So, what does a Michigan Locavore serve at a party in March? Sue Stauffacher, a Grand Rapids personal chef, and I put together a fabulous menu featuring all of the local vegetarian food that we could get our hands on. The food came from the Fulton St. Farmers Market, locally owned stores, and three freezers – including mine.
Sue is a children’s book author who works part-time as a personal chef, helping people and organizations cook, entertain, and eat local and healthy. She also has an emphasis on presentation and minimal waste. We utilized her no-waste entertaining ideas. Much of the food was “finger food” and the serving items were reusable. The only “disposables” were the potato-based plates and recycled paper napkins. These were composted in Sue’s small vermicomposting system. And, special thanks to Sue’s helpers: Beth and Tori.
The beer was in growlers from Brewery Vivant, a new brewpub on Cherry Street in Grand Rapids. The Michigan wine selections were from Good Harbor and Chateau Grand Traverse wineries.
The menu and farm list are below. I appreciate Sue’s accommodation of my local preferences as well as some diet restrictions of guests.
Savory
• Assorted cheeses: Grassfields organic Lamont cheddar, Mooville garlic dill cheddar, Farm Country Cheese hot pepper cheddar
• El Matador tortilla chips with Cherry Republic salsa
• Roasted baby beets with horseradish cream and fresh dill (Visser, Glennon gardens, Michigan Fine Herbs)
• Butterball potatoes stuffed with spinach dip (Visser and Trillium Haven)
• Black Bean and Pop-Eye’s Changing Teams Hummus (Eden Foods garbanzo beans)
• Deviled eggs (R&R Poultry)
• Eggplant caponata in mini-boule (Turtle Island, Dodge Gardens, Crane Dance, Michigan Fine Herbs)
• Roasted garlic and red pepper hummus (Visser, Turtle Island)
• Artichoke spinach dip wrapped in lolla rossa lettuce (Trillium Haven and Vertical Paradise Farms)
Sweet
• German chocolate cupcakes
• Pancake parfait with coconut crème (Carmody farm, Blueberry Heritage)
• Carrot and apple cupcakes with crème glaze (Visser, Dodge Gardens)
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