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Westport

Bake. Eat. Love. Wins Rhode Island Food Fights Great Cupcake Championship 2015

by David Dadekian March 15, 2015

Winner of the Great Cupcake Championship 2015, Bake. Eat. Love. with the judges. Photo by Ray McGinnis Photography.

The first Rhode Island Food Fights event of 2015, the Great Cupcake Championship, was held this past Sunday, March 15th at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket. Thirteen area bakers specializing in cupcakes competed to see who had the best, according to a panel of six culinary judges (which included this writer), along with competing for the People’s Choice. Three artistic awards, created by Ahlers Designs, were bestowed upon the winners.

According to judges, David Dadekian of Eat Drink RI, Chef Alberto Lopez of The Dorrance, Chef Maria Meza of El Rancho Grande, Chef Andrew Shotts of Garrison Confections, Vanessa Volz of Sojourner House and Kristin Walcott of The Cupcakerie, first place went to Bake. Eat. Love. of Pawtucket. Judges’ second place went to new competitor, Edible Creations by Gerry of Westport, Massachusetts. The Lila Delman People’s Choice Award went to Providence’s Simply Baked. Congratulations to all the winners.

RI Food Fights was created and produced by Jim Nellis. John Taraborelli and Mike “Dink Martindale” Ritz entertainingly hosted the event.

March 15, 2015 0 comment

chefs & restaurants farms

Chef Beau Vestal’s Outstanding in the Field Dinner at Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery

by David Dadekian August 24, 2011

written by David Dadekian

Preparing for the dinner. From left to right: Tom Zippelli, Beau Vestal, Oliver Crawford (behind), Doug Higley

Last Thursday evening, on a gorgeous summer night in Westport, Massachusetts, I had the joy of photographing New Rivers‘ Executive Chef Beau Vestal and his team as they prepared a dinner outdoors in a vineyard for 160 guests. This was the second year Vestal was invited to be part of the Outstanding in the Field tour (photos from last year can be seen here). The diners in Westport were treated to truly a bounty of Rhode Island and Massachusetts food and drink.

The produce, meat, seafood and dairy came from a number of local sources, including: Eva’s Garden in Dartmouth, Plum Point Oysters in North Kingstown, ‘Round the Bend Farm in South Dartmouth, Four Town Farm in Seekonk, Steve Ramos Organic Produce in Bristol, Narragansett Creamery in Providence, Barden Family Orchard in North Scituate, Schartner Farms in Exeter, The Good Earth Gardening Center in Cranston, Big Train Farm in Cranston, Yacht Club Bottling Works in North Providence and North Star Farm in Westport.

The beer was provided by local “gypsy” brewers Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project and the wine was all locally grown as well, produced by Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery where the dinner was held. Ultimately, from this invited observer’s point of view, it was a perfectly picturesque evening as you can see from this sampling of the many photos that were made.

Grilling Plum Point Oysters and 'Round the Bend Farm pork & wild foraged pine sausage

'Round the Bend Farm pork & wild foraged pine sausage

Grilled Plum Point Oyster with a lemon and summer savory butter

Outstanding in the Field table is set along the Westport Rivers grape vineyard

Elizabeth LaMantia grilling 'Round the Bend Farm Tamworth pork loins

Seasoning the grilled squash

Slicing heirloom tomatoes

Heirloom tomatoes

Slicing heirloom tomatoes

The guests are seated for dinner

Smoked Rhody bluefish pâté, grilled garlic country bread, fried shallots and Eva's Garden flowers

Cool salad of RI grains & Eva's Garden herbs and purslane with Narragansett Creamery yogurt tzatiki

Heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, onions & Narragansett Creamy Salty Sea Feta

'Round the Bend Farm Tamworth pork loin, grilled and sliced

Vestal demonstrates how the meat course comes together

'Round the Bend Farm Tamworth pork loin, grilled squash & torpedo onion, tomatillo & charred corn chow chow

A section of the table from the vineyard looking west

Guests through the grapes

Blueberry

Plating tarragon & lavender shortcakes with lemon curd & Barden Orchard peaches

Back row (from left to right): Elizabeth LaMantia, Beau Vestal, Tom Zippelli, Oliver Crawford. Front row (from left to right): Christian Morales, Matt Blanchette, Doug Higley, Walter Aldana

Outstanding in the Field

Elizabeth LaMantia & Beau Vestal catching a bite to eat at the end of the night

August 24, 2011 0 comment

farms news

Allen Farms Wheatgrass Proves Popular

by David Dadekian January 13, 2011

written by David Dadekian

Allen Farms Wheatgrass

Deb Barrett, owner of Allen Farms in Westport, Massachusetts, wants everyone to know how good wheatgrass is for you. Stop by her table at the Wednesday or Saturday Pawtucket/Wintertime Farmers Market and Barrett has a table display and handouts that she’s printed about all the benefits of wheatgrass along with several wheatgrass juice and smoothie recipes. Barrett, already known for growing some of the best organic herbs in the area, along with her hugely successful, tasty and good for you too, pea greens, has added grasses to her crops. Cat grass, which is excellent roughage for your feline friends, and wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass may be one of the original ultra-healthy, super-nutrient, detoxification foods. According to Barrett’s research, two ounces of wheatgrass juice contains the vitamins and minerals equivalent to three pounds of organic vegetables. The juice is approximately 70% chlorophyll, making it one of the best ingestible sources of chlorophyll available. Wheatgrass can help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, helps heal infections, scarring and ulcers, and may even help slow the aging process. As for detoxification, wheatgrass is supposed to act as a safe agent for internal cleansing with processing powers more than ten times that of long-time detox favorites like carrot juice.

In this post-holiday season, when it seems like even food lovers are doing detoxes, head on over to the Allen Farms table at the Farmers Market and check out the wheatgrass for yourself. Be advised though, on her first Saturday selling the superfood, Barrett sold out before the market ended. But she’s growing more. Allen Farms, 913 Division Rd., Westport, MA 02748. Pawtucket/Wintertime Farmers Market, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI 02860.

January 13, 2011 0 comment