POETIC PLATES is a pop-up dinner!

The night will feature locally sourced, poetry-inspired food by Lauren Furey. Local poets will also read poems throughout the night.

THE MENU

Stories behind the food, by Lauren Furey

Citrus-marinated olives, using olives from Olinda Olives and Olive Oil 

Olinda Olives and Olive Oil was started by Jeanne Decamilla in 2011. We crossed paths at Mount Pleasant Farmer’s Market, while I was creating cooking segments for WCBD News 2’s lifestyle show, “Living Local”. We interviewed her while she showcased her product and told her story. We met again at Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Farm Fest fundraising event a couple weeks ago. Les Dames is a philanthropic organization of women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality. Leanne’s olives are perfect to use in my citrus-marinated olives. 

Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus

My family eats this asparagus like candy. The tender-crisp asparagus is enveloped in the salty yet delicate prosciutto. We often serve it when company comes over. At High Cotton, I used to shave the prosciutto for the cheese plates and had the opportunity to learn about the origins of this beautiful cured meat. It is where simplicity meets elegance.  

Tuscan white bean spread with local semolina bread from Tiller Bakery 

White beans, specifically the cannellini type, are silky and nutty. My nana used to use the same beans to make pasta fagioli, an Italian soup with pasta and beans. I serve this spread at potlucks or use it on sandwiches and homemade pizza. Tiller Bakery, started by Joe Shea, supplies hand crafted, whole grain, local bread wholesale. I chose semolina bread because of its golden crust and its Sicilian origin.

“Not-your-mama’s” chicken marsala meatballs with creamy polenta 

I grew up making chicken tenders and meatballs. These are “not-your-mama’s” meatballs. They are a lighter protein accompanied by sweet marsala sauce. Italian polenta is comparable to our Southern grits. I like the creaminess of the polenta as a base for the meatballs. While Nathalie Dupree was taste testing these at her home the Lee Brothers walked in and after trying them, gave me their seal of approval. I fine-tuned these with Nathalie, and hope you love the final version. Kelly Franz, executive chef at Magnolia’s, made all the chicken broth for this recipe. Nathalie Dupree, Chef Kelly, and Jeanne Camilla are all members of Les Dames d’Escoffier and I am happy to incorporate all of them. 

Vegetarian option: creamy polenta with marsala and greens

Chef Sarah Adams invited my friend Meredith and I to come help cook for one of her dinner parties in a beachfront house on Isle of Palms. Meredith taught me how to cook these delicious greens. 

Lemon-almond biscotti, paired with fig-almond gelato from Gelati Moto 

In Italian, “biscotti” means twice-cooked. I always make these as gifts and make a whole variety from pumpkin to chocolate pistachio. You can bake them rock-solid, and soften them by dipping them into coffee, but I prefer baking mine a little softer. They require simple base ingredients and can be made far in advance. Most importantly, you can make a lot at one time! Brian Bertolini from Gelati Moto is one of the smiling faces you might recognize from the local farmer’s markets. He provided tonight’s custom-made gelato.