Outstanding in the Field

[SBonner]

I just got a copy of the menu for the upcoming Outstanding in the Field event this Sunday at UBC. Check our local E-Gullet Event Calender for details:

Here it is:

muse - Radishes and Sea Salt

First Course

Salt-Spring Island Goat Cheese Tart with UBC Vegetables

Roasted Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

Second Course

Queen Charlotte Smoked Sablefish Nicose with Spicy Aioli

Third Course

Savory Marinated Spit Roasted Chicken

Summer Squash Ravioli

Chanterelles

Confit Organic Garlic

Cheese Course

Dessert Course

Strawberry Jelly and Lemon Shortbread

Hopefully Helen and I will see some of you out there. I have not heard what wines are being paired with David Hawkesworth's food but it should be a grand day out.

Cheers,

Stephen

[Daddy-A]

Here's the LINK.

Not only have I not heard what wines are being paired, I don't even know who the "featured" winemaker is.

A.

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Nels and I are attending - truly looking forward to a wonderful day. The weather should be spectacular in keeping with the spirit of the event. See you there.

[SBonner]

Here's the LINK. 

Not only have I not heard what wines are being paired, I don't even know who the "featured" winemaker is.

A.

←

Arnie...maybe we should bring our own wines just in case

Cheers,

Stephen

[Edible Vancouver]

Gail and I will also be attending - we look forward to seeing you there!

I will see what I can dig up on the wines.

Cheers,

Eric

[canucklehead]

It is my understanding that the event has sold out already. Well - please let those of us who were not able to get tickets how the event went. Sounds like its going to be a good one.

[SBonner]

It is my understanding that the event has sold out already.  Well - please let those of us who were not able to get tickets how the event went.  Sounds like its going to be a good one.

←

You may want to check out Arne's link. I do not think it is sold out.

Cheers,

Stephen

[Daddy-A]

It is my understanding that the event has sold out already.  Well - please let those of us who were not able to get tickets how the event went. 

You may want to check out Arne's link. I do not think it is sold out.

I can indeed confirm it is NOT sold out! I just received this from the "Outstanding" folks:

Yes, we have seats left, but filling up fast.  Let me know if you'd like to add guests as soon as you can. Thanks

Christine Gakovich

Reservations Coordinator- Outstanding in the Field

events@outstandinginthefield.com

No excuses now ... except for apathy!

A.

[seanw]

Arne,

Unfortunately i have a 145 excuses

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Just got my invitation and the Winemakers are Sumac Ridge, Cedar Creek, Mission Hill and Quail's Gate. Cool.

[Daddy-A]

Arne,

          Unfortunately i have a 145 excuses

←

Oh yeah. That too

We'll take pictures.

A.

[SBonner]

Just got my invitation and the Winemakers are Sumac Ridge, Cedar Creek, Mission Hill and Quail's Gate. Cool.

←

Karole, looking forward to meeting you....my invite has yet to arrive but the wine line up sounds good. Should be a great day.

Stephen

[Daddy-A]

Just got back from dinner ... and as corney as it might sound, the evening was truly magical. I'll post pictures and a full report tomorrow, but David and his team worked wonders under very spur-of-the-moment conditions! The nicest surprise for me was the family style dining with a group of total strangers and how we quickly were chatting like long lost friends.

Time to go sleep of another meal ...

A.

[appreciator]

^ Looking forward to seeing the photos! Glad it was such a wonderful experience, I hope they do it again next year.

And heh... Happy B'day Arne

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Arne is so right. It was magical on all levels. First off, I must admit to not knowing that the farm even existed so shame on me as I live very close by. But once there, the sense of occasion was overwhelming. I am sure I must have voiced my disbelief at being part of something that incredible at least a dozen or more times. Part of the magic was the fact that everyone was there with a common purpose - to experience the farm, the food and the passion for locally inspired excellent food. It is almost impossible to describe in words the setting and how it contributed to the overall effect but try to imagine a glorious sunny afternoon, a truck garden (I know it isn't, but that is how it appears at first glance because of the diversity of what is planted in a relatively small space), happy guests and, working purposefully in our midst, Chef Hawkesworth and his crew in kitchen whites.

We started with a Sauvignon Blanc from Sumac Ridge, fresh-picked carrots and radishs with just a smidge of salt that served to bring out the sweetness of the carrots and tang of the radishes. Next up we heard about OIF and the Farm and then went off on a tour of the farm. While that may sound boring, it was just the start of the wonder of it all. Our tour guide was the student who is the production manager for the farm. I don't know when you last had an opportunity to have someone who is passionate about their work show it and describe it to you but it is quite possible to listen to them for extended periods simply to be in the presence of their passion. We tromped through the fields and got to live his enthusiasm for the farm, the products and the value of the farm in the community. Magic, pure magic.

We then took our place at the table and what a table it was. It was one long table set for 100 -each of us had brought our own plates so the effect was one of colour and contrast. Seating was random - you simply placed your plate on the table as you arrived, only meeting your dining companions later as you sat down to dinner. We ended up beside Edible Vancouver (Eric) and his wife Gail because they thought our plates looked interesting! Our other dining companions were Deborah, the cheesemaker and her husband, the dairy farmer from Farmhouse Cheeses in Agassiz and Andre, a writer from the Georgia Straight. So our conversation was highly entertaining as well as educational.

Dinner was served family style which suited the event perfectly. David was very much a presence as the food was brought out for each course, as were the local providers - Ian of Finest At Sea Seafood, the UBC farm staff and Deborah, of Farmhouse Cheeses. The food was honest, totally representative of where we are and absolutely delicious. The light on the gardens at this point was amazing, saturating colours ranging from the yellow mustard field to the pinks of the eichinachea (totally botched the spelling - but you know what I mean).

We started with a goat cheese tart (David Wood chevre) on fresh greens and sungold tomatoes. All was excellent with a minor quibble, the greens were overdressed for my liking. But the tomatoes were heavenly - sweet and firm, popping in your mouth with flavour. I am sure Milan's are every bit as good but I will be out at the farm on Saturday looking for more.

The second course was a real treat - smoked sable fish nicose with sardines and a terrific spicy aioli. The smoking was obviously done with a deft hand for it was evident but not overwhelming when paired with the fresh beans, tomatoes and pemberton potatoes. Perhaps my favorite course of all. But the best part is that Ian (owner of Finest at Sea) told us that he is setting up a retail location in Vancouver - mere blocks from my house - at 31st and Arbutus. Should be open by October/November. A real improvement to our neighbourhood.

The main course was spit-roasted chicken which we had seen set up by David and his crew over a fire pit (with some last minute adjustments to the improvised spit). The summer squash ravioli was tender and flavourful but I wonder how it was cooked. Surely not over on open fire? There were many foil packs but somehow that doesn't seem possible. Don't know what cheese was in the ravioli but it was a perfect accompaniment - you knew it was there but it let the squash be the star performer. The other treat with this course was the roasted garlic - I know I had far more than my fair share but tasty, sweet roasted garlic is hard to resist. Especially after a winter of the imported bitter garlic that barely improves with roasting. The chicken was tasty and moist with a great jus. How they did that over an open fire I don't know

The cheese course was comprised of 4 cheeses - a goat's chevre, a cheddar, a brie and a gouda. My favorite was the cheddar and the chevre. The chevre had just the right amount of tang. The surprise ingredient of this course was the freshly harvested honey from the hives dotting the farm. Amazing - rich, full of flavour (David pegged it as buckwheat) but not sweet in the usually sense of the word. The only descriptor I can think of is rich.

Dessert followed - but by then I was out of gastronomic steam. Too bad as it was fresh strawberries in a jelly (no, not Jello) with lemon shortbread cookies. I had several of the strawberries and they were definitely local, real strawberries in total contrast to the fibre-containing look-alikes imported from California. They had that lovely summer-in-your-mouth strawberry taste, soft and juicy.

At the conclusion of the meal we got to show our appreciation for the Chef, his crew and the amazing staff from OIF. The OIF staff head off to Alaska tomorrow and from there to Minnesota and the East Coast of the US. They travel in a 1953 Flexible bus which has its own amazing story and they have now produced 45 similar dinners with this being the first in Canada. Theirs is a passionate endeavour and the resulting product, our magical experience, is one that I shall remember for a long time. As I said to my husband as we wandered off into the night, I felt as if I was just heading home from a week of holidays. That's how restored and uplifted I felt. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make it a reality.

[Daddy-A]

I first heard of Outstanding in the Field last year. Thanks to David Hawksworth, I was made aware of their dinner at the UBC Farm. As it happened, my 40th birthday was on the same day, so this was a no brainer.

The evening began at 4, with a glass of wine, some farm-grown radishes with sea salt and olive oil, and a chance to meet with some of the other guests (about 100 in total). Part of the OIF tradition is that each guest brings his/her own plate, as they feel this helps enhance the "family-style" nature of the meal. This is another, more recent tradition:

Their 1953 FLXible bus "Outstanding"

David & crew preparing to roast chickens!

OIF Founder Jim Denevan (the tall dude) and OIF Director, Katy Oursler

The other fella in the middle is from UBC Farm ... Karole? Stephen? Anyone remember his name?

Here's one for Karole:

Greg Rekken - Production Coordinator at UBC Farm

Farmer Greg (ain't he adorable Karole?) took us on a tour of the farm before dinner:

Yes, that bee-hive is actually a wood burning oven. No, the chickens were not the same we had for dinner.

First Course - (Top) Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette, Pesto, Artisan Bread (Terra Breads), (Bottom) Saltspring Island Goat Cheese Tart

Second Course (l to r): Queen Charlotte Smoked Sablefish & Grilled Sardines (Finest at Sea)), Roasted tomatoes, potatoes, beans, eggs, etc, Chef Hawksworth plating the course (theres some spicey aioli in there somewhere) ...

The Finished Dish - Salade Nicoise

That was my favorite dish of the evening, and not just becasue that was me David was serving. The sablefish was smoked to absolute perfection by this man:

The guy in the fish shirt (left) is Ian Angus of Finest at Sea. He, like all the other producers of the food for the evening's meal were with us at the table, sharing their passion for what they did. I'll be visiting Ian in September to learn how to add sablefish to my smoking repetoire.

Showing off the spit roasted chicken ...

Third course (l to r) - Roasted potatoes, roasted garlic, English Peas / Spit Roasted Chicken with Saskatchewan Chantrelles

The chantrelles were incredible ... "Canadian Truffles" is how Chef Hawksworth referred to them. Not quite as earty, but very meaty in texture. Let them soak up a little of the jus de poulet and they're a meal in themselves. Also served, but not photographed were some deliscious Summer Squash Ravioli.

UBC Farm Honey, to accompany ...

Cheese Course - A selection of cheeses from Farmhouse Cheese

It was too dark for a good photo of the dessert, which was a Strawberry Jelly served with Lemon Shortbread.

Wines for the evening: Suman Ridge Sauvignon Blanc (Starters), Gray Monk Pinot Gris (First & Second Course), Mission Hill 5 Vineyards Merlot (Third Course), Qualis Gate Optima Late Harvest (Cheese & Dessert).

While the food at this event was as wonderful as I've enjoyed anywhere, the highlight of the evening has to be the sense of community it fostered. Not only getting to meet the producers, but dining with people who until that evening were total strangers (eGulleters aside ) and truly enjoying their company was very rewarding. I truly hope Outstanding in the Field will return next year.

If not, I may have to start my own. I've always wanted a bus.

A.

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Thanks for the photos Arne - perfect pictures which really tell the story. I am still pinching myself that I was really there. Amazing.

[butter]

Is OIF taking resumes? Where is the bus stop to take this bus? It really looked like a magical time. I have so many questions...perhaps they will be answered in time. Off the top of my head though:

1. Did the kitchen brigade's whites stay clean for the whole event? How do they do that?

2. The grilled sardines...where are the heads? Wouldn't think the attendees at this event would mind be served the heads?

3. How many people before the event went out to buy new plates instead of bringing the ones they use daily at home?

4. Did they turn the spit by hand? It looks as if it's only a stick.

Thanks for sharing your event with us. Wish I had taken the day off.

[SBonner]

3. How many people before the event went out to buy new plates instead of bringing the ones they use daily at home?

We left our plates with the OIF crew...so somewhere in Alaska and points beyond our plates will resurface to see more great food, places, and people.

Cheers,

Stephen

Edited August 16, 2005 by SBonner (log)

[Daddy-A]

Is OIF taking resumes? Where is the bus stop to take this bus?

Check out their web site ... I'm sure they could find room for you on the bus!

4. Did they turn the spit by hand? It looks as if it's only a stick.

This is what they did:

If you look closely you'll see little spikes sticking out of the side of each chicken. These not only held the birds together, but when a long "stick of chickens" was pushed up against another "stick of chickens", the spikes would stick into the neighbouring bird and prevent the sticks from turning over. Very clever!

A.

[jamiemaw]

Thanks for the great snaps, Arne. Terrific looking food. I was in the OK, feeding the masses at Ingo Grady's annual shivaree--German theme this year with all products in kilos to the power of ten. I grilled bratwurst Nuremburger for several hours while Fat Betty sang and the winemakers talked amongst themselves. Which just goes to show you--there's been a lot of great food going down this summer.

Many thanks for the You Were There tour,

J.

[Junior]

I was reading this thread the other day and was surprised to see Saskatchewan Chantrelle's on the menu. I was surprised because I did not think that one of Vancouver best chefs would be using a product that comes from my hometown and something that we in the restaurant industry very rarely see here in Saskatoon. This product is almost in our backyard (4hour drive north of Saskatoon)

Northern Lights foods is the company that picks the mushrooms is also involved in wild rice production. You can find out more info on the the stuff they do at Northernlightsfoods.com

[Keith Talent]

The New York Times Magazine had a feature on the organisation in Sundays edition. Sorry for the late heads up, I'm falling behind in my reading, that INXS Rockstar show being on two nights a week is cutting into my more cerebral pursuits. (Ha! Just kidding, I'd not watch that stupid show, but mocking my wife for her viewing is an almost full time avocation.)

[d.hawksworth]

those little mushrooms are incredible!!

first rate and generally they are on my top ten list of ultimate products

DH

[Daddy-A]

Outstanding In The Field is coming back!

August 6th is the date listed, but no details as of yet.

Web Site

I'm gettin' my plate ready!

A.