Locavore Lesson Plan

When Laura Adiletta left Cleveland in 2009, she had no idea she would make a return under such delicious circumstances.

Or that she would bring 33 high school students from Marianapolis Preparatory School in Connecticut  with her.

This week Adiletta is taking the students on a tour of the city as she teaches them about sustainable foods.

“The title of the course is Taste of Cleveland," explains Adiletta, who is also a chef at Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, Conn.  "So not only will they get a taste of the food and the stuff that’s growing around Cleveland, they’re also getting to experience the culture that really makes Cleveland unique.”




A few places on their packed itinerary include the Flying Fig, Greenhouse Tavern, and Spice Kitchen & Bar, where they will be treated to chef-led talks and tours. They’ll also get right into the source of their meals by visiting the Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan, Ohio, and West Side Market’s urban farm.

 Adiletta's history with Cleveland (she graduated from Case Western Reserve University and also worked as an editor at Cleveland Magazine) influenced her decision to use it as an example for her course, but the city's emerging focus on sustainable food also caught her eye.

“I’ve been following the local food in Cleveland for years, really ever since I started cooking,” she says. “I jumped on the opportunity to highlight Cleveland and the food scene that’s brewing there.”

Many of the students Adiletta will be taking around the city are international, so this trip is an opportunity to show those kids there is more to American food than drive-thru fare.

“I want the kids to ask where their food is coming from,” she says. “I want to be an ambassador to American food culture and say we’re not all about McDonald's hamburgers.”

The  local food education doesn't stop with the students. Adiletta and her students are using social media to engage with the community about what they learned. Follow along through Twitter with the @eatloCLE handle and #eatloCLE hashtag and a website made for the trip, eatlocle.com.

Livin' La Local Vida

There are days, weeks, and months dedicated to raising awareness of all kinds of ailments, issues, organizations and causes. In Cleveland we’re right smack in the middle of Local Foods Week. It’s meant to educate and energize us about the sustainably grown, raised, and produced edibles from the region and why it is so important to spend some of our food dollars on these products. When we shop at a farmers market or dine at a restaurant with a farm to plate commitment, it’s a guarantee of fresh, wholesome and delicious fruit, vegetables, meat and poultry, and dairy products. But there’s more to it. The money we spend supports jobs for people that live here, fuels economic growth in northeast Ohio, helps preserve our farmland, and is an ecologically responsible choice. If you aren’t already aware of all this, now’s the moment to say Wow!

Participating in this group hug for local food is not hard. You can do it on your own, at home, or with others and in public places. There lots of events to attend between now and Sunday. Tonight participating restaurants will be offering special dishes featuring fresh from the farm ingredients. Friday there will be a Lunch Mob for like minded brown baggers – location a secret until that morning. Click here for a list of more options and ideas.

I have another suggestion that’s not on the official list. Attend the Western Reserve Herb Society Herb Fair at Cleveland Botanical Garden, Saturday Oct 9. Find vinegars, mustards, jellies, teas, and culinary blends made with herbs grown by Society members, and get tips for starting your own garden next year.

Consider joining Local Food Cleveland, a free online community and self described “action network” for those who are passionate about growing a thriving local food economy and culture in Cleveland. Then take the Local Food Challnge- it’s a promise you make to yourself to eat at least one meal made up of stuff that’s been rasied in or on northeast Ohio soil- and post about it on Local Food Cleveland.

If you’re lucky there are still some seats left for the Harvest Dinner at The Flying Fig on Sunday Oct 10. The meal is sponsored by Slow Food. Karen Small's locally rooted menu looks amazing and tickets are only $35 per person. Call (216) 241-4243 for reservations. But don’t fret should it be sold out. Small is deeply committed to featuring Ohio farm products in her restaurant. This season she got much stuff, and still is, from the amazing Ohio City Farm just down the street – a partnership that gives local a whole new dimension. The Farm is welcoming visitors on Sunday too.

Another way to get a taste of what Small does with the local bounty is get some grab and go food from her new Market at the Fig, next door to the restaurant. I stopped in recently and picked up a pound of wonderful stuffed Ohio pork loin and a crusty baguette baked in her own kitchen. Dubbed a small Euro-style urban pantry, the daily selection of salads, sandwiches and prepared entrees makes eating locally easier than ever.