Upcoming Rhode Island Food Events

Southside Community Land Trust Rare and Unusual Plant Sale (16th annual)

Saturday May 17, 2008 10 am-2 pm. Sunday May 18, 2008 10am-2pm.
City Farm, Dudley and West Clifford streets, Providence. 273-9419;

More than 14,000 organically raised plants available including culinary and medicinal herbs for kitchen windowsill gardens; vegetables for backyard and container gardens; flowering annuals; assortment of perennials for window boxes, flowerbeds and rooftop gardens. Rare and unusual plants available in limited quantities and are available for sale on a first-come, first-served basis.

SCLT's Youth Garden Clubs will be selling vegetable and herb seeds. Organic compost and fertilizer will also be for sale. Plant experts will be available to answer questions. Last year over 1,400 people came to support SCLT's mission and work in the community through their plant sale purchases. Proceeds benefit SCLT's innovative urban agriculture and education programs.

Plan Ahead and get there early!

Free admission. Benefit for SCLT’s mission to help people grow their own food.

Pre-Season Farmers' Market
Saturday, 9:30am - 12:30pm
Hope High School
Hope & Olney St, Providence

• Hill Orchards apples, cider, applesauce, cider vinegar, potatoes
• Marcia's Chutneys jams, chutneys
• Matunuck Oyster Farm oysters, littlenecks, steamers, lobster
• Narragansett Creamery cheese
• Robin Hollow Farm flowers
• Wishing Stone Farm seedlings

Special during the May pre-season only:

• Cutie Pies pies, tarts
• OceanState Chocolates truffles, chocolate bars, biscotti
• Simmons Farm eggs, meat, greens, asparagus
• Whispering Elms Farm eggs

*Please bring cash! No EBT or credit card transaction this week!*

STARTING WEDNESDAY MAY 21ST AT 8:30 Geppetto's Pizzeria continues it's popular karaoke competition on Wednesdays starting at 8:30 p.m. Every week the two top performers will be given $25 gift certificates to dine at Geppetto's. . The GRAND prizes are as follows; $1000 FIRST PLACE $300 SECOND PLACE $200 THIRD PLACE IT'S NOT TO LATE TO JOIN The competition will continue through the summer with the finals taking place on the Wednesday following labor day. For more information on karaoke at Geppetto's, contact Mark Maginot at by phone at 401-270-3003, or by e-mail at info@geppettospizzeria.com.

Local 121 Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

Local 121, located at 121 Washington Street, Providence, is celebrating it one-year anniversary on Thursday, June 19^th with a reception from 5 – 7 pm featuring a raw bar and a prefixe dinner beginning at 7 pm.

Over the past year, Local 121 has introduced many new concepts and hosted a variety of events such as the popular “Wednesday Night Film Series,” which showcase both local short and independent films, as well as documentaries and feature films. In keeping with the tradition of “All Things Local,” every Sunday the restaurant offers a 50 Mile Meal dinner featuring a special prefixe menu that changes weekly. This spring, the restaurant introduced their “Field to Table Series,” a variety of locally-centered events focused on connecting farmers with the community. The restaurant regularly features local resident DJs that entertain and attracts Providence's young, trendy crowd.

In addition, Local 121 recently debuted their spring seasonal food and beverage menu featuring the creations of their new Executive Chef, Dave Johnson. Known for seasonal, locally grown food, Local 121 has added more dishes to their menu such as the Stuffed Butter-Braised Cavendish Quail, a Spring Arborio Risotto, Grilled Marinated Wolfe’s Neck Farm Bavette Steak Salad, and a Croque Monsieur with Northeast Family Farms Maple Smoked Ham.

Taking seriously their obligation of providing the best each season has to offer, Local 121’s mission is to serve the best locally- raised foods available: vegetables harvested in season by local farmers who care about the health of their land and your food. Meats raised in sunshine on New England pastures, with no inhumane confinement, antibiotics or growth hormones-ever. Their suppliers are small-scale New England farmers, cheese makers, and other food artisans they know by name. It’s our goal to provide warm, gracious service and share our dedication of locally harvested ingredients with our patrons.

Local 121 is located at 121 Washington St. Providence. Reservations strongly recommended. 401.274.2121

Spring has Sprung!

Here in New England, the arrival of March, warmer days and slightly freezing temps at night mean the sap is flowing from the Maple Trees! Yes, it is Maple Sugar season! I love to take the girls to visit and observe the process of making Maple Syrup. Unfortunately, now that I live in Rhode Island, there are not as many sugar shacks to visit as there are in NH & Vermont. One of my favorites here in Rhode Island, is
Charlie's Sugar Shack in Coventry. For tour hours and directions give
them a call at: 401-397-7102. For more info about Sugar Shacks near
you go to: North American Maple

The first sign of Daffodils and crocuses have inspired me to bake
something yummy for breakfast. I think I'll pull out my newly acquired
gallon of local maple syrup and whip up some Scones! Enjoy this recipe from one of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cookbook.

Ina’s Maple Scones
Ingredients
Serving: Makes 14
· 3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
· 1 Cup whole-wheat flour
· 1 Cup quick-cooking oats, such as McCann's quick-cooking Irish oatmeal, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
· 2 Tablespoons baking powder
· 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
· 2 Teaspoons salt
· 1 Pound (4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
· 1/2 Cup cold buttermilk
· 1/2 Cup pure maple syrup
· 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
· 1 extra-large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash
· 1 1/4 Cups confectioners' sugar
· 1/2 Cup pure maple syrup
· 1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees; with rack in center. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Blend butter in at the lowest speed, and mix until butter is in pea-size pieces. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, maple syrup, and 4 eggs; mix to combine. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.
2. Place dough on a well-floured surface. Roll dough out to a 3/4- to 1-inch thickness with a well-floured rolling pin (there will be lumps of butter in dough). Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Brush tops of scones with egg wash. Bake until tops are crisp and insides are done, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove baking sheet to wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Make the glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Drizzle each cooled scone with 1 tablespoon glaze (the warmer the scones are when glazed, the thinner the glaze will be). Sprinkle with uncooked oats, if desired, and serve.