Fallon Hills Ranch--Petaluma, CA (Farm dinner experience)

The words "farm to table" are rolled off the tongue at many restaurants and food establishments. These have, unfortunately, become "buzz" words for marketing purposes. I wonder if patrons really understand what those words mean or the true philosophies they embody as a way of life.

I recently went to a dinner event at a farm where I ate antibiotic/hormone-free meat from that farm, prepared by people who care. The drive from the East Bay to Petaluma was, at first, filled with congestion and traffic, which is the usual Bay Area driving experience.

But after passing the San Rafael bridge, the scene changed to free flowing and relaxed, with single-lane highways, trees and open grassland on both sides of the road and the conversation in the car with my companions became less about what we "need to get done" and more about how we can enjoy "right now".

My companions and I had a great time. The hosts were friendly and hospitable without being overly fussy. It was scenic, everyone around was in good spirits, (probably because of the environment) the wine from DeLoach Vineyards and cheese from Bivalve Dairy were great appetizers and the food tasted clean and delicious. I also discovered a few local items that I will happily make the drive up to the area again to acquire.


Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

https://www.facebook.com/fallonhillsranch/



These happy cows were not on the menu that evening.

Roasted Potatoes. A variety of buttery potatoes cooked with herbs and served with a little farm-made jowl bacon.

Roasted Pork. This was shredded, long-roasted pork simmering in a light creamy sauce. The pork was incredibly succulent, juicy and tender.

Roasted Pork. This was the same shredded, roasted pork with a non-spicy verde sauce. The sauce added a nice freshness to wake up the palate.

Full plate of food. The big slab of Bivalve butter added a great silky richness to everything as I cut off chunks of it and ate it with bites of food. Farm-made chicharrones were also served as a side. They were crunchy and seasoned nicely. Roasted chicken was also served as well as a mixed green salad with pomegranate seeds and a light vinaigrette. Everything was fantastic.

Water Buffalo Gelato and Apple Crisp. This gelato was unlike anything I've ever tasted. It was silky and rich without feeling greasy or heavy. The blackberry syrup served with it added a nice fruitiness to each bite. The very crispy apple crisp was warm, and the chunks of apple were a bit al dente. An excellent dessert that was not too sweet and cleansed the palate nicely.

This event will be on my "to-do" list every year from now on and I would encourage everyone to experience something like this at least once.