Fine-Dining in a Historic Setting—Elkridge Furnace Inn

http://www.elkridgefurnaceinn.com

I can still remember the first time I dined at the Elkridge Furnace Inn.  It was on a whim, on a Sunday morning about three years ago, and they were serving brunch.  At the time, I was an inexperienced culinary connoisseur—and, looking back, that is a fairly generous assessment.  I had never really experienced brunch, so the meal was novel and adventuresome.  A quick study of the menu proved that I had some fast-learning to do.  French names and sophisticated dishes printed in italics were, at first, intimidating.  But, it was a good deal: for only $25, I selected an appetizer, entrée, and side dish.  A complimentary basket of scones and pastries arrived first and a freshly brewed cup of coffee followed quickly thereafter.  As my appetizer, I ordered the French toast, which was soaked and served with Grand Marnier butter on top, and, for my entrée, I selected an herb-stuffed chicken breast, with a side of cheesy, scalloped potatoes.  Even though I could not pronounce much of the meal, let alone understand its ingredients, the flavors were appealing, enticing, and, more importantly, memorable.  What I learned that day was that good food—great food, in fact—happens when you’re willing to let yourself go and experience the new and different, even if it is printed in an inscrutable language.  My first meal at the Elkridge Furnace Inn initiated my interest in expanding my conservative culinary palette.

Since that day, I have dined at Elkridge on more than a few occasions.  My attendance is augmented by the fact that I have several friends who work there, and, as it just so happens, many other friends who have wished to dine there for quite some time.  I’ve experienced all sides of the restaurant’s capabilities, from brunch and lunch, to dinner and even special events, like wine tastings and historic dinners.  Elkridge sells its historical ties more than its restaurant, which is too simplistic, in my opinion.  The kitchen’s capabilities, coupled with its historical setting, are truly unmatched in the Baltimore-metropolitan area.  Where else can you receive quality, fine dining in a historic mansion without paying steep prices? 

It is a perfect place to experience a truly unique and delicious meal, without blowing your budget.  Set on about 16 acres of land in eastern Howard County (about 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore), it was originally owned by the Ellicott family, one of the most prosperous and influential families in Maryland history.  The Tavern, which houses the restaurant, was built in the 1740s, and the Manor House, a huge complex of rooms, staircases, and several levels, was built in the early 1800s.  The slave houses still rest on the land and an ever-shrinking Patapsco River runs behind the house.  On days of heavy rain, the river rises, and you can imagine an actual scene from the past in which a young John Smith traveled up the river and traded goods. 

If the historicity of the Elkridge Furnace Inn is not as appealing to you as it is to me, then you should still dine there in order to experience its intricate and thoughtfully-prepared dishes.  Outside of brunch, it serves both lunch and dinner, and even caters for special occasions; weddings are particularly popular.  The restaurant’s lunch menu changes weekly and the dinner menu on a monthly basis.  The dinner menu includes a la carte dishes, as well as a special prix fix menu.  There is both a soup of the day and a seafood soup of the day, along with a daily entrée.  Desserts rotate routinely, too.  When you visit Elkridge, be prepared to dine from an elaborate menu and choose from an extensive wine list of about a dozen pages.

This past Saturday, I arrived at Elkridge with two friends, and we were fully prepared to go all out.  We had been forewarned that our 8:00 reservations might not hold, due to a hectic schedule.  This wasn’t particularly bothersome, so we arrived about 15 minutes late, only to find out that our table was still occupied and would probably stay so for some time.  Not to worry, we ordered cocktails and waited in the library, which is on the second floor of the Manor House, a little walk away from the restaurant side.  Two of us ordered cosmopolitans and the other requested a very “dry, dry, dry martini.”  The drinks were perfect—the right amount of alcohol and flavor.  The cosmopolitans were sweet and not heavy, and the martini was prepared accordingly.  At about 9:30, we were brought to a table in the near corner of a room in the Tavern.  Looking around, we saw a copy of the original deed to the property framed on the wall and an old map of colonial Maryland.  An antique fireplace blazed near the center.  The ambience was just right for a cold, wintry evening.

Before getting to the appetizers, an honorable mention needs to be said about the bread and butter, which is, in my opinion, just as important as the rest of the meal, because it sets the tone for the remainder of your dining experience, even though most restaurants prefer to showcase their prowess in other areas.  While Elkridge offers a variety of breads, it was enjoyable knowing that they were fresh, warm, and soft.  Complimenting the breads were two types of homemade butter.  Having done away with the traditional whipped butter, Elkridge has created unique and flavorful butter combinations that foreshadow and underscore its creativeness and dedication to quality.  On our visit, we were offered peppermint mocha butter and chipotle butter.  Each selection was equally unique and flavorful.  Personally, I preferred the chipotle, but my friends seemed to enjoy the peppermint mocha the most.  In addition to the warm bread and homemade butter, we started our dinner with a succulent amuse bouche, a combination of marinated vegetables in vinegar served inside a crostini. 

We each ordered different appetizers.  I ordered the seafood soup of the day, which was a Normandy lobster with apple brandy and minced vegetables.  Like most—if not nearly all—of the dishes that we ordered that night, it was nearly flawless.  Lump meat and vegetables swam in the frothy lobster soup.  The apple brandy was a superlative touch, adding a sweetness to correlate with the spiciness of herbs and freshly cracked black pepper.  We also selected the brie wrapped in puff pastry, which came alongside apple butter and chopped black walnuts.  Typically not a fan of brie, I honestly could have eaten several pieces of this delicious dish.  The rine of the cheese had been removed, taking away the brie’s pungent flavor, but allowing the buttery puff pastry and sweet apple butter to nicely complement each other.  The chopped black walnuts added a texture contrast and welcomed crunchiness.  Our last appetizer was the crab and cheese tart.  This is not your ordinary crab dip, and, even though it came alongside crackers, it truly serves as its own dish.  About the size of your hand, the round pastry was filled with lump crab pieces and capers, melted over top with the right amount of cheese.  It was nicely seasoned, and the capers kicked in spiciness. 

For second courses, we ordered one soup and two salads.  The soup was a traditional French Onion, which was prepared with a tasty veal stock and a drizzle of white wine.  The cheese was extra thick and the onions thinly sliced.  The first salad was a cranberry poached pear salad, which was served on Boston bibb lettuce and sprinkled with blue cheese and candied cashews.  The pears had been soaking in cranberry juice for some time, and their color had changed to dark purple.  This process allowed the cranberry juice to draw out and enhance the pears’ natural flavors.  As well, the blue cheese and candied cashews, piled on top of the lettuce and drizzled with pomegranate vinaigrette, worked well with the pears.  The pear salad was, like most of the dishes, equally memorable.  The other salad was a duck confit, which was piled on top of mustard and beet greens and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.  The duck leg was simply delicious—perfectly crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside, and it even could have been served by itself.

For our entrees, our selections were just as diverse, flavorful, and inventive as our first and second courses.  One friend ordered the humus gnocchi.  Of all of the dishes on the menu, this was perhaps the one I was least looking forward to tasting.  I don’t care for humus or gnocchi; however, once they were combined, it was a delicious dish.  The gnocchi were plump and soft and the humus was plentiful and flavorful.  It was mixed in with wild mushrooms, butternut squash, and a cream sauce.  There appeared to be more vegetables than gnocchi, which left us wanting for more of the delicious gnocchi.  Another entrée was the semi-boneless pheasant, which came alongside an herb stuffing wrapped with applewood bacon and a béchamel sauce.  Even though the bacon was overcooked, the herb stuffing offered a nice combination of spices and herbs.  Add in the béchamel sauce and the tender pheasant, this dish held all of the elements together nearly perfectly.  The final entrée was the skinless duck breast, which was served over wilted greens.  The thick pieces of duck breast were nicely seasoned and seared to a medium-rare, and the elements from the wilted greens were flavorful, too.  The dish also came with a ginger and nut beggars purse.  Phyllo dough shaped like a small purse contained generous portions of nuts and spicy ginger.  Creative, playful, and delicious are three words to describe all of our entrees and the menu in its entirety.

The dessert selection ranged variably, from a hazelnut crème brulee to homemade ice cream, and was creatively crafted and prepared.  We ordered the hazelnut crème brulee, which tasted more like a traditional crème brulee, but with just a hint of hazelnut.  I had ordered a chocolate mousse cake, which wasn’t a traditional cake, in the sense that it had a dark cookie crust on the bottom and a light, mocha-colored cake on top, and it was quite good.  Another bright spot for desserts was the homemade blackberry ice cream.  Abundance of flavor and minced pieces of blackberries filled each of the three scoops.  It had just the right amount of blackberries and ice cream without being too sweet or over the top.  In addition, a friend drank a freshly prepared cup of espresso and I enjoyed a cup of medium-dark coffee, both of which enhanced our dessert experience.

A special commendation needs to be rendered on Elkridge’s intricate wine menu.  It is an extensive collection of whites, reds, and champagne.  Wines from France, Spain, Italy, and New Zealand, along with a nice selection of American wines, are all moderately priced.  As well, with each course, Elkridge provides a suggested wine tasting.  For a 3 ounce pour, it is only $5, but full glasses are also available.  If an exotic bottle of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Merlot seems too expensive, there is also the option of purchasing half-bottles, at more reasonable prices.  Dessert wines are pricier but just as versatile.  It is evident that Elkridge takes its wine just as seriously as it does its food.

As 2006 winds down, I’ve begun to look back at all of the restaurants I have visited in nearly 12 months.  At last count, there have been nearly two dozen different dining establishments in the Baltimore-metro area that I have dined at, and, of those, I will honestly recommend only a handful to my friends and coworkers.  These restaurants are eclectic and well-deserving, but, in most instances, they are already well-known and highly established restaurants within the burgeoning Baltimore culinary scene.  One restaurant that seriously deserves to be included among the best is the Elkridge Furnace Inn. 

Local critics and restaurateurs have been slow to recognize and even commend Elkridge.  I believe their hesitancy is as a result of Elkridge’s preferred status as a caterer for large groups and weddings.  In most discussions with those who have heard of Elkridge, it is usually because of a friend or relative’s wedding.  I always try to steer them towards the restaurant, which is lesser-known but just as deserving of their attention.  Among the many restaurants which I have dined at, there is only one that combines a unique place in history with quality fine dining.  Need I say more?