MAY
Lilac Luncheon- Wednesday, May 13th,
12:30 p.m.
The lyric softness of spring. The magnificent fragrance of bloom time.
Walking through our rows of lilacs planted for harvest, contagiously
inspires one to gather, share and celebrate. With a backdrop of our
historic barn, and vases tumbling with blooms our melodious luncheon
will include our many May taste treats...
rhubarb and watercress, asparagus, and mint...
Spring Bouquet Luncheon - Thursday, May
14th, 12:30 p.m.
A walk along the garden path in May is a privilege and a treat for the
spirit.
What a gift it is to live in such a divine environment! What a joy it is
to gather the blooms of the garden and meadow! This luncheon's succulent
handmade pastries and fresh spring salads taste all the finer while we
lead you into the landscape with an insightful, sensitive and lively
demonstration of spring bouquet floristry. With a bounty of blooms we
will create picture perfect hand tied nosegays and table decorations.
Come enjoy and learn!
Lovely Lemon Luncheon, with Grace Wong,
harpist - Friday, May 15th, 12:30 p.m.
Once when I was a girl and living in Toronto, Canada, the Queen of
England came to town. While she passed by in a stately parade an elegant
elderly spectator was overheard to remark: ' Oh doesn't the Queen look
Lovely in Lemon!'. Since that charming day 'lemon' has had a special
place in our homes. Even more wonderful - lemon tastes fantastic with
all of our fruits!
This May luncheon, served amid the appropriately soft and melodious
strains of the harp, is a formal springtime repast with lemon
embroidered both subtly and boldly
throughout the fresh garden tastes.
Maypole Luncheon - Wednesday, May 20th,
12:30 p.m.
May is lyric, soft and lovely. Apples are blooming. Lilacs are dancing
in the sunlight. The Maypole ribbons flutter in the breeze and hope is
all around. Enjoy this luncheon celebrating earth's awakening for the
season. Tuck a flower in your May Basket, sip a sip of May nectar and
know the gift of Spring.
Spring Wine Luncheon - Thursday, May 21st,
12:30 p.m.
Beneath the boughs of the cherry trees we will enjoy an early summer
garden party. Our delightful menu, born from both garden and treasured
recipe box, will be accompanied by fascinating wines from our own
burgeoning Western New York wine industry. Wine expert Michael Warren
Thomas of www.savorlife.com will
lead us on our wine discovery - as flowers nod in the garden and a
breeze ruffles the cherry leaves overhead.
A Luncheon in Cobblestone Country - Lunch and Tour - Friday, May 22nd,
12:30 p.m.
Our gorgeous stretch of Ridge Rd, pebbled and sandy and perfect for
fruit trees, is home to the most impressive collection of Cobblestone
homes. Their history is tilled from our soil and our heritage, and their
presence fills our landscape with grace and grandeur.
This luncheon will feature delicious recipes from the cobblestone era.
In addition it will be our privilege to enjoy a brief presentation on
cobblestone architecture by Orleans County Historian and cobblestone
expert Bill Lattin. At the close of the lunch, Mr. Lattin will lead a
tour for those interested, of the Cobblestone Museum Complex in Childs,
NY. A home will be open for viewing.
A donation of $5.00 per attendee will be donated by Hurd Orchards to the
Cobblestone Museum in Childs New York.
Crepes Galore - Thursday, May
28th, 12:30 p.m.
A warm crepe with blackberry jam
A crepe with cheese and chutney
A crepe with sauce and herbs on top
A crepe with cinnamon honey
From appetizers to entrees to desserts, the versatile
crepe absorbs and
showcases the flavors of the
season.
Recipes will be included with this lovely luncheon.
JUNE
Poppies and Popovers - Wednesday, June
3rd, 12:30 p.m.
By early June the magic of poppies spreads across our flower fields.
Suddenly bursting
in shades of carmine and coral, crisp white and true orange, poppies of
every variety sweep early summer with energy and radiance. This happy
luncheon will also feature fresh-from-the-oven popovers served with warm
preserves from the kettle.
Poems of the Countryside Luncheon -
Thursday, June 4th, 12:30 p.m.
So many times a line of poetry will refer to a beautiful bucolic
landscape, or
a flower, or the sweetness of a fruit. These poems give us great pause.
Often we not
only understand the reference instinctively, but we know that we live in
the very
world described! In this luncheon poems will be at your table, woven
into your menu
and in the very air of the day!
Gourmet Spring Garden Luncheon, with Grace
Wong, harpist - Friday, June 12th, 12:30 p.m.
**This luncheon is limited to 30 guests. Alternate rain venue
provided**
On elegant tables set in and beside our beautiful herb gardens, we will
serve our gourmet spring and summer menu. While the strains of music
float along an early summer breeze and flowers nod along the lavender
paths, our servers will greet you with garden recipes that we have been
practicing and perfecting. Enjoy this special moment in time on our
farm.
Strawberry Shortcake Luncheon
- Thursday,
June 18th, 12:30 p.m.
Big bowls of strawberries with whipped cream and hot, freshly made
biscuits...pitchers of daisies on farm tables nestled between summer
salads and fresh breads with herb
butters and jams.
Chocolate Cherry Luncheon - Tuesday,
June 23rd, 12:30 p.m.
The first sweet cherry heralds, for us, the beginning of summer harvest
on our farm... strawberries have only been a tease. Deep mahogany
cherries hanging with undisputed elegance framed against the blue sky of
summer rich with sun sweet juice. Dip a cherry in chocolate. Discover
the forgotten flavor of Black Forest Cake. Enjoy the chocolate
reflections and vibrant culinary knowledge of our special guest Michael
Warren Thomas of www.savorlife.com.
Peonies and Punch - Wednesday, June
24th, 12:30 p.m.
Soft and the palest pink peonies have nodded in the June gardens of the
country for centuries. A hallmark of early summer, the elegant peony
gives us a sense of suspended time. Enjoy this luncheon, with wreath
rings of blush and sherbet twined about the punch bowl, and a menu of
equal delicacy. Drop back in time.
Lavender and Herbs Luncheon - Thursday, June
25th, 12:30 p.m.
Lavender is such a celebrated herb for soaps and perfumes, but have you
ever tasted lavender shortbread, or lemon and lavender tea cake, or
lavender chicken, or lavender jelly? Let us inspire and delight you with
the many possibilities that lovely lavender affords us in both taste and
treasure.
JULY
Cherries Jubilee Luncheon
- Thursday, July
16th, 12:30 p.m.
AND - Friday, July 17th, 12:30 p.m.
Mid summer on a fruit farm really means to us farmers standing beneath a
shady cherry tree looking up through the fat glossy green leaves and the
ropes of succulent cherries to glimpse the clear blue sky. It helps if
you've just picked baskets beyond baskets of cherries, the truck is
loaded and has rumbled away
and your hot and strain is refreshed by a handful of cherries divine.
yes, this is cause for Jubilee! This is the summer of our experience and
joy. Come for our cherry celebration!
Blueberries Up, Blueberries Down!... delicious blueberries all around!
- Thursday, July
23rd, 12:30 p.m.
Blueberry soup or blueberry catsup,
Blueberry muffins and blueberry pie,
Blueberry bouquets and blueberry baskets,
Blueberry jam under blueberry sky!
Brambleberry Luncheon
Endless rows of red, red raspberries, neatly trellised and
trimmed...tarts plump with purple berries, pails brim full of inky black
raspberries...and the wild brambles of the hedgerows. The history and
presence of bramble culture are a part of baking and jammaking, a part
of nutrition and a part of July on our farm.
AUGUST
Amazing Apricot Luncheon
- Thursday, August
6th, 12:30 p.m.
"A" is for August and Apricots - big, fat, rosy cheeked apricots,
smaller tasty yellow ones. A splash of color in jams or marmalades, a
luscious surprise in salads and fruit bowls, apricot bread, apricot
cake, marinated apricots with couscous, apricots cooked or apricots
fresh. We'll taste them all and learn about their history and
horticulture.
The Art of Garden Posies
-
Wednesday, August 12th, 12:30 p.m.
By late summer our flower fields are a bloom in ribbons of brilliant
hue. Gardens overflow with herbs. Brown-eyed-susans nod in the meadow.
Cottage bouquets, rich with the color and texture of the land, fill our
market and grace our quaint tables. Come learn the secrets of an old
fashioned summer garden bouquet while enjoying our tasty luncheon. Fun
floral arranging demonstration included!
A Rainbow of Flowers and Fruits, a Luncheon in August
- Friday, August 14th, 12:30 p.m.
Dancing in the summer sun the fruits of August shine with brilliant hues - orange apricots and golden peaches, inky blackberries and purple plums, bright blueberries,
red raspberries and green summer apples! Couple this with rainbows of zinnias, stunning dahlias and sunflowers shining. This luncheon bursts with cheer. This is a celebration
of the earth's glorious gifts.
Sunflower Luncheon - Wednesday, August 19th,
12:30 p.m.
Big splashes of yellows, oranges, golds and burnished chocolate make a
striking backdrop for the delectable tastes of August. Our glowing
harvests, from garden and orchard will make this luncheon a delight.
An Elegant Picnic in the Countryside -
Thursday, August 20th, 12:30 p.m.
At it's height summer in the country is about stolen moments of quiet
steeped in bounty and fresh breeze. In a setting beneath the trees, as
the sounds of summer surround, our picnic will unfold. Gorgeous cloths -
spread with treasures of earth and kitchen - will tempt you: to enjoy
the magnificent rural repast we have prepared: perhaps to take a walk:
and most certainly to breath anew.
*Alternate rain venue provided*
Butterfly Garden Luncheon
- Wednesday, August
26th, 12:30 p.m.
Our exquisite zinnia garden, with dazzling splashes of brilliant color,
hovers and shimmers all the late summer with visiting butterflies. It is
magic. Our carefree luncheon will interpret this ethereal moment in
color and taste...butterfly cookies included!
Classic Herb Luncheon
- Thursday, August 27th,
12:30 p.m.
With the sounds of music floating over our beautiful formal herb gardens we'll indulge in a marvelous menu incorporating specific herb seasonings with each item. We have
magnificent varieties to choose from - both annual and perennial. Herb bouquets will grace our tables, and herbs and edible flowers will garnish our plates.
End of Summer Luncheon - Friday, August
28th, 12:30 p.m.
One last bowl of summer berries. One last day of summer's enveloping
warmth and ease. Gently fold yourself into the sunset of summer's
luxuries - sunshine and peaches - tomatoes and basil - green leaves,
blue sky and the garden's bounty.
SEPTEMBER
The Elegance of Preserving Luncheon -
Wednesday, September 2nd, 12:30 p.m.
In September the canning kitchen hums with activity. Now is the time to
capture the harvest. As the cool breeze tells us of the inevitable first
frost we count the days and check the lists of all that needs to be
gathered and saved. Amid this flurry the September Table is splendid.
Jars of from-the-kettle blackberry preserve, seconded by a stunning
peach apricot compote top desserts and appetizers. With the scent of old
fashioned chili sauce and just-made pickles floating on the wind,
the main course takes on a new September twist. Chutneys, relishes,
sauces - recalling for us at Hurd Orchards as much our delicious present
as the elegant past! Come discover our secrets!
An Erie Canal Luncheon - Thursday, September 3rd,
12:30 p.m.
Long ago Kate Lavender lived on our farm. Once she had been a cook on
the Erie Canal. We used to love to hear Nana tell us stories about Kate.
A lazy bend in the Erie curves through the south end of our farm. It's
quiet waters have brought our countryside people and commerce, have
colored our landscape and now water our crops. Come enjoy this luncheon
as we explore the many ways the Erie has shaped our lives and our
tables.
The Lure of the Land Luncheon - Wednesday,
September 9th, 12:30 p.m.
We came back to our farm to live and to stay. We love the open
landscape, the fresh air,
the great and ceaseless potential of planting and growing - an orchard,
a business, a life. We are aware that there is something magnificent and
essential in the basic work
of farming. This luncheon will share through taste and tale why it is
that we farmers farm.
Peaches and Cream Luncheon
- Thursday,
September 10th, 12:30 p.m.
Bushels of amber and coral surround us in peach harvest. Warmth and
bounty abound. The canning kitchen hums with activity and excitement as
jar after jar of golden peaches is neatly packed, ready for winter
enjoyment. The ice cream freezer turns slowly and rhythmically adding
music to our anticipation of an afternoon picnic. There are fresh, ripe
peaches to savor, juice running down our chins. Come join our
celebration.
The Fruits of New York Luncheon - Wednesday, September 16th,
12:30 p.m.
We live in the land of bounty. Our gardens and orchards are lush and
full with fruits -
a storybook. At the turn of the twentieth century U.P. Hedrick made
famous our New York abundance in his 'Fruits of New York' volumes, prized as much for their
gorgeous hand tinted photographs as for their wealth of fruit history
and information. This luncheon will highlight our New York orchard
culture, and showcase with style the edible possibility of the land in
which we live.
Autumn Orchard Concert, with Grace Wong, harpist
- Thursday, September 17th, 12:30 p.m.
As apple harvest escalates to it's most glorious pitch we take this time amid
the gathering to share our thankfulness for a wonderful season. With the strains of
music drifting above the treetops we'll enjoy this most wonderful autumn repast
resplendent with fall color and tastes.
Hydrangea Luncheon - Wednesday, September
23rd, 12:30 p.m.
AND
- Thursday, September
24th, 12:30 p.m.
There is something about hydrangeas that captures our imagination.
Is it the soft and pillowy blossoms from the clearest blues and
crisp whites in July or the subtly hued and sophisticated burnishing
of autumn? The stateliness of the hydrangea fill our gardens and
bouquets with charm from mid summer until frost. come see how our
inspiration has crafted centerpieces from fall's hydrangea
offerings. Enjoy a relaxing luncheon, informative talk and tour.
Heirloom Apples and Robert
Frost - Friday,
September 25th, 12:30 p.m.
One of our favorite poems of all times is
Robert Frost's 'After Apple
Picking'.
So many of his words speak of our world, a
country world of pruning and
picking, orchard lanes and farming ways, yet a
world more profound, more
simple and more sophisticated than often meets
the eye. Some of our
ancient trees, with great and turned trunks
and limbs, through our care
still yield the fruits of long ago, fruits
telling stories, and watching
the same world, through the same lens as Mr.
Frost's.
Foraging From the Farm Luncheon - Wednesday,
September 30th, 12:30 p.m.
There is a lot to learn about foods from the pages of a pioneer
notebook; eating with the earth is as ancient as the land. Yet both are
as modern and as relevant as the most
delicious 21st century menus. From the tender shoots of spring greens to
fiddlehead ferns, wild leeks, wild strawberries, wild lamb's quarters
and September's amazing puffballs - each season surrenders it's
treasured treats - some rare, some common - but all remarkably
delicious. Relish this rare opportunity; this delightful menu and the
light hearted but knowledgeable reflections of both our family and
staff, and local food expert Michael Warren Thomas of
SavorLife.com. Come learn about
foraging - for health, for earth, and for pleasure.
OCTOBER
The Autumn Garden Luncheon - Thursday,
October 1st, 12:30 p.m.
The sky is different now. A sudden cool breeze has ushered in a new
perspective.
Once we made a delicious herbal vinegar called 'The herbs of the first
fallen snow'. In that year we had an early dusting of white, like
powdered sugar overtop gardens and fields still lush and green. We were
so surprised to find so many garden gifts that seemed to smile in the
snow! We relish autumn, as we do each season in step. Discovering the
hidden secrets of autumn's offerings in Western New York reminds
us that fall is as vivid for the pallet and the eye as are spring and
summer. Come learn to look for the harvest gifts of the land. Fun
recipes included!
Apple Butter and Apple Pie Luncheon -
Thursday, October 8th, 12:30 p.m.
Enhancing our lunch du jour will be hot apple butter right out of the kettle ( come watch the process!) served on breads steaming from our bake ovens. And if you could choose any dessert in the world on October
8th it MUST be apple pie! Our featured recipes will compliment a delightful seasonal menu.
' An apple pie when it looks nice
Might make one long to have a slice
And if the taste should prove good too
A little slice would hardly do
So to prevent my asking twice
Please cut for me a great big slice!'
--Betty Hurd
Fall Foliage Luncheon - Wednesday, October
14th, 12:30 p.m.
The sun glinting between the barn boards highlights a glitter of golden
and scarlet leaves dancing from the center bouquet in our barn. Aged
wooden beams glow set against the treasured symbols of fall - warm maple
- bronzed oak - persimmon bittersweet - apples in every shade of red -a
garnet chrysanthemum - a pumpkin. All about us settles autumn in
glorious shades and before us a magnificent meal, filled with an
appreciation for the land.
The Apple Connoisseur's Palette - Thursday,
October 15th, 12:30 p.m.
The aroma of apples permeates every corner of our apple barn in October.
For those of us who appreciate the exceptional and sophisticated apple
world, this is an exclusive opportunity to explore a range of apples
with insights from a grower's and apple breeder's perspective.
We'll treat you to tastings of unusual, experimental, heirloom and
contemporary apples from the fifty plus varieties in our orchards. In
addition to seasonal October entree and vegetables, warm breads and
delicious dessert, our luncheon will include apple recipes from soup to
nuts. Our gift to you will be a lovely collection of favorite apple
recipes to try at home.
The Heart of the Home Luncheon - Wednesday,
October 21st, 12:30 p.m.
There is something touchingly simple and old fashioned about our farm
world. Our daily work is cheerful: homemade bread; the tending of trees;
blackberry pies; cherry preserves and apple butter; baskets of apples
and pears; garden gatherings put simply in vases at a pretty table
prepared for repast. The heart of our home nourishes, for us, our minds
and bodies, our land and our spirit.
Oakleaf Luncheon - Thursday, October 22nd, 12:30 p.m.
A walk in the woods in late fall is breathtaking; the delectable harvest
of the woods are a gift. In this luncheon we will take you on an
adventure - beginning with outstanding recipes created with and accented
by the gatherings of the woods (we will share!) - a quick fun lesson in
our rich and fertile native forests (wait until you see your place
cards!) - and completed with a surrounding steeped in oak leaf artistry.
An autumnal treat!
Autumn Berries Luncheon- Wednesday, October
28th, 12:30 p.m.
By October the earth has flowered and fruited. Hedgerows are filled with
wild grapes and rose hips, hawthorns and rowan berries. Some, like the
rose Hip and the Wild Fox Grape, are delicious and filled with
nutritional value, and have been used for hundreds of years to flavor
teas and jellies and sauces. Some are just beautiful.
Harvest Table Luncheon - Thursday, October
29th, 12:30 p.m.
The moment is finally arrived when we have completed the harvest of
apples, berries, flowers, pumpkins and squashes. can you imagine the fun
you'll have savoring our special menu and luxuriating in the colorful
harvest gatherings of late October?
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