With fresh organic produce and top notch chefs preparing the meal, the Meadows to Menu event at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge on July 29 demonstrated for Jasperites how healthy and delicious regional produce can be when prepared well.
Twin Meadows Organics Farm in McBride, B.C. and JPL presented the dinner, with the proceeds going toward the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives.
Meadows to Menu connected Jasperites and Twin Meadows鈥� organic food box members with the source of their produce. The event also provided new and tasty ways to prepare and use the produce they receive each month.
Twin Meadows Organics Farm has an ongoing partnership with JPL and supplies the resort with fresh organic produce for use on its menus. Additionally, JPL supplies the Lowes, who own Twin Meadows, with waste vegetable oil to power their delivery truck and farm generator.
Along with harvested produce, Gary and Wendy Lowe brought some of their farm animals, including a hen and chicks, duck and ducklings, goats, a horse, and two dogs. The animals were popular, especially with the youngsters. The family-friendly event also offered activities and games for kids.
Before dinner was served, while people sipped rhubarb punch, sous-chef Anthony Young showed how to prepare a 鈥渨arm-style鈥� beet and quinoa salad and Wendy walked through her recipe for scrumptious zucchini patties. Recipe cards for these two dishes and some others were available for people to take home and try themselves.
Dinner incorporated other organically grown produce like tomatoes, potatoes, kale and legumes.
Even though it began raining, JPL staff were one step ahead and handed out blankets and umbrellas so people could finish enjoying dessert and head home, stomachs full and taste buds singing.
Wendy said she and Gary want people to become involved in the farm life at Twin Meadows, and Meadows to Menu is one way they can make that happen.
Sarah Makowsky
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N. Veerman and S. Makowsky photos
