In My Kitchen - Strictly Food for Thought

Hardwood-Smoked TroutOwners Matt and Joanne Baldwin lovethe history that resonates within the wallsof the enchanting restaurant. When myhusband and I embarked on a bit of a destinationdate-night, we were fortunate tohave the opportunity to speak with themabout the Inn. Joanne explained her personalconnection to the building. “I grew uphere and when I was a little girl, my familyused to come here all the time. I was friendswith the daughter of the owners and weused to sneak sodas from the restaurantand drink them out back.” Joanne remembersfondly the artists, particularly RuthRumney, whose paintings hung throughoutthe restaurant.Exposed wooden beams line the ceilingin each room and gorgeous wallpaperhas brought the rooms new life. Joanneand Matt have worked tirelessly to keepthe integrity of the history intact. Joannesaid, “I looked at a lot of pictures when wewere renovating the inside.” She showed usthe vintage silverware that came with thebuilding when they bought it in 2006. Sheexplained, “We found all kinds of amazingthings when we took over.” She handedmy husband an old silver spoon. Ty wassurprised. “Wow. It’s very heavy. They don’tmake them like that anymore!” He pointedout the maker, Oneida Manufacturing, andthe engraved Deer’s Head Inn on each pieceand asked if they still used them in the restaurant.Joanne said, “We did at first, butsadly, at the end of every night, we realizedpeople were taking them as souvenirs.”Matt Baldwin took some time from hisposition at Head Chef to tell us about therestaurant and the evolution of the menu.Matt and Joanne, who is also a chef, met atculinary school, and both have a propensityfor developing deliciously creative dishes.Matt said the key to operating a successfulrestaurant is to know your clientele. “Whenwe first opened, we were inclined to preparefood we thought people should wantto eat. We tried to make every meal special,”he said. Matt explained that there arestandard dishes that people simply alwayswant to see on the menu. And so while heand Joanne include some delicious specials,they continue to offer the mainstays thatpeople order regularly.Ty and I left it up to the experts todetermine our meal and the experiencewas delightful. We began with a platter“The key to operatinga successfulrestaurant is toknow your clientele.”—Matt BaldwinFebruary 2013 | strictlyfoodforthought.com 15