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The title of Ernest Hemingway’s posthumous memoir “A Moveable Feast” was derived from the quote: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
Much of the same could be said for living on the East End.
The sentiment was the basis of Slow Food East End’s annual “A Moveable Feast” fundraiser, hosted in partnership with The Joshua Levine Memorial Foundation.
The benefit is a rare opportunity to enjoy tastes from some of the East End’s top chefs, artisans, wineries and breweries under one roof. In 2011, Slow Food East End hosted the first “A Moveable Feast” fundraiser in memory of Joshua Levine, a farmer working at the Peconic Land Trust’s Quail Hill Farm CSA in Amagansett who was killed in a tractor accident at the age of 35 in 2010.
The dinner, now in its ninth year, features dozens of dishes prepared by local chefs who are noted for their farm-to-table fare. The feast is a way to celebrate Levine’s legacy and the start of the spring season, when farmers begin returning to the fields. Guests are invited to walk around and sample the seasonal dishes while listening to live music.
“This event showcases Joshua’s passion for farming,” said Slow Food East End chair Pennie Schwartz. “The support we have received from the chefs and the community grows every year.”
This year’s participants include Baron’s Cove, First and South and Grace & Grit Catering, Green Hill Kitchen, Bell & Anchor, Noah’s, North Fork Table & Inn and many other acclaimed eateries. Local wines and craft beers will be served by a handful of purveyors such as Wölffer Estate Vineyard, Kontokosta Winery, Montauk Brewing Company and Bridge Lane Wines.
The event raises money for Edible School Gardens, which oversees nearly 30 school gardens across both the North and South forks. The funding also provides stipends for young Master Farmers who guide the students through the growing season.
“We try to support this event every year because we believe in Slow Food and its school garden program,” said Ami Opisso, general manager at Bridge Lane wines. “It’s so important that our kids understand where fresh, healthy food comes from and are given the opportunity to help grow it and eat it. Slow Food is a community of farmers, purveyors and chefs committed to sustainability and providing ‘real’ food, and vineyards are a part of that.”
A Moveable Feast takes place on Sunday, April 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sanctuary Home & Patio in Sag Harbor. Tickets are $100 for Slow Food members and $150 non-members, and can be purchased at slowfoodeastend.org.
