Chef Sonya Cote, Outstanding in the Field

All photos courtesy of Sarah Pember, The Smart Kitchen

East Side Show Room Chef Sonya Coté   and Boggy Creek Farm were recently selected to host an outdoor farm dinner as part of Outstanding in the Field’s 2011 culinary tour across the U.S. and Europe. Hosted on Sunday October 23, 201, the event marked one of five Outstanding in the Field dinners in Texas.

“This unprecedented event perfectly suits Home Grown Revival’s mission to connect people in the community to each other together through education, sustainable agriculture and incredibly local food.”

“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected to host an Outstanding in the Field dining experience and represent Texas among other top chefs and venues across the country and abroad,” said Coté, co-founder of The Home Grown Revival; an open-source project allowing others to learn, share and create farm grown foods. “This unprecedented event perfectly suits Home Grown Revival’s mission to connect people in the community to each other together through education, sustainable agriculture and incredibly local food.”

Chef Coté cites Alice Waters as an inspiration for supporting the local food movement.  Waters is the owner of  the world-famous Chez Panisse; a restaurant  in Berkeley, California, known for its use of organic, locally-grown ingredients.  From Waters, Chef Coté discovered what it meant for a community to source food locally. Her passion for local food can be seen in her daily menus and commitment to source food from Central Texas farmers and artisans. Chef Coté is a determined supporter of local farmers and an advocate for the local food movement, dedicated to educating the nation about the importance of utilizing locally sourced ingredients.

Outstanding in the Field’s mission is to reconnect diners to the land and the origins of their food, while honoring the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it pairs well with Coté’s mission. Since 1999, Outstanding in the Field  has set the long table at unique and unexpected venues across the country, from farms and gardens, to mountaintops or sea caves. Wherever the location, the consistent theme of each dinner is to honor the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table.

Ingredients for the Outstanding in the Field meal was mostly local, sourced within inches of a guest’s seat at the table or from local suppliers such as Boggy Creek Farms, and prepared by the celebrated guest chef, Chef Sonya Cote.  Passed appetizers, a multi-course family style meal and a dessert was served.

One of the things that makes these events special is that farmers and artisans join guests at the table.  So, following a self-guided tour of Boggy Creek Farms, diners, farmers, producers and culinary artisans settled in around the long table for an unforgettable culinary experience.This provided guests an opportunity to hear their story during the courses where the farmers and artisans ingredients were highlighted.

The Event Menu included:

appetizers

grilled pear bruschetta with “blanca bianca” pola cheese,

smoked ringo peppers, honey

rosemary grilled gulf shrimp, preserved lemon

mcpherson cellars sparkling white

course one

confit of duck hearts, rabbit liver mousse

sparkling white & schezwan peppercorn

grassfed calf tartare, pink peppercorn, pickled pears

cantaloupe carpaccio, olive oil, foraged greens

Fanchette

mcpherson cellars 2009 viognier

course two

bibb lettuce, candied winter squash, goat milk ricotta,

apple & leafy herbs

pumpkin in a pumpkin, pureed with butternut chips & curried pecans

whole grilled snapper, long beans & blossoms

mcpherson cellars 2009 rose of syrah

herbal tea with lemongrass, citron & mint

bread & house honey butter

 

course three

braised oxtails & osso bucco, pomegranate, orange

boiled potatoes, pink hen eggs, herbs

sauteed purple kohlrabi with crispy texas 1015’s

mcpherson cellars 2009 cabernet sauvignon

 

dessert

buttermilk pie with apples & cream

trio of raw chocolate truffles

pecan, salt & black pepper praline

 

additional vegan/vegetarian

deviled beets

vegetable pot pie

More about Chef Sonya Coté

Chef  Sonya Coté was awarded the Edible Magazine 2011 Local Hero Award for work in the East Side Show Room kitchen for her commitment to making significant contributions to the local food movement in Austin. She has been featured in local and national television and print for her part in the burgeoning food revolution and continues to support the hard work and diligence of local farms and artisans in every part of her craft.