Before we landed at Upper Humber Settlement for our woofing gig, we noticed on their website that along with a farmstand, a bed and breakfast, and food boxes, they also offer a local farm to table dining/story telling experience. And it just so happened that on our first Thursday at the farm, Mark and Laura Lee would be hosting their first bus tour dinner. Up until now, they've accommodated small groups for this experience, but a recent agreement with a local bus tour company was about to expand the concept. It was all hands on deck Wednesday and Thursday to prep for 14 incoming dinner guests.
On Wednesday afternoon we started "Operation Beautification." Everyone was going full tilt, from Gayle and Paul to Pop and Nan. We weeded the front garden beds, raked paths, and generally tidied up. Despite the weather aggressively cycling through drizzle, downpours, and blistering sun, we had the place looking pretty good by the end of the day.
When we returned Thursday morning, hooking up electricity to the gazebo was the first priority. Paul worked his Handy Helper magic and within about 30 minutes we had connected and buried a new wire to bring in power. Next up, reattach the stairs and skirt the south side of the building. By 11:30, this task was done, and boy oh boy the gazebo looked darn good. Gayle worked with Doreen, Mark's mom, to set the table for dinner. We both did a little more clean up and tidy, fit in a bite of lunch, and by 3:15 we were heading home for a short break before the main event.
If you watch any cooking shows, you'll understand why we totally felt like we were part of a high-stakes MasterChef challenge. The first dish up was a toasted crostini with a green pesto base, freshly foraged fiddleheads, feta, and a drizzle of balsamic. Paul was on high-alert oven watch to ensure the baguettes didn’t turn into charcoal, and Gayle helped plate. It was a scrumptious beginner.
The second dish was a delicious garden grown squash soup, topped with Baltic yogurt, spring chives, and an edible pansy. Seriously, I cut the flowers from the greenhouse plants five minutes before adding them to the soups.
Between the soup and the main, Mark left the kitchen to brave the elements and BBQ the lamb chops outside. We multitasked like caffeinated machines, washing dishes and packing extra food while stirring, flipping, and tossing the upcoming mains. Just as we felt like we were hitting our stride, the oven flashed an "F2" error. Not sure what the "F" stood for, but given the sudden spike in our blood pressure, we certainly had a few choice words that fit.
We jiggled the fuses and, like the experienced, highly panicked sous chefs we are, kept the oven door closed and prayed to the kitchen gods. After five minutes of pure, unadulterated terror, Paul found and flipped the breaker. We were back on track, ready to plate the main course of carrots, potatoes, and lamb chops on a bed of parsnip puree, topped with a strawberry mint jam that was absolutely to die for!
Last up was a classic Newfoundland dessert, made courtesy of Nan. Mark calls them mini pies, but you'd probably call them bite sized tarts. Well, well, well. When you fill Nan's pastry with partridge berry and rhubarb jam, and put a dollop of Fussels Cream on them, you've got a magical party in your mouth.
Between courses we managed to enjoy the food and share some laughs. It was super fun to be part of this inaugural dinner experience. And I think for a long time in the future when we finish something pretty great, we'll be quoting Mark "We do's it" (translation: We did it)!