Love your food, care about from where it comes, how it is grown, and about the people who produce it. If you do this, you will help maintain a sustainable food source and the beauty that is local farming. Oh, and it will also taste pretty darn good too! This is the message we took (and savored) from the latest “Farm-to-Post Tasting” series at Post 390.

In the latest dinner, the fantastic team at Post 390 collaborated with wonderful folks at Acorn Hill Farm and Hudson Valley Foie Gras to create a masterful four-course dinner that left our bellies happy and us gazing at our food pictures the next day craving more!

Each month, Post 390 Executive Chef Nicholas Deutmeyer, Executive Sous Chef Casey Lovell, and Owner Chris Himmel do a spectacular job of scanning the northeast for farms and fishing communities who not only value the quality of the food, but also the environment. These are ideals that the Post 390 team hold close to their own hearts and menus; actually, we all should.

Buying from local and conscientious farms has a profound affect on many things; from our economy to the assortment of foods we see cropping up at local farmers’ markets. These guys are doing a good thing by showcasing the hard work and beautiful bounties these local businesses produce.

So, let’s get into the good stuff – the farms and the food!

Acorn Hill Farm

First up was Acorn Hill Farm. This farm happens to be in the business of goats. From cheese to yogurt and even fudge, Acorn Hill cares deeply for the goats they raise. You know we have a hard time resisting puns, no matter how terrible, so here it goes – it was anything but Baaaahd! In fact, everything we tasted was ah-maaah-zing. The products were featured in a gorgeous cheese station, as well as in the reception appetizers and desert.

Okay, full disclosure, we are cheese freaks! So, when we saw this lovely cheese station we had to exhibit a little bit of restraint. Featured from Acorn Hill were three wonderful goat cheeses. First a mild chevre, accompanied with honey and lavender, roasted garlic and sundried tomato. Next up, marinated feta, with olives, herbs, and chilies. Lastly, a deliciously creamy ricotta with cracked black pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Ah, sweet heaven!

The Appetizers were also well-planned little delights! On the far left, you’ll see the perfectly prepared Jamaican Jerk Goat skewers. These bites of spicy grilled goat shoulder were tender little mouthfuls! We loved them.

Goat somosas take center stage on this beautiful wooden tray. Stuffed with spiced meat, peas, and pickled chilies, these hearty pastries were mini-powerhouses; so good!

Pictured to the far right, in those dainty little pastry cups, goat yogurt blends nicely with rose water, honey and thyme.

From cheeses to appetizers, Post 390 knocked this one out of the park!

Cocktails

Post 390 Beverage Manager, Jason Percival, is known for taking his cocktails to kitchen, with unique and thoughtful ingredients they are always a pleasure for the palate! At the reception, we were delighted to taste his latest culinary cocktail creation, the “All Laid Back.” This gorgeous sunset-hued cocktail helped to set the tone for a fun evening. Jamaican pot still gold rum, rooibos tea, Riesling ice wine, chestnut orgeat and angostura made for a cocktail that transported us to one of the exotic places where the appetizers might originally be served. Good job Jason! This drink definitely got us in the mood. 😉

Hudson Valley Foie Gras

The next collaborator with the Post 390 team was a producer we’ve admired pretty much our entire life. If you’re a foodie, you’re no stranger to the magic created by this farm. Now, perhaps that’s because you’ve tasted the amazing foie gras and duck, or perhaps it’s because of their rich history and well-established footing in the duck business. Hudson Valley Foie Gras was the first farm to produce foie gras in America, and today they are the largest producer in the US!

They are also one of the most responsible farms. Completely cage and antibiotic free, they use the entire duck, letting nothing go to waste. From meat to feathers to frames, everything gets utilized making them a zero waste farm. And if you don’t believe us, just ask the USDA Inspectors. The farm believes in transparency, offering full tours and allowing pictures of everything. Thumbs up Hudson Valley Foie Gras! We love you a little more now. 🙂

We also love how Chef Nicholas Deutmeyer utilized the products from the farm. As always, he and his team whipped up a little magic in the Post 390 kitchen. From the wonderful smells, to the sights to the taste, we have a full report on all four exquisite courses.

First Course – Tea-Dyed Duck Egg

Eye catching, entertainingly served, and wonderfully savory, this dish may have stolen the show! Presented in a traditional ramen fashion, a duck egg rested in a nice bed of fresh ramen noodles, bean sprout, herb salad and mulefoot cracklin. Servers came along and bathed the waiting egg with a broth of ginger, garlic and soy duck broth. Mmmmm. Bravo Nick! Personally, our favorite detail was the pretty purple edible flowers that floated to the top.

Second Course- Seared Foie Gra a L’Orange

We. Love. Foie. Gras. Seared or in a terrine, no matter what form, we fell in love with it as a young age and practically married it during a few trips to the South of France. So, when we were told Hudson Valley Foie Gras was one of the farmers in this “Farm-to-Post” series, we may have done a jig. Okay, we did do a jig. 😉

The second course, featuring our heart’s desire, did not disappoint! Gently seared and then splashed with port, this symbol for foodies sat atop late season citrus, and was lightly topped with baby watercress and red onion. And of course, you can’t have foie gras without brioche! Served with a Riesling ice wine, this course lived up to our expectation!

Third Course- Duck Breast, Sausage & Smoked Confit

Wowza! Molasses-braised navy beans, chive and potato puree, whole grain mustard and celery leaves played a beautiful and harmonious back-up to the juicy sliced duck, sausage and smoked confit that played the lead. All of these different flavors worked together despite their ability to standalone. We were seriously impressed. Just take a look at the pictures and we’re sure you might have a little food envy. 😉

Fourth Course- Melktert

One cannot have a proper dinner without desert. That’s just a fact, at least in our rule book. Served with a lovely oatmeal stout this Melktert mingled the perfect amount of tart, sweet, and creaminess. Okay, so we did need to google Melktert. What did we learn? This traditional South African desert uses a custard filling in a sweet pastry crust.

In the Post 390 version, whipped chevre fills a lovely shell. pickled rhubarb and pink peppercorn caramel balance the see-saw between sweet and tangy. Corn tuile provides a nice crunch texture as well as a visual component. What a finale to a perfect dinner!

Big hugs to Post 390 for allowing us to join the table for this exciting series. Major jazz hands to the creative minds behind the dinner and to Acorn Hill Farm and Hudson Valley Foie Gras!

The Post 390 Team Talks to Diners About the Dinner


A Regular Attendee Shows Us His Cool Boston Tie
 
Menu for the Dinner


A Beautifully Set Table and Spring-Motive Decorations

We had such a great time at the dinner. Besides great food, we enjoyed wonderful conversations and a few hearty laughs; the best things that should come from a good meal! As a bi-product, we are also thinking more about where our food comes from and the people who grow it. For that, Post 390 deserves a pat on the back. Keep up the good work!

The Haute Life