Gustiamo has a new annual tradition: Ferragosto Italian Dinner at Bradley Farm in New Paltz.
Ray Bradley is a good food hero for the Gustiamo team. We eat his produce in nearly every day during our Gusti lunches. We actually have a long history of bartering with Ray Bradley, Sicilian EVOO for farm fresh heirloom tomaotes!
Farmer Ray’s work has been noted in the New York Times by people like Pete Wells and Melissa Clark. His farm dinners are known for being food enthusiast destinations and he has hosted guest chefs like David Bouley and our friend Justin Bazdarich.
Gustiamo was incredibly honored to be invited by Ray Bradley to cook on his farm. We chose August 15th, Ferragosto, a major Italian holiday that celebrates summer, friends, and family.
This was Gustiamo’s maiden pilgrimage to New Paltz and we just fell in love with Ray’s Farm. Here’s our Instagram story of the day:
Some of our favorite parts of the farm cooking experience were: running out of basil and having to go harvest some more. Taking kitchen breaks to hang out with farm animals (see video above). Cooking side by side with the incomparable Ray Bradley, what a privilege!
This year we cooked a pasta-focused dinner. Pesto Trapanese (here’s the classic Sicilian recipe), Pesto Genovese, and Insalata Pantesca. We served She Wolf bread and local wine, beer, and cider were flowing all night long.
The combination of Ray’s fresh produce and Gustiamo’s imported Italian ingredients creates a kind of rapturous eating experience. Ray’s garlic, potatoes, string beans, basil, and scallions. Gustiamo’s Sicilian almonds, Real Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Pantelleria capers, slow-dried pasta, and Amalfi anchovies. Divine! You would be hard-pressed to find a meal made with better ingredients.
Next year, for Farm Ferragosto 2019, we plan to kick the menu up a notch (think, Italian farm elegance). Stay tuned and follow Bradley Farm’s event page and Instagram.