Palos Verdes Pastoral: A Garden-to-Table Dining Experience at Terranea Resort

Palos Verdes Pastoral
A Garden-to-Table Dining Experience at Terranea Resort

Al fresco dining with magnificent views of Catalina Island, on a warm Autumn evening at sunset – this is Palos Verdes Pastoral…a vibrant fall meal created by Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra, showcasing the best of California-grown food expertly paired with hand-picked wines.

For the fourth year in a row, it was my honor and pleasure to serve as food photographer for the premier garden-to-table dining experience that took place at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California on Sunday, October 18th.

Palos Verdes Pastoral is a fundraising event to support the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s mission to preserve and restore habitat for the enjoyment and education of all.

I also happen to be a beneficiary of the Land Conservancy’s work, as we’ve been hiking the local trails and enjoying our open spaces here along the coast for decades. Since its founding in 1988, the Land Conservancy has preserved 1600 acres of open space with nearly 42 miles of public trails.

Location

Catalina Terrace Lawn
Terranea Resort
(notice Catalina Island on the horizon)

The evening is designed to bring people together amidst nature for an exclusive dining experience featuring the best of California hand-crafted, organic, and sustainable foods. After the reception featuring a super-popular signature cocktail, wine, and appetizers on the patio, 200 guests took their seats at sunset to enjoy the artisanal creations by Chef Bernard and his talented team.

Signature Cocktail

Tru Juniper Natural Cocktail

• 2 oz. TRU gin
• 1 0z. Fruitlab Jasmine liqueur
• 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup

Shake and pour into rocks glass. Top with tonic. Garnish with edible flower and lemon.

From the President of the Board of Directors

 “Tonight we jointly celebrate the success of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy in preserving the natural open space that makes the Peninsula so special. Despite the drought, our open space is experiencing  a surge of trail users and fortunately also a growing number of volunteers who make it possible  for us to protect, restore, educate, and enjoy the open space.”

William K. Swank
President, Board of Directors

PVPLC Highlights

“The establishment of the Conservancy’s first endowment, the preservation of 58 acres of land in Malaga Canyon, and the dedication of increased resources for trails in the nature preserve are just a few of the highlights that made this year especially successful.”

Andrea Vona
Executive Director

Food Donors

Producers from around the state donated all of the food and wine for the evening. 100% of the proceeds benefit the Land Conservancy. Along with major sponsors Terranea Resort and  Whole Foods Market Torrance, food donors also included Superior Seafood Co., Mary’s Free Range Duck, Homegrown Meats, and Greenbar Craft Distillery.

PVPLC Highlights

Provided locally grown native plants to the public for drought tolerant gardening through plant sales at the White Point Nature Preserve and South Coast Botanic Gardens.

PVPLC Highlights

Trained college interns to assist with vegetation monitoring at restoration sites that provide data for restoration program assessment.

PVPLC Highlights

Celebrated the Third Grade Education Program’s 20th year with successful outreach to over 34,000 students and 7,600 parents for school based education programs.

PVPLC Highlights

Planted over 17,000 locally grown native plants at five different restoration sites.

Canapés

Death Valley’s China Ranch Crispy Date
Filled with roasted walnut, wrapped with cured pork belly

RPV’s Sun Dried Tomato & Meyer Lemon
Burrata stick pink peppercorn berries rub

Tuna Nicoise Crostini
Fresh seared tuna, tomato, pepper tapenade

Warm Portuguese Bend Grape Leaves
Stuffed with pulled chicken tagine

PVPLC Highlights

Restored over eight acres of habitat at Portuguese Bend, Abalone Cove, Alta Vicente and more for the Palos Verdes blue butterfly.

 Music

Paul Ellis Guitar

PVPLC Highlights

Back in 2005, the PVPLC started a fund raising campaign to purchase large parcels of land for preservation, and offered donors the chance to name a site or a trail.

The Hadley Endowment and The Burma Road Trail

When Jeanne and Arthur Hadley decided to close their family foundation, they chose to give the remaining funds to the Conservancy. The Hadley Endowment will provide a generous annual gift of approximately $60,000 in perpetuity to support the Conservancy’s land restoration activities. “Forever Cherish This Land,” say Jeanne and Arthur Hadley.

The Cool Overlook

Becky Cool chose a site to pay tribute to her beloved husband’s memory. Tays Cool loved the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Because rheumatoid arthritis took away his ability to walk or stand during the last years of his life, it was important to Becky to find a location that was handicap accessible. The Cool Overlook is located in the Forrestal Reserve and has a stunning ocean view. Becky and Tays, who were both self-made people, believed that it was important to give back to their community. Preserving land as beautiful as the Peninsula’s is a “forever deal” that will give enjoyment to the many generations to follow.

Wine Sponsors

All the wines for the evening were generously donated by Castle Rock Winery, Cuatro Dias, Darioush, La Caze Vineyard, One Hope Wines, and Villa Oneiro.

From the Event Co-Chair

“The evening sells out each year to 200 guests because of the combination of a local, seasonal food menu, al fresco dining at the beautiful Terranea Resort, and the welcoming social atmosphere that brings together individuals with shared interests. Supporting the Conservancy at this event makes for a truly special evening that is warm, friendly, and inspiring.”

Diana Heffernan-Schrader
Co-Chair

 PVPLC Highlights

Welcomed 1600 volunteers of all ages who volunteered 15,000 hours to preserve and restore land, help with education programs, and assist in organizational governance.

PVPLC Highlights

Proceeds from this fundraiser also support guided nature walks on the preserves, the operation of two nature centers, and an environmental awareness and natural science education to about 3000 students a year.

 Appetizer

Catalina View Garden Avocado Flight
Hummus, green pizza verrine, crispy dough stick
Avocado and house-made feta cube and guacamole filled deviled egg

Soup Course

Charred garden-harvested tomato cream soup with edible flower garnish
Watercress and Terranea sea salt sandwich

 Salad Course

Chef’s hand-picked selection of bitter and sweet greens
Air dried sliced duck breast “ham”
Rosemary infused red wine vinegar dressing

 Fish Course

Smoked and plancha seared sanddabs
Clam wild fennel sauce

Vegetables

Roasted fall veggies and sage from Terranea gardens

Meat Course

Charcoal grilled beef striploin block
House crafted bitters steak sauce
Fork-mashed young potatoes

Desserts

Dark chocolate mousse crunch parfait
Bing cherry creme brûlée
Peach melba panna cotta, oat streusel crumble
Meyer lemon pistachio poppy seed tart

Gift Bags

Gift bags included delicious Portuguese Bend Fig Preserves homemade by PVPLC Board Member (and McIntosh’s veterinarian) Cassie Jones, as well as items from Whole Foods, Justin’s Almond Butter, Kensington & Sons Spice Merchants, and Honey Pacifica.

Thank You

In addition to the camaraderie, gourmet foods, stellar wines, and ambiance that is second to none – the evening increased awareness of the important work of the Conservancy in protecting and stewarding our open space and nature. Thank you PVPLC!