Third Annual KBEM JAZZ Fundraiser at Gardens of Salonica: Celebrating the Greek Harvest

The "THIRD" already? I actually argued with Kevin Barnes thinking it was only the second time....even so, the stress got to me all the same as if it was the first time and all the world was coming...So, again nearly forty KBEM supporters gathered on a cool October evening to celebrate a Greek harvest

vis a vie a four course dinner paired with Greek wine. So, what's a Greek Harvest celebration like? What's left in the gardens of the Horyio? Green wax peppers, basil, yes, they still have basil, cabbage, potatoes, apples, pumpkins and, of course, grapes. So, what did we serve and pair? We started with Basil Feta Cream with Pita Points, Grilled Octopus and Fried Wax Peppers in vinaigrette. This was paired with the quintessential Kourtaki Retsina and a light, floral Moschofillero wine from KEO, the wine co-op of Samos. This was followed by lovely and earthy platters of beetroot salads mounded with their green tops, Tzatziki sauce and grilled pita. A dry Rose' from Skouras Winery brightened the flavors while standing up to some of the hottest garlic we have ever tasted supplied by our Amish friends in Wisconsin. This was followed by some of the most melt-in-your-mouth braised pork shoulder, cabbage and heirloom potatoes, also from Wisconsin, in a toasted coriander sauce. The Agioryitiko red that was paired with this dish played up the natural sweetness of the meat and cabbage and tweaked the coriander flavors that permeated the dish. Finally, to top this all, Haralson apples from our Ames Farm friends and butter roasted pumpkin wrapped and baked in fillo. Plated with a dollop of Ginger Ricotta Cream and a swoosh of Concord grape sauce from our friends from the Southeast Food Network, the Samos Muscat dessert wine added a seventh dimension to this heavenly concoction that was neither sweet nor overwhelming, but bite after bite another delight on the palate. Photos above show Kevin who HAD been seating across from his wife, Terry or Terri (sorry!), his son, whose birthday we celebrated, but instead at the photographer's request got up and acted silly with, I think it was, Caleb, whose birthday we also celebrated. Na ta ektostisete! Yeoryia shot the photo of dessert. Man, does she do her mother proud!