Summer Feast on the Farm
On Saturday, July 25th, Suzie’s Farm and Farm Fresh To You hosted an amazing farm-to-fork dinner, Summer Feast on the Farm, prepared by Jeff Rossman of Terra American Bistro. We were treated to craft beer provided by Ballast Point and local wine from Vesper and Stehleon Vineyards as well as coffee from Pachamama Coffee Farmers as we took tours of the farm and mingled amongst the trees.
The farm setting made for a gorgeous backdrop to socialize with fellow diners as we awaited tours of Suzie’s Farm led by owners Lucila de Alejandro and Robin Taylor. It was a warm day, but there were plenty of mature trees providing shade when it was needed.
We enjoyed the selection of cold beer and flavorful wine while we noshed on Chef Jeff’s wonderful appetizers including a Suzie’s Farm Microgreen Salad and Beet Falafel Sliders.
When the farm tours began, we elected to walk with Lucila’s group. I have been a huge fan of hers since hearing her speak at a previous Farm Fresh To You dinner. Her passion for farming and for providing nutritious food to the community is just awe-inspiring. Lucila (pictured below) loves what she does and it is glaringly obvious! We learned from her about the history of Suzie’s Farm, about how they are affected by this drought we are in and about future plans for the farm.
One of the best things about this entire experience was that it was for a great cause. This wonderful 4-course meal with appetizers and beverages benefited the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank. Food Bank CEO & President James Floros was in attendance at the event as well and spoke about the tremendous benefit that Farm Fresh To You has provided to the food bank through their “donate-a-box” program.
Specific beverage selections for the evening included Ballast Point’s Pale Ale, Wahoo White and Black Marlin as well as a Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé from Stehleon and a Carignan from Vesper.
All beverages were kindly donated for this event. Ballast Point Vice President Colby Chandler was in attendance as was Alysha Stehly, representing both wineries.
As we sat down for our 4-course meal, we were treated to a greeting from Freeman Barsotti, one of the brothers behind Farm Fresh To You. Having sat with his brother Thaddeus at a previous event, it was interesting to hear about their farm operations from his perspective. As Freeman explained it, his brother Thaddeus is the farming pro who is out there every day being hands on, while Freeman is more of the operations mastermind. It is evident that they have a wonderful thing going as everyone around us was singing the praises of Farm Fresh To You’s service, us included!
We also heard from Chef Jeff Rossman as he shared about his inspiration behind creating this meal and the importance of sustainable and organic practices in his restaurant, Terra American Bistro. Having been patrons of his restaurant for over 10 years, I can personally attest to the quality of his food!
Chef Jeff also reminded us all about a recent San Diego Magazine in-depth article that named Terra as one of the most honest farm-to-table restaurants in the area according to local farmers. I only wish I could have photographed the gorgeous family style plates Chef Jeff prepared as they came out, but we had a hungry table!
This experience was an exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes of a fabulous meal and learn about the food on the plate right in front of you. If you ever have the opportunity to attend a similar Farm Fresh To You event, I would highly encourage giving it a try! You will walk away educated, inspired and moved by the passion involved in crafting a meal like this from start to finish.
If you are interested in learning more about Farm Fresh To You, please read my Farm Fresh To You Overview. If you decide to give their service a try, even just for one box, just visit their website and use code JENN1663 and enjoy $10 off the first box as my thank you for visiting Stylishly Social!
