When Eric Taslimi, executive chef at Table 2, is deciding on his menu for the evening, he knows two decisions are already made: That the ingredients will be fresh and that they’ll from a local source whenever possible.
“With the economy the way it is, I realize the importance of helping our city, but also I like having that one-on-one relationship with the farmers,” he said. “It allows me to have more control over the food I buy, and it’s always, well, at least 90 percent of the time, picked the day they bring it. Quality doesn’t get much better.
“Plus, I’m helping the community. Customers are interested in that, too – eating local foods and supporting other people while they’re doing it. It works out price-wise for me, too, so I can pass that on.”
Buying local is not a new concept. It’s one organizations such as the Slow Food movement have been pushing for years. But it’s never been more important than now when reports of foodborne illness and supporting the local economy have put local food in the spotlight.
Starting Saturday, the practice will be highlighted like never before during RiverRocks, a free, 10-day celebration of our region’s natural resources, including our food. The second weekend will include a showcase of local fare. During the week, several area restaurants will highlight those dishes using locally produced ingredients, including vegetables, meats and other food products.
The idea for the emphasis on local food stemmed from other festivals “that put up fences and corral people to vendors serving typical festival foods,” said Stormy McGauley, co-founder of RiverRocks with her husband, Michael McGauley.
On the weekendsRiverRocks happens Oct. 1-10 at locations throughout Chattanooga, with headquarters in Coolidge Park. On Saturday, two separate events, Wine Over Water and the 3 Sisters Festival, will fill the Walnut Street Bridge and Ross’s Landing, adding to the activities at Coolidge Park, which include hot-air balloon rides. On Saturday, Oct. 9, a food expo will feature companies that make something a little different from traditional festival fare. Among them will be:Big River Grille – Hamburgers using fresh beef from Sequatchie Cove Farms and buns from Niedlov’s.Sweet Peppers Deli – Box lunches with freshly prepared wraps.Fiddle Sticks Catering – Freshly made quiche sold warm from the oven.Petunia’s Silver Jalapeño – Boston butt smoked at the restaurant and served with their freshly made coleslaw.
“We want to feature restaurants that serve local food and let people know what they’re doing and encourage them to visit these restaurants during RiverRocks,” she said.
Participating restaurants will offer specials on specific local dishes and/or create dishes especially for the celebration of all things local.
When it opened in 1992, 212 Market Restaurant began offering locally produced foods. Now, almost 70 percent of the menu is local, according to co-owner Sally Moses.
“It’s the whole picture of supporting our local farmers and serving the freshest produce, from trout, honey and bison to cheese from Sequatchie Valley,” she said. “We think the food we get locally is good for you and good for the economy.”
Stormy McGauley said some restaurants will be donating a portion of proceeds from sales, while others will be offering special prices. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the entire week – “50 cents from every single dollar we bring in,” McGauley emphasized – will be donated to local land conservation groups.
“RiverRocks is a wonderful event that celebrates everything Chattanooga has to offer,” Moses said. “You can go five minutes out of town and be in the woods, on the mountains or in the water. It’s great for people to realize all that Chattanooga has to offer.”
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6285.
Restaurant participants
Restaurants will be showcasing local foods in dishes during the week of RiverRocks. These include:
Back Inn Cafe – Rembrandt Roasting Co.’s New York strip with truffle whipped local potatoes, asparagus and mushroom cream sauce; served with Bluff View Bakery sun-dried tomato focaccia ($24).
Niko’s Southside Grill – River Ridge Farms’ pork schnitzel, spaetzle, lemon confit, caper, brown butter, tangle of tart greens and a pint of beer ($15); pecan-crusted Pickett’s Farm trout, sweet potato hash, house bacon, local greens and apple pie made with apples from local apple growers ($17).
Table 2 – River Ridge Farms’ pork loin topped with tarragon from Crabtree Farms, butter and caponata using vegetables from local farms; ratatouille dirty rice with house-made chorizo sausage and vegetables from local farms ($23).
Tony’s Pasta – Spaghettini Con Crudo with handmade pasta and fresh basil and tomatoes from the Bluff View garden; served with garlic ciabatta and country loaf bread from Bluff View bakery ($9.49).
212 Market – Butternut squash bisque; grilled pizza with heirloom peppers, pesto, house mozzarella and Benton’s bacon; black-skillet Pickett Farm trout with crawfish sauce, Fall’s Mill stone-ground grits and fall greens; apple cobbler with house ginger ice cream; Eagle’s Rest bison short ribs, sweet potatoes and tempura shiitakes; Georgia free-range chicken with house mozzarella, local grilled squash and Fall’s Mill polenta with cider herb vinaigrette; Maggie’s Bread Pudding with local apples, pears and house ice creams; grilled Georgia quail with blueberry sauce and rosemary shortbread. (Soups and desserts start at $3.75; sandwiches and salads at $6.99; appetizers at $5.50 and entrees at $9.50.)