There is no need to travel to The French Laundry in Napa; chef Chris Eddy is creating remarkable and gorgeously subtle dishes at Winvian Resort, a Relais and Chateau property in Morris, Connecticut, near Litchfield, where anyone can enjoy lunch or dinner indoors or on the porch overlooking rolling farmland.
Already, chef Eddy and staff are prowling the kitchen’s massive gardens in search of micro greens and baby vegetables that he uses to create magic. We started our meal with pink and red baby beets, pickled red onion, verjus, shiso, rose petal angelica, opal basil, pecans, Molinari olive oil and fleur de sel. Next he sent out a baby carrot and pea risotto, featuring thumbalina and heirloom carrots, sugar snap peas, pea tendrils, and anise, all bathed in a parmesean foam. In awe, we eagerly awaited the surprise of what might come next.
While we have had our share of duck breast, chef Eddy’s version was dazzling. Using local duck breast from MarWin Farms, Eddy gave it a slight salt-crust edge and paired it with baby ramps, cremini mushrooms, sweet Sicily, and a five spice foam. One bite and our jaws fell open.
For dessert, “strawberry shortcake” consisted of rye cake, lemon curd, Chantilly cream, anise pods, meringue, the farm’s ever bearing strawberries, milk chocolate nemelaka, chocolate genoise and a candied hazelnut.
Sitting here reading the list of ingredients, I see that it doesn’t begin to convey the sensual, soul-deep experience of eating dishes so lovingly prepared, as if chef Eddy had whispered encouragement to each item he placed on our plates, before scattering it with edible flowers. But he wasn’t whispering; he was creating in the Eddy style, humbly following his muse. May it always be so. Rock on, chef Eddy, rock on.
