GREENEVILLE – Diners seeking a delightful and different cooking experience in a historic setting will find what they seek with a special event at Tusculum University.
In a joint venture with Rural Resources, Tennessee’s first higher education institution will host the Farm to Table dinner Thursday Oct. 21, at the Doak House Museum. The main feature is a splendid meal that will include items grown at the Doak House and Rural Resources, such as corn, pumpkins, chestnuts and peppers.
“This event is tremendous opportunity to spend a relaxing evening outdoors enjoying a delicious meal cooked in a different manner,” said Dr. Peter Noll, associate professor of public history and museum studies. “We are excited to partner with Rural Resources and use home-grown ingredients as part of the menu and know the community will enjoy the ambiance.”
The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a meet-and-greet. Diners will be seated between the Doak House and the academy building at 6 p.m. and will be served soup as the first course at 6:15 p.m. The main course will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by dessert.
The menu will include pork loin stuffed with apples, cranberries and nuts; pork belly Brussel sprouts; curried pumpkin soup; red corn pudding; carrots; asparagus; and potatoes. Dessert will consist of pumpkin sorbet. The peppers, made into jam, will be served with the hors d’oeuvres at the meet-and-greet. Honey from the beehives on the Doak House grounds will be spread over the pork loin and will be used as sweetener in the unsweet tea at the meal.
Meal preparers will accommodate special dietary requests.
“We are confident our guests will relish the change of pace offered by this uniquely constructed meal in a beautiful setting,” said Rush Bakshi, Rural Resources’ chef. “We are pleased to work closely with Tusculum on this event and anticipate this meal will create further interest among our guests in using home-grown ingredients in food prepared for their families and friends. This is a can’t-miss event for the community.”
After the meal, guests can continue enjoying the grounds with s’mores at the newly installed fire pit. That will give them an additional opportunity to explore the grounds and participate in further conversation with fellow guests and representatives from Tusculum and Rural Resources.
Wayne Thomas, dean of Tusculum’s College of Civic and Liberal Arts, will serve as emcee. Dr. Scott Hummel, the university’s president, will provide a welcome, and Dr. David Gonzalez, Tusculum’s director of bands, will lead a three-string quartet in the Doak House.
Dr. Noll will share further details about the grounds and explain the many new developments at the Doak House, including the growing of food and the construction of a new trail.
The meal, which is part of Tusculum’s Homecoming celebration, costs $50 per person, with proceeds benefiting the Doak House Museum and Rural Resources. Seating is limited for this event. Attire is evening wear casual.
To sign up for the event, please visit https://go.tusculum.edu/homecoming/2021-homecoming-registration-form/ and select Farm to Table among the list of events. The deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 19.
For more information about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu. To learn more about Rural Resources, please visit https://www.ruralresources.net/.
Please contact Nicole Rader, director of alumni engagement and special events, at nrader@tusculum.edu or 423-636-0565 with any questions.