An Orchard Harvest Dinner

Of all the seasons, fall ushers in the most rituals for me. For as long as I can remember, it’s been a time to intentionally slow down after the hectic summer and get back into a routine.

I reorganize my pantry, dedicate time to home canning, make dozens of lists and commence to nesting in the home. I keep a list of easy fall dinner ideas at the ready, and use the seasonal produce at the market for my inspiration.

Fall is also when I love to host a harvest dinner: run a few long tables outdoors, pack them with food, and make merry with family and friends. It’s been a tradition for over a decade now; perhaps my most meaningful autumn ritual.

This year, in collaboration with my longstanding cookbook club, we threw a memorable harvest dinner in an apple orchard a few weeks ago. What a dream come true!

An Orchard Harvest Dinner

Our theme for the orchard dinner was Harvest, a celebration of locally grown fruits and vegetables, in honour of local legend and Dirt Wizard Ted Hutten. I shop Hutten Family Farms weekly at my local farmers market; his produce is truly unparalleled.

He and his family welcome us into their family apple orchard in the beautiful Annapolis Valley, and the cookbook club brought the feast.

Read on for the Orchard harvest dinner menu and lots of photos, captured by Michelle of Michelle Doucette Photography.

Essentially this was a pop-up dinner, with each of us contributing a dish or three. I rented chairs, hauled table linens and coolers with drinks, while others provided tables and other essentials. Magically, it all came together.

Warm weather, hot food, chilled drinks, no bugs – that’s what we hope for when dining al fresco in Canada. We had all that and more: a rainbow, gorgeous flowers, a sunset garden tour, and a special visit from Ted mother, the matriarch of the farm.

I invited the lovely Sarah and Kenny from Two Birds One Stone farm to join us for the feast, and she brought her exquisite bouquets to bring our table to life. Fall blooms are my favourite, with their unabashedly dramatic colours.

It wasn’t long before the tables were set amidst the rows of apple trees. On cue, the food appeared out of baskets and coolers, each dish more vibrant than the last.

Everything featured Ted’s produce in one way or another, like this Roasted Beet and Walnut Dip that my friend, Rebekah presented. It’s such a crowd-pleaser, perfect for fall, and she served it up so beautifully.

A toast! To our famers and producers, who work so hard and are dedicated to the land. They are the true food heros.

Another win? Finding a patch of grass in the orchard level enough for us to run three tables. Ah ha! The things you don’t think about when you’re head is full of menu items.

The Cookbooks! The emphasis was more on Ted’s ingredients then specific cookbooks, however a few people brought the titles that inspired their dishes.

I cooked from my own books/blog. There was a lot of other elements to the dinner that kept me busy in the lead up to the event and I wanted to contribute recipes that I had made dozens of times.

One could not has asked for a more beautiful backdrop then the rolling hills of the Annapolis Valley painted in the vibrant colours of autumn.

Finally, it was time to sit down and feast.

Club member Joanna brought these exquisite floral focaccias; yes, even the bread reminded us of the connection to the land. You can bake just about any vegetable on top of a simple sea salt focaccia and it looks beautiful!

Jo-Ann’s Roasted Squash with Yogurt, Walnuts and Spiced Green Sauce was an absolute stunner. This recipe is from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables – a cookbook we loved as a group (and currently on sale!).

I love when the humble beet is given the spotlight, and these tarts with a poppyseed crust and white bean filling were gorgeous! Michelle made two tarts from Amy Chaplin’s At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen, a BIG cookbook club favourite (and also currently on sale).

I brought the main dish: two enormous Classic Tourtière, adapted slightly to include two cups of chopped apples to the filling. A most welcome addition to the spiced pork, celery and dried savoury.

This traditional French Canadian meat pie is delicious even when served warm or room temperature, so it was the ideal main dish to haul out to the orchard.

Rounding out the main course were roasted Brussels sprouts, an enormous fall salad, an extraordinary puntarelle & hazelnut dish, and heaps of condiments like cranberry sauce and homemade pickles. Locally and women-owned Connected Craft was our sparkling beverage of choice and a good balance to the rich food.

Then came dessert! Inspired by Ted’s apples, I prepared my reliable Apple Cider Gingerbread Bundt cake. Its deeply spiced flavours are even better on the second day, making it an ideal do-ahead dessert.

I decorated it with a few dried apple ‘roses’ and my spiced cider glaze. It’s a simple but effective garnish for this showstopper of a dessert! PS. I use this Heritage bundt pan from Nordic Ware; it’s a dream!

Lindsay brought her friend Eshun’s famous Plumble Bars, made with the last of the season’s stone fruit. And Michelle’s pear tarts were the perfect sweet finish. We were just missing coffee! I may have to bring out the camping stove for next year to simmer a pot or two.

A rainbow formed over the orchard as we packed up our dishes and stacked the chair in the back of the van. It felt like a sort of blessing from Mother Nature.

As the suns set over the sprawling valley, Ted took us on a farm tour, beginning in the greenhouse and finishing among a vibrant field of dahlias. What a way to wrap up the summer for this group of food writers, bakers, podcasters, chefs and DIY culinary enthusiasts. We all agreed this would have to be an annual event.