Sip wine with the chickens. Enjoy the summer sun in a bit of what remains of Fair Oaks original olive groves. Sit under the apple, cherry, pear & citrus trees that have been tended-to so carefully. Check out the organic garden & little vineyard while we picnic on hand-crafted food that is as local as it gets.

The 100 mile-radius theory? How about less than 50 feet away.  

Every gathering starts with some time to socialize over a table-full of seasonal offerings. Maybe some rustic earth-oven baked loaves, rich & silky pork rillettes, homemade goat's milk cheese & some sips of cool spiked gazpacho. As the sun sets, we sit down to enjoy a family-style table of dishes while we toast to our content. I may have made a platter of plump, buttery tortelloni stuffed with housemade ricotta & fresh herbs, garlicky sauteed Roman-style Romesco broccoli, a grape-leaf wrapped grilled wild salmon topped with Moroccan-style preserved lemons over a warm rice salad with toasty pine-nuts, currants, caramelized shallots & cinnamon, tomato braised baby eggplant, fennel pollen spiced lamb chops with a dab of tamarind & sweet pepper chutney and a Mission fig & Cambazola tart made with the 2nd crop of burstingly ripe, juicy figs from our tree, drizzled with honey from my brother-in-law's bees (which is THE most amazing honey that will ever stick to your lips!)  Sometimes we have a little bonfire too which is great for s'mores made with homemade toasted coconut marshmallows.

As the chef, I source everything very carefully. I work with a small family-run ranch for lamb, beef, goat & chicken as well as a local pig rancher. My great friend is an organic grower and I sometimes get produce from her too (www.peasandharmony.net) I have a background in wine as well & always provide recommendations for what to drink to accompany (its B.Y.O.B. in our backyard.)

While this does sound like a genteel affair, there will be plenty of good humor too. I will do my best to keep the hubby off the unicycle & make sure he doesn't start juggling. Of course, he is always much more fun after some of the good homebrew so I walk a fine line.

If you'd like to be included on the invitation list, please send me an email.
-TRACY