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Governor, First Gentleman Host RI Kids’ Healthy Recipe Luncheon

by David Dadekian January 9, 2016
written by David Dadekian

2016 Rhode Island Kids' Healthy Recipe CookbookGovernor Gina M. Raimondo and First Gentleman Andy Moffit, in partnership with the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and Eat Drink RI, today hosted a luncheon to recognize the winners of the RI Kids’ Healthy Recipe Challenge.

“As a mom, I know how important it is to start healthy eating habits from a young age,” Raimondo said. “My family and I had a great time getting to know the finalists and sharing stories from the kitchen. Thank you to everyone involved for your passion and dedication to creating a healthier Rhode Island.”

“This recipe challenge has been a great way to showcase the talent of our young chefs,” Moffit said. “Kids from all over Rhode Island submitted impressive recipes, and I can’t wait to try them out at home. Thank you to all of the creative students who participated, our fantastic judges and our partners, Eat Drink RI and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, for their generous support.”

The kitchen at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank prepared and served the winning dishes to finalists and their families, along with local elected officials and community members. The Governor’s Office received 126 recipes for starters, entrees and desserts from 5th-8th graders throughout Rhode Island and chose 6-7 finalists for each category. The finalists’ recipes were compiled into the 2016 Rhode Island Kids’ Healthy Recipe Cookbook.

The meal began with “Tabouli,” a starter submitted by Chef Sofia Sweet. Sofia is a fifth-grader at Fishing Cove Elementary School in North Kingstown. She chose to submit her tabouli recipe in honor of her grandmother, who made the dish for Sofia’s birthday every year before she passed away.

Then, guests enjoyed Chef Cameron Belisle’s “Cod Fish Tacos,” as an entree. Cameron is a fifth-grade student at Stone Hill Elementary School in Cranston. He and his family enjoy an active lifestyle, cooking and recently running a 5K race together.

The luncheon concluded with “Apple Roses,” a dessert submitted by Chef Lily Addonizio. Lily is a fifth-grader at Immaculate Conception Catholic Regional School in Cranston. Her recipe for apple roses was chosen not only for its healthy ingredients, but also for its creativity and delicious taste.

January 9, 2016 0 comment
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farmsnews

New Urban Farmers in Pawtucket Closes in on Fifth Anniversary

by Adam Baffoni March 9, 2020
written by Adam Baffoni
Bleu Grijalva watering the plants inside one of New Urban Farmers' geodesic domes
Bleu Grijalva watering the plants inside one of New Urban Farmers’ geodesic domes

While walking me through one of the geodesic dome greenhouses at New Urban Farmers in Pawtucket, Bleu Grijalva stopped to look at a stray tomato plant that was growing up the side of a table. “Sometimes when we accidentally drop a seed on the ground, it will grow on its own,” Grijalva said. “I like to let them grow there. It serves as a good reminder that no matter how many hours and sweat we put into growing food and making perfect rows of plants, the food wants to grow on it’s own, and maybe that’s what we need to do sometimes—just go with the flow. Grow where we fall.” That is just one of the life lessons that can be pulled from farm work, and the team at New Urban Farmers have found the perfect audience for these lessons.

Originally started with the intention of becoming a local farm and community garden, the small plot of land situated behind a housing project near the Pawtucket/Central Falls border, has evolved into a “living classroom” for the 500+ children who live here. While the responsibility of watching over children can certainly add to the farm work—especially when they’re being mischievous, as all children are—it’s nothing short of inspiring to see that there is a group of people here to provide these kids with some guidance and structure that they may not have at home. It’s even more inspiring to see that these kids, who could be on the couch watching television or on the streets getting into some very negative situations, are choosing to come to the farm instead.

Emily Jodka, New Urban Farmers co-founder, with some of the neighborhood children
Emily Jodka, New Urban Farmers co-founder, with some of the neighborhood children

Closing in on their five-year anniversary, New Urban Farmers now has four locations throughout Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, all utilizing sustainable growing techniques. When Grijalva walked us past a table with growing plants, one of the kids with us grabbed a fistful of fish food and threw it under the table into a tank of water. Immediately, as the pebbles of food touched the surface of the water, the tank erupted into a tumult of frenzied fish, all racing to grab the first bits. “This is our aquaponics system. It holds over one thousand tilapia,” said Grijalva. Aquaponics is a mix of aquaculture and hydroponics, in which the waste from a fish tank is converted to nitrates by bacteria and is used to feed plants. The plants clean the water, which is then cycled back into the fish tank, creating a sustainable fish farm and vegetable garden.

Along one of the edges of the fenced-in farm, is a row of community garden plots. Although there were some less-than-perfect looking garden plots, it was obvious that some of the gardeners had developed green thumbs, and were learning to grow everything from flowers to vegetables. While they sell most of the plots, they also give some to the older residents in the housing project who are interested in gardening. “We provide then with the seeds and the know-how,” said Grijalva. “It’s really nice to see that some of these people who might not have jobs, or a whole lot of accomplishments, now have something to be proud of. But we’re still looking to find that perfect balance between doing good in the community and making enough money to keep doing good.”

Although the farm has become a classroom for so many, there is no set curriculum. Grijalva emphasized that as we finished our tour. “There are no textbooks here,” he said as he took a bite of a fresh tomato, just picked from another stray plant growing out of a pile of fertilizer. “We just try to teach the kids whatever lessons can be taken from what’s happening in the garden.”

Scroll down for more photos from New Urban Farmers.

Shucked fava bean
Shucked fava bean
Antique David Bradley tractor that farm worker Chris Combs has helped to repair and use at New Urban Farmers
Antique David Bradley tractor that farm worker Chris Combs has helped to repair and use at New Urban Farmers
Freshly harvested garlic drying in a shed
Freshly harvested garlic drying in a shed
New Urban Famers CSA basket with corn, pole beans and favas
New Urban Famers CSA basket with corn, pole beans and favas
New Urban Farmers Pawtucket location
New Urban Farmers Pawtucket location
New Urban Farmers The Garden of Life
New Urban Farmers The Garden of Life
March 9, 2020 0 comment
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chefs & restaurantsfarmsnews

News Bites: RI Community Food Bank & Amica, City of Providence, Southside Community Land Trust & Rhode Island Foundation, and Bonefish Grill

by David Dadekian January 19, 2013
written by David Dadekian

Rhode Island Community Food BankThree current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Rhode Island Community Food Bank & Amica Insurance

Between Monday, January 14th and Wednesday, February 15th, Amica Insurance will match donations made on this giving page to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, up to $25,000.  United Way of Rhode Island and Crossroads Rhode Island have also received $25,000 matching grants as part of the Amica Challenge. Visit this donation page to make a gift to the Food Bank that will be matched by Amica.  Thanks for participating in the Challenge!

City of Providence, Southside Community Land Trust & The Rhode Island Foundation

Providence Environmental Initiative Will Transform Vacant City-Owned Parcels into Urban Farms

‘Lots of Hope’ program awarded $100,000 by Rhode Island Foundation and Florida-based Local Sustainability Matching Fund

The City of Providence, in partnership with the Southside Community Land Trust and the Rhode Island Foundation, is embarking on a new initiative to convert city-owned vacant lots into productive urban farms.

“Lots of Hope is an innovative new program that will help to build a more sustainable and healthy City for years to come,” said Mayor Angel Taveras. “Providence has a vital environmental community committed to helping make the city more sustainable. Together, we are moving forward to transform Providence into one of the greenest cities in the nation. I thank the Rhode Island Foundation, the Local Sustainability Matching Fund and Southside Community Land Trust for partnering with the City of Providence on this exciting initiative.”

The Lots of Hope program will enable Providence residents to access low-cost, underutilized public land from the City along with technical assistance and hands-on support from Southside Community Land Trust. The program is financed by a $50,000 grant from the Florida-based Local Sustainability Matching Fund and a matching $50,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation.

The City is currently working with the Southside Community Land Trust to identify land parcels fit for use as urban gardens. With the approval of the City Council, the City will enter into long-term, low-cost leases with the Southside Community Land Trust, which in turn will sublease the plots to residents and community organizations for farming.

“Fresh, affordable and locally grown food is good for Providence families, our communities and our economy,” said Margaret DeVos, executive director of Southside Community Land Trust. “Lots of Hope demonstrates Southside Community Land Trust’s 30-year commitment to healthy lifestyles, high quality of life and environmental sustainability in neighborhoods across the City. We are grateful for Mayor Taveras’ leadership in convening this partnership.”

Lots of Hope is designed to improve access to locally grown fresh produce in neighborhoods at risk of becoming “food deserts” due to insufficient access to conventional grocery stores. The program will expand Providence’s portfolio of green, open space and contribute to improvements in air quality, public health and local property values.

In addition, Lots of Hope will introduce a residential composting program, enabling families in low-income, environmentally at-risk neighborhoods to reduce solid waste and create a local source of high-quality compost that supports urban food production.

“We are tremendously excited about this project,” said Jennifer Pereira, a grant program officer with the Rhode Island Foundation. “It is a win-win-win for Providence – increasing the City’s green space and local food production; improving neighborhoods; and fostering innovative new ventures for our communities. The Foundation is pleased to strengthen our partnership with the City of Providence’s Office of Sustainability and we look forward to working together on this wonderful effort.”

Providence is one of six cities across the nation to receive a grant from the Local Sustainability Matching Fund this year. The Fund is a collaborative effort of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Kendeda Fund, New York Community Trust, Summit Foundation, and Surdna Foundation, and is designed to catalyze partnerships between local governments and local, place-based foundations and to advance community-based sustainability initiatives.

“The Local Sustainability Matching Fund is catalyzing efforts of local communities to green their cities and counties,” said Diane Ives, a fund advisor for the Kendeda Fund. “The Kendeda Fund believes that the local passion and dedication demonstrated in these projects will create new models for how to live sustainably. We are eager to see the impact of this work at the local level, and how it gets replicated in other urban settings around the country.”

Information about how interested residents can get involved with Lots of Hope will be announced this spring.

Bonefish Grill

Bonefish Grill’s First New England Location Opens in Rhode Island and Greets Community with Fresh Seafood, Stellar Philanthropy

Partnership with the The Groden Network Raises More Than $7,500

Bonefish Grill recently opened its first New England location at 2000 Chapel Boulevard in Cranston, RI. In anticipation of the grand opening and to demonstrate community support, Bonefish Grill held a Charity Night on January 12th to raise funds for The Groden Network, the area’s largest provider of autism-related services. Attendees enjoyed fresh seafood, refreshing cocktails, and spectacular ambiance and music— all for a great cause—raising more than $7,500 for the non-profit.

“We are so pleased to be part of the vibrant Chapel View community,” says Bryan Schosker, managing partner of Bonefish Grill in Cranston. “Our team is looking forward to providing locals with the classic Bonefish Grill experience—from fresh fish and innovative dishes to warm hospitality and inviting atmosphere—and showing Rhode Islanders why so many guests around the nation love our restaurant.”

The ZAGAT award-winning restaurant’s “Fresh Fish Experts” bring wood-grilled fish, seafood and chops, innovative sauces and indulgent desserts to New England. Coupling great-tasting food with a welcoming bar that features an array of ‘bar-fresh’ cocktails, extensive craft beer selections, and an adventurous wine list, Bonefish Grill will excite and delight guests no matter what their mood.

Patrons can expect to dive into a culinary experience, choosing from signature appetizers and hand helds including Bonefish Grill’s famous Ahi Tuna Sashimi, PEI Mussels Josephine and “American Style” Kobe Beef Burgers. Guests can also select simply-grilled fish with a choice of four signature sauces or truly indulge with market-fresh “specials” that change daily to offer guests a variety of seasonal flavors and selections from around the world.

The 6,280 square-foot Cranston restaurant features a spacious dining room with a large, energetic bar area that includes several community tables. Overall, the restaurant has a seating capacity for approximately 294 patrons, including 80 in the bar area. The interior’s sleek design features beautiful hardwood floors and hand-blown glass amber lamps throughout the restaurant. An attractive array of three-dimensional art, ranging from large-scale metal sculptures of mangroves and fishing scenes to a large mystical fish rubbing, enhances the ambience felt throughout the restaurant.

Dinner is served seven days a week: from 4 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Sunday with a Sunday brunch served from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. While reservations are not required, they are available by calling (401) 275-4970. An ample number of seats are available nightly for walk-ups.

For more information on Bonefish Grill, visit http://www.bonefishgrill.com, facebook.com/BonefishGrill or follow us on Twitter (@bonefishgrill).

January 19, 2013 0 comment
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chefs & restaurantscooking

2012 Gift Guides: Recommended Reading (and some truffles)

by David Dadekian December 17, 2012
written by David Dadekian

Michael Natkin's HerbivoraciousWhen I’m nestled all snug in my bed visions of, well, it depends on what I’m reading, dance in my head. I, like many of you out there, read cookbooks like novels, carefully looking over every page and detail like a major plot point or character development, deciding what’s worthy of making and hopefully finding something new to try. I’ve got six books here for you to throw on a kerchief or cap and read while waiting for St. Nick, or any other time of year. I’m also a little late in the game for Amazon ordering, so I hope you make your way to your favorite local bookstore and find them all.

First up, two vegetarian books that I’ve fallen in love with. Anyone who knows me or reads this site regularly knows that it’d be a pretty mean feat for me love a book not about meat (and there are two below that are almost all meat). If you’re looking to get a little healthier in the coming year, and maybe help the planet too, I highly recommend Michael Natkin’s Herbivoracious and Kim O’Donnel’s The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations.

The subtitle on Herbivoracious is “a flavor revolution” and that’s no understatement. Natkin’s book came out earlier this year and I’ve cooked many items out of it, especially during the summer and fall, but that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of year-round vegetarian dishes in it. Even if you’re already a regular reader of his Herbivoracious site the book has many dishes not on the site. Natkin does one of the best jobs of giving the home cook vegetarian dishes that aren’t elaborate, but definitely step up the game from sides to entrées.

Kim O'Donnel's The Meat Lover's Meatless Celebrations

Speaking of sides and entrées, The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations has the best of both worlds when putting together full-on vegetarian dinner parties for holidays, special events and just plain big meals with family and friends.  When I got the book I tried O’Donnel’s Eggplant Timpano and while mine didn’t look quite as beautiful as hers (it’s almost a pie in it’s appearance), it was fantastic. Pairing that up with the rest of the meal dishes would be a great feast.

Many of the dishes in both these vegetarian books are gluten-free and vegan too and are labelled as such. I had the pleasure of meeting both these authors recently and of course they’re both very passionate about their subject. I got to sample a couple of O’Donnel’s dishes including a Quinoa-Walnut Brownie that you would’ve never known was gluten-free. Natkin and I met over a cup of coffee and we recorded a brief interview.

The Fisherman's Table by Laura Blackwell

While we’re talking vegetarian and big, bold flavors I want to share some news that my friend at the local Whole Foods Market passed along. It’s not a local product, but it supposed to be available only in the New England area: fresh truffles. Whole Foods Market “is now offering fresh Italian truffles (black, burgundy and white), by special order only. These rare, highly prized fresh seasonal truffles are flown in overnight from Italy, by request only. This offer is valid in New England area stores only. Customers will have the option to order White Alba Truffles, Black Perigord, or Black Burgundy.” If you’re looking for something extra special for that holiday meal, truffles definitely fit that bill.

Before we get to meat (and one of my favorite books of the year, if not of all time—I mean it!) I want to make sure Rhode Islanders know about a very cool locally produced book The Fisherman’s Table by Laura Blackwell. Blackwell has put together a book revolving around seafood caught in the waters around Newport and has contributions from the Fisherman of Newport in her book. It’s a great general seafood manual as well as a book of recipes and if you’re buying local seafood—as you should definitely be doing—it’s a wonderful resource, drawing on some Rhode Island seafood traditions as well as exploring some out-of-area flavors. Make sure you check out www.FishermansTable.com where you can buy the book if you can’t find it in a store.

Fire In My Belly by Kevin Gillespie with David JoachimAlso near and dear to my heart is southern cooking, it’s some of the first food that I learned to make when I became interested in cooking and it’s where I learned a lot of what I do today. I have a lot of southern cookbooks, probably more than any other general topic and I love to just grab one every now and then to remind me of something I’m missing. Fire In My Belly by Kevin Gillespie with David Joachim has become one of those books on my shelf. Any book that gives me a new idea for grits, a mainstay and staple of our home, will be a beloved book by me. So here’s to Gillespie’s Overnight Grits and so many of my other favorite things to eat. I look forward to trying his One-Pot Hog Supper that caught my eye as I flipped through. Buy the book and see what I’m talking about.

On to the meat and first up is a book from last year that I didn’t get a copy of until this summer after I met Joshua and Jessica Applestone, owners of Fleisher’s Grass-Fed & Organic Meats in Kingston, New York. Their book, The Butcher’s Guide to Well-Raised Meat by the Applestones and Alexandra Zissu, is an excellent resource guide, memoir and reference book. It’s very to-the-point while at the same time taking some space to explain what it is they do at Fleisher’s butcher shop and, more importantly, why.

The Butcher's Guide to Well-Raised Meat by Joshua and Jessica Applestone and Alexandra ZissuThe great majority of the meat I eat, if not all of it in the case of beef, comes from Blackbird Farm in Smithfield, R.I., a farm that perfectly matches the list in the book of what the Applestones expect from their farmers. So naturally I agree with their writing. The book is a great educational tool and it’s written in a very consumer friendly, approachable style. I’ll be recommending it in my cooking classes to people who want to learn more. Also, while the black+white photos are very nice to make it a concise and price-friendly book, the color inserts of Jennifer May’s photographs are beautiful.

Finally, my favorite book this year and I was serious when I said one of my favorites of all time, Wicked Good Barbecue by Andy Husbands and Chris Hart with Andrea Pyenson. I’ve got a lot of barbecue books, almost as many as southern cuisine books–they overlap a lot as well. When I got this book my first reaction was not dissimilar from the press release that came with it, how good can a barbecue book by two guys from Boston be? Then I started to read through it and almost every page piqued my curiosity. Everything sounded amazing. But, unlike a lot of other more forgiving cooking methods, barbecue recipes and technique may sound good on paper, but fall apart in practice. That may sound odd, isn’t a slow cooking, heavy seasoning cooking method pretty forgiving? Not if you want to achieve perfect barbecue.

Wicked Good Barbecue by Andy Husbands and Chris Hart with Andrea PyensonI’ve now cooked my way through a good chunk of Wicked Good Barbecue. This book contains some darn perfect barbecue. Some of these recipes and processes are challenging. Not impossible at home by any means, but very time-consuming and having multiple-components. They’re all worth it. There are techniques in here that mirror some of my own that I know took me years to perfect. Husbands and Hart lay it all out for you. A recipe may take four days, but it’s worth it and I can only imagine the number of days it took them to get it there. Husbands and Hart were the 2009 Grand Champions of the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, along with winners of many other barbecue competition awards, and they’ve included that pork spare rib recipe here.

I love my cookbooks. I keep them in relatively great condition, especially considering how often I read through many of them. Wicked Good Barbecue is one of the few books that is completely beat up, and I’ve only had it for about eight months. There’s even sauce and spice rub on some of the pages, which kind of bums me out because some of it is on Ken Goodman’s gorgeous photography. But that’s my testimony. This book is not for the casual weekend barbecue, though there are certainly quick and easy recipes in it. This book is deep and wonderful and I may never find another barbecue book I love as much. Get this book and you may feel the same.

December 17, 2012 0 comment
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