Under the pecan trees in Austin

The hot night in a pecan grove began with a cocktail that involved a lemongrass-infused vodka, white wine and tiny Mexican limes grown in Texas… and it just kept getting better.  There were skewers of grilled lamb sausage, fried rabbit, Gulf shrimp wrapped in allspice leaves, and on and on, all the way to the Texas-sized wedges of local cheese.  Everything was organic or artisanal (or both), just-picked, just made, just-seared, just-sauced.

The occasion was a Saturday night and another Dai Due supper club dinner with founder Jesse Griffiths leading the cooking effort – and telling stories – with his wife, Tamara, and the rest of the team prepping food and plates and serving the 43 guests seated in the lamplight of one long table… all just a few yards from the lettuce rows.

I’ve been checking out supper clubs since the spring as part of an assignment for Garden & Gun. I should know more about the print publication date soon.

 - Sandy Lang, December 2008