Programs & Projects

Congressman celebrates Farm to School at CP

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Congressman Rush Holt's visit to Community Park Elementary School was a delicious way to celebrate the passage of the child nutrition reauthorization bill and Mr. Holt's farm to school funding within that legislation.

With that modest beginning, our lawmakers have begun to reconnect our nation's children to the land, the farmers, chefs, the local economy – and to their own palates. Now, it's up to teachers, administrators, parents and community members across the country to apply for those funds and build their own programs that teach academic subjects, critical thinking skills, and a vocabulary of flavor beyond "awesome," "really good" and "nasty."

Filmmaker captures pupils’ interview of chef

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Chloe Koehler and Ruth Schultz, both 5th graders at Community Park Elementary School, were filmed by documentary filmmaker Jerry Tully as they interviewed chef Alex Levine about the beet soup he plans to serve at their school for the next Garden State on Your Plate tasting.

Chef Alex invited the students to watch him make the soup in the kitchens of Whole Earth Center, which specializes in organic and locally available produce in season. The beets were grown by Matt Conver, of Cherry Grove Organic Farm in Lawrenceville. Here's his recipe:

Chilled Beet and Orange Soup
Makes 2 quarts, or 8 cups

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (soy, corn, sunflower, canola or other neutral-flavored oil)
1 cup diced yellow onions
Pinch of salt
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
5 cups diced raw beets
1 cup diced carrots
1 quart water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tbsp. miso (fermented soybean paste, optional; add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, as substitute)
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and sauté onions and ginger with a pinch of salt until the onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add carrots, beets, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil and allow to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very, very tender.
3. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes, stir in miso (or additional salt to taste), and purée the soup, using immersion blender, standard blender or food processor. If using a regular blender, strain and reserve the liquid, then purée the vegetables in the blender with only as much liquid as is necessary to get the job done.  Then return any extra liquid to the soup.
4. When soup is cooled to room temperature, stir in orange juice. Chill before serving.

Chef gives local tomatoes top billing at Littlebrook tasting

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Chef Gary Giberson entertained and fed students, their parents and their teachers at the first Garden State on Your Plate tastings at Littlebrook  Elementary School and Community Park School. Here’s his recipe:

Chef Gary’s Salsa Picante
Makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces tomatoes (2 medium ripe) cored and diced
3 serrano chiles, minced, stem and seeds removed (optional)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 small white onion, diced
12 sprigs of cilantro, minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
salt to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon

1. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Let salsa stand a few minutes for the flavors to meld.
3. Taste for seasoning, adjust if needed and then serve.

Gary D. Giberson is executive chef at the Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ, and executive chef and owner of Sustainable Fare.