Blackberry Farm - The Art of the Salad

Having just returned from a relaxing few days at Blackberry Farm, I am inspired to create beautiful food from humble ingredients.   The chefs at Blackberry are experts at creating beautiful and tasty food from what's on hand.  Be it the humble dried bean or a sweet potato, ordinary ingredients are made extraordinary.  I  attended a three day photography class that focused on food and floral photography.   While Blackberry chefs prepared delicious food for us to taste, we were assigned to photograph the cooking action.   Let me share with you the photos of Chef Jeff Ross, the garden manager, preparing an exquisite salad for us from  brussel sprouts.

 

Chef Jeff Ross

First step is shaving brussel sprouts on a mandoline in to thin slices.

 

Next a vinaigrette is made of South Carolina olive oil  ( who knew that existed?), vinegar and Blackberry Farm's Smoked Onion Jam. It is then  tossed with the brussel sprouts.

 

 



 

A Granny Smith apple is sliced on a mandoline and then cut in to matchsticks.

French radishes and red onions are sliced paper thin on the mandoline and quickly pickled in vinegar and sugar for about 30 minutes.

 



Red seedless grapes are tossed in olive oil and then grilled on a grill pan until they start to pop open.

 

 



 

To plate the salad, a mound of dressed brussel sprouts are placed on a rustic plate

that has been smeared with smoky onion jam.  .

 

 

 These rustic  plates are made by a local potter for Blackberry Farm exclusively.  The grey glaze is created by using the ashes from the Barn's fireplaces at Blackberry Farm.

 

 

 

 

 

A pickled golden beet is placed on the plate, along with the pickled onions and radishes.

 

Next, a few slices of sectioned orange and the apple match sticks.

Finally, a shaving of Blackberry's Singing Brook cheese is layered on the plate.

 



 

A spoonful of the grilled red grapes and a few edible violas!

 

 

A truly beautiful salad that tasted wonderful.