The same climate and soil conditions that produce the wine that is such an important part of the Monterey Bay area's identity also nurtures a wide variety of crops, with lettuce and strawberries topping the list. Agriculture, in fact, is the region's top earner, bringing in twice as much as tourism. Even if hardly anyone goes to visit grandma's farm on family vacations any more, visitors to this area can eat as if they did, but with gourmet panache. Perhaps the ultimate expression of the "locavore" movement that the Monterey area has ardently embraced is the farm-to-table dinner, sometimes known as a field dinner or a field-to-fork meal. Several variations on this theme pop up throughout the region to take advantage of the agricultural riches. Here's a sampling:
A great catch in Carmel Highlands: Abalone
The Meet the Farmer Lunch Series is more than feasting on local bounty straight from the source — it's an education in how it comes into being, how it gets to your table and how to put it to best use, all delivered with equal parts knowledge and passion by the folks that make it happen. The second lunch of 2012 stars the world's favorite mollusk, which will be both elucidated and consumed high above the ocean waves.
The farmers are Arthur Seavey and Trevor Fay of the Monterey Abalone Co., who will talk about maintaining the long tradition of producing food from the sea, in this case through natural, sustainable aqua-culture. Next up, Matt Bolton, executive chef of the host, Pacific's Edge restaurant at the Hyatt Carmel Highlands. Bolton will present a lunch of three abalone courses, paired with wines, and join the farmers and attendees in the repast. Inspired guests may try to replicate the meal at home from recipes Bolton will provide.
A final "Meet the Farmer" lunch, yet to be scheduled, will take place in the fall.
June 9, 12 noon-2 p.m. $75. Hyatt 120 Highlands Drive, Carmel. (831) 622-5445, www.pacificsedge.com
Basque cuisine among the vines, eye candy for dessert
If you're not especially interested in the cream of the world's vintage car crop, it might have passed your notice that the Monterey Peninsula's Classic Car Week lineup includes one event that will get any food-lover's motor going. Since 2009, Chateau Julien Wine Estate's Dine in Di-Vine has been a highlight of the motor classic.
The four-course field dinner is served family style in the winery's 5-acre Sangiovese vineyard. Diners choose from several entrees from on chef Terry Teplitzky's Basque menu and select their wine, then adjourn to the chateau after dinner for dessert, coffee, and ogling some delicious vintage autos.
Aug. 15-19, 6 p.m. $63 (2011 price; 2012 not set). 8940 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. (831) 624-2600, www.chateaujulien.com.
Whole foods, holistic learning at Esalen
It should come as no surprise that farm-to-table manifests in its truest, most holistic sense at Esalen, which has scheduled four special programs culminating in a dinner in which food literally comes from the farm straight to the table. The first is "Experiencing the Esalen Farm and Garden," a week beginning with cultivation, composting, transplanting and harvesting experience on the retreat's vegetable, herb and flower plots. The work is integrated with a series of self-awareness workshops and culminates in a farm-to-table dinner prepared on the farm as a group. The program will be repeated twice in 2012.
The second is a five-course farm-to-table dinner prepared with Big Sur and Esalen farm produce paired with Idle Cellars wine during the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival. Special rates include mineral baths, movement classes and meals, including the farm dinner prepared by Esalen chefs.
May 27-June 1, Aug. 24-26 and Sept. 23-28, Experiencing the Esalen Farm and Garden. Nov. 4-6, Big Sur Food & Wine Festival Weekend Retreat. Call for prices. Esalen Institute, 55000 Highway, Big Sur. (831) 667-3000, www.esalen.org.
The DIY approach
It's also worth checking in with Chaminade in Santa Cruz and the Monterey Peninsula Country Club in coming months. They have staged farm-to-table dinners during later months of recent years but haven't announced plans for 2012 yet.
Farm-to-table dinners are still rare enough that they are occasional events that tend to sell out and cost a lot of money. Visitors without a rich uncle, though, can have a farm-to-table dinner any time without a strain on the budget. Stop in at Earthbound Farms in Carmel Valley, avail yourself of the cut-your-own herb garden or take one of their walks or classes (beginning in June), and grab a bite at their Organic Kitchen. Or just buy a bagful of goodies to take home or to your favorite picnic spot.
And if your itinerary doesn't include Carmel Valley, drop by a farmers' market in Aptos, Monterey or Carmel. They are celebrating their 35th anniversary this year with all kinds of special events, and the growers will gladly tell you everything you want to know about their produce and the best way to prepare it. It doesn't get much more farm-to-table than that.
Former Chronicle travel editor Christine Delsol also writes the Mexico Mix column at sfgate.com/mexico.
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