According to one local chef, Farm-to-Table eating "has more to do with the way our ancestors ate, allowing for our bodies to adjust and the land to heal and replenish."
Farm-to-Table, which is all the rage these days, is a return, in essence, to a way we used to eat, to a way we used to be connected with the land and the food that sustains us.
On September 27-29, 2015, five unique and very different Bed & Breakfasts in Hammondsport, NY are offering a special Finger Lakes Style Farm-to-Table Getaway Package and a series of culinary events, including three that are open to the public.
"Food is love," says Debbie Merisky, co-owner of Black Sheep Inn and Spa in Hammondsport. "It's sharing and it's communal. Wherever people gather, there is food at their table." Despite the fact that food is such a common element in human interaction, Debbie adds that food often "seems mystical to those who don't know much about preparation, sourcing, or how to introduce unknown ingredients to a recipe they love."
That's why Black Sheep Inn and Spa is joining forces with four other local B&B's, a few winemakers and craft brewers, local farmers and cheese makers this September to offer a special Farm-to-Table culinary package that will include farm-to-table breakfasts, a farm-to-table scavenger hunt, cooking demonstrations, and more in a charming small town that has been voted "America's Coolest Small Town" by readers of Budget Travel.
The five B&B's (which offer a variety of room types and prices to suit your individual preferences) creating this wonderful immersive culinary opportunity are:
- Blushing Rose Bed and Breakfast
- 18 Vine Inn & Carriage House
- McCorn Winery Lodging
- Pleasant Valley Inn
- Black Sheep Inn and Spa
*You're encouraged to book early, as space is limited, and rooms will fill up quickly.
Tom Simons, owner of Pleasant Valley Inn & Restaurant believes Farm-to-Table is "a great way to showcase local vendors and source local products."
"As we serve a European-style continental breakfast," Tom added, "many of our local fruits will have come and gone by September's end. We will have grapes from our own vines, and local apples. We make grape bread and jam each fall from our neighbor's Concords. Local NY cheddar is always on the breakfast tray."
All guests participating in the Farm-to-Table Package will enjoy a Welcome Event at Luna Mezza Grille featuring hors d'oeurves prepared with ingredients sourced from local farms, local handcrafted beer and wine.
Some of he Farm-to-Table breakfasts you'll find at McCorn's include "omelets featuring farm fresh, free range eggs, local organic produce and cheeses, homemade muffins made from local ingredients, and a fruit course of local apples, peaches, or pears."
"It was their love of gardening, and their teaching us as children how to plant the seeds," said Catherine, "how to water and care for the young plants, and watch them grow. We would get so excited when we went out and could actually pick our first vegetables. All my aunts and my mom," she adds, "used to pick fresh fruit and go berry picking. When I was old enough, I went with them. They said I ate more berries than I picked, though." For Catherine and for the others offering these wonderful Farm-to-Table experiences, it's about time spent with special people, and about wholesome food made with love, food that is "good for you."
Three of the special events that are part of the Farmer's Dinner package - the Finger Lakes Farm to Table Scavenger Hunt, Local Food Cooking Demonstrations, and the Farmer's Finale Dinner at Roots Café – are open to guests participating in the package and to local residents looking for an extraordinary culinary experience.
The Finger Lakes Farm to Table Scavenger Hunt allows package guests and local residents to visit farms and local cheese producers to meet the people who grow and produce the food, and to learn about why they do what they do. Other stops include local wineries, breweries, and distilleries.
The Local Food Cooking Demonstrations will include a panel of local chefs who will instruct attendees on how easy it is to find and use local ingredients to create incredible meals. The chefs will share recipes, talk about methods and techniques, and get your taste buds involved when the preparation is done. There will also be time for a Q&A session with the chefs.
The Farmer's Dinner will take place at Roots Café where participants will enjoy an evening of wine tasting and a multi-course Finger Lakes Farm-to-Table dinner.
For more information visit Farmers Dinner - Finger Lakes Style or to register for the Finger Lakes Farm to Table Scavenger Hunt, the Local Food Cooking Demonstrations, and the Farmer's Dinner at Roots Café events contact Black Sheep Inn & Spa or call 607-386-8471.