FINDING OUR ROOTS
Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg, Virginia
Within a week of joining the team at Lansdowne Resort and Spa, I was curious about what happened on our land before it was a resort. The resort is in Leesburg, Virginia - once a temporary capital for the country and hide-out for the Declaration of Independence papers.
After a visit to Balch Library, a historical library in Leesburg, I practically sprinted to my car with excitement. What I found was astonishing. We once had a farm on our land that dated back to the 1700's, owned by a family, whom Leesburg is named after. Not to mention, two family members were signers of the Declaration of Independence. There was so much history, I hired a historian to help me make sense of the information and most importantly, confirm the truth.
history comes to life
Signature turkey pot pie in Coton & Rye featured in Northern Virginia Magazine in, "What is Virginia Cuisine?" Photo by Rey Lopez
Northern Virginia Magazine feature
One of the resort's restaurants desperately needed a makeover. With some renovation money and a talented new Chef, we decided to reinvent and re-conceptualize a tired restaurant. We knew we wanted to celebrate our land and the history of Virginia cuisine (after reading Jane Hamilton's Delicacies from the Old Dominion, circa 1909). Leveraging our rich history and local pride, we created a "Virginia tavern" and named it - Coton & Rye. Naturally, the name rings with historical significance.
Coton is the name of the farm that once stood on our land. Thomas Ludwell Lee and his family made the land their home and named it Coton Farm after their ancestral home in England. They grew wheat, corn, rye and operated a distillery and meat house. Stories of the land include hosting General Marquis de Lafayette for dinner, operating an ordinary (similar to a tavern), and Mrs. Lee hosting American soldiers for dinner during the War of 1812.
I played an integral role in restaurant design and ensuring every touchpoint in our restaurant has a story from maps and flags to photography and portraits. Bringing our story to life and making a stronger commitment to the land, Executive Chef Marcus Repp has chosen to partner with local farms in Loudoun County to create dishes that are authentic and made with ingredients native to the region.
With a passion for filling bellies with nutritious and delicious food, we were determined to redefine the traditional kids' menu. In 2017, we partnered with INova Health System in Virginia to develop a kids' menu that expels chicken fingers and fries as we know it. After two insightful food tastings with children, we were able to develop a kids' menu that sources local ingredients and is uniquely delicious.
