Gentlemen’s Weekend: Part 2

The idea behind this Gentlemen’s Weekend began with a thought to have a pheasant hunt for the guys at the farm, similar to an gentlemen’s estate hunt. Granted we weren’t exactly on an estate but the farm was the perfect set up for a day of hunting.

Friday Husband and Clint drove out to the pheasant farm to pick up the birds while Liz baked bread and I worked.

That night Liz and I worked vigorously at mastering crepe making until Evan and Amanda arrived. Suffice it to say that after mangling quite a few crepes, changing pans three times and just about giving up on the crepes we managed to make them happen and dinner was served…albeit late 🙂

The next morning we ate breakfast, Liz’s Dad arrived for the hunt and the guys and dogs set off in the painful cold weather for the pheasant hunt. They had purchased 12 birds and quite truthfully we were not expecting them to come back with more than one or two. In fact Liz had bought a chicken just in case. Much to our surprise they came home with 10 of the 12 and the pheasant dinner was on!

I had never seen a pheasant in real life and they were such beautiful birds.

The guys plucked and cleaned them and then we hit the field for another round of skeet shooting before dinner. 

It actually turned out to be a beautiful afternoon, however cold.

Lizzie and her Dad

Bart man had retrieved all day and was pooped by time for dinner.

The lighting was hard given the time of day and I hate I wasn’t able to capture how truly beautiful this meal was. Cider Braised Pheasant, Mustard Lemon Butter Cauliflower and Acorn Squash Farro Risotto. It only took a team of four of us to get it all prepared 🙂 

It’s such a new experience for me to literally hunt and put your food on the table. I don’t eat much meat, and granted these pheasants were farm raised, but it does open my eyes a little to the possibilities that hunting and gathering bring. I guess I tend to think of it less as a sport and more as a way to feed your family the way it was originally intended. After spending five days eating fresh greens from Granny’s garden, homemade bread, fresh scallops from the coast and hand cleaned pheasant I can’t help but love just how close to our food we were. Almost as if part of the nourishment behind it was the fact that it was so fresh and close to home. I think if it’s even possible I fell in love with food that much more 🙂

Just like every time I leave the farm I was sad. This time was a little sadder knowing that it may very well be the last time we are all there for a long time since we are moving and Cliz may be moving after the beginning of the year. Few places instill such pleasant memories it seems, and I couldn’t be more thankful for Cliz including me this summer and this past weekend and sharing their gorgeous home. 

Life has a way of moving forward whether we are ready or not, but somehow we always are when it does. It’s crazy that it’s already time to start planning Thanksgiving dinners and feel the joys of the season as red ribbon and ornaments adorn everything I see. My heart already aches with nostalgic feelings of the past six months even though the promise of tomorrow is so very sweet. 

I suppose the holidays are the perfect way to wrap up what has been such an amazing year. Husband and I have already discussed some of the things that this year has brought that we would never in a million years have guess possible this time last year. I knew 2011 would be a great year, I just never could have predicted how great. This Thanksgiving I have so much to be thankful for and since today marks November 1 I am kicking off my 24 Days of Giving Thanks.