Farm to Table Cornucopia in Western Pennsylvania
The warm glow of the inviting wooden farmhouse drew us up the side road in Bedford, Pennsylvania, a serendipitous stop off the turnpike as we headed west. Like a desert mirage, the Horn O’ Plenty restaurant appeared out of the darkness of a cold winter night. A farm to table here? It seemed to good to be true. We were eager to find a good local restaurant, but one of this quality was an unexpected find in rural Pennsylvania, a little jewel just in time for a late dinner. Horn O’ Plenty delivered the promised cornucopia of fresh fare.
We entered and found a cozy interior with a large fireplace and rustic wooden tables and chairs. We had arrived with just under an hour from the 9 p.m. closing but received a warm welcome from the young waitstaff and settled in along with several families enjoying the last of their meal. We chose a table right alongside the fireplace, and eagerly settled in with our backs to the warmth of the flames, warming up from the frosty chill.
Horn O’ Plenty is an organic restaurant that grows some of its own food and even has a small shop at the front of the restaurant with its goods for sale. Its stated mission is to “nurture a sustainable relationship between our restaurant and local farmers and the land we all share.” Seasonal menus reflect the local harvest, and because the owners are themselves part of the local farming community, the freshest local produce is assured.
Despite the rustic setting, we were presented with iPads to view the tempting menus. The restaurant is BYOB, so we ordered hot tea and home-made iced tea as we perused the offerings. The daily specials were written on a blackboard propped up near the entrance to the kitchen, which was open to view and features a brick oven. The soup appetizers sounded just perfect on this frigid night, and we chose the Savory potato lentil soup with homemade bread and the pumpkin sweet potato chili, both of us using the last pieces of bread to sop up the last remnants of liquid in our bowls.
We wanted to sample a variety of Plenty’s selections but couldn’t resist ordering a pizza given the presence of the wood fire oven. The veggie pizza loaded with seasonal ingredients (broccoli, green bell peppers, mushrooms and onions) and buttercream cheese provided a satisfying centerpiece to the meal. We also tried the fire roasted veal breast filled with apple cornbread stuffing and mushroom risotto and broccoli with country style bread and butter, a heart and filling choice.
We were impressed by the clear focus on the freshness of the ingredients, and the culinary presentation was very professional, with a playful fantasia of contrasting colors and shapes employed in preparing and plating the dishes.
Horn O’ Plenty was no mirage, but an engaging, warming experience with excellent food and service, and provided us the respite from the winter cold and satisfying repast to continue on our journey.
