Driving along Main Street in the overly cute town of Bastrop, east of Austin, we think we are in the right place, even though there are no cars parked anywhere, and it looks like we are in the middle of the suburbs. However, a large painted sign in the front yard at 1910 Main, shaped like a carrot, proclaims Eden East Farm. We must be in the right place. A young woman standing in the front yard asks, “Are you here for the Farm to Table Dinner?”
Our comfort level increases, and we follow directions to the parking area.
Apparently, in small-town Texas, hidden treasures lurk behind their houses. The parking area is more than ample. Many cars are already here, and the beautiful farm that spreads out before us is more than grand. It is a dream. Totally excited to be here, I am not sure how we fall into these situations, other than serendipity does seem to rule my life.
We stand in the receiving line, waiting for our table. Everything and everyone is appropriately socially distanced. All of the staff wear masks. There is an evident determination to triumph over the circumstances that cloud the days of 2021 when Covid-19 still lurks in the shadows.
Rae Wilson’s Wines
But soon, we forget all about everything but this moment and this place, listening to music while sipping a glass of bubbling rosé created by Rae Wilson, Founder-Winemaker of Wine for the People. Rae has worked with Austin’s top restaurants as a sommelier and consultant and is a household name in the city’s wine community. All that aside, I love the bubbly that I sip and look forward to trying her other wines on the menu for tonight’s dinner.
Sonya Cote and David Barrow
In all honesty, this is my first Farm to Table Dinner experience, other than several years ago when I dined at Eden East, then located in Austin. And that is why I am here, that dinner was lovely. The chef is the same, Chef Sonya Coté, and her husband, David Barrow, is the man behind the beautiful produce that grows beyond the grassy glade where we sit. They are both living their dreams—beginning their careers on totally different paths. Sometimes, what is meant to be, becomes a reality—David morphing from filmmaker to farmer and Sonya going from Marketing at Whole Foods to chef. I envy their courage and applaud their success.
Dinner
First Course Salad
But back to now, somehow, we have landed on the perfect end of the perfect table. I have the best view of the makeshift kitchen where last-minute touches are being placed on the first-course salad—Butter Leaf Wedge with pickled beets, watermelon radish, red onions, suyo long (an heirloom cucumber variety originally from Northern China), fennel pollen, and toasted pecans.
The salad arrives, and Michael attacks his with a knife and fork. Dancing to the beat of a different drummer, I decide the most fun way to eat the salad is by creating a lettuce wrap from each fresh leaf of the beautiful greens. We are both happy with our choices. However, my fingers are not as pristine as Michaels, and I do have to be careful not to drip the sauce of the lightly dressed greens.
Second & Third Course – Seafood
The second course of Gulf Shrimp Cocktail is accompanied by a sauce of “many mustards” that are hot enough to clear my sinuses of any allergen that remains lurking there. The spicy-hot sauce is addictive, and I dig to the bottom of the small serving cup to get the remaining bit clinging to the petite layer of greens.
Unexpectedly—because it is not on the menu—a beautiful single oyster on the half shell arrives. Elegant in its simplicity, I am not sure exactly what the sauce is that coats the surface. But based on the color and the tiny glistening jewels of cubed vegetables, it must be beets plus something else? It is lovely, and I think of Shakespeare’s words, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
Fourth Course – Entree
The dry rosé bubbles no longer flow, and we begin sipping a light and drinkable Sangiovese that will accompany our entrée. The whole smoked quail sits on a bed of purslane herb, preserved lemon, perilla (from the mint family), and wild dewberry. Among all this mélange, there are also more substantial vegetables—heirloom carrots? The smoked quail is divine, and the nest of goodness that it sits on is an excellent foil for the smokey protein. The Sangiovese turns out to be very food-friendly.
Wine & Dessert
After our entrée, our server pours each of us a glass of 2019 Dandy Rosé. Michael and I are both very fond of rosé wine, and this one is no different. It is light, delicate, and dry, blended from five different grape varieties, all sourced from Texas vineyards; 80% of the wine comes from Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Syrah grapes.
Everyone looks forward to dessert, and a perfect petite French macaroon accompanies this beautifully layered concoction. Although the description is light and airy, this lemon mousse with blackberry sauce and a whipped cream topping is rich and decadent. It appeals to dessert lovers of every ilk.
When only a glass of wine remains, I look at Michael and realize how lucky I am. Lucky to be here with Michael, experiencing new things. A beautiful farm. A beautiful dream. Music. The setting sun’s golden glow touching each of us. We will be back.
Eden East Farm, 1910 Main Street, Bastrop
Website: http://edeneastaustin.com/farm/
Farm Stand Hours: 4 pm -7 pm on Wednesdays and 9 am -1 pm on Saturdays.
Seasonal vegetables, preserves, eggs, medicinal and culinary herbs, meats, and other goods are for sale at their farm stand. The farm is open for events, rentals, farm tours, community events, and educational events.
Store House Market & Eatery, 813 Main Street, Bastrop
Website: https://storehousebastrop.com/
Chef: Sonya Coté, Chef-Owner
Contact Information: (512) 412-6114, info@edeneastaustin.com
Hours of Operation (For reservations visit the website):
Wednesday – Saturday – 05:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Monday, Tuesday, Sunday – Closed
Rae Wilson, Winemaker
Website: https://wineforthepeople.com/story
Rae’s wines, made from 100-percent Texas fruit, showcases the breadth of the state’s distinctive terroir. She uses low intervention techniques, resulting in food-friendly wines that show consistent quality from vintage to vintage. Wilson is dubbed as a top Austin winemaker by Seven Fifty Daily, Zagat, Forbes, and more.
For more information on the original Eden East click on the following link: https://www.charlottestexashillcountry.com/eden-east-a-farm-to-table-restaurant/
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