The Veggie U fundraiser has come to a close. We raised a total of $3,910, for a grand total of $11,750 donated since we started this drive in 2009. That is simply amazing – thank you. Thank you for your generosity, thank you for taking the time to learn about something you may not have been familiar with, thank you for spreading the word, and thank you for giving – especially this time of the year. It’s truly much appreciated by so many – especially the kids and their teachers.

And finally, a very special thank you to all those that donated gift cards. I didn’t have to beg any of you – you all quickly responded and freely offered to help without thinking twice. If it wasn’t for your continued generosity and willingness to support this cause, we would simply not have been able to raise anything. You are part of  the foundation that makes this such an amazing community.

And to Ron, Renee and Carrie… wow are you three lucky! Enjoy your free eats all year-long (and don’t be too surprised if you suddenly make some new friends!).

The majority of us have the good fortune to dine out, shop our local grocers and markets, and even grow our own eats. Something we may even take for granted. We read about food. We value and appreciate food. We know the importance of eating right (most of the time anyway), asking questions and paying attention to where our food comes from. Sadly I believe we are still in the minority, though thanks to continuous efforts of many on a local and national front, the greater nation appears to be catching on.

Perhaps the biggest issue here is that many of the people making poor food choices are also making them for their kids. Kids who are growing up on fast food and processed crap. Kids that can’t recognize a tomato from a potato. Kids that are becoming plagued with juvenile diabetes. And kids that represent the first generation not expected to outlive their parents.

Of course there are a lot of factors contributing to this dilemma. And there are varying perspectives on what to do about it. We’re not going to easily solve the problem, but we can start today by trying to make a difference right here in our community.

We can help 4^th graders in Cleveland learn about food. Learn about farming. And understand where their meals come from and the benefits of making smart choices early on. And then they can take that newfound excitement and knowledge home to their parents and start a conversation about what they eat and begin to make better choices as a family.

Once again I’m asking each of you to help me help these kids, teachers and their caregivers. Help them learn and begin to make better choices right now. And ultimately, help their overall health and well-being.

Now in its third year, Cleveland Foodie is raising funds for Veggie U. If you’re new to this program, Veggie U is a national program that promotes the well-being of children through a healthy lifestyle with a focus on making wise food choices, combating adolescent and juvenile disease, and attaining an understanding of sustainable agriculture. The program provides a complete kit and lesson plans to teachers to help educate their students through hands-on, fun curricula. There are 157 participating classrooms in our area and each kit costs $225. At the end of the program, students understand the connection between agriculture, good nutrition and the culinary arts.

To date, we have raised a total of $7,840 and helped save the program within Cleveland schools.

Would you consider helping once again? Do you have an extra $5 to donate? I know it’s a costly time of the year and that we’re not in the best of economic times. But if you can donate, and believe in this cause and thus the bigger picture (and if you’re a regular reader, I’m willing to bet you do) then I strongly encourage you to consider supporting Veggie U.

Like previous years, if you donate just $5 to Veggie U, you will automatically be entered to win more than $2,000 worth of gift cards to all your favorite eateries and shops. Want to increase your odds? Donate $10, $25, $50 or more. For every $5 you donate, you will earn another entry into the drawing. The more you donate, the greater your chance of winning.

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR: Based on feedback, I decided to mix things up a bit. Instead of one person walking away with all the goods, I’m going to evenly split the certificates into three groups allowing for three lucky do-gooders to have a very delightful holiday season. You have from now until December 23^rd at NOON to donate and be entered. Three winners will be picked using random.org on the 24th.

HOW TO DONATE: It’s easy – just call 419.499.7500 M-F, 9a.m. – 5 p.m.; you must reference Cleveland Foodie. OR, you can now donate online right here, 24/7.

This fundraising effort would not be possible without the generosity and support of our local chefs, restaurants and local businesses. I may sound like a broken record, but we live in the best city where nearly everyone is always so quick to help and pitch in and take care of others without a second thought. To those that donated, once again I can’t thank you enough. Truly.

To kick things off, we will donate $100 (which will not be counted towards the gift cards). Remember, the more you donate, the greater chance you have. Thank you for your consideration and good luck! And please, spread the word. Let’s see if we can exceed previous years and make 2012 a year of healthy, local eats.

Three incredibly lucky diners will spend 2012 eating and drinking their way throughout Cleveland:

• Greenhouse Tavern / $50
• Noodlecat / $50
• AMP150 / $50
• Fire / $50
• Bistro on Main / two $50 gift cards
• Fahrenheit / $50
• Flying Fig / $50
• Washington Place Bistro & Inn / $50
• Miles Farmers Market / $50
• Welshfield Inn / $50
• 87 West at Crocker / $50
• Crop Bistro / $50
• Luna Bakery / $50
• Dim and Den Sum / $50
• Hodge’s (coming soon) / $50
• Battery Park Wine Bar / $50
• Market Garden Brewery / $50
• Bar Cento / $50
• Paladar / $50
• Touch Supper Club / $50
• Truck (Touch food truck) / $50
• Western Reserve Wines / $50
• Momocho / $50 (plus Eric donated an additional $350 to the program)
• Flour / $50
• Deagan’s / $50
• A Cookie and a Cupcake / $50
• CVI dinner / $100
• Chef’s Garden salad sampler box
• Umami / $50
• Parallax / $50
• Table45 / $50
• L’Albatros / $50
• Chinato / $50
• C2 / $50
• Moxie / $50
• Red / $50
• Lola / three $20 gift cards, one for each winner

Thank you for taking the time to read this and cheers for a wonderful holiday season!

July 16th marks the 9^th annual Food & Wine celebration to benefit the Veggie U children’s program. 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 Veggie U program educates 4^th graders across the country on the importance of making wise food choices and understanding where their food comes from. You can learn more here.

The event takes place on the beautiful grounds of The Culinary Vegetable Institute. It’s an unbelievable evening – great crowd, food, wine, setting and of course, cause. Unfortunately, I can’t make it this year thanks to the arrival of baby #2. But you can go. Tickets are on sale now for $145 each. It’s well worth every penny, I promise you. And you truly are supporting an amazing organization and helping to make a worthwhile difference in these kids’ lives. And if you’re a regularly reader of this blog, I know it’s something you’d happily support.

Like last year, I  have a pair of tickets up for grabs to one lucky reader thanks to the good folks at Veggie U. To be entered into the random drawing, please leave a comment to this blog post (sorry – to be fair, Facebook doesn’t count) by June 30th telling me your favorite dish to make in the summer. Good luck – and thank you for supporting Veggie U!

1. How many bow ties do you own and what’s the story behind it? I got the privilege of meeting Freddy Girardet, one of Charlie Trotter’s mentors, a living legend from Switzerland.  He is in his 70s now; many people say he closed his restaurant too early and I’ve actually met people who have been tearful that his restaurant is no longer there.  But I had the privilege of speaking with him one night and he said to me, “Back when I was your age, the farmer and chef got very little respect for what they did.  It is so ironic to see that we have gained respect for what we do now.”

I think regardless of what occupation we have, we can take pride in it.  There used to be a saying, “If you can’t make it in the real world you can always go back and work on the farm.” It wasn’t a career that was looked upon highly.  So one of the things behind the bow ties is, I am a farmer and I am not afraid or ashamed to be who I am.

My dad has a saying, “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, so you might as well go as what you are.”  On my best day you couldn’t place a $500 suit on me.  I am what I am and I am not ashamed of that.  I don’t like to be boastful or proud, but I take pride in what we do and the way we do it.  We do it to the best of our ability.

One of the few books I read in high school, and they also have a movie, was “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck.  Every once in a while I watch it when it’s on television, and every single time I watch it, I cry.  It’s about growers during the Great Depression that were displaced out West and in Oklahoma; farmers were pushed off their land and lost their farms and were looking for a way to survive.  Through it all, there was a scene where they were so destitute, they lost all their money and they had very little hope.  Yet, on a Saturday night, they cleaned up and had a square dance.

The overalls they wore were torn and tattered but they were clean.  The farmers put on their bowties.  Even as down trodden as they were and with as little respect as they had, they held their dignity and they were proud of who they were.  I think really that is what the crux of it is.

We have a registered trademark on the overalls and red bowtie; it is part of our brand and I try to represent all the family farms out there in America, to show that we can be proud of what we do and that there is a place for us here.  It has been so rewarding in so many ways to see society coming around to the fact that we do have a worthy place in society and value what we do.  It’s fun and it’s exciting to see the renewed interest and resurgence of farmer’s markets and other farms doing well.  It is just a very rewarding thing, taking pride in what we do.

But, to answer your question, I have about 24 bowties.

2. What is your advice for home gardeners? Several things come to mind when you ask advice for home gardeners.  My first advice would be to keep gardening!  My second advice would be to continue to make mistakes.  Document, document, document your work: document your mistakes; document what worked; document what didn’t.  From planting to planting and from year to year, it all runs together, so I think good records are imperative.

Another suggestion would be not to farm all of your land or all of your plot at once.  Continue to rebuild nutrients and find ways to do that naturally with rye or vetch clover; rye in particular is a cheap seed.  Take a third of your land and plant rye, or if you can, plant your whole garden to rye in the fall at least the first year.

It is our belief that God designed a system far superior to anything we can fake out.  If you can visualize a plant as an antenna, it will accept natural energy from the sun and emit it out through the roots to the next set of crops.  So, in the spring, leave one-third in rye and allow it to continue to collect energy.  Plant your spring crop in the second third and then as you get to a frost-free date, plant the third section with tomatoes and eggplant and squash and other things that are frost sensitive.

In that first section that you leave fallow, you can start the rye as early as March or April in our region.  Then plant the things that like the cool temperatures.  Radishes, spinach, lettuces, and greens will all tolerate a freeze.  Plant peas or potatoes here too.  Then, as your radishes and lettuces start finishing up, go ahead and begin to till in the rye in the first planting.  Go ahead and do your second planting of radishes and lettuces in mid summer in the section you had the rye in. Just continue to rotate and allow the land periods of rest.

Rotation in commercial farming means something totally different because they plant all three thirds of the land all the time.  They rotate the crops between the fields, but never give it a rest.  Can you imagine your body if you never took a vacation or a rest or allow it to rejuvenate?

Without writing a book on gardening, that’s some sound advice I recommend.  Essentially you are trying to work in harmony with nature and not outsmart it.

3. Explain how the vegetables from your garden differ from those at the grocery store? Wow, we can fill a whole page with this.  We have a saying that we farm the soil rather than the crop, again, working in harmony with the soil and trying to get the biology right.  We do lab analysis on soil and based on the deficiencies plant different types of cover crops that will accept different types of energy from the sun.

Then it comes down to seed selection.  The varieties we select are grown for flavor rather than yield.  The Seed Savers Exchange is something any one of your readers can become a member of.  It’s a group of us that thinks maintaining old heirloom varieties is important and if you have a variety you can share it with other folks.  I would recommend anyone that is interested to become a member.

Beyond the seed and the soil, only a third of our land is in production.  We have about 100 acres in production, 100 sitting fallow and another 100 growing very specific ingredients for compost.  We harvest those, fold them into the compost and put those composts back into the soil.  The result is unbelievable that you can see with working in harmony with nature and not trying to out smart it.

The final difference is the way the product is handled.  We don’t believe the product should be harvested and wait to be sold.  Product remains in our “growing” inventory until the chef’s order them, and for the first time home users can purchase online.

4. If you weren’t a farmer, what would you be doing? Well, I would be very, very disappointed.  I can’t imagine, absolutely cannot imagine, what I would be doing.  From five years on, I was helping in the field up until we lost the farm.  It was never a question if whether we were going to farm, just how we were going to do it.

5. What’s the best plate you’ve ever had and who was the chef behind it? Oh golly!  As you can tell by the size of my belly, I love food and it would be really hard to hone in on a best dish, but I can identify one of the most special occasions, food related.  My folks, my dad especially, felt he had failed the family when we lost the farm.  He was devastated; they crawled away with nothing.  For 10 years we worked without a check, yet there were so many rewards that came along other than monetary ones, for example, to be able to work together as a family.  It’s the only reason we survived.

It’s hard to really point out specific chefs because there have been so many that have helped.  But Charlie Trotter has been a huge mentor and guide for us.  Many of you know Ferran Adrià; he is the fella who invented the foams. He is from Madrid, near Barcelona, and is considered by some to be the greatest chef in the world.  I don’t know how you judge that, but I have heard it said many times.  Charlie Trotter flew out here with his team and brought Ferran Adrià and his wife.  About 16 local chefs were invited to help, and they prepared a 12-course lunch one day for my parents, my wife and me, Ferran Adrià and his wife, Charlie Trotter, Ray Harris, a fella from Inc. Magazine and a few others.

We got to sit down and break bread together for a lunch with that group of people and as long as I still have a memory that will be one of the most special days – for my parents to be able to sit down with someone who people think is the best chef in the world and to have him tour what we are doing.  It is truly, truly, truly one of the most special days in my life.  So I guess that would be the best plate of food I have ever had and the chef behind it.

6. What is the biggest challenge that faces the farming industry? It is very difficult for a farm to remain a farm.  There are so many challenges.  We have to compete for the best farm ground with other industries and real estate, so that is certainly a challenge.  Producing food cheap continues to be what’s important in industrial food production.  About 5 percent of the farms produce about 80 percent of the volume.  They have a lot of power and they are changing laws to benefit themselves rather than the small farm.  I think we got real issues facing us there.  We could go on and on about that subject.

For that reason, I think it is important for users to continue placing an emphasis on knowing where their product is from, although I don’t get wrapped up in local.  I think if we make the emphasis on the distance a product travels from where it is grown rather than how the product is grown, we could lose sight of what got this movement started.  It is important for us to have that connection, or re-connection, with users and producers who share like-minded philosophies

7. Most unusual item a chef has requested you grow? That is a tough question.  Different chefs recognize needs for different things.  You know, about twenty five years ago we started researching radicchio.  It was unknown in the United States and several folks said it actually couldn’t be grown here, so early on that was one of the most unusual.  It took us a while to get used to things like purple Brussels sprouts.

Micro Greens were pretty uncommon once too.  We were instrumental in developing those 20 years ago, and they are a mainstay today.  White Asparagus is something that was unheard of in this country and we developed a way of growing it so it doesn’t have to be peeled.

One of the most difficult ones, up to this point, has been crosnes.  It’s a starch, tuber type plant that is grown in Crosnes, France. With a similar flavor and texture to nuts, it’s a great substitute when nut allergies are an issue.

8. What TV show do you never miss? Well, gee, it is hard to miss the Food Network.  It is so amazing to sit and watch television and see so many of the folks we work with, chefs who are committed to what we do and have this nationwide platform to tell others about it.

“Iron Chef” is obviously one that is close to the heart since I have gotten to judge that a couple of times.  “Chopped” is another we like to watch, and my good friend Kenny Gilbert is doing great on “Top Chef” this season.

9. How many chefs have stayed at CVI?  What is their overall involvement? I’m not sure of the total, but there have been many hundreds of chefs that have stayed at the Culinary Vegetable Institute.  There have been even more than that who have been instrumental in supporting the project and helping us build it.  To help connect us to people who had kitchen equipment and china and things like that.

I am speechless at the enormous help and support.  The culinary industry is one of the most giving groups of people and we are eternally grateful for our relationship with all the chefs.  It is so hard to pinpoint any one particular chef because there have been so many that have helped in so many different ways.  We just would not be here without them.

10.  The Food & Wine event is the biggest event for you each year.  Tell us a little about it and why it’s a must-attend for readers? The Food and Wine Celebration is one of those things that’s almost mind boggling for me.  There are folks who work with us all year who come and help us put on this event on behalf of our Veggie U program – a program that empowers children and lets them know they have a choice in food while weaving in the math and science end to help prepare them for their proficiency tests.  As important, we believe, as empowering children and letting them know they have choices in food, they get seeds, soil, compost, a worm farm and a grow light.  It is a hands-on program.  The Food and Wine Celebration is to generate awareness and revenue for Veggie U.

There are so many synergies that happen.  Chefs come in, literally, from all over the country.  There are high school and college culinary students and instructors who come to work under the tutelage of the visiting chefs. Because we do so many different Earth to Table events at the CVI, in addition to the Food & Wine, students get to come build relationships with chefs, and then you move on with those networking connections.  I know Russell Ashton from Lorain JVS under Tim Mitsich volunteered much of his time here when he was a high school student and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and went on to do a stage at Stein Ericksen.  Chef Zane Holmequist out there let him come out and spend three months, and he met him here at the Food & Wine event.

For food enthusiasts, it is one of those opportunities to really explore the entire United States and sometimes out of the United States.  There is no place else in the United States on the third Saturday in July that has more talent under one roof.  There are huge tents with tasting stations where chefs are preparing their dishes, obviously with products in season and proteins, and you can taste as much as you want.  It is not a vegetarian event, but certainly the proteins ties in with the veggies.  There are some great wine producers and vintners pouring their specialties and an auction that goes to support Veggie U.

It’s just a really a great atmosphere with a tremendous collection of some of the top talent in the world for a great cause.  It is the culinary event of the year in Northern Ohio.

11. Did you eat your veggies as a kid?  What’s your favorite now and how do you prepare it? I did.  As you can see, I love to eat.  I love vegetables but unfortunately, I love it all.  It’s been one of those things that has been tough for me to control, because every chef wants to share what they’re excited about and I love to eat.  It’s one of those things I do struggle.

When somebody asks me what my favorite veggie is, I always say, what season is it?  My point is I want to eat asparagus three times a day when it’s in season and then I will lust for it for 10 months.  I don’t want to see asparagus on a menu in November or December.  There is a cyclical rhythm to things that is natural.  I think our bodies look for and need and demand different types of nutrients that only vegetables offer. I truly believe if we listen to our bodies and eat seasonally,  that we’ll be a healthier society.

Last night was a media preview dinner for both bloggers and traditional media outlets. In the spirit of full disclosure (as always), I am doing some freelance PR and social outreach work for the restaurant’s owners and coordinated last night’s event. I was given this opportunity after I interviewed owner Scott Kuhn for a previous post. As many of you know, I’ve worked in PR for the last 13 years and will often do some freelance work on the side, especially when it involves my other passion – food.

So with that in mind, I am clearly biased and therefore won’t write a typical review since I don’t really just have my blogger hat on. But there are several items I think are worth spreading the word.

First off, I do think you should go and check out this place for yourself. It’s truly remarkable the transformation they did from its Baricelli days. Now, we were big Baricelli fans and are super eager for Flour to open in early 2011. But truthfully, we’d only eat there in the summer – on the patio – because neither one of us cared for the décor inside. Scott redid everything from top to bottom, including the inn suites. And we’re not just talking new carpet and a fresh coat of paint. There’s even a spacious new lounge area in the entryway, something I always felt the old space was missing. Though I must admit, I do miss that large, walk-in cooler of cheese, glorious cheese! Though Baricelli Cheeses will be used in many of the new dishes, like the mack and cheese (mack for Mackenzie Creamery).

I also like the significant effort the restaurant is making to support Veggie U, an organization I care deeply about (be sure to check back tomorrow for how you can support Veggie U and basically eat free for the next year). Not only is the chef, Jonathan Guest, utilizing many items from The Chef’s Garden, but each guest has the ability to donate to Veggie U at the end of their meal. Further, the owners want to continue that spirit of giving and will soon offer ways to support UH as well, a hospital and an organization that both Scott and his family have been heavily involved with and committed to supporting for years.

Continuing in the spirit of supporting the community of Little Italy and surrounding University Circle, within the next month or so they will start offering “employee discounts” for people that work in neighboring areas. Further, if you visit one of the area attractions, stop in to the restaurant on that same day to receive a special treat, too. Once these have been finalized, I’ll be sure to share the specifics. And if you’re a Foursquare user like me, there will specials for the Mayor and for each 5^th check-in, like free appetizers.

Regarding the event last night, everyone was treated to passed appetizers, then a six-course tasting of some of their favorite dishes. The menu itself has a definite slant towards gourmet comfort foods, especially pleasing this time of the year. Though I did clear each plate, there were two items I am eager to order on my next visit: the roasted beet and Mackenzie Creamery goat cheese salad (truly, I think this was my favorite dish – I am a sucker for beets) and the oxtail pierogi with Ohio City Pasta truffle-stuffed potato pieogie (a new venture for the guys at OCP). On a side note, I had the pleasure of meeting Jean Mackenzie and her partner Jim. I’ve been a fan of her cheeses for several years now but had never met her. What a truly delightful and charming couple – look for a Q&A with Jean soon!

You can view the full menu, including lunch and brunch, here. And if you happen to be in the area on Wednesdays, be sure to take advantage of the $40 deal: a bottle of wine, appetizer plus two entrees. You can learn about this plus other restaurant happenings and special offers on its Facebook page, too.

Farmer Lee Jones has a lot to say. And I can certainly appreciate anyone who has the gift of gab. I asked him a handful of questions and I got a whole lot in return. It’s all good stuff and therefore don’t want to cut anything, so I’m going to share this latest Q&A as a three-part series. I hope you’ll take the time to read. Not only is Farmer Lee a great individual, but he (and his staff) are doing some pretty wonderful things that I am always happy to help spread the word (like Veggie U).

When did you start farming this way and why? It was about 1983 when we lost the farm to excessive interest rates and a hail storm, that we started farming sustainably, and it’s been a continuous evolution ever since. Losing the farm was very devastating.  Nineteen at the time, I stood and watched 25 years of my parents work sold at a sheriff’s auction.

They had 100 percent commitment and complete devotion to farming for 25 years.  They even had some successful years, but they got wrapped up in 21 percent interest rates and a hail storm, and ultimately they could not compete with the massive 5, 10, 20-thousand-acre commercial operations with cheaper labor on the West Coast or in Mexico.  So ultimately, it broke their back.  It also allowed us to re-evaluate what we were doing and where we were going.

Before 1983 we were farming commercially, about 1,200 acres, and we were doing it chemically the way the universities taught.  They gave you a book that showed pictures of let’s say, for example, a healthy cabbage and a diseased cabbage.  If it had this disease, here is the chemical to use to get rid of it.

It is much like our Western culture of medicine today.  When you have a strep throat, you go to the doctor to get your penicillin or amoxicillin; we’re constantly treating the symptom. In the Eastern culture of medicine, the methodology behind it is to get your body in a perfect balance, so you can defend against strep throat or another disease.  That’s really similar to how we try to farm today.

In commercial farming, the emphasis was on the cost of the product rather than the quality of the product.  It became about those growers that could produce food cheaply rather than the best flavor or the integrity of the product.  So, one by one, individually owned grocery stores and small family farms were pushed out of business.

At one point we had over 330, small family vegetable operations in Erie County alone, and all the way up through Avon and Avon Lake was peppered with small growers.  In fact you can still see some of the skeletons of old greenhouses.  Family grocery stores and family farms were pushed out of business because the economy of scale kicked in and large mass farms and mega grocery stores became the standard.  It all became about convenience rather than the quality.

Our area has a micro climate because of Lake Erie. Lake Erie is the shallowest of all the Great Lakes and consequently the warmest.  European settlers recognized this area as a tremendous growing region.  We had the first winery in the United States was right here in our county, so there used to be a ton of family owned grocery stores and small individual, I don’t know if they would have called themselves artisanal farms, but small family farms, and there was a connection between the user and the producer.  As roads and refrigeration got better in the 1950s, chain grocery stores came into play and they put the pressure on small individually owned grocery stores.  It all became about how they could produce food the cheapest, and those were the growers that survived.

So we lost the farm and the farmer’s markets were a place for us to start over because it was instant cash.  There wasn’t even the luxury at first to sell to restaurants because they would all want credit, so selling at farmer’s markets were really one of the few choices we had.  But farmer’s markets in the early ‘80s were really at an all time low.

Our grandparents (or maybe in your case, Michelle, great-grandparents) spent a very huge percentage of their time in the kitchen preparing food.  My mother’s generation said, look we are not going to spend all this time in the kitchen, and it became about convenience with the advent of instant mixes and TV dinners and microwaves.  Now we have the history in place to see 50 years later that cheap food is not the answer.

Really it’s about balancing the soil, selecting the right seeds and properly caring for a plant that supports it against diseases and insects rather than trying to treat them after the fact, and I think this is really critical to sustainability and the future.  We believe there is a direct correlation between the health of our nation, or the lack thereof, with commercial farming practices over the past 50, the way we eat, what we eat and the way what we eat is grown.

It is really wonderful to see your generation reconnect, reclaim control and demand to know where product comes from. It’s just really great to see the producers being embraced and supported.

Who was the first chef you worked with? The very first chef we worked with was Iris Bailin, but I don’t think she is still in the industry.  She was an executive chef for a brokerage firm back in the 80s and she was one of my first customers at the Coit Road Market off of E. 152^nd on the east side of Cleveland.  Drove that route many, many mornings.

I’d leave the farm at 2:30 in the morning to be there by 4:00, if we didn’t have a truck break down.  My dad was at the West Side Market, my brother was at Orange and Woodland, my mother was at Jamie’s Flea Market in Amherst, and my grandmother and aunt were selling out of the back of a Ford Fairmont at the Sandusky Farmer’s Market.

Iris Bailin had trained in Europe and she came back home looking for the quality of ingredients that she had seen there but couldn’t find them.  At that time, nearly all of the family farms had been pushed out of business.  What she was looking for really didn’t exist here.  We were flat broke and desperate for a way to survive in agriculture.  The only trucks we had were trucks that didn’t get a bid when I stood and watched every single thing my folks owned sold at a sheriff’s sale.  These trucks were in rough shape; a lot of them had over a million miles on them before we started using them for farmer’s markets.

Iris Bailin was very persistent in looking for any farmer who would listen to her, because she was looking for specific varieties harvested at particular sizes and grown without chemicals.  She was looking for products grown in a healthy way rather than a commercial way.

We were used to the philosophy of Earl Butts, the secretary of agriculture who said rip out every hedge row – get big or get out.  Then here was this lady from France looking for zucchini blossoms and lettuces that were three inches tall.  It was a hard concept for us to grasp when we were used to selling by the palette.

However, what she was looking for really resonated with my dad because it had existed here at one time: quality ingredients grown for the varietal selections in a healthy way where the crops and land were rotated and nutrients were rebuilt naturally rather than chemically.  It really has only been the last 50, 60 years that we decided we could replace a natural input with chemical or synthetic one. It faked the plants out, but with health care costs continuing to increase at an alarming rate, we now see it didn’t fake our bodies out.

My dad asked how many growers Iris had asked to grow in the way she was recommending, and about 15 to 20 growers had refused. That was really the clincher for my dad.  That none of the others were willing to do it was the signal that we needed to go that direction.

Iris went on to be the food editor at the Cleveland Plain Dealer. She introduced us to Parker Bosley, and Denise and Bill Fugo at Sammy’s in the Flats, chefs who were ahead of their time in Cleveland and I think had European influences as well.  Parker Bosley was one of the first chefs on the farm and early on we met Ken Eddy who was at the French Connection at the time.  Paul Minnillo and his brother at the Baricelli Inn were again ahead of their time and sought out quality ingredients.  Mark and Julie Sherry had started Players in Cleveland which was a really hot place.  Of course, Gary Lucarelli runs it now I believe.  Places like Raintree by Fritz Campbell on the East Side; Bob Buehner at, gosh, I can’t remember the name of the place he was at. Then there’s John D’Amico and Matt Mars at Chez Francois, which is right in our backyard.

They were a part of that early group; but ultimately the Cleveland chefs at the time were not fully prepared to embrace what we were doing, and we could not survive on what we could generate from the Cleveland chefs at that time. We sought out like-minded chefs all over the country.  It is satisfying now to see that it is fully embraced in Cleveland and chefs here do fully support a return to pre-commercial agricultural philosophies.  When we opened the Culinary Vegetable Institute we flew Iris Bailin in and recognized her for her contributions to our direction and success.

How did the CVI come to be and what is its mission? The Culinary Vegetable Institute (CVI) was my dad’s vision.  For years we had had chefs come in from around the country: Jean-Luis Palladin from the Watergate Hotel was one of the first French chefs to come into the United States and he, like Iris, was looking for quality, custom ingredients that they had become accustomed to in France but couldn’t find here.  Basically his message to growers was the food was shit and if we wanted to grow for him we had to get it figured out.

He was very instrumental, much like Iris, in guiding the vision.  And once he figured out we were willing to pay attention and do it the right way, he got on the phone and called other chefs and said, “There is a farmer who is willing to listen.”  He introduced us to Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse, Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Norman VanAken, Ritz Carlton chefs.  They were also instrumental in developing the CVI.

The Culinary Vegetable Institute was conceived as a place for the most forward thinking chefs in the world to be able to come and do R&D and R&R, to be able to work with vegetables they hadn’t been able to work with before.  We have anywhere from 250 to 300 types of vegetables that we found or a chef has found in their home country or in Europe and brought over.  We will experiment with it and chefs can take it into the test kitchen and play with it to decide if it is something worthy of going into full production.

Chefs drive and dictate our business.  The only reason we exist is because there has been that group of chefs that supported us and allowed us to be their gardener.  We really look at ourselves as vessel for their vision.  They guide, direct and edict our business.  We are here to take care of the chefs.

The CVI’s sole purpose, initially, was for that.  We’ve expanded that into a place for large corporations to do research and development.  We do pharmaceutical dinners, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, corporate team building.  It’s a great place for a company that wants privacy to be able to do experimentation and team building, or it can be used if an individual food enthusiast wants to have a private party.  We will bring in a chef to cater to their specific needs and have a party around the specific foods they like.  Obviously we’re embracing Earth to Table, seasonal sensitivity and that whole concept.

To be continued…

For the past 8 years, The Culinary Vegetable Institute and The Chef’s Garden host a fundraiser to support and promote Veggie U. This year we were lucky enough to attend the Food & Wine celebration with over 30 participating chefs and wineries offering tastings throughout the night on the grounds of the farm under one big (read: HOT) tent. Despite the heat (and bugs), it was a simply outstanding event. We ate, drank, ate some more, made some new friends, reacquainted with old ones, and then ate and drank once again. Truthfully, this was a fabulous event and evening – we had a ball and will continue to attend and support Veggie U and its mission of helping kids make better food choices and understand where their food comes from for years to come.

In between all the good eats, chatter and laughter, we learned a  little Cleveland  food scoop.

I ran into the ladies behind The Lounging Gourmet.

After meeting and briefly talking with Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni’s Ice Cream, she shared that she’s working on a cookbook that will spill all her delicious little secrets and is actively scouting out Cleveland for a location (maybe by this spring?). Speaking of cookbooks, you may have heard that the Sawyers are working on one too – and getting fairly close to sharing plans for restaurant #2. Finally, ran into a former classmate of mine, Scott Kuhn, who shared that he’s in the process of a major renovation of an old building on the other end of Chagrin Falls (was formerly private property up until now) for a microbrewery (he’s hoping it will mirror some of his favorites in Portland). Much more to come on this.

My favorite dish of the night was a tie between the braised pork belly from chef Craig Deihl at  Cypress in Charleston (I’m heading outside Charleston for vacation this August, will have to make a trip to check out his restaurant) and squash blossoms stuffed with sweet corn, Chevre and spicy peach chutney via chef Michael Delligatta from The Inn at Verailles. Wow. Wow. Wow. I was not familiar with him or this inn, but what an impression this dish made. I also enjoyed the watermelon and cucumber salad from Three Birds and bison flank steak bahn mi with foie gras butter and your choice of toppings from chef Beej Flamholz. Best in show would have to go to Ann Blackwood of Kalahari. She had at least five beautifully decorated desserts with amazing detail. Personally, I didn’t care for the taste of the sweets but Jamie sure did, making a few stops for these tiny chocolate ganache bites with lavender flowers. Chef Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern demoing his Ratatouille Provence along with Jay (also pictured above with chef Lee Ann Wong, Jay and Amelia) was also fun and informative.

Thanks to Michelle Demuth-Bibb of The Chef’s Garden for sharing some of the pics.

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

After meeting Farmer Lee Jones and learning about the Veggie U initiative, plus the fact that program was in jeopardy  locally due to lack of awareness and funds, I knew this was something we could try to help and something that would resonate well with you – my readers. Truthfully, I was hoping we’d be able to support a few classrooms (each classroom requires $200). But that didn’t happen. Instead, according to my contact at Veggie U, you guys saved the entire program in Cleveland, raising a total of $3,820 – with 100% of the donations going towards the kids! More importantly, that’s 84 Cleveland schools, 171 classrooms and 3,840 students that will participate and learn about eating healthy, sustainable agriculture and combating adolescent disease and juvenile diabetes starting March 1. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

I cannot thank you all enough for your incredible generosity and taking the time to donate. It is greatly appreciated by so many, especially those 4^th graders and their teachers. You guys simply rock and have truly made a difference. Hopefully, this is something we can continue each year and impact future students.

I also realize we were able to raise more because so many helped to spread the word – via good ol’ fashioned word-of-mouth, tweets and Facebook. Thank you – just look at the difference it made. I especially want to thank many of our bloggers and media. We have a wonderful blogging community here and it’s one I’m very proud to be part of. It’s one that’s incredibly supportive, both of each other and of our city. A special thank you to I Heart Cleveland, Live to Cook at Home, Heidi Robb, Confessions of a Cohabitant, Chef’s Widow, Cleveland’s a Plum, A Girl About Cleveland, Local Food Service, Bite Buff, Cleveland at Heart, Great Lakes Design Collaborative, Garden, Grocery, Gadget Girl , Cooker Girl, Metromix and Michael Ruhlman.  And our local food reporters/editors Joe Crea and Debbi Snook at the Plain Dealer. They took an immediate interest in this effort and shared with readers.

Finally, we would not be having this conversation if it wasn’t for our chefs, restaurant and store owners. I shared the idea and almost everyone got on board and offered their support to make it even better. We all know this group is responsible for making us some seriously good eats. But they also have some seriously big hearts and are an incredibly supportive group. They made it interesting and because of their generosity, people donated even more (let’s face it – that was some prize any foodie would covet!). We started out with roughly $1,400 in restaurant gift cards, and after the initial post, additional restaurants contacted me wanting to participate for a total of nearly $2,000 in restaurant gift certificates! These awesome establishments include: Western Reserve Wine Tartine Momocho Lola The Greenhouse Tavern Heinen’s Blue Canyon The Flying Fig Fire Erie Island Coffee Fahrenheit Miles Farmers Market Jekyll’s Kitchen Moxie Touch Supper Club Parallax L’Albatros Chinato Crop Bistro North End Hyde Park AMP 150 Muse (The Ritz-Carlton) The Chocolate Bar Michaelangelo’s John Q’s Steakhouse Melange Bistro on Lincoln Park.

So who was the lucky winner? Congratulations to Suzie Martens. She was chosen via Random.org. You are going to be eating very, very well for quite some time and are the envy of a lot of Clevelanders (including me!).

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After writing this blog for nearly four years, I think I can safely make some assumptions about you, my readers. Assumption one: you like food. Two: you like food prepared by one of our many talented chefs. Three: You’re pro Cleveland and will always support local when able. Four: You care about this community and supporting others when in need. Five: You have $5.

(and I’m willing to bet you’d happily exchange that $5 for free dinner out the rest of the year.)

After meeting Farmer Lee Jones, I learned about the Veggie U initiative, a national program that promotes the well-being of children through a healthy lifestyle with a focus on making wise food choices, combating adolescent and juvenile disease, and attaining an understanding of sustainable agriculture. The program is embraced and loved by teachers and students alike. Locally, 150 schools in the Cleveland Metro School District have been using the 4^th grade Veggie U science program. Unfortunately, they don’t have any funding to continue as $200 per classroom is needed to fund the kits.

On the way home from that initial meeting and fabulous dinner, we had an idea to try to help these students and teachers. Would you be willing to donate a minimum of $5 to help this cause? That’s your morning Starbucks. If we all help and spread the word, we have an opportunity to make a difference here. And if you’ve watched the news lately, you know Cleveland students can use a little bit of good news.

If you donate $5 to Veggie U, you will automatically be entered to win more than $1,900 worth of gift cards to all your favorite eateries and shops. Want to increase your odds? Donate $10, $25, $50 or more (I promise you won’t miss $25). For every $5 you donate, you will earn another entry into the drawing. The more you donate, the greater your chance of winning. You have until February 12 to donate and be entered. It’s easy – just call 419.499.7500; you must reference Cleveland Foodie (a winner will be picked using random.org).

As soon as we worked out all the details with Veggie U, I reached out to the chefs and owners to share the idea and ask for support. Almost immediately I started to hear back. The backing of our food community and willingness to work together to help all sorts of causes beyond this is inspiring, admirable and personally greatly appreciated by myself. Thank you to everyone for your generosity and willingness to pitch in.

One incredibly lucky diner will spend the year eating and drinking their way throughout Cleveland:

And to top it all off, the winner will receive one ticket to their choice of upcoming dinners at The Culinary Vegetable Institute (you’re in for a real treat here) and The Chefs Garden will send you one of their e-commerce family boxes.

To kick it off, Jamie and I will donate $100 (we will not be counted for the drawing). Would you also consider making a pledge? I know times are tough for many, and if you can’t, it’s completely understandable. But if you’re able to give something back and if you’re a follower of this blog I can only assume it’s a greater cause that matters to you, please call. Let’s follow the lead of our chefs and local owners and show what the Cleveland food community can accomplish when we work together.

Thank You.

PS: The Culinary Vegetable Institute will give a copy of the 2009 official cookbook of the Food & Wine Celebration to the first 40 people that donate $50 or more!