An organic vegetable farm, a 19 seat restaurant and a large flock of Saxon Merino sheep! Somehow, Jim Haurey, chef and owner of The Grange Restaurant in Warwick and his partner, grower and shepherdess, Dominique Herman, make it all marry together beautifully. “The farm and restaurant have a symbiotic relationship. We have a farm that just happens to have a restaurant and not the other way around,” explains Haurey.
A graduate of Johnson and Wales University, Chef Haurey developed a reputation for eclectic, contemporary variations on classic culinary themes. Haurey worked as a Chef at the Ryland Inn in White House, NJ which was rated one of the top 15 restaurants in the country and was awarded the James Beard Mid-Atlantic region top prize. The menu at The Grange changes daily depending on Dominique’s garden, and the entrees continue to surprise and delight his customers. His Wild Caught Walleye Pike with Shishito Peppers, Heirloom Tomatoes, Roasted Eggplant, and Quiona is a perfect example.
The Grange is housed in a 112-year-old former post office sporting a gigantic chalkboard which highlights specials of the day. The walls are adorned with artwork by local artists and the funky, bohemian decor is the perfect backdrop for their upcoming CHEW ’N VIEW showcasing the movie PHANTOM OF THE OPERA while enjoying a 4 course dinner (October 28th from 4-7pm). The Grange also hosts “Foodies & Moodies” a Monday night music series with a variety of piano music to enjoy during your feast. “This is more than a restaurant to me. It’s about community and the ability to create jobs, support local farmers and get people to eat real food,” said Haurey.
The certified organic farm is right down the road from the restaurant, and most of the menu is created around its bounty. Dominique is locally known for her certified organic vegetables, great garlic, herbs, and flowers grown on two picturesque acres of black dirt. This fertile Black Dirt region of southern New York State reaps fall treasures such as tromboncino (summer squash) and roasted Jack-Be-Little pumpkins stuffed with house-smoked lamb bacon, Brussels sprouts and blue cheese.
When not at her garden, Dominque can be found at the Catskill Merino Sheep Farm. This past May, Eugene Wyatt, the farm’s owner, passed away. Eugene left Dominique, his partner at the farm for 13 years, his flock of sheep. He also bequeathed Poem (the farm dog) and several barn cats.
To help manage this debt Dominque hand-dyes the sheep wool in a variety of stunning colors and sells the yarn online from her Yarn Store. She is known for her dyeing with the INDIGO plant which produces blue-jean blues, periwinkles and plums. “Dyeing with Indigo is a different procedure; it involves reducing the oxygen in the Indigo dye bath then dipping the yarn into the pot for several minutes. As you pull the yarn from the bath it is green, but when it contacts the oxygen in the air it turns blue before your eyes,” explains Dominique. Both, the pasture raised lamb and yarn are available at her Farm Stand, NYC’s Union Square Greenmarket and Grand Army Plaza.
Giving Love to the Black Dirt Region
When Dominque is not gardening or tending her flock, and Jim is not creating another culinary masterpiece, they are making a difference in the Black Dirt region. “Quite by accident, I happened upon a buck-toothed beagle named Cyrus at the Warwick Valley Humane Society in 2004. After a brief courtship, he came home with me, and we showed him the world and lavished him with love for 16 months and 10 1/2 days until he died of cancer,” said Dominque. This love affair with Cyrus, who resembled Marlon Brando, motivated Dominique to start the Sunflower Foundation which raises money for the Humane Society by selling sunflowers.
In August, Jim participated in the Black Dirt Feast at Scheuermann’s Farm for the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce. Six chefs prepared a five course extravaganza and served 260 guests. Jim created a Kentucky Fried La Belle Farm Duck Leg Confit and Garlic Fried Fingerling Potatoes with a Spicy Blue Cheese Cream. The proceeds created three college scholarships for local graduates. Jim and Dominique also make frequent soup contributions to the Ecumenical Society of Florida, NY which benefits local food pantries, and support the Warwick Summer Arts Festival.
Whether you’re in the mood for a Chew ’N View evening, an unforgettable feast with live piano music or a hand-knit Saxon Merino wool hat, The Grange is definitely worth the trip!
The Grange
1 Ryerson Rd
Warwick, New York
Phone: 845) 986-1170
