So what happened in February you ask? How quickly you forget. That’s when Cleveland Foodie readers and local chefs came together and saved the Veggie U program within Cleveland schools by raisising over $3,800. Have I mentioned that I hands-down have the best readers in town?

You now have another chance to help the greater Veggie U program which educates 4^th graders on the importance of making wise food choices and understanding where their food comes from. The 2010 Food and Wine Celebration to benefit the Veggie U children’s program will take place on July 17. This annual gathering features gourmet cuisine prepared by chefs from all over the country plus wines from top vineyards, cooking demos and a silent auction.

The event takes place on the absolutely beautiful grounds of The Culinary Vegetable Institute. Demonstrations and participating chefs include Food & Wine Best New Chef Jonathon Sawyer, James Beard winner Chef Martha Foose and former Top Chef contestants, Chefs Lee Anne Wong and Dave Martin. Emceeing the benefit is TV host and award-winning chef, Bob Waggoner.

Tickets are on sale now. The great folks at Veggie U gave me two tickets to give away to one lucky reader, valued at $175 each. If you would like to be entered for a chance to win via random.org, please leave a comment to this post between now and Friday, July 2nd telling us what your favorite meal was from your childhood (mine was my gram’s spaghetti and meatballs – she made the best sauce and always made this for me whenever I was craving it, even when I’d visit during college. It always tasted the exact same – simply perfect).

Speaking of the local 4^th graders we helped, Barb Jones, assistant director of Veggie U (and farmer Lee’s mom), shared the following from some participating teachers:  When asked what part of the Veggie U Science program she liked best, one fourth-grade teacher said, “The abundance of materials and resources included in each unit. It was very nice to have the ability for the students to have real examples in the classroom.”

Another said, “The worm farm was a favorite part for my kids, they also loved planting and watching the plants grow”. “The kids loved trying some vegetables for the first time.”

The Veggie U program was delivered to 187 Cleveland 4th grade classrooms this spring at a cost of $200 per classroom. The folks who helped via Cleveland Foodie can feel great about helping these kids, she added.

By the way, if you do plan to attend the 8^th annual Food and Wine Celebration (and I hope you do – we’ll be there!), be sure to check out the site for special rates on accommodations if you plan to stay overnight. The CVI is located in Milan, which is near Cedar Point.

Veggie U Fun Facts

• Veggie U is currently in 24 states and 1,800 classrooms
• Veggie U was born in the spring of 2003 and for the following 18 months, a group of dedicated educators and nutritionists donated their time and talents to create a curriculum which meets the benchmarks of the 4th grade national science standards set forth by the No Child Left Behind Initiative
• The mission of Veggie U is to promote the well-being of children through a healthy lifestyle
• Veggie U is dedicated to the creation and distribution of curricula nationally with a focus on making wise food choices, combating adolescent and juvenile disease and attaining and understanding of sustainable agriculture
• For every one child in the program, an estimated 12 additional people are reached with the message
• Our vision is to place the Earth to Table program in every one of the 93,000 4th grade classrooms in the nation

My friend Heidi Robb is hosting her first blogger giveaway – and what a giveaway it is! One lucky person will win two tickets (which go for $145 each) to the Institutes’s benefit for their Veggie U program, a not-for-profit that’s committed to fostering a synergy between educational, nutritional and agricultural goals to combat the rising epidemic of childhood obesity.

According to Heidi, the 2009 Food and Wine Celebration will be held this July 18th from 4-9 p.m. in Milan, Ohio on the beautiful grounds of The Culinary Vegetable Institute. There will be food from a multitude of top chefs from around the country, a Star Chef Cook-off with judging by our homegrown Michael Ruhlman and Fred Griffith, Alex Guarnaschelli, executive chef of New York’s BUTTER, and more. Plus fine wines, music and merrymaking.

Be sure to visit her blog to learn how to enter. Be quick, you only have a few days. She also includes a recipe for Moxie’s beet salad from chef Jonathan Bennett who will be participating in the event (I will most definitely try this – mmm, beets!).

Earth-to-Table dinner / February 26
Family-style menu created by chef Johannes Klapdohr
$45 pp
Menu includes:

Appetizers
Carpaccio of Winter Beets with Walnut Oil and “Minus 8” Ice Wine Vinegar
Exotic Kale Blend and Old World Lettuces with Pineapple-Ginger Honey Vinaigrette
Wilted Mustard and Turnip Greens with Bacon, Northern White Beans and Glazed Red Onions
Lentil and Heirloom Potato Stew with Vienna Sausages, Carrots and Micro Celery

Entrees
“Coq aux Vin”Free Range Chicken braised in Red Wine with Mushrooms, Shallots and Applewood Smoked Bacon
Slow Roasted Niman Ranch Pork Shanks in a light BBQ and Preserved Tomato Sauce

Vegetables
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme and Rosemary
Oven Roasted Beet Variation with Micro Caraway
Braised Celeriac with Pistachios
Brussels Sprouts Sautéed with Duck Prosciutto

Desserts
Parsnip and Pear Strudel with Caramel Ice Cream
Root Cellar Apple Cobbler with Hazelnut Crumbs

Sardinian Wine Tasting / March 5
Five-course wine tasting and food pairing created by chef Johannes Klapdohr
$85 pp
Menu includes:

First Course
“Chefs Garden Caesar Salad”
4 different Romaine Lettuce with Saltimbocca of Organic Chicken and Duck Prosciutto
Parmesan, Sun-dried Tomato Crouton
Sulitai – Cannonau di Sardegna doc 2005, Single Vineyard

Second Course
“Culingiones”
Sardinian Raviolis with Winter Root Spinach and Pecorino Cheese
Sautéed Diver Scallop, Micro White Celery
Tavoleto – Nebbiolo D’Alba doc 2004

Entree
Osso Buco with Marrow and Micro Sage Crust in a light Gremolata Sauce
Broccoli Rabe, Golden Garlic Chive Polenta
Sariz doc 2001

Cheese CourseTaleggio “Pizza” with Dried Figs, Toasted Pistachios and Pear Mustado
Petit Arugula Salad
Amarone della Valpolicella doc 2003

Dessert
Zabaglione Tart with Citrus Fruits and Mascarpone Gelato
Moscato D’Asti docg 2007

Cooking Classes / February 21 and 28
Three hour classes focusing on easy to prepare meals;$245 each. Call to learn about specifics for each class.