My love of biking began with a tuna sandwich, a thick slice of homemade country bread piled high with oil-slicked fish and peppery arugula. It was the reward for a bike ride that began in the Bronx, following the old railway tracks through Van Cortland Park, whizzing by Little League games in Yonkers and past power walking moms in Westchester before ending at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown. Hunger is the best sauce, as they say, and fresh air and healthy exercise come close behind. I completely understand why biking is having such a resurgence. I was intoxicated with the idea that I could travel so far by my own steam—over the George Washington Bridge and into New Jersey, up into the farm country of Ulster County, over into lovely Beacon. Naturally, all my trips were built around specific meals or treats.
Recently I took things a bit further: my friend Geraldine Campbell and I embarked on a two-week biking and eating tour of Virginia. (You can read our live blogs from the trip on BikesandBiscuits.com.) We borrowed custom-built wheels from Bilenky Cycle Works,
the geniuses of the bike-touring world, and designed an itinerary that
hit the area’s best restaurants, farms, and wineries. The riding was no
picnic—our bikes weighed a hefty 60 pounds each, which makes rolling
hills a struggle—so we worked up a good appetite each day.
We began and ended our trip in Frederick, Maryland (our only non-Virginia stop, except for an accidental two-mile foray into West Virginia). The reason? Bryan Voltaggio. We had been hearing so much about the soft-spoken Top Chef contestant (apparently one of his nicknames is the Silent Assassin) that we made a special trip to eat at his restaurant, VOLT. After making a name for himself at Manhattan’s Aureole and DC’s Charlie Palmer Steak, Voltaggio moved back to his hometown to open his own place in a historic 1890s mansion on Frederick’s main drag. It’s elegant and upscale, but with plenty of wit—servers wear chocolate brown Converse as part of their uniform, a large “Eat” sign hangs over the door to the dining room, and two silver pig figurines mark “Table 21,” which is reserved for guests who try the 21 course tasting menu. It was the best possible way to kick off our adventure: a three-hour succession of playful dishes, including lightly fried veal sweetbreads that were like adult chicken nuggets, arctic char over farro and local Chioggia beets, and butter-poached lobster over earthy black rice. Sommelier Neil Dundee introduced us to Maryland wines, including a smooth Syrah from Black Ankle Vineyards, and tried to talk us into coming with him to a tattoo artist the following day (we didn’t; he got a corkscrew on his hand). Voltaggio wouldn’t reveal any Top Chef spoilers but he did let us peek in his kitchen, where we checked out the massive walk-in fridge filled with Virginia and Maryland produce, and the area where they make all their own charcuterie. We ended with a round of mini ice cream sandwiches that made us all feel like happy kids.
We began and ended our trip in Frederick, Maryland (our only non-Virginia stop, except for an accidental two-mile foray into West Virginia). The reason? Bryan Voltaggio. We had been hearing so much about the soft-spoken Top Chef contestant (apparently one of his nicknames is the Silent Assassin) that we made a special trip to eat at his restaurant, VOLT. After making a name for himself at Manhattan’s Aureole and DC’s Charlie Palmer Steak, Voltaggio moved back to his hometown to open his own place in a historic 1890s mansion on Frederick’s main drag. It’s elegant and upscale, but with plenty of wit—servers wear chocolate brown Converse as part of their uniform, a large “Eat” sign hangs over the door to the dining room, and two silver pig figurines mark “Table 21,” which is reserved for guests who try the 21 course tasting menu. It was the best possible way to kick off our adventure: a three-hour succession of playful dishes, including lightly fried veal sweetbreads that were like adult chicken nuggets, arctic char over farro and local Chioggia beets, and butter-poached lobster over earthy black rice. Sommelier Neil Dundee introduced us to Maryland wines, including a smooth Syrah from Black Ankle Vineyards, and tried to talk us into coming with him to a tattoo artist the following day (we didn’t; he got a corkscrew on his hand). Voltaggio wouldn’t reveal any Top Chef spoilers but he did let us peek in his kitchen, where we checked out the massive walk-in fridge filled with Virginia and Maryland produce, and the area where they make all their own charcuterie. We ended with a round of mini ice cream sandwiches that made us all feel like happy kids.
Once again I wish I were there...............