Being a chili pepper fanatic, I ferreted them out during a visit to this gorgeous place. I enjoy cooking with chili peppers, which is obvious to anyone who has purchased my books or visited my web sites. Of course I had found some in grocery stores, and quite happily spicy and fresh varieties from the local farmers market, where I picked up some outstanding habaneros and red jalapenos. I cook chili peppers into everything, but why should I be the only one? What a wonderful surprise when we found the advertisement for “Table to Farm” at a local fish market. It sounded wonderful and exciting, the postcard declaring proudly “Re-defining Dining. Our goal is to re-connect our diners to their food and to showcase the local farmers and chefs who bring it to life.
Can you guess the first thing that popped into my mind? They simply must grow chili peppers! I called the number on the ad and spoke with Antonia “A.J.” Latteri, the Owner/Creative Director of “The Loft 5”, the group who set up this enticing experience.
Talk about a happy surprise for me! When I received the menu, A.J. had kindly incorporated chili peppers into many aspects of the meal, which I will share with you below. I was thoroughly excited and couldn’t wait for Wednesday evening. Bradenton, Florida, is not a huge city by any means, more of a sprawling suburban town, really, but farm? Yes, there are farms. Guided faithfully by my wife’s GPS, we turned onto a side road, rounded a slight curve and nearly missed the sign for “King Family Farm”, an unadorned wooden sign hitched to a fence, nearly lost along the tree line. There would be 20 diners this evening, making for plenty of conversation. We were presented with welcome drinks, listed on the menu as “Dakin Family Farm Hot Chocolate Milk with Marshmallow Vodka and Chili Pepper”. Yes, they included chili pepper in their welcome drinks. I was already in heaven. Past the peach and blueberry trees and the singular avocado tree, we were delivered to our dinner location, a long wooden picnic style table with bench seating nestled beneath a curved tree that reached out horizontally like a welcoming arm. Decorative lights dangled from it in the dimming evening. The table had been adorned with cloth and pseudo candle lights, perfect for an outdoor dining event. Being January, the evening grew cool, but a propane heater flared nearby for a bit of comfortable warmth. Of course this whole experience sounds like it should be all about the food, but it was more than that, really. It was about people sharing food. It was about people talking with one another, getting to know one another, connected by a mutual love and passion for food. We met some incredibly interesting people, from the epicurean fellow with a passion for cinematography; the retired Canadian nurse who ran a large clinic and greatly enjoys food and travel; the farmers from out of state; the physical therapist who loves the idea of food blogging; a local food magazine editor; the home gardener with a passion for organic products. A local musician played guitar and sang softly, completing the ambiance as the wine and conversations flowed. And then the food arrived! -Welcome Beverage & Starter- Dakin Family Farm Hot Chocolate Milk with Marshmallow Vodka and Chili Pepper Mini Three Cheese Soufflé with King Family Farm Peach jam -Amuse Bouche- Cherry Bomb Stuffed Pepper -Soup- Butternut Squash & Apple with Coconut Milk and Curry -Salad- Roasted Beets & Shaved Fennel with Burattta Cheese and Annah’s Vinaigrette -Palette Cleanser- Tomato Water -Entree- Local Catch Wrapped in Prosciutto over a Bed of Cabbage topped with a Medley of Assorted Peppers puree’ Accompanied by Romanesco with Herb Butter Drizzle -Dessert- Blueberry Gillette with Chile Verde Sugar & Honey Lemon Whipped Cream Wow! The entire table was pleased. Chili peppers do not need to be overly spicy, and the meal this evening was the perfect example of this. Tonight, we dined on chili peppers and they were simply delicious. A gimmick, sure, but it just goes to show you the lengths the even people go to in order to make every detail count. It was a very thoughtful addition, actually, given the impromptu theme of the evening. One, you’ll realize how good you can eat with fresh foods straight from the farm. Two, you’ll enjoy easy conversation with people you are unlikely to forget. I should stress the social aspect of this. By the end of the night, so many of us swapped phone numbers and email addresses. I know I did. I hope to compare notes, stay in touch, shoot off questions like, “hey, can you recommend a good local restaurant in town?” My wife and I encountered so much friendliness there. Perhaps that is something they might incorporate into future experiences. I think most of the visitors would have enjoyed this. I spoke with A.J. about the endeavor, and this is what she had to share. What would you like to see it become? That depends. Of course we would love for our dinners to grow – thinking up to 100 people – but only 2 times a year for that head count. The team and I and The Kings are all on the same page on that. Sometimes smaller is better so you don’t lose the magic. But I must say, it would sure be nice to fill at least 20-35 seats each week. What do you hope people get out of the experience? Our goal is really to have people enjoy the food and get a chance to meet the farmers and make new friends. We love what we do and are all about the details – and of course the beautiful surroundings. What more can you ask for?
