Dinner on the Farm 2011 - A Starry Night of Good Food

 

A soft sunset, a twinkling lit table and people passionate about food, and where it comes from in abundance; this was the makings of a Dinner on the Farm - the now seasonally hosted event for 

The Center for Land-Based Learning. From teaching students where their food comes from (this in itself is no small deal) to helping train farmers to be farmers (new generation farmers). 

This non-profit benefits the land and the people who till the soil, and when all the days work is done they sat down and broke bread with their supporters. The drive out to Winters, CA is always a departing from the norm, taking in the country in, in all it's glory. 

Once at our destination we were met with a cocktail reception including: Gin Gimlet's with Basil, and Bourbon Sour's with celery onion bitters and mint - The master mixologists at Slow Club, San Francisco were working up a frenzy with all the large crowd around their table, but kept the crowd at bay with:

Dark & Stormy Butternut Squash Soup w/ crème fraiche and pineapple mint 

and 

Assorted Pizzas from the outdoor oven - Melon and Mission Pixtos

After we all joined at the tables the fun really began. Like kids at a summer camp table everyone made new friends all around them, networking with fellow foodies, and culinary gossip running rampant - but one tenant remains true, all attending were passionate about food, talking about food, while eating incredible food

Salad Course 

-Roasted Chicories & Delicata Squash Salad w/caerphilly cheese, candied seeds, and orange-brown butter vinaigrette (this one was already gone by the time the plate reached me, the masses were hungry!)

-Seasonal Greens w/ cherry tomatoes, breakfast radishes, and sherry-mustard vinaigrette

-Marinated Beets w/ ricotta salata, herbs, and citrus vinaigrette   
(personal fave, loved the sharpness of the cheese, and they earthiness of the beets)

-Handkerchief Pasta w/ roasted chicken, spinach, tomatoes, and romano
(soft al dente cooked pasta, pulled chicken, and savory salty romano/spinach on top - simple, elegant, rustic, and filling)

There was so much to love in these courses, from hearty to cheese - plus who doesn't love a cheese plate at the end of a meal, fantastic touch!

Main Course 

-Lamb Roulade w/ caponata, grilled bread w/ tomato jam and white anchovy
(the lamb roulade was outstanding, and many a patrons favorite, the caponata was soft and tender, the lamb toothsome and perfectly seasoned - I personally loved the grilled bread with fire-roasted tomatoes and salty white anchovies)

-Roast Pig w/ braised collard greens, and twice baked yams accompanied with apple butter, mustard, and hot sauce
(Roast pig? Come on the meal was getting pretty insane at this point, succulent meat and when the apple butter and hot sauce were mixed they were even better! Plus the yams were all butter and sugar, just the way they should be)

Cheese Course

-Comté and Tomme w/ candied walnuts, fig jam, and pickled strawberry preserves

(this was a special offering from the new cheese rooms of Turkovich Wine and now Cheeses - there tomme and comte both French in style were creamy, soft and paired beautifully with the preserves - you can find these cheese coming soon at Winters Cheese Co.)

So when all the wine was drank, the speeches said, the dessert was served, and it was right up there with the pork and the bourbon.

Dessert 

-Chocolate-Walnut Frangipane Tart w/ candied walnuts and vanilla chantilly
(super chocolatey, soft cream, and sharp, sweet, earthy candied walnuts - insane!)

-Pear Tart w/ almond crème, fresh huckleberries, and vanilla ice cream
(almonds, berries, cream, pears - as if the chocolate wasn't enough?)

By the end of the night the diners were full, the chefs were exhausted, and the praise bestowed on all that played a contributing part. Exciting future news of a seasonal, not annual, dinners would begin in February, and the featured chef's to be cooking would be Patrick Mulvaney of Mulvaney's B&L, and Oliver Ridgeway the new executive chef for The Grange. To find out this event, and the future ones to come check out The Center for Land-Based Learning.