A Kentucky Derby Party at My Farm, Part Two
Here in Bedford, New York, we're expecting several more days of beautiful warm spring weather - great for spending time outdoors with those near and dear.
Earlier this month, I welcomed about 200-people to my farm for a Kentucky Derby Party benefitting the Bedford Riding Lanes Association, the BRLA. There was lots of food - a beautiful cheese table, an oyster bar, and of course a caviar station. My friend Chef Pierre Schaedelin from PS Tailored Events and I also planned a delicious array of Southern bites - deviled eggs, southern fried drumsticks, hot crab dip on shortbread crackers, brown sugar and bourbon glazed ham on buttermilk biscuits, and more. For drinks everyone enjoyed my special mint juleps, Martha's Chard, Martha-tinis, and sweet iced tea. It was a great day and a most enjoyable gathering.
Enjoy these photos.
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- It was a gorgeous May day for my party. Here is the mint julep station where I made my rendition of the popular Kentucky Derby drink for all my guests – outside on the cobblestone courtyard at the foot of my long Boxwood Allée.
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- We had an elaborate cheese table filled with lots of great cheeses from Murray’s Cheese in New York City.
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- We also enjoyed lots of these Biddy Sticks – small-batch, handmade, organic, artisanal breadsticks – made with just a hint of red pepper.
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- And here are our friends from Copps Island Oysters ready to shuck and serve. We ordered more than 300 oysters for the event – and all of them were devoured.
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- Look at this giant round of Golden Russian Ossetra caviar from Black Diamond Caviar. Another big hit. This was also completely finished by the time the party ended.
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- I made the melba toasts myself earlier in the morning.
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- I instructed the wait staff to make sure each piece had a nice dollop of caviar on top.
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- My Derby hat was made by expert milliner Jackie Cicogna Millinery right here in Westchester, New York. I am standing with Katherine Zeller Gage, the beautiful wife of Chef Daniel Boulud, and my neighbor, fashion designer Andy Yu.
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- Couldn’t have a party without my own Martha’s Chard.
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- We had glasses of wine in Govino glasses made especially with the thumb indentation on the side for easy holding.
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- Chef Pierre made this gorgeous and colorful platter of crudités. It was served with a Benedictine Dip – also popular for Kentucky Derby gatherings.
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- Some of the small bites passed around included Southern fried drumsticks, hot crab dip and glazed ham on buttermilk biscuits.
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- My Carriage House was decorated with a Kentucky Derby theme. Samsung monitors were hung on the walls around the room, so everyone could watch the race. And our buffet table was decorated with a Kentucky Derby themed centerpiece. The seven foot tall zinc eagle on the pedestal is something I purchased not too long ago. I think it looks so pretty in this room.
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- Kevin Sharkey took this photo from the hayloft of my stable. The weather was absolutely perfect.
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- This is Romilly Newman – tastemaker, recipe developer, and food stylist. She created our table scapes.
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- Here’s a giant mound of shrimp. Served with cocktail sauce, of course.
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- Chef Pierre and his team baked dozens of sourdough boules. A boule, from French, meaning “ball”, is a traditional shape of French bread resembling a squashed ball.
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- Nearby, butter roses made from Vermont Creamery butter.
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- Candied pecans from High End Desserts in Georgetown, Kentucky served in fanciful silver were also part of the buffet.
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- And here are the girls – Billie and Jude “JJ” Junior, always looking on with curiosity. What a fun event for a great cause – to help maintain and develop the historic system of riding trails and dirt roads in this area of Westchester.
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