Max Chef to Farm 2023 Summer Dining Series at Rosedale Farms

Hartford County's premier restaurant group and Farmington Valley's century-old farm and vineyard partnered for the 15th year of Max Chef to Farm. The culinary acumen is Max Level (through the roof) with the added benefit of having beverages curated MH by Sommelier and Beverage Director Brian Mitchell.

The owners of Rosedale Farms and Vineyards have been providing apples that are redder, corn that's sweeter and berries that make the juiciest cocktails to CT restaurants for decades, and Max Hospitality has always been obsessed with fresh, local and organic. To culinary Hunter Morton, these are more than buzzwords-they're a way of life. Max Chef to Farm grew out of a desire to take the "farm to table" movement one step further and bring the culinary talent right to the source of their best ingredients.

I attest that great farm produce is available all over the state- but how often with a vineyard attached? Max gives a nod to Rosedale Farms winemaker Morgan Wilson's selections and Brian Mitchell, Max's beverage director, sommelier and a decorated wine and spirits professional and President of the New England Wine Academy

Max Ole was the first Farm to Chef dinner of the season and is a realized vision of farm driven Mexican inspired fare paired with Agave Based cocktails. Think tacos and tequila with a twist of culinary acumen and a splash of cocktail mastery

Feeling FOMO? Not to worry-here's the entire season of Chef to Farm Dinners including another chance to experience Max Ole-Tacos and Tequila

The Barrel Age Best-The cocktail that takes the biggest risk, is the most creative, and shows the highest level mixology:

Tomar de los Muertos - Mexican Inspired High Level Mixology

This smoky, funky delight uses Mezcal, the smoky and spicy predecessor to tequila) and Tepache (a traditional Mexican beverage of fermented pineapple and raw piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar)

The Perfect Pairing: A Flawless Flight of Flavor. Paloma, a true Mexican classic and possibly big brother to the margarita

Paired with seafood ceviche featuring Stonington scallops, fluke, ahi, cherry tomatoes, and avocado.

This cocktail is the hero of the beverage revolution, and some say it is the true predecessor of the margarita in Mexico. Wherever its origin, the combination of Blanco Tequila, Fresh Grapefruit, Agave, and Soda was perfectly acidic and effervescent, refreshing and primed the palate for seafood ceviche.

The "Crowd Pleaser" - a cocktail of consensus

The Jalapeno Watermelon Margarita went absolutely VIRAL. I was in the company of those who do NOT favor spicy, but the acidic margarita backbone and softness of the fresh watermelon put the jalapeño in an amazing pocket of pleasant heat for everyone. Too many drinks and food are spicy due to not being cooked or rested long enough and this drink was a shining example of what time and care do to a beverage. Myself, being a fan of spicy, had enough heat to keep me satisfied and experienced the holy grail of any cocktail-balance. This is what separates good from great- when disparate ingredients are used together and they work, something special is in the glass.

The farm dinner series is just getting off to a start, and continues through the autumn harvest. A few noteworthy dates for those of us that fancy our tipple as much as tostadas, I suggest the following:

July Means Corn 7/20

BBQ Blues and Brews @ the Farmer's Cow 8/3

Whiskey! 8/17

Hoptoberfest 2023 10/8