On Saturday evening, June 27, Crabtree Farms will open its gates to an evening of deliciousness, with some of Chattanooga’s favorite chefs coming together to treat you to an incredible meal.
But in order to be a part of this gastronomic event, you’ll need to be one of the first 100 to sign up and pay the fee of $100 ($150 for nonmembers of the farm). If you do, you’ll be enjoying a multi-course dinner made with foods grown within 100 miles of Chattanooga. Thus the name of the event: The 100 Dinner.
Anne Braly“The menu is so dependent on what’s available seasonally, we usually don’t know until right up close what it will actually end up being,” says Andrea Jaeger, programs coordinator for Crabtree Farms. “The week of the event, we let the chefs know what is growing, then they let us know what they would like us to harvest. We pick it fresh for them, and they make magic happen. The 100 Dinner is truly farm-to-table in that sense.”
Participating chefs include: Philippe van Grit from Flying Squirrel; Peter Barlow and Erik Niel from Easy Bistro; Nathan Flynt from Famous Nater’s; Rebecca Barron from St. John’s Restaurant; and Charlie Loomis from 1885 Grill.
Proceeds from the 100 Dinner are used to support the farms’ education and outreach programs, which include field trips, school visits and on-farm excursions for kids. Through the Urban Cultivators program, the farms’ also host workshops to teach people about growing their own food, urban gardening and homesteading training. Money from the dinner supports area food producers through the Grow Chattanooga program, as well.
The 100 Dinner, says Jaeger, “is a fun and delicious way to help keep Crabtree Farms’ programs growing.”
The dinner, which will also include local beers on tap, will be held in the open air in the fields surrounding the farm from 6-9 p.m. Western swing band Lou Wamp & Swing Shift will provide the entertainment. There will be a silent auction of local goods on which to place bids, too. To reserve a seat at the table, log onto crabtreefarms.org and follow the links.
Rub it in
Marinades can be wasteful. Sauces burn on the grill. But meats with nothing added are largely tasteless. At the least, they need salt and pepper.
But if you’re looking for bold, complex flavors, give the meat a rub down. Dry rubs help bring a blast of flavor with little trouble. And little, if any, mess.
“Rubs not only bring flavor, they also act as a tenderizer for meats,” says local cookbook author and grilling guru Kent Whitaker, a.k.a. The Deck Chef.
Rubbed onto the surface of meat, whether it be chicken, pork, beef or even fish, the rub forms a tasty crust that caramelizes and seals in juices, too.
“I think people tend to overthink rubs,” Whitaker says. “Dry rubs can be really simple – as easy as a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or a cheap packet of taco seasoning for Tex-Mex ribs. Or you can create your own mix.”
But rubs should match the type of cuisine you’re preparing, he says.
“Many people around the South want a Memphis-, Carolina- or Texas-style rub with ingredients that they expect with grilled or smoked ribs, beef, pork and chicken. That matches Southern-style cooking,” he says. “But if you’re having a menu that is more Mediterranean, Italian, Greek or even Asian, then you would want rubs with ingredients that fit those types of foods and any side dishes.”
While it’s OK to give meats a rub down for just a few minutes, longer is better.
“I like to rub items like ribs, briskets, Boston butts or any cheaper cut of steak as long as possible – sometimes overnight,” Whitaker says. “For delicate cuts of meat such as seafood, I generally use rubs, such as seafood seasoning, only a short time before they hit the grill.”
Some dry rubs are made for specific meats; others can be sprinkled on anything. What’s important is balance choosing flavors that complement the food without overpowering it.
This spicy-sweet rub, courtesy of Colman’s Mustard, is a good all-purpose rub for most all meats, fish and vegetables you choose to cook on the grill. I’ve tried it on ribs and it’s amazing.
BBQ Dry Rub
1/3 cup garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup Colman’s dry mustard powder
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
2 cups decaffeinated ground espresso
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup ground black pepper
Mix all together in a bowl and use as a rub on meat, fish or vegetables. Let it sit for at least 3 hours for meat or 30 minutes for fish or vegetables.
Note: This makes a lot but keeps for quite some time if kept in a sealed container in a cool, dry place. It is easily halved if you don’t need a lot.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.