Amazing Cocktail in an Amazing Hotel

By Sandra Scott

“Welcome to our home,” was the way the valet greeted us when we drove up to Whiteface Lodge in the heart of the High Peaks area of New York’s Adirondack Mountains.

The Whiteface Lodge opened in 2005, but it is a return to the grandeur of the “Great Camps” of the Adirondacks. Local timber for the lodge was hand-milled on site and handcrafted Adirondack furnishings are found throughout, creating a wonderfully authentic ambiance. There wasn’t much snow on the ground but the weather was cold and damp, so we relished the welcoming warmth of the Lodge. But most welcoming was our suite. All accommodations are suites. John started a fire in the fireplace and we settled in.

The resort is amazing. In the late afternoon John and I made our way to the Ice Cream Parlor. Next to the Ice Cream Parlor, where wafts of freshly popped corn filled the air, is the 50-seat state-of-art movie theater where three movies are shown daily. Nearby is the game room with a billiard table, shuttle board and bowling alley. As we passed the new spa, I made an appointment for the next day.

The pool has a swim-out part with two hot tubs, but it was the ice skating rink that got my attention. There was only one person skating as the sun started to set. We agreed to return after dinner to sit around the rink’s fireplace and make s’mores.

The crisp winter weather created a good appetite, so we headed to the Kanu Restaurant for dinner. In the rustic but luxurious restaurant with a ceiling that soars 20 feet, we had a cozy table in the corner with a wonderful view of Whiteface Mountain. The dining room has four fireplaces with mounted caribou, deer, elk and moose looking down.

“Look,” said John looking at the drink menu, “Let’s have this—a Canoe Cocktail. It is listed under Aperitif. I wonder how a cocktail is different than an aperitif.”

“They are basically one in the same” I replied, “but an aperitif is a before-dinner drink to stimulate the appetite. It comes from the Latin word meaning ‘opener.’ The menu says the Canoe Cocktail is ‘a sparkling aperitif created to celebrate the traditions of find dining.’ That certainly seems appropriate.”

Our Canoe Cocktail was indeed a sparkling aperitif with Charles de Feve Brut, bottle-fermented sparkling wine. The Lillet White added to the golden, honey color and Grand Marnier a distinctive punch.

In keeping with the unique cocktail the menu was also unique. I opted for the Bison Rib Eye. I was a bit hesitant about ordering the bison because the bison I had eaten previously had been tough and a bit gamy but Kanu’s gleaming exhibition kitchen with a wood burning oven made me feel confident. It was delectable and tender. John had Cantonese-style Crispy Aromatic Duck.

After dinner we made our way to the ice rink where the fire was already ablaze and the makings of s’mores set out. I like my marshmallows slightly blackened and soft. John, the patient one, makes his a golden brown. Regardless once the marshmallow is squeezed between the chocolate and graham cracker some of it still oozes out. That’s the good part. John picked out skates in the yurt and headed out on the ice for the first time in 20 years. We ended the day warming ourselves by the fire. The moon was full and the sky was clean. Truly an amazing place.

Visit www.thewhitefacelodge.com.

Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Creators Syndicate
and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.

Photos by J. J. Scott.

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