Slow Food at Oakland Farm

A few weeks ago, Josh and Margaret picked up a flier at the Baton Rouge Farmer's Market for "Dinner in the Field" held at Oakland Organic Farm and Plantation. The event was sponsored by:

Slow Food is a national organization with a local chapter that supports organic farming and "food that is good, clean, and fair." We signed up for the event with no expectations, and turns out,  it was fantastic.

Oakland Farm and Plantation is in Gurley, Louisiana and owned and operated by a couple named Hutch and Prentiss. Here it is:

 The plantation home has been in Hutch's family for generations. Hutch, Prentiss, and their four children now live on the plantation and farm the grounds with the help of volunteers called Woofers. 


For "Dinner in the Field" we actually ate in the original dining room of the home, predating the Civil War. We thought it was beautiful:

Two peaks inside:

The beamed ceilings were something special...

...as was the candlelit dining room.

We ate family style courses of homegrown vegetables, sausages, pate, risotto, couchon de lait, etc. etc. prepared by chefs from local restaurants like Juban's, Beau Soleil, and City Club, to name a few. The meal was finished with rosemary and strawberry gelato from Latte e Miele on Highland. (It's authentic gelato...take it from the girl who packed on 20 El Beeezs while studying in Italy in college.)


We sat at farm tables with soon to be friends, one of which was Hutch. We learned that the now farmer and family man was a former banker (whom I may have developed a slight crush for. Turns out I wasn't the only one wooed by Hutch's stories of hunting in Africa, his courtship with Prentiss, and life on his plantation. On the drive home, I confessed my crush to Josh and his response was, "Well, me, too!" :)

The night ended with Hutch toasting to growing food slowly, the old-fashioned way. Though I'm not very educated about organic farming, I can recognize that the produce we ate that night was some of the most flavorful food I've had. Thanks to Hutch for opening your home to us and to Slow Food Baton Rouge for great food and a great cause.