Marcus Samuelsson supports Harvest Home & farmers markets in Harlem

Savor the Season Uptown! with Chef Marcus Samuelsson

Marcus Samuelsson and Nils Noren joined Executive Director Maritza Owens in hosting Savor the Season Uptown! The event benefits the not-for-profit organization that has created a network of farmers markets throughout New York City in underserved neighborhoods.

 

Also important, the event showed that Harlem has a “real” food scene with many restaurants that are affordable and source from local farmers in NYS and in the region. A great reason to support Harlem restaurants.

And please read the linked stories and share with friends.

 

 

Savor the Season Images by Men Who Dine

 

  

 

Maritza Wellington-Owens, President and Founder

Maritza Wellington-Owens, President and founder, has been instrumental in developing, maintaining farmer’s markets in the South Bronx despite the belief that low income communities could not support a farmers market. Ms. Owens has
also worked with other community organizations in the Bronx to establish farmers markets in order to increase residents access to high quality, locally grown fresh produce.

 

 

 

 

Emblem Health Supports Harvest Home

Harvest Home’s corporate this season has been EmblemHealth. With the support of EmblemHealth, Harvest Home Farmer’s Markets in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Harlem and Queens are offering families:

• Direct access to farm-fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms.
• Live cooking demonstrations by Community Educators using foods found at the farmer’s market to prepare healthy dishes. Receipe cards of each dish, printed in English and Spanish, will include nutritional information and be available to take home.

Additionally, EmblemHealth is providing:

• Vouchers for $1 off purchases at the markets, distributed to Medicaid members.
• Health screenings and information throughout the season.
• Vouchers for a free glucose meter.

Harvest Home is a leader in providing low-income communities access to farmer’s markets and pioneered the “Eating for Good Health” initiative to bring under-served residents the foods, know-how and hands-on tools to eat and live well.

“EmblemHealth’s support is instrumental in our mission to educate families about the health benefits of eating fresh, local and seasonal produce and how to prepare delicious, healthy meals,” said Maritza Wellington Owens, chief executive officer and founder of Harvest Home.

About Harvest Home Farmer’s Market The market is operated by Harvest Home Farmers’ Market, Inc. (HHFM) an East Harlem based non-profit whose mission is to increase access to farm fresh, locally grown produce for consumers in high need, low-income New York communities identified as “fresh and healthy food deserts.” Founded in 1993, HHFM operates a network of farmers markets in East Harlem, Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens communities under-served by grocery stores and other fresh food outlets. The farmers’ markets provide direct producer-to-consumer economic opportunities for farmers and food producers who sell their goods at HHFM markets. For more information, visit www.harvesthomefm.org.

About EmblemHealth
EmblemHealth, Inc., through its companies Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and HIP Health Plan of New York (HIP), provides quality health care coverage and administrative services to approximately 2.8 million people. Groups and individuals can choose from a variety of PPO, EPO and HMO plans, as well as coverage for prescription drugs and dental and vision care. We offer a choice of networks, including quality doctors and other health care professionals throughout the region, leading acute care hospitals across the tristate area, and physicians and hospitals across all 50 states. For more information, visit www.emblemhealth.com.

 

Restaurants for Savor the Season Uptown!

Here are all of the restaurants for Savor the Season Uptown! Restaurants were selected from East, Central and West Harlem. Fine dining can be found in Northern Manhattan. And most of the restaurants use seasonal produce that Harvest Home is supplying for the benefit. We want everyone to come uptown to enjoy this fall.

Creole Restaurant and Music Supper Club

Creolemarries art, jazz, culture, entertainment and food into one location, and people from all over the world could have a superb dining Harlem experience.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Our Bar-B-Que has been nationally acclaimed as some of the best in the country. We have won honors for our food and sauces in publications such as Men’s Health and Eating Well magazines, won the Number 1 BBQ on Good Morning America and have been featured on various Food Network and Travel Channel shows. We have a full line of specialty sauces and spice rub that are available throughout the country and in Europe and Japan. Our cookbook, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse was voted a best BBQ cookbook by the National Association of BBQ.

5 And Diamond

The 5 and Diamond Restaurant offers refined contemporary American fare and genuine Harlem hospitality. Chef David Martinez prepares food with passion – combining fresh seasonal ingredients and bold flavors with a refined presentation. He is committed to local, organic produce and is inspired by his culinary experience here and in Europe.

Jin Ramen

Jin is the Japanese pronunciation of the character 仁. It means “benevolence” and finds its root in Confucian ideals. The character Jin consists of two elements. The left side represents a human being and the right side represents the numeral two. Jin is said to depict the way two people should treat one another. We, the founding partners, chose Jin as our ramen bar’s name not only out of an enthusiasm for ramen, but also from a desire to grow a business that has a positive impact on the community.

Le Monde

Le Monde celebrates the cuisine of the Loire Valley. Known as the “Garden of France,” the Loire is home to some of the best-loved French dishes such as Coq Au Vin and Potato, Goat cheese and Caramelized Onion Tart. Sample some of the great Loire wines including Charles Jouget Chinon or Daniel Chatard Sauvignon Blanc. Like the river Loire, the region runs through the heart of French life, and Le Monde celebrates the convivial bourgeois lifestyle with its warm atmosphere, welcoming service and delicious food.

Le Monde has been certified Green by the Green Business Bureau. This certification includes the implementation of green business practices and demonstrates our continued support for a more environmentally conscious restaurant industry.

Levain Harlem

Levain is a cozy neighborhood bakery where locals are greeted by name. A steady stream of loyal regulars stands side by side with tourists, eager to sample the legendary baked goods.

From an inventive array of rustic breads to the world-famous six-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie, everything is baked on-site, fresh every day from the finest natural ingredients. What doesn’t sell that day goes to help feed the hungry-a mission that has been solidly in place since the beginning. The bakery was founded in 1994 by friends Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes.

Melba’s

In 2005, Melba’s Restaurant opened to rave reviews with Time Out Magazine calling it, “…the best in Harlem.” This cozy yet elegant restaurant features a menu of American comfort food such as wine braised short ribs over cheddar grits and Melba’s famous southern fried chicken and eggnog waffles, the winning dish featured on the food network’s throw down with Bobby Flay.

Melba’s is a Zagat-rated restaurant in the heart of a revitalized Harlem community. Designed by Harry Schnaper with its 111-year old chandeliers, black subway tile, polished marble bar and rustic church pews, no other uptown restaurant is a better symbol of new Harlem than Melba’s.

Mobay Catering

Mobay offers a fusion of Caribbean, Cajun, Asian, and Southern cuisine. Filling the void of the missing barbeque “St. Louis Style, Dry Rubbed Slow Smoked with Mesquite Barbecue for 10 hours, no sauce-please, Barbecue” that’s missing in the Harlem area.

Red Rooster

Our menu reflects the roots of Harlem’s diverse population as well as Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s own rich background, while celebrating local farmers and artisanal purveyors. Red Rooster Harlem features a lively bar and dining room, and a front window offering a to-go menu of drinks and baked goods. From the colors used throughout our restaurant to the art hanging on its walls, Red Rooster is designed to be a place where people from near and far come to celebrate food, music, history, culture and art.

Tonnie’s Minis

Tonnie creates mini cupcakes as well as rich, moist carrot cake with a creamy-delicious cream cheese icing. A recipe originally created by his mother, Tonnie spruced it up and it became his signature dessert. To this day, Tonnie is the ONLY one who prepares the carrot cakes so that the recipe remains a secret.

Curatorial Team

 

 

   

Photo credit:  Chris Kausch (For Mr. Samuelsson’s picture)

Here is your curatorial team for Savor the Season Uptown! Starting with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. Lead Planner is Savona Bailey-McClain, Executive Director of the West Harlem Art Fund; Wine Consultant is Eric White from The Winery located in Central Harlem; Beer & Spirits Consultants are Lauren Lynch and Jason Janawsky from the new gastropub Harlem Pub and floral design by Louis Gagliano from Harlem Flor.

The team is so delighted to be apart of this great event. Everyone is proud to showcase fine dining and living in Harlem. Guests will have a memorable time.

And we wish to offer a special, special thanks to Lizette LeBron, Banquet Manager for Dinosaur Bar-b-que. We could not have done this without her.

Savor the Season welcomes Harlem Flor as our floral designer

Louis Gagliano holds a Certificate in Floral Design from the Botanical Garden and is a partner at Harlem Flor floral atelier and boutique in New York City. He previously worked in hospitality and service management.

The florists at Harlem Flor pride themselves on modern but whimsical styling. In addition to serving weddings and corporate events, they produce custom arrangements of flowers and plants to suit your needs, from a birthday bouquet to a terrace garden.

Raffles will be available for sale next week

 

Starting next week, Harvest Home will have raffle tickets available for sale. We want to be as inclusive as possible. And so, we have curated wonderful gifts for lucky winner. Raffle books are just $20 dollars. Individuals would receive a book of five raffle opportunities. Raffles will be available at our markets and other distribution vehicles soon.

Check out the music from Tumbling Bones

“The twenty-somethings who make up Tumbling Bones play a mix of  old-time country and old-fashioned blues that belies their relative youth. But their folk music is no museum piece. It is living, breathing music infused with
a little of the contemporary rock ‘n’ roll the band members were reared on and reworked into their original arrangements and compositions.

The last half decade has taken them from street-performing on European street corners to venues across the continental United States to an acclaimed performance on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. The band’s debut EP Risk Not Your Soul (2011) reached the Top Ten on the Roots Music Report‘s folk radio chart. Since the release of their second record Schemes in May of this year Tumbling Bones has been on the road non-stop including dates throughout the midwest, east coast, and an outstanding three week tour of Ireland.”

Listen to more Tumbling Bones

tumblingbones.bandcamp.com

The Farming Life by Chloe

                                                                      

Since the turn of the 20^st century,  most people stopped cultivating fruits and vegetables in their own backyard and opted for the easy option of purchasing their vegetables at the supermarket that are sometimes out of season, and not at all as tasty. I mean, if you can believe it, there was a time when tomatoes weren’t available all year round!

I grew up with the impression that everything you eat comes from the farm, but not just any farm, in particular it was my grandfather’s vegetable patch. Ever since I was little I remember going with him to his field that was always overflowing with gorgeous fresh cucumbers, watermelons, beans, peppers, anything you could imagine it would be there, depending on the season of course.

When we would wake up in the mornings my grandfather would already be back from tending to his vegetables and his goats and sheep. This would mean fresh goats milk for breakfast with our cereal, and of course my grandma would cook up a nutritious meal for lunch with all the vegetables he would bring back.

I look back on my childhood, and particularly this influence of fresh fruit and vegetables being readily available, with a great fondness and am very fortunate to have had the exposure that I did to such a lifestyle so young as I can see how it has influenced my own food choices that I make daily now, so many years later.

Making sure fresh produce being present in the life of a young child during their developing years is one of the greatest gifts that one can give their child, and it is one that will always be increasing in value as the years pass.