Thursday’s al fresco Fire Feast promises flaming good time
From pre-dinner artisanal bread to dessert’s carrot-ginger bread, Pitney Meadows’ outdoor fire-cooked feast ignites culinary magic.
A sunset al fresco feast close enough to the open fire pits it was cooked on to smell the lingering earthy aromas? Thursday’s Fire Feast promises to ignite the senses before guests even sit down to eat.
The late-summer tradition is pure Pitney Meadows glory: eating local, spending time outdoors, and meeting like-minded folks while wandering the gardens and breaking bread at community tables.
"This year, Fire Feast is an even deeper expression of place,” Pitney’s Executive Director, Brooke McConnell, tells the Dispatch. “Every ingredient — every vegetable, every drizzle of honey, every cut of meat — comes directly from the fields of Pitney Meadows and our partners at Echo Farm, ensuring the meal is as fresh, seasonal and rooted in our region as possible.”
Thursday’s drool-worthy menu — there are still a limited number of tickets available for the 6 to 9 p.m. event — promises a unique experience unlike anything currently on the menu in Saratoga. After a spread of bread, farm-made cheeses and local honeycomb, expect griddled eggplant topped with shaved cured egg yolks for a silky and savory richness. Then dig into a course of wood-fired heirloom vegetable flatbreads on beef tallow naan. The smoky bites promise a touch of cultured yogurt and picturesque edible blooms.
Be sure to save enough appetite for the main course. Think grass-fed beef from the hearth, topped with flavorful Argentinian chimichurri, and blackened veggies with an herby chermoula sauce. Or rip into fall-off-the-bone pork, cooked asado-style.
The unique dessert course promises to be a crowd-pleaser: grilled carrot-ginger bread with flavored whipped cream, creamy corn pudding and fresh fruit. The pairing? A popcorn and fennel digestif.
"The menu reflects the very peak of summer’s bounty, with dishes designed to highlight the vibrant flavors, colors and textures that define this moment in the growing season,” McConnell says. “It’s a true farm-to-fire-to-plate experience, crafted entirely within a few miles of where it’s served, making every bite a genuine taste of New York in August."
All that food requires an army of local talent, including Farmstead Catering with Echo Farm, The Shepherd's Hearth, Chef Kevin Sprouse, Grounded NY, and The Baker's Bench.
There will also be live music — and an open bar. In addition to craft beers from Druthers Brewing Company and wine from Old Tavern Farm, there will be cocktails (often with locally grown fruits and herbs) from Bars without Boundaries, One With Life tequila, Hamlet & Ghost, Albany Distilling Company, and First Fill Spirits.
Thursday’s Fire Feast is 6 to 9 p.m. at Pitney Meadows. For tickets and more information, visit 2025 Fire Feast.
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