Blue Hill Stone Barns (or, 'Why Something Amazing Can Be Painful')

I have not recovered from my Blue Hill adventure of Sunday night.

I can say with some authority that the Lovelyman hasn't either.

Hanging with the original NYCrew was awesome, and the beverages were exquisite.

The food, as transcendent as it was, had me groaning in pain as we traveled to the train station.

8 courses is too much. One of the BIG problems of Blue Hill is that everyone at your table has to agree on the number of courses. They specifically mention that an attendee who is going to have 12 courses should plan on staying 5 hours or more, just to be able to handle it.

The waitress mentioned 'vomit' at our prompting no less than 5 times before we left. Obviously, the copious amount of food involved has been an issue before.

But OH MY GOD what food. WHAT FOOD. What amazing, delectable, fascinating food. Swiss chard marmalade! Cauliflower bolognese! Beets with pine-nut butter! (The others at the table had it with farm-made yogurt, but ye gods it was JUST as good without.) Beet burgers! Kale chips! Butternut squash souffle! Maple syrup ice cream! The UNBELIEVABLE caramel which was the texture of peanut butter!

~OH MY GOD YOU HAVE NO IDEA AND MUST GO TO THIS PLACE IMMEDIATELY~

(it's like what I dream of Alinea being if the presentation is toned down)

But pleeeease--

Try 5 courses first--

Unless you have been training for some sort of stomach stuffing event like the Coney Island Hot Dog competition, in which case, go for it.

(Yes the waitress mentioned "training" for the 12-course. That just depressed me.)

All in all, I would go again, but with significant preparation on my part.