Menu announced for The Village Feast

Guests sit at long tables under the sycamore trees at Davis' Central Park at the 2018 Village Feast. Photo by Hanna Schoenberger

Annual summer sendoff is Sept. 28 in Davis’ Central Park

(From press release) The extensive menu is set. Do you have your ticket? The acclaimed Village Feast returns to Davis on Saturday, Sept. 28.

The event, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Central Park, 401 C St., Davis, is presented by Davis Farm to School and the Les Dames d’Escoffier International, Sacramento. The event celebrates September Farm to Table month in the Sacramento region.

The Village Feast follows Le Grand Aïoli tradition of late-summer feasts of Provence, France, where aïoli — golden garlic-mayonnaise — unites people and food for a gastronomic celebration. Guests bring their own best dinnerware, flatware and linen or cloth napkins, setting the scene for a long, leisurely meal under the shade of the sycamore trees. Wine glasses are provided.

The Sacramento region and Provence share a rich agricultural bounty and Mediterranean climate. All that is needed for a feast — olives and olive oil, vegetables, nuts, wines, lamb and more — is cultivated from local soil.

The meal begins with an aperitif hour, with local olives and roasted nuts, Three Ladies Cafe’s Lavender Lemonade, Matchbook’s Tinto Rey Rosé, Great Bear Vineyards’ Chardonnay and Rose of Tempranillo, and Hemly Pear Hard Cider.

Grilled vegetables with peppers, squash, carrots and eggplant are passed with local wine at the 2018 Village Feast. Photo by Hanna Schoenberger.

The luncheon, served family style, consists of mixed heirloom tomatoes with local olive oil, sea salt and basil; Upper Crust Baking Company sweet baguettes and Cobram Estate extra-virgin olive oil; Aïoli from local eggs; Superior Farms grilled leg of lamb with herbs; Summer Shelling-Bean Salad (vegan) with beans from Rancho Gordo; grilled vegetables with peppers, squash, carrots and eggplant; fingerling potatoes and local hard-cooked eggs. It includes red and white wines from Berryessa Gap, Bogle, Great Bear Vineyards, Heringer Estates, Matchbook and Senders. For dessert, there’s Bella Bru Bosc Pear Tart with Moonshine Trading Company honey, locally grown fresh pears from Greene & Hemly, and Chocolate Fish Coffee.

Guests bid on more than two dozen culinary experiences, eclectic adventures and artwork. Highlights of the silent auction include “chef for a day” and dinner for two at Chez Panisse, Alice Waters’ iconic restaurant in Berkeley; a gift certificate to Acquerello restaurant in San Francisco; stays in two homes in Southern France, donated by Martin Barnes and Georgeanne Brennan; a 10-course Tuscan dinner for eight, prepared by Jonathan Moon; a cooking with lemons class; a French macaron cookie-making class; Sunday afternoon tea party; and an expert wine-and-cheese pairing.

Les Dames d’Escoffier and Davis Farm to School paired up for this event because of their shared visions. Both are charitable, tax-exempt organizations working to support early and continued education around food and agriculture. Les Dames d’Escoffier, a philanthropic organization of female leaders in the food, fine beverage and hospitality, gives scholarships to women in food, wine and agriculture in the Sacramento region. The group’s international president, Ann Stratte, will be a special guest. Davis Farm to School gives garden grants, farm field trips and support for farm-fresh food in the private and public schools in the Davis area. 

Guests enjoy fingerling potatoes and local hard-cooked eggs at the 2018 Village Feast. Photo by Hanna Schoenberger.

Through Thursday, Aug. 15, Tickets are $95, or $750 for a table of eight, which guarantees group seating. After that, prices are $115 and $880. All other seating is first come, first served. Visit bit.ly/thevillagefeast2019 for tickets, and the Davis Farm to School website for additional details at https://www.davisfarmtoschool.org/.