Dona Giorgadze, also known as Georgian cook has been a private chef and a cooking instructor for 4 years and as she says, she is still loving her job. “All my private families have different needs and preferences, so I have to be creative. I plan different menus all the time and it’s always exciting. I combine my two favorite things: cooking and photography. When I make a nice plate and photograph it until I get the perfect shot, I forget that I have been working nonstop all day. To me, that is satisfaction. I am a firm believer that people who love food are good hearted people. I’ve met a lot of great people through food including the families I cook for on weekly basis.
When I first went to The Outpost in Bedford with a friend that I connected with through food, I felt like I was in a country store back in Georgia. Yes, it’s a country store and it’s right here, 20 minutes away from my town. I was fascinated with the quality of farm grown produce, different cuts of meat and delicious breakfast items on the menu. Back then when I first visited The Outpost, I could have never imagined that I would be cooking Georgian dinner at John boy’s kitchen and feeding my American friends with my native country’s recipes.
So, how it all started? Working on Georgian cookbook and preparing all the recipes here is quite challenging. There are recipes that ask for pig’s head, feet, liver, kidney and some other parts that are hard to find in local markets because of low demand. Even though I found some of the organ meat in an ethnic market, I wasn’t very happy with its quality and that’s when my mind lightened up. I realized that I knew the best guy who can provide me with the highest quality meat. I contacted John and he was happy to provide me with the products I needed. Then, I started to think about who was going to eat all that food I was going to prepare. I wanted nothing more than to share that food with my friends and anyone else who wanted to try. And that’s how the idea of making a Georgian feast at The Outpost was born.”
John Ubaldo is a Pound Ridge native who started farming upstate in Cambridge, New York, and hauls his Berkshire pork (and many other goodies) down weekly to restaurants and consumers in Westchester and nearby Connecticut. Ubaldo was selected by Iowa State University to receive some of their English breeding stock, which retain a lot of the old-time characteristics and meat qualities not seen in U.S.-bred Berks. Roasts and tenderloins are juicy and robust, while the ribs are meaty. The pork chops are thick and full of flavor, whether they are smoked or not. Ubaldo has as much character as his pork does. His store/breakfast place serves the most delicious bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, whole roasted chicken, pulled pork, soups, and salads. Also, you can buy different cuts of meat and fresh vegetables during the week.
So, John and Dona decided to combine their skills and passions and hosted the Georgian party for 26 people on a Saturday evening, April 14th. Simply set up tables decorated with white and red flowers, candles and Georgian wine, were ready to greet the guests at 6:00 p.m. Most of the guests were from Ridgefield, while others came from New York City, Stamford, CT and Berkshire, Massachusetts. Among the guests was professor Darra Goldstein, author of the book The Georgian feast, which she wrote 25 years ago. Delicious food, cheerful hosts, toasts for family, friends and peace and a little introduction to Georgian culture, history and wine, made everyone feel relaxed and at home. It was a perfect combination of food, wine, guests and Georgian folk music in the background.
Photo credit: Anna Elwart Photography