Outstanding in the Field

Yesterday we were honored to cook for Outstanding in the Field at our friend Lee Hudson's farm.  Virtually all of our produce came from Hudson Ranch - garlic, beets, radishes, carrots, mesclun, suckling pigs and guinea hens - which made this an honest farm-to-table event.

The gorgeous setting, a grove bound by rows of Chardonnay grapes and a pond of wallowing hogs.  Notice the mobile chicken coop on the left.

Roasted Hudson Ranch vegetables, awaiting mesclun, soft-boiled egg and shaved tuna heart, served family-style.

Mounds of squash risotto.

And the clear highlight, spit-roasted "guinea pig."  Chefs Di Fede and Rodde deboned five suckling pigs, sewed them up, and stuffed them from snout to tail with about a hundred pounds of pork and guinea hen meat, essentially turning each into a supersized sausage that took five hours to cook and could feed forty.

Our thanks again to Outstanding in the Field and Lee Hudson for putting on a beautiful event.