Triangle NC Farm to Fork Picnic

[brokegradstudent]

I saw a poster for the 2009 Farm to Fork Picnic at the Carrboro Farmer's Market today. Details are at the website linked below.
http://www.farmtoforknc.com/

Since $50/person is pretty steep, I'm hoping someone could fill me in a bit about what one gets for the fee.

[cervisiam]

sold out!

[Tom from Raleigh]

Wowsers! This event rocked! The favorites among my crew were: Tuna "Bulgogi" Seared Rare with Collard Green kimche & smoked Garlic vinaigrette from glasshalffull; Tuscan porchetta (roasted pig) from Watts; two dishes from lantern Cabrito tacos and barbequed pig tails; Jujube/Dos Perros served three great tacos: cochinita pibil (achiote-roasted pork with pickled onions, pork heart mole and tongue; Brinkley Farms/Scratch Baking served a garlic scape and potato pizza as well as a kale and duck egg pizza. Both were great. The standout of the day were the pig tails! They were so tasty that I was blow away!

The beverage service was fine. 3Cups served a German wheat beer, which I thought was an odd choice at a local themed event, so I stuck with Fullsteam's Rhubarb Ale, which turned out to be a versatile choice.

Overall, this event was excellent. While the $50 per ticket price tag may seem high initially, the quality and the quantity of the food more than deliver. We will be back next year for sure!

[bbqme]

Glad I didn't steer you wrong, Tom. I always get a little nervous about making recommendations.

[bbqme]

I went to the first one two (?) years ago. There was A LOT of high quality food, drinks (wine, teas, and coffee), and desserts there. Plus kids 12 and under get in for free and they had nice activities like egg toss, pea shucking contest, and arts and crafts for them. The $50/person price is higher than when I went but I will point out that you would pay at least that much, if not more, if you went to one of the better restaurants that will be serving food at the picnic and you certainly couldn't eat as much as you wanted like you can at the picnic. Factor in the cost of a sitter for the kids while you went to one of these restaurants and it's a no-brainer. Besides, it's a fundraiser for a good cause.

[mikeh]

ah, good to hear that there was plenty of food. I tried finding pics on the web and it just seemed to be a few tents set up here and there in the middle of a field. I guess the quantity is more extensive than the photo angles were capturing?

[bbqme]

My recollection was that there were somewhere between 15-20 chefs/farmers exhibiting food, and they usually offered a couple of items, so I figure there were between 30-50 items to try. Counter Culture was there with their coffees, someone else with teas, and a couple of NC wine makers. Having enough to eat was definitely not a problem.

Interestingly, one of the items I liked the best at the picnic was BBQ from a guy who didn't own a restaurant. He said he was looking for a place to open up in Carrboro but I guess it didn't pan out. Too bad because this fellow knew what he was doing. For dessert, Karen Barker once again showed why she is the queen of sweets in these parts.

[Tom from Raleigh]

My family and I are signed up for this event and we're excited! There's a great line up for the event. Does anyone know how beverages will work? Are they included? Standing in a field on a June day gets pretty darn hot.

[peetoteeto]

Tom from Raleigh --

I don't know about non-alcoholic drinks (I've asked), but a certain brewery will be serving 2 ounce samples of sour rhubarb ale, with the option to purchase 16 ounce servings with a $5 ticket. All proceeds go toward the sponsored non-profits.

I look forward to meeting you! LOL

[bbqme]

I hope they are working "fullsteam" in making enough beer for the picnic! ;-)

[peetoteeto]

I've heard that brewery won't have enough beer at all. Seriously, they expect to run out very quickly, so get the sample/pour early if you're interested. Small batch brewing is a PITA. So I've heard!

[bbqme]

Drinkss were included. Plenty of ice tea and water, at least.

[superchow]

I think the bbq you're referring to was prepared by Matt Neal, who opened Neal's Deli with his wife Sheila about a year and a half ago. http://www.nealsdeli.com/
They don't do bbq, but their sandwiches and sides are great. Their house-made corned beef is awesome.

[bbqme]

Wasn't Matt. I know Matt well enough, having devoured many a Manhatten at Neal's Deli. This was a older fellow.

[chizow]

Probably Scott Mclean, who cooked the pig with Matt Neal that year at the dinner. I believe they cooked it on a bed spring in a cool tin contraption. Definitely the best whole pig at the dinner.

[Suzy Q]

I have what may be a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway - what exactly is a "heritage pig"?

[brokegradstudent]

they come from breeds that reflect eras in the history of the species before factory agriculture. One of the more prominent heritage breed promoters in the country is based in Pittsboro (http://www.albc-usa.org/about.html) and many local farms use heritage breeds of cattle, pigs, chickens, etc.

Cane Creek, for instance, is famous for using ossabow island hogs, notable for their unusually high fat content relative to much leaner crosses and hybrids more common today.

[Suzy Q]

Cool info! Thanks!