By Ernest Jaeger, Charge de Presse Provencial Honoraire

Early December in New Jersey was marked by snow, ice and cold, unusual for the state, but a picturesque setting for the holiday season. Our Garden State bailliage marked the holiday season with a happy celebration at the Pluckemin Inn, one of the state’s four-star dining rooms. For years the colonial Pluckemin Inn was merely a place to get a quick drink and some bar food until about four years ago when the building was completely gutted and expanded. The new, beautiful colonial-inspired décor is complemented by Chef David Felton’s four-star cuisine. The Pluckemin Inn is a destination for fine dining in the state.

We drove to the inn on December 7, against a backdrop of sparkling iced trees and snow crusted fields reflecting the lights of warm houses. The Inn was spotlighted under a sky of stars, many of them from the state’s food critics. Twinkling lights decorated the trees around the inn and lighted the way to the cozy, candlelit lobby and reception area. Once we entered, we were quickly warmed by the inn’s hospitality.

A reception featured butler passed hors d’oeuvres including mushroom and goat cheese tartlets and shrimp satay with sweet chili, good omens for the dinner which would follow. Members and their guests sipped a refreshing Gruet Brut NV as they helped themselves to a buffet of cured Italian meats, cheeses, olives and chick pea purees.

Fires on the hearths in the dining rooms cast shadows on beautifully appointed tables and bright evergreen holiday decorations. Dinner began with the presentation of an excellent amuse-bouche, a perfectly poached oyster with a hint of Meyer lemon, assembled in the oyster’s shell. Many of us wished we had a tray of these oysters, but dinner was coming.

One of the highlights of the evening’s menu, as if the oyster were not perfection enough, was pasture raised veal loin escorted by a Chateau Bellevue 2005. The loin was highlighted with black trumpet mushrooms, Hubbard squash puree and petit Brussels sprouts. The Bordeaux’s woodsy and peppery notes complemented the mushrooms beautifully, while the wine’s fruity notes helped to underscore the sweetness of the Hubbard squash and the petite Brussels sprouts.

Another outstanding course was bacon wrapped quail with foie de poulet, confit studded jus and winter greens. The nicely smoked bacon kept the roasted quail richly succulent. A well-balanced Bouchard Pere et Fils Bourgogne 2006 presented spicy and berry flavors that complemented all aspects of this dish.

Guests were sipping the last drops of the of their Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois which ended dinner as Bailli Robin Jacobs brought out the kitchen brigade and wait staff for the bailliage’s thanks. Bailli Jacobs presented a Chaine plate to Joanne Carducci, the inn’s private event planner, saying, “She was always there to take my calls and answer my e-mails, this evening could never have happened without her.”

The air was filled with members’ warm holiday and New Year wishes as we made our way from the tables and out into the night, bright with stars and holiday lights.