Suspended horseradish with local hydroponic micro-shoots, dehydrated Pacific Ocean water, nonenzymatic caramelized fork-tender short ribs with red-injected veal reduction, viscous coconut milk emulsion.
Doesn't sound like your typical wine dinner, does it? Well, all those things and more were served by chef Justin Beckett and crew at the first-ever Feed Your Dreams Dinner and Awards ceremony, presented by The Up Agency and hosted by the Arizona Science Center. The five-course dinner sounded like a somewhat creepy science experiment, but the end result was nothing but pure culinary deliciousness. Chilled shrimp were served on top of black beans with crunchy corn nuts and creamy avocado, extra-tender short ribs were bathed in savory red wine juices, and dense coconut cake was blanketed with golden brown shredded coconut. But the evening wasn't just about food — it was also about helping local entrepreneurs with a passion for sustainable locally grown food and a drive to help make the world a better place. Beckett's Table and The Up Agency gave away $10,000 cash and a $10,000 marketing package to the lucky winners of the Feed Your Dreams contest, Bruce & Tina Leadbetter of Stone Hoe Gardens. Their plan to create lush vegetable gardens in parking lots, prisons, and vacant spaces beat out dozens of contest entries. All in all, it made for an educational dinner complete with wine pairings and plenty of plant sciences.