Toyota Farm to Table Tour

Farewell from Hillsdale

admin — Tue, 03 May 2011 20:22:57 +0000

Hooray for Hillsdale! The weather was beautiful, the food was top-notch, and we were thrilled to help ring in the springtime with our friends in Oregon.

And after seven amazing stops at some of the top farmers markets in the country, it’s time for the 2011 Toyota Farm to Table Tour to come to an end! Many thanks to the market directors, chefs, farmers, and market goers who helped make each and every event special.

If you didn’t make it to this year’s tour, here’s a quick recap video from our stop at the South Pasadena Farmers Market:

And if you’d like to be a part of future Toyota Farm to Table Tour stops, please contact us at info@farmtotabletour.com.

Heading to Hillsdale

admin — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:10:17 +0000

This Sunday, the Toyota Farm to Table Tour rolls into Oregon! May 1^st marks the beginning of the weekly season for the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market, and we’ll be there to help celebrate with springtime tastings from your favorite local chefs. So stop by, test drive a Toyota Hybrid vehicle, pick up a complimentary herb plant, and enjoy food made with the freshest ingredients around.

CHEF SCHEDULE (schedule subject to change):

TENT 1:

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Julie Richardson, Baker & Spice Bakery and SweetWares

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Greg Higgins, Higgins Restaurant and Bar

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Margot Wilcoxon, Salvador Molly’s

TENT 2:

10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans, The Farmer’s Feast

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Naoko Tamura, Chef Naoko Bento Café

12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Aaron Woo, Natural Selection

TENT 3:

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Paul Losch, Vino Paradiso

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Mark Doxtader, Tastebud Restaurant

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Timothy Wastell & Jobie Bailey, DOC

See You in Boise!

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:08:31 +0000

The Farm to Table Tour is looking forward to a fun event this weekend at the Capital City Public Market located at 280 North 8th Street in Boise. We hope you can all stop by and taste some delicious creations from your favorite local chefs. Also, don’t forget that if you taste three samples you can receive a complimentary potted herb at the Mobile Garden. And, if you test drive one of Toyota’s hybrid vehicles, you can take home a complimentary John Boos cutting board! Check the schedule below to see when your favorite chef will be serving samples. See you on Saturday!

CHEF SCHEDULE (schedule subject to change):

TENT 1:

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Paul Faucher, Wild West Bakery & Espresso

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Mathieu Choux, Le Café De Paris

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Andrea Maricich, Salt Tears Coffeehouse & Noshery

TENT 2:

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Abbigail Carlson, Peacefull Belly

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Dustan Bristol, Brick 29

12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Shane Day, Jenny’s Lunch Line

TENT 3:

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Alex Cardoza, Red Feather Lounge

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

David King, The Modern Hotel

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Christine Reid, Locavore

Sunshine and Smiles in South Pasadena

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:42:47 +0000

Thanks to everyone who made it out to the South Pasadena Farmers Market yesterday for the Toyota Farm to Table Tour. The chefs served some delicious food: Chef Tim Guiltinan of The Raymond Restaurant, prepared scallops with roasted Maitake mushrooms, sweet pea tendrils and sweet soy, and Sally Cook of Heirloom Bakery & Café who served up a sweet strawberry shortcake. Former Top Chef Masters contestant and award-winning chef Susan Feniger of STREET even joined in on the fun! Hope you all enjoyed the food, and see everyone in Boise next week!

Photo Credit: Laurie Allee, Glimpses of South Pasadena

Hillsdale Farmers MarketSunday, May 1

mike — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:57:22 +0000

The Toyota Farm to Table Tour is on its way to the Northwest where we will be stopping in Portland at the Hillsdale Farmers Market. Nine local chefs will be preparing some delicious free tastings for everyone with food grown right in and around Portland! Some of the chefs participating in this year’s event at the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market include, Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans of The Farmers Feast, Margo Wilcoxon of Salvador Molly’s and Paul Losch of Vino Paradiso. More chefs will be announced as the event gets closer so be sure to keep check back for an updated list.

Stop by and join us on May 1st from 10:00am – 2:00pm at the Hillsdale Farmers Market located at the intersection of SW Sunset Blvd and SW Capitol Hwy Portland OR 97239.

Toyota Farm to Table Tour in Walnut Creek

admin — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:03:23 +0000

The Toyota Farm to Table Tour had a great time at the Walnut Creek Farmers Market in March! There was great food and great people. If you haven’t experienced the Toyota Farm to Table Tour for yourself, you are missing out. Check out this video to see what the tour is all about.

Susan Feniger on the Today Show

admin — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:14:15 +0000

Watch one of our Toyota Farm to Table chefs in South Pasadena reinvent grilled cheese on the Today Show. This looks delicious! We can’t wait to see what Susan will be serving up at the South Pasadena Farmers Market next week!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

South Pasadena Farmers MarketThursday, April 14

mike — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:53:33 +0000

The Farm to Table Tour is making its way down the California coast and will be in South Pasadena on April 14^th from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the South Pasadena Farmers Market. We are especially excited that award-winning chef and former Top Chef Masters contestant, Susan Feniger, will be joining us! Susan Feniger, chef and owner of STREET, has been extremely influential in shaping the Los Angeles culinary scene and environmentally sustainable and local products play a large part in her street-food inspired menu and cooking philosophy. Susan and eight other talented local chefs will be helping us support the farm-to-table movement and preparing complimentary tastings for those who stop by. Come by on April 14^th, meet all of the chefs, and taste what they’ve cooked up using fresh South Pasadena Farmers Market produce!

South Pasadena Farmers Market is located at 913 Meridian Ave., South Pasadena, CA 91030

The nine chefs joining us in South Pasadena include:

Susan Feniger – Susan Feniger’s STREET

Paul Rosenbluh – Firefly Bistro

Bill Disselhorst – Fiore Market Café

Jennifer Kreft and Derrick Shields – Nicole’s Gourmet Foods

Sally Cook – Heirloom Bakery & Cafe

Tim Guiltinan – The Raymond Restaurant

Erica Lins – Mike & Anne’s Restaurant and Bar

Luis Alfonso Ortega Banuelos – Shiro Restaurant

Kyu Yi – Gus’s Barbecue

Check out the tasting schedule after the jump to see when your favorite chef will be there.

CHEF SCHEDULE (schedule subject to change):

TENT 1:

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Kyu Yi, Gus’s Barbecue

5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

Sally Cook, Heirloom Bakery & Café

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Susan Feniger, Susan Feniger’s STREET

TENT 2:

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Tim Guiltinan, The Raymond Restaurant

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Jennifer Kreft and Derrick Shields, Nicole’s Gourmet Foods

6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Bill Disselhorst, Fiore Market Café

TENT 3:

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Erica Lins, Mike & Anne’s Restaurant and Bar

5:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.

Paul Rosenbluh, Firefly Bistro

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Luis Alfonso Ortega Banuelos, Shiro Restaurant

See You in Aptos this Weekend!

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:44:59 +0000

The Farm to Table Tour will be in Aptos, California this weekend. The Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College will be hosting the tour from 8:00 a.m. until noon on Saturday April 9. The market, with over 80 vendors, is part of the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers’ Markets, and is one of the oldest and largest farmers markets on the central coast. Check out the tasting schedule for the chefs participating in Saturday’s event below and we hope to see you all there!

CHEF SCHEDULE (schedule subject to change):

TENT 1

8:00 am – 9:00 am – Jamie Smith, Executive Market Chef, Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets

9:15 am – 10:15 am – Derek Rupp, Pleasure Pizza

10:30 am – 11:30 am – Udo Prambs, French Culinary Institute

TENT 2

8:15 am – 9:15 am – Paul Magill, Personal Chef

9:30 am – 10:30 am – Elizabeth Bourget, Gourmet To Go

10:45 am – 11:45 am – Lionel Le Morvan, Ma Maison Restaurant

TENT 3

8:30 am – 9:30 am – Stephany Buswell, The Wedding Stop & Cake Shoppe

9:45 am – 10:45 am – Owen Snyder, Papa O’s

11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Andrea Mollenauer, Lifestyle Culinary Arts

TENT 4

8:15 am – 10:30 am – Hans C. Haveman, H & H Fresh Fish Co., Inc.

10:45 am – 11:45 am – Kevin Koebel, Local FATT

Capital City Public MarketSaturday, April 23

mike — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:55:50 +0000

The Farm to Table Tour will be visiting Boise’s Capital City Public Market on April 23^rd. Come by from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. to meet some amazing local chefs and farmers.

CHEFS:

Abbigail Carlson – Peaceful Belly

Christine Reid – Locavore

Dustan Bristol – Brick 29

Andrea Maricich – Salt Tears Coffeehouse & Noshery

Paul Faucher – Wild West Bakery & Espresso

David King – The Modern Hotel

Mathieu Choux – Le Cafe De Paris

Check back soon for a full list of chefs participating. Chefs subject to change.

Meet one of the chefs after the jump…

MEET A CHEF: ABBIGAIL CARLSON

Abbigail Carlson, chef at Peaceful Belly Farm is a passionate supporter of “farm to table” food. The Farm to Fork dinners she prepares at Peaceful Belly are made with food grown right at the farm. Here is what she has to say about her support of the “farm to table” food movement:

“There are multiple reasons why I support local agriculture. As a chef I find most of my creative inspiration and passion when I have more of a connection with the field, after all I cannot make a memorable recipe when the beginning product is mediocre. When I taste that first tomato of the season from the farm I am immediately reminded why I eat local. As a member of the community and a chef I also find it exponentially important to know where my food comes from and by putting a name with the face and conversing with the actual person.”

A Not So Average Day on Peaceful Belly Farm- by Abbigail Carlson

Spring time brings endless seeding, transplanting, more seeding and thinning. It is the time of year when the farmer is able to pick the “starting lineup” for the season, such as how many tomatoes and which type. Soon enough we enter the world of farmers markets and CSA’s and then the mad rush of harvest begins.

Harvest is one of the most rewarding things about working on a farm. This is the time I get validation for all of the work that I have put in thus far, and it is also when I find time to daydream of my menu for my coming dinners and cooking classes. The first of the season is all about bunching beets, turnips, bok choi, green onions, and the list goes on. A couple weeks later we start picking peas and favas, cutting salad mix and still we are bunching the turnips, beets, some radishes and mizuna.

Out of the field and into the kitchen to start my creating. It is a daily task on the farm, I have the opportunity to try out new concepts and recipes on the farm crew every day for lunch. Some of these ideas I will then use as a component in my future Farm to Fork dinners. The menus are such an organic process for me when I am surrounded by the season’s bounty.

The farm is a place where all walks of life come together and find one thing which they are passionate about, food, and that is where I come in.

Be sure to stop by April 23rd to meet Abbigail and taste her farm fresh food.