By Maggie Ives
Special to The PREVIEW
Save the date of Aug. 13, when Big Brothers Big Sisters will host its first Gourmet Jubilee.
This is a unique dining experience for all to enjoy. Gourmet Jubilee is a five-course dinner, with each course being prepared by a different chef. Each course will also be paired with a different wine. All courses will be prepared using local organic products.
Many local farmers are participating in this event to make it a truly wonderful evening. Grass Roots Meats is donating the sirloin cuts for the main course. They specialize in all-natural, pasture-finished beef and lamb as well as organic, free-range chickens. Chimney Rock Farms is providing a number of the vegetables, and they grow organic fruits, vegetables and naturally-raised livestock. Linnaea Farms is donating the chevre. They promote sustainable small scale agriculture by careful nurturing of the land. Turtle Lake Refuge is donating sprouts and a chef to the event. Their mission is to celebrate the connection between personal health and wild lands. BBBS is also working with Food for All for greens and Hazel Dell Farms for shitake mushrooms and Jeremy Swiger to help with all other items needed. Jean Brooks from Seriously Sourdough is offering sourdough bread to accompany the dinner.
We have amazing chefs who are excited to be part of this fun event. They are looking forward to collaborating to come up with a special menu for the evening. The menu will be determined according to the ingredients available that week.
Charlie Berry from A Chivalrous Shark will prepare the main course. Hannah Hanford is from Durango and is a raw chef that works at the Turtle Lake Refuge. Che Johnston is the owner of the High Country Restaurant and Saloon in Chama. We also have Mike Budde, the chef at Nello’s Restaurant.
Daniela Carr, from Nello’s, is choosing the wines for the evening. Each course will be accompanied by a different wine that compliments that specific dish.
To accompany the incredible chefs, and the wonderful organic food and wine, we will have Bob Hemenger playing during the evening. He has been a working musician for the past 30 years and is primarily a saxophone player. He has taught at the high school for the past 10 years, has worked with children in the program and believes that mentoring makes a difference in the lives of young people. He says he is glad to help an important program such as BBBS.
The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. at Nello’s.
Tickets are available in advance at Nello’s and through BBBS at 398-0007 or Maggie@bbig.org for $65. At the door, they are $75.
For more information, contact Maggie at 398-0007.
Please join us for this unique twist on the Farm to Table Dinners where all monies spent on the event will stay here in the area, with proceeds benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters kids here in Pagosa Springs. It’s a win-win proposition. Help positively impact the kids here by coming to a very special night and enjoying excellent food, quality wine and great music.