Nevada City Farm to Table Dinner

The Farm to Table Dinner in downtown Nevada City is a truly magical Nevada City experience. Click here and here to see photos from previous years. The event, organized by Reinette Senum, was a fundraiser for the First Friday Art Walk and featured a multi-course meal with local farms and businesses. The menu was created by Shanan Manuel of Feast & Gather and highlighted the bounty of local farms: First Rain Farm, Sweet Roots Farm, Family Friendly Farms, Early Bird Farm, Riverhill Farm, Grass Valley Grains, Living Wild, Mountain Bounty Farm and the Soil Sisters. The community event used the help of neighborhood restaurants: Matteo’s Public, Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co, Nourish, Fable Coffee and Treats. Matt & Michelle Margulies from Matteo’s Public wanted to thank all their staff and family for pitching in to help with the event, as Matt joked that “it takes a village.” Thanks to Valerie and Dave from the Nevada City Chamber for pouring Nevada City Winery and Clavey Wines, plus Nash’s Natural Brewing Company for the Kombucha on tap.

The 6 course meal included: Nettle pesto, roasted plum & walnut pizza (shaved Asiago), melon smoked pepper gazpacho, BBQ smoked heritage chickens with roasted strawberry salsa, abundant summer bounty salad, heirloom tomatoes with purslane, Manzanita dressing & edible flowers, BBQ garlic ‘rattlesnake’ green beans, and for dessert, grilled stone fruits & honey with Treats lemon custard ice cream and Three Forks Cookie. Who doesn’t want Feast and Gather’s weekly meals after that menu?

Music was played by Halfpence and Haypenny and The Crux. Nevada City Film Festival has a gift of turning outdoor spaces into fun and exciting cinematic experiences. Once again they utilized the historic brick walls of Nevada City to screen a classic black and white silent film during the Farm to Table dinner.

The event is a beautiful way to showcase Nevada City, bringing people together to eat local food and experience small town ambiance. While Reinette and Shanan say this is the last year for organizing this dinner, I’m confident the local food movement will stay strong in our community, you can go out to eat, go to the Farmers Market, get a local CSA box, go to Polly’s Paladar Supper Club or participate in any of the local food events (Uncorked, Sierra Brewfest are happening soon).