Savoring Beardsley’s scintillating Solstice Supper

Khann Chov, urban agriculture director at Beardsley, with Alan Carmichael of Moxley Carmichael.

Khann Chov, urban agriculture director at Beardsley, with Alan Carmichael of Moxley Carmichael.

An eight-course vegetarian feast was the substance of Beardsley Community Farm’s fifth annual Solstice Supper fundraiser, which Moxley Carmichael was happy to support through a sponsorship.

Held at The Standard in downtown Knoxville last Monday night, it featured the culinary talents of chefs Jeffrey DeAlejandro and Winter Hose. DeAlejandro owns OliBea, the  popular breakfast and lunch restaurant in the Old City.

Beardsley Community Farm is an urban demonstration site that has promoted food security and sustainable urban agriculture through practice, education and community outreach since 1998.

It operates under the auspices of the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee with support from AmeriCorps and annually produces more than 10,000 pounds of produce, which it donates to local food pantries and a women’s shelter.

It also helps about 150 people and organizations each year establish community gardens.

Much of the food served that evening came from Beardsley or its partner farms and gardens including, Cruze Farm, Everything Mushrooms, Spring Creek Farms and Zavels FarmBearden Beer Market and Crafty Bastard Brewery also contributed.

A great crowd turned out.

A nice crowd turned out.

Shaun Fulco, left, of Moxley Carmichael, and our friend Erin Donovan of Visit Knoxville tried out the first course which was a bread and pickle board.

Shaun Fulco, left, of Moxley Carmichael, and our friend Erin Donovan of Visit Knoxville tried out the first course, which was a bread and pickle board.

The homemade bread was fantastic.

The warm homemade bread was fantastic.

Here's the pickle plate. I loved the pickled greens, which I'd never had before.

Here’s the pickle plate. I loved the pickled greens, which I’d never had before.

This course was called a "welcome jar." It contained beets at the bottom with fried garlic, brined blueberries and honeycomb topped with carrot custard and a flower! How creative was that? And, it was delicious -- especially that carrot custard!

This course was called a “welcome jar.” It contained beets at the bottom with fried garlic, brined blueberries and honeycomb topped with carrot custard and a flower! How creative was that? And, it was delicious — especially that carrot custard!

Erin had a little trouble getting the beets out! Take a look:

 

Loved the centerpieces.

Loved the centerpieces.

From left, Maya Carl, an AmeriCorps volunteer; Charlotte Rodina, farm manager; and Rachel Newcomb, and AmeriCorp volunteer.

From left, Maya Carl, an AmeriCorps volunteer; Charlotte Rodina, farm manager; and Rachel Newcomb, an AmeriCorps volunteer.

This course was called "Peas" and it freaked me out a little because of its snakelike appearance! It consisted of kohlrabi noodles, cabbage and raspberry kimchi and pea tofu. The tofu was wonderful.

This course was called “Peas” and it freaked me out a little because of its snakelike appearance! It consisted of kohlrabi noodles, cabbage and raspberry kimchi and pea tofu. The tofu was wonderful.

Will Smith and Chris Sneed were good sports about keeping an open mind and trying out this somewhat adventurous meal.

Will Smith, left, and Chris Sneed were good sports and kept open minds while trying out this somewhat adventurous meal.

Galen Sturup offers Alan a little interlude of corn, basil, onion and garlic. Very tasty.

Galen Sturup offers Alan a little interlude of corn, basil, onion and garlic. Very tasty. (I love Alan’s expression!)

From left, Dan and Cathy Brown with Cecelia Waters.

From left, Daniel and Cathy Brown with Cecelia Waters.

A potato and poke fritter was the next course. I loved it.

A potato and poke fritter was the next course. I loved it.

Susan and David Long. She's with the Community Action Committee.

Susan and David Long. She’s with the Community Action Committee.

This course called "Squash" was a corn quesadilla (made into a cornmeal mush) topped with a goat cheese stuffed squash flower and some greens called lambs quarter. You see those little specks of orange on the plate? They were hot as heck (which I loved).

This course called “Squash” was a corn quesadilla (made into a cornmeal mush) topped with a goat cheese-stuffed squash flower and some greens called lambs quarter. You see those little specks of orange on the plate? They were hot as heck (which I loved).

Scott Bird and Maria Cornelius of Moxley Carmichael. She's a vegetarian, so she was very happy with this event.

Scott Bird and Maria Cornelius of Moxley Carmichael. She’s a vegetarian, so she was very happy with this event.

Maria's favorite beverage, Miller Lite, attracted some attention. "Where'd you get that Miller Lite?" someone asked us. "We brought a whole cooler full," we responded. "Help yourself!" (We are lucky to represent Cherokee Distributing Company, the local Miller distributor.)

Maria’s favorite beverage, Miller Lite, attracted some attention. “Where’d you get that Miller Lite?” someone asked us. “We brought a whole cooler full,” we responded. “Help yourself!” (We are lucky to represent Cherokee Distributing Company, the local Miller distributor.)

From left, Greg Austin (a retired chef from Spago in Los Angeles!), Judy Loest and Barbara Kelly, the executive director of the Community Action Committee.

From left, Greg Austin (a retired chef from Spago in Los Angeles!), Judy Loest and Barbara Kelly, the executive director of the Community Action Committee.

Gnudi with red tomato sauce, green tomato relish and tomato leaf pesto. Wow, it was good.

Gnudi with red tomato sauce, green tomato relish and tomato leaf pesto. Wow, it was good.

Georgiana Vines, center, with Jack and Marlene O'Hanlon.

Georgiana Vines, center, with Jack and Marlene O’Hanlon.

Dessert was candy cap mushroom kombucha baby. Kombucha is a fermented tea. A Dutch baby is a puffy popover/pancake thing. Candy cap mushrooms are used for flavoring -- not as a vegetable as other mushrooms are. I told you these folks were creative! This was good!

Dessert was candy cap mushroom kombucha baby. Kombucha is a fermented tea. A Dutch baby is a puffy popover/pancake thing. Candy cap mushrooms are used for flavoring — not as a vegetable as other mushrooms are. I told you these folks were creative! This was good!

Bravo, Chef DeAlejandro!

Bravo, Chef DeAlejandro!

 

 

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14 Responses to Savoring Beardsley’s scintillating Solstice Supper

  1. Maria Cornelius, on June 27th, 2016 at 11:00 am said:

    The food was wonderful! So happy Moxley Carmichael sponsored this – and love having Scott Bird as my dinner date. 🙂

  2. Krissy DeAlejandro, on June 27th, 2016 at 11:28 am said:

    I love this! Thanks for being supportive, Cynthia! Hate I missed it!

  3. Lauren Miller, on June 27th, 2016 at 11:44 am said:

    I suspected it would be a success considering the good folks working together on this one: Beardsley Farm, Chef DeAlejandro, Moxley Carmichael and the other farms and partners. Now, I’m very hungry for lunch.

  4. Monique Anderson, on June 27th, 2016 at 12:14 pm said:

    Gotta say those pea/snake things look a little scary. But, of course looks like it was all great.

  5. cmmoxley, on June 27th, 2016 at 12:23 pm said:

    Maria: Appreciate you and Scott coming along to fly the MoxCar flag! It was fun!

    Krissy: What a great job he did!

    Lauren: Next year!

    Monique: I know, right?

  6. Khann Chov, on June 27th, 2016 at 12:25 pm said:

    Thanks Cynthia for the write up! And thank you Moxley Carmichael for generously sponsoring Solstice Supper!

  7. cmmoxley, on June 27th, 2016 at 12:33 pm said:

    Khann: We were happy to do it. Had fun!

  8. Deborah Sams, on June 27th, 2016 at 2:30 pm said:

    I wasn’t sure about it, but will have to go next time. Looks like it was a veggie feast!

  9. Shaun Fulco Hyver, on June 27th, 2016 at 3:24 pm said:

    What a fun event and an awesome experience. Food was great! Thanks for including me.

  10. cmmoxley, on June 27th, 2016 at 4:21 pm said:

    Deborah: If you like vegetarian food, this is the real deal!

    Shaun: Thanks for helping host the MoxCar table!

  11. Sara Pinnell, on June 27th, 2016 at 5:08 pm said:

    We are so lucky to have Jeff here in Knoxville! Loved hearing about this and wish I could have attended!!

  12. Rusha Sans, on June 27th, 2016 at 7:10 pm said:

    Lots of dishes I’ve never seen, but what fun they would have been to try. I love these foodie times we’re living in. Fresh, clean, good. Your pictures help me visualize!

  13. Barbara Kelly, on June 27th, 2016 at 7:14 pm said:

    Good to see so many people coming out to support Beardsley Farm. Thanks to Chef De Alejandro, farm partners, volunteers, and Moxley Carmichael. Thank you, Cynthia for your pictures of the creative, delicious menu.

  14. Cynthia Moxley, on June 27th, 2016 at 8:30 pm said:

    Sara: I agree about Jeff!

    Rusha: I think you and Bert really would enjoy this. You are adventurous eaters.

    Barbara: Wow, you all knocked it out of the park once again!

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