Most Central Coast residents appreciate the bounty of fresh fruit, veggies, and meat that grows in our proverbial backyard. For foodies who’d like to learn more about these wonderful edibles, as well as those who simply want to celebrate the sheer abundance of choice, a group of area chefs and farmers has launched an innovative program called Pallet to Palate.
The mission of the program is to raise the profile of small farmers by featuring their products at local seminars and food tastings. In the process, organizers also hope to boost subscriptions to community supported agriculture programs (CSAs), as well as help chefs and growers network to bring fresh, local foods to regional restaurants.
“While I was chef at the Inn at Morro Bay,” remembered Robert Root, co-founder of Pallet to Palate and currently chef at The Manse on Marsh, “I supported local farmers. I mean, look at where we live. We’re blessed to have all this great, fresh food.
“I pondered all the wine events, the winemaker dinners going for $125 or more each,” he continued, “and I teamed up with Deb Garrison at Central Coast Grown and a couple of other people, and started calling chefs I know. We held a simple reception and people kept asking, ‘Why is it only $10?’ and our answer was always, ‘So anyone can come!’”
The first Pallet to Palate tasting, featuring dishes prepared by 13 farmers and nine chefs, took place in May 2007. Although promotion of the event consisted simply of word-of-mouth referrals and a flier distributed at farmers markets, attendance swelled to 150 people.
“It turned out really well, “ Root said. “The farmers and chefs teamed up and had a lot of fun. We had a raffle and raised money for a scholarship, so a student at the Paso Robles Culinary Arts Academy could learn how to work with local food.”
This year, Pallet to Palate has grown to include a dinner series pairing chefs with farmers to serve up prix fixe dinners at eateries like Apple Farm, Big Sky Caf», Gardens of Avila, Orchid, and SeaVenture. Throughout August, diners can sample the best the Central Coast has to offer at a supremely affordable price.
For the grand finale to the month-long dinner series, organizers have planned two days of events designed to showcase the farmer-chef connection, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the Food Bank Coalition of SLO County. On Aug. 17 and 18, join the fun at The Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach, where a Pallet to Palate three-course lunch kicks off a lively cooking demonstration and conference.
After lunch, the dynamic Chef Ann Cooper, a “renegade lunch lady” who emphasizes nutrition and flavor over commodity-driven convenience, discusses methods for transforming cafeteria school lunches into delicious, healthful meals. Among her strategies is the integration of fresh, local products into school menus across the nation.
That evening, the Cliffs Resort’s Marisol restaurant welcomes revelers for a gala fundraiser dinner featuring live music and five courses prepared by five chef-farmer teams and paired with vintages from five wineries; Donati Family Vineyard, Eberle Winery, Windward Vineyard, Tolosa Winery, and Ecluse Wines.
“I’ll be doing the entr»e,” Root said. “I’ll be doing lamb grown by a guy who takes his animals to vineyards to eat the weeds. What’s more sustainable than that?
“He built his flock,” he continued, “and called me to say he was starting to harvest them and ask if he could participate. His name is Dan Dinova, but he just goes by the name Dan the Sheep Man.”
On Monday evening, the farmer-chef reception unfolds under a giant tent overlooking the ocean where a farmers market-type ambience reigns. Here, 25 chefs whip local products into delectable dishes for sampling and comparing.
“It’s a work in progress, tracking down all these chefs,” Root laughed, “but we’ll have a variety of chefs and catering companies. American Flatbread Company, from Los Alamos, found out about us from one of their farmers, so they’re coming up with their pizza ovens.”
Also on tap for Monday night is live music, a silent auction, winetasting, and—for those with a yen for something stronger—a full no-host bar.
“It’s a great gathering of food, chefs, and farmers,” Root said. “It’s not like many wine events where you get a little bit of food and a lot of wine. It’s a lot of food with a little wine. And best of all, it’s affordable!”
INFOBOX: Please your palate
The Pallet to Palate cooking demonstration/lunch takes place Aug. 17 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at The Cliffs Resort, Shell Beach ($15); the gala dinner is 5 to 9 p.m. ($60 inclusive). On Aug. 18, the farmer-chef reception and tasting is 5 to 8 p.m. ($25).
For more information about the dinner series, conference, gala dinner, and chef reception, visit www.pallettopalate.com or contact Casey Moss at casey@clliffsresort.com or 773-5000, Ext. 618.
K. Reka Badger really knows how to live it up on the Central Coast. She can be reached at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Aug 7-14, 2008.