A Farm to Table Dining Experience with Sumac + Salt presented by Georgian Bay Bride
You heard it here first: 2020 has been a real doozy! I don’t know about you, but this wasn’t exactly the year that I signed up for when the ball dropped on January 1st. I know that lots of couples have had a rough time. I’ve worked with you to postpone weddings; I know so many who have taken on homeschooling while also learning how to juggle working from home; too many of us have battled the uneasiness of everyday life while postponing plans and celebrations of all kinds.
But maybe, despite it all, we can hope and strive for a silver lining even in a challenging year. Frances, Ashley, and I wanted to put together an evening that gave couples a chance to take a breather and celebrate everything they’d overcome in 2020. When we thought about all the fantastic people who could help put this memorable experience together, we immediately thought of Joel Gray and Hannah Harradine, the culinary geniuses behind the farm to table dinners of Sumac + Salt. Working with Joel, Hannah, and a few other talented Georgian Bay Bride vendors, we organized an unforgettable evening that celebrated the love that makes us resilient, and that is carrying us all through this pandemic.
When the chance to join the evening as an attendee opened up, I have to admit I bought tickets and didn’t even tell my husband first (we’ve spent six straight months together--it’s cool, he is totally a mind-reader now…). It would have been a dream to bring everyone along to experience the absolute best from each of these local talents, but we had to keep the numbers small, safe, and intimate. Luckily, Frances was along to give you a peek behind the scenes. We hope you’ll be able to join us next time -- for now, we’ll let the photos from the evening do the talking.
Sumac + Salt prepared seven delicious courses that highlighted everything to love about local food, with impeccable attention to detail and working in tune with the seasons. Joel shared the story of each dish with everyone who attended the meal, from where he got his inspiration, to how it came together on the plate. Standout ingredients included locally foraged mushrooms, lamb from Grey Highlands, beef and pork from Good Family Farms (where the dinner took place), tomatoes and carrots from Andrew and Cassondra with Harvest Moon Farm, and even vegetables and fruits from Joel and Hannah's home garden.
Euclid Design Co brought out vintage vases from her personal collection for the table arrangements and chose a unique colour palette to reflect each couple's personality. To complement the hyper-local focus of Joel and Hannah's food she used all Ontario-grown flowers.
The hand-scripted place cards from Swiftly Scripted brought a personalized touch to each seat. She used a unique ink blend for the evening, pairing the colours perfectly with the elegant, minimalist commemorative menu card. The rich shades of rust and toffee encapsulated the changing seasons and matched the seasonal ingredients from Sumac + Salt.
Frances Beatty Photography captured the care, dedication, and hard work that went into this event. So much happens behind the scenes, and she was there to see and convey that story. Frances also took special portraits for some of the attendees when they arrived, which they will treasure for life.
Vendors:
Words: Rachel Kwan
Photography: Frances Beatty Photography
Food: Sumac+ Salt
Florals: Euclid Design Co
Menu + Placecards: Swiftly Scripted
Venue: Good Family Farms