The Village Feast

Davis' favorite feast is back. Join friends and neighbors and spend the afternoon sipping Yolo County wines and enjoying a Provencal-inspired meal in Central Park.

Tickets, $65 per person (and $55 for Slow Food Yolo members), are available at the Davis Food Co-op (620 G Street, 530-758-2657) and at www.villagefeast2011.eventbrite.com. Help us bring Yolo County farmers to the table. Buy a farmer a ticket for just $50 - available for purchase through the ticket website. Don't forget to bring your dinnerware - plate, flatware, water glass and napkin!

Come wine and dine under the Sycamore trees, and contribute to a great cause. The afternoon kicks off with an Aperitif hour featuring wood oven pizza with seasonal ingredients from Caffe Italia’s “Pizza with a Purpose” to benefit Davis Farm to School, and wine from Senders Wines and Berryessa Gap Vineyards. Guests will enjoy lunch at linen-draped tables and will be served a family-style meal featuring produce from local farmers prepared by Buckhorn Catering. The Provencal-inspired menu will include savory grilled lamb with fresh herbs, heirloom tomato salad and roasted vegetables with garlicky aioli.   Following the meal, Alex Roth, The Pepper Peddler, will be brewing his fair trade, organic, bike-roasted coffee (www.thepepperpeddler.com) to accompany the delightful fresh fruit tarts.

There will be music and dancing courtesy of Yolo County’s own, West Nile Ramblers. The Village Feast Silent Auction is back featuring unique items, local art and priceless regional food and wine experiences. Come bid on items such as a Farm Tour and Dinner for Ten at Full Belly Farm, a Pancetta Class with Jamie Buffington and a Pleine Aire Painting by local artist, Jesse Pruet. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Davis Farm to School program, which supports the Davis Joint Unified School District in maintaining school gardens, recycling programs, and local food in cafeterias.

The Village Feast is modeled after “Le Grand Aioli,” the food lovefest that is a summer tradition of Provence, France. This event brings the community together around a local farm-fresh meal during August. In keeping with the “Le Grand Aioli” tradition, participants will bring their own dinnerware. This includes plates, flatware and cloth napkins. Co-founder Ann Evans of the Village Feast comments, “Everyone brings their best china, silver and linen napkins. It adds to the specialness and enjoyment of a long leisurely meal.”