Stone House Country Inn
Vanna Weaver
Chef Jeremy Critchfield, of the Stone House Restaurant in Farmington, proudly displays pecan crusted rainbow trout in an orange hazelnut glaze sauce, with sweet corn grits and roasted vegetables.
Vanna Weaver
Chef Jeremy Critchfield, of the Stone House Restaurant in Farmington, proudly displays pecan crusted rainbow trout in an orange hazelnut glaze sauce, with sweet corn grits and roasted vegetables.
Andrew Swartz, a line chef for the Stone House Restaurant, presents homemade rolls. The rolls are baked daily by pastry chef Josh Diehl.
FARMINGTON — A bear, a couple deer and a turkey, all stuffed and mounted, greet you when you enter the bar area of the Stone House Country Inn on Route 40 in Farmington. Hunted by Stone House partner, Chef Jeremy Critchfield, and his brother, the animals exemplify Critchfield’s passion for game, hunting, and most importantly, knowing where your food comes from.
“What started my philosophy, and guides it still, is my grandparents, and the hand they had in raising me. We grew the vegetables in the backyard, raised the chickens in the backyard. We hunted, we fished,” said Critchfield.
“Just knowing where your food comes from, treating it really well and making people happy — that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”
Critchfield is also working on a venture called Hunt Chef, Inc., which provides online resources and recipes for cooking game. “There’s a lot of Wishbone Italian dressing that ruins a lot of venison every year,” said Critchfield. “There just aren’t a lot of resources online that show you how to prepare game well.”
Everything served at the Stone House — from the barbeque and pasta sauces to the desserts to the bread and buns — is made from scratch.
“It’s a lot of work, some days more than others, but it’s the only way you know where your food comes from. And if you’re not starting from the beginning with your food, you’re not really in it,” said Critchfield.
The Stone House menu is always evolving, to reflect the chef’s new ideas and what’s in season. Signature dishes include classic favorites like chicken parmesan, and innovative options like sweet potato crab cakes with bourbon butter sauce. The Stone House also offers rotating weekend specials, which include exotic feature dishes like Okeechobee frog legs, swordfish, and recently, Mako shark, which Chef Critchfield got fresh from the boat and filleted to serve 120 guests.
The Stone House is also known for its events. Most popular is Bike Night, which fills the Laurel Highlands with the smell of smoker BBQ dishes like ribs, chicken, and pulled pork brisket, and the sounds of live music, growling motorcycles and happy families. There are also once-monthly car cruises that start Sunday.
A new event on the docket for this summer is the Beer Dinner, the first of which will be held on June 26. For this dinner, Critchfield pairs with local independent craft brewers, like All Saints Brewing in Greensburg, and creates a menu based around five of the brewery’s specialty beers.
Beer lovers can rejoice in the offerings of the Stone House where 20 craft beers are on tap, plus many more in bottles, too.
Catering is another feature offered by the Stone House. Its title, “Backyard to Black Tie by the Historic Stone House,” reflects the range of custom events they cater — everything from smoker BBQ luncheons to more formal events with a full serving staff.
“We’ve got a ton of menus, but everyone almost always wants something custom. We do drop-off catering for parties, and we include the entrée and the sides. Or, we can come in and transform your backyard into a pretty extravagant affair,” said Critchfield.
Buying local, and supporting the local community, is also a cornerstone of the Stone House philosophy.
“You want to support the local guy who is trying to make it in the Laurel Highlands, in Fayette County. And Chef buys local,” said Christine Schaney, director of sales, marketing and public relations at the Stone House. “That’s how you help each other out.”