History of Adirondack Food Tasting Experience
Taste your way through Adirondack History with fun trivia, cooking demos, tales and stories as you savor the days of the Native Americans and pioneers to the Cure Cottage and Great Camp era. Explore this in our 1886 Stagecoach Dining Room, 1920's Speakeasy and incredible sunset beach.
Savor a Culinary Journey of Adirondack Cuisine!
The Great Camp dining experience has always been about the expansive spaces of the Adirondacks. Located not on main street, but set apart on idyllic woods and water, it was to be immersive dining where you could soak in magnificent nature and explore spaces from hidden Speakeasy’s to Stagecoach dining rooms. In this iconic tradition, a special Adirondack History of Food Tasting Journey awaits you with tasting stations spread out over 25 acres of wooded trails and beach.
- Begin in one of the last original Adirondack Lodges by entering through the “hidden door” to the 1920’s Speakeasy. Explore the USA TODAY featured Beer & Wine Cellar with the Adirondacks largest selection of craft import beers and sustainable wines.
- Start off with an appetizer sampler from the five eras of Adirondack Food while Ernest Hohmeyer gives an overview of the History of Adirondack Food.
- Then, meander to the 1886 Stagecoach dining room for four courses developed from the eras of Adirondack Food, from the Native Americans to the Cure Cottage Days and Farm-to-Fork.
- Let Executive Chef Cathy Hohmeyer guide your journey as she gives demos, trivia, and insight into each course and the history behind it. All in spacious seating that for over 50 years the hand-crafted nature of our Old World food preparation has necessitated limiting our dining to 50 guests.
- A five-course tasting dinner experience through the History of Adirondack Food.
The Five Eras of Adirondack Food
Native American Era
The first peoples in the Adirondack region eventually formed the 6 Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Today in the Adirondacks this includes the Akwesasne, founded by the Mohawks. The Mohawks, or Kanien'kehá:ka (“People of the Flint”), were the easternmost people of the Confederacy. Their reverence of nature and the land established ancient sustainable food practices such as the cultivation of the "3 Sisters.”
Pioneer Era
They came for outdoor recreation, to lumber and mine the Mountains, and to get away from it all. Working the Great Camps, guiding, and developing the nascent tourism industry were a few of the many diverse faces of the pioneer period. They lived off the land, they were builders and had one thing they all shared: their love of the Adirondacks. They were proud to be its first "European settlers.” This diversity set the stage for what is the unique and eclectic Adirondack Cuisine today. Yet they all shared 3 Common Roots to today's palette. Can you name them?
Cure Cottage Era
The story of the Adirondacks can be told in 50 years, from 1850 to 1900. From the remote, arduous journey of the rugged Slyvan Mountains, where it would take you days to travel here, to the trains that linked Lake Clear to New York City, our area blossomed in a unique way. Wellness is one of the Adirondacks oldest and often forgotten economies. Tuberculosis (TB) affected all walks of life and they journeyed here for the clean air and the therapeutic qualities of its trees.
Grand Hotel Era
The era of extravagance and simplicity evidenced in the complexity of what was the Roaring 20s. From elegant Great Camps and Grand Hotels to rustic lodges and camping. From 5-course dining and black tie dancing to game foods and small farms. This all led to an era that represents the Adirondacks most diverse cuisine. None other typified by the many European immigrants who called this their Adirondack Alps, hence the name of our restaurant, and were instrumental in assisting Lake Placid to be able to host the 3rd Winter Olympic games in 1932.
Farm to Fork Era
The buy local movement is often perceived as a recent culinary trend. In the Adirondacks, it is in our roots. The remoteness of our area, the harsh conditions, the expense of delivering products necessitated living off the land, artisan farming, and gardening. Fermenting, bone broths and vegetable stocks were all a necessity where the growing season is short - and temperamental. Today, the Adirondacks have experienced a renaissance in local products which range from maple syrup to grass-fed meats and from local wines and beers to exotic vegetables.
Three Generations of the Hohmeyer Family Invite You
We fuse an 100-mile culinary focus with Old World imagination. Chef Cathy’s family built the Lake Clear Lodge in 1886, sold it and eventually Ernest’s European family purchased it nearly 80 years later. This history unknown until after Cathy & Ernest were married. This fate stirs our cuisine of Adirondack pioneering roots and Old World essences. This is blended with Cathy’s signature “nutritional energetics," redefining food and cooking through a greater holistic recipe to encompass the fusion of our body, mind and spirit. We honor the timeless practices of slow cooking, vegetable stocks, bone broths, essential oils, and natural herbs and spices. It is all a part of natural essences that are drawn from the hands of four-generations that continue to hand-cut the stocks, stir the slow roasts and bake artisan desserts with imaginative recipes from a fusion of Old World and Adirondack essences as the Adirondack Park’s longest operating Great Camp.
Reserve Your Seat
Use the form below to get started with your reservation! Please keep in mind that the History of Adirondack Food Experience is only available on Saturdays from the end of June through August and, as with all of our experiences, is limited. If you are interested, we recommend reserving your seat today!
2022 Details
- Adults (11+): $89
- Children (5-10): $49
- Infants (4 & Under): $20
Policies, Terms, & Conditions
- Incidentals and extras such as, but not limited to drinks, appetizers, desserts, and workshops are not included.
- We are a restaurant and have a liquor license from the State of New York. This license and our insurance require that you do not bring any alcoholic beverage that has NOT been purchased from the Lake Clear Lodge/Adirondack Alps Restaurant to the property. Please do not bring your own beverages to our property or restaurant; they will be confiscated. Thank you for your understanding.
- Our limited experiences require a full, non-refundable deposit. Your credit card will be charged upon booking. If you are concerned about a having to cancel, we recommend purchasing travel insurance.
- The Lake Clear Lodge & Retreat is a limited seating/participation facility and the Lodge Staff is preparing activities for you. If you need to cancel your experience, please let us know as soon as possible.
- Info, policies, prices, advertisements, menus, etc. are subject to change without notice.