Morel Media Dinner at Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena

Table place cards at Media Morel Dinner

Last week I attended my second Morel Media Dinner at Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena. The luxury resort has been hosting the dinner for four years and it is followed up on day two with a guided hunt on the property for morels by Executive Chef Randy Hoppman and other personnel from resort.

The dinner is spectacular, not just for the food, but for the full experience - the atmosphere, the decor, the hospitality. Dinner is enjoyed in a banquet room overlooking Lake Galena with a table adorned with natural pieces, which included the star of the event - morels. Clusters of wildflowers were set among logs - and I discovered that violets are not all purple. White and yellow violets are also common in the area and I'm in love with the yellow variety. Each place setting was personalized and the details were beautiful.

This was my second time attending the Media Morel Dinner and Hunt and I was delighted that this time, Becky (the other foodie sister) was able to attend with me. We can not only recommend the food served at Eagle Ridge, which is incredible, but we would definitely urge anyone looking for a girls' getaway or sisters' weekend to visit the Galena Territory and the charming downtown area, which makes you feel like you've stepped back in time.

A sunset view of Lake Galena from just outside the banquet rooms

To start off, we enjoyed smoked diver scallops and pistachio cappelletti as an appetizer (following a cocktail hour with wine and morel fondue.) The cold pasta was stuffed with morel and four cheeses with English peas, pancetta, tomato and ramp cream reduction with shaved Grana Padana. It's was a heavenly beginning to a spectacular dinner.

Our next course was Poussin Poche Roti Watercress Salad, a salad of sous vide spring chicken with grilled asparagus, radish, fried morels, crispy leeks, baby carrots and balsamic rhubarb vinaigrette.

This was my second time attending the dinner and one item I remembered well from last year - and have told many people since then that it was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten - was the intermezzo of wild violet sorbet. That little treat returned, with a little modification. This year it was a Wild Apple Cherry Violet Sorbet.

The entree was a Morel Crusted Rack of Hare with wild ramp, fave bean puree, black garlic molasses and fregula sara with swiss chard, heirloom tomatoes and blue foot mushrooms.

There was a fantastic finish of Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Mille Feuille with guava curd, almond florentine with while chocolate ribbon and a chocolate mirrored chiffon. Every bite of the meal was beyond amazing.

This trip, the hunt and this dinner have become one of the highlights of my foodie year and I feel so fortunate us foodie sisters were able to spend some wonderful quality time together in such a beautiful place enjoying such wonderful food. We're already looking forward to the 5th Annual Morel Media Hunt. :)