Even when the volunteers are intent on their chores and elbow deep in orka, the farm still has a picturesque quality. On a regular day you will see bussels of fresh produce surrounding the barn. Five different colors of red peppers, two different colors of eggplant, three types of spinach, squash and zucchini galore and endless amounts of herbs, flowers and greens to choose from. It is an absolutely beautiful scene of abundance and vitality.

So, last week when I had the opportunity to help prepare the farm for our “Come Grow With Us” dinner to benefit Georgia Organics and The Cumming Harvest, I jumped at the chance. What better way to inspire others to support the cause for fresh, local, organic foods than to share with them the source of our inspiration. With the help of the chefs at The Five Season Brewing company, we presented a feast that will surely not be soon forgotten. We dressed the tables, polished the silver and lit the candles with anticipation for the great event. Once the scene was set, I stood back, and was impressed with how lovely and serene the farm can feel on a early autumn evening as our guests began to appear.

And I often wonder, does everyone else see what I see? Do our guests see the magic of Cane Creek Farm like I do? So we asked Yvonne Williams, one of our very special dinner guests, to share her experience, dining on the farm….

City Girl Seeks Fine Farm Cuisine…

In my family, life revolves around dinner table, and Saturday night dinners were the event of the week—for twenty years now, my parents have maintained a weekly ritual of Saturday night dinners with their best friends, Mark and Judy Robson. The two families take turns preparing that weekend’s dinner, and year after year we’ve introduced each other to new culinary adventures.

Saturday, September 24th marked one more new adventure for my family. Judy, invited my family out to “her farm” where she has been volunteering her time, for one of the best Saturday night dinners I’ve had in a while. The secret to a good meal is good ingredients—if you have vegetables that never see real sunlight, never absorb real dirt, and then are processed to make thousand mile journeys, you can’t expect much from the end product. But if you have vegetables that bask in Georgia sunlight, that are grown according to our seasons, and are picked days (or hours) (and never weeks!) before cooking… well, you have the foundation for culinary perfection.

The air was crisp with the first hints of fall, which meant I had to pull out a sweater as our hosts brought out the first of the evening’s palate pleasures, but it also meant I started the evening with my first bowl of butternut squash soup of the season. You could taste the sweetness of the ripened squash, and the fresh bread that accompanied the soup tasted the way bread should: full and rich, not weightless and chalky!

As we moved on to the mains we were treated to a salad of mixed greens with fantastic peppers, grass-fed beef which practically melted as you ate it, a variety of vegetables which were vibrantly flavorful, mouth-watering chicken, and a finale of freshly baked goodies including my favorite – a sweet bread with fig! The dinner was a perfect demonstration of how good life is when you take the freshest ingredients, mixed with the best of company, and put it in the most beautiful of settings.

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 large tomato, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a medium size bowl, coarsely crush the crackers with your hands – you should have big cracker pieces. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and serve immediately. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Recipe courtesy http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/georgia-cracker-salad-recipe/index.html

1/2 cup sliced onion
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 lb. of okra
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sliced juliet tomatoes

Saute onion in 2 tablespoons of oil until golden.  Add ginger, garlic and spices and sauté for a few minutes.  Add okra and salt and cook a few minutes.  Add tomato and cook until liquids evaporate.

fresh husked corn
mayo
Tajin brand chile,lime,salt seasoning (found in most Mexican grocery stores)
grated parmesan

Boil ears of corn for about 5 minutes.  Drain and serve ears with mayo, sprinkle lightly with Tajin seasoning and parmesan cheese.  Delicious!

Small okra pods
Lemon juice
Butter
Salt

Steam small okra pods for approx. 3 minutes until bright green.  Place on platter with lemon, butter, and salt.  Enjoy!

eggplant, peeled and diced

onions, chopped

tomatoes, diced

salt and black pepper to taste

grated cheese to top

Cook eggplant in water.  Drain well and place in baking dish with tomato and onion.  Top with salt, pepper, and cheese.   Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

1 pound eggplant, peeled and diced.
3 medium onions, chopped
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons buttered, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese (your choice)
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

1. Combine eggplant and onion in a medium saucepan. Add water to a depth of 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until eggplant is tender. Drain.

2. Combine egg and eggplant mixture in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper and butter and mix well.

3. Mix sour cream and cheese in a small bowl.

4. Spoon half the eggplant mixture into the dish. Add half the cheese mixture on top. Repeat layers. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake 45 minutes.

Recipe from Sandy Brain

Wash greens and cut into strips.  Braise in a skillet with a little oil and garlic or green garlic.  If greens are not tender enough, add a little water or chicken broth and simmer a few minutes. Season with salt and balsamic vinegar. Carrots can be added with greens for some color.

Cut medium okra pods in half lengthwise.  Spray a heavy skillet with oil and heat.  Place the okra pods, flat side down in skillet and cook until slightly browned.  Turn over and cook a little more.  Remove from pan, season with salt or seasoned salt and serve.