Ditch the pitchfork because only dinner forks will successfully wield every home-grown morsel to mouth when Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails hosts this month’s Garden Dinner on Sunday, June 12 at 6 p.m. Executive chef Derek Dollar relies on Milton’s Acre, the backyard garden area, for seasonal ingredients and menu inspiration. Upon arrival at the historic Crabapple restaurant, guests will mingle at a reception featuring libations and passed hors d’oeuvre of zucchini bread toasts with Asiago and ricotta-yellow squash spread and grilled citrus shrimp and heirloom cherry tomato skewer. Touring Milton’s Acre is sure to be a conversation starter carrying over to the communal dinner table where guests sit down like peas in a pod for a four-course dinner. Served family style, the menu opens with chilled zucchini and cucumber noodles with red satin radish, English peas, yellow squash ricotta, Marcona almonds, sundried tomato and herb white balsamic vinaigrette. Summer vegetable lasagna with arugula-pistachio pesto follows. Honey-braised pork shanks with honey-chipotle glaze are next, accompanied by summer squash bread-and-butter pickles, apple slaw, Silver Queen corn and edamame succotash. A dreamy dessert caps the meal -- banana pudding ice cream sandwich. Buy nonrefundable tickets online; $135 per person, including wine, tax and gratuity. Upcoming Sunday Garden Dinner dates are July 17, August 21, September 18 and October 9.
