Holiday 2018 Issue
A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
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ENCHANTED DINNER ON THE FARM
As guests arrive at Beach Plum Farm, all is winter quiet. It is mostly dark. The air is still—expectant—and people mill about. Their breath is visible in the night air Gathered together each receives a kerosene lantern and is led down a wooded marshland trail.
Snow crunches underfoot as a clearing comes into view, the moon shining high. There, the unexpected awaits: a glowing fire pit and heat lamps, throwing gentle heat; gentle holiday tunes; flutes of bubbly and hot cider served from a candle-lit bar and passed trays of house-made hors d’oeuvres. The Farm-to-Table dinner at Beach Plum Farm is officially underway.
In short order diners are abuzz, thrown fully into the present. The vibe is Narnia-esque. General Manager Christina Albert says this is part of the farm’s commitment to “surprise and delight”—and cocktails under the stars are only the beginning. Heading back toward the hoophouse, where tonight’s dinner will be held, diners encounter a festive tableau of fresh pine trimmings and warm candlelight.
Ushered to long, communal tables, it is officially time to feast. Executive chefTodd Phillips has been hard at work, teasing winter flavors from the farm. Think celery root and butternuts. Sustainable farm-raised chicken pot pie and heritage Berkshire pork. Between each course, diners learn about the ingredients on their plates.
“We like to talk about why our meat is so special,” Albert says. “We only serve what we grow. We have broad-breasted brown turkeys and broiler chickens that we raise on pasture. That’s very important.” From those appetizers in the woods to the main dish, everything is local, in season and picked fresh that day. “Todd is very creative.”
The meal ends with dessert and a sprinkling of additional revelry. “Everyone has full bellies and warm hearts, and we sing a Christmas carol,” Albert says. “I usually start out easy: ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Winter Wonderland,’ ‘Deck the Halls.’ Everyone gets a songbook, and then, if they are feeling more adventurous, we hop on a hayride. To see the farm asleep at night, it’s really something else.”
S Beach Plum Farm
140 Stevens St.
West Cape May
609.602.0128
beachplumfarmcapemay.com
Beach Plum Farm’s winter BYOB Farm-to-Table Dinners begin December 1 and go through Christmas Eve. Some dinners are prepared by guest chefs, and each event is a little different, from the location of the meal to the menu. beachplumfarmcapemay.com.
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