ALICE IN WONDERLAND Celebrating 25 Years of Georgia Organics with Alice Waters

Matthew Raiford was speaking at Rodale Institute’s Southeast Organic Center when he met Chattahoochee Hills Charter School’s (CHCS) Principal Patrick Muhammad. Patrick invited the self-proclaimed CheFarmer of Savannah’s Gilliard Farms to tour the school’s campus, which has a farm of its own including chickens, a greenhouse, and gardens modeled after Chef Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project. Once Matthew learned of Patrick’s adoration of Alice, he immediately FaceTimed her to give a tour of the school because he knew she’d be impressed. He was right. Alice quickly said she had to see the charter school in person. Matthew saw an opportunity, and a trip to Serenbe was hatched.

In addition to being a chef, a farmer, and an entrepreneur, Matthew Raiford is also Chair of the Board for Georgia Organics, the oldest statewide nonprofit providing direct support to local and organic farms. They were planning to celebrate 25 years of investing in and supporting Georgia farmers, and Matthew had the idea to host an intimate fundraising dinner honoring both the nonprofit and Alice.

It was a culinary powerhouse of 10 of the top chefs in Atlanta and beyond, with each chef sharing details of their dishes and how Alice inspired them. Matthew and his wife Tia (Strong Roots 9) created the starter course that included cocktails by Kassady Wiggins, with the following six courses by Chefs Nicolas Bour (The Farmhouse at Serenbe), Drew Belline (Rocket Farm Restaurants), Josh Lee (The Soulful Company Restaurant Group), Sammy Monsour (Preux & Proper), Anne Quatrano (Bacchanalia and Star Provisions), and Claudia Martinez (Miller Union). The evening, which included a Q&A with Alice led by The New York Times Food Editor Kim Severson, was a celebration of the future of farming and raised close to $50,000 for Georgia Organics.

And of course Alice had to stop by where the conversation had begun, Chattahoochee Hills Charter School. She enjoyed her in-person tour of the school farm, where Principal Muhammad talked about his plans to eventually go to Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Training Program to be certified. She welcomed him to the program, but was so blown away with what she saw that she said it wasn’t necessary. He was already making the Edible Schoolyard mission a reality in Chattahoochee Hills. She attended a Friendraiser reception that evening supporting the school, along with Georgia Organics President & CEO Alice Rolls and Matthew. The next afternoon, she and Matthew had a book signing at Hills & Hamlets Bookshop in the Grange hamlet and stopped by Serenbe Farms for a tour before heading to the Georgia Organics Dinner. What a weekend for Alice, in the wonderland that is Serenbe.

Learn more about Georgia Organics at georgiaorganics.org, Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project at edibleschoolyard.org, and Matthew Raiford at strongroots9.com.

(Opposite) Alice Waters and Serenbe Farms’ Farmer Ian Giusto at Serenbe Farms. Alice Waters and Alice Rolls visiting Chattahoochee Hills Charter School to see the schoolyard farm Wasters had inspired before attending the Friendraiser Reception at Portal Serenbe. Alice Waters and Matthew with Hills & Hamlets Bookshop owner Josh Niesse at their book signing before the Chef Dinner with Georiga Organics at The Inn at Serenbe.

Watermelon Steak Salad With Heirloom Tomatoes And Sangria Vinaigrette

From CheFarmer Matthew Raiford’s cookbook, Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer

I grew up eating Georgia Rattlesnake watermelons - that’s really what they’re called, because the dark green stripes resemble a diamondback rattlesnake. These heirloom varietals, which can grow up to 40 pounds, have a deep reddish pink flesh that is sweeter than sweet. Folks started growing them around here in the 1830s. When I was a kid, we’d throw them in the back of the truck and take them to market. Because they are harder to come by now, and because people have grown accustomed to seedless watermelons, I created this recipe to accommodate either. But I absolutely prefer a rattlesnake watermelon, which we grow at Gilliard Farms.

For The Salad

1-1½ lbs freshly mixed salad greens or microgreens

1 lb heirloom tomatoes of varying sizes and colors, such as Cherokee Purple, Yellow Brandywine, black and yellow cherry tomatoes

¼ medium seedless watermelon (5-10 lbs)

Olive oil for brushing

PREPARATION

For The Vinaigrette

1 cup traditional red sangria, either homemade or store-bought ½ cup olive oil

Freshly cracked black pepper

Sea salt

• Prepare your grill for medium -high direct heat, 375° to 450° Fahrenheit.

• While the grill comes up to temperature, wash and dry the salad greens, then divide the greens among four to six serving plates. Wash and dry your tomatoes. Slice the whole tomatoes into ½-inch rounds and halve the cherry tomatoes. Divide and arrange the tomato slices evenly among the plates. Set the plates in the refrigerator to chill while you finish the dish.

• Slice the watermelon into ¾-to-1-inch thick “steaks,” then quarter the steaks into wedges. Brush each side of the watermelon with a little olive oil, then set the wedges on the grill for approximately 3 minutes per side, until you get grill marks. The longer you leave the wedges on, the sweeter they’ll get. Remove the watermelon from the grill and arrange among the salad plates.

• Pour the sangria into a large measuring cup with a pouring spout, then whisk the olive oil into the sangria until it makes a nice, loose vinaigrette. Generously dress the salads. Sprinkle the salads with pepper and salt to your liking, then serve.