Inspired by Jim Denevan's Outstanding in the Field dinners - dinners staged at organic farms near Santa Cruz, California since 1999 - four young partners in Boulder have developed Meadowlark Farm Dinners. The Meadlowlark Crew drives to a nearby farm in their catering bus, Bella, and harvests what is best from the field that day. They then use those ingredients to prepare that evening's dinner. A table is set outside in the field and seats all 35 guests. My wife and I attended last Friday's dinner at Frog Belly Farms, just outside of Longmont, Colorado and enjoyed one of our favorite meals of the year thus far.

The farm is in a beautiful spot, 80 acres of land in the foothills of the Rockies. We were greeted by Veronica Volny and Nate Ready, MS, with a summer cocktail of St. Germain and cucumber accompanied by expertly prepared tempura onion rings. As we took a walking tour of the farm and as the sun was setting, we gathered eggs and visited the pigs and llamas. Farmers Mike and Melanie have owned the property since 2005, and practice biodynamic farming. They produce beef, chicken, eggs, cheese, and some incredible produce.

We started with Greek salads, complete with Melanie's homemade feta cheese, which was paired with a crisp Sigalas Santorini. The Mediterranean flavors continued with lamb shish kebobs served over a bed of Carnaroli rice, with which we drank the Alphonse Mellot "Generations" Sancerre Rouge and offered a toast to the upcoming harvest. Finally, we devoured a chocolate mousse with fresh berries for dessert and opened a Château d'Arlay Vin de Paille to conclude the evening.

Thank you Meadowlark and Frog Belly Farm for an unforgettable night!

http://www.farmdinners.com/
http://www.frogbellyfarm.com/