Stissing House
This Hudson Valley tavern is worth the trek to experience the rustic romance of fireplace cooking. Plus, a fish pie recipe.
DESTINATION: PINE PLAINS, NY
Note: This post will always be accessible in the Ronda Carman Confidential Archives for Paid Subscribers when you are ready to travel or want to reread it.
Stissing House feels like a hidden secret, tucked far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. The creation of talented English chef Clare de Boer, Stissing House is a scenic two-hour drive north of New York City in the tiny hamlet of Pine Plains. A historic 1782 tavern that dates back to the dawn of the American Republic, it has evolved into a renowned and much-beloved eatery. Chef de Boer, an accomplished chef, was born in the UK to a British mother and a Dutch father. She spent her childhood in India, then attended college in the US before training at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, all of which influenced her cooking and culinary style. After school, she moved to London, where she worked for two years at the Michelin-starred River Café before returning to the United States, where the James Beard-nominated chef collaborated with Jess Shadbolt and Annie Shi to open King and Jupiter in Manhattan.
During the pandemic, she and her husband relocated from Brooklyn to Dutchess County with their young family, initially without any intention of opening another restaurant. Nevertheless, when an opportunity arose to take the keys to the town’s most esteemed landmark, she accepted and stepped into the role of owner and caretaker of the historic tavern.
Chef de Boer draws her inspiration from old Shaker cookbooks and reinterprets them as simple dishes in a spartan, rustic atmosphere. The Shaker approach to life embraces minimalism, much like the food she prepares. She also delightfully discovered the charming similarities between Shaker recipes and the apple Charlotte and sticky ginger cake her English grandmother made.
Her menus focus on dishes cooked over an open wood fire, including braised duck paired with cornbread infused with duck fat, game pies, and pork shoulder slow-cooked overnight with cider and celeriac. Whole cabbages are placed directly on hot ash, while native hardwoods are neatly stacked for more burning. Rich cheeses come from a local Amish family-run dairy farm, and her light fish pie is a delicious blend of fresh fish in a creamy sauce, topped with a golden, flaky potato crust.
She also insists on using local food in season from various farmers and regional purveyors. She is a founding member of Hudson Valley Bounty, an organization that connects local agricultural producers with culinary consumers and wholesalers seeking to source food from farms across eight counties. Despite the grandeur of the historical space, the vision set forth for Stissing House was anything but precious. At its core, it is a local establishment that provides beautiful yet uncomplicated cuisine in an environment where patrons feel welcome and at home. An exquisite collection of candlesticks and the soothing crackle of the fireplaces elevate the dining experience, offering a warm escape from the outside world. Chef Claire also writes the popular newsletter, The Best Bits.
THE MAKER HOTEL: If you can’t easily reach Stissing House, consider booking a stay at The Maker Hotel in Hudson, New York. This elegant hotel has garnered a lot of attention, and rightfully so. In 2016, Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, the husband-and-wife duo who co-founded the global beauty brand Fresh, partnered with hospitality expert Damien Janowicz to restore and merge three historic buildings. The Maker Hotel showcases distinctive vintage artifacts and artwork from local Hudson Valley artisans and global artists. Its art collection honors the world of makers. This intentional design fosters a personalized experience for the tight-knit community of upstate New York.
FISH PIE: While writing this post, I started thinking about fish pie. I made it all the time when I lived in Scotland. I have tried my best to convert it to American measurements to share with you. Like its cousin, shepherd’s pie, the British fish pie is a comforting, homely affair of savory stewed fish topped with a billowy mashed potato. 3 pounds potatoes (such as King Edwards, Maris Piper or Estima) salt and white pepper, to taste butter, to taste 1 cup grated gruyère cheese 2 cups fish stock 4 tablespoons dry vermouth 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 small bulb of fennel, cored and roughly chopped 1 small carrot, roughly chopped 1 small stick of celery, roughly chopped 1 bay leaf 1 pound white fish (such as haddock, cod, or hake) 1/2 pound salmon 1/2 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined For the parsley sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons English mustard 1 cup milk 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1/2 cup heavy cream Salt, to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Place the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher. Salt, pepper, and butter to taste. Stir in the gruyère and set the potatoes aside. Pour the fish stock into a large pan and bring to a low boil. Add the vermouth, onion, fennel, carrot, celery, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the fish, salmon, and prawns to the broth and poach for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gently remove the fish from the pan. Flake the fish and set aside. Pour the broth through a sieve into a clean pan, discarding the vegetables and bay leaf. Bring the broth back to the boil and simmer until reduced by half. Preheat the oven to 350F. While the oven is preheating, prepare the parsley sauce. Heat the butter and flour in a separate pan over low heat, stirring to make a paste. Add the reduced fish broth, a ladleful at a time, whisking until smooth. Add the milk and the parsley. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8 minutes. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. To assemble the pie, generously butter a casserole dish. Place the fish in the casserole dish and pour about half of the parsley sauce on top (reserve the remainder to use as a pouring sauce on the finished pie). Cover with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top of the pie. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. If needed, reheat the parsley sauce and serve the remaining parsley sauce over the pie.