Home » Events » Virginia Farm Bureau’s “Save Our Food Holiday Festival” is Overwhelming Success

Virginia Farm Bureau’s “Save Our Food Holiday Festival” is Overwhelming Success

  • Susan
  • December 17, 2009
Chef Jim Coleman in action
Chef Jim Coleman in action

In an effort to create awareness about the importance of locally grown food, the Virginia Farm Bureau developed the Save Our Food campaign, which brings attention to the state’s first and largest industry ” farming.  So this weekend, the Farm Bureau sponsored the first annual Save our Food Holiday Festival at the brand new Meadow Event Park and 65,000 square foot Farm Bureau Exhibition Hall, about 25 miles north of Richmond.  The festival, planned in the midst of holiday preparations, was a way to showcase Virginia grown and produced food and beverage products, and offer consumers an array of unique holiday gifts, maybe some food coupon give aways and cooking ideas, just in time to enjoy them with family and friends.

Food sale at its best
Food sale at its best

The festival included more than 50 vendors and exhibitors, live, interactive cooking demonstrations, sampling stations, wine tastings and a children’s activity area produced by the Children’s Museum of Richmond.   Consumers looking for deals on locally produced products were not disappointed, as vendors offered deep holiday discounts at this one-day extravaganza, which attracted visitors from as far north as Washington D.C., the eastern shore of Virginia and the western Shenandoah mountain area.

Food Demonstrations Took Center Stage

SausageMaking-with-Chris-Mattera
SausageMaking-with-Chris-Mattera

One of the highlights of the Save Our Food Holiday Festival was a sausage making demonstration by Chris Mattera of the nationally renowned Belmont Butchery in Richmond. In less than 15 minutes, Mattera took a large chunk of pork shoulder and turned it into five pounds of seasoned sausage links. Although you can combine other types of meat to make sausage, Mattera stressed that the best tasting sausages are 100 percent pork.  “I’d make sure that at least 60 percent of my meat was pork,”he said, when asked for a good ratio for mixing in other meat products.

The art of cooking demonstrated by the experts
The art of cooking demonstrated by the experts

Following the sausage making extravaganza, Mattera hosted a cook-off between three guest chefs; Alex Reyes, executive chef at Harry’s Tap Room in Arlington, John Maxwell of the Culinary Institute of Virginia and Jim Coleman, of the PBS series “Flavors of America”  Each chef demonstrated cooking skills and shared kitchen secrets as they whipped up a tantalizing menu featuring Virginia products, including beef tenderloin, goat cheese, apples, sweet potatoes and spaghetti squash.  The smells that wafted through the exhibit hall were amazing!

WineTasting
WineTasting

Virginia Wineries Well Represented

Representatives from about a dozen of Virginia’s most prestigious wineries offered tastings of their latest vintage wines.  Of particular interest was Kluge Estate Winery’s newest and hottest seller, Cru.   This is a full-bodied aperitif made with naturally sweet Chardonnay grapes, fortified with Virginia-distilled brandy, and then aged in Jack Daniel’s barrels.  The smooth taste of pear, peach, and citrus, with hints of vanilla, and roasted almonds made this one of the more exciting finds.

Peaks of Otter Winery gave a taste of their finest wines
Peaks of Otter Winery gave a taste of their finest wines

Peaks of Otter Winery in Bedford, Virginia presented a collection of their whimsical Fruit of the Farm wines, as well as some of their unique “basting”wines, such as “Chili Dawg,”which is 97 percent apple, blended with 3 percent chili pepper.  Other varieties available for sampling were Apple Truffle, Blueberry Muffin and Apple Blackberry Cobbler.  All were excellent!

James River Cellars from my hometown of Glen Allen, was also on site with a number of their dry and sweet blends.  Two that were particularly good were a 2008 Chardonel, a semi-dry white with fruity banana characteristics, and a 2008 Colonial Red, a crisp sweet red with apple and cinnamon flavors.

Virginia's best farm-produced in a bus

Virginia Food Producers Display their Wares

There was no shortage of food product vendors who came from all parts of the state to display their Virginia made wares.   From creamy chevre and lean lamb, to delectable delicacies from the Biscotti Goddess, the aisles were filled with candy, cakes, breads, seasoning mixes, meats, seafood, sauces, and even an old-fashioned bus featuring homegrown Virginia produce, direct from the farm.

Cheese need not taste the same
Cheese need not taste the same

Goats R Us, from rural Blackstone, produces creamy chevre on a 105-acre homestead.  Made from scratch daily, their menu of flavors include natural, dill and garlic, sun dried tomato and bacon, black pepper and seasonal varieties such as pumpkin and dried cranberry and orange.  Sold in select markets across the state, the demand for their product is increasing as customers become more aware of the delicate properties and appeal of cheese made from goat’s milk.

Spices that will give an extra-kick to your meal
Spices that will give an extra-kick to your meal

Patrick’s Pepper Powder was discovered by accident when Patrick deFur was experimenting with peppery spice combinations.  Soon the Richmond-based entrepreneur and his wife found themselves making and packaging a variety of spicy seasonings from a home-based business that they market under the name Capsaicin Solutions.  From mild to extra-spicy, this up-and-coming company offers products that add an extra kick to your meals.

All natural fruitcake
All natural fruitcake

All-natural fruitcakes, creamed honey and rich truffles are the specialty products produced by the monks living at Holy Cross Abbey in peaceful Berryville, Virginia.  The bakery is the primary means of their self-support, and their products use the finest ingredients from local farms.  “Fraters” are their newest item;  generous slices of their world-famous Monastery fruitcake dipped in rich, dark chocolate.

Organizers of the Save our Food Holiday Festival are planning for a summer event in July 2010, which will highlight the seasonal harvest for Virginia farmers.  FriendsEat.com will provide more details as they become available.

For a list of vendors participating in this past weekend’s Holiday Festival, or to find out where to order their products, click here.

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