Annual Granary dinner to feature Mediterranean theme

Anyone interested in a night of fine dining at the Thompson Granary to support renovation work at Lemont’s historic site can reserve their seats through Sept. 4.

The 13th annual Gourmet Granary Candlelight Dinner is catered once again by Millheim-based EcoVents, featuring chefs Erin Condo and Joshua McCracken, with a theme of “Mediterranean with a Modern Twist.” EcoVents plans a flavorful and unique menu sampling Greece, Syria, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco and more.

“A Mediterranean menu allows us to use a lot of local foods — including the lamb and vegetables — to create very unique, and even exotic, plates, sauces and desserts,” Condo said. “Mediterranean foods are diverse, super flavorful, healthy, full of tradition and fun — which fits right in with our mission.”

The dinner will begin with appetizers, featuring Mediterranean olives and cheeses, wild rice and dried cherry dolmas, charred eggplant and tahini spread, Greek yogurt labneh, rosemary and onion focaccia, beet hummus with toasted orange and homemade pita, followed by toasted spelt soup with escarole and kale quinoa salad with ginger tahini dressing.

The main courses for the dinner will be herbed leg of lamb and a vegetarian option of tagine with spiced chickpeas. Side dishes will include roasted butternut squash, red onion, tahini and za’atar tabbouleh parsley salad, tzatziki, harissa and labneh and pita for every table.

Dessert tops it all off — yogurt cheesecake with black pepper and honey with berries.

Beverages will include coffee by Café Lemont, beer by Elk Creek Cafe and Aleworks and wine by Mount Nittany Vineyard and Winery.

A silent auction will also be held during the dinner, with items including an Amish handmade quilt, Nittany Valley Symphony season tickets, Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra season tickets, massage and yoga class gift certificates, books from Eifrig Publishing, note cards by Esther Del Rosso and many other items.

Condo and McCracken, who started EcoVents five years ago and run the catering business out of the Bremen Town Ballroom in Millheim, are accustomed to hosting events and preparing meals in all sorts of unique circumstances. They enjoy doing interesting work that requires them to be flexible and creative, Condo said.

“The Granary is a beautiful and interesting space with lots of history,” she said. “It’s really a privilege to be part of the effort to maintain and restore such an important local landmark.”

Five years ago, the Gourmet Granary Dinner was one of their first big catering jobs, and as a small business, they strive to get better every year.

“The annual dinner at the Granary is a great opportunity for us to explore specialty menus,” Condo said. “So, as with every year, we expect this to be our best dinner yet.”

Seating will be limited. Dinners are $85 per person, or a table for eight may be reserved for $680. All proceeds above costs will benefit the Lemont Village Association’s renovation work at the Thompson Granary and Coal Sheds.

Reservations for the dinner are due by Sept. 4 and can be made at www.lemontvillage.org /gourmetdinner, or by calling Lemont Village Association Board Chairwoman Susan Smith at 238-1288.

This story was originally published September 2, 2016 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Annual Granary dinner to feature Mediterranean theme."