Dining Among the Fruit Trees at Weiser Family Farm

By Kim Durham

Tehachapi residents have long known that our soil and climate produces great fruits and vegetables, but now more and more people are learning about our high quality produce thanks to area growers like Weiser Family Farms. The bounty of the Weiser family’s Highline Road farm was on full display on Saturday, September 24 when Taste of Tehachapi organized a gourmet dinner nestled among the fruit trees.

One long table was set up right on among the crops at Weiser’s farm, and guests were treated to course after course of delicious food picked that day.

The event featured chef Ray Garcia of the highly renowned restaurant The Fig, located inside the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica. The dinner was one of an ongoing series farm-to-fork culinary events known as “Feast at the Farm” hosted by Taste of Tehachapi. Each of these memorable meals, created by a distinguished chef, incorporates local farm products prepared and served on site.

The delicious meal was produced primarily by chef John Butler, chef Ruth Hurwitz, farmer Alex Weiser and chef Ray Garcia.

The September 24 Feast at the Farm utilized local Weiser farms produce and Chef Ray treated the guests to plate after plate of delicious food. Among the dishes were a colorful salad prepared by chef Josh Gil that included Maggie’s Farm fresh greens, baby beets, watermelon radishes, and delicious vine ripened tomatoes. Weiser family farm’s employees obtained a locally raised pig, which was then prepared deep pit style and served with Fingerling potatoes and Nantes carrots in a mouth-watering Chile Colorado sauce. 

 

These assorted vegetables were pulled from the ground in the morning at the farm and given to chef Ray Garcia that afternoon to prepare and serve.Chef Garcia, with his talented Sous Chef Jon Butler and with help of Chef Ruth Hurwitz of Tartecatering.com, prepared an amazing red beet Rissoto topped with parmesan and yellow colored beets giving it a lavender purple color.  Other dishes included the popular fingerling potatoes smashed with crispy parsley and spinach; Italian DeCicco broccoli with caper infused kumquats; honey soused Scarlett Turnips; and Cannilini beans braised with turnip greens; confit fingerling potatoes with fried herbs, and marinated Carne Asada Skirt steak with braised green onions.Longtime farm owners Sid and Rachael Weiser were guests of honor.

Also, Master pastry Chef Robert Wemischner finished off the night with a succulent apple crostada covered in a tangy Persian mulberry sauce. Robert Wemischner is not only a renowned pastry chef and teacher, but also the author of the book “Dessert Architect.” He personally picked, peeled and sliced by hand all of Weiser Melrose apples that went into the dessert and also rolled all the dough by hand. With this sweet and tart dessert, low lighting strung off the fruit trees, good company and conversation and a spectacular Tehachapi Sunset, the evening was complete. It was a great evening for guests from the Los Angeles area and local Tehachapi residents alike, to appreciate our wonderful Tehachapi-grown produce and meet the farmers that grew it and the culinary talent that created a magical ‘foodie’ experience - a true Feast at the Farm.

Comments

[wilber | seducir a una mujer]

fertile lands always produce good food.