After a long and tenacious commute, I arrived home last night to find my mother waiting for me at my doorstep.  She wanted to see the fall foliage nearing its peak once more before returning to Florida for the winter.

Her visit prompted a night out for dinner.  We discussed the many different local options and finally decided upon a German restaurant called The Black Forest Mill.  You see, this area of Orange County New York had originally been settled by many German and Irish farmers.  The Black Forest Mill is a traditional family-owned and operated German restaurant that catered to the remaining locals for many, many years now.  

The make everything on the premises from family recipes, including the potato salad, the coleslaw, the soups, the brat and knockwursts and the desserts.  It is simple, old fashioned good food.  

Mom ordered a bratwurst sandwich and I ordered a full dinner – braised lamb shanks – that the two of us shared.
We began with a simple onion soup made up of mostly beef broth with some caramelized onions that helped mom take the edge off of the cold night air.  They served pumpernickel and rye bread along with coleslaw for the table, which I nibbled on while drinking my Octoberfest beer.




(Onion Soup)



My lamb shanks were tender and fell right off the bone.  The gravy blended into my spatzele, creating a warm comforting goodness on my plate.



For dessert, the two of us shared a slice of the most moist, delicious, decadent German Chocolate cake, that busted with coconut, mousse and walnuts.