The fine people at Farm Fresh To You hosted a fabulous Farm-to-Fork dinner Sunday night, with the help of Chef Oliver Ridgeway and his amazing team from The Grange Restaurant and Bar.
The summer feast was a start to finish culinary masterpiece, which began in the garden with passed hors d’oeuvres of Collins Farm Endive with North Valley Farms Goat Cheese, honey and pistachios, Andouille Sausage slices topped with a stone fruit chutney and seasonal mustard, and Blistered Padron Peppers tossed in olive oil, sea salt and lemon. The seated family-style dinner on the farm overlooking the beautiful Capay Valley began with a first course of Capay Organic Melons and Tomatoes, tossed with feta, herbs and chili. Next, we enjoyed Passmore Ranch Trout Nicoise tossed in lemon vinaigrette with green beans, peppers and potatoes – this dish also included deviled eggs topped with Passmore Ranch caviar. So decadent! A Stone Valley Farms Porchetta rounded out this palate-pleasing meal, filled with summer squash, eggplant, succotash and salsa verde. Each dish paired nicely with donated libations from David Girard Vineyards and Ruhstaller Beer.
While I enjoyed every bite of this amazing dinner, I was most excited for the dessert (no surprise), a Capay Organic Candystripe Fig and Summer Fruit Trifle. This creamy layered dish of strawberries, peaches and pound cake took this traditional English dessert to a whole new level of sophisticated bliss, topped with the gorgeous striped figs.
Not only did we benefit from an amazing evening on the farm with the Barsotti/Barnes family and Chef Ridgeway, proceeds from the dinner went to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services and the Kathleen Barsotti Non-Profit for Sustainable Agriculture, which gives school supplies and backpacks to farmworkers’ kids and awards an annual agriculture scholarship.
For upcoming events, including wine tasting at the Capay Crush event September 20, visit www.farmfreshtoyou.com.
Capay Tomato Festival
Summertime produces the best tomatoes and there is no better place to enjoy them than at the Capay Tomato Festival in the beautiful Capay Valley. Farm Fresh to You, the home delivery service that provides fresh, local, organic produce to consumers’ doorsteps invites you to join in this 7th annual event on Saturday, July 19, 2014, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Event-goers will enjoy organic, heirloom and cherry tomato tasting, live music and dancing, delicious food, local wine and beer, tractor tram rides, kids’ activities, camping on the farm and more. Pack a blanket, pull up a hay bale and watch the sunset – all the while supporting a good cause with event proceeds benefiting the Kathleen Barsotti Non-Profit for Sustainable Agriculture.
This year, guests are encouraged to bring a picnic to enter into the “Best Guest Picnic Contest.” Farm staff will roam the event, scouting out the best-looking picnic for a chance to win future fresh produce deliveries. No picnic? No problem. Local purveyors will be selling their wares including sandwiches, tacos, burritos, roasted corn, pizzas, gelato, in addition to vegetarian and vegan choices.
Tickets are on sale through Wednesday, July 17, for $20 per person (children ages 12 and under are free). After July 17, tickets will be sold at the door for $25 per person. SacFoodies is giving away two tickets to the event, so post a comment on our SacFoodies Facebook page telling us why you want to attend for your chance to win!
For the complete line up of activities, the bands’ performance schedule, and to purchase tickets visit www.capaytomato2014.eventbrite.com, call or visit http://facebook.com/farmfreshtoyou.
Farm Fresh To You/Capay Organic
23800 State Hwy 16
Capay, CA 95607
1-800-796-6009
The Sandwich Spot
When colleague John Armato came back from lunch one day boasting about the “world’s greatest sandwich” from The Sandwich Spot, this sandwich connoisseur had to check it out for herself. (One quick digression: I love sandwiches, so much so that I’d be willing to go back to the early 90s and go toe-to-toe in a sandwich throw-down with Joey Tribbiani from “Friends.” Enough said.)
On a recent Friday I ventured out to “the Spot” on the corner of 18th and Q streets, and one thing is for sure, it is a hot spot bustling with lunch activity. I had to get my order to go because every seat, inside and out, was spoken for.
I carefully studied the robust menu – mainly in awe of their creative Sacramento-themed signature sandwich titles – and selected the #2, a.k.a. “Mayor KJ’s Slam Dunk,” the perfect blend of hot turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese and avocado all atop a crunch roll. Even taking a hot sandwich to go didn’t mess with this yummy goodness – no soggy bread to contend with, just good, good stuff.
So, John’s go-to sandwich is a make-your-own turkey. I asked him about his experience overall and here’s what he had to say: “Whenever I go to The Sandwich Spot it is literally the best part of my day. Seriously. This is the world’s greatest sandwich. I’m a turkey/provolone/crunch roll (no mustard, pickles or peppers) kinda guy. The crunch roll should probably be a regulated substance. Addictive. It all makes for a perfect combination of flavors and mouth-feel: Everything’s fresh and tasty and you get crunchy plus soft. You also get plenty. It’s easy to make two meals out of one sandwich. But you won’t. You’ll eat all of it yourself until you’re physically uncomfortable, because that’s just what the world’s greatest sandwich makes you do.”
A great sandwich, no doubt, and Joey would be as pleased as we were. I’m eager to head back in soon to try more off their signature menu.
The Sandwich Spot
1630 18th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone (916) 492-2613
Click here for more Sacramento and Bay Area locations.
Crab Feed Season is Here
A few years back I did a post on a crab feed I attended and, as you may recall, I was fascinated by the whole picking or piling experience going on around me. Well, someone recently commented on my post asking about Sacramento-area crab feeds, so with crab feed season officially underway it’s time to get your tickets for a feed near you.
With a quick search on sacbee.com, I came up with the following list of local crab feed events, but if you know of one in the area not listed here, please feel free to post a comment to let our readers know the details. Most crab feeds are fundraising events pulled together to support worthy local causes and organizations in our community – so get your tickets and support a good cause while happily picking or piling!
Saturday, February 2
St. Mary’s Church, Giovanni Hall
Sacramento
16th Annual Bella Vista Football Boosters Crab Feed
Orangevale
Lodi FFA Ag Booster Crab Feed
Lockford
Saturday, February 9
Sierra Trail Dogs 11th Annual Crab Feed
Auburn
Saturday, February 16
Crab Feed
Aerospace Museum of California
McClellan
Saturday, February 23
Feast for the Rotary
Rocklin
Active 20-30 #1032’s 20th Annual Crab Feed
Orangevale
Saturday, March 2
Whitney High Annual Crab Feed & Auction
Roseville
Rediscover Il Fornaio
While working so close in proximity to Il Fornaio for nearly nine years now, the restaurant has become a main staple for quick grab-and-go sandwich from their lunch window, or from time to time a nice sit-down leisurely meal. On a recent weeknight, I had the opportunity to dine in and I was reminded of their clever regional menu approach, delivering food and wine samplings from different regions in Italy, characterized each with their own locally inspired delicacies.
From now through November 18, Piemonte (Piedmont) is the focus region on the menu. Located in Northwest Italy, Piemonte is the region at the top left of the boot, anchored by Torino and bordered by the Alps and France. My grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Piemonte in the 1930s and I still have cousins (by the dozens) who live in small towns throughout the region.
From the Menu Della Cena, I quickly found familiar offerings from the region decorated throughout – from porcini mushrooms in salads, soups and sauces, to soft cheeses, white truffle accents, Bosc pears and rabbit ragu. (Rabbit – or coniglio in Italian and “cunee” as my grandmother called it in Piemontese, the Italian dialect of the region – was one of her favorites and served only on very special occasions. I’ve tried rabbit once and let’s just say I plan to reserve the samplings in the same way my grandmother did!)
I selected the Risotto con Porcini e Gamberetti, rice with shrimp, porcini mushrooms, baby spinach, shallots and a touch of cream. I learned from the menu that the rice from the region is considered by some to be the best in the world, and the area produces more rice than any other Italian region.
The full line-up of wines from Piemonte included four whites and three reds, which you can conveniently sample in a flight of three-half glasses, if you’re having trouble choosing just one. Other special offerings include a 3-course tasting menu where you can select one item per course for your own special regional tour.
With so many delectable choices on the menu, I plan to find another Piemonte dinner opportunity before November 18th! And next up, from December 5-18, enjoy their Best of Festa menu, where you can select from dishes spanning the regions for a sampling of authentic food and wines from throughout Italy. Buon Appeitito!