Dinner Party On Tour

We headed out to Arcadia Farm in Alexandria this weekend to partake in the feast and wonder that is, Outstanding in the Field. I’ve been swooning over images of this touring outdoor dinner party for years and this year we decided to treat ourselves. We met some fantastic new friends and dined in perfect weather among the greens, beehives, chickens and ripe produce of the farm. The Arcadia leg of the Outstanding tour has showcased the culinary talents of Kyle Bailey and Tiffany MacIsaac of DC’s Birch and Barley for the past three years, this year being their three-peat. We feasted on goat wrapped in goat, chicken thigh confit pasta with cockscomb, corn, and fresh herbs (my favorite dish of the evening), sunchoke soup with pickled red apples and marjoram, tons of freshly picked and roasted veggies- grilled cucumber a standout, and the piéce de resistance, S’Mores toasted at the table. Here’s the menu- read it and weep:

For me the most unique part of the dinner- aside from dining IN the very farm that most of the meal came from- was the craft beer pairing courtesy of Greg Engert and Bluejacket DC, Birch and Barley’s latest offering. We tasted through suds that had yet to be poured even for the Bluejacket staff. Big stuff and seriously good. I overhead a couple bemoaning the beer pairing at the beginning of the dinner. “We’re just not beer drinkers”, they worried aloud. By the end of the night, not a drop of their drink was left in their high stemmed wine glasses, I rather enjoyed watching that happen. I also enjoyed drinking those crafty brews from said wine glasses, a nice touch. I highly recommend an outing to Bluejacket once they are open for business. My favorite brew of the night- the Belgian Blond, Bluejacket & De Struise Batch. They are still in the process of naming their new beers, a process that Mr. Engert admits is highly stressful, so if you go- just ask for the Belgian Blond. I found it to be beautifully aromatic with notes of white flowers, wild herbs and a hint of clove- very smooth with light hops. They were actually all fantastic, but my new friends and I agreed that a permanently planted bottomless keg of the Belgian Blond in our kitchens (or garage if you’re ‘burby) would be a very good idea.

Outstanding in the Field was founded by Chef Jim Denevan, a guy who loves food, loves to cook and even more, just wanted to find a way to do what he loved and spend as much time as possible surfing the Santa Cruz break. He came up with the idea of hosting outdoor dinner parties at the site of the local farms his restaurant did business with. The outdoor dinners instantly took off, Jim bought a ’53 Flexible bus and went on the road. The rest is history. Outstanding now plays 48 farms, beaches and plains across America from late spring through early fall. They partner with local farms, organizations and communities that are helping to support the food crisis that our nation faces.

Arcadia Farm has proven to be a perfect partner in this mission. After walking the farm and hearing Arcadia’s own story, I came home and immediately became a donor. I love their mission. Their Mobile Market manages to feed and supply fresh produce to a huge population of DC’s inner city while hosting a slew of free cooking classes. Just as Outstanding’s mission is to reconnect diners with the land and the original source of their food, Arcadia’s is to furnish that food in a sustainable manner to those that may not have access to it. Cool.

As the sun set on our very long table, the candles came out and the scene turned romantic and twinkly- just the way I like it. Giddy from the deliciousness of everything, the arrival of the cherry lambic marshmallows, toasting sticks, and chocolate dipped graham crackers were set on the table, immediately set us all into the 8 year-old version of ourselves. Passing and sharing the flame across the table, it was fun sharing such a childlike and intimate moment with newfound friends. What a great way to end an evening.

Related posts: