[My Summer Vacation lasted 3 weeks before I had to get back in the game and tell you about this great event; will resume regularly scheduled programming with bi-weekly posts again in September]
Imagine walking past urban beehives, across Clear Creek, up a slight hill and onto a plateau of grass overlooking a pen of goats.
That’s just what we did last Sunday night when a group of 40 of us gathered for a Summer Farm Dinner hosted by Dorchester Social Eatery / Get Ink PR.*
A community collaboration along with Clear Creek Organics, Pressery and Seattle Fish Company, everyone pitched in to make the evening memorable.
Guests were greeted with a welcome cocktail using Pressery’s Kale / Pear juice, mixed with St. Germain and vodka.
If that can’t get someone in a celebratory mood, I don’t know what can.
Guests were led on a farm tour by Steve Cochenour of Clear Creek Organics, who leases 1 1/2 acres of land here, on the larger 15 acres known as Five Fridges Farm.
Amanda Weaver, a University of Colorado, Denver professor, owns Five Fridges now, which the previous owner had the foresight to put under conservancy.
She uses part of the land for an urban farming project her students participate in, and a building is currently under construction next to the farmhouse that will contain a small commercial kitchen and learning facility, for demos and classes.
When guests arrived to the plateau, they were offered a seat at the long community table, covered in white tablecloths, and set with glass plates and china intermixed, wine glasses and individual ice buckets to chill their BYOB roses, sparklings and whites.
Down the center were mason jars filled with bountiful blooms.
A special table was set up by the goat pen with treats – apples and carrots – that guests could hand-feed them with, which they did throughout the evening.
It kept the goats happy, and the guests happy, and no one wants an unhappy goat or guest.
Chef Michel Wahaltere spoiled us with a menu served family-style, that utilized produce from the very land near which we sat, including Swiss Chard, garlic scape, uncured garlic and kale.
We started with an incredible salad of beets, kale, toasted pistachios, orange segments and goat cheese.
Everyone surrounding me mmm’d at the freshness and vibrancy of it.
Next, we enjoyed a perfect penne with sautéed Swiss Chard, heirloom tomatoes and white beans, brought to the table in tagines that had just that week arrived from Morocco.
It was a gorgeous and luxurious presentation, and would have been so anywhere, but especially sitting in a field on a farm.
For the main course – also served family-style – we enjoyed Colorado lamb and Skuna Bay salmon.
The latter was generously provided by Seattle Fish Company – a local, heritage company that sources only the highest quality fish from across the world.
Both the lamb and salmon were cooked beautifully, and they too were a luxury.
Served with the mains, was a lovely chunky eggplant chutney to drape over or enjoy on the side.
For dessert, there was a charming table laden with cast iron pies from Denver’s own, The Long I Pie Company – a recent pick as Editor’s Choice for pie in 5280 Magazine’s Top of the Town issue.
An embarrassment of riches in terms of tastes – there was Honey Lavender Custard, Strawberry Lemon Meringue and Bourbon Pecan.
Speaking of the goats, there were a lot of goat selfies taken.
And why not?
How often do you get to have your picture taken with a goat?
*Disclaimer:
I freelance / consult with Get Ink PR, and helped coordinate this event.
HUNGRY 