virginia cooking school, with recipes

The drive south from Washington, D.C., leads you away from the political arena of the city to the rolling hills, gentle landscapes, and charming views of the Virginia countryside. This is historic country, settled before the Revolutionary War. One of the grandest houses of that period is the stately Inn at Meander Plantation in Locust Dale, Virginia.

The plantation, patented in 1726, is located near Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and James Madison's Montpelier. Once frequent host to both presidents and other historical luminaries, today the plantation's inn remains a welcoming getaway-and a relaxing spot for a cooking class-for Washingtonians on retreat, newlyweds, or vacationers touring nearby colonial-era historic sites.

Written and produced by Stephen Exel
Photographs by Squire Fox

Recipes begin here.