Victuals & Rituals at Old Edwards Inn & Spa

Written By: Jenny King | Issue: 2018/01 - Winter

The Old Edwards Inn and Spa opens its doors during the winter months for a host of exciting events.

On Saturday, January 13, they are hosting a Schug Wine Dinner with winemaker Michael Cox.  Cozy up at The Farm for an evening of live music by Wirewood and a multi-course paired menu by Chef Chris Huerta and Madison’s culinary team.  The popular Schug wines will make another sellout winter dinner at The Farm, so book early to ensure availability.

Root Bound, Old Edwards Inn and Spa’s weekend of Appalachian Food, Culture, and Music, is back again for its second year, February 23 through 25.

It all starts Friday night with a family-style dinner, created by James Beard Award-nominated Chef John Fleer and Madison’s own Executive Chef, Chris Huerta.  Diners will enjoy live music, high spirits, and an abundance of Appalachian fare, all served up in the rustic elegance of The Farm.

Saturday is filled with everything from biscuits and bluegrass to songwriting and salt tasting.  Workshops are all led by some of the most renowned names in the South and are as varied as the people that make Appalachia their home.  Offered both morning and afternoon, they leave plenty of time for the keynote lunch, hosted by Ronni Lundy, author, editor, and champion of all things Appalachia.  Her book, “Victuals: An Appalachian Journey with Recipes,” won her not one, but two James Beard Foundation Awards. 

Lundy will be joined by New York Times Best-Selling author Sharyn McCrumb.  Her lyrical novels about life in the Blue Ridge Mountains, are written from her true mountain heritage. 

“My books are like Appalachian quilts,” says McCrumb. “I take brightly colored scraps of legends, ballads, fragments of rural life, and local tragedy, and I piece them together into a complex whole that tells not only a story, but also a deeper truth about the culture of the mountain South.”

The afternoon workshops are followed by a multi-chef dinner at The Farm, with live music, high spirits, and tables laden with a bounteous array of victuals.  After that last bite, you’ll then be taken by shuttle to the Highlands Performing Arts Center for a concert with Grammy Award–winning bluegrass band The SteelDrivers.  On Sunday, the final event of the weekend is a live Bluegrass Gospel Brunch at Springhouse with chefs John Stehling and Denny Trantham.

Make plans to attend the Schug Wine Dinner in January and Root Bound in February by calling (828) 787-2635.  You may also visit RootBoundHighlands.com to see an in-depth schedule for the Appalachian weekend.  For more about the Schug Wine Dinner, visit oldedwardsinn.com/schugwinedinner.