Labor Day weekend is upon us, and we all deserve a nice long weekend to celebrate ourselves — the workers, makers, doers, those who grow our food, who cook it, and those who love to grill. This is the ceremonial end-of-summer weekend when, if you own a grill, you should be grilling. Maybe stop by your favorite purveyor of fine meats, pick up something extra special, and do your best to showcase the talents you spent all summer perfecting.
As I talked recently with Corkscrew Saloon owner and executive chef Ryan Marino, who was busy working the line, I thought I should give a special Labor Day shoutout to the hardworking folks in the restaurant industry. To stand by any of them on the line while they prepare food is an amazing experience and gives you a sense of gratitude for all that goes into a meal. A restaurant is full of talented team members, and teamwork shines bright at Corkscrew.
You know who else deserves a Labor Day shoutout? Farmers. They truly are the backbone of our country, growing the produce and raising the livestock that make our lives immeasurably better.
The Feast at the Farm fundraiser at Richardson Farms on Sept. 18 will feature a farm-to-table dinner prepared by Corkscrew Saloon’s Ryan Marino, local 4-H families, and Richardson Farms.Karl Gerhard
In just three weeks, on Thursday, Sept. 18, from 6 to 9 p.m., you’ll have the opportunity to visit a local farm — Richardson Farms — and see both Corkscrew Saloon’s Ryan Marino as well as local 4-H club families and some of the folks from Richardson Farms prepare and serve a wonderful farm-to-table dinner titled Feast at the Farm. I’ll be there serving, cooking, or doing whatever they need me to do.
This dinner is a fundraiser benefiting the Medina Odd Fellows, a hardworking group of charitable brothers, and a local 4-H group, the Mavericks. It will include a wine pull, a bourbon raffle and a cash bar.
The dinner will feature hors d’oeuvres, fresh farm vegetables, a Corkscrew Saloon preparation of pork chops from Richardson Farms, and pies for dessert, along with one drink ticket and a cash bar. Live music will accompany the meal, and the evening will wrap up with a sunset hayride. Nothing beats a hayride on the farm.
I’ve done a few cooking events at Richardson Farms and love the setting for this meal, which takes place under tents near a rustic pavilion by the lake and pumpkin patch. A Farm Bureau farm-to-table dinner was held in this same spot a few years ago and was amazing, and this one should be similar — though not quite as fancy. Tickets are limited, so I recommend scanning the QR code in this week’s Richardson Farms ad to buy yours, or you can purchase tickets in person at Richardson Farms.
I hope to see some of you there for an amazing feast at the farm.
As always, I urge you to eat fresh, dine local, and be happy.
