One of our favorite local restaurants, Patowmack Farm, got a shout-out in The New York Times last week. The venerable paper highlighted the Journey Through Hallowed Ground in “Day Out: Path of the Sacred and the Mundane.” It was a huge victory when the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, a non-profit organization, convinced President George W. Bush to declare the 175 miles of route (mostly along the Old Carolina Road from southern Pennsylvania to central Virginia) a National Heritage Area. Like The Piedmont Virginian’s correspondent, Abigail DeLashmutt, who traced the route through Virginia’s Piedmont by bike, journalist Joshua Kurlantzick followed it for the NYT:

As the declaration made clear, the beauty of the journey is that its major historical sites lie in plain view, yet almost hidden by the modern world. So, as a resident of Maryland who drives near U.S. 15 almost daily yet pays little attention, I decided to see what I was missing and trace the whole route.

…Crossing into Virginia, the road returns to its narrow roots, winding through forest. I pass Point of Rocks, a thin bridge over the Potomac River. On weekends, the area attracts local food lovers who come to Patowmack Farm, which overlooks the Point of Rocks bridge, and has become known in the area for multicourse tasting dinners that feature its organic and seasonal produce. When I previously visited with my wife, the farm’s owner greeted us at the door, then we dug into five courses of rich, luxurious food, like a gelato-tender quail grilled in its own juices.

For the full article, click here.