Behind the Scenes of Our Thursday Farm Suppers

These hearty meals, served family-style, feature the dishes our grandparents served on the farm. Here’s how co-founders Susan Manning & Doug Doetsch and Chef Jack Tippett brought the concept into the 21st century.

What inspired the idea for Thursday Farm Suppers?

Doug: At my grandparent’s kitchen table, supper was usually a simple meal shared at the end of a long day working on the farm. No complicated preparations or clean-up, but a chance to gather leisurely. We wanted to recreate that sense of comfort, community, and simplicity around the table together at the end of the day. 

Take us back in time. In the early 20th century, what was a typical dinner on the farm in Callicoon?

Susan: The famous Cornell chicken. In the 1920s, Dr. Robert C. Baker, a professor at Cornell University, experimented with easy and delicious ways to grill smaller chickens to help the local farms sell more birds. His recipe, made with an apple cider marinade, became a massive success. Doug's family has been preparing the dish for generations.

Chef Jack, when you first heard the concept, was there a dish in particular that immediately stood out as a must for this menu?

Jack: The first few ideas that came to mind when conceptualizing this were a pork roast and a rabbit stew. Going into winter, I wanted the menus to be hardy and warm, and these two dishes were perfect. We design the menus to be derivative of classic American and European country cooking. 

What has been your favorite dish to make so far? Tell us why.

Jack: The rabbit stew we’ve served for all of January has been a favorite. It’s perfect for the cold, deep winter. I braise the rabbit in our Dry Brook cider with lardons, chanterelle mushrooms, and aromatics. 

Are there any contemporary trends that will influence the Thursday Farm Supper in the future?

Jack: Many food trends are moving toward nostalgic and classic ideas and concepts, which perfectly fit into the theme. For me, fried chicken is the most nostalgic food, so naturally February, we’ll be serving fried chicken for the Thursday Farm Suppers. 

Get the full menu and RSVP for your next meal at The Tasting Room.