Farm salsa.
Family-owned Noble Pies bakes sweet and savory pies — Black Dirt chocolate cream, Will You Marry Me Cherry, and Hudson Valley apple — using 100-year-old heirloom recipes from owner Leslie Noble’s grandmother, sustainable Northeast-milled flour, and grass-fed Catskills butter.
Situated on more than 50 acres, Pennings Farm’s orchard boasts more than 20 varieties of apples for fall u-pick, and the on-site market churns out hot apple cider donuts year- round. Since 2015, the property has also been home to Pennings Farm Cidery, where the regular rotation includes a dozen ciders on tap, including maple-vanilla, Bourbon cyser, and electric pink ginger beet.
PENNINGS
photos by matt petricone (drowned lands), by samantha eschmann (pennings)
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