Della Terra:
Committed to the craft of seasonal, Farm to Table
CAROL BANKS WEBER
Don’t let the spirited (“Sweet!”), witty banter throw you. When it comes to the food, Snohomish-based Della Terra catering chef Cody Castiglia means business.
This guy can throw down. Give him some Delicata squash, Miner’s lettuce, and pepitas, and he’ll work his magic.
His event-worthy, farm-to-table courses are killer: red wine-braised beef short ribs, farro risotto, mushroom crostini with Cherry Valley Dairy Fromage Blanc, home-made gnocchi, Della Terra salad with local greens picked that day.
“When a lot of people hear ‘farm to table,’ their mind goes to kale salads and boring health food, and they are instantly turned off,” Castiglia muses.
The freshness and flavor of trying something that was just harvested from a local farm will blow your mind.
“In reality, most of our menu items are very approachable, crowd-pleasers that will appeal to the meat-and-potatoes crowd, as well as the foodies.”
“The ingredients really speak for themselves. When you source the finest, freshest local ingredients, you don’t need to do much to them. They’re already delicious. The freshness and flavor of trying something that was just harvested from a local farm will blow your mind.”
Ever since Castiglia landed in Snohomish, to marry wife Lia, he’s hit the ground running, opening up Della Terra downtown almost three years ago, making friends with local farmers, catering a wedding for one of them (Radicle Roots Farm), and making vegetables sexy again for a growing wedding and corporate clientele.
Working at Craving Restaurant in Buffalo, NY fueled my love and passion for farm-to-table cooking.
“Working at Craving Restaurant in Buffalo, NY fueled my love and passion for farm-to-table cooking. Chef Adam would change the menu everyday based on whatever came from local farms. The restaurant was a constant ‘Iron Chef’ challenge, if you will. We made everything from scratch, including breads, charcuterie, pantry items, such as pickles, chutneys, mostardas.”
In Snohomish, Castiglia continues this tradition, developing some real relationships with some really outstanding “hyper-local” farmers committed to the mission, and craft, of seasonal farm-to-table. “We work with James at Radicle Roots Farm quite a bit, as well as Caruso Farms. Skylight Farms has amazing produce; we love using their eggs for our fresh pasta dishes. Eric from Chinook Farms in Snohomish has delicious grass-fed beef.”
The best part for Castiglia, besides the food, is making connections. “I recently saw one of the families in town who have booked us for catering on a few occasions. They introduced me as ‘their chef’ to their friends, which was one of the coolest and most touching things I’ve heard.”
Enjoy Recipes courtesy of Della Terra chef Cody Castiglia!
Della Terra | 113 Ave. C, Snohomish
dellaterra425.com
