Farm-to-table true believers – and Jewish, too

By Jonah Raskin | Special to The Sun

Once upon a time, the phrase “farm-to-table” meant something honest, good and real. Indeed, in the beginning, “farm-to-table” meant that the food on the table came from a local farm and that the produce was picked, if not yesterday, then the day before. Carrots tasted like carrots not like cardboard; eggs had bright orange, not pale yellow, yokes. Then, sadly the phrase went viral, restaurants slapped faux labels on menus and the art of the authentic farm-to-table movement was lost. But true believers still exist and honest-to-goodness farm-to-table events do appear now and then on the culinary horizon.

Flatbed Farm at 13450 Sonoma Highway in Glen Ellen is host to one such event that’s the brainchild of farmer Rachel Kohn Obut and chef Isa Jacoby who were both reared in East Coast families and who have vivid memories of Jewish holidays. The farm-to-table event on October 16 takes place in the middle of Sukkot that’s best explained as a traditional Jewish holiday that marks the end of the fall harvest and the culmination of the year in agriculture. Kohn Obut and Jacoby have built a “sukkah,” a hut of the sort that has been, for thousands of years, at the heart of the holiday that’s also known as the “Feast of Tabernacles.”

The chef and farmer call their down-to-earth event “a harvest celebration” and “a pop-up dinner for the populous.” They’re asking guests to take part in a conversation that they’ll initiate and that will explore the topic of “growing and preparing beautiful food.” The meal itself promises to be as much fun as it is informative and affordable, too. It’s $25 to $35 per person, sliding scale, much less than the $125 that wineries often charge for similar events. Bring your own bottles of red, white and rosé, to share, please.

Jacoby has been making food since girlhood; at six she concocted her first sauces, and, in high school she went into the bread-making business. For years, she cooked at Westerbeke Ranch. What’s more, she’s legendary for the soups she has made with help from friends and then served for free to hundreds of hungry locals and tourists at the Tuesday night market.

Kohn Obut grew up in New Jersey in a family that raised fruits and vegetables. For years, she was the farmer at Sweetwater Spectrum, the Sonoma residential community for autistic young adults where she learned that raising vegetables can be healing. Since 2014 she has been the farmer at Flatbed, which is owned by Sofie and Chris Dolan, who live in the city and who spend weekends in the country with their children. “Looking back over the year, we’re very excited about the direction Flatbed is going and excited, too, to see it expand and grow even more this coming year,” Sofie said.

The Dolans have two restaurants in San Francisco, including 25 Lusk where President Obama showed up for a meal last summer. Chef Matthew Dolan, Chris’s cousin, cooks with the produce that Rachel grows with the crew that includes Alex, Raul and Mariano. Thursdays and Sundays, ten to two, with help from Sofie and her kids, Rachel sells onions, garlic, tomatillos, cilantro, basil, parsley, chives, apples, figs and more. The produce changes as the seasons change. Chris Dolan’s vintage flatbed truck, parked outside the barn, looks exactly the same winter, spring, fall and summer.

The Sunday, October 16, feast begins outdoors with hors d’oeuvres. Then, it moves into the Swedish-style barn (Sofie comes from Sweden) for more food that features fall produce. There’s a tomato-carrot-and-beet soup, a salad with micro greens and pomegranate, Cajun-stuffed pumpkin, and for dessert, an apple-pear-almond upside down cake infused with cardamom and rose. Yummy, and it’s also informal family-style dining.

“October is an amazing time of year on the cusp of cold weather, but it still offers the bounty of summer,” Jacoby said. “Our event is a way to honor this blessed land, appreciate the colors and the flavors of autumn and celebrate community.”

Kohn Obut explained, “I’m excited about the dinner because the vegetables are from Flatbed, and because I’ve collaborated with Isa every step of the way. It feels like a really creative venture.”

While Kohn Obut’s creativity follows structured ways, Jacoby loves to improvise. “Vegetables, fresh from the field, inspire the dishes I make,” she explained. “Growing vegetables takes time. Cooking tends to be faster and it’s more visible than farming.”

The farm-to-table event at Flatbed promises to deliver generous portions, along with hefty servings of food for thought. For additional information and to make reservations contact [email protected].