Miami University

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News and Public Information Office
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Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056
(513) 529-7592
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newsinfo@muohio.edu

Farm-to-Fork Dinner: Focus on local food partnerships

09/26/2012

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written by Susan Meikle, news and public information

Farm-to-Fork dinner hosted by Butterfield Farm Market. Diners enjoyed local produce and cheeses; poultry and beef from Reserve Run Farm; and Madisono's gelato and sorbet (photo by Scott Kissell)

Part one of series focusing on local foods at Miami. Refer to part two here.

Miami’s inaugural Farm-to-Fork dinner, hosted by Butterfield Farm Market Sept. 20, highlighted Miami’s new partnerships with local food producers. The dinner featured beef and poultry from Reserve Run Farm, produce from several area farms and gelato and sorbets from Madisono’s of Cincinnati. The event went “splendidly,” according to Jon Brubacher, purchasing and operations analyst for housing, dining, recreation and business services and organizer of the dinner.

“In the 13 years I’ve been at Miami, I have seen a lot of happy students, however, the Farm-to-Fork event was the best I’ve seen,” exclaimed Brubacher. “Everyone in attendance, including the Butterfields as well as the other farmers and producers, had an excellent experience. We are already beginning preliminary plans for next year’s event!”

The Farm-to-Fork menu featured grilled steaks, short ribs and chicken; grilled and roasted local vegetables; local cheeses; various cold salads with local vegetables; and Madisono’s gelato and sorbet.

Nearly 40 students and other Miami community members attended the dinner, the first in what will become an annual, and expanded, Farm-to-Fork event, said Brubacher.

Matt Madison of Madisono's Gelato and Sorbet; Farm-to-Fork diners (photo by Scott Kissell)

Locally purchased foods: 24 percent of Miami's food budget

Miami’s dining services is dedicated to seeking out locally purchased foods: during the 2011-2012 academic year, dining services sourced approximately $2.4 million in local/Ohio companies, representing 24 percent of its annual food budget.

This year the local foods focus has expanded to include a new partnership with Drew Johnson of Reserve Run Farm (and a fourth generation Miamian) in Oxford. The farm’s all-natural beef and pasture-raised poultry are served exclusively now at Panache (located in Harris Hall, open 6-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday) which features a new menu based on local and fresh foods.

Next year Reserve Run’s products will be featured in the new Maplestreet Station at enCounter (premium burger venue) and at Americas, one of the two anchors of Maplestreet. (Maplestreet Station is a new dining and residence hall set to open in fall semester 2012. It will feature seven restaurants with unique menus).

Madisono’s gelato and sorbet, made in Cincinnati from all natural ingredients, is now being sold at Market Street at MacCracken. Introduced at the beginning of the semester, it has proven popular, with more than 300 pints sold by the third week of the semester, said Brubacher. It will also be featured on the Panache menu.

Local Pumpkin Smoothies:
Where do the pumpkins come from?

Pumpkins for Local Pumpkin Smoothies are delivered by local farmers (Wiseman Farm pumpkins pictured here) to the Culinary Support Center (photo by Scott Kissell)

Local pumpkins are delivered to the to the Culinary Support Center, where they are
cleaned, roasted, spiced and pureed. The puree is used as a base for the smoothies. Local Pumpkin Smoothies are available beginning Oct. 1 at Bell Tower Place, Ovations (located in Scott Hall) and The Greystone (located in Alexander Hall).

Also, while supplies last, fresh local apples from Downing Fruit Farms are available at Market Street at MacCracken, Spring Street Market in Shriver Center and Bell Tower Place.