Dinner-in-the-Vineyard Fundraiser a Splendid Event

Mike Odette of Sycamore puts the finishing touch on the evening's dessert trio: chocolate tart with crème anglaise, crème caramel and macerated fresh fruits.


Slow Food Katy Trail hosted its first Farm-to-Table "dinner in the vineyard" on June 14 in a century-old tobacco barn set among the beautiful vineyards at Les Bourgeois near Rocheport. The 100 attendees celebrated local food, the farmers and artisans who raise and produce it, and the chefs who cook with it. Proceeds from the dinner help fund Slow Food Katy Trail's "Slow Food-in-Schools" projects with local school children.

Donating their time, creativity and precious day off from the restaurant business was a "dream team" of the area's best chefs. Cooking together for the first time were: Craig Cyr of The Wine Cellar & Bistro, Mike Odette of Sycamore, Ben Clay of Les Bourgeois Blufftop Bistro and Brook Harlan of the Columbia Area Career Center Culinary Arts program.

All the farmers/artisans/chefs took brief turns at the mic to talk about how they raised and produced their food and how the dishes were created.

Les Bourgeois staff conducted a winery tour and a trip through the vineyards via hay wagons before dinner, while the John G. Stewart trio filled the air with jazz favorites.

In attendance and donating food and drink to the dinner were:
Dennis and Merritt Van Landuyt of Troutdale Farm (trout for the trout ceviche)
Susie Everhart of Susie's Grass Fed Meats (lamb for the main dish)
Walker Claridge and Kimberly Griffin of the Root Cellar (salad greens, vegetables and fruits for several dishes)
Alan McClure of Patric Chocolate (chocolate for the chocolate tart)
Cory Bomgaars of Les Bourgeois Vineyards and staff (wine which accompanied each course)
Julie Walker of Greystone Farm (eggs for the salad and desserts)
Jenn and Ken Muno of Goatsbeard Farm (variety of goat cheeses for the cheese course)
Lee Eckel of Lakota Coffee Co. (coffee)

Mark and Rita Newman of Newman Farm in Myrtle couldn't attend, but donated Berkshire pork for the main dish. Ron and Courtney Rottinghaus of Uprise Bakery also couldn't attend, but made special loaves of Epi bread for the occasion.
Flat Branch Pub and Brewing donated beer.

Please see more photos from the event at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slowfoodkatytrail/sets/72157620517967915/