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Feasting on the Wild Side: A Foragers’ Dinner to Remember
- Sustainable Stillwater MN
- Apr 3
- 3 min read
What happens when you take a deep dive into the flavors of the past, exploring the native plants and ingredients that sustained people long before grocery stores existed? You get something as magical as Ruth Alliband’s Foragers’ Dinner—an unforgettable experience that brought sustainability, history, and deliciousness to the table.
The Foragers’ Dinner was a coveted prize at Sustainable Stillwater MN’s 2024 Gala silent auction, offering the highest bidder and their guests a one-of-a-kind meal crafted from carefully foraged and locally sourced ingredients. On a cold January evening, the lucky guests arrived at Ruth’s home for an adventure in taste, tradition, and togetherness.
A Menu Rooted in Nature
From appetizers to dessert, every dish at the Foragers’ Dinner highlighted the incredible bounty of the land and the rich culinary heritage of New World ingredients. Inspired by the work of Shawn Sherman—also known as The Sioux Chef—Ruth and her team crafted a meal that was both an educational journey and a feast for the senses.
Guests were greeted with sugared catnip leaves (a playful “before-dinner mint”) and maple sugar caramelized sunflower and pepita seeds, enjoyed alongside chaga tea sweetened with maple-flavored oat milk. The first course featured a warming acorn soup with smoked turkey, accompanied by squash biscuits made with painstakingly prepared acorn meal and honey harvested from local bees.
The main course was nothing short of spectacular: indigenous tacos with bison over polenta corn cakes, sage-roasted root vegetables, and a wild rice pilaf studded with roasted hazelnuts and dried blueberries. To complete the experience, tart and sweet wojape fruit sauces—one made with wild plums and maple syrup, the other a vibrant blend of raspberries and rose hips—added a bold, natural punch of flavor.
Dessert was a celebration of the wild and the wonderful. Cranberry and black walnut pound cake sat alongside vanilla ice cream drizzled with wild violet syrup, offering a final taste of nature’s gifts. The meal was paired with carefully selected ciders and wines, including heirloom apple ciders from Maiden Rock Winery and a unique plum wine from Forest Edge Winery.
More Than Just a Meal
This Foragers’ Dinner was about more than just eating—it was an opportunity to connect with history, sustainability, and the land itself. As Ruth noted, many of these ingredients, while deeply nutritious, are rare and labor-intensive to prepare, making them less practical for everyday diets but invaluable for understanding how past generations thrived in harmony with nature.
The dinner also underscored an important message: the plants in our rain gardens and local landscapes aren’t just for decoration. They represent an ecosystem that once fed both humans and wildlife alike. By supporting native plantings and thoughtful land stewardship, we continue a legacy of sustainability that stretches back centuries.
A Toast to the Future
While not enough photos were taken amid the lively cooking and conversation, the memory of this special evening lives on in the stories shared—and in the leftovers enjoyed by Sustainable Stillwater MN’s founder, Louise Watson, a few nights later!
Sustainable Stillwater MN is proud to celebrate these kinds of community-driven experiences that bring us closer to nature, history, and each other. Whether you forage, garden, or simply appreciate the beauty of a locally sourced meal, we invite you to continue exploring the rich flavors of our region. Who knows? Maybe next year, you’ll be the lucky bidder at our Gala, savoring your own Foragers’ Dinner experience!
Interested in learning more about local sustainable food initiatives? Stay connected with Sustainable Stillwater MN and join us in celebrating the flavors of the land!
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