What happens when you combine over 2,000 pounds of fresh cherries, approximately 50 volunteers and a 40-foot long table? Gather your friends, put on your aprons, roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive into pitting a mountain of Okanagan cherries at The Irish Heather’s Pit for Your Supper on July 18, 2012. Guests will earn their supper while preparing the bumper crop of juicy cherries from Heather Hospitality Group (HHG) partner Scott Hawthorn’s Picker Shack Orchard, which will be utilized in a number of tasty food and beverage items at the group’s restaurants.
What better way to connect with where your food comes from than getting up to your elbows in BC’s bountiful fruit harvest? Food loving volunteers will sit elbow to elbow at the long table, pitting fruit and making new friends as the evening progresses. Once the hard work is done, the group will be fed a delicious meal paired with beer, then go home with a bag of cherries. The supper menu consists of spiced pork loin served with potato salad and fresh cut slaw; or there is a vegetarian option of fried green onion polenta, white bean and garlic puree, topped with a zucchini salad. Supper is paired with a feature beer, the Driftwood Fat Tug IPA from Victoria, BC. Pitting commences at 7pm and supper is served at 9pm.
Scott Hawthorn’s Picker Shack Orchard on the bench in Naramata has produced a bountiful crop of quality fruit this year. Cherries, apricots, peaches, pears and apples will be utilized in a number of house made dishes and accompaniments at HHG venues. Watch for sun-dried cherries as a feature condiment at Salt Tasting Room, apricot chutney for roast suckling pig at The Irish Heather’s Long Table Series, apricot and pear jam at Everything Café and the Salty Tongue and fresh fruit filling for pastries made at Penn Bakeshop. Guests will find this delicious fruit in cheese and charcuterie plates, in cherry chutney to accompany house made terrines, and even as an ingredient in an exclusive beer made for Bitter by R&B Brewing Co. As part of the R&B exclusive draft beer series, stay tuned for the release of either the Cherry Wheat Ale or an Apple Brown Ale availably only at Bitter.
Pit for Your Supper takes place on the 40-foot-long communal table in The Irish Heather, 212 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC. The weekly event begins at 7pm on Wednesday July 18th with cherries for the first 4 weeks. After cherries come apricots, peaches, apples and pears every Wednesday straight through to September. To volunteer at this popular event and get on the list, e-mail reso@irishheather.com. To view the full schedule of events visit: www.itsmenu.blogspot.ca.
The Irish Heather is Vancouver’s most authentic and traditional Irish pub with wallpaper hand made in Ireland, floors made of Guinness barrels reclaimed from the Guinness brewery in Ireland, original Irish period posters and the best Guinness pour in town. Located in the heart of historic Gastown, this gastropub has garnered many accolades for its service, food, drinks and ambiance. In a world filled with “Plastic Paddy” establishments, the Heather stands out as a beacon of authenticity. A true Irish House that is owned and operated by Irish people.
