“…we should do this once a week! It really brings the community together” … a memorable quote from a first-time volunteer, and very good sport, as he is trying to eat bites of veggie kabob and keep track of requests for peach milkshakes and blueberry-strawberry-peach smoothies.
And, yes, the weather is perfect…sunny and hot, just right for sun-kissed cheeks and noses, and for keeping dessert lovers lined up in front of the fudenjuce shakes & smoothies booth for 4 hours straight !
Fast food it is not ! But I’m sure not hearing any complaints. Fudenjuce donated a couple of blenders and their best, expert blender-handlers to whip up fresh, fruity yummies at the Come Home To Eat festival on Sunday.
“$3 each, please … the proceeds go right back into the festival fund and to the farmers who provide our local food.” That’s me … customer service w/a smile, and my sidekick “ol’ sticky-fingers” handling the $. I’m thinking you might describe the mood at the booth as barely-controlled chaos, more “shakey” than “smooth” at times … (ha!), but give the people enough Straus Organic Vanilla Ice Cream and fresh, local Bierwagen/Donner Trail peaches from Chicago Park, just 20 minutes up the road from here, Lazy Valley Ranch blueberries from right here in Penn Valley, SunSmile Farms apple juice and Riverhill Farm strawberries (happy birthday Jo!) … and everybody’s happy.
(.. except maybe the blender guys, as the afternoon sun starts angling their way. Up to their elbows in sugary delightfulness … and hungry ! when do volunteers get to eat anyway ??) The banter is an integral part of this scene … I’m pretty sure some of those folks in line are just here for the ‘floor show’. ‘Me and the sidekick’ have plans for a juggling act between orders for the next gig. But, no blender duty, he says … “I don’t do sticky.”
Somewhere outside of this booth, I know there’s a full-on festival happening. But, I’m spending the whole afternoon here with the smoothie-guys. I’m happy enough right here. The serving volunteers brought dinner to us. In return, I’m running peach shakes to the cooks and kitchen helpers. Somebody even set a cold Sierra Nevada brew right next to my picnic plate ! And what a plate … grilled kabobs with Nevada County Free Range Beef and LaNoria Ranch lamb, a medley of veggies … zucchini, basil, tomatoes and melon from Four Frog Farm, Living Lands Agrarian Network, Mountain Bounty Farm, Naked Farms and SunSmile Farms (in locally alphabetical order), croutons and bread made from Grass Valley Grains – baked locally at Flour Garden Bakery.
From where I’m standing, I can see the stage where the farmers are being honored, and the dancing will start at dusk. If I could sneak away from my post, I might try some of the local wines from Smith Vineyard, Pilot Peak, and Szabo wineries. The dinner tickets include a beer from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company or Auburn Alehouse, hard cider from Fox Barrel, or a homemade Ginger soda from Shan Kendall … she’s mildly famous around here for her soda ! All of this, from within our local reach. With just a bit of a stretch to our regional neighbors, for Apollo Olive Oil, Chaffin Farms olive oil, Straus Creamery, Clover Stornetta butter, and Riverdog Farm corn-on-the-cob.
Thanks, thanks, thanks to all of the volunteers who make Come Home To Eat happen every year (or almost every year … except the year we were all too tired to do it … ). And, the fudenjuce booth, and all of these people in line, are especially thankful to Rita – for making that mad last minute drive through Friday evening traffic !!! to rescue the Straus icecream from Petaluma ! We are so lucky to have so much good food right here in our local and regional “neighborhood” !
Until next year … I’ve really got to practice my juggling.
