Fine Dining Day

For our members and by our members, Fine Dining Day was a lavish treat for us all.

The music was soft and melodic. The tables were set formally with crisp linens and bright floral bouquets. The four-course tasting menu was presented at each seat, enticing us with what was to come. Out third Fine Dining Day was underway.

One of our passions at the Academy is hosting. We love to throw a party! Sometimes it’s a fundraiser, and sometimes it’s just our way of appreciating one of our community partners. Fine Dining Day is unique in that it’s just for us. An elegant meal served formally, and no outside guests to speak of. It feels a little decadent, and that’s ok because our members deserve it.

The inventive menu began with a grilled Caesar salad with homegrown midnight shade tomatoes, peeled and marinated in herbs and a touch of oil. The little bit of char on the romaine paired so nicely with the sweet tomatoes, the slight punch of shaved parmesan and crunch of a sourdough crouton.  The second course was house-made butternut squash ravioli with sage and brown butter and garnished with walnuts. The ravioli was tender with the perfect amount of bite, and I’ll just say that it was dreamy. Then came the entrée: herb-crusted halibut with leek puree, marbled potatoes, and asparagus. Everything on the plate was bright and vibrant, and the taste was perfection. Dessert, a rare treat at the Academy, was a creme brulee, presented with beautiful fresh berries, and it was as good as it sounds. It was revelatory!

One might think that trained chefs prepared this meal. While the Academy does have an accomplished chef on our culinary staff, make no mistake; this was a team effort. Members worked on every aspect of preparation and service, and they knocked it out of the park! We keep saying that it can’t get any better than this, yet somehow, it always does.