I decided to share this more personal post about my recent wedding because so much of my work at PRINT served as an inspiration for the location, food, and beverage for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
We would have never found the place we got married, The Roxbury Barn, located in a quiet town tucked within the Catskill Mountains, if it were not for a work trip I took in October of 2016. I had gone to visit a small sustainable vegetable grower, Madalyn Warren at her farm, Straight Out of the Ground. After soaking in the glorious fall colors and enjoying the laid back hospitality on her farm, I knew that this would be the perfect region to bring friends and family to for a memorable wedding weekend.
As someone who works in local food and is a passionate home cook, finding the right caterer to live up to high expectations was a challenge. After several bleak tastings with various companies in the region, I asked our pig farmer – Ruby of Raven & Boar Farm – if she knew of anybody. She recommended Heirloom Fire, an open fire caterer based out of the Berkshires, who had roasted her pigs for various events. Immediately upon talking with Chef Jim Goop on the phone I knew we were on the same food appreciation wavelength. He made his own sourdough starter for their wood-fired breads, cured his own charcuterie, and knew a local goat farmer for our special protein request (we met at a goat roast at a natural wine shop in Chicago). He even agreed to source the vegetables from Straight Out of the Ground Farm, and we planned the menu around Madalyn’s harvest list. The result was a personal, memorable, and extravagant feast that truly spoke of the season and the place. Below are some images of the open fire cooking and the full menu:
C O C K T A I L & H O R S D ‘ O E U V R E S
Tri-Star Spritz
Old Fashioned Honeymoon
P A S S E D
Hearth Tartine with All of Madalyn’s Beets, House Ricotta + Cracked Pepper
Peach-Smoked Catskill Brook Trout, Summer Cucumber + Roe
Cauldron-Fired Market Beignet with Green Garlic Aioli
Smoke-Roasted Oysters with Pickled Spring Vegetable Mignonette
S T A T I O N A R Y
(served with Hearth baked breads)
Local Artisanal Cheeses with Nuts, Dried Fruits + Preserves
Handcrafted Charcuterie with Mustards
Spring Carrot and Chickpea Hummus
House Ricotta and Foraged Stinging Nettle Dip
Fresh Pulled Spring Vegetables
V E G E T A B L E S
Cauldron Einkorn Risotto with Foraged Mushroom + Spring Peas
Whole Roasted New Potatoes with Black Garlic Vinaigrette + Preserved Ramps
Charred Carrots with Endive, Frisee, Radishes + Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Crisp Farmstand Salad with Field Lettuces, Ash Beets + Roots
Early Summer Squash Salad With Basil, Mint, Lemon + Roasted Almonds
M A I N
Whole Roasted Vermont Chevon Farm Goat with Chimichurri
Hand Spun Chicken, Sumac and Thyme, Wood Roasted Buckeye Hens with Salsa Verde
D E S S E R T S
Cast Iron Heritage Corn Pound Cake with Chamomile-Braised and Fresh Summer Fruits
Cauldron Fried Buttermilk Sweet Rolls with Berry Sugar + Preserves
Chemex Coffee Service
Maple Coconut Cake (made by a former pastry chef and friend)
The beverages too were inspired by my work with the PRINT. bar. I made the same strawberry vermouth recipe that we used last year in one of our seasonal cocktails, and sourced the same Catskills Provisions Honey Rye Whiskey that we use at the bar for a classic old fashioned. I purchased the wines from our neighboring Hell’s Kitchen shop, Veritas Studio Wines and sourced a few large format bottles for a celebratory vibe.
I wanted the foliage and flowers to represent the Catskills region and echo the wild nature of my rooftop garden at PRINT. We sourced them from a long-time farmer in the region, Franca of Berried Treasures, and I also foraged several branches and bunches from Madalyn’s farm the day before with the help of my cousins and aunts.
Even the rehearsal dinner, which we held at Lazy Crazy Acres/Tree Juice has a farm trip tie-in. We visited their property during maple syrup season last March and found out that they also do wood-fired oven pizza parties next to their barn in the warmer months. It seemed like the perfect casual opening meet up for all of the out-of-town guests. It ended up being another memorable part of the weekend, with delicious pizza, live music, and even a torrential rain storm.
In the end my work as a forager influenced many aspects of our wedding and it wouldn’t have been the same without those unique touches that truly emphasized the place and the season and made it an event to remember.
