Shake the Hand that Feeds You: Locavore Dinner at Flying J Farm Salad
Brandywines, green zebras, and jewel boxes, with fresh herbs and baby red & green oak lettuces, Cold Rain goat feta, and tomato vinaigrette Flying J; Cold Rain Dairy, Pataskala
Firelands Winery Gewürztraminer, 2007 Isle St. George, Lake Erie
Bread
Very rustic honey whole wheat boule Eleni Christina bakery, with Flying J flour
Homemade herb butters and 1940s artisanal cottage cheese Ohio Organic Family Farm, Utica
Dinner
Braised and grilled Swiss chard, leeks, and garlic Grilled peppers with garden-path pesto Red and white potatoes, hash-brown style Whole roasted grass-fed ribeye with poblano-maple jus Flying J
River Ridge Cellars Syrah, 2006 Ohio River Valley
Dessert
Ted’s Canadian Harmony peach almond cake Legend Hills Orchard, Utica; Snowville Creamery, Pomeroy
Buttercup squash, nutmeg, and mascarpone ice cream Maker’s Mark with buttered pecan ice cream jeni’s splendid ice creams, Grandview
Valley Vineyard Honey Mead Ohio River Valley
Pawpaws Waterman Farms, Ohio State University
Highland Estates Pawpaw Liqueur Olentangy River Valley
Thanks We would like to express our warmest thanks to the following individuals and organizations for their help in the planning and execution of this dinner. Above all, to Dick Jensen, our gracious host, for his hospitality and generosity. To Chef Johnny Dornback, for agreeing without hesitation to this whole cockamamie idea and for being such a fun partner in crime. To Andrew Hall, for his generous donation of the Syrah and for his expertise in selecting the wine and writing up the wine notes. To Jeni Britton and Tom Bauer, for making and donating the ice cream even when they barely had power to make their own. To Kent Rigsby and David Beach for donating their time and expertise to create wonderful bread from Dick’s flour. To Ted Hopf, for scouting out great local peaches and volunteering to turn them into a delicious cake. To Billy from Waterman Farms, for the elusive pawpaws. To Eli Hochstetler of Ohio Organic Family Farms for donating the heavy cream (butter) and cottage cheese for tonight’s meal. To Ann Silverman, for donating the use of her catering supplies. To all of our selfless volunteers, for cheerful service above and beyond the call of duty, in the true spirit of Slow Food. Without all of you, we’d just be a hungry group of people, roaming the fields, clutching our forks and looking for cows. You’re the best.
From all of us at Slow Food Columbus
A note on Marco Polo exceptions “Marco Polo exceptions” were conceived of as necessary exceptions in a locavore dinner. They typically comprise small items, such as those that an explorer might slip into a pocket or pouch and carry over long distances. The Marco Polo exceptions for this dinner include olive oil, salt, pepper, miscellaneous spices, lemon juice, pecans, orange zest, and almonds.