Plate and Pitchfork
Posted on | July 21, 2009 | 5 Comments
Okay, Ben wants to know about Plate and Pitchfork and as you all know I take requests.
Plate and Pitchfork was amazing. So wonderful. We were at Smith Berry Barn. The event started with a mixer at the front of the farm. We had deviled eggs topped with lamb bacon and some watermelon gazpacho. I didn’t love the watermelon thing. It was way too salty, but I enjoyed the deviled eggs. Sokol Blosser was pouring wine, a white and a rose.
Fancyhats ran into some old acquaintances so we caught up with them and enjoyed some wine and the beautiful afternoon.
Then the organizers called us together to meet the lamb farmer who was providing all the meat for the evening. This is the same dude who provides meat for Alice Waters and Chez Panisse. I don’t love lamb. I don’t hate it, I’m just sort of meh about it. But this was the first time I’d tried to eat in more than a week, so I was going to man up and enjoy the shit out of this lamb.
The farmers of Smith Berry Farm then took us on a tour of their farm. We saw berries and chickens and goats and more berries and we learned about the farm. It was really wonderful wandering around, picking berries off the vines and hearing about what it’s like to own a farm.
We made our way to the apple orchard and Fancyhats and I were at table seven. We also passed the outdoor grill where the lamb was being prepared by the chefs from Simpatico and Laurelhurst Market. Laurelhurst has a meat counter that Fancyhats and I have enjoyed once before. We were pretty stoked.
The menu was a green salad with greens and pickled blueberries from the farm. A lambs tongue salad, a lamb mixed grill with tenderloin, sausage and ribs, and berry brown betty with berries from the farm.
My favorite was the lambs’ tongue salad and the tenderloin and lamb ribs. And by favorite, I mean when I put each each in my mouth I thought I would surely die from pleasure. It was all so good. Sokol Blosser paired wine with each course and the servers promised us we’d never have an empty glass. And that was true.
I now love lamb.
AND we sat next to a couple who had a sense of humor as inappropriate as mine is. We were laughing. A lot. And as the wine flowed we laughed some more. They are our new couple friends. WE HAVE COUPLE FRIENDS. Also, I hope our new couple friends don’t think it’s too forward that I’ve deemed them that. We must be careful about these things. But we are having more drinks with them next week. COUPLE FRIENDS. [Private message to Kiala and Dane: when you get up here, you will be couple friends too. So, you know...do that thing or whatever.]
We sat in the orchard and ate and drank and ate and drank until 10pm. This whole thing started at 5:30. Fancyhats drove us home, and I passed out in the car on the way. I think I was probably drooling and snoring, but Fancyhats managed to get me home in one piece. He’s good that way.
As for the pictures, I brought my Holga, which is a toy camera that takes actual film. So those are being developed. As for the specific wines, Ben, I have no idea. I was drunk by about glass 1.5. Because, you know, I hadn’t eaten in a fortnight.
Pictures coming in a week or so.
On Thursday, I’ll be in Chicago speaking at BlogHer. I’m shacking up with Recovering Straight Girl. I’m also going to the big lezzie party that Deb on the Rocks is throwing. I also plan on swimming in the pool at the hotel. And smiling and nodding. OH! And launching my newest website. I haven’t told you about my website, have I? Well, you’ll find out all in good time, friends.
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5 Responses to “Plate and Pitchfork”
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July 21st, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
Did you see the fancy chicken? There is a fancy chicken at Smith Berry Barn. We went to two dinners at that location last year and I had a fantastic time. This year, we’re going to an entirely different farm and I hope they have a fancy chicken too.
July 21st, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
I looked for something similar to Plate and Pitchfork around here to no avail. Don’t you think the Midwest would be all aflutter about such a thing? Nope.
Then I went looking for CSAs. Nope.
Then I went to the farmer’s market and found out they had imported the vegetables. Nope.
Then I went home and stared hard at my garden. Willing it to grow and produce.
July 21st, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
I’m not happy about these couple friends. Is there some sort of formal protest or declaration I can file?
Harrumph.
July 21st, 2009 @ 9:58 pm
Yay! That was great fun to read. That supper club sounds like a great time.
I’m a lamb wimp. I love eating all sorts of lamb dishes but the only lamb I’ve been willing to try is a rack of lamb in my cast iron pan with a little rosemary and kosher salt.
Tongue salad. When your waiter came to the table, did you ask him to give you some tongue? And wasn’t it someone famous who said they didn’t want to eat something that could taste them back? Ok, I needed to see what a tongue salad looked like so I googled Tongue Salad and it came back with 2.2 million hits. There are a ton of people making tongue salads. I’m sure yours was fantastic. The first time I tried sweetbreads, it was a mental challenge to get that first bite in my mouth. but then omg.
If you’re looking for a great place, there’s a restaurant on Franklin near Ontario (west side of downtown) called MK and I recommend it for their pomfrits with truffle dipping cream and their foie gras. They never let me down. http://www.mkchicago.com/
Safe travels and have a great symposium.
July 22nd, 2009 @ 12:00 pm
Man I’m hungry now. Good thing I’m going to a Basque restaurant to have lamb tonight.
I don’t think I could be trusted at a berry farm. I’d go crazy and fill my purse with as many berries as I could pluck!