European chef to lead farm-to-table cooking workshops July 15 and 22 at the Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake
Learn about preparing healthy meals with local, seasonal produce at two tantalizing Chef in Residence workshops from 5:30 - 10 p.m. Wed., July 15 and/or 5:30 - 10 p.m. Wed., July 22 at the Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake. These authentic farm-to-table experiences will be led by Terri Salminen, chef and culinary instructor from the Netherlands, and Lindsey Shifley, passionate food educator and intuitive cook from Mundelein.
Learn crowd-pleasing recipes and tips of the trade from Salminen and Shifley during these hands-on cooking workshops. Both instructors are Super Ambassadors with the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution who look forward to sharing their passion for real food and food education. Workshops will feature different seasonal menus based on the farm-fresh ingredients available that week, and emphasize different cooking techniques. Participants can register for one or both Chef in Residence workshops.
"Cooking is the only form of art that is practiced daily," said Salminen. "It engages all the senses and it's what we all have in common, no matter which culture or country we come from. My passion is to inspire others to love good food made from their own hands."
Workshops begin with a guided walk to the Prairie Crossing Farm to pick up farm fresh certified organic vegetables and learn about organic agriculture from Erin Cummisford, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Liberty Prairie Foundation. The certified organic produce used in the workshops will be grown at the Prairie Crossing Farm by participants in the Liberty Prairie Foundation's Prairie Farm Corps youth development program. The Prairie Farm Corps was recently featured on the PBS show Growing a Greener World. They sell their produce at the Libertyville Farmers Market on Thursdays from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. beginning on June 25.
After visiting the farm, workshop participants will return to the Byron Colby Barn for an authentic farm to table cooking workshop. Everyone will work together with Salminen and Shifley to prepare a light and fresh summer appetizer, a colorful main course with an accent on vegetables, and a fruit-based dessert using as much locally grown ingredients as possible. After preparing the meal, participants will savor the delicious results as they gather together at the table to eat and share their cooking experience.
The July 15 workshop features a Sicilian sweet and sour caponata with zucchini, raw vegetable sticks with an olive oil "pinziminio" and yogurt lemon dip, a colorful main course of roasted red beets in a mint balsamic dressing with Swiss chard filled crespelle, finished with oven-baked summer fruits with lemon drizzle cake. Highlighted cooking techniques include roasting, filling a leafy vegetable, and sautéing. The workshop begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m.
The July 22 workshop features a colorful salad with shaved fennel and raw summer roots with a bagna cauda dressing made of stewed garlic and aromatic herbs, quick cucumber pickles with basil olive oil, steamed Napa cabbage involtini and oven-baked garden risotto, finished with a fresh summer fruit sorbet served in layers of yogurt and honey with dark chocolate date truffles. Highlighted cooking techniques include steaming, stewing, and sautéing. This workshop also begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m.
"Terri and I have collaborated on many Food Revolution initiatives," said Shifley. "I'm thrilled that she will be in the U.S. this summer and that we'll be working together on these workshops. I've learned so much from her, and can't wait until July. It's a dream collaboration come true!"
Pre-registration is required for the Chef in Residence workshops, which are for adult participants only. Registration is limited to provide the best hands-on educational experience. The Chef in Residence workshop fees are $65 per person which includes 4.5 hours of professionally-led programming and a delicious and healthy meal that participants will prepare and enjoy together. Information and online registration is at www.libertyprairie.org.
Salminen is a private chef, culinary instructor and food stylist who was born in the U.S., raised in the northern Italian countryside, and currently lives in the Netherlands. She is "Creative Chef de Cuisine" at The Idea Factory, an international interior design corporation, where she creates beautiful, colorful food gathered from local growers and distributors. Salminen has taught cooking extensively in a professional setting and her kitchen is based upon sustainable principles and the simple premise of following the seasons. She also volunteers with the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution, where she earned the title of Super Ambassador in March of 2014.
Shifley is a lifelong Mundelein resident, Super Ambassador for the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution, and former Northwestern Varsity student athlete (softball). Her Food Revolution began when she pitched out the "fake food stuff" to help her daughter who was having attention, sensory and social issues. Shifley began volunteering with the Food Revolution in 2012 where her blog Themullies.com was honored as "Blog of the Month" (2013) and she earned Ambassador of the Month and Super Ambassador (2014). She also co-founded 52tries.com, which follows a diverse team of contributors as they create lasting change in their lives.
The Byron Colby Barn is located at 1561 Jones Point Road in Grayslake, inside the Prairie Crossing conservation community. Ample parking is located in the parking lot adjacent to the Barn. Participants will walk approximately .6 miles on a path through restored prairie and alongside horse pastures to the Prairie Crossing Farm, a certified organic farm where the produce will be grown for the workshops. Transportation can be arranged with advance notice for those who need accommodations for the walk between the Byron Colby Barn and Prairie Crossing Farm. Please make these requests when registering at www.libertyprairie.org.
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