Whether engaged in a culinary class or just having a casual chat while sipping a glass of Eva’s home-brewed Kombucha, the Greer’s love of farming is more than just product knowledge — it’s about connection. In Eva’s kitchen everything is from scratch. “Even spices, like nutmeg and cumin are made from the seed. In class I like to show how to heat up the seeds to release the oils and then grind it into spice powders,” she noted. Her cooking classes are three to four hours, vary according to season, capture her culinary style and celebrate the simple goodness of farm fresh flavors. This summer’s course offerings include “Cooking from Farmers Market” that features chicken and peach skewers with peanut marinate, tenderloin with tomato jam, summer vegetables with black rice, fresh chopped salad, grilled corn on the cob with herbs and Cotija cheese, peach and blackberry polenta cobbler; “Jam Making” with blueberries, blackberries and peach jams, the ultimate BLT, and sparkling basil gin lemonade; “Free-Range Chicken” presents barbecue chicken corn cakes with fennel slaw, chicken lime soup with avocado, fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits, pecan-smoked chicken breasts with wheat berries and bacon, prosciutto wrapped chicken and cocoa nib gelato; “Keeping Cool in Texas” with peach lavender aqua fresca, heirloom tomato sandwich with basil pesto and fresh mozzarella, balsamic roasted beet salad with Haute goat cheese, green gazpacho with shrimp, smoked salmon and avocado spring roll, coconut milk and fresh corn ice cream; and “Breakfast Delights” with matcha latte, homemade granola, green onion and potato frittata, mango berry banana smoothie, scrambled eggs with prosciutto ham and spinach, sticky buns, and eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce.
ferings at the farm in Daingerfield, but products are also available at Longview Farmers’ Market and via the Greer Farm online store. Eva’s jams are a favorite with Grand Marnier blueberry, balsamic strawberry and green jalapeno some of the best sellers. Another big point of pride is the Greer Farm eggs. The richly-hued orbs are used in Eva’s recipes as well as sold at market.
amalgamation of edible indulgence and earthy respite produced right in their backyard. Whether spending a few hours picking the seasons best fruit or finding a serene sabbatical in a cozy cabin, the rhythmic din of Greer Farm’s flora and fauna will soothe even the most frazzled visitor with a remarkable sense of serenity.
While picking over a brimming bowl of freshly-laid eggs in their kitchen the farmers explained that since their hens are free-range with a diet sans any chemicals, the yolks are more vibrantlycolored and richer in flavor. Taking a recently baked lemon tartlet from the fridge, Eva noted that her egg dishes have both phenomenal taste and color due to the eggs. For private dinners and celebrations, a fresh garden flower-decorated dining room can accommodate up to 30 guests, with chef Eva designing the perfect menu from Greer Farm’s unique
Bailey, the golden retriever, hitches a ride on the farm golf cart to inspect the fruit orchards with Chef Eva and Sid Greer. Below. Sid shows off one of the farm’s many hens. Photos by Elizabeth Branca.
“You can pick-your-own berries and later in the day take a canning/cooking class on how to prepare them,” Eva said. “ I can’t stand waste and I started making jams after a surplus of berries. I never use canned or frozen — everything must be fresh.” The best way to get a taste of the farm is to take in the stunning scenery and ofJULY/AUGUST 2014 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 13