Farm to Table
After a custom cocktail ala The Rhodes, apples, ginger beer and a little vodka to get things rolling, Jen & Andrew stepped up with our appetizer: a trio of soup shooters and mini grilled Gruyere sandwiches for dunking. Broccoli-cheddar soup, butternut squash soup with a toast & bacon crumble and a beet & 5-spice soup topped with a dollop of sour cream. We were all so mesmerized by the soups we almost forgot the mini grilled cheese sandwiches... which would have been a shame because the crispy bread and subtle saltiness from the cheese made the soups' flavors shine.
The Bayons kept things rolling with a starter course of squash & corn chowder. Plates were shuffled, bowls put out and chowder spooned up nice and hot! It was an interesting presentation in that a relish of corn and shallot was spooned into the bowl first then the squash soup part was poured over top, and then we stirred our bowls and enjoyed! The texture was a beautiful contrast of fresh crunchy veggies and a smooth, softly sweet squash soup. The shallot was like The Dude's rug - it really tied the room together.
From here we all took a little break, cleared our plates and migrated inside to help dish up the main course with Jillian & Gerald. They've had sausage-apple-bacon stuffed pork loin smoking for a few hours, and a sweet potato-butternut squash hash has been roasting since their guests arrived. We all enjoy another glass of wine and grab plates loaded with a graceful spiral of pork and hash, lightly dressed with a bourbon gravy, and parade back to outside to our dining table. The hash is perfectly cooked, tender and flavorful, but the pork is the star of the plate... but really, a forkful of squash, pork, stuffing and gravy is the bite to aim for - a little of everything.
The Redmores round out the night with a perfectly portioned slice of rustic apple tart with a generous dollop of apple whipped cream. Each couple was given a small jar of vanilla-caramel-bourbon glaze to share and drizzle on their tart slice. A little cardamom in the crust gave a floral note to a classic apple-cinnamon combo in the filling, and the glaze elevated the dessert to something just a little more than plain apple pie.
When all the food was gone, the plates taken indoors and bellies full we relaxed around a roaring fire Gerald had been tending all evening. The sky was clear and stars glowing, as well as hearts and smiles. Thank you, Jillian & Gerald, for opening your home and creating a truly magical evening for our little group.
