‘Farm-to-table’ has become a culinary buzzphrase. Here’s what it looks like for two local businesses

I spent a day learning the process with two Gaston County businesses: The Bottle Tree, a farm-to-table restaurant in downtown Belmont, and Piedmont Farmstead, a regenerative farm in Dallas.

Why it matters: The Bottle Tree recently launched its fall menu featuring ingredients sourced from the farmstead. 

We started the day at the farmstead — where The Bottle Tree gets all its produce.

• They’re currently growing seasonal veggies like kale, squash, collards and sweet potatoes. 

Then, we headed to The Bottle Tree, where chef Kyle Gaddas and his crew whipped up the new fall spread crafted around seasonal picks from the farmstead.

The Bottle Tree is known for its globally-inspired dishes, and this rang true with the fall-lineup, with dishes like scallops and pakora, as well as salmon ramen.

• Gaddas fried up kale from the farmstead for the pakora.
• The salmon ramen and duck both use greens from the farm, and the chef’s board featured squash from the farm.

My thought bubble: Seeing the dedication and creativity behind the farm-to-table process was impressive — and that was for produce alone. If I had to pick a standout dish, it’d be the scallops and pakora for the creativity (and crunch factor).

• We’re also in peak outdoor dining weather. Amp up the fall vibes and snag a table on The Bottle Tree’s back patio when you go.

Go deeper: 18 things to eat, see and do in Belmont including a rum distillery and farm-to-table brunch