Last night we had a farm-to-table dinner to express our gratitude to a few people who made our first year of full-time farming possible. It was by no means an exhaustive guest list. We wish we could have hosted every single person for whom we are grateful this year. But, we narrowed it down to a few who have been so instrumental that we truly don’t know how we could have made it through this year without them.
We started preparing weeks ago by looking at what would be available from the farm in mid-September. And we planned accordingly so that as much as possible we could feast directly from the source! The menu turned out beautifully. This time of year–with all the root vegetables and rich flavors–is my very favorite.
We did four courses.
Salad Course:
Warm Beets with candied walnuts, feta, and tarragon olive oil
Homemade rosemary and garlic whole wheat artisan bread
Champagne or sparkling cider
Fish Course:
Grilled Scup with lime and citrus fennel salt
Tian (potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples, sunburst squash)
Red Wine or Iced Tea
Main Course:
Individual Lasagna with grass-fed beef and goat meat
Dessert Course:
Cheesecake with cultured cream cheese
Blackberries with a raspberry brandy reduction
Coffee or tea
It was a lovely evening, with lovely people. People who have inspired us, lent us many hands in days of hard work, provided encouragement and advice and support in so many ways. The dinner, though simple, was just our way of saying ThankYouMorePlease. We can’t say THANK YOU enough. Where would we be without you all?
The Meal
Ingredients in the meal that we grew or raised or had some part in bringing to life:
- Beets
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Wheat (in cooperation with Neal Pottle)
- Beet Greens
- Potatoes
- Apples
- Sunburst Squash
- Eggs
- Cream
- Tomato Sauce (tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers)
- Mozzarella
- Ricotta
- Goat Meat
- Cream Cheese
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Blackberries
- Mint
- Basil
- Parsley
With gratitude to friends who helped fill in the gaps:
- Ground beef from the Hanley Farm
- Scup from Doyon Farm
The best part of leisurely dinners with friends is lingering a little longer at the table, with wine or coffee and conversations and laughs.
