The Sun Sets Over A Slice Of Heaven…
That’s how my wife Alex and I felt as we watched nightfall approach in New York’s idyllic Hudson Valley….less than two hours north of the city by train, we were there to attend a wine dinner being thrown by our friend Yvette…
Millbrook is described as a village in Dutchess County, New York. located in the Hudson Valley, on the east side of the Hudson River, 90 miles north of New York City.
And that’s where we were headed!
Welcome To The Millbrook Inn!
The Millbrook Inn is described as “a serene retreat in the heart of the Hudson Valley, surrounded by lush farms.”
Completely renovated by our friend and owner Yvette, she created a perfect blend of the charm and intimacy of a country bed and breakfast with the luxury of an upscale inn.
A Fully Renovated Historic Inn!
The Inn was formerly a boy’s dorm for the Greer School, founded in 1906. The building has had several lives since, and in 2010 was reborn as The Millbrook Inn. After new ownership, the Inn underwent a complete renovation and expansion, and added a bar and restaurant, along with expanded gardens and green space.
We were there in February to attend a special wine pairing dinner, put on the by the Inn and Hudson Valley’s Whitecliff Winery – let’s take a look at what was served:
Fire & Ice Oysters!
I loved this dish: oysters two ways! First, the raw oyster on the left came with a chili mignonette – while on the right, an oyster baked with bone marrow butter! WOW!
The dish was served with Whitecliff ‘s North River Method Champanoise….perfect.
Roasted Onions!
This simple sounding dish was full of complex flavors, as assorted roasted onions were served in a delicate broth and topped with a delicious Gruyere Crostini.
This dish was served with Whitecliff winery’s Vidal Blanc, which was fresh and distinctive.
Bring On The Slider!
Well, you know how I feel about this: I love Sliders! This one was perfect: a fried chicken thigh topped with herbed slaw, garlic aioli and a stacked trio of fingerling potatoes!
A chicken thigh is an inspired choice, because it packed a nuttier flavor and more depth of flavor as well, and it was perfectly juicy!
This is why I love sliders: 4 great bites, not a pound of meat on a massive bun – because the excess in the burger world these days if a bit off-putting to me – can you believe I just wrote that?!?!
The slider was served with the winery’s Sky Island Red: flavorful with just enough of a mouth feel to handle the chicken thigh without being too heavy – it allowed the slider to shine!
A cheese course was next featuring Chaseholm Dairy cheeses, roasted grapes and young greens with a blood orange vinaigrette.
It was paired with their Merlot Malbec blend, which had nice depth and body.
Meet Pear Helene!
I had never had this dish: a pear that was delicately poached in vanilla and white wine, then topped with dark chocolate and a ginger creme fraiche! Packed with flavor but not heavy at all, and paired with a dessert wine called Bourbon Barrel Blonde!
What a feast!
We had a great night at The Millbrook Inn, and they are always having special events and dinners like this one!
“Ode” To Spring: Wine Dinner With Milea Estate
Here is an announcement for their next special event on April 27th:
Join us for an unforgettable wine dinner with Milea Estate. Milea Estate is fast becoming the hottest vineyard in the Valley earning gold after gold medal at the leading international wine competition.
I mentioned that the Inn has a restaurant on site so you can just go stay, explore the region, and then have a feast at the Inn! Here is all you need to know about the Millbrook:
https://www.themillbrookinn.com
There is so much to do in Hudson Valley – from wineries and distilleries to the home of a former President!
Here’s where FDR lived – it’s now a museum and historical site with tons of fascinating insights into America’s only 4-term President!
So much activity made me hungry…remember the “fire & ice oysters?”
Well, I read Mark Kurlansky’s great history of the bivalve, and then made them three ways!
See all of the recipes here!
And that Chicken Thigh Slider reminded me why I love sliders so much – especially these unique ones I make for myself:
One is a Japanese slider, one is from Australia, and of course my favorite is the “French Fry Slider” of course – see all the recipes here:
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Make sure to check out The Millbrook Inn’s website!
Thank you Yvette and the entire Millbrook Inn team for a magical evening!
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Categories: Alcohol And Bars, Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Eat This!, Fine Dining, Food, Food Pictures, Food Travel, Recipes, Restaurants, Travel, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
I am suddenly yearning to revisit the Hudson Valley.
It was my first time and it was so much fun – so much to do we barely scratched the surface…lots of food and wine there – of course the original Culinary Institute of America is 30 min away from the Inn!
I never had dinner there but a few friends have and they enjoyed the experience immensely.
Thanks for sharing!
what fun!
What a special place for a special meal!
It was! A terrific getaway with so much to see in the valley – you’d love FDR’s place!
I would!
It looks fabulous that onion dish I could eat..and no John I cannot believe “the excess in the burger world these days is a bit off-putting to me ” join the club, John great piles of food have always put me off😊I too prefer a slider…
upstate New York is so different from nyc, that it seems it’s own state, and luckily so accessible. this in and the food look wonderful. the setting is beautiful, and the food and wine pairings were beautiful. I’m all about small tastes of things, and they look delicious. your comment about ‘big burgers’ was a surprise to me, as I know you love to feature them, but small and fine is even better to me.
A few years ago we had the pleasure to taste wines from Hudson Valley. Very hard to buy where we live, so tasting them was a great experience.
Thanks for sharing that! It’s actually frustrating for these wine makers that even in New York City, some wine shops don’t carry many…they feel neglected and are trying hard to change that!
Great location, great food, and wine! Nothing to dislike there. If I lived nearby, I would definitely treat myself to a wine dinner!
Best wishes, Pete.
Yes Pete a really nice 90 min train ride too!