The love of dairy
Fresh local goat cheeses from CKC Farms showcased at Royal Fig supper club
The fastest way to get me excited about a fancy dinner event is to use the phrase: "Featuring a selection of fine cheeses." When that selection comes from a fresh, local farm like CKC Farms in Blanco, TX, you would be remiss to overlook such an opportunity for delicious indulgence.
On Saturday, June 30, Royal Fig Catering hosted the latest of its five-course supper clubs, which showcase a local artisan foodmaker every month in the new in-house Harvest Room. This month, to my delight, diners were treated to a sampling of farm-to-table cheeses from the 200 hand-raised goats of CKC Farms.
Finally, a rich chocolate tart with olive oil ice cream was served over a sweet goat milk caramel sauce that I would happily enjoy every day for the rest of my life.
Cheesemaker and owner Chrissy Omo — the first 'C' in CKC Farms — and her mother Adrianna were in attendance to explain the history and process of their family-owned and operated business. As each of Royal Fig Chef Dan Stacy's beautiful plates arrived, Omo shared details on the flavor profiles and intentions of pairing specific cheeses to their plates.
To start the impressive and unexpected menu, we enjoyed a strongly seasoned feta with warm olives and cherry tomatoes. Next, a blue-tinged caprino-based flan served as the bed for a gently seared scallop with leeks. The third course was a richly-flavored lamb loin cooked in duck fat and served with a delicious herbed chevre polenta.
The rawest expression of the CKC flavor came in the fourth dish, which was comprised of a quenelle of their signature baby caprino with baguette slices and grape jam. Finally, a rich chocolate tart with olive oil ice cream was served over a sweet goat milk caramel sauce that I would happily enjoy every day for the rest of my life.
I was not aware before that I was such a big fan of goat cheeses. But after tasting the flavor profiles of both the raw and incorporated treatments of CKC Farms' offerings, I'm a believer. Having the opportunity to meet the down-to-earth owners and learn about the family-owned background of their business only sweetens the deal in my mind.
Luckily, you don't have to travel all the way to Blanco to enjoy the goat cheese from CKC Farms. Omo shared with us that the family brings handmade samples from that week's cheeses to the SFC Farmers' Market at Republic Square Park every Saturday and to the Fredericksburg Farmer's Market every Thursday from 4 - 7 p.m.
The relatively recent Harvest Room is still a work in progress, says its new manager, Andrea Chartier, who explained the plans for further luxury accommodations to the petite reception space. Able to comfortably seat about 40 diners at a time, there is an excitement for the further development of the kitchen-connected dining room.
Next month, Chartier announced the menu will be inspired by Jester King Craft Brewery, so all of Chef Dan's plates will include samples of the company's uniquely named ales. (The Harvest Room is also BYOB, so it's up to you how to pair the night's offerings.) Further details will be available on the Royal Fig website once the menu is finalized.
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Royal Fig at the Harvest Room supper club events are $65.00 per reservation. All events are BYOB.