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A long table of local deliciousness
The long table concept of local food dining continues to gain steam in the Cranbrook area.
Case-in-point, St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino held the longest of long table gatherings August 18, with local farmers, ranchers and beverage masters providing the fare.
However, things got rolling a couple of weeks ago (on July 27), when Cranbrook’s newest dining establishment, Soulfood, hosted a long table on the city’s only downtown patio, and the results were phenomenal.
The evening featured the talents of 11 local food and beverage producers, intricately crafted together by Soulfood chef Ronny Belkin and staff into a five-course feast, with restaurant owners Tamara Mercandelli, Christel Hagn and Caitlin Berkhiem serving and introducing the courses and the local food producers who in turn outlined to the guests who and what they are all about, with fresh, local food the focus.
The evening opened with a summery root beer beverage featuring Kimberley’s Bohemian Spirits’ vodka, which led to the first course – antipasto and charcuterie. The sourdough baguette is from Niwas, the charcuterie and pickled local vegetables from Cutter’s Ranch and sprouts from 3 Crows Farm.
The second course was a local salad with greens from 3 Crows Farm, berries from Clear Sky Society and cheese from Kootenay Meadows.
The third course was hand made bison and local mushroom ravioli, with the bison coming from J2 Ranch near Canal Flats.
Cutter Ranch was back on point for the fourth course, stuffed pork loin with seasonal roasted local vegetables (carrots, beets and potatoes), with a house made root beer barbecue sauce.
And the lavish feast was topped off with Christel’s Pavlova, a scrumptious and photogenic mix of Clear Sky berries, free-range organic egg whites and Kootenay Meadows’ whipped cream.
While local restaurants have always supported local suppliers for some items, it is rare to see entire meals being produced entirely from local growers and suppliers.
Mercandelli said supporting local food growers and producers isn’t just about obtaining the freshest items to prepare and serve. “It’s about supporting families in our community.”
Supporting the community is something the still relatively new business has become quite adept at, having implemented a Cranbrook branch of the Suspended Coffees Movement and initiating free community breakfasts on the first Tuesday of every month.
“People can choose to make an optional donation to our suspended coffees program. We offer a continental breakfast that consists of yogurt, berries, granola, fruit, and baked goods. Our intention is to build community, get people out of their homes and offices and out socializing! We want to see a vibrant downtown core. We also want to bring attention to our suspended coffees program and this is a great way people can contribute,” Hagn explained.
“Suspended coffee is a program that is run all over the world. It is generally just coffee but we have decided to let it include anything, A person can order food and when they pay they can ask to put a coffee on account, or any denomination. Or they can just come in and drop off a donation. Then anyone can come in and order food or drink and put it on this account. No questions asked, no judgment,” Berkhiem said.
The long table evening included brief presentations from Wade Jarvis from Bohemian Spirits out of Kimberley, Christian Kimber and Michael Stevens from 3 Crows Farm, Clear Sky Society represented by Dave Basu-Roy and Cutter Ranch – represented by Sacha Bentall. Three representatives from the IDEAL Society – a community supported agriculture program – were also on hand but this writer was too busy stuffing his face to catch their names (sorry; I blame the food).
Local restaurants continue to stage long table nights and I heartily encourage you to check one out.
Meanwhile, some of the amazing food enjoyed by 17 lucky guests July 27 is periodically on the menu at Soulfood, a multi-cuisine restaurant.
Chef Belkin explained the menu transitions as he only uses the best fresh foods available.
In the words of the restaurant owners: “Soulfood is a farm-to-table whole foods restaurant. We offer beautiful, vibrant, colourful, healing food, served in a happy, peaceful and welcoming space. It is fresh, local, seasonal and mindfully prepared.”
Soulfood is located at 1115 Baker Street in downtown Cranbrook.
Most of the local food producers can also be found at the Cranbrook Farmers’ Market as well as the Kimberley Farmers’ Market and elsewhere during the busy summer season.
– Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
