Sleigh ride and dinner out!

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 Christmas 2024 - we received a gift of a sleigh ride and dinner out  in Fennville which is approximately 1 hour from our house.  Unfortunately, there was no consistent snow cover etc last year so it was postponed until this year.  The idea was to go for a sleigh ride and then out for dinner on the same day. That didn’t work either since the sleigh rides were only in the mornings and early afternoons and the restaurant didn’t open until later. The best laid plans etc. 

Anyway, we  finally scheduled a sleigh ride at noon on Wednesday and dinner for six on Saturday. 

Both were wonderful experiences.


Clear skies and cold temperatures!



Frosty our horse loved to “talk”!













…those who don’t tip the driver who as it turns out only works for tips…no pressure!




Saturday evening the roads were still clean and dry. We arrived at Salt of the Earth in Fennville . It’s on Main Street and doesn’t look like much from the outside but inviting on the inside and it was encouragingly busy. (We, unfortunately, got what was probably the worst placed table in the house). 

They were starting a new “menu for two” that evening with optional wine pairings! It looked wonderful so that’s what we did but without the wine. Four courses. First: Brussels sprouts flatbread. Flatbread covered with a cream sauce, very thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, red onions and a beautiful balsamic glaze! 



Second: a choice of salad or soup.  We both wanted the salad. Fresh local greens, dried Michigan cherries, almonds, Cheever covered lightly with a balsamic vinaigrette!  So good!


Third: two dishes split in two so we each got good sized helpings. 

Shrimp and creamy polenta with sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. We enjoyed trying polenta for the first time.



AND

Grilled beef tenderloin, herbed potatoes, carrots and red wine mushroom demi-glaze.  Melt-your-mouth tenderloin and so delicious sides. We took most of this home!





And fourth there was dessert - so rich and almost decadent. It also came home with us!

The waitress assured us that it would travel well! It did taste good at home but looked terrible lol!


All in all, it was a Christmas gift well worth waiting for!

Thanks to our children!

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