Portland's Cinque Terre To Hold Fourth Annual Harvest Dinner

Cinque Terre's fourth annual Harvest Dinner will take place on Sunday, September 9 at Grandview Farm in Greene, Maine. This year's menu, a celebration of fresh, seasonal food, features a variety of vegetables, herbs and greens grown entirely at the farm. Local lamb, artisanal cheeses, Maine-made beer, and select Italian wines complete the dinner, expected to sell out quickly.

"What makes this event so special," explained Lee Skawinski, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Portland's Cinque Terra and Vignola restaurants, "is that guests will be able to enjoy produce that comes directly from Grandview's gardens. Our annual Harvest Dinner is a chance for people with similar passions for fresh Maine produce and wonderful food to come together and enjoy an afternoon in a beautiful farm setting."

"We're looking forward to celebrating the end of the growing season at our farm," added Dan Kary, who owns Cinque Terre and Vignola along with his wife, Michelle Mazur-Kary, and Chef Skawinski. "We'll be able to continue showing our dedication to Maine's strong farm-to-table movement by sharing a creative menu full of items hand-picked from our farm."

Dan Kary is passionate about the farm's produce and is passionate about supplying his restaurants with a variety of ingredients grown at Grandview Farm. The farm was profiled in Gourmet magazine in 2006, and has drawn raves from guests each year at past Harvest Dinners. "We're happy that this year's Harvest Dinner will again revolve around these fresh summer ingredients."

This year's dinner is no exception. "We'll be serving a minestrone alla Tenute with kale, chard, rabe, potatoes, onion, celery, carrots, tomato, squash and herbs - all grown at the farm," Skawinski noted.

"We also plan to feature an antipasto of grilled and marinated vegetables, Grandview Farm greens and select Maine cheeses. In addition, the menu will include ravioli ("zuppa di pesce") in tomato shellfish brodo with baby fennel and basil aioli. Stone Heart Farms grilled lamb with roasted beets, Russian red potatoes, and gratin of radicchio and tomato is the main course. Dessert, featuring a ricotta cheesecake with peach sauce and cherry compote, as well as a selection of artisan cheeses with honey and nuts, completes the meal."

"We'll hold an informal reception before dinner, where we can relax and begin with a nice aperitivo," said Skawinski. "Dinner will begin at 3:00 pm, and guests will have a choice of flavorful Allagash Belgian-style beers or great Italian wines with each course. I'm confident that this year will be another enjoyable and successful event."

DETAILS: Transportation to Grandview Farm is available for guests, and will leave Vignola Restaurant (10 Dana Street, Portland), at 1:30 pm. Guests can expect to return to Vignola by 7:00 pm the same evening. The cost for the day - inclusive of dinner, wines, transportation, but not tax and tip - is $65.

Reservations are required. This is a limited-seating event. For further information, or to make your reservation, contact Cinque Terre at 207/347-6154.

Additional menu information is available at www.cinqueterremaine.com.

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