Greenwood Lake 2024 Farm-To-Table Dinner Wows Guests

By Peter Lyons Hall

Under the soft light of the Elks Pavilion in Greenwood Lake, and with a mild summer evening as a companion, 100 guests gathered to enjoy the second annual Farm-To-Table dinner on Thursday, September 12, 2024, featuring a wealth of flavor profiles that broke through the notion that the only way to enjoy an imaginatively-created menu is either at home or in a fine restaurant.

 Chef Jamie Heller, proprietor of the intimate Village Buzz Café on Windermere Avenue, known for its carefully crafted breakfasts and luncheon sandwiches, was the chef de cuisine for this event, which made the providers of the essential ingredients in her menu the stars of the four-course meal. Beginning with the hors d’oeuvres “Goat Cheese Crostini with Cranberry Beans, Bitter Greens and Bacon,” committee member, Chelsea Whittaker, carefully introduced each course, taking time to describe to the assembled diners each of the farms that were the source of the ingredients. Most of us living in the United States are used to getting our food from grocery stores whose produce and other fresh ingredients often travel more than 1,500 miles in multiple layers of plastic as they try to ripen during the trip. But these ingredients were freshly harvested within 24 hours of the dinner and, having spent plenty of time on the vine (or in a bush, tree, or rich soil) to ripen, bestowed their exquisite flavor upon their fruits and vegetables in the process.

 Some of the ingredients were hand-picked from Jamie’s own garden, in much the same way that other local master chefs like Eric Johansen, Michael DiMartino, and James Haurey might do with their own restaurants. All three, like Jamie, supplement their usual providers with their own gardens or (in some cases) farms.

 The star of the evening, however, was a unique main course: Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers with Beef, Pork, Rice & Mediterranean Spices. The beef and pork came from Sweetman’s Farm in Warwick and the peppers from J&A Farm in Goshen. Chef Heller took it up a notch with a unique Mediterranean seasoning that made some attendees say to themselves, “Ah, that’s what been missing with our recipe for this dish.” And the Miso Polenta with Maple Sriracha Cauliflower and Sesame Cashews added just the right kind of side dish to complement the main event, which had something for both vegetarians as well as meat-eaters.

 When it came to dessert, another one of the committee members, Camille Strano, was delegated with that course, for which she created a Plum Cake (plums from Locust Grove farm, one of the many vendors represented from Lakeside Farmers Market) accompanied by Vanilla Ice Cream from the locally famous (and nearby) Bellvale Farms Creamery.

 The Missyping Duo with Michael O’Brien and Melissa Mahoney began the evening with some folksy music, followed by James Katz and Matt Lambiase, an unusual combination with a guitar and horn duo that improvised a delightfully, jazzy sound on several items from the American songbook. Flower arrangements that adorned the tables, arranged in long Tuscan-style rows, were provided by Megan Leyden, owner of The Flower & Dough.

 At the start of the dinner, one of the founders of Grow Local Greenwood Lake who produces this dinner each year, Chad Pilieri, explained the origin of the organization. “Sharing our love of the earth and growing our own food is a gift we can give to the next generation. Today, Grow Local Greenwood Lake offers a variety of programs for the community. The local Scouts and school groups have joined us for Planting Workshops, Sweet Potato Digs, and a Spiral Herb Garden planting. We’ve instituted Food Scraps Collection at the Farmers Market, Composting at the Community Garden, and Crop Sharing between fellow gardeners,” he said.

 Grow Local’s mission is to 1) Provide access for all to local fresh, healthy food via home garden support, community gardens, farms, restaurants, and by supporting local small businesses;

2) Develop a self-reliant community-based food economy, where production, processing, distribution, and consumption are integrated locally; and 3) Educate our community on the benefits of a resilient local food system based on regenerative growing techniques, preserving food, and healthy eating. Greenwood Lake’s groups are serious about providing outstanding food quality to its residents and visitors and their recent accomplishments are a strong testimonial. Grow Local’s Community Garden has won awards from Dirt Magazine, and the Lakeside Farmers Market recently was awarded a $20,000 grant for its program and community outreach.

 To learn more about this event, the Grow Local organization, and discoverEditor many of the tasty foods that were showcased during this event, you can visit the Lakeside Farmers Market, [VillgeofGreenwoodLake.org/Lakeside-Farmers-Market] every Saturday, from 9AM-1PM at Winstanley Park on Windermere Ave., across the street from the Chaser Bank.

 Photo credits: Chet Gordon