The Apple Tree Inn is located in Lenox, perched high on a hillside overlooking the Stockbridge Bowl, surrounded by apple trees. The hundred year old inn is in close proximity to Tanglewood. So close, that on a warm summer evening you can hear the sweet sound of music from the veranda.

When I first visited the inn, the apple trees were in full bloom. I had the opportunity to take a look at the Apple Tree Inn Menu, it was then that I made a vow that I would return before the summer had ended. So, with this in mind I made a reservation recently, and followed through with my plan.

The Apple Tree Inn has had a very interesting and diverse history. The main building was built in 1885. Some of the previous owners have been rather famous. For instance, Michael Vale, (the Dunkin Donuts guy), owned the restaurant with another couple briefly in 1983. Before that, in the 1970's, Alice Brock and Arlo Guthrie ran the inn and restaurant, and in the '50's and '60's it was a well known inn called Aveloch.

The present owners are Joel Catalano and Sharon Walker, they bought the inn in March of 1996. They discovered it while simultaneously looking for a new vacation spot as well as a new business. Sharon fell in love with the place and Joel liked the location. Joel grew up in New York City, where they met. Sharon is originally from Texas.

The Apple Tree Inn dining room is circular, with an elegant atmosphere. When we entered, classical music greeted us as we were ushered to our seats by one of the proprietors, Sharon Walker.

The waitress greeted us cordially and took our drink orders, leaving us to chose from a mouth watering menu. As appetizers we ordered the Breaded Artichoke Hearts with Chevre Cheese and my dinner partner ordered Brie in a Puff Pastry with a medley of fresh fruit.

My dining partner, and I found the Breaded Artichoke Hearts to be tender, and an excellent combination with the Chevre. Diced red and green peppers further complemented the dish with a vegetable vinaigrette. Our other choice was equally delicious if not better. We were delighted with a round puff pastry, flaky and hot. When we cut into the top it oozed melted Brie which we scooped with the fresh fruit as well as putting it on the crackers that also came with the dish. My favorite combination were the Granny Smith apples dipped in the hot Brie!

After finishing the appetizers we were served a very crisp and lightly dressed salad. The dressing was seasoned with herbs including Tarragon.

For our entrees, I ordered the Duckling with Cherry Sauce and my dining partner ordered one of the specialties of the evening. It was the Grilled Tuna.

The duckling was crisp and roasted perfection as promised, it's skin was seasoned with various spices that complimented the overall flavor of the meat. It was tender and served with sautéed garden vegetables in season. (Yellow squash, zucchini, etc.) and also came with a mixture of white and wild rice. The cherry sauce topped the Duckling and was excellent for dipping the chunks of juicy duck in every once in a while.

The Grilled Tuna was slightly seared on the outside and succulent on the inside.

When it came time for dessert I wondered, "Karyn," I said, "What do they do with all of those apples?" Well I ordered the Apple Pie which is also a crisp. It was to-die-for, served with both a scoop of fresh vanilla ice cream from our local Bev's Ice Cream shop, as well as a dollop of freshly whipped cream. I found out later that Sharon has a well kept secret, an Apple Pie Recipe of her own, which we will reveal to you just in time for Thanksgiving dinner in our Favorite Innkeepers Recipe-of-the-Month. And if that wasn't enough, the chef sent out a dessert he had specially prepared for us. It was strawberries, deep fried in a sweet dough, served in a puddle of creme englaise.

We did not get to meet this very talented chef, Bob Volat, and found out that he was trained at the Culinary Institute of America, (C.I.A.), and has also worked for an organization called Restaurant Associates doing large functions for celebrities and has owned a catering business locally. He has been delighting diners at the Apple Tree Inn since June of 1996. A well kept secret and a delicious discovery. According to Joel, the salad greens are bought locally, (hence the crispness), and they grow some of their own herbs.

I also discovered that they run their Brunch throughout the winter. As a waitress I was always being asked about a good brunching spot. They are few and far between in this area. Well, I would recommend that you make the trip here for any meal.

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