Dinner on the Farm, A Triumphant Success!

"It’s about a wood-burning oven, which will make so much more than pizzas," claimed Mary Kimball, executive director of the Center for Land-Based Learning at Sunday's inaugural Dinner on the Farm.

The Center for Land-Based Learning aims to inspire and motivate people of all ages, especially youth, to promote a healthy interplay between agriculture, nature, and society through their actions and as leaders in their communities. They do this through engaging elementary- and high-school children about agriculture and cooking in a farm setting.

When invited to this dinner, I originally thought I was looking at another form of urban agriculture project, but this seems to be going far beyond that. In a grove of walnut trees, a group of about 70 people was hosted to a wonderful cocktail hour and formal sit-down dinner in thanks for contributions to getting that wood-burning oven.

"We made it. We made enough so it can be built," Kimball said. From the labor involved in creating the oven to the famous San Francisco chefs devoting their time, this was a labor of love for all involved and who are working tirelessly to make sustainable agriculture approachable for all ages.

Our dinner started out with appetizers and a fully stocked bar of wines donated by Crew Wine Company, Marr Cellars, Putah Creek Winery, Turkovich Family Winery, Yocha DeHe Farm and Ranch and a bartender making a wonderful selection of bourbon cocktails.

The Butternut squash shooter with nutmeg spiced cream was still warm in the shot glass as it was served, and it was beautiful in flavor. A particular favorite was the golden beet Napoleon with herbed goat cheese in a layered fashion. The lamb merquez meatballs with cucumber and mint yogurt were savory and reminiscent of a gyro.

After the initial cocktail hour and mingling among some of the sustainable/environmental/agricultural people who work in Sacramento along with a huge San Francisco presence, we headed over to the formal table lit by twinkling lights.

The other guests were as enjoyable as the food. From meeting a scholar of sustainable agriculture curriculum at the graduate level, a wealth of very devoted foodies, photographers and silicon valley techies, this was an eclectic cast of characters and the perfect representation of people who are excited about food, sustainability and a good time.

Our first course included a melon salad with arugula, crispy prosciutto, pickled watermelon rind and olive salt – the crispy prosciutto was the perfect saltiness countering the sweetness of the melon. But the true highlight of the meal for me was the roasted delicata squash salad with lardo, chicories, hazelnuts, pecorino and fried sage – from the creamy hazelnut purée to the perfectly cooked squash, it was a table-wide hit.

The main course included beef sausage with fresh shelling beans, tomatoes, mustard greens and pepperonata. The sausage was perfectly seasoned, and although it was supposed to include charred padrone peppers, it turned out that they were picked too mature (larger pepper, much more spicy), so these were served separately to those who wanted to try them.

This part of the meal turned into a wonderful fear factor-like drama to see who was up to the task. All parties at the table made it only a half-bite through before the tearing-up started. (These peppers had a heat equivalent twice that of habaneros). This first dish was followed by roasted lamb truncetta with sweet potato purée, braised dino kale and rosemary jus – the lamb was perfectly tender, and the rosemary jus was my favorite part, as it made the dish.

As the light grew low and the sun was setting, we partook in scrumptious desserts including chocolate and walnut torte with nocino chantilly and reduction, and fig tart with goat cheese while the farm owner, a very charming Clint Eastwood lookalike named Craig McNamara, made sure we were enjoying all festivities.

Craig McNamara was not only very hospitable but a revolutionary in the sustainable agriculture movement with the likes of Michael Pollen and Alice Waters (who were also guests of his farm), making agriculture approachable at all ages. He and his family are strong supporters of the FARMS Program (FARMS stands for Farming, Agriculture and Resource Management for Sustainability).

The meal was a triumph, and it made me very much look forward to what these people will get together and do in the future.