Tutti a Tavola

“Tutti a tavola a mangiare” is how our favorite PBS chef Lidia Bastianich signs off on her cooking shows and it’s become a popular saying for us here too.

“Everyone to the table to eat” has become a common occurrence lately due to the Field to Fork Summer dinner series and a few private pizza parties we’ve had this summer at the farm.

You could say that the “eating” is the final culmination from all of the toil in the soil, the milling of flour, the feeding of sourdough starters, the harvesting of animals, the kitchen prep and tending the fire in the hearth.

And that wonderful last step in the journey carries with it all that has transpired before, as we imbibe and ingest not only nutrition and flavor, we take in the spirit, the sweat and the gratitude of the many hands that have brought forth this harvest and crafted it on our plates.

A connection to good food

Our connection to good food brings strong emotions.

It is organic and can be orgasmic. On rare occasions, it can be a religious experience.

Filled with laughter and merriment, the table comes alive.

The meal becomes more than mere sustenance, it becomes a celebration.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a multi-generation family whose dinners and gatherings instilled these passions in me.

They were special occasions and holidays I eagerly anticipated. As I got older, I curiously looked forward to giving back and hosting such events ourselves.

With the ability to bring food grown on the farm and in the Adirondacks into our kitchen, it takes on a deeper meaning.

I’m able to reach back further into an ancestral tapestry where the foods around the table were local and simple, but full of integrity.

And that is why we have loved having you at our table this season and hope in the future to say to you” tutti a tavola a mangiare!”