Writing Samples

Mōtus – A movement in one night

Motus and Good Nature Farm Brewery marry local ingredients on the plate and in the glass

By Sarah Jean Condon-Meyers

You don’t have to go to a big city to find the farm-to-table movement. For fresh and complex flavors that come from locally-sourced dishes, Utica foodies only have go to 234 Genesee St.

Motus, a farm-to-table restaurant that opened in the fall of 2017, offers a refreshing glimpse into what is possible when chefs are inspired by, and create with, regional foods and beverages.

This was on display when Motus hosted a designed tasting menu paired with beers from Hamilton’s Good Nature Farm Brewery on May 7.

The restaurant – named for the Latin phrase meaning “a movement” – had a light and airy feel as natural light filtered through the front windows onto the bar and the dining area. Beyond the bar there is a window into the kitchen where anyone could watch chefs Vincent Petronio and J.D. Smith create their plates for the five-course meal.

Motus is typically known for its bartenders crafting sophisticated cocktails – including a smoke-infused whiskey offering that is a great night cap, by the way – but this time they decided to team up with Good Nature for the first time to pair dishes with brews. Opened in 2010, the brewery is the first one ever established in Madison County and among the first farm breweries in New York State.

Before each course the chefs, and Good Nature’s head brewer Matt Whalen, greeted guests and described each dish and beer. They offered insights not just on what the ingredients were, but how they paired together and played off of each other.

The dinner began with an amuse-bouche, a bite-sized hors d’œuvre, of a house made pretzel with whole grain mustard and melted local cheddar. The bite was salty and tangy with a pop of cream from the cheese on the puffed up soft pretzel.

Unfortunately, a beer did not come to the table with the pretzel. This was a little disappointing, especially while the brewers were describing the flavors of Good Nature’s Blond Ale that was coming with the first course. This was the only misstep of the evening and since this was Motus’ first attempt at this kind of paired dinner, mistakes come with the inexperience. However, it would have been enjoyable to have a beer to taste during the description of the notes and flavors.

The 4.5% ABV blonde ale was paired with an egg-inspired dish for the first full course. The dish included a handmade duck egg ravioli, egg yolk and house made ricotta filling, morel mushrooms, cured egg yolk, and caviar. The dish was creamy and buttery, offering up umami flavors with depths of richness. The blonde ale was light and refreshing. The grainy maltiness of the beer balanced with the earthy egg flavors.

The second course featured Good Nature’s Blight Buster IPA (India Pale Ale) paired with raw wellfleet oyster, grilled gulf shrimp, pan seared scallop, tomato and horseradish coulis, parsley mignonette, lemon aioli, baby arugula and puffed quinoa. On first impression, the aroma of the fresh seafood was intoxicating. The saltiness of the seafood paired nicely with the juicy and citrus flavors of the IPA. The citrus helped enhance the seafood’s briny and buttery taste.

The third course brought together the “Rotation Nation” IPA and a salad of sauteed ramps, spring parsnip, mousse, wild foraged greens and flowers, and three village summit. This is where the locally sourced ingredients dazzled.

The fresh greens were foraged in the Mohawk Valley, specifically for the dinner, and had a light, floral taste with the earthy heartiness of the ramps. The IPA was thick and chewy, with an oaty, creamy mouthfeel. It gave the impression of a pineapple vanilla milkshake, with hints of grapefruit, lemon and mango. It was was deceptively easy drinking and refreshing in spite of its hazy, almost opaque, appearance.

The fourth course featured Good Nature’s brown ale with beef short rib carbonade, fuji apple mostarda, cranberry potato, and tempura leeks. The caramelization of the beef short rib paired perfectly with the brown ale’s toffee and chocolate notes. The beef short rib was so tender a knife was not needed. The potatoes and leeks balanced out the richness of the beef. Typically, brown ales hold up well with red meat and more complex, dark sauces, and the proof was in front of me.

To finish off the evening, both the chefs and the brewers, saved their best for the fifth and final course. An Oak Aged Sour Beer was coupled with a housemade butterscotch ice cream, Greyrock Farm popcorn brittle, and sel gris (salt).

In the aroma, the beer offered up notes of cedar and balsa wood. The first sip was tart, but mellowed out to a peanut butter and jelly harmonization. This was, by far, the most flavorful and enjoyable beer of the night. You could taste the 13 months of love, work and patience, that went into crafting the beverage.

The butterscotch ice cream was addicting. The popcorn brittle was fun, while the contrast of the saltiness and the sweetness made you want another sip of beer, another bit of ice cream, and so on until everything was gone. This dish made your mouth water while you were eating it.