Spread out across 12,000 acres of rolling hills, Primland is a destination for golfers, foodies, hunters, and relaxation-seekers alike.
This past summer, I fled the steamy streets of New York City for Primland, a luxurious eco-friendly resort in the heart of Virginia’s moonshine country. Primland sits on 12,000 acres of hunting land pocketed between the headwater of the Dan River and the sloping Blue Ridge Mountains. Once site of the country’s largest packaged firewood exporting business, today the land is lush and serene, crisscrossed with winding hiking trails, a perfectly manicured golf course, and accommodations to suit any visitors’ proclivity—from spacious rustic-chic rooms in the main lodge to romantic tree houses jutting 2,000 feet above the Dan River Gorge. I stayed in a sweeping Blue Ridge Suite, outfitted with timber native to the area and a porch nearly as large as the room itself. There, surrounded by flitting Goldfinches and dark Swallowtail butterflies, I embarked on a weekend that was equal parts food and frolic.
I arrived hungry, and headed first for lunch at the 19th Pub, where Primland’s new chef, Gunnar Thompson offers hearty, crowd-pleasing dishes like a peach BBQ duck sandwich and a crab and shrimp burger. I opted for “pig candy”—a crispy-on-the-outside-chewy-on-the-inside, perfectly sweetened bacon concoction made by marinating strips of bacon in cayenne pepper, Virginia maple syrup, and brown sugar, and baking them until crisp—which I paired with an “inside-out ham and cheese melt,” a take on a croque-monsieur featuring a warm ham sandwich enrobed in molten cheese. I left lunch grateful that my afternoon consisted of nothing more than a blissful massage in the quiet of the hotel’s spa and a peaceful swim in the freshwater pool.
I spent the rest of the weekend sampling the menu of activities that the resort offered. At Primland’s bustling activity center, after mulling over the options (which included horseback riding, tree climbing, hunting, tennis, and hiking) I blew off steam shooting clay pigeons and careening around the property in a jeep. The next day, I enjoyed a foraging trip, led by Thompson, which yielded buckets of golden chanterelles, and an hour-long crash course in cooking with heirloom tomatoes in the lodge’s catering kitchen proffered new recipes for cornbread sweetened gazpacho and crab-stuffed tomatoes.
It is the memory of dinner at Thompson’s chef’s table in Elements, though, that remains the most vivid —a staggering, eight-course affair that started with roasted sea scallops sweetened with heirloom tomatoes, followed by two courses of venison and duck with foraged chanterelles and tart blackberries, and culminated with a double serving of dessert: a warm nectarine upside down cake and a frozen chocolate mousse—a meal that I count among the best I’ve had, transforming a perfect weekend away into an unforgettable culinary experience. — Abby Margulies
IN THE AREA:
- Visit the town of Floyd, a small enclave settled on a plateau along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Shop for fresh produce on Saturdays at the weekly farmers market, catch live bluegrass Friday night while you pick up supplies at the general store.
- Sample traditional Virginian food, including buckwheat pancakes, Virginia barbeque, and country ham at Mabry Mill, a historic water-powered grist mill along the Blue Ridge Parkway. After tasting the local delicacies, take a tour of the mill, go on a short hike, and then pick up grits, buckwheat, or cornmeal flour to take home with you. 266 Mabry Mill SE, Meadows of Dan, Virginia 24120; 276-952-2947
- Explore local wines with a tour and tasting at Chateau Morrisette (287 Winery Road SW, Floyd, VA 24091; 540/593.2865) or Villa Appalachia (752 Rock Castle Gorge, Floyd, VA 24091; 540/593-3100) wineries. Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and a short drive from one another, the two wineries offer relaxing environments set against breathtaking scenery in which to enjoy your tasting.
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