Announcement: Local foods fundraising dinners continue through the winter

Harvest Dinners on the Farm are special local food events that help raise money for the Healthy Food For All program, which provides reduced-cost CSA memberships to people in need. (What is a CSA? it's a way for consumers to buy produce and other products straight from a farm. For example, members pay for food in advance and then receive a weekly box of vegetables)

Although the harvest season is over, Harvest Dinners continue to feature local cuisine all winter long. The next one is January 23, 2010. Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased online.

Here's an announcement from Cornell Cooperative Extension - Tompkins County:

January 23, 2010

Harvest Dinner at Red Newt Wine Cellars & Bistro

Chef Debra Whiting and Winemaker Dave Whiting with a menu featuring ingredients from The Piggery, Autumn's Harvest, Early Morning Farm, Remembrance Farm, Stick & Stone Farm, Sweet Land Farm, Three Sisters Farm, West Haven Farm, Cayuga Pure Organics, Lively Run and other local farms who support the Healthy Food for All program.

5:00 Pre-Reception at Finger Lakes DistillingTaste a wonderful sampling of handmade spirits made from locally grown fruits and grains and tour the beautiful facilities with owner Brian McKenzie. Admire their 4,000 pound copper pot still that traveled nearly 4,000 miles from Germany and learn how Finger Lakes Distilling makes some of the best whiskey, gin, vodka and sweet liqueurs in small batches!

6:00 Hors d'oeuvres & Wine Reception at Red Newt
Rosemary flatbread with currant cranberry relish, spinach, Cayuga Bleu Cheese
Autumn Rolls (pork tenderloin, red cabbage, currants) in rice wraps, drizzled with Apple cider Reduction
Assorted Local cheeses

7:00 Dinner
Roasted parsnip and white bean soup, topped with fried leeks
House made bread and butter
Mixed Organic salad greens with apples and leeks with a warm gooseberry vinaigrette, topped with sweet potato chips
Braised organic greens with grilled apple onion sausage, roasted beets with a rosemary verjus reduction
Free Range Pork loin stuffed with garlic chevre, currants and kale with a currant cabernet sauce served with au gratin russets, parsnip and sweet potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts with dried cranberries and caraway

Warm Apple cobbler with Vanilla ice cream
Gimme Coffee