Banquet of Bounty - Red Moon Farm Dinner, Aug. 18

In the spirit of ancient Chinese customs, Big Bowl and Heritage Prairie Farm will host a grand banquet to celebrate the bounty and uniqueness of their partnership around the auspicious full moon.
 
The Red Moon Farm Dinner, featuring 15 dishes, will be Thursday, August 18, 2011 beginning at 6 p.m., at the farm, located at 2N 308 Brundige Road in La Fox, IL.  This special event is priced at $65 per person, exclusive of tax.
 
Earlier this year, Big Bowl and Heritage Prairie Farm launched their Seed-to-Table initiative, a unique collaboration between farmer and restaurant. Two acres at the farm are dedicated to growing sustainable produce specifically for Big Bowl that Executive Chef Marc Bernard selected from heirloom seed.  Big Bowl and the farm collaborated to create a sustainable harvest while staff from all four Chicagoland Big Bowl locations take turns tending the farm.
 
This Chinese customary occasion – inviting the community to celebrate the bounty – showcases produce from the farm. But because a banquet is naturally grand and ambitious in nature, the Red Moon Farm Dinner extends beyond the usual Big Bowl fare.
 
“These dishes are inspired by what we serve everyday at Big Bowl but also what you might find at great Asian banquets, whether it’s the sweet corn custard and the green vegetable dumplings or the seasonal kimchi vegetables and the crispy-skin fire roasted organic pork,” says Bernard.
 
The dinner will begin with Lemon Honeyade featuring local organic vodka and fresh lemon sweetened with honey from Big Bowl’s hive on the farm via Bron’s Bees.  A non alcoholic version will also be available.
 
Several passed hors d’oeuvres will follow,  such as shrimp and pork stuffed chiles, before two entrees which include Beggar’s Chicken - lotus leaf wrapped organic chicken stuffed with black mushrooms, onion, ginger and pickled vegetable.  It is then packed in clay and roasted in coal.
 
For dessert, cornmeal cake with  peaches and organic cream, watermelon granita and sweet corn gelato and blueberry compote will be served. For the complete menu, click here.

There will also be live music.
 
Tickets can be purchased at the farm website by clicking here or by calling 630 443-5989.