Harvest at Homestead
After nearly a year of renovation, A. Marshall Family Foods Inc.—the hospitality group that operates the award-winning Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant—has announced the opening of Harvest at Homestead Manor, a Tuscan-inspired restaurant in Thompson’s Station that cultivates its on-site organic farm for menus reflecting the season’s bounty.
Located in a ca. 1819 National Register home, Harvest draws parallels between Italian and Southern cultures, pairing time-honored European recipes with traditional Southern foodways.
To commemorate the occasion, Homestead is hosting a grand opening celebration Sunday, July 12th, from 4 to 6 p.m. with tours, tastes and live music throughout the 50-acre property. More details can be found at Facebook.com/HomesteadManor.
“Throughout this process we have looked to the manor’s 200-year-old roots, and how we can carry that heritage to offer something unique to middle Tennessee,” said Andy Marshall, president of A. Marshall Foods. “We are serving a community that places value on preserving its culture, and I think they’ll see our commitment to that, too, through the restaurant’s mission and the property’s renovation.”
Leading culinary operations is Executive Chef Carlos Garcia, who is charged with creating the vision for the fine-dining restaurant and crafting dishes that best highlight the mission to provide diners with the freshest flavors.
Current lunch offerings at Harvest include a baked cannelloni with house-ground pork, rossa sauce, garden herbs, kale and spinach; a peach and pecan pizza topped with goat cheese, blackberries and balsamic drizzle; a citrus salad with orange, grapefruit, fennel, spiced pecans and red and yellow beets; a caprese salad with scratch-made burrata, green and red tomatoes, basil and balsamic; and for dessert, a cottage cheesecake with gingersnap crust and a blueberry and rosemary compote.
The season’s dinner menu includes butter-roasted mushrooms with porcini, morel and chanterelle; a wood-fired brook trout with tagliatelle pasta, garlic, shallots and sautéed kale; pasta primavera with pappardelle, ratatouille, garlic, fennel, zucchini, squash, mushrooms and sage; tre carne risotto with parmigiano-reggiano; a morel pizza with sourdough crust, chanterelle, porcini, confit garlic spread and parmesan; and for dessert, house-made seasonal gelatos and a fried ravioli cannoli.
The restaurant will also offer a brunch each Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. through 2 p.m., with drink specials and a revolving menu according to the farm’s yield.
“Both Tuscan and Southern cultures gravitate toward hearty cuisine made with simple ingredients that bring out its natural flavors. That’s what we want to do,” said Claire Marshall Crowell, director of operations for A. Marshall Foods. “Each day we pick naturally grown ingredients that make these dishes come alive. If we we can’t get something from our property, we use regional farms—like Bear Creek, a mile and a half down the road.
“It’s exciting to us that our guests can be entrenched in the experience: they can walk in our herb garden or take a tour of our farm, and then see their meal being prepared.”
Inside Harvest’s newly built conservatory bar, diners will find seasonal artisanal cocktails, an extensive Italian wine list and an impressive spirits selection to be sipped in the dedicated space located directly behind the restaurant. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer guests a front-row view of the herb garden, where ingredients are picked for the tippler’s glass.
Harvest will be open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m to 9 p.m. To see complete lunch, dinner, brunch and bar menus, or to learn more about Harvest, go to www.homesteadmanor.com.
The Farm at Homestead Manor—which is a vital part of property operations and Harvest’s vision—encompasses 10-plus acres of land overseen by Property Director J.T. Ward and Agricultural Curators Joni and Casey McCarty.
Ward and the McCartys oversee the organic production of more than 75 types of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits, under strict accordance with USDA Organic Certification Regulations, and ensure that the business can supply the restaurant on a sustainable basis.
In addition, an orchard—originally part of the manor property—has been groomed to provide fruits used at Harvest and in the bar.
“This is a working farm that supplies our chefs with naturals for every dish in the kitchen, and for most concoctions. It’s not a hobby or a side project—it’s the center of the business,” said J.T. Ward, Homestead property director. “The farm helps better connect our Southern heritage to the Tuscany region’s love for simple and seasonal food prepared for family.”
Flanking the manor is The Barn, an equestrian-style event space built into the pastoral surroundings, that lends another dimension to Homestead’s offerings. The rustic-style structure, which is nearing completion, will elevate wedding celebrations and community gatherings.
On the heels of earning a spot on the 2014 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest growing companies, A. Marshall Foods announced the purchase of the historic manor last year, with a vision to build a multi-layer hospitality concept around the 19th-century building.
Soon, Marshall says, there will also be regular educational and entertainment opportunities surrounding the farm and orchard, open to the public. The property already hosts the weekly Thompson’s Station Farmer’s Market, held each Wednesday.
“We hope to eventually offer elements of agri-tourism. Once we get our footing, the orchard will be open to guests to pick from, and the farm used in a variety of community-driven purposes,” Marshall said. “Walking trails with historic markers will tell of the Battle of Thompson’s Station and its significance to Tennessee and American history. Homestead wants to tell a bigger story moving forward.”
To learn more about Homestead Manor and Harvest, or A. Marshall Family Foods Inc., go to www.homesteadmanor.com or facebook.com/homesteadmanor.
