Dinner on the River: Celebrating Forgotten Southern Foods

Katy Trail

Dinner on the River

CELEBRATING FORGOTTEN  SOUTHERN FOODS

Starring heritage ingredients from Slow Food USA’s

“Ark of Taste” endangered foods list

Sunday, Sept. 21 at 4 o’clock
(3 o’clock optional tour of the brewery, barrel room and new winery)

Les Bourgeois A-Frame
on the Missouri River Bluffs at Rocheport

This event is Slow Food Katy Trail’s main fundraiser
for our Harvest-of-the-Month elementary-school program

We loved having our annual fundraiser in Les Bourgeois’ century-old tobacco barn for the last few years. Unfortunately, the barn (which had been losing a few pieces of its wooden walls to the wind every year) finally succumbed this past spring to the ravages of time. The folks at Les Bourgeois were again quick and generous to offer an option at another one of their scenic venues. We think you’ll find this one, with its splendid blufftop river view, just as enjoyable. The food, of course, will be spectacular, as always.

A team of five local chefs, who are graciously donating their time and talents, will be cooking “on stage” in front of the river. They include Craig Cyr of the Wine Cellar & Bistro; Brook Harlan of the Columbia Area Career Center Culinary Arts program; Matt  Robertson and Blaire  DeVine of Les Bourgeois Blufftop Bistro; and Walker  Claridge  of Broadway Brewery.

Each chef will prepare a course that features something from Slow Food’s Ark of Taste, a living catalog of delicious and distinctive foods facing extinction. By identifying and championing these foods, we keep them in production and on our plates.

Sharing the stage with the chefs will be The Third Switch, serving up an eclectic and lively musical menu of early blues, calypso, classic country and vintage jazz.

Because we want as many people to enjoy this event as possible, we’re offering several price levels (see below). Tickets are available only through the Brown Paper Tickets website.

THE  SOUTHERN-DINNER  TICKET

$85 for current Slow Food members
$100 for non-members
(To renew your membership or join, go to http://www.slowfoodusa.org and click on Donate; if you are unsure of your membership status, please email ilrauzi@gmail.com)

From a blufftop view of the Missouri River, you’ll enjoy an elegant six-course Southern meal served on white tablecloths under a pavilion. Each course, featuring Ark of Taste endangered foods, will be paired with local wine.

Ticket includes:

Cocktail Reception
“Snack-of-the-South” Boiled Peanuts
Les Bourgeois sparkling wine, Broadway Brewery beer

or Planck & Anchor cocktail

A Six-Course Southern Dinner Paired With Wine

The still-evolving menu will be announced shortly, but will include chef-made Charcuterie, Pickled Watermelon Rind and Skillet Cornbread for starters, followed by Low-Country Boil (description below) and four more heritage-themed courses. Preparations will feature these Ark of Taste foods:

New Orleans Daube Glacé, Hog’s Head Cheese, Traditional Tasso Ham

Wild Gulf-Coast Shrimp
Handmade Filé, American Rabbit, Carolina Gold Rice

American Persimmon, Traditional Sorghum Syrup

American Native Pecan, Tupelo Honey, Norton Grape

Live Music and Great View!

VIP TABLE OF EIGHT

$1000

Reserve this table of eight for you and your favorite dining companions. In addition to all the above delicious food, drink and ambience, you’ll also have the loftiest view of the river; a personal server; a private audience with each chef, winemaker and sommelier during dinner; and a bottle of 2003 Dom Pérignon Champagne.

THE PICNIC TICKET

$40

Meet your friends around the picnic table—close to the working chefs, lively band and river view—for a pot of delicious Low-Country Boil, drinks and more. Ticket includes:

Cocktail Reception
“Snack-of-the-South” Boiled Peanuts
Les Bourgeois sparkling wine, Broadway Brewery beer or Planck & Anchor cocktail

Low-Country Boil
A traditional South Carolina stew of Wild Gulf shrimp, Louisiana crawfish, heirloom potatoes, corn, ale, peppers, onions and sausage; served with grilled French bread and paired with your choice of local wine or local beer.

Live Music and Great View!
Only 50 tickets are available at this price.

NOTE: Because we wanted to include as many Ark of Taste foods as possible, we’ll be unable to accommodate special dietary requests for this event. In case of inclement weather, the event will be inside The Blufftop Bistro. Tickets are non-refundable.

Click here to download this information in pdf format for printing.