Coming back after a successful run last year, the Corn Moon Dinner will be held on August 13 on the grounds of Green Heron Growers in Sherman, N.Y. raising money for Slow Food Southern Tier.
The Corn Moon Dinner derives its name from the full moon in August called “Corn Moon” by Native Americans. “Even though there may not be a full moon the night of the dinner, it is still a really cool name,” Bares said.
The Corn Moon Dinner will consist of only naturally grown foods by seven different local farms and wineries. This fundraising dinner will feature food and drinks from Abers Acres, Busti Cider Mill, Farm Market and Munsee Farm, Good Grass Farm, Green Heron Growers, Lapp Farm Dairy and Johnson Estate Winery.
However, a great four-course meal with passed hors d’oeuvres beforehand won’t be the only thing you’ll enjoy that night. This year, the Corn Moon Dinner has partnered with Green Heron Growers to bring you a night lights display.
“Night lights at The Heron” is an eco-tourism attraction that offers a one-mile walk through the forest. In the forest, a little café opens up every night for people to come through and listen to live bands play, including on the night of the Corn Moon Dinner. Aqueous, a self-described meld of rock-based jamming and shifting improvisation, will perform after the dinner.
Only about 125 spots are available for the dinner. Tickets are only $85 per person and include the lighted walk and the band. The dinner takes place outdoors so that people may enjoy the beautiful summer night. However, if the weather appears to be iffy, a tent will be put up.
On the evening of the Corn Moon Dinner, guests can begin arriving around 6:00 p.m. and dinner should start around 6:30 p.m., said Elizabeth Bares, co-founder of the Corn Moon Dinner and chapter leader of Slow Food Southern Tier.
For the event, three chefs have volunteered their time to create delicious foods just for you. Garrett Taylor, co-founder of the Corn Moon Dinner, is one of the three chefs that will be preparing the Corn Moon Dinner. He is a Sous chef at Three Sisters Café at the Seneca Allegany Casino. Before, Chef Taylor worked in kitchens throughout Ithaca and Allegany, N.Y. The other two chefs are Bret Odorisio, assistant general manager of the Athenaeum Hotel, and Chef Ross E. Warhol, executive chef at the Athenaeum Hotel.
Most of the proceeds from the dinner will go to Slow Food Southern Tier. Slow Food’s goal is to bring fresh, locally grown food to all people. The Slow Food Southern Tier Chapter helps food pantries in Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties get fresh foods from local farms.
Last year, the first Corn Moon Dinner profited Edible Grace, another organization similar to Slow Foods. However, Bares said, since Slow Food already had their not-for-profit license, it was easier to get involved with an already established group.
As of right now, the Corn Moon Dinner has no set menu because it depends on what fruits and vegetables are ripe in time for the dinner. Bares describes the meal as “Mother Nature dependent.” “We can’t really say what we are going to do because if tomatoes don’t come in this year then we can’t do any tomatoes,” Bares said. “It depends on how the summer goes. If it goes well we will plan nice dishes that highlight what came in … it really depends on what is ripening at that time.”
To reserve your seat at the Corn Moon Dinner, call Bares at 716-307-1494 or Megan Taylor (Chef Taylor’s wife) at 716-307-0403. You can even buy your tickets online by visiting johnsonwinery.com. People can also visit www.cornmoondinner.org for more information.
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