Celebrating Winter Solstice with Ronin Cooking

What better way to celebrate the longest night of the year than with good food and great company?  This year we joined Ronin Cooking during their Winter Solstice Hog Roast at their farm.

For those not familiar with them, Ronin Cooking is a husband and wife operation on 15 acres just outside of Bryan, Texas city limits.  They raise ducks, guinea fowl, chickens, turkeys, roosters, and heritage breed pigs. They also cook. And very well at that.  They have a farm to table philosophy that is reflected in seasonal ingredients and partnerships with other local businesses.  Once a month they host Full Moon Dinners at their lovely farm and word is starting to spread about them.

The pigs were in the front pasture this evening so we were greeted by the group foraging under the oaks for acorns. This is a mix of breeds.

A flock of geese watches over the pigs.

A Vietnamese Pot Belly Pig.

John from New Republic Brewery was serving Kadigan to attendees.

Guests put their stuff where ever they wanted to sit. There was plenty of room for everyone.

The kitchen.

Hot mulled apple cider available for self-service. This was exceptionally delicious and perfect for the cool evening.

Lighting the chimneas with a propane torch.

Attendees were asked to bring donations for the Brazos Valley Food Bank. One of their very sweet dogs kept watch. 

How the hog, from Richardson Farm in Rockdale, was roasted. 

In case you weren't sure whether or not they support local sustainable foods, they do, even in the restroom.

I have pantry envy. 

Delicious food. And, yes, the skin was properly crisp.

Roasted pork was served with mint beets, steamed rice, fried green tomatoes with a Sriracha mayo, and braised Napa cabbage. Everything was delicious and there was plenty for seconds, for those who had room.

Dessert was hot apple cobbler served with house made fresh whipped cream and sorghum syrup. The syrup added a nice, grainy, cereal flavor to the cobbler. Fantastic.

In the kitchen you'll find culinary texts next to Shakespeare.

The evening ended with a bonfire in the woods. 

It was a lovely way to spend an evening. The food was good, the company was good, the setting was lovely. I definitely recommend going to any of Ronin Cooking's dinners.  We'll be back for one of their Full Moon Dinners.  Find them at their website or on facebook.