Supporters Dinner - Slow Food International Congress

Time has gotten away from me, and I realize that I haven't posted about my Supporters Dinner that I held for the many people who supported me in going to Slow Food's International Congress - Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto. I was so blessed to have Amanda Roelle, come in all the way from Italy to help me pull of this meal.  Ok, ok... she didn't come in specifically to help me, but what are the chances that I had scheduled this meal featuring what I learned in Italy at the exact same time she had a job here in the States!  I mean she was the one who told me about Terra Madre in the first place!  Life continues to blow me away!  To see the presentation I gave about my experience at the Conference please go to this link. I would love to talk to you about this experience if you are interested.

Ok to the dinner. I really tried to use as much local ingredients as possible, really highlighting what our area has to offer. If it's not a local ingredient then some of the ingredients were brought in from Italy.

The first two photos are me prepping for the L’ouvo en Raviolo (I learned this recipe in the Theatro del Gusto "Theater of Taste") It is homemade pasta, with a whole egg yolk in the middle with a beet green ricotta filling.

The table settings

The coffee bean decoration was from Les's Roastery, Deeper Roots Coffee, where we were having the dinner. The rosemary was from our garden. All of the table settings were from our wedding at Gorman Heritage Farm including the burlap coffee bag table runners (sewed by my mother - thank you, thank you!).

Some of the supporters were:
Sandra and mike Murphy
Denise and Mike Eck
Dennis and Lyda Stoneham
Amanda Roelle
Les Stoneham
Sue and John Clark
Cynthia and Fred Bullard
Jim and Flo Ullrich
and many many more!!
Thank you!!


This was the Cincinnati dinner. Soon I will be doing my Tennessee dinner for my supporters in Tennessee. Don't worry it's still coming!

Because I used so many of the egg yolks for the raviolo I had a bunch of egg whites. What do I make with egg whites? A TON of meringues. My mom use to make these for us every Christmas season. They were and continue to be some of my favorite cookies!

The day couldn't have been any nicer. Temperature was perfect, and the freshly picked flowers from Gorman Heritage Farm just hit the spot.

FIRST COURSE

Whole Wheat Bread
whole wheat flour - Carriage House Farm, Lebanon, OH

Olive Oil with Salt
olive oil - Puglia, Italy (our friend, Amanda’s, land)
salt - Slow Food Presidia - Morocco (from Terra Madre)

Paisano Oregano and Tomato Cheese
My Artisano Foods, Cincinnati, OH

Honey
Desert of Egypt (from Terra Madre)

Proscuitto
Krause’s at Findlay Market

I forgot to take a photo of this course, but this is a picture of the ones I made in Italy during the session "Cooking without Waste – It’s raining Rissoles"

SECOND COURSE

Risolles with Garlic Basil Aioli

beef/eggs/potatoes/basil flowers - Gorman Heritage Farm
Egyptian walking onion/herbs/garlic - our backyard

The beautiful Amanda, serving our tasty Third Course.

THIRD COURSE

Fresh Green Salad with Apple Honey Vinaigrette

lettuce, honey, arugula, oven roasted cherry tomatoes, radishes -
Gorman Heritage Farm
kale, arugula, purslane, zucchini, garlic - our backyard
apple peels (used in vinaigrette) -  local farm at Madison’s Market at Findlay Market
Olive Oil - Puglia, Italy (our friend, Amanda’s, land)

This is what the finished product of the first two images became.

FOURTH COURSE

L’ouvo en Raviolo

eggs, beet greens,  - Gorman Heritage Farm
kale, sage - our backyard
ricotta, parmesian-reggiano, butter - Krause’s at Findlay Market

This dessert I didn't learn from Terra Madre. It's a Scandinavian dessert. So so tasty!

FIFTH COURSE

Ginger Apples with a Lemon Creme topped with dark chocolate and meringues

ginger, apples, lemon - Madison’s Market at Findlay Market
chocolate - Dean’s Mediterranean at Findlay Market
eggs - Gorman Heritage Farm
heavy cream - Snowville Creamery, OH

If you can't tell this was a spectacular night. It went off without a hitch thanks to all my help from Les and Amanda. The company was beautiful and great conversation!  Thank you thank you!!!