Saturday September 10th the benefit for Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) happened at our Sister Restaurant Canyon Kitchen in Cashiers, NC. A week or so ago I did a post leading up to the event, and now that the event has happened here is a recap.
We started our night being welcomed into the beautiful setting of Lonesome Valley. Lonesome Valley was a working farm from the 1940s until the mid 1980s. It was of course the birthplace of Sunburst Trout in 1948. The weather was perfect and so was the venue of a previous farm and eating dinner in the Jennings Barn that is Canyon Kitchen.
As everyone gathered over a, now legal, truly Southern cocktail, Troy and Sons Moonshine and Cheerwine. Called Moonwine Sparkler. We all got to know each other a little better. It was a truly intimate evening.
It was then time to be seated, and everyone had assigned seating so you could get to know someone new. I was fortunate enough to sit with the Haye’s, Ashley and Chef Adam from the Red Stagg Grill.
When we sat down at the table we were served family style, as Canyon Kitchen likes to do, our Snacks. Goat Cheese Gnudi Lobster Mushrooms and Sage Brown Butter, the mushrooms were foraged by one of the kitchen staff in Highlands. Berber Pizza with Fig Relish, Caramelized Onions and Benton’s 25 Month Prosciutto. Double Deviled Eggs, and Nana’s Corn-Pickled Okra.
We then had three Entrees. The first was the Lime-Fennel Pollen Cured Sunburst Trout with Heirloom Tomatoes and Sorrel Wood Roasted Tomato Essence.
The next course was Rhubarb Glazed Lamb Belly with Butternut Squash and Judion Bean Ragout and Collard Green Kim Chee. A side note the Rhubarb is an heirloom variety grown by the operation manager at Sunburst Trout.
The last Entree was a Cocoa Nib-Porcini Rubbed Carolina Bison Rib Eye with Lyonnaise Creamer Potatoes, Short Rib Sauce and Chili Braised Tuscan Kale.
The last course was dessert and it did not disappoint. Spiced Raspberry Shortcake with raspberries from a local berry farm in Waynesville, NC, with Vanilla Creme Fraiche. Almond Chocolate Bar Crunch. As well as Pack Square Cheese with Honey Crisp, Black Walnut and Tulip Poplar Honey from Busy Bees Honey.
The meal was amazing, the Chef was amazing, the company was amazing and the organization we were celebrating is AMAZING!
Join us this Thursday September 15th from 3-6pm at Ingles Brevard to see ASAP at work. With a cooking demonstration with Sunburst, Appalachian Ratatouille.
