Bend Bounty Culinary
Exploration Weeks
We
are excited to offer four special "Bend Bounty" weeks this
coming summer, with local growers, cheesemakers, brewers, and
wineries, to create a varied culinary experience of our area.
These will include visits, samples, and presentations from
regional producers, wine paired dinners, and cooking classes.
We have set dates for these weeks: June 21-28, July 5-12, July
26 - August 2, and August 9-16, 2008.
Our Chef Steven writes about the program:
Most people will agree that you can't beat local produce
for freshness and taste. Produce that has traveled ten to
thirty miles is going to taste better than produce that has
traveled thousands of miles over several days.
Local farmers often harvest that day or the day before to
deliver fresh produce. Working directly with farmers keeps
us up to date on growing conditions and seasonal availability.
Allowing us to serve the freshest products available
Food is fundamental to life, nourishing us in body and soul.
The preparation of food strengthens our connection to nature.
And the sharing of food enriches our sense of community.
Good food begins with unpolluted air, land, and water. Which,
we are fortunate to have an abundance of here in central
Oregon.
Our emphasis At Rock Springs is on food that is locally grown, seasonally fresh, and whole or minimally processed. We focus on ingredients that are good for us, and the local farmers.
I believe chefs can be a catalyst for positive change by promoting food that is locally, and organically grown, educating, helping to creating a market for good food and helping to preserve local growers.
We try to encourage a "100-Mile Diet" here at Rock Springs
in which we limit ourselves to food raised within 100 miles of
our location. Statistics state that ingredients for North
Americans' meals typically travel thousands of miles, before
they arrive on your plate.
