Fall is in the air and Chef Marco Davis is coming up with a menu using the freshest local ingredients around. How to cook using fall foods from local farms is the focus of our fall farm to fork cooking class in Astoria. We’ve been teaming up with Columbia Memorial Hospital to produce a series of these classes, and this is the third.
Foods are harvested just before the class and the menu is designed based on what’s freshest and in season. Chef Marco’s preliminary plans for the evening include a grilled carrot and radish appetizer, soup, root vegetable layered lasagna dish, as well as homemade gingerbread and sweet corn ice cream for dessert. Anyone who’s had Marco’s cooking at the Columbian Café knows how great his food tastes, and this is an opportunity to learn from him as he prepares dinner before your eyes.
“Cooking local and seasonal can be simple, easy and tasty. With patience, anyone can cook a meal that fills the belly and warms the heart. Food should be shared and preparing meals together is the best way to learn and grow as a family and community,” Davis said.
Local produce will be incorporated into the dinner as well as locally-caught fish. The Co-op will use its relationships with local farmers and ability to source directly from Bornstein Seafoods in Astoria to provide local and organic ingredients. The farmers will be in attendance at the dinner and will talk about their farms, growing food, and how to source it. The four course meal will also include wine pairings from regional wineries.
The class takes place at CMH’s Columbia Center Coho Room on Wednesday October 1 at 6 p.m. To sign up, stop by the Co-op. Do it soon, as space is limited. If you wish to have a more hands-on experience, Chef Marco encourages you to come early to help in the kitchen. Just let a cashier know you’d like to do this when you sign up. The cost is $50 for individuals or $85 for two people. Proceeds will go toward North Coast Food Web’s Fruit Box Project, which aims to get more fresh food into local schools.