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By HELEN SMITH
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
Chef Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington demonstrated his style of cooking - which he describes as the “cuisine of the territory” - to the Rappahannock Extension Homemakers at their annual International Dinner on Monday, June 10.
“Each year the Extension Homemaker Clubs have a county-wide International Dinner during June,” stated Sandra Jenkins, chairman for 1991. “So we selected French cooking as our theme for this year and asked chef O’Connell to present the educational program.”
“Since the first seating for dinner guests at The Inn is at 6 p.m., chef O’Connell was not able to present the program following dinner, so he was kind enough to invite us to come before dinner for a tour of his kitchen and demonstration, which were fabulous,” commented Helen W. Smith, extension home economist.
“I know that everyone truly appreciated his hospitality as well as his sharing a few of his cooking secrets when we got to see the behind-the-scenes operation in the kitchen,” said Mrs. Smith.
“The tour began with a welcome and brief history of The Inn as we entered the lobby,” commented May belle Gilkey, president of Rappahannock E.H. Clubs.
Following a tour of the main dining room, everyone was seated in the garden and sipped tall glasses of ice tea garnished with mint and lemon while Mr. O’Connell lectured on French meals, cooking and wines.
Mr. O’Connell stated that The Inn’s cuisine has been greatly influenced by the country inns of France.
Strong emphasis is placed on obtaining the freshest local ingredients. The Inn’s full-time horticulturist grows all of the herbs and flowers used in season.
Numerous small and large growers'in Rappahannock and surrounding counties supply country hams, trout, rabbits, shiitake mushrooms, apples, cider, peaches, haricots verts (very slender green beans) and other local produce.
In France this style of cooking is often called “a cuisine of the territory,” or of the region, or sometimes a “personal cuisine.”
It is very evident that The Inn features local agricultural products on their menu. An example is the lamb served with an apple brandy sauce.
The highlight of the program was a tour of the kitchen where Mr. O’Connell, assisted by his staff, demonstrated preparation of an hors d’oeurve, entree, vegetable and dessert.
Two of the recipes that Mr. O’Connell demonstrated were particularly delicious: Soft shell crabs and a grand mamier sauce, which was served over fresh raspberries.
At the end of the tour Mr. O’Connell returned to the kitchen to begin serving his guests and the Extension Homemakers and their guests returned to Trinity Episcopal Church where they eryoyed a French country supper.
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