"Taste of the Nation" comes to Ithaca

Last Tuesday,  about 300 guests --gussied up in heels or dressed down in Birkenstocks-- gathered for Ithaca's 19th annual Taste of the Nation event, which raises money for local charities.  

$75 per ticket gave people the opportunity to graze on goodies and sip beverages at Ithaca College's Emerson Suites.  100 restaurants and wineries were paired to provide tastings: Maxie’s with Atwater, The Boatyard Grill with Dr. Konstantin Frank, Hazelnut Kitchen with Ravines, Joe’s Restaurant with Lamoreaux Landing, Moosewood Café with Glenora/Knapp, and so on.

80% of the proceeds from the event go to the Food Bank of Southern Tier Backpack program, the Cornell Cooperative Extension Healthy Food for All program, Loaves and Fishes, and The Learning Web.  The remainder of the money goes to the New York State Nutrition Council and Share Our Strength's national nutrition education program Operation Frontline.

Jerry Dietz, of CSP Management, chaired the committee that organized the event here in Ithaca.  Nationwide, other cities hosted their own Taste of the Nation events, all under the umbrella of Share our Strength.