The second annual Taste Real Guelph Wellington field dinner welcomed more than 80 guests to a sit down dining experience of homegrown food in the heart of Strom’s Farm cornfield here on Sept. 11.
“Hopefully this event encourages people to think about local food in this region,” said Kate Vsetula, Guelph Wellington local food initiative coordinator.
“This helps us build business relationships between farmers and restaurants, businesses and consumers.”
The event included live music and an auction, hors d’oeuvres prepared by the Centre Wellington District High School’s food school and more than eight courses of fine dining dishes prepared by local chefs from in and around Wellington County, including Appetizingly Yours Catering from Guelph, Enver’s of Morriston, Queen’s Bush Bistro from Mount Forest, the South Street Gourmet in Harriston, and The Harvest Table from Mapleton Township.
Building a menu of seasonal flavours entirely from the region’s farmers, each chef created a plate of local fare with a home-cooked flavour, including meats from The Harvest Table, Blue Haven Farms Wellington County Pork and Devos Meats, prepared over an open charcoal fire.
Vegetables and fruits complemented each dish, sourced from Strom’s Farm, Deerfield Farm, Collinspinach Farm, Wellesley Apple Products, ReRoot Farm, Hewitt’s Dairy, Masborough Country Market, Oak Manor Farms, Organic Meadow, Irvine Creek Organics Farm and Greenbush Heritage Organic Farm.
Cheese from local makers Best Baa Dairy in Fergus and River’s Edge Goat Dairy in Arthur complemented several dishes.
Dessert included home baking by South Street Bistro paired with Mapleton’s Organic ice cream, and Get Baked’s Burnt Honey and Peach Tart that obtained ingredients from Guelph’s Tuckamore Honey and farms.
Each presentation was paired with a complementary wine or beer, provided by Colaneri Estate Winery from Niagara-on-the-Lake or Guelph’s own Wellington County Brewery.
Run by volunteers, the event included many helpers, notably 12 students from across Canada participating in the Katimivik program.
Field Dinner 2011 organizer Ingrid von Cube was pleased with the event and the professional quality of the food, and hoped the diversity of the menu would encourage people to make the connection between where their food is grown and the people who grow it.
“It’s about putting real food first and a face to the name behind the food, by showing people where the food really comes from, right here on the farm,” she said.
Proceeds from the 2011 field dinner will support local food programs and initiatives of Guelph Wellington Local Food and the Guelph Food Round Table.
