Chicago Dames Host Special Farm-Bread-Beer Dinner

 

Dames Nicole Pederson of Found, Ellen King of Hewn and Claudia Jendron of Temperance Beer Company teamed up with Andy Hazzard to host a special, three-course dinner Sat., August 6 at Hazzard Free Farm in Pecatonica, Ill. with local farm produce, heritage bread and craft brews. Guests were bused to Hazzard Free Farms about 2 hours outside of Chicago. After a craft cocktail hour greeting featuring some specialty Temperance Beer Company beer cocktails, attendees embarked on a private guided tour of the farm by Hazzard, whose family has been farHazzard Free Farms_0043 copyming in Northern Illinois since 1847. The group strolled along a babbling creek amid the preserved farmland, discovering the grains used to create Hewn’s hand-forged breads and pastries and witnessing a bounty of sprouting vegetables and fields of wildflowers all while experiencing the picturesque scenery of the farm in full bloom during peak harvest season.

Chef Nicole Pederson whips up some creations using Hazzard Free Farm food
Chef Nicole Pederson whips up some creations using Hazzard Free Farm food

The feast began at 6:30 p.m. with a family-style sit down dinner under the open sky, in a setting that harkened back to historic, seasonal farm feasts celebrating the impending harvest. The menu featured a variety of local, seasonal fare prepared by Pederson, including a stone fruit and cherry tomato salad with toasted coriander, Cashill Blue cheese, pistachio granola and sherry vinaigrette, along with grilled Jefferson Township beef served with purple barley and charred onion arugula salsa verde. Hand forged breads and pastries included a crostini using Hewn’s heritage wheat bread topped with spicy eggplant with pickled onion and chard and a

seasonal crisp with berries, peaches and whipped cream. All this was served alongside a small batch of Temperance Beer Company beer brewed specially for this event, including a Berliner Weisse brewed with Hazzard Free Farm grains.

Andy Hazzard talks about farm life
Andy Hazzard talks about farm life
Dame Claudia Jendron discusses beer
Dame Claudia Jendron discusses beer
Hewn's Dame Ellen King
Hewn’s Dame Ellen King

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