Farm to table dinner party -08/26/2017

Cocktail/appetizers Dinner
The "Farm to table" movement has run amok for a while now as restaurant would serve the freshest and most local vegetables so that diners could taste them in just-picked glory.  By shopping at local Farmers Market, we also support our local farmers so it is a win win situation. 
Over the years I have hosted a lot of dinner parties but this is my first "Farm to table "theme so with that in mind I sent out an e-mail to my friends:

"Close to our house there is a farmer’s market where the vegetables are bountiful, the tomatoes are sun ripened, and all the fresh produce are grown locally! So before summer is over and while fresh seasonal vegetables are still abundant, I would like to take the opportunity to prepare a meal inspired by local seasonal vegetables.

“What no meat?”  Not to worry, I will incorporate plenty of meat/Sea food to compliment the vegetables as am fully aware that there are just too many carnivores in our group!

As usual I don’t want to give away the menu but I can give you a bit of a preview (Teaser!)

We will have: homemade cavatelli, Shrimp croquette (back by popular request), brocheta de Gambas (we ate this at Donostia), and many more dishes ….

It will be a 6 course dinner (small portion), + desserts.."

 

Table set up

I wanted a to create a green tablescape by using green China with gold leaf, green organic center piece that looks welcoming.

 

Olive branches from our garden are used as centerpiece and white flowers are added in between.

The olive branches are simply lined up to form a garland running down the center of my table.

 

The tablescape is on the simple side but I really like the way it turned out. 

 

Menu is printed out and displayed on top of each plate.

 

 

Since I wanted a colorful tablescape I designed a bunch of Menu with watercolor sketches of all sorts of vegetables representing the farm to table theme.


Lots of glassware on table too...did not realized that they add up (3 per person X16)= 48 glasses on the table.

 

Menu with vegetable drawings.

Here is another design...

I printed a bunch of different design and my friends really like that!

They walked around the table to check out all the different design.

Some are brighter than others but they are all very nice.

Here the front and back of the menu- menu is listed on the right.

 

Appetizers

Sake, hard liquor for cocktail, red wine, and white wine for this evening.

The huge bottle of Sake, the Pahmeyer, and the Kistler are from our Phuc, our sommelier extraordinaire.

Before cooking this meal I already consulted with him so he has can decide which type of wine to pair with the food.

 

Also from Phuc is a 27 years old 1990 Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes - Pretty sad that this is his last bottle! What are we going to drink from now with foie gras?

It is one of our favorite Sauternes,  almost impossible to get these days and even if it is available it is close to $900! 

 You might be able to get it at Millessima but you have to wait from 3 to 6 months.

 

Doan and Tuan brought Foie gras, cornichon, fruit jam, and toasts to wash down with a glass of sauternes.

The foie gras was excellent and the sauternes was the ultimate pairing!  Cannot come any better than that.

 

All of our guests are here, gathering around our kitchen island and enjoying a glass of Sauternes and foie gras.


Cheers!

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