Farm-to-Table Dinner @ Munsons Farm, Boulder, Colorado

Fund-Raiser Farm-to-Table Dinner for Sacred Heart of Jesus School

04 August 2012

 At the Munson Farms Farmstand, corner of 75th Street & Valmont in Boulder, Colorado

What's for dinner...?

These are laminated placemats that were made, with the menu on the reverse, just for this event...they are fun and farmer-oriented.

Rockin the Big Green Egg...

Smoked Pork Loin.  Delicious!

Smoke is a good thing...

Huitlacoche.  Corn Truffle. Corn Smut.  By any name it is a delectable treat.

'Under the Cottonwoods'

Dinner table in the corn

'Pan Tomate'

Corn heads...

Guests on the Farm Tour

Kitchen in the corn meadow

More of the table...

Main plates

Dessert

 

The treat to finish the evening...

12Seasons & The French Manner

present a Farm-to-Table Dinner

A Colorado-Harvested, Slow Food Menu

present

A Farm-to-Table Fundraising Dinner

For Sacred Heart of Jesus School

@ Munson Farms

04 August 2012

Colorado-Harvested, Slow Food Menu

Under the Cottonwoods

Watermelon & Cantaloupe with Pistachio, Basil & Cab Sauv-Balsamic Reduction

Onion, Poblano & Sharp Cheddar Tarts with Cilantro

Belgian Endive with Goat Cheese & Parsley

Upslope Brown Ale & IPA & Borgo Magredo Prosecco, Extra Dry

Bread & Salad

Grilled Country Loaf ‘Pan Tomate’

Arugula, Mixed Greens & Field Tomato Salad with Tomato Tarragon Vinaigrette

Perrier Sparkling Water

Main Plate

Smoked Pork Loin, Garlic-Rubbed Grilled Leg of Lamb & Adobo Grilled Chicken Breast

Sides

‘Hash’ of Grilled Corn, Roasted Summer Squash, Fried Brussels Sprouts, Shallots

& Dried Cherries

Minted Bell Pepper and Green Pole Bean Salad

New Yukon Potato & Parsley Salad

2011 Beringer California Collection Sauvignon Blanc & 2010 Morse Code Padthaway Shiraz

Dessert

12Seasons Almond Scones, Colorado Peaches, Toasted Almonds, Soft-Caramel

& Toasted Meringue ‘S’More’

Cooking in the corn field.  How do you teach that? 

Last evening, I and two student volunteers from Johnson and Wales University cooked and served four courses to 37 diners in the corn field at Munson Farms outside of Boulder, Colorado.  The event was a fund-raising dinner for Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder.  Some of the intrigue of cooking and dining in the meadow and corn row of the farm was heightened by the uneven rocky ground, the V-flights of dozens of Canada Geese, the luminescence of night-balloons from a party miles away from ours, and the great beauty of being on a working farm.  Guests were treated to appetizers and Prosecco 'Under the Cottonwoods', a walking tour of the farm with Mike Munson (principal farmer and son of Bob Munson who started the farm in 1957 and was instrumental in starting the Boulder farmer's Market 25 years ago), and the choosing of the best seats at the east-west table set between the corn rows.   

I delivered mirrors of appetizers, walking through the squash and tomato plants growing in neat rows of chocolate truffle-colored soil.  The weather was perfect with a high of just 82 degrees F.  I decided to wear shorts and clogs for more comfort and there were many comments of my Mario-look... My clogs were black.  They are now a dirty mess and may just be retierd!

With the coming twilight, luminarias were lit upon the exit path from the meadow.  Cleaning in the dark with the near-full moon rising in the east we ponder....'are we having fun yet?'  The focus of the Need to Feed is understanding why we do what we do.  Forty-six hours in three days were spent shopping at the Farmer's Market, at the farmstand, brining and smoking the pork, baking scones, prepping for salads, dessert, garlic-crusted leg of lamb, Adobo Sauce for the chicken....then loading the truck, picking up the rented grills, getting to the event, setting the stage of tents, tables, grills, prep tables, etc.  Tomorrow is cleaning day for the china, pans, utensils, coolers, cutting boards, and all the other equipment that gets shipped around the county to satisfy my need.... 

In a large measure it is the Thank You...  We aim to make people happy through food, wine, and the pleasure of company in a congenial atmosphere.  That could be in your own home, the restaurant - or even in the corn.

Peace.

~R