Tuesday, August 14, 2012

August Summer Dinner

After the record turn out for our July dinner, we have rethought many logistical elements around the timely serving of food to an enormous crowd, and know that we are more than prepared to not only provide a sumptuous feast for all who join us, but also to ensure that the second half of the line doesn't end up eating dessert before dinner!

The crazy bounty of local farms is never more apparent than in the month of August, even though drought has been the watchword of the summer.  We're putting all this food to good use in a themed meal where we cook all manner of goodness in ways suited to wrapping in corn or flour tortillas, drizzling with any number of salsas and sauces, and sprinkling with fresh herbs or cheeses.  These are not your elementary school hard corn tacos that break in half with the first bite and drizzle out strange orange, vaguely meat-flavored oil.  Get past the notion of "Mexican only" and broaden your scope to include Greek, Italian, Ukrainian, Uruguayan, and French influences.

Picture this, instead:

Start off with some local cheese from the Big Farm Creamery and the Sandwich Creamery and a cup of watermelon gazpacho, your new favorite summer soup.  Have a cool drink, visit with a friend, and then get down to the business of trying a little bit of lots of dishes guaranteed to leave you sated.

Imagine smoked lamb tossed with cucumbers, mint, and fresh yogurt folded in strips of whole wheat wraps; grilled fish with cilantro, garlic, cider vinegar and pickled cherry tomatoes spooned onto bite-sized flat breads; eggplant and zucchini basted in herbed olive oil and smoked until velvety smooth, smeared on a hunk of corn tortilla and sprinkled with fresh goat cheese; roasted fresh corn with hunks of chicken tossed with chopped red onion and jalapenos rolled up into finger-sized bites; good ol' ground local, grass-fed beef, browned with cumin and garlic and tossed with black beans; fresh beans simmered with sage, garlic, olive oil, and plum tomatoes, served as a side salad with fresh greens; green beans lightly tossed with cider vinegar and slivers of fresh sheep's milk cheese.

Still need more?  Think salsas with tomatoes, fresh peaches, tomatillos, cilantro, basil, tarragon, walnut oil, olive oil, onion, scallion, shallot, sea salt, black pepper, chili peppers, jalapenos, hungarian wax peppers.

Even more?  Fresh yogurt, lebna (a zesty fresh yogurt cheese).

Save room for dessert....

As always, these meals are served by donation, so pay what you can or what you think the meal is worth.  Imagine getting food this good in a restaurant?  Make this date night.  Family night.  Get to know your neighbor night.

Hope to see you on the 15th at 6pm.  Let us know if you'll be joining us so we can plan enough food for all.

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