What began as a one-off experiment has now become my main project! Beginning with early season celebration back in the spring, this summer of the Farm & Table Project blossomed into a traveling dinner party that graced tables from Seattle to San Francisco. I have had an indescribable amount of fun scouring the farmer’s market in Olympia, WA just as much as my beloved NYC Greenmarkets and the historic Ferry Plaza in SF. This project has been exactly what I had hoped it would be-a sort of combination of the most fulfilling parts of the larger events and private tastings I have been doing, with a layer of personalization of the discussion around accessibility to local foods-but it has turned out to be so much more than I could have imagined. I have been humbled by the experience of becoming a traveling private chef over the last 5 months, carrying only my knives along on the journey. It has been an incredible challenge as a young chef, and rising to the occasion has honed my blades and set my sights on even bigger goals.
As a transient one-man band in this field of rock star butchers and chefs, it is exciting to look forward to continuing to build The Ethical Butcher projects with this new dimension to my work. I am honored to enter each home to meet, not just the few who attend “foodie” events often, but friends and families just coming together to share an experience. I have stood in the stupor of exhausted and incredulous glee as unashamed moans and “tink-tink” are all that break the contented silence of a dozen people in the next room.
Months into the project, I am also completely amazed nothing has gone awry yet! Schleping through NYC subways in early summer humidity, depending on Craigslist rideshares to get me from one end of the expansive West coast to the other, and rocking 3- and 4- course meals solo-style from menu to sourcing to prep to service, I’ve more than stacked the decks.
NOTHING would go so smoothly if I didn’t have the invaluable support of friends, both in the food biz and out, and the downright asskickingness of my readers and their friends is indisputable. The Farm & Table Project has been so successful because of the scores of people who have have been gathering around those aforementioned tables over the course of the project. THANK YOU! As I’ve already returned to some of you for round #2 dinners already, I hope to see many more of you next time I’m in your city! In the meantime, as I look forward to this season of harvest and abundance, and even further down to the holidays, I am focusing on streamlining some projects, expanding others and developing long-term goals for The Ethical Butcher.
Today, a summer of rejuvenation, creativity and inspiration has me ready to roll out the fall season of the Farm & Table Project!
First up...NYC Farm & Table Project September 15-October 5!!!!
My computer dying in May just before I set out on my summer travels means it’s been a while since I’ve been able to post any menus or photos. I also traveled much of the summer without a photographer -a true disgrace to the blogosphere, I know. To jog memories and fill in the blanks on this summer of food fun, I’ve included a few photos of dishes and lists of a few more things I’ve been slapping on tables lately.
So, scroll down and take a look, wipe the drool and then check the details below to get your dinner booked!
F I R S T S & S E C O N D S
R: Trio of Gazpacho with Grilled Pretzel --
roasted beet-fennel, mint-cucumber-lemon, and watermelon-pink peppercorn
more starters...
Michelada Mussels with Elotes and Grilled Bread
Summer Pea Salad-English peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas and amaranth greens in rhubarb vinaigrette
Pomegranate Molasses Popcorn with Sour Plum and Mustard Raba Salad
almonds, cashews, honey, herbs & local organic rose petals, layered with pork liver, heart & kidneys
R: Spring Walla Walla, Nettle and Chinese Cilantro Fritatta with Grilled Garlic Scapes
A mouthful! Heirloom Radish, Mizuna & Mustard Raba & Baby Bok Choi in Caramelized Lemon Vinaigrette with Cumin-Chinese Cilantro Goat Panna Cotta and Piquant Peach, Rose and Bacon Popcorn
and more...
Roasted Beet, Fennel and Bing Cherry Gazpacho with Lavender-Sage Grilled Toasts
Heirloom Tomatoes on Himalayan Pink Salt Slab
Pickled Plum and Pea Shoots
Grilled Purple Potatoes with Toasted Cumin Butter
Thai Coconut Mussels in a Bed of Spiced Yam Chips
R: Chocolate Cake for Breakfast- stout cake toasts with rhubarb-port bacon jam and cocoa-chili whip
M A I N S
R: Smoky Stout Carnitas with Coconut-braised Red Russian Kale, Spicy Citrus Radicchio and Red Beet Slaw, Black Pepper-seared Strawberries and Avocado Relish
some of the meatiest morsels...
Dry-roasted Ribs with Fig Sauce and Coconut-braised Greens
Dukkah-crusted Smoked Pork Chops
Oatmeal Stout Carnitas with Gold Beet/Treviso Slaw, Avocado-Charentais Melon-Jalapeno
Relish, Peach Pasilla Salsa
Horseradish and Kale-stuffed Pork Shoulder Roast with White Wine Sauce and Dueling Beets
Pistachio-crusted Lamb Lollipops over Floral Slaw-napa, chrysanthemum greens, nasturtiums, johnny jump-ups in kumquat vinaigrette
Spice-rubbed Roasted Lamb Sirloin with Braised Komatsuna and Queen of Vegetables
Yuzu-Blackberry-Scallion Sausage with Green Garlic Potatoes and Spiced Whip
Stout-soaked Sightglass Coffee-crusted Chicken with Tequila-glazed Grilled Padrones
Thai Coconut Fried Chicken with Habenero Pickled Plums
D E S S E R T S
R: Turkish Affogato with Rose-Almond Puffs- Intelligentsia organic Anjilanaka coffee over Fifty Licks lemon-saffron coconut sorbet.
a few more ways to end a meal...
Grilled Nectarine with Dirty Pretzels and Julep Whip
maple candied dry-toasted crushed pretzel
Cheese Course-Cocoa Sheep’s Milk Panna Cotta with Fresh Tayberry Smash, Grilled Peaches, Bourbon-roasted Mixed Nuts & an assortment of soft and hard cheeses served with Sweet Crostini.
Grilled Figs with Chocolate Crinkle Spears and Port Whip
Tequila-Burnt Lime Creme Brulee
Grilled Apricots with Woodlands Ricotta Ice Cream and Cocoa Nib-Bacon Crumble
(first from scratch ice cream! ricotta, fresh herbs and lavender, bourbon, honey)
Check out the prices and details below and then contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to participate in NYC Farm & Table September 15- October 5.
Feasts are only $25-45/person!! Book yours today!
NYC Farm & Table Project
3 courses-first, main, dessert
Feast for 2-$90
Feast for 4-$160
Feast for 8-$240
Feast for 12- $300
*New for NYC! Weekend Brunch!*
5-8 small plates-style dishes and one main course.
$30/person, limited to 4-10 guests.
Early Bird Special- 10% off all feasts booked by September 16th!!
Not at all small print: Dates are open from September 15th to October 5th. Full payment is due at menu consultation to confirm date. All dinners are 3 courses (1st, main, dessert), brunches are served tapas-style with number of dishes determined by total number of guests. No beverages are included in meal and should be provided by host. Soy, nut & gluten-free diets are easily accommodated and all dietary concerns will be discussed during consultation. While main courses will be a carnivore’s dream, side dishes are often vegetarian, vegan and even raw. Vegetarian entree can be added to the menu for small fee. Price includes consultation meeting, ingredient sourcing, meal preparation, kitchen clean up and table service for up to 12 people. Table service for larger parties and the addition of courses can be arranged at an additional charge.
Contact at theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to schedule consultation and dinner or inquire about rates for larger parties.
Whew! That was a doosie! Now that I am back in the culinary cyberworld, it’ll much easier to keep up with the latest projects and events! Thanks for your support of The Ethical Butcher projects over the years. The rest of this year holds even more big moves and new adventures and this here bloggity blog is where to find out about them. Til next time...
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