{"id":17972,"date":"2015-07-15T14:28:03","date_gmt":"2015-07-15T21:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shescookin.com\/?p=17972"},"modified":"2015-07-26T08:52:52","modified_gmt":"2015-07-26T15:52:52","slug":"the-ranch-restaurant-and-saloon-true-farm-to-table","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shescookin.com\/the-ranch-restaurant-and-saloon-true-farm-to-table\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ranch Restaurant and Saloon – True Farm to Table"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Many people travel to Southern California to vacation every summer and throughout the year. Many of them come to Anaheim, CA to visit that that most famous mouse of all – Mickey Mouse, and all his friends, at Disneyland. If you’re lucky to be at Disneyland, then you’re lucky enough – actually fortune has more to do with it than luck, but that’s not how the saying goes. You are lucky, however, that the highly acclaimed, award-winning The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon<\/a> is a stone’s throw from Disneyland, so close that you can see the fireworks display.<\/p>\n

When asked for recommendations for steak houses or fine dining\u00a0in Orange County, I can confidently direct folks to The Ranch where guests are treated to a memorable dining experience, above and beyond just a nice dinner. The Ranch sources the highest quality ingredients and local farm fresh produce – much of it grown on the owner’s ranch in nearby Orange. Let me tell you a little about that.<\/p>\n

\"Garden<\/p>\n

For the past few years, modern ranchero* and owner of The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon, Andrew Edwards, has welcomed a select group of Orange County food writers to “Sunday Supper on the Farm” at the Edwards Ranch Estates in the foothills of Orange. It has been my privilege to be invited each summer, unfortunately, the date always fell during a time when I was traveling – until this year when the event was moved up due to the heat and early maturation of much of produce, particularly the bumper crop of tomatoes.<\/p>\n

I was super excited to finally be able to accept this coveted invitation and\u00a0venture into the often forgotten countryside of Orange County to\u00a0meet Andrew Edwards and his lovely wife Morgan and tour the ranch’s gardens which furnish much of the produce for The Ranch Restaurant. All the while knowing that we’ll soon be savoring its bounty and the culinary artistry of Executive Chef Michael Rossi and his team.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

As my fellow food writer and friend Anita Lau<\/a> points out, “The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon in Anaheim is possibly the ONLY restaurant in southern California which can truly boast a farm-to-table menu. With 0ver 600 heirloom tomato vines and 90+\u00a0varieties of tomatoes, plus several varieties of heirloom cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins and squash, zucchini, beets, corn, kale, melons and fresh herbs, the property is also home to original orange and fig trees, as well as newly planted blueberry bushes.”<\/p>\n

\"Chef<\/p>\n

Chef Rossi led us on a tour of the garden beginning in the herb garden lush with lemon verbena, lemon basil, Thai basil, and purple basil. Their fragrance filled the warm air with a melange of scents and touching the leaves permeated our fingertips with their essence.<\/p>\n

\"Herb \"Garden<\/p>\n

Having homegrown tomatoes was the reason my husband and I started a garden years ago and the incredible number of plump tomatoes in varying shades of ripeness hint at the bountiful harvests that will keep The Ranch well supplied with summer’s favorite vegetable that’s really a fruit. The teepee growing method for squash and other sprawling varieties was new to me and I wish we had thought of that when were planting a garden.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Citrus<\/p>\n

Meandering around rows of colorful Rainbow swiss chard, curly-leaved Lacinato kale (also known as Tuscan, Dinosaur or Black kale), vibrant colored peppers, and tall corn silks glistening in the sun before ducking under the welcome shade of an awning where sips of pure sweet essence of tomato quenched our thirst and enlightened our tastebuds to the true taste of tomatoes – something that is sorely lacking from supermarket varieties.<\/p>\n

\"Heirloom<\/p>\n

Returning from the garden, we are greeted with icy cold copper mugs of\u00a0Orange County Mint Julep<\/strong>\u00a0created with farm Valencia orange-infused Buffalo Trace bourbon and the\u00a0Southern Belle\u00a0Negroni<\/strong> composed of peach and rosemary infused Don Julio Reposado tequila, Aperol and Antica Carpano Sweet Vermouth served on the rocks. I was happy to see Buffalo Trace featured as it happens to be my go-to bourbon after a visit to their distillery outside of Louisville, KY and it’s not always available at bars here. But the Negroni lived up to its namesake with a perfect balance of bitter, citrus, herbal and sweet, fruity notes envelope the palate before the tequila kick that has you wake up and take notice – a fiery Southern belle like Scarlett O’Hara. Note that both cocktails are served at The Ranch Restaurant.<\/p>\n

\"Southern<\/p>\n

The Southern Belle Negroni<\/p>\n

Guests mingled and sipped while nibbling on tray-passed Tempura Squash Blossoms before taking their seats at the rustic barn wood table set with gorgeous blooms of white and yellow punctuated with turquoise glassware and antique brass and crystal candelabras.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

A tartare of velvety Skuna Bay Salmon and cucumbers napped in a yuzu kosho vinaigrette and a dollop of wasabi aioli piqued our appetite for the farm fresh dinner to follow.<\/p>\n

\"Skuna<\/p>\n

Skuna Bay Salmon Tartare<\/p>\n

\"Strawberries<\/p>\n

Edwards Ranch Estates Strawberries & Di Stefano Stracciatella<\/p>\n

\"Dungeness<\/p>\n