Outstanding In Their Field & Fork

This past February 23, 2009, food history was made, Western New York food history that is. The first annual Field & Fork Network’s Farmer-Chef conference took place at the Byrncliff Resort and Conference Center in Varysburg, NY. Farmers, chefs, food artisans, food industry professionals and everyday consumers gathered for a day of networking, workshops and a tasting of local food. People from all walks of life connected by one common link, their love of food.

They care about how our food is planted, the kind of soil that is used and that it be free of chemicals and pesticides. They are concerned with the respect and quality of life that is offered to farm animals, what they are fed, the conditions in which they live and that they are humanely slaughtered. They are working to supply Western New York with fresh, healthy, local food.

Founded in 2008, the Field & Fork Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing our region the building blocks needed to create a local food system in Western New York. Their goal is to stimulate our local economy, ensure the survival of our small family farms and provide our region with access to fresh, healthy food. They hope to achieve this through education and outreach including a dynamic online community and an annual local food sourcing guide for chefs and consumers.

One of the highlights from the conference included keynote speaker Eric Hahn, President and owner of Cherry Capital Foods, a local foods distribution company located in Traverse City, Michigan. Having 30 years experience in the food industry, Eric Hahn’s inspiring lecture was the first step toward creating the communication link between our farmers and chefs. He stressed the importance of farmers and chefs working together to overcome any obstacles that may exist in doing business with one another and in turn, making a positive impact on economic growth for our region.

But what does this mean for the regular consumer? How do we fit into this chain? We can reap the benefits of fresh local food by being educated and letting our dollars do the talking by choosing local food above all else. By shopping at local farmers markets and building relationships with the farmers who grow and raise our food. By shopping at grocery markets which offer foods from local farms. We can take a farm tour to see first hand the hard work and determination these dedicated farmers put into the foods they grow and raise. We can consider buying a share in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm or splitting a share with a friend or neighbor. We can reserve a portion of our gardens for planting tomatoes, lettuces or herbs. And we can choose to dine in restaurants that purchase foods from local farms. Fresh, healthy, local food always tastes best.

When I was young my grandfather owned a poultry market. I made friends with the little chicks and, well, could not consider them a meal. I have since come to terms with the food chain and believe, as did my beloved grandfather, that respecting the animal in life and death is what matters. Waste no part of the animal and to be grateful it surrendered its life.

We need to understand and respect the long hours of hard work and dedication farmers put into the foods they grow and raise. The same holds true for the chefs who buy and prepare that food in our favorite restaurants. The heat is the same on both ends of the food chain. As consumers we are in the middle, but we can help both the farmers and chefs by respecting their efforts and by choosing to buy local foods to serve our families and to patronize restaurants that respect the food they offer on their menus.

I to I - At 464

“I to I: an Exploration of the Portrait”

Following the success of the “Bad Love” exhibit, 464 Art Gallery, Resource Center and Retail Space hosts its second art opening: “I to I” which will explore portraiture through visual art media. Co-owners, artists and young professionals, Jill Hart and Marcus L. Wise are collaborating with neighbor, Artsphere who will be simultaneously be hosting the event “The Camara”.

In a conversation with co-owner Marcus L. Wise he stated, “Our aim is to continue to expose the work of fresh and emerging artists, and in the spirit of collaboration, by working with Artsphere, we want to continue to reveal the wealth of artistic opportunities available to local artists not only here on Amherst street, but throughout Buffalo. We also aim to provide resources to, and enhance opportunities for emerging artists, musicians and authors in Western New York. At 464, our mission is to provide a unique space for local and emerging artists, musicians and authors to show and sell their work, host events, and provide and receive arts-based education”.

The opening for “ I to I” is Friday, March 20, 2009 from 7-10pm and runs through April 10, 2009. This event is free and open to the public. Live music performed by classical guitarist Ray Lorigo with complimentary wine and beer.


464 Art Gallery, Retail Space & Resource Center
464 Amherst Street, Buffalo, 14207
716.983.2112

Business hours:
Tuesday-Friday 12-6pm
Saturday 11-6pm
Sunday 11-5pm by appointment or special event




If It’s St. Joseph’s Day, We Must Have Pasta con Sarde

March 19th is St. Joseph's Day, a celebration which began in Sicily in the Middle Ages when the region experienced severe drought. In desperation, the people asked St. Joseph, their patron, to intervene. They promised, if rain came, that they would prepare a big feast in his honor. These prayers were answered with rainy weather and, in gratitude, huge banquet tables were set up in the streets and the poor were invited to come and eat as much as they wanted.

Preparing a St. Joseph’s Table is a daunting and labor intensive task. It involves cooking several different dishes in order to fill the dinner table with a bounty that could feed the masses. Growing up in a Sicilian family, I looked forward to St. Joseph Day and to the feast my family would lovingly prepare. One of the dishes I enjoyed the most is Pasta con Sarde (pasta with sardines). Although my family made their sarde sauce from scratch, I have a short cut version that takes minutes to prepare, and you can get the ingredients every day of the year.

All you will need for your Pasta con Sarde is:

1 lb of pasta (I use Gondola egg noodles)

your favorite tomato sauce (I make my own but Guercio’s bottled pasta sauce works perfectly for this dish)

1 can of sarde sauce (which you can also find at Guercio’s year round)


The sarde sauce ingredients are listed as: young fennel, sardines, raisins, onion, sunflower oil, sardine puree, salt and pepper. Feel free to embellish the recipe, as I do, by adding more of any of the listed ingredients, to create a sauce full of the flavors you most enjoy. I prefer to add some sauteed chopped fresh fennel bulb and more chopped raisins to the sauce, which gives a nice fresh flavor to the finished dish.

The procedure is simple:

In a sauce pan heat the tomato sauce, add the amount of the canned sarde sauce to your liking and bring to heat on medium.
Prepare the pasta according to the package, drain thoroughly and combine it with the sauce mixture. That's it!

Most Sicilians do not use grated cheese with fish dishes, feeling the cheese may over power the flavor of a dish. With Pasta con Sarde the traditional garnish is toasted bread crumbs, which are easy to make, by lightly toasting bread crumbs in a saute pan with a little butter until browned and crispy.

You do not need to prepare a St. Joseph’s Day table in order to enjoy one of the most popular dishes from that table, and you don’t have to wait until March 19th to get the ingredients.

Viva San Giuseppe!


Guercio & Sons
250 Grant Street, Buffalo, NY 14213
716.882.7935

Gondola Macaroni Products
1985 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14207
716.874.4280

The Best Of The Zest

Adding layers of flavor to a recipe is as important as being sure it is perfectly seasoned and not overcooked. One of my favorite flavors in cooking is citrus. It marries well in both savory and sweet dishes and adds bright, fresh, lively flavor to foods of every ethnic cuisine.

Now, I love my microplane and I use it for grating cheese, chocolate, garlic, onions, ginger, nutmeg and obviously to zest citrus fruit. But what do you do with the rest of the peel if you only need to use a spoonful of zest? Simple, make dried zest. Essentially - dehydrating it in the oven. Here’s how.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Using a vegetable peeler remove the peel from any citrus fruit, being careful to remove only the outer flesh and none of the white pith.

Spread the strips of peel on a sheet pan being sure they are in a single layer and not touching each other. Place the sheet pan in the oven to dry for one hour.

Turn the oven off for one more hour, without removing the sheet pan.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and let the dried peel cool down completely.


When completely cool transfer the dried peel to a spice grinder (or a coffee grinder used specifically for grinding spices) and grind until you have a fine powder.


Store the citrus powder in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

It remains fresh for months and may be used to enliven any recipe that call for zest.

Chow Chocolat - Wow Chocolate!

Many, many years ago I worked for Barricini’s, a company out of New York City that specialized in making fine chocolates. A dream job to say the least. So it’s no stretch of the imagination to say I am a chocoholic.

To this day I am obsessed with searching for the finest chocolates available. I’ve mail ordered chocolates from every part of the US and Canada. While on vacation I scour that city’s telephone directory in my quest to discover a hidden treasure. When family and friends travel to other cities or countries I beg them to shop for the finest chocolates they can find. Often I’d research and plead with them to make a special visit to some out of the way chocolatier. It’s that important. More times than I care to remember I was very disappointed. But every so often - a revelation.

All that has changed. Family and friends no longer hesitate to inform me of their travel plans. Oh, I’m still a chocoholic. However, thanks to Chow Chocolat, I, as well as family and friends, have not been the same since.

Jaclyn and Scott Wisz are well known at several local Farmers Market for their delectable treats, confections, sweet breads, cookies and for their adorable Chow Chow, Puma. In April 2008, The Wisz’s opened a retail space in the Avalon Building (at 731 Main Street between Tupper and Goodell Streets) that has taken the neighborhood by storm.

The interior features high ceilings with exposed ductwork, exquisite crystal chandeliers and plush furniture giving this beautiful space a hint of elegance and romance.

Using recycled biodegradable cups, Chow Chocolat is a café and patisserie serving organic free trade coffee and espresso products, tea drinks, french lemonade, hot chocolate and an amazing sipping chocolate that is a must try. Pastries include plain or filled croissants, scones, artisan ganache brownies and heavenly parisian macaroons which are chocolate, coffee, almond, vanilla, pistachio or raspberry flavored.

Toward the back of the chocolatier is a wood and glass case that holds the real treasure - the chocolates. Jaclyn’s artistic flare was inspired by a chocolate course at New York’s French Culinary Institute. All of the chocolates are handmade, hand dipped and decorated, in small batches to ensure freshness, by Jaclyn and Scott.

Ganache, bon bon and truffle flavors evolve with the seasons. An example of some of the flavors you can expect to find are refreshing lemon, raspberry, key lime or passion fruit. Spicy habanero mango, coconut curry or the very spicy fire and air. Some of the classic flavors offered are cognac, hazelnut gianduja, grand marnier or espresso. And a few other impressive flavors include jasmine tea, peanut butter & jam, gourmet s’mores, luscious salted caramels and crisp cocoa dusted almonds.

In addition to being a premier patisserie and chocolatier Chow Chocolat displays artwork by local artists, hosts chocolate tastings, features comedy, music and poetry by local performers and offers free tango lessons.

Like the chocolates aren’t reason enough to dance!

Chow Chocolat
731 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14203
716.843.4388

MINDWEB.us And 464 - A Meeting Of The Minds

Their mission at MINDWEB.us is to offer exposure to emerging artists, whether they work with visual media, music or the written word. They aim to serve as an online gallery; a place for Buffalo's art-minded individuals, sites and organizations to come together as one united arts community. 

MINDWEB.us was created in May of 2007 by Marcus L. Wise as an online gallery for a small community of artists who shared the common aim of exposing their work. In 2008, the site continues to add musicians, artists and photographers and has since begun a partnership with the Author’s Guild of WNY.

With the desire to build a community of emerging local artists, in February, 2009, MINDWEB.us owner photographer Marcus L. Wise, partnered with artist Jill Hart to open the gallery and retail space, which acts as a physical counterpart to the website. MINDWEB.us is a division of Marcus L. Wise Photography.


The mission at 464 is to provide a unique space for local and emerging artists, musicians and authors to show and sell their work, host events and provide and receive arts-based education. 464 is a multipurpose space where artists can come to share their work, shape and sharpen their artistic skills.

464 is a gallery for local artists to show and sell their work: paintings, photography, 3-d work, video, installations and multimedia. They will feature rotating shows on a regular basis, with dedicated gallery and retail space for members of MINDWEB.us.

464 is also a retail space open to the public, selling cd’s from local bands, books from local authors as well as original work and prints from local artists. Gifts range in price from $5 to $500.

Workshops include classes on self-publishing, building a professional portfolio, ceramics and many more in the making.

Events cover art openings, holiday sales, happy hour events, live acoustic performances by local bands, book signings, cd press parties and many other inspired events.

Current members include Artists & Creators:
Marcus L. Wise
Jill Hart
Caroline Bronckers
Paul Rybarczyk
Ben Phillips
Odd Moses
Megan Callahan
Patrick VanHaverbeke
Lucas Cobb
Susan Jagow
Authors Guild Of WNY
Roni Pillischer
Chastity Roberts
No’l Smith
Desirae Locke
Rachel Marriott
James Ireland
Rebecca Rausch
Molly Hoeltke
Rodney Garrison

You may recognize some of these artists from the Artists in Buffalo Inc. Holiday Open Studio and Gallery event held November and December of 2008. If you missed that event you will have the opportunity to meet some of these fresh and talented artists and view their work at the 464 Gallery Grand Opening on Friday February 13, 2009 from 7-11pm.

This intimate gallery space will host their grand opening while showcasing the artwork of 464 artist members with the installation of the Bad Love exhibit.

For information on membership, partnership and sponsorship contact MINDWEB.us.

Gallery Grand Opening
Friday February 13, 2009 7-11pm
464 Gallery. Retail. Resource Center
464 Amherst Street between Elmwood Avenue and Grant Street
Buffalo, New York 14207
716.983.2112

2009 Farmer - Chef Conference

2009 Farmer - Chef Conference
Monday, February 23rd
9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Byrncliff Resort and Conference Center
Varysburg, New York


Building a Local Food System in Western New York Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, Allegany. About Field & Fork Network’s Annual Farmer – Chef Conference

What we eat and where it comes from is a hot topic these days. Whether you’re discussing concerns about food safety, the environment, the local economy or agricultural viability, the desire to source food locally may have been a novel idea a few years ago, but today it makes headlines, sells books and is the subject of news stories and popular documentaries.

American Airlines’ Celebrated Living Magazine named “Eating like a locavore” as the seventh most important food trend for 2008, and CNN News called “Locally Grown Food” the second of “5 Healthy Food Trends Worth Following” in a report it aired just over a year ago.

As exciting as this news is, many of the country’s regionalized food systems are not ready for the impact. In North Carolina, for example, the outcry for local food has led to a statewide study being conducted to determine how best to put a sustainable local food system in place. Similar programs, funded by public and private monies, are taking root all over our country.

Here in Western New York, we also have a struggling local food system. Consumers and local chefs want to know how they can source good, quality local food on an ongoing basis from the myriad farmers and artisan food producer located in our region.

The Field & Fork Network is a not-for-profit organization focused on stimulating a local food system in Western New York. Connecting chefs—a profession passionate about utilizing the freshest ingredients—with local farmers and artisan food producers is one of the building blocks of Field & Fork Network’s mission statement. The Farmer – Chef Conference provides chefs and farmers with the opportunity to learn together in workshops that appeal to both professions, to network and build relationships with one another, and to be inspired by local food heroes who have played an integral role in building a local food network here and in other parts of the country.


Our Keynote Speaker

We are pleased to present 2009 Farmer – Chef Conference keynote speaker, Eric Hahn, founder and owner of Cherry Capital Foods. Mr. Hahn started Cherry Capital Foods in the Traverse City, MI area in 2007, a distribution business focused on delivering local farm products into area restaurants, schools and other businesses. Today, Cherry Capital Foods is a very successful company, selling produce year round--working with over 150 local farmers and growers that service nearly 300 restaurants, schools and retailers in northern Michigan.

Prior to starting Cherry Capital Foods, Mr. Hahn worked in the restaurant business as a chef for more than 20 years. He also spent time working for a Michigan-based food distributor. The combination of restaurant experience and food distribution knowledge that Mr. Hahn brings will surely enlighten our audience and assist in bridging the distribution gap between chefs and farmers in our region.

Mr. Hahn is widely recognized in the ‘local food’ world as a leader and a great success. Featured in magazines and newspaper articles, as well as on National Public Radio, Eric Hahn has become a spokesperson for the locavore movement. We are thrilled to have him with us as our keynote speaker for Field & Fork’s 2009 Farmer – Chef Conference.



2009 Farmer – Chef Conference Schedule


Monday, February 23rd, 2009

9:00 Registration

10:00 Welcome and Introduction

10:15 Field & Fork Network Presentation

10:30 Farmer & Chef Panel Discussion (panel participants to be announced)

11:30 Lunch (featuring locally produced foods)

1:00 Keynote Address Eric Hahn, accomplished chef and owner of Michigan’s Cherry Capital Foods, a successful
independent distributor of farm fresh products to restaurants and markets.

1:45 Break

2:00 Workshop Session One (see Workshop options below*)

3:00 Break

3:30 Workshop Session Two (see Workshop options below*)

4:30 Tasting and Farm Tradeshow (learn what local farmers and food & beverage artisans have to offer your restaurant, sample tasty New York State products, network with other chefs and producers)


2009 Farmer – Chef Conference Workshops

The Importance of Growing Variety/Composing a Seasonal Menu—led by Tom Tower of Tom Tower Farm and author and chef, Jake Brach of Rich Products. This workshop will illustrate the economical and environmental benefits experienced by both farmers and consumers when individual farms choose to vary the type of product they grow. Heirloom and gourmet varieties will be discussed as will the unique benefits the soil of Western New York offers to its farmers. Chef Brach will discuss the opportunities writing a seasonal menu can provide a restaurant and its clientele and the positive impact the relationship between chefs and farmers can have on both of their businesses.

Selling Your Livestock Cuts to Retail and Restaurants/Nose-to-Tail Dining—led by Farmer Jennifer Small of Flying Pigs Farm and Chef Bruce Wieszala of Verbena Restaurant Understanding of New York State’s laws surrounding the selling of meat to restaurants and retailers will be an important part of this workshop. Notable Hudson Valley Farmer Jennifer Small will discuss the importance of the farmer/chef relationship when addressing the logistical challenges of meeting the demands of restaurants, while Chef Bruce Wieszala will demonstrate how “lesser” cuts can be utilized in high-end preparations, resulting in respectful and efficient use of the animal and economic benefit for both the restaurant and the farm.

Extending Your Growing Season through Pioneering/Utilizing WNY’s Winter Vegetables in Your Restaurant—taught by Stew Ritchie of Native Offerings, Robert Hadad from Cornell Cooperative Extension and Chef Adam Goetz of Sample Restaurant Investigate the benefits to investing in season-extending technology; learn what types of products are available in the cold season, and what can be grown for profit during the long Western New York winter. Chef Adam Goetz will discuss delicious and simple ways to incorporate local, winter vegetables into your menu.

Marketing and Selling Your Farm to Restaurants & Specialty Grocers—taught by Grocer Tim Bartlett of Lexington Cooperative Market, Daniel Oles of Oles Family Farm and Eric Hahn, conference keynote speaker and owner of Cherry Capital Foods
Discover who your customer is and how to market & sell to them in this workshop. Learn to establish, build and nurture your customer relationships through good business practices. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with professionals who have built successful “local food” relationships.


*Workshops and schedule are subject to change without notice. Becoming Part of Field & Fork Network’s 2009 Farmer - Chef Conference


We hope that you will consider joining us for the 2009 Farmer – Chef Conference. We have only 100 seats available, so it is important that you register before February 9th, 2009. The fee for the daylong conference, including lunch, is only $50.00.

Whether you’re a restaurant owner, a chef, a culinary student, a farmer, an artisan food producer, an educator, or an agriculture/hospitality industry professional, if you want to meet chefs and farmers, are curious about the local food movement, or are interested in learning about what Western New York has to offer agriculturally, please visit our website (www.fieldandforknetwork.com) to download the appropriate registration form.

We are also pleased to announce that we have partnered with the Mansion on Delaware Avenue in Downtown Buffalo to provide a Chef Shuttle. Conference attendees that wish to utilize the shuttle pay only $20, and may leave their vehicle in the secure MoDA parking lot for the day. The shuttle will leave for the conference at 8:00 a.m. and will return attendees to the parking area around 6:30 p.m. If you are interested in utilizing the Chef Shuttle, please download the appropriate form at our website (www.fieldandforknetwork.com) and return it with your registration form.

Finally, if you are an artisan producer or represent a company that would like to demonstrate their product to conference attendees, the Farmer – Chef Conference will host a mini tradeshow between the hours of 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Join wineries, CSA’s, cheesemakers and other food artists. Please visit our website for more details (www.fieldandforknetwork.com).

We hope that you will consider joining us. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Field & Fork (fieldandfork@gmail.com) or contact us via telephone at 716.812.1615.

Regards,

Christa Glennie Seychew, Co-founder
Lisa Tucker, Co-founder
Field & Fork Network



Thank you to the following organizations for their support:

American Farmland Trust
Ecotrust
Edible Buffalo
NOFA
Pride Of New York
NYSAWG
Cornell University Cooperative Extension