The Farmer’s Daughter hosted Bryan and I for dinner. 
As always, all opinions are my own. For more information see my disclosures here.

Last night, Bryan and I had dinner at The Farmer’s Daughter located inside the Normandy Hotel in Blue Bell, PA. We lived in Blue Bell a few years ago and passed The Farmer’s Daughter/Normandy Hotel many times, but thought it was only a wedding venue. After researching the property online, I found that it was much more than just that. 

Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by Nicole (marketing manager), Abu (executive chef), Gary (director of marketing), and the hostess staff. Everyone was extremely welcoming and were willing to accommodate anything we needed. We had the opportunity to sit down with Abu and Gary to discuss all the menu options, as well as their personal recommendations.

During dinner, Abu stopped by our table to see how things were going and we were able to learn a bit more about him. He’s originally from Mombasa, Kenya, but relocated to the states to attend the Culinary Institute of America. He has trained under some of the world’s best chefs in Romania, England and Dubai. Abu is such a nice guy and I’m so glad we were able to get insight on where he came from, and how that shaped his art of cooking today. 

Appetizer

First up was the Baked Burrata Cheese, which was mozzarella and ricotta cheese mixed together and served with arugula pesto, grilled country bread, lemon zest, truffle oil and sea salt. OMG. If I could eat something everyday as a precursor to my dinner, this would be it. Bryan isn’t a fan of ricotta, but he really enjoyed this dish since the ricotta wasn’t overwhelming at all. The crispy bread with the salty cheese and tangy lemon juice was mmm, mmm, good! 

Salad

Bryan and I shared the Harvest salad, which consisted of grilled stone fruit, quinoa, arugula, dried apricots, dried cranberries, and a spicy honey mustard dressing. I need to recreate this salad at home (especially the dressing). It was light and fruity, and exactly what you’d expect. The quinoa added a bit of protein, which is awesome for pescetarians like myself. 

Entrees

Bryan ordered the chef’s recommendation of the Overnight Braised Short Rib. It was served with anson mill grits, brussel sprouts, roasted carrots, fresh horseradish and a cabernet demi. According to Bryan, the dish was cooked perfectly and the meat melted in his mouth. It wasn’t tough, like some short ribs can be. It was seasoned perfectly, and the carrots were a great pairing for the meat. He highly recommends this dish! 

I ordered the Crispy Skin Salmon which was pan seared and served with wheat berries, cous-cous, cherries, parsley and walnut vinaigrette, and a sweet balsamic reduction. I’ve had many salmon dishes, but this one stands out due to the crispy skin. It gave the fish a nice texture and an almost caramelized flavor. Wheat berries are a favorite of mine, so when I saw that on the menu, I knew I had to order this entree. I was certainly not disappointed. 

Our waiter also brought out a surprise entree from the chef, the Rainbow Trout. It was served on top of a bed of sautéed vegetables, roasted parsnip puree, and a cilantro and lime vinaigrette. Trout isn’t something I would typically order, so I was excited that the chef made it for us. It was hands down my favorite dish of the night. The cilantro and lime vinaigrette was AMAZING and added a sweetness to the fish that I really enjoyed. It was really light and flavorful and reminded me of food I could have had in Jamaica. 

Dessert

I chose the Chevre Cheesecake with red currant sorbet, lemon curd, and a lace tuille. Bryan chose the Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart with chocolate ice cream and a coffee Kahlua anglaise. Both were great ways to end our dinner. I’m the biggest cheesecake fan, and typically am a cheesecake purist and prefer no toppings. However in this instance, the lemon curd and sorbet were really refreshing and great additions to the dessert. The Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart is a guest favorite and now we know why. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and salty, and the chocolate ice cream on the side was super creamy.  

After Dinner

After we were done with dinner, Gary took us outside to tour the newly built terrace. The terrace has a fire pit, outdoor bar, water features, and various seating. On Wednesdays and Thursdays they have live music and on Saturdays they have a DJ. Next time we visit, we will definitely be sitting outside if the weather is nice! 

Thank you to The Farmer’s Daughter for hosting us. We can’t wait to bring our friends and family sometime soon. 

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