Tonight marks the opening of The Feast, sponsored by WSU’s Alumni Association. The first of five annual events, The Feast brings together wines from the Wine-by-Cougars alumni wine club and a four-course menu designed by Jamie Callison, executive chef with the School of Hospitality Business Management.

In its eleventh year, The Feast always correlates with a home football game, and draws mostly alumni and family from across the state looking to treat themselves to a four-course dinner the night before.

“They make it part of their weekend of coming to Pullman,” Special Events Coordinator for Alumni Engagement Katie Savage said. “They’ll go to The Feast on Friday night and the home game on Saturday.”

Starting with a glass of 2014 “Rosé of Sangiovese,” the dinner will begin with an appetizing of pan-seared wild Alaskan salmon, green pea pancakes, pea vines, and chervil-infused crème fraiche. Second will involve a course of barrel chip smoked duck breast, organic greens, roasted fingerling potatoes, and poached quail egg, all served with a savory tarragon mustard aioli.

The entrée will consist of a pistachio-encrusted rack of lamb sourced from Oregon, bacon leek flan, and roasted organic vegetables sourced from the university’s own gardens, sauced with au jus of roasted shallot and rosemary. Desert takes shape as a thyme-infused blackberry cobbler with caramel ice cream.

“It’s as local ingredients as we can get,” Callison said, “and as much WSU as possible. From the honey to the cheese to the ice cream, we bring the best that WSU has to offer.”

Including the aperitif wine, a different variety will be served with each course. All five wines will be provided by Barnard Griffin, showcasing the alumni-owned winery. The Feast always coordinates with a winery suggested by the Wine-by-Cougars wine club, which seeks and supports wineries owned by alumni, and thus showcases five different wineries each year.

“It’s an excellent opportunity to highlight one of our past students,” Director of Alumni Engagement Kim Mueller said.

The reception begins at 6 p.m. in the WSU Museum of Art, with dinner seating beginning at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Foundation Hospitality Teaching Center, located in Todd Hall. Althletic Bands Director Troy Bennefield will lead the Marching Band to entertain attendees.

Three of the four remaining Feasts are sold out, and the last available tickets are for Nov. 20, for which Callison will fashion a menu around wines provided by the Mercer Wine Estates. Tickets are $115 for members of WSU’s Alumni Association, and $135 for non-members.