Kansas Snapshots by Gloria Freeland - September 5, 2025

"Dine and unwind"

When husband Art and friend Dave dropped me off at about 6:45 p.m., it was 101 degrees with a warm southwest breeze - pretty typical for an August day in Kansas. Leaving the air-conditioned car felt like stepping into a furnace.

"Better you than me," Art said grinning, as he drove away.

I was at the Farm-to-Table dinner, one of the activities scheduled to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Kansas State University Gardens. I always thought it would be fun to attend such an event because I've seen travel shows featuring them in various countries around the world.

Even though Art may have thought I was crazy - he hates heat - I felt lucky as I was ticket number 32 out of a total of 32.

Nancy Cole, a Friends of the Gardens board member and one of the event's organizers, said she had selected the date - August 8 - because there was to be a full moon and she knew it would be a beautiful sight over the gardens.

I wasn't sure how the heat would affect the evening, but I was determined not to let triple-digit temperatures keep me from enjoying myself.

Four white tents were arranged in an east-west row on the west side of the gardens to the south of a fountain. They shaded 32 wooden chairs set around four rectangular wood tables. Scott McElwain, director of the gardens, was scurrying about, draping a gauzy cloth across the western end of the far-west tent to provide protection from the setting sun. Caterers from Scratch Gourmet Kitchen in Prairie Village and garden board members were giving last-minute touches to the tables, which had been made by AWL Thumbs, a group of woodworking volunteers.

Blue-and-white runners decorated the centers of the tables. Each setting included a place mat in the shape of a cabbage, a bouquet of sunflowers, roses and other flowers, and a white napkin holding the silverware and a menu.

A bar dispensing cold drinks was to the south under some trees. I asked for a Sprite, but the bartender had difficulty scooping the ice because it had melted into one large chunk. It was just another hurdle to overcome in the heat and she handled it with aplomb.

As people started gathering, I saw a few I knew - Nancy, Cheryl Yunk, and Val Converse from the Friends of the Gardens, Mary Mertz from the Riley County Historical Society, and Judy Regehr from the Riley County Genealogical Society.

I selected a chair at the end of one table next to Judy's husband Dave, explaining that I wanted to be on an outside edge so I could easily get up to take pictures.

Scott made a few general announcements, including that there were wet towels in a cooler if we needed them. A few others and I took him up on the offer. Ah, relief!

Then the meal began.

A server assembled our appetizers, which included watermelon and cantaloupe, fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, golden beets, basil leaves, balsamic reduction, and Reggiano "dust" - finely-grated Reggiano cheese. The combination of flavors tickled my taste buds.

A summer harvest salad came next. It included arugula, quinoa, strawberries, blueberries, candied pecans, and goat cheese, with balsamic vinegar drizzled on top. A glass of chardonnay was served as an accompaniment. It looked beautiful - and was tasty as well!

The entree was beef tenderloin, carrot puree, garden vegetable ragout, and crispy potatoes, paired with a Merlot - also quite tasty!

Dessert was a rhubarb tart, vanilla ice cream, white chocolate ganache drizzle, and edible flowers, complemented with a Rosé. I had never eaten an orchid, but found it to be just a bit crisp, with a pleasant texture that went well with the other ingredients.

Two band members of Tallgrass Express, singer-songwriters Annie Wilson and Carl Reed, provided entertainment. Wilson, named the Flint Hills Balladeer in 2013 for her efforts "to share the beauty of the Kansas Flint Hills through words and music," sang and played guitar, while Reed sang and accompanied her on the bass. The band, formed in 2004, specializes in programs dedicated to the heritage, land, and culture of the Tallgrass Prairie.

Their final number - "Farm-to-Table Growers Song" - was a great way to end the evening.

Buy our apples, our tomatoes, our corn and our wheat,
Our jelly and our bread, our peppers and our meat.
Put a real face on your food - not some logo from afar.
Know how your food was raised and who your growers are.

Chorus:
Eat a farm-to-table dinner with freshness that is sure,
Grown by local families in ways that keep land pure.

* * *

With the evening drawing to a close, I was hesitant to leave as it had been so pleasant. I chatted a bit with Scott and the caterers and took some parting photos of the fountain and reflecting pool.

The event had been billed as a way to "dine and unwind." Despite the heat, we had certainly done that.