Dinner is Served!

I keep going to amazing dinners and wanted to share a little about them. On Mother's Day, I was lucky enough to attend my first Outstanding in the Field dinner with my mom, at the beautiful McEvoy olive oil ranch in Petaluma. We toured the facilities and then ate at the longest table ever, dining on truly incredible food prepared by Dominique Crenn of Luce. My favorite courses were the smoked quail with pickled rhubarb, candied meyer lemon, and chestnut beans, and the dessert- a cherry and chocolate bread pudding with pistachio Anglaise.



I also got to attend the first (of hopefully many) Afterhours dinner at Tartine bakery, organized and cooked for by the inspiring Samin Nosrat. This was a much smaller event and it was nice to get to know our table-mates, all of whom knew Samin in different ways. And yes, the food was incredible! I can't get enough of Samin's pasta. SO GOOD. I was remiss in my photo-taking, but this is a picture of the dessert- strawberry ice cream with chocolate, pistachios, and rosewater cream.



Last night, my friend Kiersten and I went to another Produce Dinner at 18 Reasons, one of my favorite food-related organizations. The theme was cherries, provided by Hidden Star Orchards, and everything was delicious! I really love going to dinners at 18 Reasons because they are small and you get to know everyone at the table. Last night we were seated between a woman who works for CUESA, another amazing organization that runs the Ferry Building farmer's market in San Francisco, and a couple who are planning to open a cheese shop (I met them at the last Produce Dinner I attended, and Lauren is the one who suggested I take a cheesemaking class at the Institute for Urban Homesteading). As always, it was great to be in a room full of foodies referencing books like Righteous Porkchop, the differences between local and imported cheeses, and the childhood experiences that lead us to become adults who care about where our food comes from and how it is produced. This is a picture of the first course: chevre with cherry mostarda on walnut toast, with herbs and frisee.