Dinner with the Farm Kings

Yesterday I had dinner hosted by the stars of an upcoming reality TV show Farm Kings.  The King family includes 9 sons, 1 daughter (Elizabeth) and their mom (Lisa). The 3 oldest sons, Joe, Tim and Pete, own Freedom Farms and the reality show will feature the family as they try to make their living as farmers. This reality show is a great way for people to learn more about where their food comes from and encourage people to support local farmers.

The King family hosted dinner at their new store; The Market @ New Ken. I was joined by writers from Patch, Pittsburgh Magazine and EatPGH. We sat at a table in the middle of their pristine store around lovely centerpieces of fresh cut flowers from the farm. Lisa and Elizabeth cooked dinner, with contributions from Joe.  Pete and Tim served the dinner and ate with us when they weren't helping in the kitchen.

The first course was a salad of baby spinach and nectarines sprinkled with blue cheese and walnuts and topped with a sesame dressing.  On the side of the salad was a mini tomato basil pie, which was my favorite part of the meal.  The pie crust was flaky and rich, and the tomatoes and basil were smothered with cheese, which made the pie rich and savory.  The second course featured half of a chicken with a wonderfully crispy skin, but a suberbly moist interior. The chicken was paired with a side of ratatouille and mashed potatoes.  For dessert we were served a hearty slice of apple pie with a side of chantilly cream and creamy brown sugar sauce.  I was impressed with how much the apple slices had absorbed a cinnamon flavor while maintaining a crisp texture.

The King family was warm and outgoing and I really enjoyed their company.  I had a great chat with Lisa about canning, and with Pete about heritage chicken breeds.  Despite the self-consciousness I experienced while being filmed eating, I had a very enjoyable evening.  I felt energized and hopeful about the awareness Farm Kings will bring to local farmers.  Eating food produced by people we can actually meet helps us appreciate the food that takes so much effort for people like the Kings to produce.  Fresh local food is also so beneficial for our bodies, our local economies and for small farm families.  I hope this reality show will encourage more people to start eating local!