Just a few weeks ago my husband and I ate at  The Flying Pig on Lexington out in Mount Kisco, New York. Less than an hour away from our apartment in NYC, it offered a wonderful respite from the annual summer chaos that hits the West Village on sunshine filled weekends. We began our morning with a tough, heart-healthily brisk 2-hour hike at the nearby Westmoreland Sanctuary. Armed with just a couple of peanut butter sandwiches for sustenance, come lunch time we were definitely hankering for some real food. And The Flying Pig certainly didn’t disappoint on that count. For me, it’s worth the trip  out to Mount Kisco not only because the fare at The Flying Pig is simple, hearty, and genuinely delicious, but above all because the ingredients come from the restaurant’s very own farm that’s just down the road from the eatery.

Cabbage Hill Farm includes a formidable greenhouse with an aquaponic system where plants are grown in water that’s also home to a plentiful population of fish. There’s also an abundance of standard planting fields – all organic, of course, chickens and other livestock such as pigs, cattle and ducks – many of which are heritage breeds. Both the farm and restaurant are owned by local philanthropist  Nancy Kohlberg, who bought the farm in in the early 90’s because she wanted to raise sheep to provide for her weaving! But she did more than sustain her craft projects, she helped to save threatened breeds, namely Shetland geese,  which are no longer on the endangered  species list in part due to Kohlberg’s efforts. Kohlberg bought The Flying Pig in 1998 and it fast became the ideal outlet for the farm’s wonderful resources. However, it’s not the only outlet. The farm  also supplies a handful of other local restaurants and markets.

On the afternoon we lunched at The Flying Pig, they’d run out of their famous Pulled Pork Sandwich with Farm Greens and Cole Slaw by the time we got there. I did all that I could to move my chubby little legs as fast as possible through the hiking trail, but I  guess I just wasn’t quite  fast enough to secure myself one of those tasty plates. Never mind, the Cobb Salad with organic chicken breast hit the spot, as did  the decadently creamy  and rich homegrown vegetable and garlic puree soup. As for my husband’s Fresh Ground Chuck Cheese Burger with fries – he proclaimed it to be among the best he’s ever had. At least I think that’s what he said – his mouth was jam-packed with beef, bread and potato at the time.

If you’re looking for a relaxed weekend outing, an easy escape from NYC, and an eatery that takes the Farm-to-Table ethos literally, I wholeheartedly recommend a drive out to The Flying Pig. And why not make an afternoon out of it, and throw in a pre-meal hike too – just be sure to call in your order for the pulled pork sandwich beforehand!

The Flying Pig on Lexington, 251 Lexington Avenue, Mount Kisco, NY, 10549, (914) 666 7445

Tags: farm to table, hike, lunch, mount kisco, new york, the flying pig