I’m a lover of all things local, especially when it comes to
our booming brewery scene. That said, I’ll
abuse my liver with delicious craft beer from a variety of respectable
breweries. A prime example of this is
Brooklyn Brewery. Incredibly lucky for us, they chose Pittsburgh (just one of 12
cities selected in ‘Merica and Europe) as one of their Mash tour stops. What is The Mash you ask? The Brooklyn Brewery Mash is a weeklong event
in which Brooklyn collaborates with local bars, chefs, comedians, musicians,
and more. While we attended several
stellar events, the highlight of The Mash and the focus of my latest ravings
was Dinner on the Farm (a roaming dinner orchestrated by Monica Walch), which was hosted by Blackberry Meadows Farm.
There is something magical about driving out of the hustle
‘n bustle of the city to a farm like Blackberry Meadows for dinner. Even more so knowing that Brooklyn Brewery Chef Andrew Gerson
and his city lovin’ friends Chef
Justin Severino of Cure and Chef Mike
Poiarkoff of Vinegar Hill House (Brooklyn, NY)
were leaving their brick and mortar eateries behind and preparing an outdoor
feast for you on an 85-acre organic vegetable farm.
After parking in a
field, we unloaded plates, chairs, and a vase of flowers (self arranged, thank
you). “Why are you bringing your own stuff?” you inquire. Well, unlike other farm dinners I’ve
attended, the focus was less about “stuff” and more about the actual farm and the
idea of eating a delicious communal meal paired with cold Brooklyn Brews. As a result, the cost of this event was
quite affordable, allowing everyone from young professionals to families of six
to attend (children were free). The
trade was needing to bring necessary items/utensils to allow for dining and
lounging. With friends in tow, we chose
to divide and conquer, each of us agreeing to bring various items, including our own table. Others opted to bring
blankets and go the picnic route.
 |
| Our collaborative effort looked pretty darn beautiful. |
With our table set, we filled our Mason jars with either the
perennial fav’ Brooklyn Lager or the seasonally perfect Summer Ale. Since there were no IPAs on tap (no Brooklyn
Blast) I went with the lager. I’m
pleased to say, this brew with delightfully refreshing and still offered up
some mild bitterness. It was a great
beer to imbibe upon while scarfing down an obscene volume of “small plate”
action. In addition to local delicacies
like mushroom pate and an assortment of cheese provided by Wild Purveyors, Chef Serverino brought Cure’s
infamous charcuterie spread to the farm.
The amount of cured meats and rabbit terrine (terrine=fancy chilled meat
loaf, often featuring game meat…thanks Frenchies) I stuffed in to my endless
pit of a stomach was worth the price of admission alone, folks.
 |
| Brent Mangan pouring cold, delicious Brooklyn brews. |
 |
| Rabbit terrine getting sliced for the charcuterie board. |
 |
| Charcuterie...I want more. |
Thankfully, we were given a food timeout and as we toured
the farm. We wandered from the green
house to the barn and encountered a few cows and chickens along the way. This was a wonderful way to meet the farmers
of Blackberry Meadows and learn about their CSA program and farmers market
locales. By the end of the tour, it was
evident that Blackberry Meadows is the product of hardworking hands and
hearts.
 |
| Inside the greenhouse. |
 |
| Cutest cow ever? |
I was happy to have some additional downtime between the
tour and dinner. It allowed us time to
enjoy the sounds of a local band Union Rye, get our next round of Brooklyn
brews, and…maybe play some Cards Against Humanity. (Don’t worry; we were an appropriate distance
away from small children.)
 |
| Local band Union Rye |
After a short time, the main event started arriving on large
banquet tables, family-style. There was
a bounty of farm greens including perfectly charred ramps and pepperoncini peppers. The roasted potatoes and chicken
were enriched with flavor thanks to Blackberry Meadows’ wood-fired oven. Everything was simply prepared, yet expertly
executed by three brilliant chefs, allowing the freshness of each ingredient to
shine through with each bite.
 |
| Trio of food geniuses: Chef Mike Poiarkoff (left), Chef Andrew Gerson (center), Chef Justin Severino (right) |
 |
| Pepperoncini topped with freshly grated cheese. |
 |
| Ramps and other fresh greens. |
 |
| The other end of the table: the protein and the starch. |
The tranquility of the farm encouraged each diner to eat at
a leisurely pace while chatting with friends new and old. There was also plenty of time and food to
indulge on a second helping…if you didn’t load your plate to gluttonous
proportions like I did on the first trip.
I was completely stuffed to the brim when the last course made its grand
entrance. Spare dessert stomachs really
do come in handy! But really, who could
resist a savory cornmeal based olive oil cake, topped with the sweet tartness
of strawberry-rhubarb compote, and the herbalicious flavors of sorrel whipped
cream? Not me…in fact, I played my
glutton card yet again when I took two pieces of cake and created my own
makeshift version of strawberry shortcake.
 |
| Dessert before... |
 |
| Dessert after I got all Martha Stewart...olive oil cake with strawberry-rhubarb compote and sorrel whipped cream. |
Once plates were cleared from blankets and tables alike,
most people stayed and enjoyed the gorgeous evening air. When we finally decided to head out (being
the last guests left and all), I decided on two things: 1.) Brooklyn Brewery
Mash is maybe one of the best PR events of all time. Sure, Brooklyn got me there, but when I left
I was singing praises for all involved.
2.) Dinner on the Farm was so much fun.
I strongly encourage you to keep your eye out for future dates.
Thanks to all involved for making such a wonderful event
possible, especially Blackberry Meadows Farm for being such welcoming
hosts. See you at the next farmers
market.
I give Brooklyn Brewery's “Dinner
of the Farm” (Blackberry Meadows Farm): 5/5 forks
7115 Ridge Rd
Natrona Heights, PA
15065
724.226.3939
For
CSA information call or email: info@blackberrymeadows.com
Click
here for Dinner on the Farm info.
LONDON,
UK: July
27 - August 2
TWIN
CITIES: August
10 - 16
PHILADELPHIA,
PA: September
28 - October 4
BOSTON,
MA: October
12 – 18
MIAMI,
FL: October
26 - November 1
AUSTIN,
TX:
November 16 – 22
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