Kerry Dunnington is an evangelist for eating in season. The local cookbook author and caterer founded the Baltimore Eat in Season Challenge in May, under the auspices of Slow Food Baltimore, to showcase local chefs’ creativity in using seasonal — and often local — ingredients.
Growing up in Baltimore, Dunnington was accustomed to eating seasonally because that’s how her mother cooked. “As my catering business grew, I couldn’t believe that people were asking me for crab in January and asparagus in December,” she said. “For the most part, people have no idea that a carrot has a season, that chocolate has a season.”
Because modern supermarkets carry virtually all foods all year-round, she said, many consumers don’t know, for example, that “99 percent of our asparagus comes from Peru, and our tomatoes come from Holland.”
Eating in season reduces the carbon footprint for food purchases, and it’s best for people nutritionally, Dunnington said. It’s also a great way to support local farmers.
Eight restaurants have participated so far, with five more on board for next year. Joe Edwardsen, who took the one-week challenge in July at his restaurant, Joe Squared, was enthusiastic about the experience.
“I was very interested in doing it because I believe that all restaurants need to do their part to support local agriculture and to help cut back on fossil fuel usage,” Edwardsen said. “Since the Eat in Season Challenge, I’ve become much more knowledgeable about the produce and meat available in this area, and have begun concentrating my specials on using other local ingredients that aren’t necessarily on my menu.”
John Shields, whose restaurant Gertrude’s participated in September, called the challenge “important, educational, creative, and most of all, delicious.”
“We had fun putting together the menu for the challenge, and the response from the customers was truly gratifying,” said Shields. “They appreciated our effort, and it was a learning experience for them as well. Most had no idea of the variety of the amazing local products that are grown or made by food artisans.”
Through Dec. 15, One World Cafe on University Parkway is featuring a seasonal menu as part of the challenge. Chef/owner Sue Novak’s menu items include a spinach salad topped with goat cheese, dried cranberries, sliced pear, clementine sections and toasted walnuts, served with a pomegranate vinaigrette; a root vegetable pot pie; and sliced Tofurkey with mashed parsnips and Brussels sprouts in a creamy horseradish sauce.
Find a list of participating restaurants for 2009 at slowfoodbaltimore.com.
Christine Stutz can be reached at [email protected].
