There is something utterly romantic about taking a mid week break from every day life, boarding a ferry and heading to a beautiful place to have a wonderful meal. Outstanding in the Field isn't about just food, it is about bringing people from all walks of life together. I really relished the opportunity to have an evening set aside to meet the makers, break bread with the farmers and celebrate some of the best things in life.

Outstanding in the Field has an ongoing tradition of encouraging each guest to bring their own plate. However, there is no need to fear if you forgot your own plate because there are always plenty to borrow. By bringing your own plate to the dinner, I felt it was a nice way to incorporate an element of home into the experience.

A couple of weeks ago, on a sunny Summer afternoon we boarded a ferry to Southworth and took the winding road to the Hood Canal. Upon our arrival at Hama Hama Oysters we were greeted with delicious bites, colorful drinks and breathtaking scenery. The overall feeling from the guests was how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful place. I really appreciated having an evening to step away from our routines to attend a dinner like this. This dinner allowed me the space and the time to really soak in my surroundings.

Blue skies and good weather are something you celebrate every day they occur in the PNW.

Hama Hama Oysters is a fifth generation family owned and run farm. It was nice to hear from Lissa, one of the family members working hard to run Hama Hama on a daily basis.

One of the littlest dinner guests atop the growing pile of oysters shells.

In order to reach our dining destination the guests had to walk down the highway and out onto a peninsula. This is a great example of how the journey there was half the fun!

The table was set and our dinner plates were awaiting our arrival.

Plates in hand, guests are given the opportunity to select where they will be sitting for the evening. Usually Cameron and I choose to sit by each other, but this time we opted to sit across from each other. In an unfamiliar setting such as this it was nice to be able to look across the table at a friendly face.

Our meal started with a variety of spreads and hunks of homemade bread from Sea Wolf Bakers. They will opening their first brick and mortar in Seattle soon. If this is a sneak peek of what is to come, then we are going to be in for a real treat.

Course after course our senses were delighted.

The wine flowed freely and for those guests who were not drinking Dry soda was a delicious and local alternative.

Even though Jim Denevan has been running Outstanding in the Field since 1999 you will still find him attending the dinners. With a glass of wine in hand he spends the majority of the evening weaving his way down the long table. He is eager to connect and spend as much time as possible talking to his 150+ guests. Now that is the sign of a gracious host!

Outstanding in the Field draws a broad section of the population to the table. I believe just about every decade was represented at this table on the Hood Canal.

Each dinner is in partnership with a local farm and a chef. On this particular evening, we had the privilege of being fed by Alex Barkley, the chef from Manolin in Seattle.

Good until the last bite! At the end of every dish people were just about licking their plates it was that delicious.

A simple, but stunning finale to the meal- poached apricots, rice pudding, pistachios, basil and edible flowers.

Collecting our washed plates after our meal.

As the dinner drew to an end we were bid adieu by changing light and pastels skies.

This post was sponsored by Outstanding in the Field. All opinions stated here are my own and I was under no obligation to write anything other than my personal experience. I will never write about anything I did not enjoy or find to be a valuable experience.