Learn farm-to-table cooking at July workshops
Learn about preparing healthy meals with local, seasonal produce at Chef in Residence workshops from 5:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays, July 15 and 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, food educator and cook from Mundelein.
Both instructors are Super Ambassadors with the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution. 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," Salminen said. "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 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays beginning 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. 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 will feature 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 will include roasting, filling a leafy vegetable, and sautéing.
The July 22 workshop will feature 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 will include steaming, stewing, and sautéing.
"Terri and I have collaborated on many Food Revolution initiatives," Shifley said. "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!"
Registration is required; adult participants only. Workshop fees are $65 per person. Information and online registration is at www.libertyprairie.org.
Salminen is a private chef, culinary instructor and food stylist who was born in the United States, 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. Her Food Revolution began when she pitched out the "fake food stuff" to help her daughter, who was having attention, sensory and social issues. In 2012 Shifley began volunteering with the Food Revolution, 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 at 1561 Jones Point Road in Grayslake, inside the Prairie Crossing conservation community. Ample parking is located adjacent to the barn. Transportation can be arranged with advance notice for those who need accommodations for the walk between the Byron Colby Barn and Prairie Crossing Farm.
• To submit Your news with one photo, go to dailyherald.com/share. To submit Your news with multiple photos, send it to nbrcalender@dailyherald.com.