The Simple Things: On the Farm with Ana Hito of Goshen Green Farms
By JILLIAN SCHEINFELD
Photography NATALIE CHITWOOD
Creative Direction LAURA FERRARA
When throwing a small dinner party this winter, the best advice Goshen Green Farms founder Ana Hito could give is to leverage whatever the season offers—from the tablescape to the menu. The balaboosta herself abides by the same rule of thumb when preparing for her monthly farm-to-table dinners—the last of which happens to be tonight.
What began as one-off dinner experiences helmed by Hito four years ago has evolved into a business and blueprint for living seasonably and sustainably, but perhaps even more compelling is Hito’s commitment to shaping a life that’s informed by everything she loves: cooking, decorating, gardening, and creating memorable experiences dictated by the sway and bounties of the seasons.
The former Goop food editor’s passion for food and entertaining flourished around the age of 16 when she inherited this 250-acre farm with chestnut barns and comforting creaky doors in Goshen, NY. Her childhood connection to slow, mindful living was mostly influenced by time spent with her father on Easter Island, the most remote inhabited island in the world. “The things I love to do here are rooted in the way I was raised. That grounded way of being, functioning, cooking and creating a space; all of that is very much Rapa Nui, which is what the natives call it,” she tells me as we sit across from one another at one of the long, wooden dining tables set with ceramic plates and bronze cutlery for tonight’s dinner.
In anticipation of the last dinner of the season, Hito seems calm and at ease, partly because it’s a group of her closest friends dining this evening, and partly because at this point, she’s a pro. We talk about the anxiety and dread of living through 2020 and what a relief it is to just view something beautiful and eat good food. She remarks on how it’s the simple and ordinary aspects of life that have now become exotic. “I love making this barn a space that when you walk in, you get this feeling that it’s entirely thoughtful, but not fussy,” she says. There are root veggies in dishware situated on various tables, dried hydrangea chandeliers hanging from wooden ceiling beams, and a warm golden light radiating through the sliding barn doors. It’s idyllic yet homey, elevated without feeling contrived, essentially the epitome of rustic elegance.
“These are weeds from the farm,” she tells me and points to the centerpiece of the table arranged in a basket. “I’ll walk down to the field and see what I like. If eucalyptus doesn’t grow here, I won’t use eucalyptus. Sunflowers are for sunflower season. I don’t have any thought that goes into the decor until I see something and decide that’s what I want.” I ask where she finds all of the picturesque accessories. The regal-looking bronze cutlery was sourced from eBay. The wood light fixtures suspended from the ceiling were created from logs she had in the backyard. She made the bowls on her pottery wheel.
Hito isn’t one of those women who scan Pinterest for inspiration or even consciously strategizes. She goes with what feels right and what’s made available to her through seasonal cycles. Another one of Hito’s strengths is that she’s an excellent executor, which allows her to delegate certain aspects of creating a farm-to-table dinner experience—like growing the food—to her farming wing woman, a horticulturist named Mary. But when it comes to the functional and aesthetic challenges of creating the dinners, that’s all in thanks to Hito’s special sorcery. “I know how I want the dinners to run, which means I’m going to set up the day before. I know I need to cook, but it’s in no way a methodical process. I’ll be in my car driving and think ‘oh that would be really nice’ and then that’s the menu.”
Hosting a Memorable Dinner by Ana Hito
The food and the dinner table need to both be stand-alone moments — and like any good relationship, they should build each other up instead of overshadowing one another. For me, the food or what’s on the menu rarely plays a part in how I want the table or atmosphere to feel.
The first thing I like to do when setting the table is to create a feeling of abundance. If that means making the first thing your guests see, be it 20 of the same sort of candlestick, 14 buckets of flowers, or 25 unpotted baby plants casually sitting along with a table. I love a lot of one thing and how that makes you feel when you see it in full effect. One candlestick doesn’t quite have the same impact, nor one bucket of flowers. It’s the feeling of lush ease and elegance that not only fills the space but makes you feel warm.
A simple way I love to do this is with herbs. I cut a lot of different herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, mint, teraton, etc.) and put them in anywhere from 5-12 glass cups (not mason jars!), small terra-cotta pots, or small wooden boxes; and voila—you have a delicious smelling flower arrangement that if strewn across a table or placed on the bar would make a huge statement. You can also place them together at one end of a table to make it feel like a moment. Your eyes are easily guided to notice something when there is a lot of one thing altogether. This trick is great because it works for every season.
It’s also essential to keep your table or environment seasonal in relation to where you are. Nobody wants to see sunflowers in the middle of winter.
When it comes to the menu for gatherings, you can take so many directions, but something I always ask myself is: what can I do before the guests arrive to make it the most effortless and most seamless experience? For me, that’s making sure that most items that I’m serving can be room temperature. That way, when people arrive, I’m not slaving over the stove. That also means my sides game is on point (lots of salads, veggies, etc).
I love to batch out a cocktail. Not only does it look elegant, but it’s such a time saver.
I don’t strive for perfection. The more rustic and pieced together the dinner is, the more inviting it is, and the less my guests will fuss over the food that they are eating. Plus, it allows me to have more fun at my gathering.
Chai Burro Cocktail Recipe
Makes one cocktail
The warming notes of chai and the smoky mezcal meet up with bright, fresh mint and lime flavors, making this a perfect transition beverage from Autumn to cozy winter evenings.
Cocktail:
1 1/2 oz Chai tea blend, cooled
2 oz Madre mezcal
1/2 oz Lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 mint sprig
In a shaker, combine chai tea, mezcal, lime juice, and honey. Add a few pieces of ice and shake for one minute and until everything is well combined.
In a rock glass, pour over ice and finish with a spring of mint.
Winter White Bean Recipe
Serves 4-6
This side dish that acts as the main dish is excellent served hot or cold. I love to make my own beans, but you can always use canned beans if you don’t have the time. This is a super flexible dish and simple to put together for a crowd.
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dijon
1 teaspoon fennel seed powder
1/2 cup Pineapple Collaborative olive oil
¼ cup Pineapple Collaborative apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 orange, juiced
4 cups of cooked (hot or cold) Great Northern Beans
2 red onion, sliced
1 head escarole, torn
2 oranges, supremed
Feta cheese
4 sprigs thyme, to garnish
5 springs torn parsley leaves, to garnish
1- 2 teaspoons Moorish spice, to garnish
For the dressing:
In a small bowl, combine the first nine ingredients and whisk until emulsified.
To assemble:
In a large bowl, combine beans, red onion, and escarole with the dressing, gently but thoroughly massage the dressing into the ingredients. On a large platter or in a large shallow bowl, place bean mixture and then scatter on top orange supremes, feta cheese, thyme, torn parsley, and Moorish. Drizzle with a little Pineapple Collaborative olive oil, and top with Maldon salt.
Chicory Salad Recipe
Serves 4-6
A perfect ode to winter freshness, this herby and hearty salad is punchy in all the right ways. If you don’t love pistachios, you can always swap it out for another favorite toasted nut.
For the salad:
1 radicchio treviso head, torn into bite-size pieces
1 Castelfranco head, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup toasted pistachios
1 bunch chives, chopped
2 beet, boiled and cubbed
6 figs, sliced in half
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
For the dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/4 cup Pineapple Collaborative olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 shallot, diced
In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk until emulsified.
In a large salad bowl, combine salad ingredients and evenly distribute the dressing. Toss until everything is well combined.
Serve and finish with Maldon salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and fresh thyme.
