Cinque Terre's Grandview Farm To Host Third Annual Harvest Dinner

Grandview Farm, the home of Cinque Terre and Vignola restaurant co-owners Dan Kary and Michelle Mazur-Kary, will present its Third Annual "Harvest Dinner" on Sunday, October 1 (rain or shine). "We will be hosting this event at our historic farm in Greene, Maine," according to Dan Kary. "Our Harvest Dinner demonstrates our commitment to Maine's expanding Farm-to-Table movement, and this year's dinner again promises to be a special dining experience in a beautiful and private farm setting."

"This annual dinner is an opportunity for guests to spend an afternoon on the farm where we grow much of our own restaurants' produce," said Lee Skawinski, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Cinque Terre and Vignola (both located in Portland). "What makes this event so unique is that all of the produce served at the Harvest Dinner will have come out of Grandview's own gardens. Guests will enjoy a four-course meal which will feature many ingredients that are fresh from the fields. They'll also be able to visit with others who, like themselves, share a genuine passion for excellent food and fresh produce."

Kary describes Grandview Farm as a Maine "gem," having been continuously farmed since the 1780s. As part of Gourmet Magazine's July cover story, contributing editor Caroline Bates wrote of exploring Grandview Farm's "radiantly healthy acres of broccoli rabe, radicchio, zucchini, and the most beautiful fennel" she'd ever seen.

Kary is passionate about growing his own food for the restaurants, and noted that the freshness and variety of the farm's produce make all the difference. "Our gardens continue to yield amazingly flavorful produce. We're excited that our menu for this year's Harvest Dinner will be centered on these wonderful ingredients," he said.

Skawinski agreed, and noted: "This year, we plan to serve a late-summer vegetable soup, and nice antipasti of roasted farm squash with Robiola Cheese and Speck (a lightly smoked prosciutto). We've also got a great Bolognese planned using lamb from Paris, Maine's Stoneheart Farm, to be served with swiss chard polenta. Another great course will be our grilled flatiron steak with treviso radicchio, fingerling potatoes and toasted herb olive oil. And for dessert, Michelle, one of our hosts, is sure to turn out another fantastic dessert this year using fresh fruit from the farm."

An enthusiastic group has attended the event in the past and the same is expected for this year's dinner. "We'll be offering a casual reception before the dinner, where we can enjoy a nice aperitivo, and maybe a cup of fresh soup by the gardens," Skawinski said. "We then plan to sit down for a relaxed dinner by 3:00 PM or so, and will be offering great wine pairings with each course. It's sure to be another enjoyable and flavorful event this year."

DETAILS: Transportation to Grandview Farm is available for guests, and will leave Vignola Restaurant (10 Dana Street, Portland), at 1:00 PM sharp. Guests can expect to return to Vignola by 7:00 PM that evening. The cost for the day - inclusive of dinner, wines, transportation, tax and tip - is $75. Reservations are required. This is a limited-seating event. For further information, or to make your reservation, contact Cinque Terre Restaurant at Ph: 207/347-6154.

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