On April 28, Dave Crick, Owner of the Red Feather Lounge and the Bittercreek Ale House in Boise, hosted the monthly Dinner and a Movie event for the Treasure Valley Food Coalition. From their web page, “2011: The Year of Idaho Food is a grass-roots, year-long, statewide look at the surprising variety of foods grown in Idaho — and not simply focusing on the foods themselves, but also on the social, economic and environmental significance of those foods. The Treasure Valley Food Coalition is one of many statewide organizations that are involved in the celebration.” You can also find more information about the “Year of Idaho Food” at Guy Hand’s Northwest Food News. Basically, as Dave Crick explained, it is a “20/20” program – 20% of the food on your table is Idaho produced by 2020. The dinner tonight, created by Dave Crick and the Red Feather Lounge, is an example of that goal. Cheers!

Cold Springs Winery Hot Rod Red Blend – Hammett, ID
Cold Springs Winery

Green Salad with Fiddlehead Fern

Salmon Risotto

Beignet with House Butterscotch

One fascinating point brought out during the discussion after the movie – and there were several points – was that the average distance a dinner product travels from producer to your table in Idaho is 1500 miles. This is why the Treasure Valley Food Coalition and other organizations in Idaho, are so involved in the “Eat Local” program and the “Year of Idaho Food” program. Think the Saturday Markets in Boise and in other cities and towns throughout the state. And support these ventures. We all have some space for a small, yet productive garden. Try raised beds. Patio pots. Window boxes. Alley strips. They all work quite well. Thanks to Dave Crick and his staff at the Red Feather Lounge and the Bittercreek Ale House for their hospitality and the wonderful meal. Thanks to Janie Burns, Meadowlark Farms, for organizing this program at the Red Feather Lounge. Here is a link to other Resources about the sustainable food program. Cheers and think local!