I’ve become quite impressed with restaurateur’s responses to the Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign. And it’s really opened my eyes to the growing number of local farms and other food purveyors. For instance, Rob Gentry, owner of Blue Plate Diner, recently sent me a menu he did for a catered dinner for Tennessee Land Trust. Among the area food producers he used were Benton’s Smokehouse and Nielov’s Bakery to make ham slicers; Mayfield Farm and Nursery and Niedlov’s to make baguettes topped with tomato-onion chutney; Mayfield Farm again for the salad fixings; Spring Mountain Farm for the pit-grilled chicken entree; and Mayfield Dairy for ice cream sundaes.
I didn’t realize Springer Mountain chickens were a local product, born and raised in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains. And I’m not familiar with Benton Smokehouse. The Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign has opened up a new world to us foodies, and I couldn’t be happier because of it.
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My favorite veggies come from Delano, TN's farmer's market (run by very conservative Mennonites who appear on horse drawn buggies, dressed as though it was the mid 1800's). The corn is so sweet, you will get a toothache. Down the street is the Savannah Winery where you can get locally made cheese from the Sweetwater Dairy.
Man, I think I will go tomorrow.