Herbal Feasts and Sumptuous Suppers at the Ozark Folk Center

The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas is home to the Skillet Restaurant. Plant lovers, pause at the entry way to stroke and inhale the essential oil of the rosemary and pinch a bay leaf from a towering tree in the native stone alcove. Be seated at oak tables in high back chairs to enjoy a meal in comfortable elegance. Only glass separates you from birds feathered in every hue; catch the flash of a pileated woodpecker and the antics of chipmunks. Homestead antiques are displayed on the cornice; cast iron chandeliers, suspended from exposed wooden beams, cast light on an evening meal. The Skillet wait staff, each one genuinely hospitable and efficient, serves great country cooking every day, during the season, between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m..

Foodies, mark your calendars. Each spring and fall, preceeding the Heritage Herb Spring Extravaganza and The Herb Harvest Fall Festival, the Skillet is an epicurean destination. The Committee of 100 for the Ozark Folk Center, a guest chef, the Skillet staff, and the Heritage Herb Garden crew and volunteers collaborate in the production of a memorable dinner party. These food celebrations have been held annually since 1989. Fresh themes are explored with every season; however, the quality of the experience remains consistent. The reception is comprised of live music, artful arrangements of flowers and scented leaves, herbal libations and tantalizing appetizers. Seasonal foods are selected for the menu, with conscious consideration for what satisfies discriminating tastes. Both meat lovers and vegetarians are accommodated with style. Fresh herbs and greens are harvested from the park’s Kitchen Garden. The Skillet is festooned, a special program is always included and the appetite is whetted for more knowledge of herbs.

The Lavish Herbal Feast is Thursday, April 29, 2010. The Herb Harvest Sumptuous Supper is Thursday, September 30, 2010. The reception begins at 6 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 both evenings.

Reservations by a stated deadline are required. Visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com for further details or call (870) 269-3851.