CONNECTICUT FARM-TO-CHEF PROGRAM NEWS 06/26/07
CT Grown Fruits and Veggies Now Available
The following CT Grown produce is available now or is coming soon. If you need help locating sources of these items, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov.
Ready Now:
Cherries – now through July. A short season – get them while you can!
Culinary Herbs – now through fall.
Exotic Mushrooms – read more below.
Garlic Scapes – now until they run out. They have all been harvested, so hurry!
Greenhouse Tomatoes – local tomatoes, need I say more?!?!
Salad Greens – now through fall. Especially good early in the season.
Strawberries - now through early July. Excellent quality this year.
Summer Squash – now through fall. Just beginning to harvest.
Beets – now through fall.
Coming Soon:
Green Beans – starting this week!
Sweet Corn – starting this weekend!
Blueberries – starting early July. We may see a “Berry Triple-Header Fourth of July.”
Cucumbers – starting early July.
Raspberries – starting early July. We may see “Berry Triple-Header Fourth of July.”
Bell Peppers – starting mid-July.
Field Tomatoes – starting mid-July.
Hot Peppers – starting mid-July.
Peaches – starting mid-July.
CT Grown Maitake Mushrooms Available
Franklin Farms continues to produce specialty mushrooms at their farm in
Chefs Wanted for CT Grown Demonstrations, Interviews
The Farm-to-Chef Program is seeking chefs interested in participating in cooking demonstrations that would feature and promote CT Grown products.
Demonstrations may include appearances on television, at farmers’ markets, and/or at various other events. These demonstrations generally would not be paid appearances but would provide good visibility for you and your business.
If interested, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov and specify your availability (days/times/distance you are willing to travel).
The Farm-to-Chef Program also is looking for chefs interested in doing radio and/or other media interviews that would discuss their use of CT Grown products. Please contact Linda if interested.
Baker Sought for Whole Foods Farmers’ Market
The West Hartford Whole Foods Farmers’ Market, which runs every Monday in the store parking lot from
To be eligible, you or your representative must be available to sell your baked goods each week through October, when the market closes for the season. This is one of the new farmers’ markets in
If interested, please contact Rick Macsuga at 860-713-2544 or Richard.macsuga@ct.gov.
Last Call for CT Recipes for National Cookbook
Cookbook author James Stroman is working on a new project that will feature recipes from every state and commonwealth in the
He has asked us to provide him with recipes that are representative of
If you would like to have your recipe featured in this new book, please email your recipe to Linda (Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov), along with a short blurb about the dish and/or ingredients and a few sentences about yourself. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION:
CT Grown Breakfast and Dinner Posters
If you would like copies of the beautiful, full-color posters, “Have Breakfast with Your Neighbors” and “Invite Your Neighbors for Dinner,” to display in your restaurant or facility, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov.
The posters complement the television, radio, billboard, and bus advertisements currently running as part of this year’s comprehensive CT Grown – The Local Flavor campaign.
CT Farm-to-Chef Program Website Listings
We are always seeking more restaurants, institutions, and other dining facilities to be listed on our site. If you or someone you know is serving CT Grown food and would like to let people know, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.Piotrowicz@ct.gov so we can add you to our website.
We also are continually updating our producers/wholesalers listings. If you are purchasing CT Grown from someone not on our list, please let us know so we can give them the credit they deserve!
You can access the Farm-to-Chef Program from the CT Department of Agriculture’s home page, www.CTGrown.gov and then click on the Farm-to-Chef link on the right sidebar under “Featured Links.”
CT Department of Agriculture Mascots
The Department has four vegetable costumes (carrot, corn, cucumber, and pea), as well as a cow, lobster, and chicken. The Mascots are a fun, effective way to promote the benefits of nutritious CT Grown foods. Look for them at events such as farmers’ markets, fairs, and shows around the state.
All of the costumes are available to borrow for special events. For more information, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.Piotrowicz@ct.gov.
GET CT GROWN! THE LOCAL FLAVOR.