Marigold Is Golden

Marigold in Virginia is one of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurants. The famous French chef is best known for his eponymous establishment in New York City, which maintains two Michelin stars and four stars from The New York Times.

In the country near Charlottesville, Marigold is located at Keswick Hall, a luxury resort that was recently renovated. The casual dining room and balcony overlook the rolling hills of a golf course and glow with golden lighting.

The rustic stone entrance is expansive.

The patio lounge has a fireplace and is adjacent to a petanque field.

The bar, open to the dining room, is spacious.

Appetizers include a radish bouquet atop tuna tartare and a rose of a squash tian.

The warm shrimp and avocado salad is bright and acidic.

Entrees of lobster frites and sea bass enchant.

Among the desserts is the molten chocolate cake, and lilliputian lemon madeleines are complimentary.

The marigold seed card that accompanies the check is a nice touch.

Jean-Georges’ Chocolate Cake

A molten chocolate cake flows all over the plate. Here is the original recipe from Jean-Georges Vongerichten:

Ingredients

• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour four 6-ounce ramekins. Tap out the excess flour. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet.

In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the butter with the chocolate. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks, sugar and salt at high speed until thickened and pale.

Whisk the chocolate until smooth. Quickly fold it into the egg mixture along with the flour. Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and bake for 12 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm but the centers are soft. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds and then unmold. Serve immediately.