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Lindsay Record, local-food coordinator at the
Illinois Stewardship Alliance, started working with Springfield area
farmers nearly a year ago. She wanted fresh ideas on how to introduce more
local foods into the community, and after some discussions, they came up
with a new plan.
They’re calling it Local Flavors: a dinner
series that gives area restaurants a chance to buy ingredients from local
farmers and incorporate them into their menus. Record says the series will
let restaurant owners ease into the locally grown market to see whether
consumer demand is there. “We know farmers are interested in selling to
that market and consumers are interested in supporting local
farmers,” Record says, “so we want to see if they’ll be
able to do that in a restaurant atmosphere.”
Maldaner’s Restaurant, already known for its use
of locally grown and organic foods, will host the kickoff dinner at 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 19. Michael Higgins, owner and head chef, says he started
working with farmers years ago after watching locally grown foods dominate
recipes and menus in such places as California and New York. “I talked farmers into expanding their planting
so we, at least here in Springfield, could take part in having some of the
same things you’d see on the West Coast and East Coast,”
Higgins says. In the past couple of years, as a result of the growth
in the Old Capitol Farmers’ Market and local competition, Higgins
says, the “buy fresh” movement in the capital city has taken
off. Sean Keeley, the owner of Ross Isaac, has also gotten
involved in the Local Flavors series. Keeley, who specializes in American
cuisine with international influences, says that garden fresh ingredients
are always better than produce bought off a truck. Record says she knows that the interest is there and
hopes that Springfieldians will try this route so that everyone can
benefit. “We want people to take advantage of this
opportunity to not only let participating restaurants know that ‘Yes,
we do want local foods,’ ” Record says, “but to show
other restaurants that there is a market in supporting local
farmers.”
To make reservations for the inaugural Local Flavors
dinner at Maldaner’s, call the Illinois Stewardship Alliance at
217-498-9707 by Monday, June 16. The $30 fee covers a choice of certified
organic chicken, vegetarian pasta, or humanely raised America’s cut
pork. For the subsequent dinners — Ross Isaac on July
3; Augie’s Front Burner, July 17; Catie Girl’s, Aug. 7;
Augie’s, Aug. 21; Maldaner’s, Sept. 4; Sebastian’s, Sept.
18; Catie Girl’s, Oct. 2; Sebastian’s, Oct. 16; and Ross Isaac,
Nov. 6 — reservations may be made directly with participating
restaurants.
Contact Amanda Robert at arobert@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Jun 5-11, 2008.
