100 Mile Dinner: Winter on the Lake

On a mild winter evening in January, I paused to take in the scenery of the picturesque Lake Avondale. The night was calm and quiet and I kind of let the stillness set in.  I thought of the recipient of the evening’s ticket proceeds, Ryan Hidinger, a beloved chef fighting a devastating diagnosis. Before I reveled in the food and fellowship that 100 Mile dinners always bring, I wanted to consciously dwell and hope. I saw another person standing on the porch and wondered if they too were caught up in emotion.

The hosts of The Avondale Community Club greeted me with such southern charm and the band Tonestar was already harmonizing in the foyer. Arianne Fielder’s welcome drink, Musk-u-dine-local, was in my hand- sorghum infused Muscadine wine from Chateau Elan with rosemary, soda, and pickled blueberries from Phickles Pickles out of Athens. Just a few seconds in the door, I encountered people I had met at another 100 Mile dinner. Loved this

The tables were set . Tiny vases of flowers and pretty menus awaited diners.  I chose a seat at random and wondered who would be next to me when I returned.

Forced meat stuffed trotter with sausage and bacon pate. I would have been happy sampling here all night.
Rusty Bowers really is a "meat magician.'

The set up for the Southern Smorgasbord was pretty perfect- a stone patio surrounded by pines, next to the glimmering lake. I am not just throwing our adjectives here. The lake was sparkling in the moonlight. It was cool enough to feel like “Winter on the Lake,” but mild enough to not need a jacket. Very  nice for mingling and sampling. So many things to nibble on. There was even a selection of Nick Melvin's homemade pickles. His pickled carrots are the best pickles I have ever had. I didn't have any this evening. I just remember from the last time I tasted them. That good. Wish I had taken photos and had descriptions of all of the offerings. One spoon was topped with crispy chicken skin. One was a play on a reuben. They were going fast.

A fellow diner said “If I could eat salad like this, I would eat it every day.”

People began wandering inside and taking their seats. This is always the fun part, getting to know your table mates. “So what brings you to a dinner like this?’ and “Have you been to a 100 Mile Dinner before?” My seat mates were enchanting. We only stopped talking to listen to the chefs and mixologists describe their offerings. I wanted to put them in my pocket and take them with me.

Rusty Bowers of Pine Street Market and Nick Melvin of Garden District welcomed us with excitement and joy and Nick spoke about how the dinners are to showcase seasonal, local food and “in a way, educate people that this is the way it should be done.”  He quickly brought the tone down to purpose. Nick spoke eloquently and purely from his heart about his dear friend (and a friend to many in house), Ryan. We were dining to celebrate eating locally and appreciating our food’s sources but also to uplift Ryan.

The first course arrives along with a colorful cocktail. Daniel Chance of Campagnolo introduced Duck Two Ways: “roll mop” pickled duck breast and duck sausage accompanied by an herb salad, truffle honey mustard, and bacon marmalade. I used different herbs from the salad with each bite of the sausage which had pine nuts, juniper, pepper, and fennel included. I especially loved it with celery leaves. The Darby Farms duck breast was brined, seared, and pickled similar to a pickled herring preparation. It was insanely good.

Pairing so perfectly with the juniper in the sausage was our cocktail from Arianne Fielder of Seven Lamps: 13^th Colony gin, Sweetwater IPA reduction, Savannah Bee Company Tupelo honey, ruby red grapefruit soda, and blackberries.

Jason Kemp of The Family Dog described our next sip, a 2009 Voignier from Tiger Mountain Vineyards as having “a little bit of funk.” I completely agreed. I also tasted a minerality I could only believe comes from the granite outcrops of the north Georgia Mountains. Voigniers are great food wines, especially with root vegetables .

Enter Rusty and Nick’s Celeriac Buttermilk Soup. The Blue Ridge trout were cured 24 hours then cold smoked and flaked into a celery leaf salad. Also in the luscious bowl of celery root soup were smoked trout roe in mustard oil. This dish could go on my last meal wish list. The flavor combinations and textures were powerful and really played off one another. I want this to be on a menu somewhere.

Our third course presented by the effervescent Terry Koval of Wrecking Bar Brew Pub was beautiful Scotch ale braised beef cheeks with root veggies and parsnip puree.  I heard so many diners say “what’s a cheek? Where is it from?” A cheek is well, a cheek; or more specifically, the fine grained facial muscle of a cow. The cheeks were super tender ( no small feat when you think of how strong a cow’s facial muscles must be from chewing all day) with a hint of the braising liquid flavor. I loved knowing the cheeks were from Moonshine Meats in Athens, a farm that uses this statement:  Moonshine Meats is just meat the way it should be: raised on pasture by producers who have a deep sense of humility, humanity and awe for both animal and land. I loved the baby carrots, turnips, and rutabagas- soft but not too soft, and left in their natural state as opposed to cubed. I could have eaten a bowl of the parsnip puree.

The dish paired so nicely with the Colin’s Wee Heavy Scotch Ale from Wrecking Bar and Brewery. The beer, named for Bob the brewmaster’s son, Colin, is a malty, rich, warming with chocolate undertones ale that was aged in bourbon barrels. It’s a masterpiece and such a wonderful brew for a cold winter’s night. Bob Sandage, founder of Wrecking Bar, was even in the house.

The final dish of the evening came with an introduction from delightful Layne Lee of Sweet N Sinful Bakery. She said it had always been a mission of hers to get her equally delightful sister to try squash. Who would have thought to put butternut squash in a cobbler? Sweet, light and warm, the cobbler sat on top of sage ice cream. I watched her sister eat it and watched Layne beam.

Jason Kemp ended our night with the perfect nightcap: Ivy Mountain apple brandy with warm Mercier Orchards apple cider and allspice dram. So good. It could only have been better if were were outside next to a campfire.

The band came from the foyer to wish happy birthday to a guest, play, and sing amongst us. It was a really fun moment. They encouraged us to dance. I was sad the night had to end. I was satiated but wanted the conversation to continue. My table mates were interesting, fun, and thrilled for this sort of dining experience. Each course we tasted together brought forth lively conversations, anecdotes, and funny stories. We laughed. We even shed tears over a shared experience.

We tasted the seasons and the local offerings of Gum Creek Farms in Roopville, Flat Creek Lodge in Swainsboro, BesMaid Garden in Decatur, Serenbe Farms in Chattahoochee Hills, and Moonshine Meats in Athens. We didn't start a revolution or change the world but we ate a delicious five course meal sourced from 100 miles and further discussed a better worldview on sourcing food. We didn't just eat, we conscientiously placed value on our foodstuffs and how they arrived at our table. For this conversation, I am grateful to The 100 Mile Dinner and the chefs and farmers who provided a forum.

I left with hugs for my new friends and for the chefs and servers who put on such a great night. My anticipation for the next 100 Mile Dinner in March along with Nick’s restaurant, Garden District, is already beginning. I walked gently into the night. Seeing the lake and moon again made me take pause and send good thoughts out to Ryan.

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Celery Root

Someone recently asked me about my favorite seasonal offering during winter. The ugly duckling of the vegetable bin, celery root, summarily came to mind. It is no surprise that the

knobby, warty, barnacle- like root is overlooked for sexier edibles of wintertime. Visually repugnant it may be, but I still recall my first taste. I was an angsty teen walking through a mall where a restaurant show was happening. Someone handed me a white paper cup with something mushy in it and something crispy on top. I can’t remember the crisp part, but I remember the shazam! moment when I tasted the puree. That entire season I asked every restaurant if they served celery root to no avail. To this day, a taste of celery root brings back the memory of a moment in time that really sparked food adventurism in me.

Celery root or celeriac (sometimes also called knob celery, turnip related celery, or Verona celery) is one of those vegetables you wonder aloud about at the farmers market with “what made the first person eat this?” It is not appetizing to look at. Still underrated in the U.S., it is widely used in Europe and has been since the Middle Ages. It even gets a mention in Homer’s Odyssey as “selinon.” Pretty sure the horses were eating it, but you have to start somewhere.

Celery root is the cousin to carrots, parsley, parsnips and anise- root vegetables that you eat either for their tips or their root. It is developed from the same wild species as stalk celery but it is cultivated for its root, not its stalk. Its flavor tastes like a fusion of celery and parsley and smells similarly. To me the taste is redolent of the earth-soil, but it in delicious way. It is delicious and a hearty non-starch replacement for potatoes. It is also remarkably storable, remaining fresh 1-2 weeks in a refrigerator and longer in a root cellar. I love root cellars. Remember to trim the leaves from the root before storing.

Root cellars are one of my favorite things

Before making its way onto European and Western Asian dinner plates, it was used mainly for medicinal and religious uses. I have read this in many books and descriptions about celery root but have not uncovered which sort of “religious uses” these were, unless aphrodisiacs and crowns of celery root leaves to cure hangovers are religious uses. For this is how the ancient Greeks used it. It is widely revered for its calming and analgesic properties. The Chinese used it to stabilize high blood pressure and much of Europe used it to detoxify the blood and eliminate intestinal parasites.  The jury is out on whether celery root will cure your hangover or your love life, but celery root is extremely low in calories (1/2+ 20 calories), high in fiber, nonfat, and rich in vitamins A, E, & C, Potassium, Phosphorous, and Carotene.

The root can be mashed, boiled, roasted, braised, sautéed, added to thicken soups and stews, sliced for salads, and even French friend. It is as versatile as our beloved potato but ever more nutritious and tasty. Look for firm tubers without lots of discolorations. Smaller roots taste better. Larger roots are woodier and better for long stewing or roasting. Remember to allow for about ¼ of it to be discarded as you peel off the thick outer layer. A knife works better than a vegetable peeler to “peel” the outer layer. Don’t discard those yummy leaves. They have the highest percentage of vitamin c. Use them to flavor soups, sautés, and salads. I have even made a quick pesto of them.


Boiling the chopped root

My favorite way to prepare celery root is with a simple puree. I peel, cut into cubes, and boil the root in half milk & half water for about 20 minutes. Drain, saving some of the liquid, then puree with a hand blender with some of the reserved liquid. Top it with a piece of trout and a few of the leaves.

Celeriac Remoulade is a classic French dish similar to coleslaw where the root is peeled, grated, placed in lemon juice, and dressed in a mustardy mayo. You can even pickle celery root using a simple dilly bean recipe. Hughsli sells a yummy looking celery root-kohlrabi mixture I would love to try. Empire State South here in Atlanta often has a celery root soup with candied hazelnuts that is pretty outstanding. I also used to love the celery root gnocchi from Hector Santiago at the recently closed Pura Vida. Check out this recipe by Hugh Acheson in Food and Wine for Creamy Celery Root Skordalia where he uses celery root in place of traditional potatoes.

 

Photo from  Best Emerging Chefs.com

I really want to make this recipe of Celeriac with Moscatel Grapes, Burnet, and Toasted Hazelnuts from Ollie Dabbous (whose restaurant Dabbous is on my bucket list).

I asked a couple of chef friends their favorite way to prepare and eat celery root.  Nick Melvin of the soon to be Garden District likes to do a celery root remoulade brown butter puree. Zeb Stevenson of The Livingston and Proof & Provision likes to make a celery root gratin. So many possibilities. I am going to try latkes with the celery roots I have on hand or celery root cake. Yes, cake (from Gotham in New York).

100 Mile Dinner Garden Party

Even if only symbolically and in the form of a pop-up dinner, there is a need to reexamine the way we are sourcing our food in America.  Our global food system diminishes our sense of connection to our food, our landscape, and our food culture. 1500 miles is the figure often thrown around in the media to describe the average distance food travels to reach our plate in the U.S. Numerous research studies can be found to substantiate as well as discredit the number of “food miles” products have attached to them, but what holds true is our food generally travels far and with this comes consequences. Food grown closer to home tastes fresher, is more nutritious, and supports local growers. As the distance decreases, so does the need for preservation and processing not to mention fewer transportation emissions associated with it. We can add to this the bidirectional connection between consumer and producer that is created when we know the source of the product we seek. A trip to a farmers’ market can bridge the gap between rural and urban locales. Besides strengthening the regional economy, it can make a small town out of a big one. The simple act of picking fresh, local, and seasonal food stuffs from the producers is an act of reconnection to the land, to community, and to traditions of the past. 

Nick Melvin and Rusty Bowers greeting guests

Labeling food as “local” seems to coalesce around the 100 mile limit. Enter Rusty Bowers of Pine Street Market and Nick Melvin of the upcoming Garden District. Together they created The 100 Mile Dinner, a series of pop-up dinners in Avondale Estates where partnering with chefs, farmers, and friends from the local community, they collaborate on a menu utilizing ingredients farmed entirely within 100 miles of the neighborhood. Some featured items may even be grown or raised exclusively for the events.

151 Locust in Avondale Estates

 I attended the 100 Mile Dinner Garden Party on a stormy September night at one of Avondale's oldest buildings, 151 Locust. The rain was not a factor; in fact, it seemed to bring us together. We huddled as a mass of like minded diners under twinkling lights that occasionally went out with the storm.  The background bluegrass enriched the stories being told of the tent we sat underneath and its most recent journey from Burning Man. We ate, talked, shared twitter accounts, and discussed our relationships with the dinner. I sat near a woman who is a vegetarian, unless the meat is locally sourced from a butcher she knows, like Pine Street Market. I also had the pleasure of Alicia Searcy’s company. She and her husband Tommy run Gum Creek Farms, the source of our lamb for this dinner (as well as the source of Pine Street's award winning Coppa). We left full of food as well as the notion of how we could carry this meal into the rest of our lives. At least I did.

Rustic yet elegant. Silver meets burlap.

 

The evening began with passed tastes and cocktails inside the house. This deviled "potato salad" was completely enchanting and unexpected. I loved the smoked Blue Ridge trout roe as a topper.

 

Another taste, Pine Street Market applewood bacon on Heirloom Garden's greens and preserved cherry tomato with cracked pepper aioli. This smoky-sweet bacon is always in my fridge and should be in yours. The greens were good too but I was really making the bacon face while I ate this dish. Oh my goodness, this bacon.

High Strung String Band were the the perfect musical accompaniment to this meal- a taste of traditional bluegrass mixed with a bit of folk but played with an edge. The music was much like the food: comfort laden with one foot in the past and a modern twist.

 

From the top, clockwise: North Georgia apples with Pine Street lardo, young arugula, & candied local nuts, roasted pumpkin, apple, and Flat Creek Lodge Natural Cheddar soup with creme fraiche & spicy pumpkin cheese straw, Deviled potato salad, Local cheese & honey. Along with these "Crostini ala Cachinni," a mini meat ball with sweet pimiento jelly. Jason Kemp of The Family Dog served a Flor Rose Brut with fresh grapefruit, thyme, and rosemary. It was a lovely beginning.

 

Appetizer from Terry Koval of Wrecking Bar Brew Pub and Rusty Bowers of Pine Street Market: Darby Farm's duck rillette with pickled peppers and chopped salad with Green Goddess dressing. The level of delicious was high and this plate was empty in a few seconds. Such great textures together, the smooth, luscious duck with the brightness of the dressed greens.



Duck Rillette pairing

 

Braised Gum Creek Farm's Lamb Farotto with grilled lamb sausage, mushroom conserva, and roasted local pumpkin. All I can say is suddenly I knew it was fall. This dish by Kyle Griffith of Pine Street Market and Andy Gonzales of Steinbeck's Pub was rich and hearty, yet the lamb was delicate. The  lamb was clean and herbaceous tasting, indicative of grass pasturing.  Pairing the lamb with a Highland Oatmeal Porter was perfect.

 

Serious fun while the rain was spilling through the branches of the surrounding trees.

 

"Derby Cocktail" from Jason Kemp of The Family Dog: 4 Roses bourbon and a champagne shrub.

Even before dessert arrived, I was sweetly enchanted with this drink and this evening.







Spiced Pecan Panna Cotta with mulled cranberry, preserved peaches, and pralines from Nick Melvin of Garden District and Layne Lee of Sweet N' Sinful Bakery. First there was a sound of spoons clinking on porcelain, then silence as fellow diners disappeared into this dessert. I took delicate, tiny bites of each flavor then bigger bites with one or two. The panna cotta appeared simple, but was anything but with the emanations within the bowl. First, a forward sweetness then smoky-spiced mulled cranberry arose from the depths to mingle with the tangy Georgia peaches canned at the peak of ripeness. The peaches managed to place both summer and autumn on my palate.

Rusty and Nick thank their guests.

Left to right: Jason Kemp, Kyle Griffith, Andy Gonzales, Nick Melvin, and Rusty Bowers

Far right: Terry Koval

 

It was at this moment I remembered a passage from Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums, which I had recently re-read: "...and he's going into the city to get drunk with the butchers, enlightened." I was full, a little tipsy, hanging with the butchers, and enlightened.

 

The next 100 Mile Dinner is in November I won't hesitate to purchase a seat. I cannot wait for Nick Melvin's Garden District. Follow his progress to the restaurant here.

 

 

 





 

 

Kudzu Supper Club and The Perennial Plate

Kudzu Supper Club brings together growers, patrons and chefs to celebrate the sustainable farms of Georgia. Add wine to the mix and an incredible evening of enlightenment and exploration ensues. I had the priviledge of attending one of the unforgettable dinners on October 9th, 2011.

Close to the event date, the secret location was emailed to the guest list along with directions. On Sunday afternoon we set forth to Burge Plantation in Madison, Georgia for an experience I will not soon forget.The drive to the dinner spot was breathtaking, so removed from the city that I felt transported into another time. It was very easy to settle down and relax in this atmosphere.  Out of the car, I was instantly greeted by Kudzu founders, Brady Lowe and Cory Mosser and introduced to Daniel Klein of The Perennial Plate. Unlike a usual dinner party, these type of gatherings are always much more approachable.  Must be something about a shared purpose or simply a love of food but I felt comfortable around everyone and made fast friends with those around me.Chefs, farmers and diners mingled in the spirit which this enterprise had intended. I don't want to get sappy, but it was a beautiful thing.

I had only been out of the car for a minute before Brady placed a glass of Riesling in my hand. See? Good people. Loved this Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Washington State Riesling--apple/apricotty with a zing finish.

 The reception began with a welcome from Brady, a selection of local cheeses, and a bucket of chicharrones and kale chips. I had to physically separate myself from the bucket of goodness.

Made my way to the fire to take in the smells (and maybe a bit of bourbon). Delighted to find Chef Nick Melvin (Rosebud) and Chef Shane Devereux ( The Sound Table, Top Flr)manning the coals.  Wanted to scoop this simmering lamb into my mouth.

This was my view from the fire. Dreamy, isn't it?

At the fire I had the first of many of these--Nick's sea salt skewers with seared lardo and padron peppers. Perfection.

Everyone took their seats at the table. Mine was on the side looking down over the lake. Artisan bread was passed along with charred elephant garlic and olive oil to schmear. We also had jars of pickled goodies to sample. I made sure my seat was near Nick Melvin's pickled carrots and pickled beets. They are legendary.

Head and trotters terrine. Nom Nom.We also had incredible lamb pate in jars but we enjoyed them quicker than I could snap a photo.

I loved the joyful tablescapes of happy Burge Farm veggies. The first course continued with a salad of baby farm greens and winter radishes. Food tastes infinitely better when it has just been harvested and eaten on the dirt it was grown within.

Scholium Project Naucratis 2009

Second course begins with more crusty bread that will soon be sopping up the most flavorful broth I have ever tasted. (really) Daniel Klein of the Perennial Plate prepared a Gum Creek Farms whole lamb with Indian Organics foraged edibles. I don't think I took a photo of this dish, mostly because I was agasp at how lovely it looked, smelled and tasted. It was so layered with different flavors and textures. Knowing that the whole lamb was used and hearing the tale of foraging the woods on the property for edibles furthered my love for it. Honestly, there was not a drop left in my bowl.

Sokol Blosser Estate Pinot Noir 2008-perfect with lamb and pork. Tasted of cherries.

Buttermilk sorbet intermezzo. Loved the pickled watermelon rind.

Chef Nick Melvin describing the experience and getting us excited about our third course (s). He puts love into his food. You can't do anything but smile and feel good when he talks about sustainable, local ingredients and heritage pork.  He is a maestro.

I neglected to snap more photos of our meal but don't regret it. I was having such a great time meeting the people at our family-style table and savoring each delicious bite. This photo is of my neighbor's plate after he had already dug in.  We had plancha crisped sausage (made by Nick) and nardello peppers--yowza, so good.  Next up, dry-aged, Gum Creek Farms pork scallops. I think Nick mentioned that they were sou vide which made me realize how much effort had been put into this dinner.  He must have been up all night. The "scallops" were perfectly cooked (again, amazing for being outside on a farm) and packed full of flavor from both the heritage pig and the pesto. On the side, but certainly able to stand on their own, were Burge organic spiced greens and a hash of local apples, sweet potatoes and roasted poblanos.  Spray bottles of potlikker were on the table for the greens. SPRAY BOTTLES OF POTLIKKER!

Dessert course blew my mind. This is a candied bacon and fresh creme Sticky Piggy Pudding. Sweet and salty and creamy. It was both decadent and comfort food at the same time. I could have eaten 4 of them.

A parting shot at the end of a meaningful evening. Tommy Searcy of Gum Creek Farms, Nick Melvin of Rosebud, Brady Lowe of Taste Network and smiling Cory Mosser of Burge Organic Farm. Taking a quote from Steve Jobs, "And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work." This group of men, Daniel Klein of The Perennial Plate included, believe in and love what they do and it shows. This was such a great collaboration of good and I was ecstatic to be a part of it. I would dine like this weekly if the opportunity arose. I don't really feel adept at putting the atmosphere into words but being surrounded by happy chefs, farmers, meat magicians (Rusty Bowers of Pine Street Market was there as well), wine enthusiasts, foragers and adventurous diners all bent on a sustainable taste experience was intoxicating.