Slow Food Dinner at Linden Hill Gardens

Driving to Linden Hill Gardens for the Bucks County Slow Food Farm to Table Dinner the evening of June 26th, Lynne and I got caught in one of this summer’s downpours. As the black sky flashed blue bolts of lightning and gray rain blew sharply across the road, we imagined ourselves huddling beneath a tent with a bunch of good natured souls trying to make the best of a wet situation.

We needn’t have worried. Kimberly Kaufmann, of Slow Food Bucks County, and Kristen Perry, of the Kitchen Potager at Linden Hill Gardens, had set the dinner up in the lovely stone barn of the Gardens’ owner, Jerry Fritz. As we ran from car to barn, Jerry himself pulled open the door to welcome us inside.

About forty people attended the dinner, and since we all had a common interest – good food – introducing ourselves and chatting wasn’t much of a chore. But we were a bit distracted, not by the rain, but by Pit Master Hugh Mangum’s pulled pork, marinated chicken and dipping sauce cooking in the wood smoker outside. Let’s let chef Ron Spada speak for himself:

With the main course came home-made Buckwampum Egg Noodles, Swallow Hill Farm Kale Casserole and Milk House Farm Market Beet Salad, by Linda Jacobs of Soup to Nuts Caterers in Washington Crossing, Rise Bakery Artisanal Baked Bread, and ice cream from oWowCow Creamery in Ottsville and fruit pies by Tabora Farm & Orchard in Chalfont.

Kimberly and Kristen are hoping to stage another farm to table dinner later this summer. We’ll pass on the details as soon as we get them. We’ll see you there.