I was a lucky duck last night. In the beginning I was just sort of a lucky duck: I was invited to the annual “summer supper” for CUESA (you know them, they run the maybe-too-famous-for-its-own-good Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco). The whole event began in the grand hall of the market, with chefs and vineyards and distilleries passing out samples of their wares and eager eaters happily cramming and fawning. The must-have item was a cocktail from Square One Vodka, with pimm’s and cucumber and celery for which people waited in line, a long line.
We were then shepherded upstairs for dinner, at which a different chef cooked each course for each table. Here’s where my lucky-duckness started to snow ball. First, I sat with a hilarious crew, which, as we all know, is the difference between life and death at a big event where one sits with strangers. We made our way through plates of “hand-pulled” mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes, munched on some epi baguettes, and barely noticed the large plates (platters would really be too grand of a word) with tiny raviolis on them that were placed in the middle of the table. A lovely woman at the center of the table started dishing the little pasta bundles out–two each–as the server explained that the main course would be right out.
And yet… I was suspicious. I had read the menu. Under “main course” at our table it said something about tortellini or ravioli… The server returned with the bad news: those two pasta bundles were our dinner. The entire staff took pity on us and brought over the extra “vegetarian entrees” from another table. They were luscious small pumpkin-like winter squash filled with a lovely spicy chili made from plenty of different beans (I’m thinking Rancho Gordo‘s products were the inspiration) with a side of bitter greens. The only problem, such as it was, was there were only three of them for 12 people, meaning we had some communal soup for dinner.
It was awesome. There is nothing like a bit of a fiasco to bring people together. And you should have seen us attack that cheese plate.
H. Joseph Ehrmann | 09-Oct-08 at 12:35 pm | Permalink
The Square One drink mentioned is a Celery Cup #1. I created it for Square One Cucmber Organic Vodka and it is delicious any time of year. Get the recipe here: http://www.squareonevodka.com/TownSquare/TS_MixologyArt/TS_cucumbercocktails.html
Molly Watson | 10-Oct-08 at 9:59 am | Permalink
Sounds delic! I love cucumber-y cocktails–thanks for writing in with the link.