Maryland Wine Dinner Menu Fresh Made Mozzarella with Roasted Red Pepper, Green Onion
Diver Scallop with Truffle
Oil
Cassinelli
Rosé
Maryland Blue Crab salad & Old Bay Granita
(lemon, white wine reduction, Old Bay)
Madras Curry and Roasted Pumpkin Bisque with a Pretzel-coated Goat Cheese
Fritter, Popcorn Garnish
Cassinelli Reisling 2007 Churchill, MD
 Choptank
Sweet Oyster and House Smoked Tasso Ham Cream
Black Ankle Viognier 2008
Apple Cider Lacquered Cedar Run Pork Belly & Smoked Pork Shoulder
Roasted Towner Farm Yams, Mustard Greens and
House-Made Dijon Mustard
Little Ashby Merlot 2007
Lockbriar Farms
Paula Red Apple Nieve & Chilled Braeburn Soup
Korean-style Braised Short Ribs, Roasted Baby Japanese Turnip
and Towner Farms Gremolata.
Black Ankle Leaf Stone Syrah 2007
Chapelle
Cave Aged Cheddar with Star-Anise Infused Apple Butter, Microsalad with Black Pepper Vinaigrette
Elk Run Lord Baltimore Port 2005
A lesson in pear: Baked Bosc Pear & Vanilla-Almond Oatmeal
Streusel and Pear Ice Cream
Elk Run Vin de Jus Glace 2006
 Chef: Robbie Jester
Sous-chef: Tyler Parsons
Wine Pairings: Jason Hopwood |
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| Chapelle Cheddar and Microgreens |
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| Some of the evening's wines |
It was raining, as it has been all through this fall. We negotiated our way through the dark blustery
night to the marina on Worton Creek, parking amidst the shrouded boats. It was getting onto Halloween and felt like it.
The Harbor House restaurant has been at the Worton Creek Marina for years, and sees most of its action in the summer
months, when the view is gorgeous and the boaters are plentiful. In summer, it's the kind of place where you might run down
to the bathrooms to change out of your wet shorts for dinner.
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| Scallops with truffle oil. |
But these days, it’s dark before dinner and the food vies with nothing else for attention and focus.
Tonight, we were coming to Harbor House for Chef Robbie Jester’s Maryland Wine dinner. Course after course of
Maryland-sourced food paired with Maryland wines suggested by Jason Hopwood, formerly of the Kennedyville Inn.
Robbie is the second generation CIA-trained chef at Harbor House. His father preceded him. And now it’s
Robbie’s turn. At the ripe young age of 26, he’s leading a team of talented young people in the kitchen.
We first ran into Robbie at the Governor’s Buy Local Cookout; he’d worked with several farmers and producers
to submit local recipes for a contest and two had been chosen. This night’s dinner followed in the theme.
So how was it? Ambitious, impressive, a marathon. Although all the food was remarkable, we were
full at course six, when some began flagging. The pairings were perfect; we especially liked the Cassinelli Reisling with
the spicy pumpkin bisque and the Black Ankle Syrah with the Short Ribs. Loved the apple “nieve” (for snow –
a lovely granita), the oysters and the pork belly and shoulder.
Another wine dinner is in the offing in December (perhaps justifiably pared back this time), but some
of these dishes will be making it to the regular menu at the marina. Also upcoming — a "Teaching Dinner" for
the 21st of November. Contact the Harbor House here for more. Want more pics from the evening? They're on the ChesapeakeFoodie page on Facebook.
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| Sous-chef Tyler Parsons in the kitchen |
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