Progression

During the Winter of 2023, The DeBruce will be telling the story of the Heritage of our beloved home here in the Catskills. From the original locals, the Leni Lenapes, and into the early Dutch and German immigrant farmers who built the still standing field stone walls to start their farms.

Soon after, American Dry Fly Fishing was birthed (in written form at least) by George LaBranche at the intersection of the Willowemoc and Mongaup Creek just a ½ mile up from us. Then began the Silver Era when the first summer borders escaping the congestion and heat of New York City took rooms in the growing Boarding House business that was burgeoning. After a generation of attempting to tame the rocky ground and farm, those same immigrants started the path to hospitality.

As the number of summer and weekend escapees from New York City exploded it turned the Silver into the Golden Era. The area emerged into the legendary destination that much later captured a generation’s attention in the movie “Dirty Dancing”. Endless buffets, entertainers and comedians cutting their teeth, Simon Says by the pool and the birth of the All-Inclusive model of resorts. The Borsht Belt was a real thing, and the “Catskills” went from a provincial area in New York State to a globally recognized tourist destination. Almost overnight.

The way we like to tell stories at The DeBruce is through food and drink and an immersive dining experience. We love our heritage, and we love the challenge of expressing it to our guests when they sit down to dinner in our jewel box dining room looking out at the valley that helps inspire it all.

January 6th- March 16th

Winter begins to loosen its grip on the earth around us and the sun starts to build back strength as the days lengthen bit by bit. Our eyes and minds turn to our Mountain. It’s always there, just outside our windows at The DeBruce. Through all seasons we cross our bridge spanning the fabled Willowemoc River and enter what we call the Sanctuary at the base of the forest.

But for the weeks between late March and early May we cherish it just a little bit more. During these fleeting days we search it looking for the first signs of life. Ramps, Spruce Tips, Fiddleheads. Chaga, Day Lily Tubers, Bitter Cress and Johnny Jump Ups. After months of restful hibernation, lulled to a slow pace, we lift at the gift that is given back to us. The Mountain opens up for the season and we jump in.

Lambing, Maple Syrup, the opening of trout season, and the daily move toward green scenery inspire this transitionary time. Of all the menus of the year, this is the one that is the most immediate. What our Mountain gives us is what we bring to your table.

If you miss it, there’s always next year. But it will never be quite the same as this one.

March 17 – June 5

In the Land of Little Rivers we cherish this time of year when we get to put back on our waders and go in pursuit of our legendary trout. The DeBruce kitchen team has been preserving and pickling as fast as we can from those early spring foraging romps. Now we turn our attention to the Rainbow, Brown and Brookies that are starting to come in the back door.

For these weeks of late Spring and early Summer the menu moves not just for our native crowned fish but also for freshwater Eel, Steelhead, and Bass. We begin to see the early season produce of fresh Lettuces, Chard, Radishes, Beans, Asparagus and Beets and incorporate them

into the gift of the streams and waters. Spending a cool morning fishing, hiking or exploring in your favorite sweater and then a warm afternoon lounging and resting in short sleeves is a great gift this time of year. Ending it with a meal that embraces both of these notions is our challenge and gift to try to convey.

June 6 - July 25

During our 6 years at The DeBruce we have been gifted with being able to partner with some of the most passionate farmers and producers. This is their time to shine and ours to benefit from their hard work and skill. The back door opens daily and through it walks more and more bushels of raw material from which we can create. For a Cook, this is the dream time of creation.

The bond between a Farmer, Grower, Producer and the Artist that gets to transform their hard work into a dish for a guest is based on respect and passion. It is undeniable that over time the mutual care for the front side and the end result creates a team-like relationship that is impossible to fake. Cooks and Farmers are in a special class together.

For the Catskills and our Valley we are sleepy sneaky in how much talent there is around us. We let them do their thing and then work our tails off to make into magic for our guests.

Hazy, humid mornings with the Cattle grazing in the pasture below us. Trout at its peak condition. Colorful and endless produce coming in that needs to be cleaned because it was just pulled an hour ago. Summer is what we are built for.

August 5 – October 31

The farmers have put their land to sleep and the time for reflection begins. We turn to the mountains around us, again. We have taken parts of the months behind us and put them into canning and preserves. We are seeing the growers of beef, venison, chicken, duck and turkey more and more. We reach beyond our region for those careful fishes that seem to want the mountain to pair them up. We accept their challenge.

The last leaves drift downward and at any moment may be joined by the first snow. The earth sleeps but damn, the fireplaces lit feel amazing inside. We take our hikes through the woods now with more to see on the horizon. And our warm kitchen is a great place to be.

October 31 – December 8