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By Margo Callaghan 

Sitting on the veranda of the Inn at Shelburne Farms, overlooking the rolling lawns and shoreline of the lake is in itself something of a magical experience. Couple that with the anticipation of having dinner served in that setting and the effect is wondrously compounded. That feeling was shared among my dining companions the other evening. We had all set off for dinner following work at the paper and were all awed (again) at the beauty of Shelburne Farms as we drove up to the Inn. All this serene beauty, history, and splendor a mere five minutes away from Shelburne proper; may we never grow jaded to this!

It's time for a confession: this would be my first time having dinner at the Inn. I had been there for Sunday Brunch a few very memorable times, but never for an evening meal. Part of the reason may have been a misguided belief that this experience was only available to guests at the Inn. (Not true!) And I also learned that you and I can also come to have breakfast at the Inn six days a week (7:30-11:30 a.m.) enjoying a beautiful assortment of OBread freshly baked goods, farmhouse eggs, house-smoked meats, granola and pancakes, in this elegant, pastoral setting.

But this night was about savoring the dinner experience, which began at the bar. Meet Tim Dempsey, the Inn's barkeep extraordinaire, who delights in bringing the bounty of the surrounding fields to his special menu of cocktails. Like the Inn's seasonal dinner menu that we were about to sit to contemplate, spring rhubarb was a featured ingredient at the bar. Tim used it in a devilishly refreshing libation entitled a "Rhubarb Swizzle" which included anise syrup and rum. He pulled out a gigantic mason jar in which he was marinating Pheasant's Back mushrooms that would be the basis for an original interpretation of a classic Manhattan cocktail by next week, when the marinating process would be complete. Although most bar-top condiment trays sport slices of lemons and maraschino cherries, Tim's had sprigs of freshly cut rosemary, sorrel leaves, and ramps. He promised that within the next few weeks and the harvest of baby beets, roasted beet sangria would be on his menu. All this and we hadn't made it to the dining room yet.

We had a chance to chat with Chef David Hugo before ordering dinner, and he told us that close to 80 percent of his menu was sourced from in-state local sources. Of those items, at least 50 percent came from Shelburne Farms, and he expected that percentage to be higher in the seasons ahead.

His pick for the night? "The venison is new on the menu tonight, and I'm looking forward to it. We get our venison from Ledge Ends Farm in East Middlebury and tonight it's served with rhubarb chutney."

Before main courses though, we had to make our way though a myriad of appetizer options. Since the informal "theme" of our evening was rhubarb, I took advantage of the Sweet and Sour Rhubarb Salad. The thinly sliced strips of rhubarb on top of a bed of greens had a sweet citrus-y note as the rhubarb had been braised in orange juice. It meshed well with the rich, soft, raw cows' milk triple crème cheese served with the salad. If you are counting, this was the third movement of the Inn's rhubarb concerto. We also sampled the Spring Vegetable Flatbread that featured ramps, tiny baby radishes, and beets, sunchokes, and fresh greens on a wafer-crisp bread liberally spread with tangy herbed goat cheese. Another salad offering was the smoked asparagus and fresh mozzarella with greens that came drizzled with bacon vinaigrette. The rich smokiness of the asparagus and bacon, coupled with the mozzarella was wonderful. The final stop on our appetizer circuit was Steak Tartare, handsomely presented on a wood block, with an onion jam and pickled ramps.

Finally, to the main courses for the night, we took Chef Hugo's suggestion and had the loin of venison with rhubarb chutney. At medium-rare, the meat was tender and flavorful, and the chutney added an exciting element to the plate. There was a rich earthy gratin of leeks and oyster mushrooms served along side the venison, making for a fabulous plate.

The seared scallop entrée intrigued me, as it came served in a smoked Vidalia onion cream sauce. What a great pairing of sauce to protein! While the scallops were the only thing thus far that was not "local," they were the next best thing - "Day Boat" scallops, meaning that instead of being caught during more traditional multi-day ocean harvests, these mollusks were caught and sold within a day, bringing the freshest possible flavor (and consistency) to the table. In the middle of the plate was a fennel slaw topped with luscious lobster meat.

It was an exceptional experience, in an exceptional setting. Why had I not discovered it sooner? I won't make the same mistake come breakfast. It will be a wonderful treat (and retreat) to ride through the Farms, to arrive at the Inn, to sit on the veranda, to overlook the lake, to appreciate freshness of the air and cuisine. All without leaving my own zip code. Care to join me? Reservations recommended 985-8498.