The sky was cloudless and deep blue, the sun sparkled, and not the slightest breeze disturbed the pastoral setting for the second edition of Anton’s culinary field day at his farm. Mother Nature did her best.
Chefs: Sergio, Michael, Martin, Michael, Claudio, Marino, Angelo.
And so did the participating chefs, who cooked up a veritable feast for close to a hundred gourmets. Fortified with a glass of wine of their choice, white, rosé or red, or simply with water, the patrons started their culinary trek across the small hobby farm.
At the first station Chef Sergio Mattoscio from Macaroni Bar in Montreal carved up a melt in the mouth suckling pig, served with the tiniest French fries imaginable.
Claudio Mollica, who had come all the way from Niagara Falls from his Ristorante Casa Mia, was true to his roots and devised a dish of home cured bresaola with shaved truffles, pickled Italian mini peaches and a cloud of foie gras foam.
Chef and owner Marino Tavarez from Café Ferreirain Montreal also did not stray from his origins. He served lusty, rustic Portuguese paella with rabbit, chorizo and a medley of seafood.
Close by was a “tank up” station, by this time most glasses were empty. The guests seemed to appreciate the three award winning wines from Mr. Paul Lizak www.legendsestates.com/
Chef Martin Roy from Primi Piatti in Saint-Lambert was out in a sunny field, but well protected from the sun by a small tent. He served up his homage to Québec duck and foie gras. A beautiful to look at verrine was layered with rillettes de canard, micro greens and tiny edible flowers, topped with a thin slice of foie gras . This was served beside his signature dish of crème brulée de foie gras. Yummy!
Thank you to Madame Diane Seguin from le Marché d’été for supplying the tents.
Then it was off to the stand of Chef Angelo Baggio from Restaurant Salute in Montréal. He regaled the diners with his version of braised Quebec lamb shanks and potato gratin.
At all these stations the clients could relax on very rustic benches made of straw bales and smooth wood planks. Luckily for the gourmets, who were slowly transformed into gourmands, Anton had set up in a protected grassy field a kind of outdoor bistro with chairs and tables. Here, if you felt inclined to do so, some calories could be worked off with games of pétanque, because more food was beckoning. Chef Michael Blackie from le Café in the National Arts Center in Ottawa surprised with his gourmet version of Sloppy Joes, which were highly spiced, delicious and devoured with gusto by all.
A special thank you to http://kloversales.com/ for sponsoring all biodegradable accessories!
A touch of modernity was presented by Michael Holland. He was in charge of dessert and came up with a somewhat countrified version of the molecular cuisine he is so well known for at XORestaurant in theHotel Saint James. Dehydrated corn bread with salted butter powder a red pepper glass some macerated peach and LN2 tarragon Buttermilk-ice-cream.
The last station was manned by Anton himself; he served a variety of Québec cheeses, accompanied by his wholesome home baked breads.
While the patrons sipped a last glass of wine, refreshed themselves with water or coffee for the drive home, already their pressing concern was if there would be a third edition next year.
La Table Champêtre wishes to thank all family and friends who gave so generously of their time and advice. Without them this Field Day would not have been the success it was.
Photography by Louka Fercher & Anton Fercher
ANTON'S PHOTO, KITCHEN & ART-STUDIO (514) 865-8977 