Farm-to-Table…to mouth

There’s been a trend over the past few years. A good one. It combines eating fresh, seasonal and local food with fine cooking in an al fresco environment, often on a farm, sometimes in a restaurant. These “farm-to-table” dinners are springing up everywhere and they are a delight. You get to enjoy fresh, well-prepared food by local chefs, meet new people and relax on a beautiful summer evening. Some are fundraisers, and some are just for fun. Either way, go to at least one this summer.

Here’s a few that are going on this month in Bucks or nearby.

On Tuesday, July 13th, Chef Ed Coss will host his third annual Farm to Table dinner to benefit the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance at his Milford, NJ restaurant, the Milford Oyster House. Coss has planned a menu using only ingredients from the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance Dvoor Farm Farmers’ Market.

The dinner begins at 6:30 PM with radish crostini and peach champagne cocktails in the bar area. Dinner begins at 7 PM with squash blossoms stuffed with Purely Farm herbed ground pork, followed by roasted beet and homemade horseradish salad over Comeback Farm Greens. The main course is Headquarters Farm roasted leg of lamb with cucumber salsa, roasted Spring Run Farm Potatoes and Sweet Valley Farm braised Corn. Dessert will be Homestead Coffee Roasters mocha mousse glace followed by a Bobolink Dairy cheese course accompanied by Phillips Farm Berries. (All courses are subject to market availability.)

Cost for the dinner is $75.00 per person and includes a choice of local red or white wine. Tax and gratuity are not included. All profits from the dinner are donated to the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance. Last year, the dinner sold out and the Milford Oyster House was proud to donate $1500 to the HLTA. Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance is a nonprofit conservation organization working to preserve and protect the rural landscapes and natural resources of Hunterdon County. For reservations call the Milford Oyster House 908-995-9411. The Oyster House is located at 92 Water Street in Milford, NJ.

The end of July provides two farm-to-table dinners, one in Ottsville and one in Warminster.

The Kitchen Potager presents its first dinner in its Chef’s Farm to Table Dinner series on July 31st from 5 to 8 pm. “Pork Belly 3 Ways” will be the theme, prepared by Max Hansen of Max Hansen Caterers.  The evening is set to be a unique experience, beginning around the center grill and working its way into the  lovely barn at Linden Hill Gardens in Ottsville (see our post from last year). The locally-sourced menu looks fantastic! 

• Barbecued Pork Belly Quesadillas with Monterey Jack, Grilled Onions, Poblano Peppers and Fresh Cilantro, served with a Charred Tomato and Toasted Cumin Crème Fraiche;
• Pork Buns “in the style of David Chang” with Du Breton Slow Cooked Pork Belly, Pickled Cucumbers, Scallions, Hoisin Sauce and Sirachi;
• Slow Braised and Pan Roasted Pork Belly with Succotash- Sweet Corn, Zucchini and Great Northern Beans with Andouille Sausage and Fresh Thyme.
• Max & Me Atlantic Smoked Salmon “Tartare” on Challah Crisps with a Lemon Crème Fraiche and Wild Smoked Salmon Ro;
• A Local Rocket Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and a Saba Vinaigrette- served with Rise Bakery Grilled Crostini;
• Yukon Gold Creamers crushed with Fresh Chives, Italian Parsley, Sweet Butter and Maldon Flake Salt.

Ingredients will  be coming from: Berger Farm, Blooming Glen Farm CSA, M&B Farview Farm, Manoff Market Gardens, Metropolitan Seafood Company, and Swallow Hill Farm. The dinner is BYOB and $75 per person. Only 20 seats are available so RSVP soon (by July 15th) at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/118649. And save the dates of August 21st and September 19th for the next dinners in the series.

Also on July 31st, The Heritage Conservancy will host its “2nd Annual Farm to Table” fundraiser at the Lindsay Farm in Warminster. The event aims both to allow people to enjoy the delicious local foods of Bucks County and to educate people on the importance of sustainable agriculture. For more than 50 years, Heritage Conservancy has been preserving the natural and historic heritage of Bucks County.  Now, the group hopes to marry the common goals of land preservation and sustainable agriculture.

“This event offers the unique opportunity for guests to enjoy delicious food while also enjoying the beauty of a preserved property,” said Robin Folkerts, Vice President Advancement & Communications for Heritage Conservancy. “With more and more people interested in buying fresh and buying local this event introduces guests to local farms and connects them to the land where their food is being grown.”

The event boasts a farm-fresh meal, prepared by two Bucks County chefs, David Zuckerman of Earl’s Bucks County, and Jamie Hollander, owner of Jamie Hollander Gourmet Foods and Catering. Hors d’oeuvres, followed by a buffet-style meal, will be served in a rustic outdoor setting at the Lindsay Farm. There will be activities for children. The event starts at 6:30 pm.  Tickets are $45 for adults and $15 for children. Proceeds benefit the Heritage Conservancy (special thanks to their sponsor Fulton Bank). To register, click here. The Lindsay Farm is at 545 Almshouse Road in Warminster.

UPDATE: Prallsville Mills in Stockton is also hosting a Farm to Table event Sat 8/14/10, with Dave Mergen of Just Food & Jim Maticolo of Emilys Cafe & Catering lending their culinary delights to benefit the Mill followed by an Open Air dancing in the Sawmill surrounded by the Images of the Mill artshow. Tickets & Info available at 609.397.3586

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