Savor the Flavor chef Joelle Upton and market promoter Leigh Ann Pettus at Saturday's 'A Summer Supper'

By SUSAN LEATHERS
Brentwood Home Page
Organizers billed it as “A Summer Supper.” They could have added the word super.

Over 300 people attended the Forest Hills United Methodist Church Farmers Market’s first dinner on Saturday night.

Brentwood Home Page photos

The long buffet tables were crowded with a variety of fresh fruit and vegetable salads, summer succotash, penne with crushed tomato sauce and herb-encrusted chicken breasts, fresh whipped butter and homemade bread. Savor the Flavor chefs Eleni Vavouris and Joelle Upton designed the menu.

“They literally created a menu two weeks before the event to ensure the food was the freshest available,” explained Leigh Ann Pettus, one of the market’s founders.

Vavouris and Upton are familiar faces to those who have frequented the market this summer. Each Saturday morning they whip up fresh omelets and French toast for market guests.

“It was only natural that we asked them to help,” Pettus said. “We were so fortunate that the pair personally donated their time and talents by catering the event to support the market.”

Laura Reilly, who has an extensive background in event planning with both Marriott Hotels and Disney, served as event chair. 

“She and her family recently moved to Brentwood and joined the church. The event would not have happened without her,” Pettus said. Around 40 church members also volunteered Saturday, including many members of the church’s youth group.

The Saturday market and by extension A Summer Supper have been as positive for the Old Hickory Boulevard church as they have for the greater community.

“In addition to offering healthy, fresh foods to the community, we’ve seen new friendships emerge. It is fun to see members -- who may not have really known each other before  -- working together as market volunteers.  Similarly, many market goers are visiting the church on Sunday mornings and several have joined,” shared Tari Hughes -- whose husband Jim is the church’s pastor. “Mostly it is a great gathering place – shopping under the big tree, sipping a lemonade or eating an omelet, and relaxing on a Saturday morning. What could be better?

Pettus concurred.

“What is exciting is that this is particularly true for many young adults who routinely visit our farmers market each weekend.  In addition, we also have many young farmers who are part of our market. Young farmers and customers bring an added energy and also assurance that our market and our church will, hopefully, be around for many years to come,” she said.

All proceeds from A Summer Supper will help with costs associated with market.

“Our market does not charge our Farmers to participate on Saturday mornings.  Instead, we ask them to donate portions of their fresh produce to Feed America First, a hunger-relief organization that supports Middle Tennessee.  So, as our market grows, we will need some type of funding for infrastructure-related projects,” Pettus said.

On Saturday, several patrons asked Hughes if a fall feast was on the calendar. She rolled her eyes in reply.

 “We had such fun creating A Summer Supper and the early reviews are that we have a hit.  I am hopeful that it will become an annual event,” she said on Monday -- after resting up from the sold-out event.