Monday, April 21, 2008

First Farmer's Table





Saturday evening we hosted the first "Farmer's Table" dinner on the farm. The idea behind having dinners at the farm was to give people in our area a chance to make a connection with the food they eat. We intentionally kept the group fairly small for this first dinner. We ended up with 18 guests. It was the perfect size for our first event.
The evening started at 5pm with a tour of the strawberry greenhouse. Mom and Dad (Harold and Carol) gave the tour answering any questions about the farm and our growing methods.
The group made their way down the field to where we had the tables laid out. A variety of cheeses, bread, and olives awaited the guests, giving everyone a chance to meet and mingle.




Then it was time for dinner. Having a Culinary Institute of America trained chef in the family makes all this possible! Pamela, one of the five daughters, graduated from the CIA in 1996. During that time she did her externship under Frank Stitt at The Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Alabama. She created the menu for the evening around fresh, local ingredients using as much as possible from our farm.



Joe, picking the chef's brain.





The food was fantastic. As we were eating dinner, the sun set and the full moon rose over the greenhouse. We couldn't have ordered a more perfect evening. Thank-you to all of our guests for coming out and being a part of the first, of what we hope will be many more, Farmer's Table dinners.






The Farmer's Table Menu

Georgia Fresh Corn and Leek Soup
with Apple Wood Smoked Bacon Lardoons


Waterberry Farm Butter Head Lettuces
with Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges, and Spicy Pecans



Handmade Fettuccine
with Asparagus, Shitake Mushrooms, and Tarragon



Grilled Gulf Red Snapper
with Fava Bean, Pea Tendril, Rice Pilaf




Waterberry Farm Fresh Strawberries Three Ways

Chocolate Hazelnut Covered Strawberries
Toasted Pound Cake with Lemon Cream and Strawberries
Panna Cotta with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries




Time to go home, grab your lantern and walk back up the field!

1 comment:

Katy said...

what an awesome event! your menu sounds absolutely delicious -- the perfect spring dinner!